Serge the Concierge

Hot Oysters On The Radio, Musically Yours Recipe from Art of Living According to Joe Beef

Frederic Morin and David McMillan, co-owners and chefs of Joe Beef, a Montreal restaurant with a creative spririt and a sense of fun, could not box themselves into the 'recipes' only convention for their first book, The Art of Living According to Joe Beef (Ten Speed Press, Fall 2011) written in collaboration with Meredith Erickson.

They share their take on catering, square plates, horseradish and fancy knives in A Few Theories.

Number 5 covers Hangovers: "Whenever someone in our business comes to work saying he or she is in "top shape", he or she is extremely hung over..."

On Fancy knives in Number 6 they recommend Dexter-Russell (carbon-steel blades, beech handles) as one of their favorites and describe them as "cheap, dependable and still made in America."

Chapter 7 'A Word on Booze' offers David McMillan completely subjective opinion on wine and cocktails and claims "I love red Burgundy wine so much I want to pour it into my eyes."

The book closes with 'Montreal in two days' followed by the Joe Beef Address Book.

As for the recipes, who but Joe Beef would have thought of serving food on a radio. Their way of poking fun at food fads.

Hot Oysters on the Radio

Serves 4

12 big, meaty oysters
Coarse salt for partially filling pan
4 slices bacon, finely diced
¼ cup (120 g) peeled and finely diced small potatoes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
1⁄3 cup (80 ml) whipping cream (35 percent butterfat)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
¼ cup (30 g) finely grated aged Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
¼ cup (30 g) dried bread crumbs
¼ cup (55 g) unsalted butter, cut into 12 equal pieces

 

 

1. Shuck the oysters, pouring the liquor into a cup and keeping the oysters on their bottom shells. Set the oysters and liquor aside. A good trick for cooking the oysters is to fill a big cast-iron frying pan about half full with coarse salt,put it in the oven, and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C), then heat the pan for an extra 15 minutes. This will help to accelerate the cooking process.

2. Place the potatoes and salted water to cover in a small pot over medium-high heat. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Drain the potatoes, let cool, and pat dry. Meanwhile, in another frying pan, crisp the bacon over medium-high heat until light brown. Add the potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat.

3. In a bowl, rapidly whisk together the egg yolks, the cream, and whatever oyster liquor you were able to gather. Add the chives, Cheddar, a pinch each of salt and pepper, and the bacon-potato mixture and whisk to mix. Divide evenly among the oysters, spooning it on top. Dust the tops with the bread crumbs, then finish with a piece of butter.

4. Pull the cast-iron pan out of the oven and carefully nest the oysters in the hot salt. Return the pan to the oven and cook for 4 to 7 minutes, or until the tops start to turn golden. Serve immediately.

(“Reprinted with permission from The Art of Living According to Joe Beef by Fredéric Morin, David McMillan & Meredith Erickson, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.” Photo credit: Jennifer May © 2011)

For a Fleeting Moment, 1967 Spinola Barolo Was Still Alive

I helped serve a quintet of bon vivants earlier this week.

They selected 6 wines to go with their meal.

The Laurent Perrier Rose came first to toast the evening.

Second wine came with a question mark?

Is there still life in it?

We tasted the 1967 Spinola Barolo shortly before dinner.

For a fleeting moment, 1967 Spinola Barolo was still alive, then it was gone.

Toast to Geography, On 46 Parallel with Il Colle Cuvee 46 Parallel Prosecco Brut

Geography obviously has its place in wine history and also each wine region distinct flavors.

At Italian Wine Masters 2012 tasting in New York (February 7), Il Colle, a producer from San Pietro di Feletto (Treviso), stated their geographic location with their Cuvee 46 Parallel Prosecco Superiore Docg Spumante Brut (Vintage 2010).

"The parallel circle 46° winds all around the Earth until it cross over the sunny hills of Conegliano - Valdobbiadene and it pauses among the vineyards captured by colours and perfumes unknown."

 

 

Their representative, Elisa Lucchese (pictured above), suggests it as the perfect aperitif, scents of pears and apples.

Each bottle is numbered. 10,000 were made.

Grappa Green or Olive Green, Organic Offerings from Cavalierino, Wine Too

It is common to make a green statement with Organic Olive Oil (unless the oil in question is organic in name only).

More unusual I suppose is green (organic) Grappa.

I tasted both the Organic Olive Oil and the Grappa Riserva from Cavalierino, an Italian producer present at Italian Wine Masters 2012 tasting today in New York.

They also make wines, one of which is Vin Santo pictured above alongside olive oil and grappa.

Since property, located on the hills of Poggiano includes farm they also sell cured meats like Lardo and Rigatino di Cinta Senese.

Sipping and dipping into Italy's offerings for Green Day # 212

Previously:  Beginners Guide to Building a Green Roof Garden via Scandinavian Green Roof Association

Brunello, Chianti Classico, Nobile and Prosecco Superiore 2012 U.S Tour Opens February 7 in NY

I will not be in Italy for Preview of Vino Nobile beginning on February, 18 at the Fortress of Montepulciano. 

I will make up for it in a small way by attending the Italian Wine Masters tasting in New York on February 7 which opens their 2012 U.S Tour.

20 wineries who belong to Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano will be amongst the 100 or so producers at the event.

The other 3 members of this quartet of top Italian wine producing regions present are Brunello, Chianti Classico and Prosecco Superiore (for the bubbly).

One of the producers I will meet is Terre di Melazzano which besides making Chianti Classico wines invites visitors to stay for Farmhouse Vacation.

If you are interested in wine technical poetry check Winemaking Glossary shared by Consorzio.

The music of words like 'Acescenza' which stands for Volatility (When a wine assumes an altered, vinegary, acidic odour and flavour to excessive acetic acid) don't make you think of anything offensive.

(* Photo above from Terre di Melazzano website)

Should We Point Finger at California and Australian 'Ports' on Port Day?

January 27, 2012 is the first official Port Day...

As Center for Wine Origins who is behind this initiative reminds us this unique wine, Port, "comes exclusively from Portugal’s Douro Valley".

Nevertheless some wineries in California, Australia and other places still call their port style fortified wines 'port wines'.

An example is Revolution Wines in Sacramento (California) with their 'St Rey Single Quinta Ruby Port'.

Should they call it Port style instead?

American producers of these type wines have an umbrella organization called Sweet and Fortified Wine Association whose site shares a few historical facts on Port and details on port styles (reproduced below):

"What is Port?

Port is a fortified wine originating from the Douro Valley in Portugal. The wine takes its name from the Atlantic coast city of Oporto at the mouth of the 560-mile long “River of Gold”.

The Romans introduced wine to the Iberian Peninsula in the first century B.C. But it wasn’t until the 17th-century that the British added brandy to the harsh red wines of the Douro to stabilize them for shipment to England. The ongoing wars in Europe affected the ability of the British to obtain their favored “clariet” wines from France so they looked to Portugal as a reliable source of drinkable red wine.

The first English port house was established in Oporto in 1670. In 1703 the British and Portuguese signed the Methuen Treaty that paved the way for the port trade that exists to this day.

While there are port-style wines made around the world from Australia to South Africa to California, strict use of the term Port is reserved for fortified wines produced in Portugal.

Port Wines

Over 500 grape varieties are grown in Portugal but only 30 different varieties are found in the Port wine region of the Douro. Of these, only five are considered to have the exceptional quality for Port wine. These varieties are Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cao, and Touriga Francesa.

Much of the grape harvesting along the steep slopes of the Douro Valley is still done buy hand. Grapes were traditional trodden barefoot in open granite lagers but today most of the crush is done mechanically. The must is placed in concrete or stainless steel tanks for fermentation. When about have the grape sugar has been turned to alcohol, the juice is run off into barrels containing about brandy which stops to fermentation. The usual mix is one part brandy to four parts juice.

In the spring following harvest, the wines are moved down the Douro Valley to Vila Nova de Gaia where blending, aging, and bottling takes place. There are many different styles of Port but two broad categories – bottle aged or cask aged. Bottle aged Ports are aged for a short time in oak then bottled unfiltered to age to maturity. These Ports retain the color and fruitness into maturity. Cask aged Ports are aged in wood then filtered and bottled. While cask aged Ports become tawny in color, they are ready to drink on release."

To (i am sure) the chagrin of Center for Wine Origins, they follow this nice introduction with chapter on 'American Port'.

While looking for details on Port, i found the Port Wine 'Times Reference' page which includes a Port Navigator and an archive of articles on topic in NY Times.

I suggest you pay that page a visit. You will emerge rich with knowledge.

Happy Port Day!

Chill your White Bordeaux Gently, Decant Younger Sauternes

Making my way through the numerous offerings at Bordeaux Grands Crus Vintage 2009 tasting in New York was a challenge.

In addition to the shear number of wines, tannins on the reds have not had time yet to loose their rough edges.

Towards the end of the event, Laurence Brun of Chateau Dassault suggested that this challenge for the palate could be best managed by taking breaks between sections of the tasting. Dilemna one is faced with is you have 4 hours maximum to get a good feel for 100 plus wines showcased.

Professional tasters with more discerning noses and palates will have I am sure seen more shapes of things to come (in 4 to 5 years) when this wines are ready to drink.

Whites from Graves and Pessac Leognan (at the beginning) and Sauternes (at the end) were not as much of a challenge.

The 'chill me gently' plea from Chateau Carbonnieux was a nice way to ask to make justice the wine by not serving it ice cold.

Sauternes selection at the end included Chateau La Tour Blanche, the only one to decant its wine.

Their representative told me that in his opinion, any Sauternes less than 10 years old should be decanted to give wine breathing room and reveal aromas.

Fresh impressions from Bordeaux Vintage 2009 tasting.

Sauternes by Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne is Part of Bordeaux Grands Crus Tasting on January 25

Tastings offer more wines than one has the time and palate to sample in 3 to 4 hours.

With that in mind, i started doing my homework before Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2009 Vintage Tasting in New York on January 25th (2012).

At letter B, I found Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne, a Sauternes producer I am not familiar with.

Call of Margaux will lead me to Chateau Kirwan table.

The hardest part will be to decide who to skip.

Burgundy Celebrates Its Wine Climats with Saint Vincent Tournante 2012, January 28-29

On January 22 winemakers (in France at least) celebrate Saint Vincent, their patron saint.

Burgundy since 1938, stages its big event, La Saint Vincent Tournante, on last week-end of January.

In 2012, the theme is Saint Vincent Tournante des Climats de Bourgogne (Dijon-Nuits St Georges-Beaune).

 

Climats, what does it mean, organizers explain:

"What is a CLIMATE?

1247 climates, 2000 years of history, universal recognition. In Burgundy, when we speak about climates we don't raise our eyes to the sky, we lower them to the ground.
Bernard PIVOT President of the support committee

Did you know? Climates only exist in Burgundy!

It's all about these small plots of vines, carefully delimited, known by the same name for centuries (often since the Middle Ages) and that , see from the sky, make up this astonishing mozaic along the 60km of a narrow range of hills, that go from Dijon to Santenay south of Beaune.

But the climates are not just square metres of vines, however prestigious they may be. The climates are a delicate harmony, an alchemy between a place, nature, men and time."

Don't want to drink and drive, organizers partnered with SNCF to offer a Special Deal to travel using local lines.

"A partnership with the French Railway company SNCF allows you to go from town to town with a 1 day pass for 5 EUROS.

Specail train tariff : if you buy the special pass you can have a reduced price for the Saint Vincent entrance fee, 12 EUR instead of 15. You must show the pass SNCF-TER Bourgogne sold outside the stations."

Worse thing that can happen is you fall asleep and miss your stop.

Lovers of wine art might want to visit the Poster Archive for the event. One of my favorites is the 2008 Edition (above). It reminds me of the work of Arcimboldo. I mentioned the Italian painter in Faces full of Fruits and Vegetables...

(* Poster for 2012 edition by Joyce Delimata, both images from the official Saint Vincent Tournante site, all rights reserved)

Digestive Walk in Campo Grande after Eating Lechazo, Valladolid 10 Do's and Don'ts

After taking a vacation, the 10 do's and don'ts return thanks to Spanish food blogger SandeeA who offers her 10 Do's and Don'ts on Valladolid.

Before her 10 's and Don'ts, here's a quick introduction to the world of SandeeA (by Sandra):

"Sandra Mangas Hernandez (SandeeA), 36-year-old mom and food blogger based in Spain, I am nothing if not an inventive cook. I was once a disaster in the kitchen, but started improving my skills after my sons were born. In 2008, I started my food blog La Receta de la Felicidad (translated to The Recipe for Happiness) where I prepare recipes for the kid we all have inside."

Do's First:

DO come to Valladolid during Easter to have the chance to see one of our Holy Week processions, declared of international touristic interest. Differently to other places in Spain, the main sign of identity of Holy Week in Valladolid is silence, and it is a cultural and religious experience you should not miss. My favorite is the Sermón de las Siete Palabras (Sermon of Seven Words) which is held, after being announced in verse at different points around the city by a group of fraternity members on horseback.

DO have a walk in Valladolid central park, the Campo Grande, which is a lovely place to go for a walk in all seasons. There is a lake full of ducks, and if you are lucky you might be able to see a red squirrel running through the trees. After a nice walk, make a stop to recover one’s strength at the terrace bar, and there it is typical to have a beer and some calamares fritos (fried calamari)

DO try one our Ribera del Duero wines. The Spanish wine region of Ribera del Duero is one of the most prestigious wine producing areas in the world. Mythical wines made here incluye Vega Sicilia, Pingus, Pesquera, Emilio Moro, Carmelo Rodero, Pago de Carrovejas, just to name a few. You can visit some of these wineries and some you´ll have the opportunity to taste many of these wines and see where they are made.

DO have some tapas! Although in Valladolid you have to pay for them (There are many cities in Spain where the tapas are for free with your drink), they are worth of it. I suggest you having a Roquefort-pork loin sandwich at La Tasquita II, and anything at the Jero: you can just point to the tapas you want and they heat them up for you. They have really creative and yummy tapas. Also if you are in Valladolid in November, you will be lucky to see the International Tapas Competition, the most important tapas´event worldwide. During this week many tapas bars of the city offer the participants´ tapas to the regular customers.

DO have some “lechazo”. In Valladolid, the suckling lamb is famous, and there are restaurants where you go exclusively to eat lamb and the waiters ask you just for the drinks.

Now don’ts:

DO not rent a car. Train station is near the center of Valladolid, you can use public transport, have a nice walk, or hire a bike, and don’t miss the wonderful buildings such as the Academia de Caballeria (Cavalry Academy)

DO not miss one of the most interesting things you can do in Valladolid is attending the Seminci
(Semana Internacional de Cine), the International Film Festival.

DO not believe Valladolid has a true beach when you hear talking about “Las Moreras” beach. It is just an artificial beach near the river Pisuerga, where people try to get a good tan in summer, have a bath in the river, and where you may take a boat which offers a 12-kilometer excursion through the river.

DO not forget to visit San Pablo, and la Antigua churches, which are my favorites… I even wanted to get married in La Antigua, but it was too small.

DO not visit Belaria bakery unless you are ready to gain weight… everything they have is just delicious, my favourites are: tarta aniversario and pastel ruso.

Previously: Let Time Go By, Sunset at Saigon Saigon Bar, Saigon 10 Do's and Don'ts by Linh Le