Magazine articles

World Eats – Sydney

Dan P.Monday, March 3, 20030

Passport Magazine
Issue 14 – March 2003

WORLD EATS – SYDNEY

Sydney is currently one of the exciting places for dining on the planet. Chefs and foodies alike are exploring brave new frontiers of cuisine using amazing seafood, pristine produce and unique native herbs and spices. With the wide range of cultures that call Sydney home, from Greek, Italian and Dutch to virtually every southeastern Asian ethnicity, the horizon seems limitless.
The Australian dollar currently runs close to two-to-one to the American dollar, so dining out may look initially like it’s just as expensive as dining out in New York, L.A. or San Francisco, but in reality is costing only about half.

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As long as you’re headed Sydney-side for luxury Modern Australian dining you may as well put yourself up in some great digs. The Contemporary Hotels group offers two great options right in the heart of Darlinghurst, on the edge of the main gay neighborhood. The Kirketon is all sleek, modern design with grey tones, chrome and splashes of bold color. Every detail has been thought out, right down to matching charcoal grey bars of soap! One of the hippest bars in the neighborhood, and one of the best new restaurants round out the package.

The Medusa is perfect for the business traveller who wants to unwind a bit. A converted, fashionable, eighteen room space that caters to every need. A private business lounge, courtyard fountain with chairs and tables to relax in, and rated one of the “coolest hotels of the 21st Century”, this is a don’t miss option. (www.contemporaryhotels.com.au) ]

Roughly ten years ago I had the opportunity to spend a month exploring the Sydney dining scene with some of the new, up-and-coming chefs on the food scene. A decade later, these chefs are at the forefront of the best restaurants down under. With maturity has come a level of attention to detail and a flowering of fine cuisine.

One note on dining out in Australia, even in a cosmopolitan city like Sydney. Many restaurants are open very short hours, often taking reservations only from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., with only one seating per table; and don’t count on much in the way of late night dining at most of the tonier restaurants.

ARIA
Dining at Aria is as much an experience in atmosphere as anything else. Located on the second level of the far point end of East Circular Quay, from one side you have a fantastic panorama of Sydney Harbour and from the other an amazing view of the famed Sydney Opera House. The food is beautifully presented and thoughtfully prepared. You won’t find anything outlandish or challenging, but you will have an exquisite meal.

Two of the starters, a Peking duck consomme with wontons, abalone, enokii and mustard sprouts, and a boudin of quail stuffed with lumps of Balmain bug meat were outstanding. The winelist is extensive, well considered, and overseen by a staff of three young, completely competent sommeliers who, if you take their advice, will only heighten your dining experience. 1 Macquarie Street, 612-9252-2555. www.ariarestaurant.com

LONGRAIN
Several times while dining out in Sydney, chefs and and restaurateurs had told me to check out the “scene” at Longrain. Situated on a back street near Hyde Park, this cavernous space is devoted to chef Martin Boetz’ unique interpretations of southeast Asian cuisine. The space seats probably close to 150 people, half of them at long communal tables or bars. On a Saturday night, with many restaurants barely half full, Longrain was packed to the rafters. Nonetheless, the speed with which people drink, dine and depart was quite astonishing, and seating opened up quickly.

A moderately priced menu of delights like grilled octopus with pineapple, mint and chilies, and roasted chicken in tangelo caramel, was perfect for late night dining (one of the exceptions to the rule here). Small starters like fresh scallops grilled right on the shell, or smoked ocean trout and roe on betel leaves make a great beginning. A nicely selected winelist with a short, but good range of wines by the glass complemented the meal. 85 Commonwealth Street, 612-9280-2888.

QUAY EAST CHINESE
Being so close to southeast Asia, Australia is home to many ex-pats from that continent. Some truly outstanding chefs have made their mark on Sydney’s food scene. Quay East Chinese has a trio of them putting out some of the best Cantonese food you can find in the city. That doesn’t begin to take into account the spectacular setting along East Circular Quay in Sydney Harbour, with unobstructed, unparalleled views of the Harbour Bridge.

You can dine inexpensively if you order a simple dish or two and just relax, but if you want a truly outstanding experience order from some of the top banquet dishes. Amazing dishes from local fish can be prepared in your choice of classic Cantonese preparations. A two pound abalone showed up at our table sliced paper thin and stir-fried in just a touch of oil with snowpeas. This was unquestionably one of the most sublime shellfish dishes I’ve had in years, and unquestionably the best abalone I’ve ever had. Shop 8, 1 Macquarie Street, 612-9252-6868.

ROCKPOOL
Okay, a decade ago Neil Perry was already a star. He was also a bit of an enfant terrible, and many of his dishes showed more boldness than refinement. Over the years he has opened and closed other restaurants, written books, hosted a fantastic cooking show, produced his own CD’s to cook by, planning Qantas airlines menus, and generally just been all over the food scene. Rockpool has survived, thrived, and quite recently, been completely renovated.

Opened in 1989, Rockpool is sleek, chic and sexy and the perfect showcase for someone with Chef Perry’s enthusiasm and skill. His signature “flavours from the sea”, small samplings of amazing sashimi each with their own accompaniment, is legend. Squid ink pappardelle with grilled squid, a Middle-Eastern style Yllarra lamb, and his signature date tart are must haves. A daily tasting menu, with optional paired wines, and one of Sydney’s more interesting winelists are all part of the game plan. 107 George Street, The Rocks, 612-9252-1888. www.rockpool.com

SALT
When I was last here, Luke Mangan was a budding new chef who had just joined the Sydney dining scene after taking time out to work in Europe. He worked under three Michelin star chef Michael Roux for nearly two years after having served his apprenticeship under one of South Australia’s finest chefs. In early 1999 he opened Salt in The Kirketon hotel to critical acclaim.

At Salt, Chef Mangan puts out intricate, off-beat combinations that are unexpected and completely tantalizing. Soft-poached quail eggs rolled in celery salt and brown sugar launch a meal that includes amazing dishes like roasted barramundi (a native fish) with basil and preserved lemon risotto, seared scallops in spicy coconut broth, cornmeal and chili crusted marrons (large freshwater crayfish) with cauliflower puree and star-anise broth, nori-wrapped tempura of quail topped with a sesame-wasabi sauce and a stunning finish of licorice parfait in fresh lime syrup. Salt also boasts a fantastic winelist and a great tasting menu with an option for paired wines. 229 Darlinghurst Road, 612-9332-2566. www.saltrestaurant.com.au

TETSUYA’S
There are certain chefs on the planet who the powers that be have blessed with talents above and beyond ordinary mortals. Sydney is blessed with one of these, Tetsuya Wakuda. A decade ago, in a forty-seat hole-in-the-wall in suburban Sydney, Tetsuya’s was the most impossible restaurant to get into. There he drew chefs, foodies, and press from the world over, all competing for the limited seating that was available. Two years ago he purchased a two story building with multiple dining rooms in downtown Sydney. Possibly the handsomest restaurant I’ve ever set foot in, the two main dining areas and the bar-lounge flank a stunning Japanese garden and pool. It’s still probably the hardest reservation you’ll ever try to make.

The wine program is not only one of the best I’ve seen in Australia, it is extraordinarily thought out in relation to the food. Tetsuya’s cuisine is a fusion of Japanese and French. The only option is for a degustation menu, which is alterable to fit dietary considerations. The food is sublime and elegant, featuring simple yet amazingly creative flavors. We managed twenty courses that included plump pink Tasmanian oysters in mirin-ginger sauce, chestnut, mushroom and truffle consomme, kingfish sushi with orange jelly, confit of ocean trout with fennel salad, and grilled filet of veal with sea urchin-wasabi butter. 529 Kent Street, 612-9267-2900.

Passport magazine is a relatively new, ultra-slick, ultra-hip gay travel magazine. My friends Don Tuthill and Robert Adams, respectively the publisher and editor-in-chief, who have owned and run QSF magazine for many years, launched this publication recently. It has received industry accolades. They asked me to come along and write the occasional article for this venture as well.

Magazine articles, Passport Magazine

Australia, Restaurants, Travel

Read Any Good Wine Lists Lately?

Dan P.Tuesday, November 5, 20020

Santé
The Magazine for Restaurant Professionals
November 2002
Page 22

Read Any Good Wine Lists Lately?

Dan Perlman is the beverage director for the three-star restaurant AZ and the new Pazo in New York City. He is also the food and wine editor and a regular contributor to Q San Francisco and Passport magazines.

I like nothing better than to sit down to dinner and having a wine list put in front of me. I’m even more delighted when I see that its author thought about making it an interesting read. I enjoy reading quotes and quips and seeing artwork and classy design. I like interesting categories that aren’t just a formal listing of appellations.

The J. Peterman Principle
The purpose of a wine list is to present a catalog of offerings for sale to your guests. When was the last time you paid attention to a catalog that didn’t spark your interest? A boring catalog or wine list is fine for looking up information when you already know what you want, but not when you don’t. Try imagining the Land’s End catalog with no pictures or descriptions: just a listing of product code, product name, fabric type, country of origin, and price. Sound familiar?

In most restaurants there is no sommelier. When there is, he or she doesn’t visit every table. And, to put it bluntly, not everyone dining wants to talk to the sommelier. Surprise – some diners actually want to pick their own wine! So how do you go about dispensing your brilliant advice without actually being at the table?

Wine Words
Think about how you describe wine when you are at a table. Do you start by enquiring if your customer wants “a wine from a small commune just south of Beaune?” Probably not. More likely, their food choices are your starting point. Or maybe you like to being by finding out if they want something lighter or fuller, younger or older, richer or poorer … or by playing on their mood that evening.

Plan your list around categories that harmonize with how you would approach your customers when standing at the table. In other words, put wines together that you would naturally group together in your mind when you’re talking. It allows your customers to see how you, representing your restaurant, think about wine. And, if you do approach their table, you’re set-up for an easy entry into the conversation.

Two wine lists I’ve seen recently do this job well: one at a fairly new Chinese restaurant has categories that contrast – Tart Fruit versus Red Fruit, or Black Fruit; the other puts wines into easy-to-understand categories such as “bright, sunny, citrusy” and “rich, dark, earthy.”

Consider adding some descriptions to the categories, or, if you have a relatively short list, to individual wines. Avoid long “geeky” narratives with arcane references to such things as “day-old tiger lily pollen” or “melanges of wortleberries and cloudberries with a hint of wet reindeer fur.” Long-winded explications will keep the host reading for extended periods of time and make the experience boring for the other people at the table (unless they don’t want to talk to the host!). Try simple, two- to four-word quips that mirror how you would initially respond if someone asked you about the wine.

The list I mentioned above with tart, red, and black fruit, further described each with a sub-heading. For example, the tart fruit section listed “apple, green grape, citrus” as the dominant flavors.

List Layout
Give thought to the layout of your list. Is the font type and size you’re using easy to read? How about the paper color? Given the lighting in your dining room, is the wine list still easy to read? Does its cover design match the restaurant’s style and focus? Call on your colleagues for their input.

Above all, remember that your primary goal is to sell wine. If you can make the difference between printed page and your sparkling conversation as seamless as possible, you’ll start selling wine even when you’re not there.

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.

Magazine articles, Santé

Management, Marketing, Restaurants, Wine

Champagne Cocktails

Dan P.Tuesday, November 5, 20020

Q San Francisco
November 2002
Pages 48-49

Champagne Cocktails

It was 1933 and Prohibition had just ended. Sherman Billingsley moved the world famous Stork Club to its third and final incarnation in east midtown Manhattan. Already famous for treating favored guests to a round of champagne, something inspired him to introduce them to the “champagne cocktail.”

It was, perhaps, a natural development. There were already cocktails that employed white wine, red wine, and port. Every liquor and liqueur had being mixed and matched with abandon. Why not throw things into a glass of champagne?

The cocktail itself is a simple affair: a cube of sugar is drizzled with a few drops of cocktail bitters and rested in the base of a wide, saucer style champagne glass which is topped with a bit of bubbly. It became all the rage of the era’s “jet set” (not that they had jets).

Purists today still shudder at the idea. After all, champagne is a venerable drink in its own right. It is relatively expensive, and, for many, the pinnacle of winemaking. Nontheless, the wave that this introduction created became a veritable storm as bartender after bartender in top hotel bars and clubs felt the need to not only duplicate, but re-create.

Looking through varied and sundry bartending guides is an easy way to see the wide variation on the theme. My favorite guide from the era, The Gentleman’s Companion, lists five interpretations from as far afield as Rajputana, India; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Shanghai in China, and the bar on the Ile de France ocean liner. The online bartending guide, Webtender, lists no less than eighty-seven champagne drinks. And the recently published Champagne Cocktails lists more than one hundred!

Admittedly, these authorities include concoctions that stray far from the classic. So do many of us with our kir royales and brunch mimosas. At my restaurants we do versions that include such exotica as puréed litchis and pomegranate molasses!

Afficionados of the genre lean towards the saucer style glass for this cocktail. Legend has it that the original saucer was molded off of Marie Antoinette’s right breast. A rarity in the typical bar today because “it makes the bubbles go away to fast”, the champagne coupe has practically disappeared. Simply, if your champagne is going flat, you’re drinking too slowly.

It’s a shame, because while it may be classy, or maybe just plain yuppie, to sip contemplatively from a narrow flute, it’s just not the same when you entwine your arm with a loved one’s and sip from each other’s glass.

Likewise, many “mixologists” have taken to using granulated sugar or sugar syrup instead of the classic sugar cube. Sure it provides the sweetness (though, with a cube, it’s gradual), but does it have class?

Here are a few classic recipes guaranteed to please your holiday guests.

Classic Champagne Cocktail

Place a sugar cube in the center of our aforementioned champagne saucer. Drop two to three drops of Angostura bitters directly onto the cube. Top with decent quality champagne (Laurent-Perrier Brut is my “house” choice for this drink) and add a twist of lemon peel. Contemplate how much better life just got.

There are recipe books out there that call for the addition of an ounce or so of good quality brandy to this drink. Traditionally, this is known as a Business Brace, rather than a Champagne Cocktail. Some fun variations, however, are to substitute other bitters for the Angostura – possibilities include orange bitters, Campari, Dubonnet and Punt e Mes – use your imagination.

Kir Royale

This is among the simplest of champagne drinks. A mere half ounce of crème de cassis (black currant liqueur) topped with champagne and garnished with a lemon twist. Use really good quality cassis to truly make this drink, my favorite is a “double crème” from Liqueurs Cartron.

Mimosa or Bucks Fizz

Three ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice topped with champagne and garnished with a twist of orange peel. What could be simpler at brunch? Please don’t use O.J. out of a carton, there’s just no substitute for quality ingredients! An ounce or so of Grand Marnier added to this drink makes the Grand Mimosa, and adds a certain something to it. I personally like to use Gran Torres orange liqueur from Spain which just gets my maracas shaking…

Bellini

The true classic Bellini is not some formulation of peach liqueurs and orange juice and champagne. In fact, rather than champagne, it uses Prosecco, a light, crisp sparkling wine from northeastern Italy. And the peach flavor comes from fresh peach juice, in much the same proportions as the Mimosa has with orange juice. A dash of bitters would not be out of place in this drink. Garnish with a slice of fresh peach. Come on, you bought that juicer for something, get it out from under the counter!

French 75

Named, basically, for a large gun, this is a good cocktail for considering questions of world peace and whether to take that summer share. Mix a quarter ounce each of fresh lemon juice, Cointreau and gin and then top with four to five ounces of champagne. Resist the urge to add sugar as many recipes call for, that’s what the Cointreau is for.

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

Cocktails, Sparkling Wines, Wine

After Theater Dining

Dan P.Thursday, October 3, 20020

Passport Magazine
Issue 11 – October 2002

After Theater Dining

Want to go to dinner and a show? I find that a difficult proposition. When I’ve worked all day, I want to go home, shower, relax for a little while, put on clean clothes, and then go out. Since I’m fond of having dinner be a leisurely affair, there’s just not enough time for dinner before theater. So, for me, it’s a show and then dinner. A little snack before curtain and then after the standing ovation, a chance to relax and discuss, toast, and nibble.

When considering what to recommend, I set out with some simple criteria. First, the restaurant has to be open late enough that I don’t feel like I have to rush to get there, nor do I feel like the staff are just hovering around waiting for me to leave. Second, the kitchen must be offering a regular dinner menu, not some sort of leftover “late night” dining selection. Third, I didn’t want to review places that are institutions in the late night dining scene.

That left out some old favorites like Raoul’s, the Odeon and Café Luxembourg. It also left out the theater district haunts like Sardi’s and Joe Allen’s. I sat down with a few friends in the business and we came up with our short list of favorites for late-night dining.

THEATER DISTRICT

Cinnabar is the hottest thing to happen this year to the Asian restaurant scene in New York. It has everything you could want in a restaurant of the genre: a gorgeous room with fantastic designer touches; a well-appointed, comfortable bar and lounge area; and an outdoor dining section that is set-up like a small secluded park.

Despite being decked out in sexy black shirts, the staff are knowledgeable and friendly, with no attitude. They know the food, they know the drinks, and they’re happy to offer advice. Consultant Geri Banks has put together a delicious selection of specialty cocktails, any of which provide the perfect way to begin relaxing post-show. She has also done a great job with an eclectic wine list, offering them by flavor categories that zero in on the qualities each brings to the glass.

The food is Chinese, but not limited to any particular region. Szechuan and Hunan square off opposite Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. The food is beautifully presented and even better as you dig into it. Prepare to eat too much, it’s just that good. Don’t miss the Roasted Cashew Nut Chicken and the Spicy XO Lobster.

Cinnabar, 235 West 56th Street (8th Avenue), 212-399-1100. Open noon until midnight, Monday through Saturday, noon until 11 p.m. on Sundays.

Seppi’s is the theater district sibling of the classic late night bistro, Raoul’s. Unlike the latter, which serves classic, hearty, French bistro fare, Seppi’s puts a modern twist on a variety of French dishes. Chef Claude Alain Solliard has an affinity for Alsatian cuisine, but is no slouch when covering the rest of the countryside.

The room is classic old-style pub, and despite having only been open for four years, has the look of a venue that has graced the block for decades. Located in the Parker Meridien Hotel, this may be the neighborhood’s best bistro. The front area is a polished wooden bar with tables and booths, the rear area is a slightly more lavish dining room with an attractive stained glass ceiling.

The winelist is limited, but has some interesting and unusual country wines from lesser known regions of France. The food is simply presented and delightful. You cannot pass up the broiled escargot served on crispy rosemary flat bread. Dump them out of the shell onto the bread and just munch happily away. The Alsatian pizzas on the same flat bread are well worth sampling. Go with the classic dishes and enjoy the updated twists, they are where the chef shines.

Seppi’s, 118 West 56th Street (6th Avenue), 212-708-7444, www.seppis.com. Open 11:30 a.m. until 2 a.m. Monday through Friday, 5:30 p.m. until 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

As I write this, it is early August and I’ve already decided on my “meal of the year”. Esca is the acclaimed fish restaurant owned by the partnership (bordering on empire) of the Bastianich and Batali families (Felidia, Becco, Babbo, Lupa, Lidia’s, the Italian Wine Merchant, and the Bastianich Winery). This venue is impeccably managed by the Bastianich’s longtime friend and manager, Simon Dean.

The room is simple and homey. Previously home to the family’s never quite successful Frico Bar, they’ve finally hit their stride. Sit yourself down at the classic bar that includes a well-priced, great selection of Italian wines and spirits, and an excellent raw bar. When your table is ready, prepare for the real treat.

Chef David Pasternak puts out simple, clean preparations of some of the freshest fish you will have in Manhattan. Start with a sampling of the “crudo”, the Italian version of sushi. Pristine slices of fish, each paired with a drizzling of selected olive oils, vinaigrettes, and an astonishing collection of sea salts (Red clay salt? Lava salt? Who knew?) grace your plate. Move on to a well-prepared pasta, and finish off with perfectly roasted fish with oil and herbs or a simple tapenade.

Esca, 402 West 43rd Street (9th Avenue), 212-564-7272. Lunch Monday through Friday from noon until 2:30 p.m., Dinner Sundays and Mondays until 10:30 and Tuesday through Saturday until 11:30 p.m.

OFF-BROADWAY

My first experience of Jane was shortly after they opened a year or two ago. It was for lunch, in spring, and we were the only customers there. We had a delicious lunch, and I hoped for their sake that the place would catch on. It has, and now Jane can justify staying open until the wee hours.

The room is done in “oversize”. There are large mirrors and paintings on the walls, the ceilings are high, the banquettes low, the tables high. You have a feeling that you’re sitting somewhere impressive, especially when the room is full and the noise volume high. When it quiets down you can feel a tad small, but the food and drink will take your attention away from any misgivings.

The food is, for lack of a better term, experimental American. The regular menu items, tried and true, show the mettle of the chef. Start with one of the flatbread selections, move on to the fantastic ahi tuna and pineapple roll, and finish off with any one of the well prepared entrees. The daily specials are hit and miss, but that’s what experimentation is all about, and even the misses are fun to try. A short but really well selected winelist and some quite good specialty cocktails round out the experience.

Jane, 100 West Houston Street (between Thompson Street & LaGuardia Place), 212-254-7000. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, until 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

There has been a recent trend in New York to offer “wood-burning oven” food. Several really good restaurants, like Beacon and Five Points have earned excellent reputations for their offerings. Peasant is an unlikely candidate to join their ranks, being located about as out of the way as one can be in Manhattan on the Lower East Side. Nonetheless, don’t let the location scare you away, as this trendy little dive is putting out some of the best food in its class.

The room is definitely not what you’re there for. Sparsely and not particularly comfortably furnished, with a look like a not-quite-finished loft space. As one of my best friends would put it, “I see they’ve spared every expense on the decor”. Still, the room is somehow warm and inviting, and the smattering of well-known chefs having dinner on their nights off is an immediate, positive draw. The waitstaff is as disheveled as the room, but thoroughly charming and completely at ease with the menu.

Chef Frank DeCarlo’s food is simple and amazing. Working from an open kitchen, his team puts out well flavored, hearty fare, that will keep you coming back. Don’t miss faves are the roast sardines, a pizza that will transport you to southern Italy, and the chicken stuffed with sausage. The winelist is appropriately selected and well laid out, you won’t have any trouble picking a winner to pair with your feast.

Peasant, 194 Elizabeth Street (between Spring and Prince Streets), 212-965-9511. Dinner only, Monday through Saturday from 6 p.m. until midnight, Sundays until 10 p.m.

I was not prepared to like Industry (food). The name seemed pretentious, the location, in the now trendy East Village seemed selected just for effect, and the look as you step inside is one of a carefully choreographed treehouse for a magazine layout. You’re not sure if you should touch anything. The staff at the entrance have that Sex and the City new restaurant attitude down cold. The place is as slick as their website, and both turn out to be worth the visit.

The bar is sleek, polished wood, and peopled by a mix of East Village locals and hip, uptown folk “slumming”, but being careful not slum somewhere that is, well, a slum. The hostesses will guide you downstairs to a table, where, miraculously, the whole world changes. The waitstaff, if slightly spacey, is warm and welcoming. They don’t know much about the food, but they know it’s good, and they’re right.

The food is probably best described as eclectic. It’s the kind of food that chefs cook for themselves and friends when they sit down late night after service. They want something simple and clean, but intelligently thought out. Not unexpected when you find out that Chef Alex Freij worked for both Jean-Louis Palladin and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and co-owner Chris Eddy likewise worked for Jean-Georges at Mercer Kitchen.. The lobster bruschetta is a winner, as is the lamb with tomato marmalade.

Industry (food), 509 East 6th Street (between Avenues A and B), 212-777-5920, www.industryfood.com. Open for dinner only, until 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. Listed hours on Friday and Saturday are until 3 a.m., but the dining room sort of gets turned into a lounge after midnight.

Passport magazine is a relatively new, ultra-slick, ultra-hip gay travel magazine. My friends Don Tuthill and Robert Adams, respectively the publisher and editor-in-chief, who have owned and run QSF magazine for many years, launched this publication recently. It has received industry accolades. They asked me to come along and write the occasional article for this venture as well.

Magazine articles, Passport Magazine

NYC, Restaurants

Great Wines For the Discerning Connoisseur

Dan P.Thursday, September 5, 20020

Q San Francisco
September 2002
Pages 44-45

It’s hard to be the arbiter of fashion. But somebody’s got to do it. When the question of fashion is not Yohji Yamamoto versus K-Mart, but wine, the average consumer takes one of two well-defined paths. Either leads to the same result.

The first, I shall call the “pansy,” defined by my dictionary as “a man or boy considered childish or unassertive”. There are other definitions, but I’m sticking with this one. A pansy announces, with practiced timidity, a complete lack of knowledge of wine. He then proceeds to order the same wine that he has ordered at every dinner, at every restaurant, for as long as any of his friends can remember. It’s the same wine to be found in his home. Always.

Now, this same individual would never take the same approach to his wardrobe fashion. If so, he’d still be wearing brown Farrah corduroys that are just a little too short, a white shirt buttoned to the throat, and, no doubt, a pocket protector.

The second, I call the “narcissus”, only because I’m in a floral-print mode. This is that person in each of our lives who is in love with the timber of his own voice. He has an opinion on everything, and, regardless of whether soundly based, is going to share it with you. He will order “an amusing little wine which shows great promise.” It will no doubt be the same wine he has ordered at every dinner, at every restaurant…

Now, he wouldn’t be caught dead still wearing his blue blazer with gold buttons and the white shirt with the monogrammed pocket that he used to wear in debate club. Would he?

When I go out shopping for clothing, I’m the first (well, one of the first) to admit that I’m vaguely clueless. I’ve learned to ask for help, usually from whomever is the current boyfriend. They always tell me they have better fashion sense than I do. Maybe they do. All I know is that other than having heard them endlessly discussed, I basically don’t know the difference between D&G and H&M.

So that’s how I end up here, offering up the latest in wine fashion. Because hopefully, somewhere out there, one or more of you will decide not to take the pansy or narcissus fork in the road. You will strike out in fresh directions, creeping over boundaries, taking over the winelist and trying something, new.

For those of you willing to explore, I give you new wines. Trust me, your friends will stare at the new you in awe; much like when you showed up to that soiree in lime-green capri pants and a teal fishnet tank. At least you’ll be drinking good wine.

Over the past few years it has become completely acceptable to drink South African wine. Yet, for most consumers, these wines are still unknown. The grapes are not all that unusual: Chenin Blanc (the main white wine of the Loire Valley in France) and Sauvignon Blanc are the mainstays of the whites and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Pinotage (South Africa’s unique red crossing of Pinot Noir and Hermitage, the local name for Cinsault) make up the bulk of the reds.

The wines you shouldn’t miss: Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc and his dessert wine “T”; Martin Meinert Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend; de Trafford Chenin Blanc and Shiraz; Fairview Pinotage “Primo”; Spice Route “Flagship” Pinotage and Shiraz; Hamilton Russell Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; Glen Carlou “Grand Classique”; Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc; and Fleur du Cap “Noble Riesling” for dessert.

Everyone has heard of Beaujolais, especially in the context of Nouveau when it’s released in late November. And we’ve all drunk our share of these simple, fruity wines made from the Gamay grape. How many of your inner circle know that the Beaujolais region has ten “crus” or declared top-quality vineyards? How many know that there is Beaujolais Blanc and Rosé?

Here is one from each of the crus I know you and your guests will enjoy. On the lighter side, try Domaine Berrod Fleurie, Bernard Santé Chenas, Pascal Granger Julienas, and Christophe Pacalet Chiroubles, Raymond Mathelin et Fils St.-Amour. On the medium to full bodied side, pull the cork on a bottle of Alain Michaud Brouilly, Bernard Dalicieux Moulin-à-Vent, Château Thivin Côte-de-Brouilly, Domaine des Souchons Morgon, Château de Pizay Régnié. And just so you can look especially chic next time you want a Chardonnay, turn to Terres Dorées Beaujolais Blanc.

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

GLBT, Wine

The Ultimate Cocktail Party

Dan P.Friday, July 5, 20020

Q San Francisco
July 2002
Pages 46-47

the ultimate COCKTAIL PARTY

In my mind, the ultimate cocktail party is one straight out of a James Bond film. (Points here if you can name all seven actors who’ve played the part – without doing an internet search.) The parties are all similar: a classy locale, lots of martinis, champagne and caviar, good music, and interesting people. Party crashers, like James himself, who was virtually never an invited guest, are always welcome and treated well. Preferably, they wouldn’t beat up the hosts or other guests looking for information about diamond shipments, moon rockets, or nuclear submarines.

Key to all of the planning, and a successful party, is inviting interesting people. Virtually all else can be forgiven if your guests can enjoy themselves with each other. And unless you’re looking to have your furniture dismantled, don’t invite those two ex-lovers who go straight for the jugular on sight. It may be amusing for a few minutes in some warped world, but it gets tired quickly. A mix of people from different walks of life keeps the conversation lively. If you just invite a group of people from your own industry, everyone just talks about work.

Next, the venue. Most of the time that means our apartments, houses, or a friend’s apartment or house. All well and good, but make it look different from the way you live in it day to day. A little thought to decor, lighting, flowers, maybe rearranging your furniture for the evening, all go to make the space seem special.

Music should be picked to fit the event. Do you want people dancing? Do you want them lying about on couches? Either way, keep in mind that the primary function of the evening is a chance for people to socialize. If they have to shout just to be heard two feet away, you’re playing the Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” too loud.

Now, on to my favorite topic: food and wine. Since we’re thinking 007, the food is caviar. First, let’s have a little primer on fish eggs. Only sturgeon eggs (roe) may be labeled caviar, a word derived from the Turkish havyar,which means “egg.” The sturgeon is an ugly, toothless, bony-plated, cartilaginous fish that can live over a century and weigh more than a ton. Among the couple dozen sturgeon species in the world, those that really matter to caviar are found in the Caspian Sea, which borders Iran on the south and Russia and Kazakhstan on the north.

Back in the thirteenth century, when the Russians first made caviar, they named the biggest of their sturgeon beluga; the middle-size, osetra; and the smallest, sevruga. The fourth, the sterlet, produces “golden” caviar, and is so rare that only those of you with unlimited expense accounts need look for it.

Caviar should be served with a minimum of accompaniments. Toast points, blini (little pancakes), or thinly sliced cooked potatoes are traditional. All that chopped egg, onion, chives, sour cream garnishment is so I-have-no-idea-what-I’m-serving. The idea is to savor the flavor of the roe as they gently pop in your mouth, not turn them into a sideshow ingredient. Oh, and don’t use a metal spoon to serve the caviar, it changes the flavor.

At anywhere from $25 to $75 an ounce, there’s no question that caviar is expensive, but remember, we’re putting together a cocktail partyto entertain James Bond aficionados and the jet set.

There are three classic drinks to serve alongside your caviar sampler: black tea, iced vodka, and champagne. I will add a fourth, premium saké. For this column, and the throwing of cocktail parties, I will not delve into the riches of tea leaves and brewing. However, if you have the sort of friends who appreciate fine teas you may want to provide your guests with a diversified selection from around the world.

Every time I turn around there seems to be a new premium vodka on the market. The latest trend seems to be to package them in a bottle that in some way resembles an old apothecary bottle (Ultimat and Precis immediately leap to mind). My current faves for iced shots, are Van Hoo and Mor. For those of you who simply must have flavored vodkas, check out the line from Charbay here in the good old U.S. of A. For our caviar party, perhaps stick with the Meyer lemon or blood orange flavors.

Each time champagne comes up in this column I inevitably turn to my classic favorites, Krug or Demoiselle Cuvée 21. Given that we’re splurging on the caviar, why not? For some interesting other selections, and certainly a little easier on our already stretched wallet, try Laurent Perrier Brut L.P., Larmandier-Bernier Blanc de Blancs, or the newly introduced Iron Horse Vineyards “Good Luck Cuvée”.

When it comes to saké, it is important to choose your selections carefully. First, we’re not talking about that hot swill served at your local sushi bar. Most of that is the equivalent of wine-in-a-box, and often comes in that form. It is heated to disguise the fact that it is basically undrinkable. There are some premium sakés that are made to be heated, but trust me, those aren’t the ones you’re getting for under $10 a flask.

Good quality saké is made to be served at room temperature or slightly chilled. It comes in grades that can set you back anywhere from twenty to several hundred dollars a bottle. For our fantasy cocktail party here, go for a “daiginjo” saké, which, for practical purposes, is the upper level. A list of some of my favorite daiginjos includes Tsukasabotan “Shizuku”, Fukucho “Moon on the Water”, Masumi “Sanka” (nothing to do with decaffeinated coffee), Takatenjin “Shrine of the Village”, and, if you really want to splurge, Otokoyama.

With everything arranged as outlined above, you’re sure to have a party your friends will be talking about for months to come. However, if you want to really have a true 007 experience, consider asking your guests to come attired as one of their favorite James Bond characters. I for one can never get enough of Pussy Galore, Honey Ryder, Rosa Kleb, Jaws and Oddjob.

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

Cocktails, Sparkling Wines, Spirits, Wine

Cooking with Spring Vegetables

Dan P.Sunday, May 5, 20020

Q San Francisco
May 2002
Pages 46-47

Cooking with Spring Vegetables

Vegetables are the Elaine Stritch of the food world – delightfully crunchy raw, but even better when just a bit fried. When spring arrives, the markets fill with a riot of colorful gems from local farmers. Where meat basically covers a color palate that runs from white through pink to red, vegetables provide a kaleidoscope of possibilities.

Beyond the rainbow visual effects, vegetables also give new meaning to depth of flavor. Cooking method has a radical impact on the final flavors of the simplest veggies. Quick methods lock in bright, fresh flavors, while slow cooking draws out complex, intense tastes. Mixing very different vegetables together creates surprising harmonies, proving that the sum of parts is indeed greater than the whole.

Fava beans, English peas, white eggplant, Vidalia onions, radishes, fennel, squash blossoms, rhubarb, fiddlehead ferns and ramps. These are few of my favorite spring things. Being from Michigan though, for me the two things that signal our return to warmth and sunshine are asparagus and morel mushrooms.

Asparagus Custard with Morel & Spring Onion Sauce

Custard
6 stalks trimmed asparagus stems (reserve tips)
2 teaspoons chervil
½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
14 ounces heavy cream
4 eggs
salt & white pepper

Simmer the cream with the garlic, allowing to reduce by one quarter. Finely slice the asparagus stems and boil in water until just soft (2-3 minutes). Drain. Blanch the asparagus tips separately, remove and set aside. Puree with the garlic cream and chervil until very smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Beat eggs and combine with puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into custard molds and bake in a water bath at 325 degrees until just set. Allow to rest in the water bath for 5 minutes to firm and then unmold onto plates.

Sauce
1 vidalia onion
6 ramps (baby wild leeks)
1 small bundle fresh chives
1 small carrot
1 sweet yellow bell pepper
1 cup heavy cream
½ pound fresh morels
2 teaspoons butter
1 tablespoon chervil
salt & white pepper

Finely chop the three types of onion, carrot and pepper. Add to cream with a little salt and cook very slowly over low heat until reduced by one-third. Strain, pressing on vegetables to draw out all flavor. Saute the morels in butter with salt and white pepper. Add to cream and simmer for five more minutes. Pool the sauce around the custards and garnish each custard with an asparagus tip. Sprinkle dishes with finely chopped chervil.

Another spring vegetable favorite is a light and simple take on the traditional Pasta Primavera. Most of the time we tend to think about radishes as a raw ingredient, but cooked slowly in a little butter draws out amazing delicate flavors.

Farfalle with Peas & Radishes

1 pound package of dry farfalle (bowtie pasta)
4 ounces fresh green peas
4 ounces french breakfast radishes with greens
1 teaspoon chopped mint
salt & black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Follow package directions for cooking farfalle to “al dente” texture. Simmer peas in water with one tablespoon of the butter until tender. Drain. Thinly slice the radishes, salt lightly and cook slowly in the other tablespoon of butter. Rinse the green thoroughly and roughly chop. Quickly saute in the olive oil. Add peas and radishes and season to taste. Add drained pasta to vegetables. Toss with the mint, adjust seasoning and add additional olive oil if needed to coat pasta.

Wine and vegetable pairing follows an entirely different pattern from wine and meat. With meat, much of what makes a match work is to balance the fats and proteins in the meat with the tannins and acidity of the wine. The less intense fat and protein content of vegetable dishes requires less of this type of balance. Instead, I opt for complementing the flavors of the sauces with the flavors of the wine. Treat the wine as if it was a seasoning.

Asparagus is often considered a difficult match with wine. Naturally, it contains high levels of phosphorus and mercaptans, components that if found in a wine, would render it unpalatable. But tempered by slow cooking and matched with a rich sauce, it becomes a perfect foil for a rich, citrusy white. I recommend several California Sauvignon blancs: Franus “Farella-Park Vineyard”, Artesa Reserve, or Selene “Hyde Park Vineyard” Sauvignon blancs are all great choices.

Radishes and peas when cooked as outlined above are very delicate in flavor. I look instead at the sauce made with butter and mint as key flavoring components. A favorite grape variety with this dish is the Albariño, a native grape of Spain & Portugal. Three great choices are: Havens Albariño from Carneros in California, Martin Codax “Organistrum” from Rias Baixas in Spain, and Portal do Fidalgo Alvarinho, a vinho verde from Portugal.

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

Sauces, Vegetables, Wine

Building a Relationship with the Kitchen

Dan P.Tuesday, March 5, 20020

Santé
The Magazine for Restaurant Professionals
March/April 2002
Page 28

FROM THE CELLAR
Building a Relationship with the Kitchen

The “front-of-house” and “back-of-house” staff are in the restaurant business for different reasons. In general, cooks put in longer hours for less pay than waitstaff and managers. Their rewards are enjoying the pleasures of the creative process and knowing that they put out a quality product. Waiters and managers get paid for delivering it to and interacting with the public.

While most chefs I have worked with have an interest in wine, they have neither the time nor inclination to invest in wine education for themselves or their staff. They argue that there is more than enough to learn within their own sphere of ingredients, techniques, and frequently changing menus.

AN OPEN INVITATION

So how does a beverage director gain the needed support of the kitchen in putting together a winning program? In a word, inclusion. “I just wanted to be asked” is a phrase I have heard over and over again in my restaurant career. When I was a chef, I used to say it, too!

To begin the interaction, start with the basics. Every day quality restaurants have a lineup with the front-of-house staff. For me, part of that time is spent discussing a topic related to the beverage program – a review of the house spirits, or a comparison tasting or a sampling of new wines. The kitchen staff are always welcome to attend. Do they? Rarely. But they know they can; they’ve been asked.

We have a monthly wine class that is mandatory for front-of-house employees. On occasion we stay late at night to taste sample bottles. I try to arrange those events at a time when the back-of-house staff can attend as well. Some of them do. All of them can. They’ve been asked.

When I open wine, or when my staff opens wine, I expect us all to taste it. My view is that the customer should never get a taste of a bad wine; it is our job, not theirs, to weed out inferior products. And if I come across something interesting, or if the customer offers to share a little with me, I always take the glass back to the kitchen and share it with whomever is expediting – the chef, a sous chef, or sometimes a line cook. They love it. Who doesn’t love to be included?

POSITIVE INTERACTION

How does this time and effort with the kitchen evolve into something worthwhile for me? For the restaurant? For our customers? A restaurant’s success comes down to taking care of its customers. Sometimes the people who don’t get to spend the shift with those customers forget that central mission. Rather than haranguing them, try enrolling them. Use enticement, use creativity. Open your mouth and ask for their active participation.

Here’s an example: Our chef puts together a daily tasting menu. I match wines with each course. At least once a week, I ask her if there’s a wine she’d like to see with one of her courses. I used to get no response. Now I get requests! As I wrote this, she just came to me and asked if I’d be willing to put together a wine tasting menu for Valentine’s Day.

Two years ago at a management meeting, I suggested that we put together a series of wine dinners. The kitchen responded that it was “too much work”. Having been a chef, I knew that wasn’t true; rather, the kitchen just wasn’t interested. At a management meeting a few weeks ago, our group owner asked why we hadn’t had any wine dinners. Hesitantly I turned to our chef. She asked if I’d like her to collaborate on planning menus with me and how I would like to approach them!

At lineup, I ask the floor staff to talk about their dining experiences at other restaurants. In addition to service and food, they talk about favorite wines. Sometimes one of them finds a wine that they’re excited about and wish we hadon our list. I’ll get a sample and we’ll try it. While the cooks may not come to our meetings, they now poke their heads into the office to suggest wines that they’ve tried at other restaurants too.

Let’s face it, if you spend a large amount of your time battling over territory, resources and procedures with your chef, you’re both wasting time. If you can forge a great working relationship where you can both contribute to each other’s creativity, think of what you might accomplish. And all it takes to start is to ask.

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.

Magazine articles, Santé

Management, Restaurants, Wine

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