Monthly Archive: August 1996

August Exotica

Dan P.Sunday, August 11, 19960

All I recall about this dinner was that I was trying to use some unusual ingredients that I’d not worked with before and see what I could come up with.

August Exotica
at the
Second Sunday Supper Circle
11 August 1996

❶ Simmer Australian Bush Tomatoes, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Thyme and Lemongrass in Stock. Clarify. Add gelatin. Chill. Poach Ecuadorian Jumbo Shrimp in herb stock. Ladle consommé into bowls and garnish with shrimp and thin slices of Serrano and Cayenne Peppers. Serve with Non-Vintage Domaine Chandon Brut Reserve.

❷ Rub whole Pom-Pom mushrooms with butter and roast in a baking pan until soft. Sauté Shallots in rice wine vinegar till almost evaporated. Whisk in cold butter till thick. Add chopped Shiso leaves. Season with salt and white pepper. Ladle over mushrooms and garnish with herbs. Serve with 1994 Pinot Gris from The Eyrie Vineyards.

❸ Rinse Dulce of all brine. Cut in chiffonade. Sauté briefly till limp and warm. Quarter Sunchokes and slice Lily Bulbs. Pan roast till soft and slightly browned. Make pesto from Vietnamese Cilantro, Garlic, Parmesan, Pinenuts and Olive Oil. Season. Arrange Dulce into nests, fill with vegetables and top with Pesto. Accompany with 1993 Coturri Alicante Boushet.

❹ Puree and strain Fresh Huckleberries. Steep with a Cinnamon Stick. Sauté Honshimeji mushrooms in butter with a touch of Nutmeg. Dust Ostrich Steaks with Mace. Sear quickly on each side. Serve in pool of sauce. Top with mushrooms and whole berries. Serve with 1992 Robert Sinskey Reserve Merlot.

❺ Slice thin wedges of Spanish Cheeses: Mahon (cow’s milk), Idiazabal (sheep’s milk), and Ricanante (goat’s milk). Arrange on plate. Scoop rounds of Cabrales (blue from cow, sheep and goat’s milks) and place in center of plate. Match with a 1985 Conde de Valdemar Rioja Gran Reserva.

❻ Steep chopped, dried Apricots in brandy. Cream Butter and Sugar. Add Egg Yolks and beat well. Add Milk and sifted Cake Flour. Fold Apricots and Pinenuts into mixture. Beat Egg Whites till stiff and fold in. Bake, topped with additional Pinenuts. Puree Shiro Plums with Maple Syrup. Warm. Serve over wedges of cake. Accompany with 1991 Kracher Scheurebe Beerenauslese.

Dinner Menus - Second Sunday Supper Circle

Libretto Libations

Dan P.Monday, August 5, 19960

Q San Francisco
August/September 1996
Page 40

Libretto Libations

When asked to write a column about wine and opera I found myself at a bit of a loss. I mean, who am I to suggest that Tristan and Isolde drink a couple glasses of Napa Valley Cab instead of poison? If Tosca and Scarpia had sat down and had a lively little glass of Riesling would she still have stabbed him? The safe bet with opera is champagne. Not just sparkling wine from anywhere, even though there are good examples from around the world. Opera calls for true champagne.

There are six standard vocal ranges amongst opera singers, and I have endeavored to select a prestige champagne for each.

Down in the deeper registers are the basso profundo and bass baritone. At this level we look for a champagne with “body.” Power, strength and vigor are characteristic of these wines. Deep aromas of earthy truffles, toasted biscuits, butter and vanilla are found here. Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Diamant Bleu is the toast of choice.

Moving up a couple of notes we find the lyric and dramatic baritones. With similar character to the fullest bodied champagnes but a touch more gracefulness. Rich and robust with an earthiness and toasty character that overlay the freshness of ripe fruit, Krug Grand Cuvée shines in the baritone spotlight. On top of that, the impressively styled bottle is guaranteed to place you in your guests’ highest esteem.

At the tenor level ranging from helden to dramatico, we move into those champagnes that are medium-bodied, with spicy notes, floral aromas and a freshness of fruit that can be best described as lush and smooth. These are wines that lend to spontaneity, gaiety and frivolity. For tenors, Louis Roederer Cristal is my pick of the night. Harmonious and firm with a delightful freshness, this wine is considered by many to be the pinnacle of champagnes.

Still in the medium ranges, the contralto and mezzo-sopranos bring that first true hint of feminine grace. Creamy, refined and ultra-sensual, these wines are for the romantic in all of us. And what better wine than one named after our favorite little monk puttering around in his vineyard, Moët & Chandon Dom Pérignon. It even comes in a rare rosé version for those who simply must have pink at the table.

As we move up the scale of passion and grace, we find the soubrette, lyric, and dramatic sopranos. Refined, yet racy. Alluring and inspiring. Fresh fruit with citrus, a touch of spicy herbs and a slight nuttiness. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne soars here. One of the finest prestige cuvées on the market.

Up amongst the clouds, with vocal wings outstretched, resides the coloratura. Delicacy, refinement, polish and balance wrapped up in a package that delivers finesse and fury at its best. Light herbal and citrus notes with just a touch of toast. Ruinart Pére & Fils Dom Ruinart is a blanc de blancs prestige cuvée that tops the charts.

Vive le champagne et l’Opéra! Who could ask for a more perfect duet?

Q San Francisco magazine premiered in late 1995 as a ultra-slick, ultra-hip gay lifestyle magazine targeted primarily for the San Francisco community. It was launched by my friends Don Tuthill and Robert Adams, respectively the publisher and editor-in-chief, who had owned and run Genre magazine for several years prior. They asked me to come along as the food and wine geek, umm, editor, for this venture as well. In order to devote their time to Passport magazine, their newest venture, they ceased publication of QSF in early 2003.

Magazine articles, Q San Francisco

Music, Opera, Wine

Wine Notes: August – September 1996

Dan P.Thursday, August 1, 19960

Felidia Ristorante

Wine Notes
August – September 1996

Italian Whites that aren’t so light…

There are some things that we all just know about Italian white wines. They are all really light, dry, and don’t have a lot of flavor. Right? Wrong. Try these and other less familiar wines on for some bold flavors and lots of body.

Fiano de Avellino is often regarded as the most distinguished dry white wine of Italy’s south. Grown in Campania, this wine shows notes of pears, spices and toasted hazelnuts. We feature one of the best, from well known producer Mastroberardino.

Franciacorta, a Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco blend from Lombardia can be anything from light and easy drinking to a complex, wood aged wine. The single vineyard Rampaneto we offer from the Cavalleri family is a delightful example of the latter.

Featured Producer: Josko Gravner

Year in and year out, Josko Gravner produces some of the most complex and long-lived white wines from northeastern Italy. Located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, specifically the Collio zone, Gravner makes beautifully handcrafted wines. Lightness of body, purity of fruit and a complexity imparted by his attention to detail in the vinification and aging processes results in wines that are a delight to the tastebuds.

Twenty of his twenty-three acres are planted to white grape varieties. Of his six wines, Felidia currently features three. Ribolla Gialla is a dry, light white with a nose of fresh herbs and white pepper. Approximately 15% of the grapes are fermented and aged in small oak barrels for five months and then blended with the remaining 85% which undergo more typical fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The resulting wine is subtle with a lingering finish. This is a perfect wine for fish dishes with aromatic sauces.

Gravner’s Sauvignon is racy and aristocratic, with a long, elegant finish. Typical of the varietal this wine has a very “green” nose, a touch of red berry fruit, and hints of sage and tomato. Finished with toasty new oak, this wine can stand up to a variety of dishes, from fish to poultry, especially those with a bit of spice.

“Breg” is the Slovenian word for slope or hillside. Gravner recently renamed his proprietary white cuvée Breg to reflect its special nature. A careful blending of Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon and Riesling Italico along with small quantities of wine from vines planted in 1915 – Glera, Pagadebit, Malvasia and Ribolla – produces Gravner’s finest wine. Elegant and light, yet complex enough to age for years, this wine makes a wonderful partner for dishes from simple pastas to robust meats.

Answers to your questions from our Sommelier

– What’s your job?

I’ll admit, I have what I think is one of the most fun jobs around. I try the food so I know what it tastes like. Wine salesmen bring me samples of wine that I ask for or that they want to sell to me. I get to sit around and taste it. Okay, some of the stuff is swill, that’s the downside. But then I get to have fun putting together a list of what a) I like, b) goes with the food, and c) will impress and interest our restaurant’s owners, the food critics, my colleagues, and, most importantly, you.

– Doesn’t it make me look stupid to ask you questions about the wines?

If we could all know everything about everything life would get really, really boring, very, very fast. You have no problem asking your captain what mahi-mahi is and whether it’s been grilled, broiled or fried with a three-herb semolina crust, or just exactly what’s in a mango-cauliflower crustace sauce with kaffir lime tuiles. Right? Even if you know something about wine, you just might not know everything about wine. Maybe we have a different vintage than you’ve tried. Maybe you don’t know what goes with kaffir lime tuiles. Maybe you haven’t a clue, period. The one person who knows more than anyone else about what’s on our winelist is me.

– So what should I ask you?

The opening salvo is simple. “What do you recommend that will go with our dinner, in the range of $…?” We’ll have a little conversation about what you plan to eat. And we’ll narrow it down and decide on something. You can then appear to weigh my answer and make a casual decision.

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