Author Archive: Dan P.

Affordable Elegance

Q San Francisco
September 1997
Pages 42-43

Affordable
Elegance

dolceThere are wines in the world that are renowned far and wide for their quality and excellence. Most of these need no advertising, and certainly no endorsements from me. They have been touted by the lofty, had their virtues extolled by the eminent, and, generally, been quaffed by the well-heeled. Often, they are drunk not so much for their savor as for their savoir-vivre: their ability to show that the host for the evening is a worldly-wise tenant of the globe.

For the great spike-heeled masses of us, however, these are once in a lifetime experiences to taste. Few of us can afford to pop a bottle of, say, Château Haut Petrus-Lafite-Opus with our takeout Chinese; likewise with the rest of the world of “fine” wines that run into three and four digits to the left of the decimal place.

On top of all that, let’s face it; if you’ve ever been to a wineshop, and have taken a moment to look at these éminence grises, you know that they just aren’t all that presentable. I mean, where’s the eye-catching flash, the marketing savvy, the flair for attracting attention? Most of them have plain labels unadorned by more than, say, a picture of the owner’s house, or perhaps his face beaming out at you like Aunt Jemima from the syrup bottle.

My task, therefore, is to offer up a selection of wines that, to coin a phrase (sorry, Charlie), not only tastes good, but has good taste. The rules? Eye-catching bottle, a certain level of simplicity that allows you to figure out what’s in the bottle, and, I have to like the wine.

These are my picks for wines that will show class on your table, and even more in the glass.

BUBBLING ALONG

Zardetto Prosecco, from Italy, is a dry, light, crisp, perfectly drinkable wine in a very cool package that turns the label on its side and prints it right on the bottle. To top it all off, this one should run you right around $10. Jordan “J” is definitive California style – lots of fruit, lots of concentration, and consistent quality, and the simple green bottle with a bold handwritten “J” as its only adornment is certainly an eye-catcher – this one is more than worth the mid-$20s pricetag. At the high end of my range, squeaking in just under $100 is my favorite from Champagne, Krug “Grande Cuvee,” with its full-bodied flavors. The extra wide-flared bottle stands out from the crowd, the bronze-toned label is very elegant, and the name is synonymous with class.

A WALK ON THE WHITE SIDE

I love Sauvignon Blancs, and two have really caught my eye and my tastebuds over the last couple of years. For those of you who enjoy the traditional crisp, dry, grassy and herbal style, my pick is Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa. The distinctive label, a narrow green and white strip running from top to bottom of the bottle, will invite immediate comment from your guests, the wine is just as racy, and the price comes in under $20. If you like your Sauvignons a bit rounder, with some oak and buttery components, try California’s Dry Creek Vineyards Fume Blanc Reserve. The sailboat shape and theme to the label will be perfect for your next yachting party, and the cover charge is under $15.

Italian wines and grapes are also a fave, and Pinot Grigio is probably the quintessential white variety. From the northeast of Italy, Walter Filiputti Pinot Grigio comes in with all the flavor I want and a very cool photo-byte collage label that’s fun to drop on the table. The $25 pricetag may seem steep for Pinot Grigio, but this one’s worth the extra bucks. From up in Oregon, the Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Grigio is always welcome on my table, especially as it rarely drains much over $10 from my wallet. Grab a bottle and soar like the hawk on the label. I suppose one has to include Chardonnay in a look at white wines, especially when including domestic production. There are so many out there that it is hard to choose, so I went for somewhat higher-end quality. From California, with a $35 tag, I love the look, not to mention the taste, of Lewis Cellars Reserve Chardonnay. The simple, but striking “glowing L” on the label will grab anyone’s attention at the table. From Italy, not usually a first pick in the Chardonnay races, comes what is usually just called “Dreams.” The full name is Silvio Jermann, “Where the Dreams Never End,” a specialty production item with a rainbow label that changes color scheme with each vintage. This quality wine is worth the $50 or more charge.

There are a multitude of white wines out there, but I can’t go on forever (and neither can dinner), so what better way to finish than with a dessert wine. Top pick, all around, for packaging class, has to go to Far Niente “Dolce,” a late harvest wine from California. The bottle has a hand-painted grapevine look that you’ll love and the wine is a real winner as well. Worth the $50 that it costs to pick one up.

THE RED ZONE

Again, there are so many to choose from that it is hard to even start narrowing them down. I will up front just say that the quality of each of these selections is exceptional, especially for their cost. I will whiz through these a bit faster than the whites, so get thee to a wineshop.

Rosemount Estate Shiraz from Australia is well-known for its distinctive diamond-shaped label, and at $10 it is always a favorite. Also in the “easy on the wallet” category is an unusual one that I could drink every day and never get tired of it, Navarro-Correas Malbec from Argentina. There’s something about the frosted glass bottle and simple label design that caught my eye years ago and the wine has never failed to please. The interesting logo is reminiscent of the winged lion label on another entry, Brutocao Zinfandel from California, that ups the ante to around $15 and delivers on consistent, year-to-year quality.

Pinot Noirs are always among my favorites, and two Americans, both from Oregon, and both in the $15-20 range, top the list. For pure eye-catching attention, Benton Lane Pinot Noir is right up there. A dark bottle with a painted-on label that looks like a large postage stamp will grab you as you walk by it on the shelf. So will the wine. For simple graphic elegance, Panther Creek Pinot Noir is a winner not only for its colors and bands of lines, but as one of the best American Pinots around.

I felt like I had to give France an entry here, though, to be honest, it is rare that I see attention-getting packaging coming from this particular European neighbor. One that has always caught my eye is a simple, yet tasty $15 wine from the south of France, La Cuvee Mythique. I have a thing for owls, and the medieval owl design warms my little heart right off the bat.

Remember that simple diamond design from Australia? We have a similar yet distinctive entry from right here in the U.S. of A. Von Strasser “Diamond Mountain” Cabernet Sauvignon is a current fave at $30, and the blue and gold quadrangle of a label will impress even your least favorite designer friend. Simple rectangles and squares adorn two other favorites of mine. Newton Vineyards “Unfiltered” Merlot is not only the better of Newton’s Merlots, but one of the better of California’s Merlots – and worth the $30 tag. The black and red theme is simple and classy. A similar label design in blue and white, and even simpler, comes on a bottle of Sandrone “Cannubi Boschis” Barolo from Italy. In my ever-so-humble opinion, this is one of the finest Barolos made, and at $65 or so, a real steal.

For absolute class in packaging and product, what is probably my favorite California red (and at $45 it’s a whole lot better than some of the so-called “top” California wines), Mt. Veeder Reserve, a meritage blend from Napa Valley, has an elegant copperplate look that I love, and the wine will thrill anyone who loves California style.


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.

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WINE & Pork

Wine & Spirits
Fall 1997
Guide to Understanding Wine & Food
Pages 59-65

WINE & Pork
Dan Perlman, with Lidia Bastianich and Chef Fortunato Nictora

I remember as a child how the slaughtering of pigs was a ritual.” Lidia Bastianich, proprietor of Felidia Ristorante, recalled her hometown in Istria as we prepared for this pairing of pork dishes and wine. “It was usually in November, a unified effort amongst neighbors helping each other to feed their families. Every day another courtyard, every day another pig, until every household had the prosciutto and sausages drying in cantine – the fat rendered and the bacon curing. Every part of the animal was used – the hoofs, the tail, even the ears. Everything was edible and ultimately eaten, except for the bladder – the boys were given that. They would hang it to dry overnight. the next day with a straw they would fill it with air, tie it tight and play soccer with it.”

For most of us raised in America, the only pork we’ve seen is neatly wrapped in cellophane in the local market, or possibly hanging in a butcher shop – a tasty pink meat with relatively low fat content. Personally, growing up a good Jewish boy in the Midwest, I never tasted ham until my late teens when my best friend’s mother served up “pink chicken” one night. But somewhere in the process of becoming a chef and sommelier, eating everything and anything becomes de rigueur.

According to Lidia, “Basically, any preparation that is done with veal can be done with pork. A pork scallop or thin slice of boneless pork can be a very quick and tasty answer to a meal – just make sure not to overcook it! There is always a preoccupation in cooking pork well, but if over-cooked it becomes dry. The meat is made safe to eat when the inner temperature reaches 170°. If you do not have a thermometer, pierce the thickest part of the meat – the juices should run clear with no traces of pink when the meat is fully cooked. For the roasts it is important not to overcook. For the chop recipe here, if you simmer it for a longer time over low fire the meat will reabsorb some of the cooking juices and be tender and tasty.”

Pork, like veal and chicken, in and of itself is an easy match for wine. It is light enough to go with whites, and, depending on the preparation, is still strongly flavored enough to go with everything from light to full-bodied reds. When I help people select wines to go with their meals, I like to consider the main ingredient, in this case pork, separately from the accompaniments, such as sauces, cooking methods and vegetables. The particular cut of meat starts me in the direction of overall style of the wine.

Roast Loin of Pork with Rosemary

In the first of our three recipes, we started wit the idea of a simple roast of pork with rosemary. Your butcher can cut a loin roast from a center rib roast, but, as Lidia explains, it’s easy to do it yourself: “Set the meat on the backbone with the ribs sticking up. With a sharp boning knife start from the far end and work towards you, pressing the knife close to the ribs. In easy strokes cut all the way down until the meat is free of the bones. Whether you debone yourself or let the butcher do it, always reserve the bones. Cut them in smaller pieces and add them to the roast with the vegetables. They will add much flavor. The rib roast will come with a layer of fat on the outside. With a sharp knife shave most of it off, leaving a thin layer which will protect the meat from drying out while cooking.”

The roast, being a solid piece of meat, set us to looking for a nice solid wine. We sought out wines that would either harmonize or contrast with the flavors of the roast. Sometimes you want the food and wine to blend together in a smooth, flowing melody and sometimes you want them to play slightly against each other, like musical counterpoint – or, for those of us from the Midwest – dueling banjos.

Chardonnay Straight and Oaked
Callaway 1996 Temecula Calla-Lees Chardonnay, $10
Lindemans 1996 Padthaway Chardonnay, $12.99

Lees-aged or oak-influenced, these two chardonnays provide plenty of stuffing for the roast. Which style offers the best match?

Our first choice was to work with a pair of whites. The style we had decided on called for a good, solid chardonnay. We chose to try the roast with both a California and an Australian chardonnay – their typically intense extraction of fruit would provide the balance for the herbs. As Lidia puts it, “There is a certain butteriness to chardonnay that is evident here, which works well with lean pork.”

The Callaway Calla-Lees shows exactly the qualities we sought, even without any oak treatment. It is dry, has a lot of fruit flavor, and just a touch of buttery flavors from aging on the lees. There is a very interesting herbal, almost grassy character that works perfectly with the rosemary in the dish. For Lidia, “The pork is very aromatic, between the fennel and rosemary. The Callaway has a nice acidity, but very understated.”

Lindeman’s Padthaway Chardonnay also works well with the roast, but for different reasons – contrasts. In this case, the wine is notably drier and leaner, its oak treatment providing a tighter structure. Lidia notes that “The Lindemans has a ripeness of fruit. It is austere and doesn’t grow in the mouth. Because of that, maybe it is a wine that could be drunk throughout the whole meal.” Chef Fortunato also particularly likes this match: “The dish is a little bit sweet – the garlic and vegetables – with the sweetness of the wine it becomes a bouquet in the mouth.”

Tuscan Traditions
Melini 1994 Chianti Classico Isassi, $13.25
Fassati 1991 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, $13.99

Sangiovese is a classic match for this dish. Is a young wine or a more mature Riserva the best choice?

Roast pork with rosemary is a dish that might easily be associated with Tuscany, and this is where we looked next for our first pair of reds. The major grape of Tuscan reds is the sangiovese, and while it can be styled from simple to complex, and light to full bodied, it is at its best when produced in a simple, medium-bodied style.

Fassati’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano in and of itself is a delicious wine. It has a toasty note, probably from aging in slightly charred oak barrels, that responds to “the crispy bits” of the roast. It is, however, much more tannic than Melini’s Chianti. Tannin is a protein that needs some fat from the food to balance it, and in this case, the roast is too lean to provide a sufficient amount. As Lidia puts it, “There is a little dissonance with the Montepulciano.”

Melini’s Chianti Classico Isassi is softer and spicier than the Vino Nobile. As it turns out, the structure of the wine is in perfect harmony with the structure of the dish. Lidia finds no dissonance of tannins here, and describes the Chianti with the roast as “a duet of violins that are following each other note for note. The Chianti is picking up the Tuscan-ness of the dish. There is a definite affinity between this preparation and the wine – the starchiness of the white beans makes the Chianti sweeter. The rosemary and sage brings it all together.”

The Chianti so far is the stand-out with this dish, but there are still plenty of occasions for the first two whites we tasted. “I would use wines in season,” Lidia suggests. “Chardonnay in the summer or fall, and in the wintertime Chianti is a perfect match.”

Alpine Jazz
Volpe Passini 1992 Colli Orientali del Friuli Refosco Zuc di Volpe, $18
Giacomo Conterno 1995 Dolcetto d’Alba, $20

Two vibrant reds from the foothills of the Italian Alps point toward acidity rather than tannin. How do their structures change the perception of the roast?

I was still thinking Italian when I chose the third pairing. I wanted to move back to the simpler style, but put in something that would jazz up the meal. Sometimes you want harmony and sometimes you want counterpoint. We chose two classic, light and simple reds from the north of Italy – refosco from Friuli, and dolcetto from Piedmont.

The Volpe Passini Refosco immediately provides that counterpoint. It tastes young, rambunctious and vibrant, or, as Lidia puts it, “The refosco is like a young man of twenty-four. It has a rebelliousness. In the context of the meat, it has a lot of activity in the mouth that works on the tastebuds. It awakens them rather than mellows, it adds a vivaciousness. It tells the herbs, ‘let’s go out and play now.'” Rather than harmonizing, the wine and the roast take turns on your palate – much like a jazz combo – each one providing a backdrop while the other one takes the stage.

There’s also an appealing young vibrancy in Giacomo Conterno’s Dolcetto. It has a round, mellow character which Lidia compares to “a young man at age twenty-eight to thirty. The dolcetto works very well with the beans – there is a sweetness. It is not assertive, but very fundamental. It really just depends on what you want in a meal.” At the same time, it provides nuances all its own that add to the overall experience of the dish – for the musical analogy, this match is like a string quartet, all the flavors just weaving in and out of each other. In truth, though by a very close margin, this is our pick of the six wines with this roast.

Roast Loin of Pork with Prunes

The second dish that Chef Fortunato prepared for out tasting was a roast loin of pork with prunes. This is a festive dish that I would personally associate with holidays and cold weather. We had an interesting premise in deciding on the wines for this dish. As Lidia pointed out, sometimes you want the wine to exalt the food and sometimes you want the food to exalt the wine.

Champagne’s Main Event
Taittinger 1992 Champagne Brut Millésimé, $51.99
Domaine Carneros 1991 Brut, $19.99

A light California sparkling wine bubbles up with a richer Champagne. How do they play on the roast?

Thinking in a festive vein, I picked two sparkling wines. Rather than play off two rival houses, I decided to go with two wines from essentially the same producer – Taittinger announces its proprietary interest in Domaine Carneros prominently on the label. Most people don’t think of sparkling wine to go through the dinner, but, as Lidia said, “If you want to carry a Champagne throughout the meal, this is one dish that can do that very well. It’s a challenge – Champagne reacts differently with each course.”

Domaine Carneros ’91 Brut is a well-made yet simple sparkler that is perfect for letting the loin stand on a pedestal. It has a clean, crisp style that helps lighten the heavier fruit sauce, while there’s also a good amount of fruit that works well with the very same sauce. Overall, its fruit and herbal qualities play up the whole dish and really make for a delightful experience.

The Taittinger ’92 Champagne, by contrast, becomes the focus of the pairing. It is a rich, austere wine that immediately competes with the roast. Much like the “jazz” experience of the Refosco with the roast pork, there is a back-and-forth element going on. In this case, the pork becomes the background notes, providing a chance for the wine to be the star.

Lidia’s summary: “The Champagne has a completeness of its own, while the California wants something to go with it. The California sparkler elevates the taste; it’s more scintillating.”

Wild & Mild
Prunotto 1996 Barbera d’Alba Fiulot, $19.50
La Famiglia Mondavi 1994 California Barbera, $18

This rambunctious young Italian and more mellow, ripe Californian express different aspects of barbera. Does the richly fruited pork want subtlety or splash?

Barbera is one of my favorite Italian grapes. A classic in north and central Italy, it is probably at its best in Piedmont. It has an appealing fruitiness and crisp acidity, and I thought that, like the sparkling wines, it would work well. Recently, numerous California producers have begun producing high-quality barbera, and the stylistic differences between the regions provide an interesting contrast.

La Famiglia Mondavi Barbera is part of the new line of Italian varietals introduced by the Mondavi winery. The rich fruit and touches of oak “fill in the holes” in the dish, as Chef Fortunato puts it, and make the whole experience seamless. This is a great example of a wine that exalts the food.

On the flip side, the 1996 Prunotto Barbera d’Alba Fiulot takes over the stage with a display of vibrant fruit, crisp acidity and intense flavors. The pork and the rich fruit sauce become the bass line, while the wine becomes the dominant, though slightly sharp, melody for the meal. For Lidia, that sharpness is too much: “The Prunotto is nicely made, but the nature of Barbera is to be rambunctious, and the acidity is too high for this dish. There is an underlying tartness. The Mondavi is not pretentious. It is harmonious and mellow – you can go on eating and drinking and not have to pay a whole lot of attention to it.”

Of Raisins and Prunes
Nino Negri 1994 Valtellina Sfursat 5 Stelle, $36
Tommasi 1990 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, $42.50

These two wines are made from air-dried grapes. Will their intensified flavors overpower the dish?

The idea of a rich, concentrated fruit sauce led me to think about the same style of wine. Italians are famous for wines made from air-dried grapes – whether dessert wine such as Vin Santo and passito, or rich, red table wines including Amarone and Sfursat features in this flight.

Tommasi’s Amarone from the ’90 vintage is a delicious wine all on its own. It is made in the Valpolicella region of the Veneto from grapes that are dried on large tarps in well-ventilated attics, the pressed in January. This technique of appassimento helps to create the deep prune character of the Amarone, here matched by the sauce from the roast. The wine’s richness and depth of flavor are supplemented by the sauce. A fine Amarone needs, and here receives, a rich dish to support it and really make it shine.

Nino Negri’s Sfursat 5 Stelle is one of the best examples of the style available. The wine comes from the Valtellina area in Lombardy, better known for wines like Inferno and Sassella. The local nebbiolo grape (famed for its role in Piedmont’s Barolo and Barbaresco) is dried and the pressed to make a rich, concentrated wine. Despite the alcohol level and richness of flavor, the style is elegantly modulated, perhaps more elegant – and certainly lighter – than the Amarone. The plummy, spicy character on the palate absolutely blends into the dish, in some ways becoming a second sauce that is similar yet subtly different from that of the meat.

On finishing both, Lidia summarized, “The Sfursat is harmony with complexity. It’s an extension of the sauce. The Amarone makes a crescendo, it magnifies the flaavors. They provide two different experiences, and both go very well with the dish.” The Amarone stands in the foreground, while the Sfursat has a more intriguing interaction with the dish – fresh prunes rather than dried cherries. For us, that complex interaction makes the Sfursat and this roast the number one food and wine match of our entire tasting.

Piquant Pork Chops

Lidia recommends rib chops for this recipe, although a loin chop can also be very good. Have your butcher cut it for you – all the chops should be as close in size as possible, so the cooking time is equal.

Spicy dishes present a difficult challenge with wine. In this dish, the pickled cherry peppers provide a heat that can throw tannic wines off balance, and an acidity that can make even a high-acid wine taste flat. This high-spirited dish needs a high-spirited wine to match it, an opportunity for friendly competition between the food and wine. Both need to challenge the palate, yet, at the same time work together as a team.

Aromatic & Dry
Gundlach-Bunschu 1996 Sonoma Valley Rhinefarm Vineyards Gewürztraminer, $10
Glen Ellen 1995 Santa Clara County Expressions Viognier, $10

Varietal character is the main contrast with these two Californians, as well as an element of oak. Can these aromatic whites stand up to the piquant pork chops?

Aromatic grapes were a necessity in choosing our pairings. I started with two of my favorites, gewürztraminer and viogner. The former is probably best known from Alsace, the latter from the Rhône Valley. To gain a little more assertiveness, and just a touch of sweetness that wines from those regions tend not to have, I looked to California. In the end, this flight of wines provided the most controversy and split decisions for out tasting panel.

The Gundlach-Bundschu Gewürztraminer is a spicy, crisp and clean wine that provides all the aromatic elements that work with the garlic, peppers and herbs in this dish. There is a delicious element of fruitiness that is accented by those same strong flavors that we really enjoyed. And as Lidia noted, “it clears the fat of the dish away” with its solid acidity and strong flavors.

The Glen Ellen Viognier is part of this winery’s new Expressions line of varietal wines. the variety provides some wonderful aromatic elements that work with all the competing flavors that the piquant sauce contains. And this particular wine adds a healthy dose of American oak that provides a distinctly coconutty element. This puts an interesting twist on the dish, blending with the garlic and peppers to produce a suace that has a vaguely Thai taste to it, and, as Lidia puts it, “the Viognier is not scared by the pepperiness of the dish.” Chef Fortunato and I find the viognier is slightly too oaky for the dish, while Lidia particularly likes the match. You can expect some sparks to fly when you taste this flight.

Aromatic & Sweet
Dr. Bürklin-Wolf 1995 Pfalz Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Spätlese, $18
Domaine Aubusiers 1993 Vouvray Demi-Sec, $10

When sweeter chenin blanc and riesling meet this dish head on, is there any hope of a marriage?

For this flight, our thinking was to take the same sort of aromatic elements but add in some sweetness to counterbalance the spiciness of the sauce. We moved on to two other aromatic varieties – riesling and chenin blanc – and chose wines that are off-dry to medium sweet.

A Vouvray demi-sec is our off-dry entry. The crisp, green apple aromatics of chenin blanc fruit on their own are delicious, and those fruit flavors work very nicely with this dish. The sweetness, however, throws off the balance of the match. You might consider the sec (dry) bottling of the same producer, to further investigate the possibilities with chenin.

Bürklin-Wolf’s Riesling Spätlese Forster Ungeheuer is an absolutely delicious example of medium-sweet riesling, mouth-filling, and, regrettably for this dish, even sweeter than the Vouvray. The underripe peach and mineral flavors worked admirably with the piquant sauce, but there was not enough perceived acidity in either the wine or the dish to balance the high sugar levels. Again, consider the Kabinett level from the same producer with this dish – or seek out a Spätlese halbtrocken.

In both cases, the flavors of these wines work with the dish, but their sweetness overpowers the acidity and spicy levels in the dish. As Lidia puts it, “There’s no common denominator.” This flight is not only an interesting exercise in food and wine matching, it’s also a reminder that even professionals make mistakes.

The Red Solution
Navarro-Correas 1992 Mendoza Malbec, $13.50
Nelson Estate 1992 Sonoma County Cabernet Franc, $16

Aromatic red varieties add new variables to the spice equation. How does the dish respond to red wine tannins and acidities?

It is common wisdom that spicy dishes require white wines because, in general, red wine grapes do not have the spicy aromatics needed to balance them. I’m not one of the people that subscribe to this common wisdom. Aromatic red grapes are, perhaps, a bit more off-beat, but are often delicious in their own righ tand well worth a little added effort to find.

Malbec is Argentina’s top red variety, and the rendition from Navarro-Correas happens to be one of my favorite wines for drinking at home. It has a peppery, spicy and herbal quality that beautifully matches the aromatics of the sauce. It is dry yet rich in fruit, with soft tannins, and all in all combines to make a delightful experience.

The Nelson Estate grows cabernet franc, an ancestor of the better-known cabernet sauvignon, in Sonoma County. Cabernet franc has an aromatic, dried herb and green olive character that you either love or hate, and one good way to find out is to taste this particular wine, which is one of California’s best examples of the variety. Those strong characteristics are a great match for the similarly strong garlic and pepper qualities in the sauce. The wine also has a nice touch of toasted oak that blends well with the caramelization from the sauté process.

Chef Fortunato preferred the cabernet franc match, enjoying “the way the wine smoothes out the spiciness of the dish.” Lidia and I, on the other hand, preferred the malbec and Lidia summed up the experience: “The cabernet franc is well-tempered. It has enough backbone to carry the capriciousness of spicy pork. The cabernet is fine, but I prefer the malbec with the pork because of all the spices it has. The cabernet is full, but of a single note. The malbec is a myriad of tastes.”

While Lidia’s recipes demonstrate how pork is a mainstay of Italian cuisine, there are many other possibilities with pork, from various Asian traditions, to other European and American cultures. Like a blank musical staff, many notes can be written there, and they come in many forms. Sauces, condiments, herbs, spices, cooking methods all provide a different experience to the dish, and so should the wine. You just have to decide if it’s a jazz, classical, pop, or opera sort of evening….


Following are Lidia Bastianich’s recipes that were used for this tasting:

Roast Loin of Pork with Rosemary (Arrosto di Maiale alla Fiorentina)

2 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs rosemary, 2 minced plus 2 whole
⅔ cup fresh fennel and leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pounds boneless, rolled pork loin, with a thin layer of fat*
⅓ cup diced carrot
⅓ cup diced celery
⅓ cup roughly chopped onion
2 cups chicken stock

* If the pork loin is one solid piece, make a deep incision along the grain, along the long side – you should be able to open the meat as you would open a book. Spread the filling on the internal surface, close to the original shape and tie tightly.

Preheat the oven to 450°. In a mortar or blender make a rough paste with the garlic, minced rosemary and fennel, 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Spread half the herb paste inside the meat, roll tightly and tie. Thread the remaining 2 sprigs of rosemary through the twine on either side of the roast. With a skewer, make holes in the top and sides of the meat and fill them with the remaining herb paste. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, place in a roasting pan and coat with the remaining olive oil. Place in the oven and roast 15 minutes.

Reset the oven to 400°. Remove the meat from the oven, drain the fat from the pan and scatter the vegetables around the meat. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Add the stock and continue to roast, basting periodically, for about 40 to 45 minutes more. For complete safety, the meat should reach an internal temperature of 170°, but 155° to 160° will provide a juicier roast.

Remove the roast to a serving board. Pass the vegetables through a sieve or food mill, along with the pan juices; skim the fat and reduce the sauce if it is too thin, adjusting the seasoning as necessary. Slice the roast and serve with the warm sauce, with a side of white beans if desired. Serves 4.


Roast Loin of Pork with Prunes (Arrosto di Maiale alle Prugne)

6 ounces dried prunes, pitted
⅓ cup bourbon
2 pounds boneless, rolled pork loin, with a thin layer of fat*
8 fresh sage leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
⅓ cup diced carrot
⅓ cup diced celery
⅓ cup chopped onion
2 cups chicken stock

* If the pork loin is one solid piece, make a deep incision along the grain, along the long side – you should be able to open the meat as you would open a book. Spread the filling on the internal surface, close to the original shape and tie tightly.

Soak the prunes in the bourbon for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450°. Drain the prunes and spread them on the inside of the loin, reserving 3 to 4 of them as well as the liquid. Roll the loin tightly, place the sage leaves on the outside of the meat and tie. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, place in a roasting pan and coat with the remaining olive oil. Place in the oven and roast 15 minutes.

Reset oven to 400°. Remove the meat from the oven, drain the fat from the pan and scatter the vegetables around the meat. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Add the stock and continue to roast, basting periodically, for about 40 to 45 minutes more. For complete safety, the meat should reach an internal temperature of 170°, but 155° to 160° will provide a juicier roast.

Remove the roast to a serving board. Pass the vegetables through a sieve or food mill, along with the pan juices; skim the fat and reduce the sauce if it is too thin, adjusting the seasoning as necessary. Slice the roast and serve with the warm sauce. Serves 4.


Piquant Pork Chops (Costolette di Maiale Piccanti)

4 lean pork chops, bone in, &frac34-inch thick
flour
salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 pickled cherry peppers
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
¼ cup dry white wine
1¼ cups chicken stock

Dredge the chops in flour, removing any excess, and season with salt. In a wide, heavy skillet, cook the chops in hot oil until golden brown. Add the garlic; when it is lightly browned add the cherry peppers and rosemary and stir. Drain excess fat. Add the vinegar, cook for 5 minutes, then add the wine and cook for 5 minutes more. Add 1 cup of chicken stock, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, turning occasionally and adding remaining stock as needed. Remove the chops to a serving dish and strain the sauce over them. Serves 4.

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Promises to Keep

carneros1

Santé
The Magazine for Restaurant Professionals
September-October 1997
Pages 30-31, 59-60

Promises to Keep

On the day of my twenty-fifth birthday, September 19, 1983, the Carneros AVA was born. I don’t remember the details of my birthday celebration, but I’m sure it involved plenty of friends drinking wine. The wine definitely was not Pinot Noir of this region. Wine coolers and cheap, umm, inexpensive, beer were more likely the quaffs of choice.

The history of Los Carneros (“the sheep”) stretches back a bit more than 14 years. With easy access to water transport and the proximity of San Francisco, the area was rapidly developed by sheep ranchers, following the annexation of the Republic of California by the United States in 1846. Farmers raised a wide variety of grapes and orchard fruits, and in 1870, William H. Winter founded the first winery.

carneros2In the late 1870s, phylloxera struck, and attempts to find resistant rootstock by Winter’s successor, James Simonton, and other growers were largely unsuccessful. By the time Prohibition was declared in 1919, there was little left of the wine industry.

Since Prohibition’s repeal, Carneros has flourished as a winemaking area. John Garetto reestablished his winery in 1935 (on the site of what is now Bouchaine Vineyards), and major investments by Beaulieu Vineyards and Louis M. Martini followed. By the late 1940s, Pinot Noir constituted a significant percentage of acreage. Plantings were increased, and new wineries were created throughout the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. By 1983 (my quarter-century mark), Carneros had made a name for itself with quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.


WHAT IS CARNEROS PINOT NOIR?

General Characteristics
Pure sensuality; silky-smooth elegance with a core of black cherry and raspberry fruit and hints of exotic spice. Moderate alcohol levels and slightly high acidity, balanced by the depth of the fruit.

Aging
Often “dumb” when young, best when at least three to four years old. Acidity and concentration allow good aging potential. The best develop delicious leather and tobacco notes between five and ten years old and peak at 10 to 12 years.

Recent Vintages
– 1992, 1993 – Drinking beautifully now, but can age for several years.
– 1994 – Big wines, cellar until early 1998.
– 1995 – “Dumb” now, cellar until early 1998.
– 1996 – Excellent outlook, barrel samples show great promise.


Grace Notes or One Notes?
Black cherries, raspberries, berry jam and spice: these are the claimed hallmarks of the Carneros Pinot Noir style. In 1986, the fledgling Carneros Quality Alliance (CQA) set out not only to determine that style, but more importantly, to prove that there was a style. IN a series of now-famous blind tastings and chemical analyses, these traits were more marked in Carneros Pinot Noir than in those from other parts of Napa and Sonoma.

Carneros is situated in a unique area off San Pablo Bay, with the Sonoma and Mayacamas Mountains forming two natural boundaries that separate the appellation from the Sonoma and Napa Valleys to the north. Maritime influences are stronger here than in the rest of the region. Limited rainfall, night fogs, lots of drying sunshine and strong ocean winds create perfect grape-growing conditions with high stress factors on the vines. Because of its geography and climate, Carneros has a longer growing season, by almost a month, than nearby areas, such as Rutherford in Napa or Alexander Valley in Sonoma.

Carneros soils are of two predominate types: Haire and Diablo. The yellowish brown Haire soils, which began as shallow salt marshes, contain fossils, high levels of calcium, alkaline salts and a very high clay content. Diablo, by contrast, are more acidic soils that came from the deeper San Pablo Bay areas. This black soil is high in manganese, an essential grape nutriet, and is also very high in clay content. The soils help to produce vines with naturally low vigor and low yields.

The question that Carneros faces today is the divergence between promise and reality. Eleven years ago, when the CQA announced their findings, Carneros was the premiere Pinot Noir production area in the United States. No other region consistently produced high-quality Pinots. and the appellation name was virtually a guarantee of enjoyment in a bottle. Names like Carneros Creek, Acacia and Saintsbury have graced bottles of high-quality Carneros Pinot for years. But the last decade has seen the rise of quality and recognition for other regions – Russian River Valley, Santa Barbara and in the far north, Oregon.

Style and quality are now up for grabs in Carneros. It is only conjecture, but it is likely that the CQA’s findings brought about this divergence from past successes. The allure of a golden region attracted a wide variety of winemakers. Some have maintained the local style. Others grow or buy their grapes and vinify according to formulae that have yielded them success in other regions.

In tasting wines from the region, I found Pinot Noirs that ranged from thin, acidic and vegetal to heavy, oakey and tannic. In several cases, the wines were indistinguishable from any red grape and could probably have had the label of some other varietal slapped on without anyone noticing. On the other hand, I found some true gems – wines that no only fit the traditional profile of the area with its berry and spice fruit, but were silky, elegant and an absolute pleasure to drink. These wines are the perfect foil to today’s lighter cuisines. This is red wine for fish, pasta and white meats and red wine that cuts through cream and butter sauces and stands up to spicy sauces.

Carneros fog. Maritime influences here are stronger than in the rest of the region; Highway marker in front of Beaulieu Vineyards.

Carneros fo. Mariting influences here are stronger than in the rest of the region; Highway marker in front of Beaulieu Vineyards.

Back to the Future
“I think that ten years ago having Carneros Pinot Noir on your list was key; people looked for it. Now there are so many good producers from other parts of California and Oregon that it isn’t that important. Customers look for wines that they know,” says Cliff Batuello, until recently the wine director at New York’s Gramercy Tavern. He feels that the producer, rather than the producer’s origin, is of more interest to his patrons. Lisa Minucci, Sommelier at San Francisco’s Cypress Club agrees. “My customers look for quality producers that they know. They recognize that an appellation name is not a guarantee. What’s important to them is who produced it.”

On the other hand, perhaps it is just that wines, like other products, go through cycles. Jast we went from “Chablis” and “Burgundy”in the ’70s to “Chardonnay” and “Merlot” in the late ’80s and early ’90s, maybe “Carneros” was the Pinot of choice on the last trend wave. Greg Harrington, Master Sommelier at Emeril’s in New Orleans says, “I think that ten years ago you could sell anything with the Carneros label on it. At the time, almost all the wines were top quality. I don’t think Carneros lived up to its promise though; too many producers went with the market style instead of the Carneros style. Now, I could slap Russian River on anything and sell a ton of it. Maybe Château Lafite Russian River?”

The question that Carneros faces today is one that will force a choice for many producers. The promise of the region and its style is there. Those producers that hold true to it may find that, in the short run, they are a small slice of the market pie. Their loyal followers, however, will continue to buy and drink the identifiable quality found in these wines. In the long run, my bet is that “being true to your school” will win out over those who, like a leaf in the wind, twist and turn with each new shopping trend. At my half-century party and Carneros’ official quarter-century, I’d also bet that wine coolers won’t be the drink of choice.


REVIEWER’S CHOICE

Fleur de Carneros (Carneros Creek) / 1995
Bright cherry fruit, light spiciness and surprisingly good balance. Would make a great by-the-glass selection for those who offer something better than “house pour.” Match with fish or pasta.

Carneros Creek / 1995
A strong note of black tea and black cherries, with a deep concentration of fruit that shows the classic Carneros style. Will be perfect with red meat dishes in a year or so.

Cosentino / 1995
Classic Pinot Noir: black cherries, raspberries and spice, with a texture that is pure velvet now and will only get better. I’d drink this with anything.


CARNEROS

VALUE

Fleur de Carneros (Carneros Creek) / 1995
Bright cherry fruit, light spiciness and surprisingly good balance. Would make a great by-the-glass selection for those who offer something better than “house pour.” Match with fish or pasta. [Carneros Creek Winery, 707-253-9464, $90/case]

MODERATE

Beaulieu Vineyard / 1995
Black cherry fruit, spice, touch of black tea – all of the components that I look for in Carneros. Moderate tannins with slightly high alcohol that will balance nicely with any heavier dish that has a little fat in it. [Beaulieu Vineyard, 707-967-5204, $128/case]

Carneros Creek / 1995
A strong note of black tea and black cherries, with a deep concentration of fruit that shows the classic Carneros style. Will be perfect with red meat dishes in a year or so. [Carneros Creek Winery, 707-253-9464, $144/case]

Gloria Ferrer / 1995
Light spice and fresh strawberries with just a touch of bitter almonds on the finish had me thinking Italian Pinot Nero rather than California. I would sell as “the perfect lunch or fish red.” [Freixenet, USA, Inc., 707-966-7256, $144/case]

Fetzer / 1994 / Sangiacomo Reserve
Aroma of fresh raspberries practically climbing out of the glass. Light, simple, easily quaffable wine for lighter dishes, such as poultry and veal. Organic, no sulfites added. [Fetzer Vineyards, 707-447-1250, $116/case]

Charles Krug / 1995
Delicious, bright raspberry and red cherry fruit. A touch of light oak and yeast. Not particularly Carneros in style, but a delight to drink. Fish or lighter poultry dishes. [C. Mondavi & Sons, 707-967-2220, $132/case]

Schug / 1995 North Coast
Bright, spicy fruit that slides right down for a perfectly enjoyable glass of wine. The appellation is North Coast, but the fruit is all Carneros sourced. [Schug Carneros Estate Winery, 800-966-9365, $120/case]

Schug / 1995
Good solid fruit and a fair touch of oak give this wine a sense of sweetness. A great offering for people who don’t like really dry wines. A simpler style for easy drinking that will pair nicely with most lighter cuisine. [Schug Carneros Estate Winery, 800-966-9365, $124/case]

PRESTIGE

Acacia / 1995
Great berry character with a touch of graham crackers. Also, an unusual and highly attractive smokiness that works beautifully with grilled and broiled foods. [Chalone Wine Group, 707-254-4201, $152/case]

Acacia / 1994 / Reserve
Notes of tea, mint and a toasty quality reminiscent of crème brûlée. More depth and complexity than the regular bottling. The smoky quality is a perfect partner with the grill or broiler. [Chalone Wine Group, 707-254-4201, $224/case]

Beaulieu Vineyard / 1995 / Reserve
Like the basic BV, this is Carneros through and through. The tannin levels with the intense black cherry and black tea notes need time to soften. [Beaulieu Vineyard, 707-967-5204, $200/case]

Bouchaine / 1994
Lots of bright raspberry fruit, cloves and ginger. The higher acidity and lighter style will pair well with richer fish dishes and lighter braised meats. This one should age beautifully. [Bouchaine, 707-252-9065, $150/case]

Bouchaine / 1993 / Reserve
Everything in the basic Bouchaine is here and more. Elegance, bright berry fruit, black cherry jam and a touch of ginger. Roasted meats with a touch of Asian spicing. [Bouchaine, 707-252-9065, $200/case]

Carneros Creek / 1995 Signature Reserve
Deliciously spicy, with a strong black tea component. Pure Carneros style that will age beautifully. Cellar it for now and start to serve in about two years. [Carneros Creek Winery, 707-253-9464, $288/case]

Cosentino / 1995
Classic Pinot Noir: black cherries, raspberries and spice, with a texture that is pure velvet now and will only get better. I’d drink this with anything. [Cosentino Winery, 707-944-1220, $212/case]

Cuvaison / 1995
Solidly in the Carneros style. Berry jam, cherries, spice and chocolate on both the nose and palate. Match with simply prepared tuna or salmon or with your favorite poultry. [Paterno Imports, Ltd., 847-604-8900, $228/case]

Domaine Carneros / 1995
Delicate floral and honey aromas, with a light touch of raspberies and cherries that is overlaid by cloves, cinnamon and pepper. A slightly high-acidity level suggests pairing with fish and shellfish, and the flavors call for spicier dishes. [Domaine Carneros, 70-257-0101, $170/case]

Flora Springs / 1995
Silky, smooth and sexy. Black cherry and vanilla character are not strictly Carneros, but are high-quality Pinot Noir. Roasted meats, especially pork or veal roast with herbs. [Flora Springs Winery & Vineyards, 707-963-5711, $168/case]

Robert Mondavi / 1994 / Unfiltered
A nice touch of sweet oak and bright fruit. The style is not definitively Carneros, but it is classic Mondavi and classic California. Despite a little high alcohol level, a nice match with poultry dishes. [Robert Mondavi Winery, 707-226-1395, $126/case]

Mont St. John / 1994 / Madonna Vineyards
Delightful leafy, earthy notes, especially when joined with spice, strawberries and plums. Not a classic Carneros style, but definitely Pinot Noir. Not ready. [Mont St. John Cellars, 707-255-8864, $180/case]

Morgan / 1994 / Reserve
Spicy notes of cinnamon, clove and ginger are well balanced by good solid fruit. Though drinking well now, it will definitely improve with age. [Morgan Winery, 408-751-7777, $240/case]

Rasmussen / 1995
Classic Carneros style with all of the berries, cherries and spice that you could want. Also, a fascinating and fairly strong aroma of green tea. For menus with an Asian touch, I can’t think of a better Pinot for your list. [Kent Rasmussen Winery, 707-252-4224, $150-176/case]

Saintsbury / 1995
Rich cherry fruit and spice that fit perfectly the Carneros style. This wine is still a little young and tannic, but it will be a definite plus on any wine list. [Saintsbury, 707-252-0592, $168/case]

Saintsbury / 1995 / Reserve
Beautiful structure, ripe berry and cherry fruit and lots of spice and cocoa notes. Still closed and too young to drink. Cellar for a couple of years. [Saintsbury, 707-252-0592, $260/case]

Schug / 1995 / Heritage Reserve
Rich, chocolatey and delicious, this new top release shows everything that I want in Carneros Pinot. Let it sit for a few years. [Schug Carneros Estate Winery, 800-966-9365, $240/case]

Signorello / 1995 / Las Amigas Vineyard
Rich and elegant, with a full mouthful of fruit and spice. Probably the fullest bodied Pinot that I tasted from Carneros. A wine for roasted meats. [Signorello Vineyards, 707-255-5990, $300+/case]

Robert Sinskey / 1995
Elegant, lightly smoky and dry almost to austerity. For those looking for high-quality Pinot from California in a “Burgundian” style, this is it. Could easily pair with almost any dish. [Robert Sinskey Vineyards, 707-944-9090, $249/case]

Steele / 1995
A strong wave of earthiness is balanced by lots of jammy, berry fruit and black cherries. Righ tnow, a great match for heavier red meats with lots of fat. [Steele Wines, 707-279-9475, $168/case]

Steele / 1995 / Sangiacomo
OnNe of the vineyards that goes into the basic Carneros blend, this one carries the jammy fruit all the way. As with the other Stteles, the alcohol level says to wait it out in the cellar. [Steele Wines, 707-279-9475, $228/case]

Steele / 1995 / Durell
This vineyard clearly carries the earthiness and black cherries that work so well with the Sangiacomo in the basic Carneros. Confine this one to the back room for now. [Steele Wines, 707-279-9475, $240/case]


Santé is a glossy format trade magazine for restaurant wine buyers and educators. I wrote as a freelancer for them on and off from the first issue in November 1996 until November 2002 when they decided to stop using freelance writers.

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August White Sale

19970817
I guess I was still in my colors phase, after January’s red dinner and March’s rainbow dinner. We went white for August.

August White Sale at the Second Sunday Supper Circle

White Gazpacho
 Codorníu Blanc de Blancs, N.V.

White Pizza with Garlic & Ricotta Salata
 Castel de Paolis “Selve Vecchie”, 1995

Flounder with Roasted Corn & Coconut-Lime Dressing
 Castel de Paolis “Vigna Adriana”, 1995


August 17, 1997


Breast of Chicken with Onion-Pear Relish
Mashed Potatoes
 Kristone Blanc de Blancs, 1992

Cheese Plate: Morbier, Humboldt Fog Coupe, Corsignano
 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, 1989

Drunken Figs in a Honeydew Nest with Pear Cream
 La Famiglia Malvasia Bianca, 1993

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Inspirations from a Roman Holiday

19970720

I’d just returned from a couple of weeks’ vacation in Rome, my first time there I believe, and had all sorts of ideas bouncing through my head.

Inspirations from a Roman Holiday
XX July MCMXCVII

Zuppa
Minestra di Angùria
MCMXCII Scharffenberger Brut Rosé

Antipasto
Spada Conservado con Tapenade
MCMXCI Delas Freres Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “Les Calcerniers”

Prima Piatta
Merluzzo, Zucce d’Estate e Tartufi Neri
con Salsa di Castagne
MCMXCIV Bouchaine Pinot Noir

Seconda Piatta
Vitello “Saltimbocca”
MCMXCI Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino

Formàggi
Càcio di Roma, Mozzarella, Pecorino Romano
MCMLXXVIII Château Lascombes Margaux

Dolce
Ciliege e Susine con Zabaglione
MCMXCVI Barboursville Vineyards Malvaxia

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Summer Salads

Q San Francisco
July 1997
Pages 42-43

Summer Salads

saladsIn cooking school we learned that there are two kinds of salads, simple and composed. Simple salads consist of a single ingredient, like lettuce, with a basic sauce. Hearts of iceberg with Green Goddess dressing. Composed salads consist of, well, more than one simple salad put together, and, we were told, never tossed: jello mold with carrots and pineapple chunks on a leaf of iceberg lettuce with a mayo dressing…

At home, in my early years, we grew up on the simple type – a bit of lettuce, perhaps a tomato wedge or two, tossed with our choice of Kraft or Wishbone, French, Blue Cheese, or the aforementioned Green Goddess (I have a recipe for the stuff buried somewhere around here). But sometime in my early teens my parents discovered a salad bar at some local eatery. I think it was The Gandy Dancer (don’t ask me), an old railway station converted to a temple of haute cuisine. From that day on we had selections of things like croutons, bacon bits, and green pepper slivers, tossed with our choice of the same three dressings.

On picnics we had salads that didn’t involve green vegetables – potato salad, macaroni salad, chicken, or tuna salad. Nothing like mayo in the hot sun. Fruit salads made their appearance at special events like birthdays and Thursdays.

Turning to the various bibles of cuisine, the Larousse Gastronomique gives a lovely recipe for an “American Salad.” This is an artfully arranged bowl of lettuce, canned pineapple, canned corn, cucumber, egg, and diced chicken topped with ketchup flavored vinaigrette. Now I realize that it is in some small way our fault that there are fast-food chains in downtown Paris, but that’s no call to get nasty. Famed nineteenth-century chef Auguste Escoffier begs to differ in his tome, Ma Cuisine. His American Salad is an odd combo of tomato, pineapple, orange sections, banana slices, and lettuce topped with orange juice sweetened mayonnaise. Although, strangely enough, if you remove the banana slices and add a little fresh cream to the mix he calls it a Japanese Salad. Go figure.

As summertime arrives, so do chances for picnics, outdoor dining, and romantic candlelight suppers on terraces. Salads are perfect for these warm weather occasions, and without any more rambling, here are three of my favorites.


Spinach Salad

1 bunch of fresh baby spinach leaves
1 red onion
1 pint of strawberries
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey sea salt coarsely ground black pepper

That’s right, spinach. But not the cooked mushy stuff from a can your mother made you eat. If you just can’t stomach spinach, substitute other strongly flavored fresh baby greens. Wash and dry the spinach leaves, trim off the stems. Thinly slice the onion. Quarter the strawberries. Lightly whisk the oil, vinegar, and honey together, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with spinach, onion, and strawberries just before serving. Serve by candlelight. On the terrace.


Herb Salad

1 bunch, each fresh:
flat leaf parsley
chervil
tarragon
chives
thyme
marjoram
1 head garlic
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
coarse salt
crushed mixed color peppercorns

We normally think of herbs as mere flavor complements to other ingredients. But what’s wrong with a strongly flavored salad–especially with fresh green herbs just picked. Wash and dry the herbs. Pick the leaves from the stems; for the chives cut in short links, about 1″ long. Soak the head of garlic in water for five minutes, place on a small baking sheet, and drizzle with the 1 teaspoon of oil. Roast at 350F for 20-30 minutes until soft. Let cool, cut the top off the head of garlic, and squeeze out the roasted garlic paste. Mix with remaining oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss herbs together and drizzle lightly with roasted garlic dressing. Hmmm… Serve by candlelight. On the terrace.


Potato Salad

2 lbs small new potatoes
1/4 lb of thick cut bacon
3/4 cup creme fraiche
1 teaspoon white truffle oil
2 tablespoons stoneground mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper

Wash potatoes, cut in bite-sized pieces (halves or quarters), and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until soft. Meanwhile, dice bacon into small, 1/4″ pieces, spread out on a baking sheet, and bake at 250F, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. Drain off the fat. Blend remaining ingredients together and season to taste. Drain potatoes, add bacon bits, and, while the potatoes are still warm, add dressing mixture. Serve warm or room temperature. Forget the candlelight and terrace. Take this one on a romantic picnic.


Wine is always tough on salads. Vinegar and wine are not the world’s best complements. You need something with a bit of acidity, and maybe a bit of sweetness. Chenin blanc may be the best grape for the job. From California, try Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc, Yountville Cuvee, or the Chapellet “Old Vines Cuvee.” From France, the Loire Valley is home to the best of these wines. I like the Chapin Landais Vouvray, or splurge a little on a Clos de la Coulee de la Serrant Savennieres.


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.

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Market Dinner

19970608

Not that it was all that unusual to just let my menu be inspired by things in the market, this was specifically inspired on the day of by things I found at the Union Square farmers’ market.

The Second Sunday Supper Circle
Market Dinner
June 8, 1997

this little piggy went to market…

and found fresh sorrel & cucumbers for making a lovely iced soup, and sugar snap peas for a delicious salad with lemon vinaigrette…

then there were some squirmy little soft-shell crabs and broccoli rabe that seemed perfect with a rice wine glaze…

of course, he couldn’t pass up wild atlantic salmon that would grill up so nicely next to the fried green tomatoes from that organic farm…

fiddlehead ferns, ramps and morels were in season and seemed the choice with tender shoulder of veal…

the store had some wonderful goat cheeses from all over the world…

and ripe cherries and rhubarb looked delightful on top of freshly baked angel food cake, especially when the rhubarb was whipped into a zabaglione…

this little piggy stayed home…

and searched the wine cellar, finding some perfect little choices…

N.V. Veuve Clicquot Brut
1995 Dr. Konstantin Frank Johanisberg Riesling
1990 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve
1975 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio
1975 Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild Pauillac
1994 Jean-René Germanier “mitis” Amigne de Vétroz

this little piggy had roast beef…

so he was obviously at someone else’s dinner…

this little piggy had none…

him too.

26134_27
The salmon over fried green tomatoes

26134_24
Friends Bob on the left and Frank on the right, flanking boyfriend Mark, all confronting the angel food cake.

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The Reinterpretation of the Classic Cocktail

19970511

So in this one, I took classic cocktail recipes and used them as inspirations for the dishes served.

The Reinterpretation of the
Classic Cocktail
at
The Second Sunday Supper
Circle

Sunday, May 11, 1997


Sidecar: 1½ ounces brandy, ¾ ounce triple sec, ½ ounce lemon juice

Sea Scallop Ceviche
N.V. Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne


Peach Daiquiri: 2 ounces light rum, ½ ounce lime juice, 1 teaspoon sugar syrup, ½ ripe peach, diced

Sweetbread & Crayfish Terrine with Peach-Rum Sauce
1995 Expressions Viognier


Black Velvet: ½ pint Guiness stout, ½ pint champagne

Black Velvet Marinated Beef Filet
1979 Château Peyrabon


Martini: 2 ounces gin, ½ teaspoon dry vermouth, olive or lemon twist

Spiced Duck Breasts with Green Olive Salsa
Mashed Turnips
1993 Baron de la Charrière Maranges


Port Milk Punch: 4 ounces port, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon honey, grated nutmeg

Selection of Cheddar Cheeses:
Montgomery, Grafton, Aaron Truckle & Llangfollen
1977 Dow Vintage Port


Alabama Slammer: 1 ounce amaretto, 1 ounce southern comfort, ½ ounce sloe gin, 4 ounces orange juice

Almond-Plum Cake with Southern Comfort Sauce
Coffee


26134_19
The table

26134_20
Scallop ceviche

26134_21
Friend and Chef Fortunato Nicotra from Felidia

26134_22
His girlfriend at the time, Francoise, showing off one of the dishes, though I’m not sure which one I presented wrapped in nori – maybe the duck? Then him again, and my friend Bob in the background.

26134_23
The almond plum cake

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