Magazine articles

How to Throw an Inexpensive Dinner Party

Dan P.Saturday, January 5, 20020

Q San Francisco
January 2002
Pages 40-41

How to Throw an Inexpensive Dinner Party

One of the newest (or is it oldest?) trends is a return to “comfort foods”. Sometimes you just need to say au revoir to tuna tartare in sea urchin vinaigrette, ciao to beet carpaccio and preserved sicilian lemons, and adios to scallop ceviche with blood orange salsa. A simple “mac & cheese”, a perfectly charred porterhouse, a golden brown roasted chicken are where your tastebuds want to head.

The nicest thing about this latest trend is its ease on the budget. I no longer have to decide between having a half dozen friends over for a meal and redecorating the living room. I can say “no” to $100 a pound matsutakes and “yes” to $1 a pound white buttons mushrooms. Not only that, but when I serve them, it’s trendy!

The challenge, of course, is to go cheap without sacrificing quality. It’s easy to be innovative when you have an unlimited selection of the finest ingredients. It’s a whole new level of creativity when you work with a shoestring budget. The necessary simplicity requires a commitment to absolute freshness and excellence. However, this doesn’t mean giving up on flavor and variety. In fact, it requires a dedicated selectivity to come up with inexpensive ingredients peppered with a couple of just the right extras. Set yourself a budget for dinner, and head out in search of those special ingredients that will contribute to making your dinner party a smashing, and financial, success.

Good Ole’ New-Fashioned Pork Chop Dinner

Serves 6

1 head of romaine lettuce
1 head of butter or bibb lettuce
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Crush the garlic and nuts together until you have a paste. Add the seasonings and olive oil and mix together well. Slowly add the vinegar, making sure to whisk it in thoroughly. This will make a fairly “chunky” dressing. If you prefer smooth, or are just in a hurry, blend all ingredients (except the two lettuces) together in a blender until you get your consistency. Just before serving, toss the lettuces with the dressing.

Main Course:

6 nice sized, thick cut pork chops
1 bottle of pear nectar, juice or cider
6 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Mix the marinade ingredients together and marinate the pork in it, in the refrigerator, for two to four hours

In a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and quickly brown the chops on both sides. Pour the marinade over the chops, reduce heat, cover and simmer until chops are cooked medium. Remove the chops, set aside, and turn up the heat. Reduce the marinade until it forms a thick sauce. Season with more salt & pepper to taste, remove the bay leaves and pour over chops on serving platter.

Vegetable:

1 pound broccoli di rape
2 medium sized pears
3 tablespoons of butter
salt & pepper

Meanwhile… Dice the pears and chop the broccoli di rape. Saute the pears in the remaining two tablespoons of butter until softened (but not mushy). Add the broccoli di rape and quickly saute until cooked through. Adjust the seasoning and serve on the side of the pork chops.

Potatoes:

2 pounds small potatoes (fingerlings are great here, but not necessary)
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 cup olive oil
salt & pepper

Put potatoes and garlic in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until done. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Mash the potatoes, garlic and oil together, adding back a little cooking liquid if needed to get a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Add to your serving platter.

I managed this dinner for just over $40. At $7 a person, how can you not enjoy?

Recently, virtually every major wine magazine has done a feature on “Value Wines”. Why should I buck this trend? Here’s a selection of favorite Californians that ought to be available for under $12 a bottle and all work well with this dinner!

Whites:

Niebaum Coppola “Bianco”, 2000
Thomas Fogarty Gewurztraminer, 2000
Pine Ridge “Chenin Blanc-Viognier”, 2000
Lions Peak Viognier, 1999
Wild Horse Malvasia Bianca, 2000
Sanford Sauvignon Blanc, 1999

Reds:

Four Vines “Old Vine Cuvee” Zinfandel, 1997
Rancho Zabaco “Heritage Vines” Zinfandel, 1999
Peachy Canyon “Incredible Red”, 1999
Monteviña Barbera, 1997
Heron Syrah, 1999
Liberty School Syrah, 1999

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

Red meat, Vegetables, Wine

A Taste for Champagne

Dan P.Monday, November 5, 20010

Q San Francisco
November 2001
Pages 52-53

A Taste for Champagne
12 Great Choices to Make Your Holidays Sparkle

My friend Theresa keeps a bottle of champagne open in her refrigerator. Each night, before bed, she has a glass of bubbly. By her standards, we don’t drink enough champagne, and this is her stab at increasing intake. A bottle lasts her four or five days, then on to the next one. She likes to try a new and different champagne with each bottle, 70 to 80 new taste sensations each year.

While I may not jump on the fizzy bandwagon that she has adopted, I understand the urge. Champagne and other sparkling wines can pick you up when you’re down, turning a day of blues into a day of blue skies. At this time of year, what better approach to the holidays is there?

Champagne is not just a wine, it is a place – a place I had the pleasure to visit this past spring. It’s a beautiful region of France in the countryside to the northeast of Paris with quaint towns and villages. Bistros serving up goblets full of the local sparkle abound. The champagne houses themselves are nestled on back streets. Stately homes have attached fermenting tanks, bottling lines and miles of underground caves. The experience was completely invigorating, and has given me a new appreciation for the whole process.

Let’s look at a couple of my favorites… On the light and delicate side are the wines of Laurent Perrier. A leading light in the champagne world for many years, “LP” was founded in 1812. Laurent Perrier has steadily climbed its way to become the fourth largest champagne brand in the world. One of the first houses to introduce a large percentage of chardonnay into their blend, Laurent Perrier produces a delightful range of champagnes.

The “house” sparkle from Laurent Perrier is their Brut L.P., a crisp, clean, elegant wine with a delicate, lingering flavor. I find it a style that suits many champagne drinkers, especially as a starting point for the evening. Of particular note is the Cuvée Rosé Brut, a beautifully hued pink champagne with elegant berry flavors that is a perfect match for chilled vegetable and fruit soups. It is my first choice of wines to serve with gazpacho. LP also produces a “tête de cuvée”, their delicious Cuvée Grand Siècle. This is a wine elegant enough to serve at your most tony cocktail party.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are the wines of Champagne Krug. The fizz from this famed house tend to the big and muscular. Family owned since its founding in 1843, every level of operation is overseen by one member or another of the Krug family. The firm is famous for its insistence on slow, low temperature aging of its wines in oak barrels, something few champagne houses take the time or effort to do. It also creates a unique house style.

The Krug “Grande Cuvée” is the entry level brand, priced at the level that most champagne houses price their tête de cuvées. This solid, yet still amazingly elegant wine, is the “desert island” wine of most wine geeks I know. Advancing further up the price spectrum is the famous Clos de Mesnil, a pure chardonnay champagne made from a single walled-in vineyard in the village of Mesnil. Pure fruit flavors, a beautiful minerality, and big structure, make this a perfect steak champagne.

There are so many other champagnes that, like an Oscar winner attempting to thank everyone, I will no doubt miss some that I would go out of may way to drink. Here, in no particular order, are some favorites.

Perhaps the best rosé champagne produced is the Pommery “Cuvée Louise”. This is a massive wine, suitable for drinking with red meat or even cheeses. Produced only in exceptional vintages, as the saying goes, “it ain’t cheap.” With a bit more delicacy, the De Venoge “Princesse” Rosé goes down smooth as silk, and puts little stress on the wallet, leaving you enough for the cab ride home.

Heidsieck “Diamant Bleu” comes in a beautiful cut glass bottle that only begins to hint at the elegance and deep flavors of the sparkler inside. Heidsieck has made the smart move of slowly doling out its “library stock”, meaning that older vintages that have had time to truly mature are often available. Also in the world of champagnes that age beautifully is the Taittinger “Comtes de Champagne”, a 100% chardonnay, or “blanc de blancs” that develops delightful nuances as it rests.

There are plenty of less well known, harder to find, but easier on the budget champagnes that are worth the search. Larmandier-Bernier Blanc de Blancs is an elegant, creamy pure chardonnay champagne that will convert non-drinkers of the stuff in a split second.

Every now and again I like a champagne that has a touch of sweetness to it. The A. Margaine Demi-Sec is a perfect solution. Rich fruit flavors with a clean line of minerals through it make this a great choice at dessert time.

For pure elegance, both in presentation (a gorgeous cut glass bottle served up in its own cloth, drawstring bag), and flavor, try the Vranken Demoiselle “Cuvée 21”. This stunning blend was designed to take this smaller champagne house into the “21st century”, hence the name.

While personally I like to drink champagne on its own, or perhaps with a small spoonful of caviar on a blini, I understand the need to come up with compelling hors d’oeuvres. Champagne, in my view, calls for simple, uncomplicated accompaniments. A touch of salt, a touch of sweetness, not too much spice. A champagne party is the perfect place for a “raw bar” of oysters and clams on the half-shell, shrimp cocktail, perhaps some simple sushi, peppered mussels. Keep it basic, and let the flavors of the champagne shine through.

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

Sparkling Wines, Wine

World Eats – Paris!

Dan P.Wednesday, October 3, 20010

Passport Magazine
Issue 5 – October 2001WORLD EATS – Paris!The world of bistros and small neighborhood eateries has become the province of some of this city’s most exciting new chefs. Many have trained classically, some in Paris’ top flight kitchens, and they have taken what they’ve learned and gone out to create a world of casual, yet completely satisfying dining. Experimenting here and there, yes. Keeping a grounding in tradition, usually. Surprising and delighting, often.

While many of the best new restaurants in Paris are found in the outer arrondissment, it is well worth the effort to get there and have the added pleasure of experiencing a wonderful new neighborhood while enjoying some of the world’s finest cuisine.

Restaurant L’Alivi

The island of Corsica is not the first place I thought of when I started planning my dining itinerary in Paris. Two of my friends, temporary ex-pats (read that as “student visas”) suggested a visit to Alivi as a great way to begin our jaunt through the neighborhood bistros. Only a block or two off the main drag through the Marais, this turned out to be a charming, postcard scene of a restaurant. The food was damned good too.

The menu is in French and Corsican, a dialect based much closer to Italian. This helped immensely, since my French is almost non-existent, but my Italian is completely passable. Eric Gauthier’s food is a mix of classic and experimental Corsican fare-hearty and rich. The wine list is also Corsican, and outside of that island, where else are you going to find a couple of dozen selections from Patrimoniu, Aiacciu and Porti Vechju?

The menu changes somewhat regularly. A few dishes like the leek mousse and the chicken breast in Corsican honey seem to stay. We had some truly outstanding fare: cured sardine and fennel salad; goat rillettes; baby crabs stuffed with sausage; roast lamb stuffed with beet greens; and a citron tart with fresh figs, stewed figs with ice cream. Be sure to sample the Corsican cheeses. The menu and wine list are posted on the restaurant’s website (www.restaurant-alivi.com).

Restaurant Alivi, 27, rue du Roi de Sicile, 01-48-87-90-20. A three-course dinner with wine will be $35-$40.

Les Amognes

This restaurant takes a special effort to get to, being on the far eastern edge of Paris. The young lady who took us there miscalculated metro stops, so we hiked a good mile along the rue du Faubourg Sainte-Antoine, a fascinating part of Paris populated by salsa clubs, street markets, aspiring fashion designer shops and furniture stores. We had been warned that we were in for a treat food-wise, but that the atmosphere was somewhat “off-beat.” In the Paris version of Zagat the food got a “21” and the decor got an “8.” Okay, it’s a semi-basement, whitewashed with plain wooden tables. The paintings on the wall tend to be abstract female nudes. The clientele is a trifle rough and tumble, but clearly “into” the food.

Being “into” food is a truly smart idea here. Chef Thierry Coué believes in experimentation. He has ventured into the world of vegetable, fruit and spice purees and enhancements, with fresh, clean flavors that are mostly on target. There are more hits than misses on the menu, and that’s what I want from an experimenting chef. The menu changes daily and is market driven, which, given the range of amazing produce in the local street markets, is a great thing.

Steamed asparagus with a fresh herb beurre blanc and a terrine of warm sausages with an onion and currant marmalade are amazing. A skate-wing with red cabbage and onion fries, and a truly outstanding seared calves’ liver with a carrot and ginger sauce were the winners of the evening. Desserts received mixed reviews, with raves going to a grapefruit gratin with grapefruit ice on top and gasps of “how odd” going to the warm crepe filled with a cardamom and eggplant compote topped with an intense orange sauce. A well-selected and fairly priced wine list features bottles from throughout France, but shows a special affinity for smaller producers, especially from the Rhône valley.

Les Amognes, 243, rue de Faubourg Saint-Antoine, 01-43-72-73-05. Three course dinner with wine will run $35-40. [Closed, the chef now has a restaurant called Wadja.]

Chez Michel

Just as I think it’s a must in the United States to go to any place named Billy’s, regardless of what small town you find yourself in, in France, the ubiquitous venue is named Chez Michel. A bit off the beaten track, on a side street near the Gare du Nord, this place came with high recommendations for chef Thierry Breton’s inventive twists on the cuisine of Brittany. Unfortunately a week or two before we arrived, the restaurant had been “discovered” by a writer from Gourmet magazine. The room and sidewalk were jam-packed with American tourists, all with copies of the review in hand. We almost turned around and left. Fortunately, by the time your arrive in Paris, most of the tourists will have move on to the next spot that gets a rave-luckily, this Chez Michel will remain for you to enjoy.

What can be said about broiled lobster folded with a soft-roasted ostrich egg and served in the eggshell, except, get yourself on a plane to Paris and eat it! Also try the chilled Breton lobster soup with cucumbers and black olives, or maybe the baby clams roasted with herb butter and hazelnuts. Then move on to haddock brandade with roasted filets of rouget or the foie gras on spice bread with a beet vinaigrette and asparagus. Finish with traditional Paris Brest or Kouing Amman (a sort of stack of ultra-thin pastry leaves filled with butter and sugar). The wine list is decent, with a scattering of wines from throughout France. The selection of wines by the glass, apertifs and digestifs is better here and than most other venues I’ve seen.

Chez Michel, 10, rue de Belzunce, 01-44-53-06-20. Three-course dinner with wine will run $40-45.

Le Cottage Marcadet

Up in Montmarte, on the north side of the Sacre Coeur, is a little gem of a restaurant, Le Cottage Marcadet. Along a busy thoroughfare, this refined, elegant favorite is a bastion of customer service. The proprietor himself takes care of each table, functioning as waiter, busboy and bartender. Chef Robin tends to each and every plate, ensuring that his food meets his personal high standards.

This is not a restaurant for inventive, outré dishes. The cuisine is classic Parisian-simple pan roasted fish and meats, with classic sauces, beautifully presented. The produce is absolutely fresh, the flavors impeccably pristine. The wine list is short with a simple selection of inexpensive Bordeaux and Burgundy. Both a prix fixe (with wine included) and an a la carte option are offered. The short menu changes regularly to reflect market availability. The chef has a deft hand with fish – we had a simple filet of sole that was outstanding. Try the creme brulee for dessert.

Le Cottage Marcadet, 151 bis, rue Marcadet, 01-42-57-71-22. Three course dinner with wine will run $30-35. [Closed, I understand that Chef Jean-Marie Robin moved (retired?) to Crete]

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

France, Paris, Restaurants, Travel

Shaping Up For Summer

Dan P.Saturday, May 5, 20010

Q San Francisco
May 2001
Pages 42-43

Shaping Up For Summer
The key to success is a positive attitude and healthy food!

I love going to the gym. I really do. I’m not a body-builder, far from it. I enjoy working up a little sweat and feeling like I’m doing something constructive with my body, but I’m not in it for pain and gain. I like the people watching.

Everyone is getting ready for summer. 24-7-365, they’re getting ready for summer. Doesn’t matter if it’s January 2nd and they’re working off that New Year’s resolution, or it’s Labor Day and they want to look good for the last weekend tea dance.

Mostly, I love the routines that people have worked up for themselves. I’m not talking about the hardcore body-builders, though even some of them have fascinating workouts. I’m talking about the average guy or gal like you and me.

I have a friend who goes to the gym every day – to read the New York Times online. He sits on one of these new high-tech exer-cycles with an Internet hookup and pedals his way through. He manages to get in an hour and a half of bicycling a day. He covers a simulated five miles. He doesn’t pedal too fast, because he wouldn’t be able to read the screen.

Recently, I listened in as two guys talked about doing crunches. One was so proud of his abs, which indeed were rippling away. He told the other how he was managing to make it through a hundred crunches each day. The other, whose abs were somewhere lost beneath a layer of too many doughnuts, decried his genetics. “I do between 500 and 1000 crunches, and look – nothing!

His friend exclaimed in disbelief, so he set out to demonstrate. Somewhere around 50, the youngster with the six-pack murmured that perhaps the crunches would work better if his shoulders actually came up off the mat.

The diets people talk about at the gym are also amusing. I have listened in on tales of Pritikin, Atkins, mastering zones, grapefruit, Fitonics, Suzanne Somers, 5-day Miracles, Beverley Hills, low-fat, high-fat, low-carb, high-carb, low protein, high protein, and cabbage soup. I’ve heard tales of weight loss that range from a pound a month to five pounds a day. Of course, none of them came from people who you’d want modeling in the latest swimsuit issue.

I recently returned from a vacation where I stayed at a clothing optional resort. During the first couple of hours, I couldn’t help myself. Guys who, in my mind at least, shouldn’t have taken their clothes off alone in a dark room were wandering around in the buff. Meanwhile, other men who should have been bronzed and placed on a pedestal were under wraps.

Before long I realized that there was a mix of body types in all categories. As I spent my vacation chatting with and getting to know a good number of these men, I discovered that it really didn’t have a whole lot to do with what they looked like. Some guys are comfortable with little or no clothing, regardless of what their body looks like, others aren’t.

Some of the men who clearly spent hours daily at the gym were obsessed with every perceived flaw that someone might notice. Others were perfectly content to lay it all out in the sun. Men who probably spent gym period in the cafeteria were as likely to heave themselves glistening onto the pool deck or drape their torsos in a caftan.

So here’s the long and short of it. I think it’s all about attitude. You have to be relaxed and happy with who you are. When you’re tense and obsessed, everyone around you knows it. Now, perhaps that means long hours of therapy, deep meditation, spiritual retreats, sensory-deprivation tank time, or a facial at Elizabeth Arden. If, however, you’ve paid any attention to my columns over the past many years, you know that I’m about to recommend food. And why not? If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, that should include your own heart. If friendship is promoted by good food and good drink, shouldn’t that start with making friends with yourself? We should put things in our bodies that make us feel good all over. And I don’t mean a tab of ecstasy washed down with mineral water.

As for me, the ultimate “get ready to go out and face my adoring public” meal would probably be a big bowl of hot fudge sauce and something, oh, maybe just my finger, to dip in it. How could you not go out and have a fabulous night after that? But running an awfully close second is a bowl of homemade soup and fresh bread. There’s nothing better for aligning my stars, synching my biorhythms, and just plain gearing up for a night out or a day at the pool.

Here is one of my favorite springtime soups. It is extraordinarily simple to make. It is served cool, not chilled. It is filling, nourishing, and completely sensual in texture.

Cantaloupe-Yukon Gold Soup

1 ripe cantaloupe
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
1-2 dried chipotle peppers
1 cup plain yogurt
salt to taste

Unless you’re opening a can, it doesn’t get much easier than this. Boil the potatoes and the chipotle peppers in water until the potatoes are tender. Drain and reserve a little of the cooking liquid. Cut the cantaloupe open, remove the seeds and scoop the melon flesh into a food processor. Puree and then add the potatoes, peppers and yogurt. Process until smooth, if you need to thin it out a little, add some of the reserved cooking liquid. Add salt to taste.

Cool in the refrigerator until it’s a refreshing temperature – a bit colder than an air-conditioned room is just right. You could sprinkle some of your favorite chopped herbs on it – if you can get epazote, a delicious Mexican culinary herb, use that. Serve with flatbread, I like the kind with all sorts of seeds on it…

A note on the bread – if you’re not going to make it yourself, at least go to a bakery and get freshly baked bread. Plastic wrapped slices of preserved, baked flour just don’t cut it in my book. Remember, we want to enjoy the meal!

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

Exercise, GLBT, Stews and soups

Bargain Hunting

Dan P.Thursday, April 5, 20010

Santé
The Magazine for Restaurant Professionals
April/May 2001
Page 30

FROM THE CELLAR
Bargain Hunting

I feel a little like the restaurant reviewer starting a column with “there’s this great little hole-in-the-wall that I probably shouldn’t say anything about, because it’ll become something that isn’t a great little hole-in-the-wall.” So how do you go about telling other wine buyers about wine bargains without writing yourself out of the bargain-hunting game?

The easy answer is that there are a whole lot more bargains out there than there are great little holes-in-the-wall, and bargain hunting takes more work than hopping in a cab to a back street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

DO-SI-DO

From my perspective, the key to good deals lies in my connection with suppliers and their suppliers. The process of building a good relationship is a lot like dating. There are boundaries to be worked out, phone calls to make, liaisons to keep and parents to please (i.e., restaurant owners and the owners of the distribution companies).

I learned long ago that the relationship cannot be one-sided if I want the really good deals. Wine buyers who think that they hold all the cards are sadly mistaken. Refusing to make appointments (“just drop bottles off”), blowing off appointments (“my time is more important than yours”) and similar moves just don’t work. Sooner or later, your suppliers will forget to mention a bargain that they know you would want. They will sell to someone more appreciative.

By the same token, you should understand that suppliers don’t hold all the cards either. Such supplier attitudes as “you can only have this if you buy that” and “if you don’t buy this, my boss is going to remember that when you ask for…” are equally counterproductive. There is no wine or spirit out there that you really have to have. You always can buy something else from another supplier.

Sometimes we dance the dance. A sales rep calls at the last minute and asks for a quick meeting with an importer rep who suddenly showed up at his/her door. We take ten minutes out of our lives and make him/her look good. Invest a little time with that importer rep or winery owner too – don’t forget who controls the flow of wine one link back on the chain. Sometimes the importer or the winery has something in stock that just might be made available to the right person.

The supplier tango usually doesn’t pay off overnight. Just like dating, we might only make it to first base for a while, then second, then third. Then one day we show up at work and find ourselves at home plate.

SUDDENLY ALL LESS EXPENSIVE (S.A.L.E)

What are the bargains to jump on, and what are the bargains to avoid?

Post-offs and closeouts. These are usually deals to help move stock that is not moving or to clear a line that is being dropped. They might look attractive, but look carefully; these wines aren’t moving for a reason. I always like to know the exact nature of the offer: Is the wine too old? Bad? Was it far overpriced and is now being offered at what it should have been?

Direct imports and direct offers. These deals are a method that suppliers use to sell something that they do not have yet so that they can judge how much to buy. Here is a nice way to pick up something at a slight discount. Saving that ten percent is attractive, but choose carefully; remember, if customers love the wine, there will be no more of it at the same rate. Will they still love it when the price goes up?

Vintage clearances. These deals are easy to like and to execute, but they do require a sizable up-front investment. Suppliers discount to clear space in a warehouse for a new vintage. They want the wine out of there – not just two cases, all of it. Make them an offer. Yes, it is an investment in cash and storage space, but you’d be surprised how much discounting room there is in the price.

Gems. These are my favorites and are what make the whole dance and dating ritual with your supplier worthwhile. These are the deals that are handed to us because of the relationships that we have built. Sometimes these gems come from your carefully nurtured sales reps, sometimes from their boss or from the winery or importer behind the scenes.

Gems are the “we’ll reserve all of this for you, at a reduced price, if you’ll feature it” deals. An exclusive with a discount – you can’t beat that.

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

Throwing the Perfect Oscar Night Party

Dan P.Monday, March 5, 20010

Q San Francisco
March 2001
Pages 56-57

Throwing the Perfect Oscar Night Party

I have never been nominated for an Academy Award. I’m informed by friends in the know that this relates to my not having acted since a production of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas in fourth grade. I narrated; Brilliantly, I might add. Regardless, I don’t find myself in possession of one of those golden statuettes, affectionately dubbed “Oscar”. Hollywood’s most enduring symbol of achievement was described by screenwriter Francis Marion as “the ideal symbol… an athletic body… with half its head, that part which held his brains, completely sliced off.” At 13-1/2 inches high it would be just perfect as a centerpiece on my dining table.

The true purpose of the Academy Awards, for those of us living in the forgotten fringe of theater stardom, is to see and be seen. It is far more important to be seen IN an Oscar de la Renta than WITH an Oscar de la Statue. The golden boy on your arm should be slightly more pliable than cast metal, and preferably earning his own paycheck.

In this regard, it is truly the Oscar Party that is more important than the awards ceremony. Who’s at the Governor’s Ball? Who’s at Spago? Who’s at Pagani? Who’s with whom? I might note, nobody’s asking, “what did they eat?” Lets face it, more than one salmon canapé and they’ll start popping out of their Cynthia Rowley gowns. Wolfgang Puck may have roasted his chicken breasts with risotto and black truffles, but it didn’t make the front page. As long as there’s champagne and cocktails, everyone’s happy. Not me. Personally, I can’t tell the difference between a Vera Wang and a Vera Charles; But I’ll whip up a Snapper Veracruz or a Pasta PrimaVera faster than you can fasten your seatbelts. There may be no statuette on my sideboard, but I can put a Veal Oscar in front of you that’ll make you forget about Cher’s new dress.

To throw a fab Oscar party begin by inviting those friends you can make catty comments about the movies with, get a big screen TV, and set up the dining table where you can watch the whole thing while you wine and dine. Also, bring out the good crystal, china and silver service – let’s do this right!

THE NOMINEES ARE…

Start the night off by preparing “real” cocktails, not cosmos and apple-tinis and woo-woos. If you must drink those, please do it in secret. Martinis and Manhattans are perfect for this sort of party; simple, elegant drinks. A couple of notes about Martinis: First, they involve two ingredients, either gin and vermouth or vodka and vermouth. Looking at the vermouth bottle does not constitute making it an ingredient – that’s a glass of vodka or gin, up. I know we’ve all been raised to think a dry martini doesn’t contain the stuff – it does – just less of it. The original martini was 1/3 vermouth. A dry one should be about 1/8. Try it, you might find out that a martini is actually capable of having flavor. Also, let’s put one fallacy to rest her and now, gin doesn’t bruise. You can shake or stir to your heart’s content. The only thing that shaking does is dilute the gin (or vodka). The same will happen if you stir too long.

When it comes to preparing cocktails, always use good quality ingredients. My current faves for vodka: Mor, Van Hoo, and Rain. Save the more commercial brands, albeit good, for cocktails where the other ingredients are providing the flavor. For gins: Old Raj, Tanqueray #10, and Junipero. Noilly Prat makes a good, basic dry vermouth, but you might try one of the new, interesting brands like King Eider or Vya.

In my book, Manhattans contain bitters. Just a couple drops, but like the vermouth in a Martini, they add to the complexity. A Manhattan is also classically made with rye whiskey. Bourbon makes a good drink as well, but for a change of pace, why not try the original?

Again, good quality ingredients are key. For rye, Canadian Club Classic (12 year old) makes a great drink. My favorite, Van Winkle Family Reserve (13 year old). For sweet vermouth I prefer Martini & Rossi. Also give a look at Vya, which makes a unique style.

THE ACADEMY AWARD GOES TO…

Veal Oscar

The classic Veal Oscar is a cutlet of veal topped with white asparagus, crabmeat, and Bearnaise sauce. With a little inspiration from a chef friend, here’s my, slightly different, version. Serves six.

6 thin veal cutlets
1 package of “dashi” flakes (about 5 grams)
3 sheets of “nori”
salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 dozen asparagus spears
1 pound lump crabmeat
½ cup rice flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup cooking oil

Sauce:
juice of two lemons
3 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
2 egg yolks
1 cup olive oil
1 branch of fresh tarragon leaves

Dashi flakes are dried, shaved bonito (a tuna relative) that are used to make broth. Nori sheets are the large green seaweed squares used in making sushi. Both should be available at a good grocery or certainly at any Japanese market.

You will need two small plates and a bowl to prepare. On one plate put the rice flour, on the other, a finely processed (in your food processor) mix of the dashi and nori. In the bowl, lightly beat the two eggs with a couple spoonfuls of water. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper. Coat in the flour, dip in the egg wash, and then coat well with the dashi/nori mix.

Saute in the oil in a large skillet until golden brown on both sides. Place on a warm platter in the oven to hold until ready to serve. Meanwhile, cook your asparagus in just a little water and butter until tender. Season with salt and pepper and reserve on the side.

In your blender, on fairly high speed, whip together the mustard, lemon juice and egg yolks. Gradually add the olive oil – you are basically making a light mayonnaise. At the last moment, drop in the tarragon leaves (not the branch) and process till finely chopped.

In a small pan, warm the crabmeat and when it is hot, stir in enough of the sauce to thoroughly coat the crab. Remove from the heat.

To serve, place a cutlet on each plate, decoratively arrange a half dozen asparagus spears, and top with a good dollop of the crabmeat mixture. Pop a bottle of champagne, or pour another round of cocktails, and seal your bets on Best Picture with a toast.

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, Red meat, Sparkling Wines, Spirits

Hot & Spicy

Dan P.Friday, January 5, 20010

Q San Francisco
January 2001
Pages 56-57

Hot & Spicy

In the town that I grew up in there were two Chinese restaurants. Both served what I’ve since come to regard as watered down Cantonese-American cuisine; sweet and sour shrimp, chicken with snowpeas, pressed duck, chow mein – you know the drill.

I remember in high school when a third restaurant opened serving Szechuan and Hunan food. All of the sudden there were hot peppers, ginger, garlic and onions. This was a brave new world for those of us who thought extreme heat was drinking the red sauce that came with a Taco Bell taco.

The first time I tried some, I instantly fell in love with spicy foods – and thus began a long and exciting journey of exploration into foods that have some zip. Bottles of hot sauce were consumed, and no pepper was left unturned; but somewhere along the line it became clear that this was all just about heat and pain – what was needed was balance.

In the past few years I’ve returned to exploring the world of Chinese and other Asian cuisines. A few millennia of kitchen time suggested that there had to be something more to these foods than just a chance to sweat. Sure enough, there’s lots to eat, lots of spice, and, most importantly, lots of flavor!

The provinces of Szechuan (Sichuan) and Hunan are located in west-central China. They comprise an area that is at the core of the most ancient parts of Chinese culture. Hunan is a well-cultivated area that provides a huge range of vegetables for use in cooking. Szechuan is a mountainous region with a more limited selection of vegetable foodstuffs, but a larger selection of wild game.

Much of what is used in the cooking of these regions is medicinal in origin. The use of chilies is, historically, a way of inducing perspiration to stave off excess “dampness” in the body. In areas where humidity is high, this can help promote better health. In addition, chilies are a natural antiseptic.

What is most distinctive about these cuisines over other Chinese regional cooking is the emphasis on freshness and flavor over color and presentation. It is a more pragmatic, home-cooking style of food preparation. Dishes commonly open with a pungent, up-front “assault” on the palate that quickly subsides and opens up the taste buds to a wide range of flavors.

It is very common in the food of this region to make use of the traditional Chinese medicinal theory of tastes – sweet, sour, salty, pungent, and bitter – in combination in each meal. Potent, stimulating meals are common: the theory being that they are best suited for promoting active, energetic lives in response to a hot, humid climate.

One of the first dishes from this region I ever had, and still one of my favorites is the ubiquitous “Kung Pao Chicken”.

Kung Pao Chicken

1 pound boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 scallion, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

Cut chicken in bite size pieces, mix with the other ingredients and set aside for half an hour.

5 fresh hot chilies
1/4 cup raw peanuts
1/4 cup peanut oil

Heat oil and fry the chilies until they turn dark brown. Remove and set aside. Add the peanuts to the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

3 scallions, sliced
6 cloves garlic, sliced
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon red wine or brown vinegar

Pour off all but three tablespoons of the oil and stir-fry the chicken for 2 minutes. Add the scallions and garlic and continue to stir-fry for another minute. Add the chili peppers back in along with the chicken stock, soy sauce, rice wine, salt, sugar and cornstarch (mixed together to dissolve the solids). Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Add the vinegar and the peanuts, toss together and serve.

What Wine Do I Serve?

My current “fave” in the wine world to accompany spicy food is the Viognier grape. This white varietal originates in the northern Rhone valley in France where it is the constituent of such famous wines as Condrieu and Chateau-Grillet, and an aromatic addition to the red wines of Cote-Rotie. In recent years, it has become the darling of the California “Rhone Rangers”, and more and more, deliciously dry, aromatic and richly flavored wines are being turned out domestically.

Some producers I’m particularly fond of from the home front are Arrowood and Kunde from Sonoma, Alban from San Luis Obispo, and Rosenblum from Napa. In the Rhone world, keep an eye out for Gangloff, Andre Perret, and Pichon. If you want to try something truly esoteric, and in truth, a bit odd, give a shot at a bottle of Chateau-Grillet.

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

Poultry, Wine

The Perfect Cocktail Party

Dan P.Sunday, November 5, 20000

Q San Francisco
November 2000
Pages 60-61

The Perfect Cocktail Party

Ever since seeing Mame for the first time, I’ve wanted to through lavish, unconventional cocktail parties. What could be more fun than having your apartment completely redecorated every couple of weeks, inviting scads of the most interesting people to come “in-theme,” and serving up the best cocktails, the finest wines, and food that amazes one and all?

I recently had the opportunity to attend a theme party where the hosts had the wherewithal (I love that word! I’m not broke, I just don’t have any wherewithal…) to do up an Arabian Nights theme. To paraphrase my favorite golden girl, “Picture this, Long Island, September 2000…”

The hundred guests were put up in a local hotel, at the hosts’ expense. We were picked up and driven to their home, where we were deposited at the end of a long, paving-stone drive. The drive was lined with boys. Each was wearing nothing but harem pants and holding a large torch, held jutting forth from, well, an appropriate spot to jut forth from. We walked the drive doing the Madeleine Kahn thing, “no, no, yes, no, yes, yes…”

At the end of the drive were the elephant and camel, available for rides. We veered right into the courtyard where we were entertained for an hour or so by fortune tellers, belly dancers, boys and girls in various revealing costumes, cocktails, wine and canapes. Dinner was held in a tent in the backyard – complete with seating for the hundred plus guests, a dance floor, a stage (upon which performed, at various times, more dancers, a band, singers, and a stand-up comic).

When the hosts decided it was time to end the party, they played “Last Dance”, announced that our rides were awaiting at the other end of the drive…and, well, it was over. Now that’s the way to run a party. I just need a little more wherewithal.

I’m going to leave the redecorating to your own imaginations, the invitations for the amusing and facile as well. Food and wine, I can help with. Of course, I don’t know what theme you’ll pick, but at least I can offer a guide to my last theme party – I decided on turning my apartment into a Spanish tapas bar.

Tapas bars, as you may or may not know, are delightful places that Spaniards frequent as a prelude to dining. Starting at an appropriate point in mid-evening, you gather with friends and nibble on various tidbits while consuming a glass or two of sherry, wine or a cocktail. Generally you stand and imbibe, then move your cadre on to your next favorite spot. For my party, I send invitations to forty of my dearest friends and received 70 RSVPs! I have a six-hundred square foot studio apartment. Standing room was the perfect approach. I moved all furniture off to the sides except the dining table. My desk became the wine bar – both were draped in some sort of Spanish looking tablecloth.

I bought olives. Lots of olives. I bought serrano ham, chorizos and other appropriate charcuterie. I bought wine – sparkling, white, red, and sherry. All Spanish of course. Then I had to cook. Two dishes became the hits of the evening, prawns with garlic, and my romesco sauce with grilled veggies and bread to dip in it.

Prawns with Garlic

To serve 10 as a tapas

1/2 cup of olive oil
5 dozen decent sized shrimp (shells and head-on preferred)
2 teaspoons salt
1 head of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 cups of light, dry sherry
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, minced

Unless you have a huge skillet, you’ll need to split this in a couple of batches. Heat the oil until it is quite hot. Add the shrimp and salt and stir-fry for a minute. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until the shrimp are nice and pink. Add the sherry and cook until it the sauce thickens slightly. Toss in the parsley and serve immediately. It’s best to leave the shells on the shrimp as they add flavor, and make it more fun for the guests to peel their own (or eat, shell and all, which is quite do-able).

Grilled Veggies, Bread & Romesco Sauce

2 japanese eggplants, sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced
2 red bell peppers, cut in strips
1 bunch asparagus, pared of any tough ends
1 loaf crusty white bread, sliced (reserve the ends)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

A stove-top grill works fine for this dish. Brush the veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper them to taste, and grill until done. Drain and serve on platters with Romesco sauce.

1 cup almonds
Bread loaf ends (each about 1 to 1-1/2″ thick)
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded & chopped
6 tomatoes, chopped
3 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 cups olive oil
1 cup sherry vinegar

Toast the almonds, bread and garlic cloves in a 400F oven for 10-15 minutes till lightly browned. Put the bread and almonds in a food processor and process until finely ground. Peel the garlic cloves and add to processor with tomatoes, peppers, and seasonings. Process until smooth. Gradually add the olive oil and then the vinegar while processing. You should end up with about five cups of a thick, smooth sauce that is perfect for dipping the grilled veggies and bread in.

Your beverage choices are, again, going to be determined by the theme of the evening. As an accompaniment to my tapas dinner, I had a selection of dry sherries, cava (Spanish sparkling wine), white and red wines, and then after dinner drinks to go with the later desserts.

For dry sherry, I recommend one good manzanilla, like the Hijos de Rainera Perez Marin “La Guita” and perhaps a nice amontillado, E. Lustau “Los Arcos” would be excellent choices. Cava, the premier Spanish sparkling wine is generally light, crisp and delicate, generally from the Penedes region. Wonderful selections can be had from Juan-Esteve Avinyo-Nadal, Castillo Perelada and Jaume Serra.

A good white wine choice would be an Albariño from the north of Spain. Personal favorites include Martin Codax, Lagar de Cervera, and Fillaboa. You might consider a rosé, as Spain makes some excellent ones. Best choices include Muga and Conde de Valdemar. And for a red, the classic Spanish grape Tempranillo makes a winning evening – try Sierra Cantabria or El Coto Riojas, especially the latter’s Coto de Imaz Reserva, or any of the wines from the Abadia Retuerta winery.

You can finish with a selection of Pedro Ximenez based dessert wines – my current favorite, and a great value, the Alvear “Solera Diego Abuela No. 27” from Montilla-Moriles. A nice Spanish brandy for those who like a little after-dinner fire – Gran Duque d’Alba or Cardenal Mendoza would be great choices.

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

Seafood, Spirits, Vegetables, Wine

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