Serge the Concierge

Drinking Outside the Box takes the Snob out of the Wine

At a recent wine tasting I was more than a bit turned off by a fellow attendee who did not seem to know a technical detail she would not like to mention.

Have we forgotten that good food and good wine is supposed to be fun, pleasurable not a doctoral pursuit?

Simon Woods of Drinking Outside the Box ('Wine for people who have a life) understands that and takes the snob out of the wine.

He also has the good taste to reference 'New Order' (one of my favorite bands) in his latest ditty Everything's gone green - the whites (and reds) of Galicia (July 16).

Makes me wonder why I have not mentioned Rías Baixas (old map above from region's site) and the lovely whites from the area, Albariños, not to forget the Celtic connection.

I have to correct that and share my tasting notes on Adega Eidos for example.

Cheers Simon!

Foodies Vacations: Cooking Schools in Australia, Pork Butchery to Stocks and Soups

Your inner chef might have forgotten that cooking and food is not just about being romanced by Provence or Tuscany.

In Cooking Schools Around Australia (Australian Traveler, May 2007), Christine Salins offers a number of destinations down under for Foodies Vacations.

It runs the gamut from barbecued seafood class at the Sydney Seafood School (opened since 1989) in Sydney's Fish Market which she says attracts 10,000 students a year to gourmet vegetarian cuisine with Nadine Abensur in Byron Bay.

Her more recent book is Enjoy.

Asian food has its place of course with Thai 'Cookery Retreats' at The Tamarind in Maleny, Queensland with chef Paul Plain.

Want to get down to basics the PodSchool in Canberra recently offered Stocks, Soups and Sauces, teaching how from the 3 basic stocks, beef, fish & chicken you can create the best sauces and soups.

I almost forgot to mention programs at wineries such as Chapel Hill (McLaren Vale) which has a Pork Butchery Session on August 8th with Ian Shaw from Ellis Butchers who will break up a pig and explain the cuts, while Chef Peter Hogg creates dishes using the appropriate technique for each cut (10.30am – 1.30pm).

A quick trip down under for a change.

Station to Station, Must See Tokyo all Mapped out by Tokyo Metro

Sometimes your visit to a city or a country is very short and you don't want to waste your time finding your way around.

If Tokyo is part of your travel plans, Tokyo Metro does the legwork for you.

The Tokyo subway system offers 6 Sightseeing Plans, each with around 10 attractions, station to station all mapped out.

Option Number 1 is Must See Tokyo (below):

 

Each attraction comes with a short description and a photo as well as the line you must take and the corresponding stop and travel time to the next sight.

Here's what comes up for Tokyo Tower for example:

"At 333 meters tall, the steel structure of Tokyo Tower has spectacular views from its observation deck, 150 meters above the city below. The tower features several other attractions, including an aquarium. more

Hibiya Line (H) 3 mins."

I also learned from today's expedition that Tokyo Tower (opened in 1958) is 13m taller at 333m than the Eiffel Tower.

Traveling with the crowds for Tokyo Thursdays # 96

Previously on Tokyo Thursdays:
Young Person's Guide to Tanabata, Star Festival at Japan Society, NY, July 12

15 Days Motorcycle Wine Tour de France, Naps Included?

My friends at Kermit Lynch have been posting their Tour de France Wine of the Day when the inspiration comes.

On July 15, they picked a 2008 Cheverny Rosé, Domaine du Salvard by Delaille from the Loire Valley (pictured below) for Stage 11.



Out of curiousity, I went to check if anyone else was matching wines with the Tour de France stages.

Nothing came up, instead I unearthed a 15 Days Motorcycle Wine Tour de France (by AdMo-Tours) taking place from September 2 to September 16.

Intriguing

Are naps included?

July 14, It's Bastille Day, Velo Solex, DS and 2CV cruised New York Streets (July 12)

July 14, it's Bastille Day.

2 days ago, the weather was perfect for the annual Solex and Citroen ride around New York (video, part 7 below).

On Sunday, July 12, a flock of VeloSolex, classic Citroen DS and 2CV cruised the streets of the Big Apple.

Even Catherine Deneuve rode a Solex as the 1973 picture below (courtesy of Velosolex America) shows (it was part of my July 2008, Besides Petanque Bastille Day story).

More than nostalgia, good clean fun!

Felines Picpoul, Poujol Pico, White Wines that Taste like Love in the Afternoon

Long and exotic (like love on a summer afternoon?) is how they describe the finish on Domaine Felines Jourdan 'Picpoul de Pinet' (2007)...good structure and acidity.

In the words of The Wine Society, Pinet near Mèze and Sète, "has been planted with vines for over 2000 years. The vineyards lie just inland of the Mediterranean. The grape picpoul, or piquepoule, lives up to its French name: 'pique' (sharp and lively) and 'poule' (soft and maternal)."

Another off the beaten path white wine I tasted today was the Domaine du Poujol 'Pico' (2008) an unusual threesome of Rolle, Carignan Blanc, Roussanne.

This Vin de Pays de l'Herault is just like honey as Jesus and Mary Chain once sang, fresh, perfect for summer.

Domaine du Poujol is situated to the North West of Montpellier in the South of France

I tried both for the first time at Sud de France Top Rated Tasting in New York on July 13. They should retail for around $14 in the US Sante!

118 Minutes to Book Rooms from $18 to $118 at Copley Square, Boston, July 14 Only

No this is not a Bastille Day Special.

It is not everyday that someone gives you a present on their birthday.

In this case, this is not a person but an hotel Copley Square in Boston turning 118 years young.

Here's the details (below) as featured on their website:

So Joyeux Anniversaire, Happy Birthday Copley Square!

Found out about this great deal thanks to Wendy Perrin of The Perrin Post (via Twitter)

Will Top Rated Wines Move Me at 'Sud de France' Tasting, New York, July 13?

Well even if some of the wines getting the top ratings from US wine critics at the Sud de France Tasting on July 13 fail to move me on the eve of Bastille Day, no heads will roll under the guillotine.

The master of ceremony will be wine critic slash aspiring novelist Jamal Rayyis (pictured below) responsible for five editions (or is it 6) of Food & Wine Magazine's Wine Guide.



In any case, I will be sipping and spitting for you from 2 pm to 6 pm at the Maison de la Région Languedoc-Roussillon in New York ans surely discover new favorites of my own.

Douce France, Joli Pays de Mon Enfance!

Milwaukee Brat and Gentle Elves, Hot Dogs as America, at American Museum of Natural History in 2002

Getting aboard my time machine, I realized that the Hot Dogs as America at National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC echoes a 2002 exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History titled Baseball as America which (I quote) "offered a selection of ten of the most tempting hot dogs from ballparks and cities around the country, in celebration of Baseball As America, the first major exhibition to examine the relationship between baseball and American culture" and that "hot dogs are as much a fixture of baseball stadiums as the bleachers, pennants, scoreboards, and organ music."

Besides the 3 choices offered at National Portrait Gallery, the 7 other Hot Dogs on the menu in 2002 were the New York Street Cart Dog, the Dodger Dog, the Rochester White Hot, the Milwaukee Brat, the Cincinnati Cheese Coney, the Texas Corn Dog and the museum's own creation, the Natural.

Based on names, my 2 favorites would be "the White Hot from Rochester's own Zweigle's Meats, made of pork, has a widespread following in western New York. It is neither cured nor smoked. The resulting dog is off-white in color with a spicy taste and smooth texture. Split and griddled, this dog is served on a toasted bun and topped with a hot sauce (a meat chili made from a secret Rochester recipe), chopped onions, and any one of a variety of mustards" and the Milwaukee Brat which as its name suggests is not a hot dog "but a bratwurst, the Milwaukee Brat represents this baseball town's favorite sausage. Made by Usinger's, one of the country's best sausage makers, the pork and beef brat is grilled and dipped in "Secret Stadium Sauce" and served on a crusty roll, topped with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard."

I give extra points to Usinger's for their Fritzie the Elf (above) who they say continues the "long-standing tradition in Germany has always had elves working at night to finish the work of the cobblers, bakers, coopers, sausage makers etc. When the craftsmen couldn't get their work finished..."

Elves have been the company's mascot since the 1950's...

Food, sport, regional taste, history and good stories...

Which one is your favorite?

What beer would you drink with it?

Related: Hot Dogs as America in DC from Fenway Frank and Chicago Red Hot to NY Deli Dog

Hot Dogs as America in DC from Fenway Frank and Chicago Red Hot to NY Deli Dog

I was looking up details on an exhibit of a British Icon from the 60's and came up with a slice (a bun) of Americana.

Call it food as history if you will, the Courtyard Cafe at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC picked as its summer feature, Hot Dogs as America.

Here is what's it's all about:

"As a special tribute to America's favorite pastime and a warm up to Nationals Baseball Family Day, Saturday, July 18, the Courtyard Café will feature three authentic hot dogs from baseball cities across the country during the month of July from 11:30am–3pm daily. Specialty dogs are $5.95, a plain dog is $4.95."

• New York Deli Dog-- New York City's delicatessen tradition brings us this great natural-casing beef frank topped off with sauerkraut and deli mustard.


• Chicago Red Hot-- a jumbo Vienna Beef frank on a poppy seed bun, is "dragged through the garden," topped with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, dill pickle, peppers, and a dash of celery salt.


• Fenway Frank-- boiled and grilled Fenway-style, a beef hot dog served on a New England-style bun and covered with mustard and relish.

Will the Chicago Red Hot look and taste like those offered by Red Hot Chicago (picture below)?

Are they pairing them with New York, Boston and Chicago beers?

Another reason to visit DC this summer...