No clue why I ran with a Dead Poet's Society theme tonight - but I'm just gonna go with it.
Today was my first day of work at a new job. Formerly I was commuting far far away every day, away from my lovely town of SF and all of the culinary delights it has to offer. Today I stopped the commute and started a new job just a 20 minute train ride from my house.
After work, to celebrate, my friend L. and I stopped at one of my absolute favorite wine bars in SF - The Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant. Patch's mom mentioned the ferry building in her email - it is truly the foodie highlight of this amazing city. Some day I will devote an entire post to the ferry building, and its amazing farmers market, and the oyster bar, and the store full of mushrooms, and cowgirl creamery.....some day. Today we focus on the wine bar at the Wine Merchant.
The wine bar always has a flight, and goodness knows I LOVE a flight. Tonight they were sauvignon blancs, and I wasn't in the mood for that, so I passed. But I have had a lovely rose flight there before, and I have to admit that my friend L. and I have been known to order a taste of one of every red on the menu. The menu isn't THAT big....but. Its a lot of wine, lets leave it at that. The Ferry Plaza wine bar has a great selection of really interesting stuff. Tonight we had a glass of french rose champagne that was to die for - very slightly sweet, a little dry, and the nicest little bubbles I've ever seen. We moved on to a glass of Spanish red, and I really need to take better notes when i'm out drinking wine. I have no idea what this was, but the servers here are really nice and knowledgeable and can help you find something you will be sure to like. Plus they sell all of the wines in the shop behind the bar. The shop is great with a terrific variety of stuff.
Finally, I love this wine bar because it takes full advantage of the many delicious food options in the building, and serves them as nibbles with the wine. Tonight L. and I shared a big hunk of gruyere from cowgirl creamery, a twisted loaf of french bread from ACME, and some amazing heirloom tomato and garlic olive tapenade. That plus two glasses of wine is a perfect dinner for me.
This is not a rating review - but this is a fabulous wine bar. If you are in town I recommend you go there for a delicious taste of San Francisco. I don't think I ever feel quite as "at home" anywhere as I do at this little place. Now that I am working so close to it, I have a feeling I'm going to be there a lot........
drink up!
Emilia
Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Bar Bambino - Mama Mia!
Stupid title, I know. I'm tired today!!!
Bar Bambino is a new wine bar/restaurant in the Mission district of SF. Many of you may know that the mission is my favorite place to wine and dine, so when I heard of this place opening I immediately scheduled a date with another lawyer galpal to hit it up.
Located at 16th and Mission, it is not really an ideal part of the neighborhood for an upscale wine bar. For example, it is across the street from burger king. However I am of the mind that one restaurant can change a neighborhood, and it is right next to the bart station, so bravo Bar Bambino for picking this location.
The inside is very european - tiny tables, lots of people smooshed together, but its a fun atmosphere. P. and I were seated shortly after arriving on a Tuesday, though I imagine it is a lot busier on weekends. It was still packed the whole time we were there.
I started off with a glass of La Braccesca Rosso di Montepulciano Sabazio2004 Toscana. I wish I could tell you what this is, but I have no idea. I got it because I liked the name. Turns out it was a great choice - very bright, fruity, but also smooth. It didn't have much of a bite to it, which I prefer. I had two glasses over the course of the night and put it on my list of things to buy a bottle of sometime soon.
Next we moved on to eats. We started with a little plate of delicious olives. Both green and black, they were marinated until soft and served warm, covered in herbs and really flavorful olive oil. They were absolutely delicious.
Next we had a bruschette - huge slices of grilled bread covered in more of that olive oil, and served with a fresh salad of chopped-up heirloom tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Oh man. This was so simple and SO good - the combo was just the perfect summer meal. It was so good that I went home and re-created it for dinner the next night using tomatoes from my garden. Seriously delicious.
We moved on to Polpette di melanzane - Small balls of eggplant, pine nut with a touch of raisin; finished in a light tomato sauce. This was a dish Michael Bauer raved about in the Chron, which was why we ordered it. It was really good but I didn't think it was served hot enough. The little balls were very tasty though; this is on my list of things to try and re-create at some point.
We finished off our meal with a cheese plate. Unfortunately I can't tell you what we had because we just let the cheese dude pick it out for us, but they have an extensive cheese list, and you can create your own plate of 2/3/4 cheeses for a pretty reasonable price. They served it with more grilled bread and a chutney - very good. We also split a dessert, which was unlike anything I have ever had. It was a strawberry shortcake - but it was actually a dense shortbread cookie, with strawberry glaze and fresh whipped cream. VERY good and the perfect end to this meal. We washed it down with a lovely glass of Moscato d'Asti - the best I've had outside of my monthly wine dinners.
All in all it was a really nice meal. I like the ambiance at this wine bar much better then the crowd at District, and they serve more substantial food than at Yield or Hotel Biron. I will definitely be back there soon.
Food - (3.25)
Experience - (3.25)
Total - (3.25)
To view an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
To read yelp reviews of Bar Bambino, click here!
Cara mia, Bar Bambino!
- Emilia
Bar Bambino is a new wine bar/restaurant in the Mission district of SF. Many of you may know that the mission is my favorite place to wine and dine, so when I heard of this place opening I immediately scheduled a date with another lawyer galpal to hit it up.
Located at 16th and Mission, it is not really an ideal part of the neighborhood for an upscale wine bar. For example, it is across the street from burger king. However I am of the mind that one restaurant can change a neighborhood, and it is right next to the bart station, so bravo Bar Bambino for picking this location.
The inside is very european - tiny tables, lots of people smooshed together, but its a fun atmosphere. P. and I were seated shortly after arriving on a Tuesday, though I imagine it is a lot busier on weekends. It was still packed the whole time we were there.
I started off with a glass of La Braccesca Rosso di Montepulciano Sabazio2004 Toscana. I wish I could tell you what this is, but I have no idea. I got it because I liked the name. Turns out it was a great choice - very bright, fruity, but also smooth. It didn't have much of a bite to it, which I prefer. I had two glasses over the course of the night and put it on my list of things to buy a bottle of sometime soon.
Next we moved on to eats. We started with a little plate of delicious olives. Both green and black, they were marinated until soft and served warm, covered in herbs and really flavorful olive oil. They were absolutely delicious.
Next we had a bruschette - huge slices of grilled bread covered in more of that olive oil, and served with a fresh salad of chopped-up heirloom tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Oh man. This was so simple and SO good - the combo was just the perfect summer meal. It was so good that I went home and re-created it for dinner the next night using tomatoes from my garden. Seriously delicious.
We moved on to Polpette di melanzane - Small balls of eggplant, pine nut with a touch of raisin; finished in a light tomato sauce. This was a dish Michael Bauer raved about in the Chron, which was why we ordered it. It was really good but I didn't think it was served hot enough. The little balls were very tasty though; this is on my list of things to try and re-create at some point.
We finished off our meal with a cheese plate. Unfortunately I can't tell you what we had because we just let the cheese dude pick it out for us, but they have an extensive cheese list, and you can create your own plate of 2/3/4 cheeses for a pretty reasonable price. They served it with more grilled bread and a chutney - very good. We also split a dessert, which was unlike anything I have ever had. It was a strawberry shortcake - but it was actually a dense shortbread cookie, with strawberry glaze and fresh whipped cream. VERY good and the perfect end to this meal. We washed it down with a lovely glass of Moscato d'Asti - the best I've had outside of my monthly wine dinners.
All in all it was a really nice meal. I like the ambiance at this wine bar much better then the crowd at District, and they serve more substantial food than at Yield or Hotel Biron. I will definitely be back there soon.
Food - (3.25)
Experience - (3.25)
Total - (3.25)
To view an explanation of our ratings system, CLICK HERE!
To read yelp reviews of Bar Bambino, click here!
Cara mia, Bar Bambino!
- Emilia
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Farfalla in La La Land
Trattoria Farfalla on Hillhurst and Clarissa in Los Feliz is my go-to spot when I have guests in town. It's a short walk from my house, is a cozy and cute neighborhood joint, doesn't take reservations, and presents solid and homey, rustic Italian food that is consistently pleasing. I have been a number of times, but last night I took the lovely M (who is half Italian and knows how to eat) there for her birthday and decided it's high time I spread the word about this marvelous little place, even though I know the word has already been spreaden. They also do take-out, which I have not yet tried.
The trattoria, which is often crowded and has a long line out the door, is small, dark and cozy, with many tiny tables inside and a simple Tuscany-evoking decor, at least as I imagine it since I have not yet been to Tuscany. When you walk in, you see the kitchen and the cooks busy at work over a giant steel range. Inside, it's loud but not too loud. The crowd is a mix of Los Feliz locals, Beverly Hills types, industry people, and more, very mixed. The moment you sit a basket of crusty French bread and my favorite, a little soup cup full of olive-oil-marinated whole garlic cloves, tomatoes and sundried tomatoes drifting in their oil is placed in the center of the table. Try the garlic cloves on bread - soft and tender, with a delicate garlic flavor. Yum!
The menu is large and has a variety of appetizers, soups, pizzas and calzones, meat and fish, and pasta. I love the pasta here as it is well-cooked and the combinations are always very flavorful and zingy, so I usually order it. Some of my favorite past dishes were Ravoli di Zucca Alla Crema di Nocci (pumpkin ravioli in walnut and cream sauce), Tagliolini Cozze e Vongole (thin pasta with mussels, clams and tomato broth) and the absolutely fabulous and rich Fusilli Tartufati con Carciofi, Porri e Shitake (corkscrew pasta with shitake, leeks, artichokes, white truffle oil and aged ricotta). I have also had the Osso Bucco when it was on special, and it was delicious. The pizza I have had was the Pomodori Secchi e Pollo (tomato sauce, mozzarella, chicken and sundried tomatoes). It was yummy but not spectacular as far as pizza goes. I would definitely stick to pasta or the specials at Farfalla.
Farfalla also has fabulous wine and many of the waiters I've had, particularly a young, thin blonde woman whose name escapes me, have made excellent wine suggestions, as has the owner who is a very friendly guy and used to recognize me when I came frequently for a little stretch and give me the star treatment. My absolute favorite wine has been the Barbera "Trevigne" Clerico (2001) which is a delicious, medium-bodied and subtly rich red wine that goes with just about everything at this restaurant, in my opinion. With the Clerico you cannot go wrong! They have only a few options by the glass but all have been great that I have tried. Not surprising considering my favorite wine bar in L.A. (and one worth visiting, if you can get in - it's always freaking overflowing!), Vinoteca Farfalla, is the sister of this restaurant and lives two doors down. God, I love that place. But that is another post for another time.
Last night, one of the special appetizers was this special kind of fresh cheese made from fresh mozzarella and cream, called Burrata. When the waitress named it, M got really excited and insisted we share it. Boy, was it delicious! They served it with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic with fresh tomatoes and a simple spinach salad with roasted red peppers. The tomatoes were underripe but the cheese was perfect and sooo creamy and mild.
For main courses, M ordered the special which was thin pasta with a lobster ragout. I tasted it, and it was flavorful and creamy, with little chunks of lobster throughout. In fact, the lovely M, who is probably 105 pounds soaking wet, devoured her entire bowl. Just as I was about to say that the portions at Farfalla are quite large and every time I go I can eat just about half and eat the rest the next day as a very exciting leftover. But anyway. I ordered another special based entirely on the recommendation of the waitress, a risotto with artichoke hearts, fresh tomato, calamari, squid and fish in a tomato sauce. I have always felt cheated by risotto- isn't it just rice?- although M has tried to entice me to give it a try. When the waitress suggested this particular dish, M gave me a hopeful look, and how could I let down the birthday girl? Well, I'm a convert now (and not just because of the good mood the excellent Super Toscana wine put me in). This risotto had texture and intense, buttery rich flavor. The fish and super tender calamari was a perfect compliment. The artichoke hearts and tomato added color and interest, and the tomatoes were cooked just enough to bring out intense tomatoey flavor with every bite. Putting down a big mouthful of this stuff was like eating a giant bite of rich, salty rice-like heaven. I am a fan.
For dessert, we shared a slice of chocolate pear tart. It was a tart shell with chocolate creamy goodness, slices of fresh pear, and chocolate ganache on top. It was very good. I love the chocolate and pear combo, and the texture was just really airy and light, like chocolate cream pie. We also had dessert wine, since it was a special occasion after all. M had a glass of Moscato Nivole which was golden with a hint of little tiny bubbles in the flavor and redolent of peaches. I had a Brachetto D'Aqui, the first sparkling red dessert wine I have ever had, which was deep garnet in color and was absolutely delicious. It smelled like roses and lavender and tasted like berries and toffee but was not overpoweringly sweet. I am in love with it and henceforth shall search it out. It would be the PERFECT dessert wine for a dinner party as its medium-sweetness and slight fizz would probably please a wide variety of palates. And the color is just to die for. SO LOVELY!
All in all, last night was emblematic of my typical night at Farfalla- something old, something new, something drenched in olive oil, not cheap but reasonable bill. Okay, I know it doesn't rhyme, so sue me. This is not the most incredible Italian food you'll ever have, but it is very, very good and solid and you know you will eat and drink something really yummy every time, which makes it a pretty fantastic spot if you ask me! So it is always a pleasure to go. It is also a great romantic spot if you go with a love interest (or so I've heard...) In any event, I plan on returning many more times.
Food: (3.25)
Experience: (3.25)
Overall: (3.25)
The trattoria, which is often crowded and has a long line out the door, is small, dark and cozy, with many tiny tables inside and a simple Tuscany-evoking decor, at least as I imagine it since I have not yet been to Tuscany. When you walk in, you see the kitchen and the cooks busy at work over a giant steel range. Inside, it's loud but not too loud. The crowd is a mix of Los Feliz locals, Beverly Hills types, industry people, and more, very mixed. The moment you sit a basket of crusty French bread and my favorite, a little soup cup full of olive-oil-marinated whole garlic cloves, tomatoes and sundried tomatoes drifting in their oil is placed in the center of the table. Try the garlic cloves on bread - soft and tender, with a delicate garlic flavor. Yum!
The menu is large and has a variety of appetizers, soups, pizzas and calzones, meat and fish, and pasta. I love the pasta here as it is well-cooked and the combinations are always very flavorful and zingy, so I usually order it. Some of my favorite past dishes were Ravoli di Zucca Alla Crema di Nocci (pumpkin ravioli in walnut and cream sauce), Tagliolini Cozze e Vongole (thin pasta with mussels, clams and tomato broth) and the absolutely fabulous and rich Fusilli Tartufati con Carciofi, Porri e Shitake (corkscrew pasta with shitake, leeks, artichokes, white truffle oil and aged ricotta). I have also had the Osso Bucco when it was on special, and it was delicious. The pizza I have had was the Pomodori Secchi e Pollo (tomato sauce, mozzarella, chicken and sundried tomatoes). It was yummy but not spectacular as far as pizza goes. I would definitely stick to pasta or the specials at Farfalla.
Farfalla also has fabulous wine and many of the waiters I've had, particularly a young, thin blonde woman whose name escapes me, have made excellent wine suggestions, as has the owner who is a very friendly guy and used to recognize me when I came frequently for a little stretch and give me the star treatment. My absolute favorite wine has been the Barbera "Trevigne" Clerico (2001) which is a delicious, medium-bodied and subtly rich red wine that goes with just about everything at this restaurant, in my opinion. With the Clerico you cannot go wrong! They have only a few options by the glass but all have been great that I have tried. Not surprising considering my favorite wine bar in L.A. (and one worth visiting, if you can get in - it's always freaking overflowing!), Vinoteca Farfalla, is the sister of this restaurant and lives two doors down. God, I love that place. But that is another post for another time.
Last night, one of the special appetizers was this special kind of fresh cheese made from fresh mozzarella and cream, called Burrata. When the waitress named it, M got really excited and insisted we share it. Boy, was it delicious! They served it with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic with fresh tomatoes and a simple spinach salad with roasted red peppers. The tomatoes were underripe but the cheese was perfect and sooo creamy and mild.
For main courses, M ordered the special which was thin pasta with a lobster ragout. I tasted it, and it was flavorful and creamy, with little chunks of lobster throughout. In fact, the lovely M, who is probably 105 pounds soaking wet, devoured her entire bowl. Just as I was about to say that the portions at Farfalla are quite large and every time I go I can eat just about half and eat the rest the next day as a very exciting leftover. But anyway. I ordered another special based entirely on the recommendation of the waitress, a risotto with artichoke hearts, fresh tomato, calamari, squid and fish in a tomato sauce. I have always felt cheated by risotto- isn't it just rice?- although M has tried to entice me to give it a try. When the waitress suggested this particular dish, M gave me a hopeful look, and how could I let down the birthday girl? Well, I'm a convert now (and not just because of the good mood the excellent Super Toscana wine put me in). This risotto had texture and intense, buttery rich flavor. The fish and super tender calamari was a perfect compliment. The artichoke hearts and tomato added color and interest, and the tomatoes were cooked just enough to bring out intense tomatoey flavor with every bite. Putting down a big mouthful of this stuff was like eating a giant bite of rich, salty rice-like heaven. I am a fan.
For dessert, we shared a slice of chocolate pear tart. It was a tart shell with chocolate creamy goodness, slices of fresh pear, and chocolate ganache on top. It was very good. I love the chocolate and pear combo, and the texture was just really airy and light, like chocolate cream pie. We also had dessert wine, since it was a special occasion after all. M had a glass of Moscato Nivole which was golden with a hint of little tiny bubbles in the flavor and redolent of peaches. I had a Brachetto D'Aqui, the first sparkling red dessert wine I have ever had, which was deep garnet in color and was absolutely delicious. It smelled like roses and lavender and tasted like berries and toffee but was not overpoweringly sweet. I am in love with it and henceforth shall search it out. It would be the PERFECT dessert wine for a dinner party as its medium-sweetness and slight fizz would probably please a wide variety of palates. And the color is just to die for. SO LOVELY!
All in all, last night was emblematic of my typical night at Farfalla- something old, something new, something drenched in olive oil, not cheap but reasonable bill. Okay, I know it doesn't rhyme, so sue me. This is not the most incredible Italian food you'll ever have, but it is very, very good and solid and you know you will eat and drink something really yummy every time, which makes it a pretty fantastic spot if you ask me! So it is always a pleasure to go. It is also a great romantic spot if you go with a love interest (or so I've heard...) In any event, I plan on returning many more times.
Food: (3.25)
Experience: (3.25)
Overall: (3.25)
For an explanation of our rating system, click HERE!
Farfalla reviews on Yelp and Citysearch.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Bodega Wine Bar - Not a Star
Last Friday I ventured out to Santa Monica to join some coworkers at Bodega Wine Bar. There is also a location in Pasadena. From what I heard about it, the wine was all the same price (good) and there was amazing grilled cheese (great!). The place is really cute inside with lots of little tables to sit at, which is nice, as well as a good sized bar area with lots of wine bottles on the wall for decoration.
We got a little corner table which was cute but very impractical, what with the huge plates for the appetizers we got and the wines in wine-coolers which take up a lot of room-- not to mention everybody's glasses. The cheese plates basically sat on our laps for most of the night, and glasses piled up so quickly that we had to stack them and put them on the floor-- where are the table bussers in this place? So that was a bit annoying though I liked the hip yet cozy decor. The crowd was pretty yuppie, as you would expect, and the place was well filled but not overflowing by the end of the night.
For wine, I sampled a few different whites, which the group was in the mood for. All were decent and refreshing, nothing amazing but good prices at $8 a glass, $20 a carafe and $30 a bottle for everything, which is a little sketchy but whatever, just drink and don't think about it too much. We were a big group and got all bottles.
The wine menu has very lengthy and detailed descriptions of the different flavors and characteristics of each wine. This often sort of bothers me because it takes all the fun and individuality out of tasting different wines. Also, some of the descriptions were pretty off. For example, there was a Pinot Grigio I chose based largely on its description which included the words "dry" and "crisp", but the wine was actually quite sweet and even apple juice-esque. I did not enjoy that and it was not what I wanted or expected. We also had a prosecco which I liked very much. For non-winos, there is beer, sake and soju cocktails, but no hard liquor, which makes me shed a silent tear deep in my heart.
For food, we ordered a cheese plate which had a good variety of six different cheeses, dried apricots, almonds, and little wafer crackers that reminded me of communion wafers. We also ordered that famous grilled cheese. It consisted of sliced green apples and okay-tasting melted brie on very soft and yummy dried-fig challah bread. It was tasty although I thought it could have been improved if it were grilled longer or if the brie were nicer. All this cheese, though, made me happy in general. Nothing goes better with drinking in my opinion.
All in all, not a bad little place. But nowhere near the best wine bars I've been to (even though it won best wine bar on Citysearch three years in a row- weirded out?). I would probably look for another wine bar to sample before heading back.
:-P
Drinks and Appetizers: (2.5)
Experience: (2.5)
Overall: (2.5)
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
We got a little corner table which was cute but very impractical, what with the huge plates for the appetizers we got and the wines in wine-coolers which take up a lot of room-- not to mention everybody's glasses. The cheese plates basically sat on our laps for most of the night, and glasses piled up so quickly that we had to stack them and put them on the floor-- where are the table bussers in this place? So that was a bit annoying though I liked the hip yet cozy decor. The crowd was pretty yuppie, as you would expect, and the place was well filled but not overflowing by the end of the night.
For wine, I sampled a few different whites, which the group was in the mood for. All were decent and refreshing, nothing amazing but good prices at $8 a glass, $20 a carafe and $30 a bottle for everything, which is a little sketchy but whatever, just drink and don't think about it too much. We were a big group and got all bottles.
The wine menu has very lengthy and detailed descriptions of the different flavors and characteristics of each wine. This often sort of bothers me because it takes all the fun and individuality out of tasting different wines. Also, some of the descriptions were pretty off. For example, there was a Pinot Grigio I chose based largely on its description which included the words "dry" and "crisp", but the wine was actually quite sweet and even apple juice-esque. I did not enjoy that and it was not what I wanted or expected. We also had a prosecco which I liked very much. For non-winos, there is beer, sake and soju cocktails, but no hard liquor, which makes me shed a silent tear deep in my heart.
For food, we ordered a cheese plate which had a good variety of six different cheeses, dried apricots, almonds, and little wafer crackers that reminded me of communion wafers. We also ordered that famous grilled cheese. It consisted of sliced green apples and okay-tasting melted brie on very soft and yummy dried-fig challah bread. It was tasty although I thought it could have been improved if it were grilled longer or if the brie were nicer. All this cheese, though, made me happy in general. Nothing goes better with drinking in my opinion.
All in all, not a bad little place. But nowhere near the best wine bars I've been to (even though it won best wine bar on Citysearch three years in a row- weirded out?). I would probably look for another wine bar to sample before heading back.
:-P
Drinks and Appetizers: (2.5)
Experience: (2.5)
Overall: (2.5)
For an explanation of our rating system, CLICK HERE!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Pinot Gris Blind Tasting Party
Since I moved to my humble but cozy abode in Los Feliz, I have wanted to have a housewarming party. I love my new place. It's on an adorable tree-filled street of cute little houses right in the middle of the action of Hillhurst and Vermont. The building is from the 1950s and the majority of my neighbors are older Armenian couples who are lovely and kind. (One lady just came to my door five minutes ago with a shy knock, holding out a plate of cookies and apologizing that she does not speak English, but smiling and motioning for me to take them. What a sweetheart. By the way, the cookies, little butter/sugar cookie rounds, each filled with a date and chopped walnuts and sprinkled with powdered sugar, are from scratch and are amazing. Another one of my neighbors has fixed my screen door, which had fallen off its hinge, while I was at work, without even saying anything to me.) I love my location because I can walk to whatever I need- groceries, cute restaurants, dive bars, coffee, dry cleaning, tailor, yoga, pilates, etc.!-, it's great for walks and runs, and it's always quiet and relaxing on weeknights when I get home from work ready to unwind.
The Plan
A few weeks ago, once I had enough furniture that I was happy with (though I am in sore need of artwork!), and could count my L.A. friends on more than two hands, I decided to go for it and plan a great party. Since most of my friends don't know each other, I wanted to do something that would create topics of conversation and make it easy for people to chat and get to know each other. I decided to do a blind wine tasting based on one I went to with my friend M.J. a few years back. It was in the Hollywood Hills at a beautiful home. The host had a bunch of different wines covered with brown paper bags marked with numbers in marker. The game was guess the price. The cheapest of the 8 wines was $6 (this was just before the rise in popularity of 2 Buck Chuck) and the most expensive was $600, with every price in between. It was fun to taste each wine together one at a time, and hilarious when even the most snooty wine snobs who were so sure they were right picked a $16 wine above a $200 wine. The moral of the game was in line with the wine mantra I have learned from the most knowledgeable and fancy wine experts I have ever met: a good wine is a wine you like. Period! Wine is very personal. Learning the characteristics of different grapes and regions enhances your enjoyment of wine, and learning how to describe a wine's qualities make wine tasting and drinking much more fun and social. But if you love that 2 Buck Chuck Sauvignon Blanc, which coincidentally I am enjoying right now cut with some lime seltzer to accompany a bowl of edamame, then it's a good wine.
Anyway, I thought this would be the perfect party theme, and most importantly give us all an excuse to drink lots of wine.
The Wines
I decided to do the price game and stick to one grape, Pinot Gris (a.k.a. Pinot Grigio) because it is one of my favorite refreshing summer whites and gets a bad rap from some wine snobs, which makes me more adamant about liking it because darn it, it's yummy! I went to Silverlake Wine (which is awesome, by the way) and with their help got my three nicest wines. I went to Trader Joe's for the rest, which were considerably cheaper.
These were my picks and the order I served them in:
#1: Barefoot Pinot Grigio - California (Trader Joe's, $4.99)
#2: Prima Terra Pinot Grigio - Italy 2005 (Silver Lake Wine, $14.39)
#3: Pavi Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie - Napa Valley 2005 (Silver Lake Wine, $10)
#4: Villa Cerrina Chardonnay Pinot Grigio (yes, it was a blend!) - Italy 2006 (Trader Joe's, $3.99)
#5: Torri Mor Pinot Gris - Oregon 2005 (Silver Lake Wine, $22)
Party Prep
I went to Bevmo and bought a little prize for the winner who could guess the order by price (little "wine glass name tags" which go around the stem of a wine glass, to identify your glass at parties, for $2.99) and wrote up a cute Evite. Then I decided what food to make. I had just taken the "Cocktail Party" class at my favorite cooking class, Hip Cooks, and decided to make two appetizers from that class- cucumber rounds with ahi tuna sashimi seasoned with soy, sesame, hot chili oil and green onions, and feta and white-wine-sauteed mushroom quiche tarteletts. (Both came out perfect and were delicious!) I also put out green grapes and chopped veggies, and a friend brought over a beautiful loaf of crusty bread and some Rondele garlic cheese spread. Another friend brought a case of San Pellegrino which he helped me serve to people in between tastes (Thanks, J!). I moved furniture around to make "social clusters" and read up on Pinot Gris so I'd be able to explain the background of the grape (arose from a freak genetic mutation in Pinot Noir in medieval times. Who knew!) and answer questions. Put together a chill iPod playlist, and I was ready to go.
As people arrived, my butterflies about nobody showing up and me being left to eat ahi tuna and drink ten bottles of wine alone -- which I must admit was not the worst alternative scenario ever -- flew away. Soon, the place was packed! A couple of my nice elderly neighbors even stopped by (I had invited them, too), and were finally able to communicate since my friend K. speaks Armenian.
Hostess Strategy
Hosting the party was such a blast. I would hit a fork to a glass to get everyone's attention, and announce the next wine by number. I had two bottles of each, and the 25 people who showed up all got good tastes of the wines. (Next time, I will probably do 3 of each if I have so many people again!) I got to chat with everyone as I walked around making sure they had each wine. They all got along spendidly, having lots to talk about by asking each other what they thought of the different wines. The conversation was flowing faster than the vino. The food was devoured (next time, I'll make more!) and my place got really hot from all the bodies. The smokers all bonded on my back patio, and I went out to say hello periodically. I had index cards and pens by the front door which everybody took and wrote their guesses on. At the end, I looked at all of them and found one person who had gotten them all right - the lovely C.!- who then won the prize, which I had wrapped up with paper and a tiny bow. Everybody applauded her. People were amazed to find that they loved some of the cheaper wines far more than the more expensive ones. (I personally never drink wine above $10 on a daily basis at home, so I considered the $14 and $22 wines pretty schmancy!)
One wine that most everybody loved and I thought was tasty, crisp, juicy and delicious like a green apple, was the Prima Terra Pinot Grigio (#2 on the list above). I would definitely buy a couple more bottles of that to keep in my "wine cellar" (a 16-bottle one I bought on sale at Target which is fantastic). The Villa Cerinna blend (#4) was also a winner with the crowd. It is refreshing and very easy to drink, and at $3.99 it's a an everyday wine worth checking out.
Conclusion: Good Times!
In sum, the party was a smashing success. Many of my friends told me it was one of the best parties they have been to in a long time. I had a fabulous time, too. It was under control and, well, adult, but it was also a great time! Also, cleanup was a snap-- a couple of friends stuck around after and helped me clean, and I swear the next morning my place looked even neater than it had before the party. The next day, I emailed out the wine list with prices and where I bought them so people could pick up their favorites to drink again.
I highly recommend having a party following this model if you are nervous about showing everyone a good time, because the wine game does the entertaining for you. Other games I have thought of are guess the grape, guess the region, or "one of these things does not belong" using any characteristic you choose. You can do as few as three wines, or as many as you wish. You can also spend however much you want to spend. Overall, the whole party did not cost me very much at all, and I felt that it was money well-spent because it was so wonderful and so fabulous to see my friends all getting along and enjoying themselves. I can't wait to have another wine tasting party!
If you have any suggestions for hosting a great wine party, please share in a comment.
:-p Cheers!
The Plan
A few weeks ago, once I had enough furniture that I was happy with (though I am in sore need of artwork!), and could count my L.A. friends on more than two hands, I decided to go for it and plan a great party. Since most of my friends don't know each other, I wanted to do something that would create topics of conversation and make it easy for people to chat and get to know each other. I decided to do a blind wine tasting based on one I went to with my friend M.J. a few years back. It was in the Hollywood Hills at a beautiful home. The host had a bunch of different wines covered with brown paper bags marked with numbers in marker. The game was guess the price. The cheapest of the 8 wines was $6 (this was just before the rise in popularity of 2 Buck Chuck) and the most expensive was $600, with every price in between. It was fun to taste each wine together one at a time, and hilarious when even the most snooty wine snobs who were so sure they were right picked a $16 wine above a $200 wine. The moral of the game was in line with the wine mantra I have learned from the most knowledgeable and fancy wine experts I have ever met: a good wine is a wine you like. Period! Wine is very personal. Learning the characteristics of different grapes and regions enhances your enjoyment of wine, and learning how to describe a wine's qualities make wine tasting and drinking much more fun and social. But if you love that 2 Buck Chuck Sauvignon Blanc, which coincidentally I am enjoying right now cut with some lime seltzer to accompany a bowl of edamame, then it's a good wine.
Anyway, I thought this would be the perfect party theme, and most importantly give us all an excuse to drink lots of wine.
The Wines
I decided to do the price game and stick to one grape, Pinot Gris (a.k.a. Pinot Grigio) because it is one of my favorite refreshing summer whites and gets a bad rap from some wine snobs, which makes me more adamant about liking it because darn it, it's yummy! I went to Silverlake Wine (which is awesome, by the way) and with their help got my three nicest wines. I went to Trader Joe's for the rest, which were considerably cheaper.
These were my picks and the order I served them in:
#1: Barefoot Pinot Grigio - California (Trader Joe's, $4.99)
#2: Prima Terra Pinot Grigio - Italy 2005 (Silver Lake Wine, $14.39)
#3: Pavi Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie - Napa Valley 2005 (Silver Lake Wine, $10)
#4: Villa Cerrina Chardonnay Pinot Grigio (yes, it was a blend!) - Italy 2006 (Trader Joe's, $3.99)
#5: Torri Mor Pinot Gris - Oregon 2005 (Silver Lake Wine, $22)
Party Prep
I went to Bevmo and bought a little prize for the winner who could guess the order by price (little "wine glass name tags" which go around the stem of a wine glass, to identify your glass at parties, for $2.99) and wrote up a cute Evite. Then I decided what food to make. I had just taken the "Cocktail Party" class at my favorite cooking class, Hip Cooks, and decided to make two appetizers from that class- cucumber rounds with ahi tuna sashimi seasoned with soy, sesame, hot chili oil and green onions, and feta and white-wine-sauteed mushroom quiche tarteletts. (Both came out perfect and were delicious!) I also put out green grapes and chopped veggies, and a friend brought over a beautiful loaf of crusty bread and some Rondele garlic cheese spread. Another friend brought a case of San Pellegrino which he helped me serve to people in between tastes (Thanks, J!). I moved furniture around to make "social clusters" and read up on Pinot Gris so I'd be able to explain the background of the grape (arose from a freak genetic mutation in Pinot Noir in medieval times. Who knew!) and answer questions. Put together a chill iPod playlist, and I was ready to go.
As people arrived, my butterflies about nobody showing up and me being left to eat ahi tuna and drink ten bottles of wine alone -- which I must admit was not the worst alternative scenario ever -- flew away. Soon, the place was packed! A couple of my nice elderly neighbors even stopped by (I had invited them, too), and were finally able to communicate since my friend K. speaks Armenian.
Hostess Strategy
Hosting the party was such a blast. I would hit a fork to a glass to get everyone's attention, and announce the next wine by number. I had two bottles of each, and the 25 people who showed up all got good tastes of the wines. (Next time, I will probably do 3 of each if I have so many people again!) I got to chat with everyone as I walked around making sure they had each wine. They all got along spendidly, having lots to talk about by asking each other what they thought of the different wines. The conversation was flowing faster than the vino. The food was devoured (next time, I'll make more!) and my place got really hot from all the bodies. The smokers all bonded on my back patio, and I went out to say hello periodically. I had index cards and pens by the front door which everybody took and wrote their guesses on. At the end, I looked at all of them and found one person who had gotten them all right - the lovely C.!- who then won the prize, which I had wrapped up with paper and a tiny bow. Everybody applauded her. People were amazed to find that they loved some of the cheaper wines far more than the more expensive ones. (I personally never drink wine above $10 on a daily basis at home, so I considered the $14 and $22 wines pretty schmancy!)
One wine that most everybody loved and I thought was tasty, crisp, juicy and delicious like a green apple, was the Prima Terra Pinot Grigio (#2 on the list above). I would definitely buy a couple more bottles of that to keep in my "wine cellar" (a 16-bottle one I bought on sale at Target which is fantastic). The Villa Cerinna blend (#4) was also a winner with the crowd. It is refreshing and very easy to drink, and at $3.99 it's a an everyday wine worth checking out.
Conclusion: Good Times!
In sum, the party was a smashing success. Many of my friends told me it was one of the best parties they have been to in a long time. I had a fabulous time, too. It was under control and, well, adult, but it was also a great time! Also, cleanup was a snap-- a couple of friends stuck around after and helped me clean, and I swear the next morning my place looked even neater than it had before the party. The next day, I emailed out the wine list with prices and where I bought them so people could pick up their favorites to drink again.
I highly recommend having a party following this model if you are nervous about showing everyone a good time, because the wine game does the entertaining for you. Other games I have thought of are guess the grape, guess the region, or "one of these things does not belong" using any characteristic you choose. You can do as few as three wines, or as many as you wish. You can also spend however much you want to spend. Overall, the whole party did not cost me very much at all, and I felt that it was money well-spent because it was so wonderful and so fabulous to see my friends all getting along and enjoying themselves. I can't wait to have another wine tasting party!
If you have any suggestions for hosting a great wine party, please share in a comment.
:-p Cheers!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
G.M.'s Wine Dinner - July, 2007
When I first started my job several years ago, I made friends with a fellow attorney. She and I spent a lot of time shopping and going out to eat together, and she told me about a monthly dinner party that she attended with her husband in the East Bay. She would tell me about these legendary dinners - the food, the wine, the casual atmosphere, the quirky crowd. And then one day she invited me to go along.....
And seriously - my culinary life in the Bay Area has NEVER been the same!
The brilliant man behind these monthly parties shall remain nameless, at least on this blog - I will refer to him as G.M. He is not a professional chef - he has a normal job in finance. But he is an amazing home chef and wine connoisseur. Twenty-five years ago he started these dinners as a wine tasting party - 25 bottles of merlot in brown paper bags. Decades later the party has evolved to include some of the most amazing food I have ever consumed, accompanied by perfectly paired wines. G.M takes a set amount of donations from the friends he invites to cover the cost of the food and wine, but no more - this is not an underground restaurant. It is simply the most amazing dinner party I have ever attended, donations accepted. Once you come a few times you get on the email list for the parties, and can bring others. I have brought many friends, including Patch, over the years.
G.M hosts these dinners almost every month - usually taking June off for vacation. The dinner parties are held twice per month, so that everyone on the guest list can attend, and the size of the dinners range from 12-30 people. Most months are themed - December is standing rib roast, January is cassoulet, March is Italian feast, etc. There are two middle eastern dinners per year, and August is Heirloom Tomato month. The provencal feast comes in the spring - imagine perfect fresh homemade aoili, served with tons of fresh and slightly cooked spring vegetables, seafood, roast chicken, acme bread - divine. And then of course, there is a leg of lamb and potatoes, and then fruit and moscato d'Asti or an amazing cheese course from the cheese board in Berkeley.
Speaking of Acme and the cheese board - one of the best things about this dinner is that G.M. has access to ingredients that very few home chefs ever touch. He has truck privileges at the farmers market in Berkeley, and therefore picks his fruit and vegetables before they ever get to the stands. He has his meat specially ordered and sausage ground fresh at Cafe Rouge. His bread is from Acme, his cheese from the Cheese Board, and his wines are direct from his good friend Kermit Lynch - the premier wine importer in the bay area.
One of the best things about the dinners in general is that, while the food is perfect and the wine divine, the dinner itself is so casual. Real silverware and wine glasses are used, but the plates and napkins and bowls are all paper. Saves G.M. a lot of time cleaning up for such a crowd. In addition, he somehow manages to make everything with a small arsenal of equipment - an oven, a giant bbq, a stove, a few pots, several giant clay casserole dishes, and a variety of large silver bowls (plus a food processor and some great knives).
I look forward to this dinner every month. But this past month, the July 2007 dinner, was especially fun. July is one of the few months without a theme, and therefore the whole menu was a surprise.
We started with an apertif - Petillant de Savoie, Quenard. A soft bubbly wine, from the foot of the Alps, it was the perfect pre-meal champagne-esque drink. Very fresh, extremely delicious, and now on my list of things to buy soon.
People at the dinner help set up, clean up, and serve and prep courses. I had the pleasure of helping with the first course. G.M. seasoned and marinated shrimp in olive oil and spices, then dusted it with corn starch and quickly fried it, 30 seconds tops. We then ladled a puree of cannelini beans processed with some pastis, garlic, and various other spices, right onto the middle of a plate. In the middle of the puree went a fresh salad of amazing red heirloom tomatoes mixed with onion, olive oil, plenty of salt, and mint. Three of the fried shrimp went on the puree surrounding the salad. The whole thing was served with acme rustic baguette - oh. my. The puree itself was amazing, I could eat a bowl of that every day. The course was fresh-tasting, and the shrimp was slightly crunchy without being greasy or heavy. The tails were completely edible. People were scraping their plates.
The shrimp was served with a lovely rose - a 2006 Saint Chinian, Mas Champart. This is G.M.'s favorite rose of the 2006 vintage, and is very reasonably priced. It was tasty, fresh, and juicy - everything a good rose should be. Rose is one of my absolute favorite wines in the summer time - so fresh and refreshing, so far from the bad bad rose's of the 80s. If you aren't drinking them this summer, shame on you - go buy this one!
The next course was a crostini. A large slice of oven-toasted acme bread was spread with a thick layer of cheese - goat cheese mixed with a little blue, so sharp and pungent and creamy and delicious. On top of the cheese was a perfect slice of red heirloom tomato, and the whole thing was drizzled with olive oil. Oh my. Some people tried to slice their crostini with a fork and a knife, but I just picked that thing up and started eating, olive oil dripping down my wrists. I'm not touching something like that with a knife, I don't care how bad it looks. Food like that is meant to be eaten with your hands, preferably outside. It was SO good.
The wine served with the crostini was a 2005 Cotes du Rohne, Trignon. It was delicious, but sadly the winery has been sold, and Kermit reports that the new owner is a weasel and has ruined the wines. This was the last taste of wine from the former owner - and it was good, but sad to say goodbye.
Sadly, the next wine (a waiting wine) was corked. Sort of a funny story, actually. The wine was a 2004 Paesan, Guido Porro. I was helping G.M. with the main course, but came to have a taste of the wine. Patch was talking about how she thought the wine had a nose of brie cheese, and wasn't THAT weird. I took a whiff and smelled oysters - briny, salty oysters with mignonette. I reported this to the table, and people started nodding in agreement, and wasn't it weird for a wine to have a nose of oysters. G.M. arrived at the table, and we told him that we thought the wine had a nose of brie and oysters. He took one whiff, made a sour face, and said "only if those things smell like a newspaper that has been watered and left to mold in a car. It is corked." A giant "ah, this makes sense" went up amongst the populace. There is a lesson here - wine should never have a nose of stinky cheese or briny sea creatures. It was funny to watch people sipping it and saying "oh yes, brie, its quite delicious." CORKED!
G.M. took a few of us down to his cellar to pick out some replacement wines. One was a special wine of his - a 1990 Burgundy by Robert Chevillon, Nuits Saint George, Los Perrieres. It was a really bold wine - smoky and woody tasting, with a great nose. It almost had the color of a port. It was like nothing I've ever had - not exactly my absolute favorite wine, but really delicious and interesting.
Next G.M. served the main course. It was supposed to be divine skirt steaks from cafe rouge, but when he got there he saw a giant cut of pork, rubbed in spices and rolled, and he couldn't resist. He slow-roasted it in the oven, topped with the crackling skin, fat soaking into the meat. Amazing. Everyone was served a cut of the pork with some of the skin on top - it was seriously delicious. I had a little bite of the buttery fat with each piece of pork, and it was just perfect. On the side G.M. made one of my favorite dishes - red potatoes roasted with tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, onions, and tons of olive oil. The tomatoes caramelize and become incredibly sweet, as do the peppers. It is a really simple dish but tasted amazing with the pork.
There were two wines with the pork. One was another special bottle - a cab, and sadly I forgot to write down what it was. Really sad because it was my favorite wine of the night (besides the moscato) - I will email G.M. and see if I can find out what it was.
The other wine served with the pig was a 2000 Chianti Classico Riserva - and it was perfect with the pig. The wine is from Villa di Ceggiano. A really bright tart wine, with a long finish - yum. I love a nice chianti (name that film!).
To finish off this perfect meal, G.M. served my favorite dessert. I love a cheese course, but in the summer nothing can beat peaches and nectarines from Frog Hollow Farms - especially with a glass of Moscato d'Asti. On Saturday it was nectarines - one of the most perfect, delicious pieces of fruit I've ever had. It was perfect just by itself.
And the moscato - ohhh the moscato. G.M. serves it at almost every dinner, because it is that good. It is the best sweet wine I have ever had - it isn't too sweet, but it pairs perfectly with fruit. I know G.M. gets this particular Moscato d'asti from Kermit - all I know is that it has a tree on the label. And is heaven in a sparkly, sweet, delicious wine.
This was the perfect dinner for me - I left full and happy without feeling sick from consuming too much delicious food. Some of the dinners are so good that I can't resist the impulse to keep eating, but this was a very well organized and deliciously prepared dinner. It set me up for next month - heirloom tomatoes. Labne sandwiches with perfect tomatoes, blt's where the bun is dipped in the bacon fat before serving, gazpacho.....I can taste it now...
Is it August yet?
cheers ;)
Emilia
A postscript from Patch:
Amen, Emilia, Amen. I have to mention that the crostini course seems deceptive in its simplicity. The thing was so incredibly delicious that I declared to the whole table, "If I were on death row, this could be my last meal." And I stand by that statement. When is a tomato not a tomato? When it is incredibly fresh, perfectly ripe, and hand-picked by G.M. And tastes like the essence of a thousand of the subpar tomatoes that you and I normally get to eat on a regular basis. It's really another creature entirely.
Also, the pork with the crackling skin and potatoes was so good that I took it home in a tupperware I smuggled in for leftovers (which G.M. found amusing) and had at it again later that night, cold. It was still so good. I was going to bring it on the plane next day but forgot. There was much gnashing of teeth.
Finally, the nectarine was the best I have ever had. The. Best. Ever. I rarely say things like that when it comes to food, because I've had so much great stuff. But this was just...it made me want to cry. Emilia can verify if you don't believe me. Also, G.M. has great taste in cigars, a part of the denoument of the meal that I was happy to enjoy.
I planned my trip to SF for that particular weekend because of this feast. And I shall do it again. Heirloom tomatoes, do your worst! Beautiful meal, beautifully captured by Emilia.
:-P
And seriously - my culinary life in the Bay Area has NEVER been the same!
The brilliant man behind these monthly parties shall remain nameless, at least on this blog - I will refer to him as G.M. He is not a professional chef - he has a normal job in finance. But he is an amazing home chef and wine connoisseur. Twenty-five years ago he started these dinners as a wine tasting party - 25 bottles of merlot in brown paper bags. Decades later the party has evolved to include some of the most amazing food I have ever consumed, accompanied by perfectly paired wines. G.M takes a set amount of donations from the friends he invites to cover the cost of the food and wine, but no more - this is not an underground restaurant. It is simply the most amazing dinner party I have ever attended, donations accepted. Once you come a few times you get on the email list for the parties, and can bring others. I have brought many friends, including Patch, over the years.
G.M hosts these dinners almost every month - usually taking June off for vacation. The dinner parties are held twice per month, so that everyone on the guest list can attend, and the size of the dinners range from 12-30 people. Most months are themed - December is standing rib roast, January is cassoulet, March is Italian feast, etc. There are two middle eastern dinners per year, and August is Heirloom Tomato month. The provencal feast comes in the spring - imagine perfect fresh homemade aoili, served with tons of fresh and slightly cooked spring vegetables, seafood, roast chicken, acme bread - divine. And then of course, there is a leg of lamb and potatoes, and then fruit and moscato d'Asti or an amazing cheese course from the cheese board in Berkeley.
Speaking of Acme and the cheese board - one of the best things about this dinner is that G.M. has access to ingredients that very few home chefs ever touch. He has truck privileges at the farmers market in Berkeley, and therefore picks his fruit and vegetables before they ever get to the stands. He has his meat specially ordered and sausage ground fresh at Cafe Rouge. His bread is from Acme, his cheese from the Cheese Board, and his wines are direct from his good friend Kermit Lynch - the premier wine importer in the bay area.
One of the best things about the dinners in general is that, while the food is perfect and the wine divine, the dinner itself is so casual. Real silverware and wine glasses are used, but the plates and napkins and bowls are all paper. Saves G.M. a lot of time cleaning up for such a crowd. In addition, he somehow manages to make everything with a small arsenal of equipment - an oven, a giant bbq, a stove, a few pots, several giant clay casserole dishes, and a variety of large silver bowls (plus a food processor and some great knives).
I look forward to this dinner every month. But this past month, the July 2007 dinner, was especially fun. July is one of the few months without a theme, and therefore the whole menu was a surprise.
We started with an apertif - Petillant de Savoie, Quenard. A soft bubbly wine, from the foot of the Alps, it was the perfect pre-meal champagne-esque drink. Very fresh, extremely delicious, and now on my list of things to buy soon.
People at the dinner help set up, clean up, and serve and prep courses. I had the pleasure of helping with the first course. G.M. seasoned and marinated shrimp in olive oil and spices, then dusted it with corn starch and quickly fried it, 30 seconds tops. We then ladled a puree of cannelini beans processed with some pastis, garlic, and various other spices, right onto the middle of a plate. In the middle of the puree went a fresh salad of amazing red heirloom tomatoes mixed with onion, olive oil, plenty of salt, and mint. Three of the fried shrimp went on the puree surrounding the salad. The whole thing was served with acme rustic baguette - oh. my. The puree itself was amazing, I could eat a bowl of that every day. The course was fresh-tasting, and the shrimp was slightly crunchy without being greasy or heavy. The tails were completely edible. People were scraping their plates.
The shrimp was served with a lovely rose - a 2006 Saint Chinian, Mas Champart. This is G.M.'s favorite rose of the 2006 vintage, and is very reasonably priced. It was tasty, fresh, and juicy - everything a good rose should be. Rose is one of my absolute favorite wines in the summer time - so fresh and refreshing, so far from the bad bad rose's of the 80s. If you aren't drinking them this summer, shame on you - go buy this one!
The next course was a crostini. A large slice of oven-toasted acme bread was spread with a thick layer of cheese - goat cheese mixed with a little blue, so sharp and pungent and creamy and delicious. On top of the cheese was a perfect slice of red heirloom tomato, and the whole thing was drizzled with olive oil. Oh my. Some people tried to slice their crostini with a fork and a knife, but I just picked that thing up and started eating, olive oil dripping down my wrists. I'm not touching something like that with a knife, I don't care how bad it looks. Food like that is meant to be eaten with your hands, preferably outside. It was SO good.
The wine served with the crostini was a 2005 Cotes du Rohne, Trignon. It was delicious, but sadly the winery has been sold, and Kermit reports that the new owner is a weasel and has ruined the wines. This was the last taste of wine from the former owner - and it was good, but sad to say goodbye.
Sadly, the next wine (a waiting wine) was corked. Sort of a funny story, actually. The wine was a 2004 Paesan, Guido Porro. I was helping G.M. with the main course, but came to have a taste of the wine. Patch was talking about how she thought the wine had a nose of brie cheese, and wasn't THAT weird. I took a whiff and smelled oysters - briny, salty oysters with mignonette. I reported this to the table, and people started nodding in agreement, and wasn't it weird for a wine to have a nose of oysters. G.M. arrived at the table, and we told him that we thought the wine had a nose of brie and oysters. He took one whiff, made a sour face, and said "only if those things smell like a newspaper that has been watered and left to mold in a car. It is corked." A giant "ah, this makes sense" went up amongst the populace. There is a lesson here - wine should never have a nose of stinky cheese or briny sea creatures. It was funny to watch people sipping it and saying "oh yes, brie, its quite delicious." CORKED!
G.M. took a few of us down to his cellar to pick out some replacement wines. One was a special wine of his - a 1990 Burgundy by Robert Chevillon, Nuits Saint George, Los Perrieres. It was a really bold wine - smoky and woody tasting, with a great nose. It almost had the color of a port. It was like nothing I've ever had - not exactly my absolute favorite wine, but really delicious and interesting.
Next G.M. served the main course. It was supposed to be divine skirt steaks from cafe rouge, but when he got there he saw a giant cut of pork, rubbed in spices and rolled, and he couldn't resist. He slow-roasted it in the oven, topped with the crackling skin, fat soaking into the meat. Amazing. Everyone was served a cut of the pork with some of the skin on top - it was seriously delicious. I had a little bite of the buttery fat with each piece of pork, and it was just perfect. On the side G.M. made one of my favorite dishes - red potatoes roasted with tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, onions, and tons of olive oil. The tomatoes caramelize and become incredibly sweet, as do the peppers. It is a really simple dish but tasted amazing with the pork.
There were two wines with the pork. One was another special bottle - a cab, and sadly I forgot to write down what it was. Really sad because it was my favorite wine of the night (besides the moscato) - I will email G.M. and see if I can find out what it was.
The other wine served with the pig was a 2000 Chianti Classico Riserva - and it was perfect with the pig. The wine is from Villa di Ceggiano. A really bright tart wine, with a long finish - yum. I love a nice chianti (name that film!).
To finish off this perfect meal, G.M. served my favorite dessert. I love a cheese course, but in the summer nothing can beat peaches and nectarines from Frog Hollow Farms - especially with a glass of Moscato d'Asti. On Saturday it was nectarines - one of the most perfect, delicious pieces of fruit I've ever had. It was perfect just by itself.
And the moscato - ohhh the moscato. G.M. serves it at almost every dinner, because it is that good. It is the best sweet wine I have ever had - it isn't too sweet, but it pairs perfectly with fruit. I know G.M. gets this particular Moscato d'asti from Kermit - all I know is that it has a tree on the label. And is heaven in a sparkly, sweet, delicious wine.
This was the perfect dinner for me - I left full and happy without feeling sick from consuming too much delicious food. Some of the dinners are so good that I can't resist the impulse to keep eating, but this was a very well organized and deliciously prepared dinner. It set me up for next month - heirloom tomatoes. Labne sandwiches with perfect tomatoes, blt's where the bun is dipped in the bacon fat before serving, gazpacho.....I can taste it now...
Is it August yet?
cheers ;)
Emilia
A postscript from Patch:
Amen, Emilia, Amen. I have to mention that the crostini course seems deceptive in its simplicity. The thing was so incredibly delicious that I declared to the whole table, "If I were on death row, this could be my last meal." And I stand by that statement. When is a tomato not a tomato? When it is incredibly fresh, perfectly ripe, and hand-picked by G.M. And tastes like the essence of a thousand of the subpar tomatoes that you and I normally get to eat on a regular basis. It's really another creature entirely.
Also, the pork with the crackling skin and potatoes was so good that I took it home in a tupperware I smuggled in for leftovers (which G.M. found amusing) and had at it again later that night, cold. It was still so good. I was going to bring it on the plane next day but forgot. There was much gnashing of teeth.
Finally, the nectarine was the best I have ever had. The. Best. Ever. I rarely say things like that when it comes to food, because I've had so much great stuff. But this was just...it made me want to cry. Emilia can verify if you don't believe me. Also, G.M. has great taste in cigars, a part of the denoument of the meal that I was happy to enjoy.
I planned my trip to SF for that particular weekend because of this feast. And I shall do it again. Heirloom tomatoes, do your worst! Beautiful meal, beautifully captured by Emilia.
:-P
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