Culinary Fool

Early Taste of Spring

12-Apr-2007

While at my Dad’s house over the Easter weekend I took the opportunity to pick a big batch of rhubarb from his garden. Although I grow a little at my house he has so much and it comes up a little earlier than mine that I take advantage of the abundance whenever possible. I picked 6+ pounds and didn’t even make a dent in his crop.

I’ve already enjoyed rhubarb crisp and think I’m going to can/freeze about half of it for later use. With the rest I think something like a Rhubarb Galette might be in order. If you don’t have your own rhubarb plants start checking the local farmers’ markets as it should be available now or very soon!

WBW #32: “Regular” vs Reserve

11-Apr-2007

This month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday is hosted by the folks at The Wine Cask Blog. Our assignment this month was to select two wines; one a standard release and the other a reserve release of the same wine. We were to compare the wines to decide if the reserve was worthy of it’s name and the additional cost that is normally associated with a reserve. At first I thought about comparing local Washington wines but then decided this was a good time to revisit two wines that I buy on a fairly regular basis and really test my love of the reserve.

My choice was Shingleback Shiraz. Shingleback has a whole line up of wines but their Shiraz was the first I tried and still remains my favorite. I messed up on this one though, as I thought I had two bottles from the same vintage only to find that they were actually a year apart. Oops. Well, the time was short and so I decided to go ahead and complete the challenge with what I had.

These wines are produced in South Australia in McLaren Vale, a region long known for it’s wines and boasting over 60 wineries. The region is bounded on one side by the Gulf St. Vincent which helps moderate the climate. Shingleback’s first release was their 1998 vintage. Since that time they’ve won several medals for their wine.

The two wines I tasted were the Shingleback 2003 Shiraz (pdf) and the Shingleback 2002 D-Block Reserve Shiraz (pdf). Both wines come from the same vineyard but the grapes for the reserve come from a specific area of the vineyard (D-Block) which John Davey, the grower and winemaker, feels is located in an area that comprises the perfect growing conditions. Both wines are 100% Shiraz.

I opened both bottles and poured a glass of each. To the eye there is not much difference between the wines. Both are a deep, inky garnet. The D-Block may have been a tad bit darker but not obviously so.

The first difference you notice is in the nose. The 2003 Shiraz has a very pleasant aroma of raisin and plum. The 2002 D-Block was also pleasant but more intense. Although there was some raisin there was brighter fruit, predominantly blackberry and some raspberry. I also caught a hint of plum.

I started the tasting with the 2003 Shiraz. This wine’s retail price is around $15 – $20. You can often find it at Costco or on sale for around that $15 mark. This wine is very earthy with a taste of plum followed by berry and also a little tobacco. There was a slight acidity, especially just as it left the mouth. I think that will mellow a bit with time as I noticed this acidity decreased after some time exposed to the air. Overall it was a very pleasant wine that would pair with a variety of foods and is nice on its own. At $15 I think this wine is a great value and it presents itself as a more expensive wine.

I then moved on to the 2002 D-Block Reserve. This wine retails around $40 – $50. It has developed a real personality! After sipping it I went back to the 2003 and the 2003 seemed almost flat, but that was only because of the comparison.

The D-Block taste is primarily of deep berry – maybe red, maybe purple. Yet there is a hint of oak that adds to the structure. This wine seemed more integrated than the first. The flavors and elements have become a more unified whole. The effect was of a big, luscious wine with an explosion of berry flavor. It pleasantly lingers on the palate making friends with all of your tastebuds! I really love this wine.

Although this was not a true vintage to vintage comparison I think the results are still representative of what I have tasted before. At $40 the reserve is more then twice the cost of the non-reserve. I’m not sure I could say it was twice as good but I can say it is worth $40. And after this comparison I would continue to buy both, keeping the non-reserve as an excellent everyday wine or something I might take to a party to contribute to the overall pool of wines. It’s a good steady wine and I wouldn’t be embarrassed to serve it to anyone. The reserve will be pulled out for occasions when I want something a bit special or maybe to share with someone who I know will get the nuances of this more complex wine. I think the challenge here is that the non-reserve is a really great value, not that the reserve is not worth the additional cost.

Thanks to the folks at the Wine Cask for hosting! They have already started the summary of the wines tasted for this event. Check it out to see what others tasted and their ratings.

Moustarde Violette

04-Apr-2007

When I travel I generally try to bring some foodstuff back that is a specialty of the area or reminds me of my visit in some way. Since there are so many rules and regulations about what can be brought back across borders (and also looking at what is most convenient to pack and carry) these items are often a sauce or condiment of some sort.

A few years ago while strolling Rue Mouffetard in Paris I came across a shop selling all kind of interesting things – jams, jellies, sauces and mustards. Lots of mustards. I was in my own little heaven while perusing the shelves there. While I don’t remember the name of the shop at this moment (I’m sure I have it in a file) I would be able to walk right back to it.

Eventually a little jar caught my eye. It contained a deep, dark purple mustard and the label said it was Moustarde Violette. I don’t speak French but I can understand a few words and what I gathered from the label was that it was somehow a grape and mustard concoction. Between the idea I had in my mind of what it might taste like and the cute shape of the jar I was sold.

I returned a bit later that week to buy a smaller jar when it turned out that I was going to cook dinner for some friends living in Paris. (In fact, the whole dinner came from the markets on Rue Mouffetard!) I decided it would be fun to taste it before I left Paris to see if the bottle was worth schlepping home!

At my friends’ house we got the kids fed and then settled in to prepare dinner for the adults. We started the meal with a course of fresh country bread, ash-covered Chevre, the Moustarde Violette and, of course, a couple bottles of wine. The tangy-slightly sweet mustard added just the right complementary note to the cheese and went beautifully with the wine – something you can’t say for all mustards!

I was so happy to find I’d made a great purchase. I brought my Moustarde Violette home and happily served it along with cheeses and meats for various occasions and events. My bottle was starting to get low and I was feeling a little sad – but luck was coming my way!

I happened to bring some of the mustard along on a afternoon excursion on my friend EE’s boat. Also on that afternoon trip were MG and DW, two people who have since become some of my best friends. Well, everyone loved the mustard and it turned out that MG and DW were planning a Paris trip a couple months later! Being the sweet and thoughtful people they are, soon after they returned I found myself with a brand new jar of Moustarde Violette!

Some time later, while browsing the aisles of Urban Fare in Yaletown (Vancouver, BC) I was thrilled to find my Moustarde Violette amongst the mustards! Since that time I’ve purchased a couple of jars to keep my addiction fed. But the last few times I’ve been to Vancouver I haven’t been able to find it. I am so sad.

So yesterday, I scraped the final remains of my last jar of Moustarde Violette onto a plate, along with some cheese, salami and a bit of bread. (In the photo there is also a bit of Framboise mustard – that’s the yellow one.) I took a photo and then settled in to enjoy that little condiment that brings back memories of that trip to Paris and many other good times with friends.

I’m heading back to France this fall and will have a few days in Paris at both the beginning and end of my trip. Guess where you will find me?

Free Knife Sharpening at Sur La Table

03-Apr-2007

They are doing it again! The folks at Sur La Table are offering free knife sharpening during the month of April. This time you are allowed two free knives and can also bring in others that will be charged the regular rate.

I’ve had a few done during the last couple of promotions and it’s a great deal. The earlier in the month you go, the faster the turnaround time is – often it’s same day. You’ll need to check with your local store to find out the specific details in your area.

There are 55 stores nationwide, so there’s a good chance there is one near you! Check the site for promotion details and to find a location.

Dine for Darfur

02-Apr-2007

What started as a Chow Foods event has now spread to many locations throughout the community! Tomorrow is Dine for Darfur (you can also drink Lattes or Pints for Darfur) and 25% of what you spend at participating establishments will be donated to the cause. To find the list of participating locations and to find out more about where the money goes check out the Dine for Darfur site.

Scottsdale: WildFish Seafood Grille

01-Apr-2007

Not only was our trip to J Bar not what we expected but our night at Furio was a bit disappointing, too. The food is still great, the staff pretty friendly but the clientèle is just not quite right. Nice people, I’m sure, just not bringing the feeling that I hope to find in the place – at least that was the case on this most recent visit.

So we found ourselves at loose ends, not having had enough for dinner yet not quite sure where we wanted to go. I’d seen a place on my morning walks called WildFish. Now it was in Fashion Square Mall which normally would not be my first choice of locations for a dinner but when we drove by we noticed that it was very busy – usually a good sign.

So we made our way (through pouring rain) into the restaurant and found that it was indeed very popular! There was a 90+ minute wait for a table and even the bar was jam-packed. We put our name on the list and starting cruising the large circular bar, looking for a place to squeeze in.

We found a little stand-up spot near one of the server stations. In no time the bartender was serving us and making us feel right at home. Standing wasn’t really an issue except that we wanted to eat; but the bartender was taking care of us! He told us that the next two open seats at the bar would be ours. We ordered drinks and kept our eagle eyes open especially focusing on two women across from us who had closed out their tab. And then they sat and chatted. And chatted.

We decided to order half a dozen oysters before Happy Hour ended. They were served with horseradish, cocktail sauce and a mignonette – all very good! And the horseradish was so fresh it nearly made me cry! And that’s a good thing!

In the meantime we struck up a conversation with three crazy Canucks sitting next to us. One offered a chair and then the bartender secured another for us from a nearby table. We were set! We ordered a few bites to try – some at the recommendation of our Canadian friends who were quasi-regulars.

We started with a blast-from-the-past, a wedge of iceberg lettuce with blue cheese dressing. It was served with marinated tomatoes on the side. The combination of the fresh, clean lettuce, the tangy blue cheese dressing and the vinegary tomatoes was heaven! There are good reasons much of the food that was popular in the 50s deserves to be included in today’s menus!

We followed our salad with Crispy Salt and Pepper Shrimp, a deep-fried, with Ginger, Scallions, Red Chiles and Sugar Snap Peas – it was very good. We also ordered a side of Truffled Macaroni & Cheese "Gratinata". Apparently we weren’t worried about anything like fat or cholesterol this night! It was yummy – rich and creamy; smooth and satisfying.

Desserts are not something we normally order – by the time we’ve tried the savory there’s generally not much room for the sweet! M had a hankering though and I knew a bite or two would be fine with me! So we ordered Hot Chocolate Godiva Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. We’d been warned that this dessert took 20 minutes or so but we just chatted with our new friends and patiently waited. I only had a couple of bites but I can tell you the dessert was well worth the wait!

We liked this place so well that we actually stopped in the next night for a little nightcap. Again the place was packed but the bartender remembered us and in a flash the manager was hauling chairs over to the bar for us. You gotta love a place that treats you that well!

If I lived in Scottsdale I’m sure I’d be in here on a regular basis. We will at least try it next year but after this year’s experiences of trying to return to places we like who knows what we’ll find. One can always hope, though.

WildFish Seafood Grille
7135 E. Camelback Road
Scottsdale
480.994.4040

Scottsdale: Asia de Cuba

01-Apr-2007

When returning to a place I’ve traveled in the past I always look forward to a few restaurants or bars that were "discovered" on previous trips. And it was the same for this most recent trip to the Phoenix area for my annual spring training trip.

One place I was really looking forward to experiencing was the J Bar in the James Hotel. Last year we had made a quick stop in the J Bar as it was one on a list of places that we wanted to check out. As we looked back over that evening we wished we had just stayed at J Bar. The food was amazing and the drinks creative, plus it had a very cool vibe with James Bond movies silently playing on big screens and lots of pretty people meeting and greeting.

So this year we anxiously made our way to the James Hotel but as we approached we could see that things had changed. There was no J Bar sign where we expected to see one, the colors and outdoor furniture was different, and as we rounded the corner to enter through the main doors we found that the hotel is now the Mondrian and all of the restaurants have changed.

Mondrians are nice, though, so we made our way to the bar on the main floor. It was sleek and beautiful but they do not serve food. So instead we chose to enter the restaurant, Asia de Cuba, a chain of restaurants that can be found on the East and West coasts as well as in London.

We each ordered a cocktail -which were expertly prepared – and a couple of appetizers. Everything was wonderful: the Beef Dumplings Two Ways provided nice contrasting textures and flavors using one simple center ingredient; the Asian Spiced Spareribs were succulent, tender and a little spicy.

Everything was really great – except the tab. Not that we were unprepared, we had read the menu, but our bill for two drinks and two appetizers was $70, before tip. Although everything was really good that cost is just out of line. There are plenty of other great places where $70 will buy me a whole lot more and I’d rather take my business there.

Asia de Cuba

7353 East Indian School Road

Scottsdale

480 308 1131

Scottsdale: Olive and Ivy

26-Mar-2007

I’m just back from a quick trip to the Phoenix area for Spring Training – baseball that is! As usual, M and I stayed in Scottsdale as we always seem to end up there for dinners. We stayed in a cute little "hotel" – more of a motel really. Loved the place except that there wasn’t much within walking distance which put a little damper on my morning walks. Of course the thunderstorms that kept blowing through didn’t help much either!

I did come across a great little place to pick up an early morning cup of tea or coffee and a light bite to eat, Olive and Ivy. They are actually more of a lunch/dinner place and have a great patio overlooking the Scottsdale Canal but we only made it over for breakfast.

M was pleasantly surprised to learn they served Victrola Coffee – that’s a local Seattle company – and the staff was happy to know that someone recognized the brand as a quality offering.

I had a lovely cinnamon roll that was actually more like a croissant dough – lots and lots of butter; M had a yummy breakfast egg sandwich. The staff was very nice and next time I’d like to try a lunch or dinner.

Olive and Ivy

7135 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 195

Scottsdale

480.751.2200

Bialetti’s Mukka Express

19-Mar-2007

I drink a lot of tea. But I also drink coffee. Just not nearly as much. But it’s time that I gave a little equal time to this other warming (and oh-so-Seattle) beverage.

When I’m at home a perfect mid-morning "snack" is a mocha or cappuccino. Since I don’t have them that often I chose to go with a lo-tech machine to do the job for me. Bialetti Mukka Express Cappuccino Maker

is the perfect solution! In theory, this pot makes 2 cups but personally I think one potful is just right for one!

This is a stove-top maker and works purely through the pressure of steam. The bottom compartment holds water, a basket for your ground coffee fits on top of that, then you screw on the top. The top section holds milk.

The boiling water and steam are forced up through the coffee and eventually into the top container where it heats and froths the milk. I actually prefer to heat the milk in the microwave a little before adding it to he pot as I find that cold milk doesn’t get quite as hot as I would like.

To make a mocha I just add a little chocolate to my cup and let it mix in as I pour the coffee into the cup.

Either way it’s a nice treat that’s also a little pick-me-up!

Bialetti has several other

versions of stove-top pots, too. Some make larger quantities – perfect for serving a few friends!

Tea at Zoka

19-Mar-2007

Saturday morning found M and I at the Zoka in the University District sipping tea and chatting. This is a great coffee house (that serves lots of great teas and food, too) just behind University Village. With free Wi-Fi, lots of room with nice tables and a cozy atmosphere I really should be spending more time here!

And, for bulk purchases, the website even says that they roast coffee to order! Now that is fresh-roasted!

Zoka has two locations – this one in the U District, and another on the East side of Greenlake. Isn’t one of them calling your name?