Q San Francisco

Destination: Singapore

Dan P.Monday, January 5, 19980

Q San Francisco
January 1998
Pages 43-44

Destination: Singapore

At the time when Robert Louis Stevenson (the Treasure Island guy) penned these words, few people could afford either the time or the money to truly travel. Today, it costs more, and takes a bigger investment of time and effort, to meet someone and go on a really nice date than it does to hop on a plane and jet off to somewhere exotic. And besides, a great affair sounds good to me.

A few years back, I had the opportunity to spend a day with food writer Craig Claiborne. I came away admiring his willingness to go in search of the exotic. When he decided to see what white truffles were all about, did he make reservations at his local trattoria? When he read about cassoulet, did he wander in to the closest bistro? When someone told him the local takeout had inauthentic spring rolls, did he go downtown and try the fancy place? No. He grabbed his passport and zoomed off to Piemonte, Gascogne or Saigon.

I like that. As a dyed in the wool food and wine type of guy, I may love to cook, eat and drink at home, and I may enjoy my local eateries, but more than anything else, I love to move – to get on a train, plane or boat and head off to where I can sample “the real thing.”

This, of course, makes it difficult for me now to give you a couple of recipes and some wine suggestions that you can make at home. I know you’re busy “surfing” the web for the latest “kewl” Java applet, you’ve got this week’s episode of Buffy playing on your VCR in the background, and I know that they just opened a great new Ecuadorian-Welsh pasta place down at the corner. But my hope is that you’ll try the recipes, drink some wine, and say, “you know, I think I might be missing something. Maybe I need a flight and a hotel reservation.”

My youngest brother lives in Singapore and I’ve been planning to visit him for, well, awhile. Perhaps these local dishes will inspire one of you to get there first. If so, tell him “hi” for me.

Singapore Chicken

4 dried red chiles
1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of cooking oil
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
3 pound chicken, cut in serving pieces
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons sherry or rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water

Crumble the chiles and finely chop the onion and garlic. Saute in the oil until the onion softens and turns translucent. Add the sugar and continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the onion browns. Add the chicken and fry until browned. Combine the remaining ingredients, pour over chicken, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, till chicken is tender and cooked through – baste with the sauce regularly. Serves 4-6.

Singapore Noodles

½ lb dry thin rice noodles
4 ounces Chinese mushrooms
4 dried red chile peppers
4 scallions
4 ounces shredded barbecue pork
4 ounces small shrimp
4 ounces fresh peas
4 eggs
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons cooking oil

Combine stock, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, curry power, rice wine, sugar and salt and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for ten minutes. Set aside and keep it warm. Chop mushrooms and scallions. Heat cooking oil till very hot and saute mushrooms till soft, add scallions and cook two minutes more. Add pork, shrimp and peas. Loosely beat eggs and then quickly toss in with sauteed ingredients, keeping the mixture moving so that as the egg cooks it breaks up into shreds. Meanwhile, cook noodles in boiling salted water till soft. Drain and toss with saute ingredients. Add curry sauce and toss well. Sprinkle lightly with sesame oil and serve. For garnish, if you wish, top with shredded basil leaves. Serves 4.

Spicy foods like this require wine with just a touch of sweetness for balance. Personally, I would go for a good Gewurztraminer. This grape provides a delicious counterpoint to the spice, some ripe upfront fruit, and a beautiful quality of lychee nuts and roses that works perfectly with many Asian dishes – including this one.

In my opinion, Alsace makes some of the best Gewurztraminer out there, and your choice of Zind-Humbrecht (if you want to splurge), Domaines Schlumberger, Trimbach, or Ernest Burn would all work beautifully. There are also some wonderful domestic choices and you would not be remotely disappointed with a bottle from Bouchaine, Covey Run, DeLoach, or Sakonnet Vineyards.

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

Pasta, Poultry, Travel, Wine

Harvest Fusion

Dan P.Wednesday, November 5, 19970

Q San Francisco
November 1997
Pages 44-45

Multiculturalism is the “ism” of the 1990s and food is no exception. I recently returned to my hometown in the Midwest to discover a new “multicultural” restaurant had opened in the midst of the university campus. The menu stated that each selection had been carefully designed to include “elements of the native cuisines of at least five foreign peoples.” The place was packed, the food was clashingly inedible, but everyone seemed to feel they were politically correct for eating there.

Now, mind you, I’m not opposed to so-called “fusion cuisine.” I am, after all, trained as a chef in both classical French and Japanese cooking. My wine experience has been multinational, and I am not one of those who feels that you should serve only French wine with cassoulet or Indian beer with curry. Nor am I one for rules in cooking that restrict you to not trying out new combinations. But for goodness sake, taste the damn dish before you put it on a plate, don’t just mix ingredients selected by opening your world atlas to random pages.

The United States is ostensibly a “melting pot,” a little multicultural haven on our spinning waterball, and we are approaching one of the few holidays that is unique to our country, Thanksgiving (okay, the Canadians do it too, but they’re just copying). Despite popular myth, there was no first pilgrim Thanksgiving in 1621 – they did indeed have a feast day (actually three days), in June, that included “the Indians,” they did indeed eat turkey (also pheasant, partridge, squab, and swan), and who knows, they may have even indulged in a cranberry or two. But for the pilgrims, a devoutly religious caste, a day of thanksgiving would have been a day of prayer and fasting, not revelry and gluttony.

When it comes down to it, Thanksgiving was created by presidential and later congressional decree, basically as a way to take a day off and celebrate America’s prosperity and diversity. Most countries have similar holidays – though, each that I’ve found is related to a particular harvest, such as rice harvest festivals or grape picking festivals or white truffle snuffling festivals. I thought that this year, I’d celebrate the holiday in this column with a little multicultural, multinational fusion of my own (just to prove it can work). Think of the “progressive dinners” where you eat each course at a different person’s house – only we’re going to do it in different countries; and just for the sake of diversity, I’m picking the cuisines and wines by opening my atlas at random.

The classic required dishes for the meal (at least in my view) are turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberry relish, and apple pie. Here’s the test of my multicultural sensibilities in the kitchen – the countries picked are: the Netherlands, Afghanistan, Ireland, and Ecuador. I decided on coming up with two white wine recommendations and two red wine recommendations, and the regional winners are (sensibly using a wine atlas). . . St. Emilion, France; Robertson, South Africa; Badacsony, Hungary; and South Australia.

The Netherlands are easy. Let’s face it, the potato is practically the national tree. One of the most classic dishes of Dutch cuisine is hutspot, sometimes called in English, “hotchpotch.” Substituting sweet potatoes for boiling potatoes yields up a delicious sidedish to accompany your Ecuadorian Escabeche de Pavo con Higos or Wild Turkey Escabeche with Figs (a dish based on a recipe from one of the most famous chefs in our community’s history, Felipe Rojas-Lombardi).

Given the sweetness and fruitiness of the fig sauce, cranberry relish seemed like fruit overkill, so, from Ireland, I went with traditional scones – substituting cranberries for the usual currants. For dessert, classic Afghani apple turnovers – my only question – do they really have apple trees in Afghanistan?

With the dinner coming together nicely, it’s time to select the wines. Since, with Thanksgiving, dinner is usually buffet style, the white and red can be offered at the same time, leaving the choice up to each person’s preference. For the whites, the Hungarian first – Badacsony is famous for its white wines, especially Pinot Gris. With all the fruit and sweetness of the various dishes, try Hungarovin’s Badacsonyi Szurkebarat, or “Grey Friar of Badacsony,” a medium-dry version. From South Australia, specifically the Clare Vale, one of my favorite white wines, full of tropical fruit flavors and just a touch of sweetness, Tim Adams Semillon.

On the red side, Robertson, South Africa is easy, because there’s one truly world-class producer, Hamilton-Russell, and they make one of the finest Pinot Noir’s you’ll ever have the pleasure to drink. St. Emilion has another fave, Château Clos des Jacobins, a Merlot and Cabernet blend that is soft and rich in fruit.

Good eating and a Happy (and now, no doubt, politically correct) Thanksgiving!

Recipes

Wild Turkey Escabeche with Figs (Serves 6-8)

1 wild turkey (about 7 pounds)
3 quarts of chicken or turkey stock
1 bottle of white wine
1 cup whole blanched almonds
4 large onions, peeled and sliced in
1/8″-1/4″ rings
1 cup port
3 cups sherry vinegar
8 large dried figs (1/2 pound)
20 dried pitted dates (1/4 pound)
12-15 pitted prunes (1/4 pound)
3 sprigs of mint
1/4 cup cooking oil

Spices:
2″ piece of ginger, sliced
2 teaspoons cumin seed
2 teaspoons turmeric
12 whole cloves
12 whole allspice berries
2 dried hot peppers

Combine stock, wine, and all spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 an hour. Pour over turkey in roasting pan and roast for 2-1/2 to 3 hours at 350F, basting regularly. Remove turkey and set aside, strain the stock and reduce by boiling to 4-5 cups. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saute pan, add the nuts and onions and saute, stirring continuously, till onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add port, bring to a boil and cook till liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar and the reduced stock, simmer for 10 minutes. Add the figs, cook for 15 minutes, then the dates and cook for 5 minutes more, then the prunes and cook for 10 minutes more. Carve the turkey, which by now will have cooled somewhat, and ladle the hot fruit sauce over it.

Hutspot

2/3 pounds onions
4 pounds sweet potatoes
2 pounds carrots
milk
4 tablespoons butter

Scrub and mince carrots. Peel, wash, and slice onions and potatoes, and add them to the carrots. Boil until done (about 30 minutes).

Mash all the vegetables and add butter and salt and pepper to taste. If too thick add some milk (but a spoon must stand up in it).

Cranberry Scones

3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
4 ounces butter
2 ounces sugar
3/4 cup of cranberries
(thawed if they were frozen)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
8-10 tablespoons of buttermilk

Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar into a bowl. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingers till it is light and crumbly. Stir in sugar and cranberries. Add egg and 6 tablespoons of the buttermilk and mix till it comes together as a dough. If it is too dry, add more buttermilk. Don’t overmix or it will become stiff.

Take ping-pong sized balls of dough and press out into 1/2″ thick, 1-1/2″ across rounds.

Bake at 350F on a baking sheet for 10 minutes till lightly browned.

Afghani Apple Turnovers

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups water
2-1/4 pounds slightly tart apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup apple juice

In a bowl, mix together the flours and salt. Add the water and stir vigorously until it is well mixed.

When it becomes too stiff to stir, turn out on a floured board and knead for 5 minutes till smooth and not sticky. Wrap in plastic and let sit for 30 minutes. Cut the apples into small chunks, mix with remaining ingredients.

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each out to a 7″ circle. Place 1/2 a cup of apple mixture just off-centered on each round and fold over. Pinch the edges together decoratively.

Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes till golden brown.

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

Baking, Poultry, Vegetables, Wine

Affordable Elegance

Dan P.Friday, September 5, 19970

Q San Francisco
September 1997
Pages 42-43

Affordable
Elegance

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

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

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

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

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

BUBBLING ALONG

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

A WALK ON THE WHITE SIDE

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

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

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

THE RED ZONE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Magazine articles, Q San Francisco

Sparkling Wines, Wine

Summer Salads

Dan P.Saturday, July 5, 19970

Q San Francisco
July 1997
Pages 42-43

Summer Salads

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

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

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

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

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

Spinach Salad

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

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

Herb Salad

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

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

Potato Salad

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

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

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

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

Magazine articles, Q San Francisco

Vegetables, Wine

Eat Drink Camera Action!

Dan P.Monday, May 5, 19970

Q San Francisco
May 1997
Pages 42-43

Eat Drink
Camera
Action!

While I’m sure that with some effort I, or any of you, could come up with a film that does not include some form of eating or drinking, I am, for the moment, at a loss to come up with one. Edibles and inebriates are more a part of our on-screen entertainment than are sex and violence. Has anyone done a study on the deleterious effects on our nation’s youth?

Of course, food and drink, especially wine, have their place in the world of the erotic as we have chatted about in past columns. Two of the most erotic scenes (one gay, one straight) I’ve seen on film both involve ingestibles: the champagne-sex vignette in My Beautiful Launderette and the egg yolk-orgasm clip (trust me, you have to see it) in Tampopo.

What we eat and drink has even been at the heart of some of the most fun (in my humble opinion) films out there. Babette’s Feast would have been an exceedingly tedious and long film about a lonely woman in the middle of nowhere doing nothing, were it not for the feast in question. Instead we have a slow build that involves much poking and prodding of foodstuffs, simmering, sizzling and just generally heating up of dishes, and a long, caressing, idyllic repast that makes the whole lengthy process worthwhile.

Night of the Comet manages to create an entire dramatic saga of sex and romance, danger and violence, while all the while, propping the whole thing up, is a single, solitary, bottle of rare wine. Try finding a film of the “black-and-white era” that doesn’t involve champagne at some point or another, starting right back with the first Academy Award-winning film, Wings, a silent film that includes an entire champagne seduction scene with bubbly special effects.

Not so long ago, Like Water For Chocolate splashed across our screens with a series of sensuous recipes that intertwined with the characters’ lives as they grew from small children to adults. Dishes that created flaming passion mingled with plates of sorrow and joy. Whether it was holiday peppers stuffed with meat and walnuts, a plate of molé, or even the now famed quail with rose petal sauce, we even got instructions on how to make them.

One of my favorites, even apart from that incredible egg yolk scene, is the Japanese film Tampopo. First, it’s just plain fun. One part “spaghetti western” (see, we even use food terms for film styles), one part “Kung Fu,” and all parts spoof, this film is the search for the holy grail – in the form of the perfect bowl of noodle soup. Exalted beyond, well, beyond anything a bowl of noodle soup probably ever rated, we learn about everything from proper water temperature, to the making of good soup stock, to the right way to knead your noodle…so to speak.

And on that note, I’ve decided to offer you my own version. It will not be as decorative as a bowl of noodle soup from your favorite noodle shop. It will not even be particularly Japanese in character. Think of it as a nice Jewish boy from the Midwest meets Tokyo… somewhere.

My Noodle Soup

Roasted vegetable stock:
2 yellow onions
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
2 red bell peppers
2 parsnips
1 turnip
1 rutabaga
2 heads of garlic
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 pieces star anise
1 small piece ginger root
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup olive oil
5-6 quarts of cold water

Wash but do not peel vegetables. Cut all vegetables in half and put in a roasting pan with the spices. Toss with the oil. Roast in a 350 F oven for 45 minutes, flipping them around occasionally. They should be softened and somewhat browned – don’t let them burn. Put all the roasted veggies into a large stockpot and cover with water by 1 inch. Heat over medium heat until the water just starts to simmer -you don’t want a real full boil. Reduce the heat to the minimum setting you can get away with and let the stock infuse at least 6 hours. I generally let mine go for close to 24 hours. Strain the stock and discard the solids. You should end up with about 3 quarts of stock.

The noodles, et al:
Soba noodles (buckwheat)
4 egg yolks
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Light soy sauce
Pinch of saffron threads

For noodle soup, I tend to like simplicity. If you like it more elaborate, you can add additional things like little slices or shreds of roasted meats, sliced and lightly cooked vegetables, or whatever your heart desires. If you don’t like the buckwheat noodles, substitute whatever kind of noodles are your favorite. Bring some water to a boil and cook the noodles until “al dente,” soft but still just a touch firm. Meanwhile, reheat the soup stock just to the point it starts to boil. Place noodles in bowls. Pour stock over each just to cover. Top with chopped scallions. Carefully float an egg yolk in each bowl on top of the noodles. Garnish with 3-4 saffron threads per bowl. Serve with soy sauce on the side and let each guest season to taste. This should be just about right for four servings. Slurp to your heart’s content.

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

Film, Stews and soups

Passion foods

Dan P.Wednesday, March 5, 19970

Q San Francisco
March 1997
Pages 42-43

In preparing to write this column I turned first to that indispensable aid, the VCR. Finding a direct link was easy as I watched with eyes as glazed as candied carrots the preparations in Like Water for Chocolate; Babette’s Feast; Eat Drink Man Woman; and The Wedding Banquet. Passion Fish, while enjoyable, was not as helpful; okra gumbo may inspire some to great heights, but I doubt they are heights of passion. Pedro Almodovar’s Labyrinth of Passion gave me some amusing ideas, though few of them were about food. A young Antonio Banderas as a sort of spindly Islamic bloodhound was kind of fun.

Passion and food have been inextricably linked throughout the ages. Whether as a means of seduction – “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” – as an aphrodisiac – “it may be true that a diet based on food and drinks that expand the blood vessels predisposes one to amorous behavior” – or as a simple sex aid as in the case of whipped cream in a can.

Tomatoes were once known as “love apples.” Passion fruit is, well, passion fruit. Generally, those foods thought to engender passion were those that were expensive, and therefore, likely to impress the object of one’s desire. Truffles, foie gras, caviar, champagne, flamingo tongues; that sort of thing. Exotica were also fair game, especially in the world of spices where the filaments of 70,000 or more saffron crocuses are required to put together a pound of saffron, or where Chinese merchants skim the intestinal secretions of sperm whales off the surface of tropical seas to make ambergris. Personally, I have some ideas that involve homemade nachos and a two-liter bottle of RC Cola, but those will have to wait for another column.

My favorite foods for passion are lobster, caviar, and roses. I love Mediterranean cooking, whether Italian, Spanish, Moroccan or elsewhere. Somewhere along the line it became necessary to put all of these together into one dish:

Passion Risotto

2 lobsters, (approximately
1 pound each, preferably live)
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 bunch scallions
6 dried apricots, chopped
2 ounces pistachios (unsalted, no shells)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 whole star anise
1 teaspoon rosewater
1 red rose
1 cup arborio rice
2 teaspoons caviar (the best you can afford)

Okay, here’s the tough part. The lobsters are alive. For the non-squeamish, take a large, heavy knife and simply cut them in half, starting from the head back to the tail. For the squeamish, have your seafood supplier do it for you. Place on a sheet pan, cut side up, drizzle with half the olive oil and roast in oven at 375 degrees until the shells are red and the meat is cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool. Take the meat out of the shells. Set aside two of the tail halves. Chop the remaining tail and claw meat coarsely.

Break the shells up and put them in a large saucepan or stockpot with all but one of the scallions. Slice the tomatoes in quarters and add to the pot. Add peppercorns and star anise. Cover with one quart of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for one hour. Strain the stock and discard the solids.

Finely chop the onion. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil, the onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring regularly, till onions are translucent and soft. Add dry rice and stir to coat with oil and onion mixture. For the next 20-25 minutes, you will have to continually stir the rice around to cook evenly, as you add the reserved lobster stock, one ladleful at a time (approximately one cup each time). After each addition of liquid, continue cooking till it is completely absorbed. The rice is done when it is soft but just slightly chewy and has a bit of creaminess from the starch in the liquid. At this point, add the chopped lobster meat, pistachios, the chopped apricots, cinnamon, and rosewater. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide in two portions, top each with one of the reserved lobster tail halves, warmed. Garnish with the last scallion finely chopped, the rose petals and one teaspoon each of caviar.

Since champagne is a must in the world of passion, I recommend my favorite with this dish, Champagne de Venoge Princesse Rosé, a wonderful gold-pink sparkler that will light up your evening.

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

Film, Seafood, Sparkling Wines

The Best Affordable Wines from Around the World

Dan P.Sunday, January 5, 19970

Q San Francisco
January 1997
Pages 40-41

If you were going to go on a round-the-world trip and had only one steamer trunk, what would you take? Tradition says all you need is a towel, toothbrush, and some sort of witty guide to where you plan to be. Socks, a nice sweater, jeans – both ripped and not, maybe a sort of suit or sport jackety thing are all optional but a good idea. I, of course, would add to the list a corkscrew. The last you thing you want is to end up in Bordeaux trying to pry open your Château Lafite with the gum stimulator on your toothbrush.

Here, with minimal explanation, is a look at some wines that won’t empty your wallet as we travel around the world. On the other hand, I’m not planning to drink from the bottom of the barrel. Due to space limitations, I’m going to take on the unenviable task of picking my current favorite white and favorite red from each major wine producing country.

To coin a phrase, wine starts at home. And from a San Francisco perspective that means Napa Valley. And, ever since the 1970s when a few local wines beat out a few French wines in blind competition, Napa has been known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Without hesitation, I’d go for what I consider to be one of California’s finest red wines, Mount Veeder Reserve. For white, I would go for Chateau Potelle V.G.S. Chardonnay. The “V.G.S.”, by the way, stands for “Very Good Shit”, except on forms filed with the government where the last word is amended to “Stuff”.

Heading down south, way down south, Argentina and Chile have lately hit the news with the wines they are producing. Most of the hype seems to be for white wines, but I have yet to taste one that I really liked. Both countries have a long history of producing delicious, rustic styled reds, that have only improved with newer winemaking techniques. From Chile, sample the Miguel Torres Cabernet Sauvignon. Argentina’s best winery, in my mind, is Bodegas y Cavas Weinert, who produce a fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon.

Staying in the southern hemisphere, but moving across an ocean, the best of African wines come from South Africa. Now that we’re able to sample wines from this formerly embargoed country, there are some true delights to be had. Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc and Blaauklippen Zinfandel rise to the top of my list.

In Europe we find the highest concentration of countries producing wine. Whether it’s jolly old England or somewhere out in the Balkan hills, wine is produced throughout almost every European country. In Portugal the best white wines are probably the Vinho Verdes, especially when made from the Alvarinho grape; Soalheiro stands out as a premium producer. Red wines are generally just called Vinho Tinto, making them somewhat harder to categorize, but my favorite is probably Casa Ferreirinha’s Vinha Grande.

Spain has, of late, due to heavy public relations work, become known for its outstanding Riojas. And there are many that are truly wonderful. However, my favorites come from outside this region. For white, Valdamore Albarino (the same grape as the Portuguese Vinho Verde above), and for red, with no reservations, Torres Gran Coronas, either black or white label, the latter being much less expensive.

France is going to be tough, given the number of wines being produced. However, much of the good wine that we are able to get here is not for the budget conscious, and much of what fits into that consciousness is, to be polite, swill. That helps narrow things down. While Burgundies may be the pinnacle of French whites, to get a really good one costs. For sheer drinking pleasure, I’d opt for a Loire Valley wine, most probably one of Robert Denis’ Touraine-Azay-Le-Rideau wines from the Chenin Blanc grape. For reds, I have of late become enamored with a small Burgundy commune called Maranges, the best producer of which is Baron de la Charriere.

It is amazing how difficult it is to convince people to drink Riesling. As famed wine writer Jancis Robinson said about it, “Unbeatable quality; indisputably aristocratic. Ludicrously unfashionable.” While the cheap stuff is often arguably too sweet or too insipid to drink, there is much that is dry and high quality. From Germany, try a J.J. Christoffel Riesling Spatlese from the Erdener Trepchen vineyard. Reds are a bit tougher, but, if you can find it, Schloss Schonborn Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) is a real winner.

Italy is as tough or tougher than France to narrow down, mostly because very little of it is high-priced. This leaves a much larger group of wines to select from. I would be, however, perfectly delighted with a bottle of Mastroberardino Fiano d’Avellino on the table for our white, and Capezzana Carmignano Riserva for our red.

Switzerland is, of late, producing many high quality wines, but most are overpriced. Robert Gilliard’s Ermitage de Sion is quite good, several Merlots from the Ticino area have been worth trying. Austrian wines too, are showing promise, Rieslings from the Nigl family are among the best, and, as I write this, just last night I tasted a delicious red, Umathum Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir again).

Greece is now producing wines besides pine-pitch tarnished Retsina that make it to our shores. Boutari makes a very nice red, the Naoussa Grande Reserve, and a light, refreshing white, Santorini.

Down under, as they say, Australia and New Zealand are the hot spots of the winemaking world. Australia being essentially the same size as the U.S. makes it just as difficult to select a favorite. One of the nice things though, is Australian winemakers love to experiment. Two such experiments have come to my attention recently. Tim Adams Semillon is a blast of tropical fruit, and Domaine Leasingham Cabernet-Malbec is a racy, lush red. On the kiwi front, New Zealand has always been best at whites, though recently many producers are trying to imitate a California style. My favorite remains Kumeu River Chardonnay. A new import to this country, Larose Cabernet Blend is outstanding, but will be, for awhile, difficult to find.

That should be enough to fill your shopping basket and delight your palate for at least the next month. Besides, we can always take our towel, toothbrush and corkscrew and set off on another journey again soon.

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

Travel, Wine

East Village Eats

Dan P.Tuesday, November 5, 19960

Q San Francisco
November 1996
Pages 34-36

New York
The QSF Guided Tour

East Village Eats

Welcome to the new frontier. Sure the East Village is home to New York’s grunge set. And yes, it’s still probably the easiest place to score whatever mind-altering substance you crave. It’s also the simplest place in the city to get a tattoo as well as being home to New York’s cutting-edge artists, theaters, music scene, clubs and performance art. Best of all, some of the hottest new restaurants in town are springing up like mushrooms after a rainstorm. Maybe they don’t rate four stars in the New York Times, but try to get a reviewer to cover this neighborhood.

Leading the pack is First. Chef Sam DeMarco knows good food. Actually he knows great food. The first thing you notice as you enter into the gleaming bar is the ceiling, stretched with a fantasy of tightrope wire, chrome and a strange facsimile of Star Wars’ Death Star (contrary to rumor, it doesn’t move). Highlights on the menu are an appetizer of guinea hen with caramelized onion, pistachios and plum sauce, and an always delicious pasta of the day. In the mood for something big? Come Sundays for the roast suckling pig special. Want a truly memorable experience? Let Sam prepare his five-course tasting for you. Check out the well-selected wine and beer lists, too. (First, 87 1st Avenue between 5th & 6th Streets, 212-674-3823.)

A couple of blocks away is Circa. This place tops my list for decor. Polished copper tabletops reflect artfully planned lighting. The surrounding walls mix exposed brick, wood and strange giant leaves. The bar is a long, curving S, with rows of bottles tempting you to just stop in for a drink. You can sit and relax in the front lounge area, or grab a table and sit down to dine. Chef Frank DeCarlo is another whiz in the kitchen.

From the main menu, don’t miss the lobster, tomato and artichoke risotto. Pastas are also great here. Where Circa really shines though is brunch. It may be the hardest meal for a restaurant to do right (we’re all at our pickiest late Sunday mornings) but Circa does it brilliantly. Don’t miss the huge plate of biscuits with sausage gravy. A pot of tea and the smoked salmon platter is my idea of a perfect weekend afternoon. A great wine selection from local consultant Steve Miller rounds out the experience. (Circa, 103 2nd Avenue at 6th Street, 212-777-4120.)

Hidden away on a block that looks like somewhere your mother told you never to go is Casanis. A cool little hole-in-the-wall French bistro where chef Sebastian Macszo turns out some of the best “simple” food around. The room is likewise simple, standard French food and drink posters adorn the wood and plaster walls. Tables are crammed tightly together, so plan on getting to know your neighbors – but that’s part of the East Village experience these days. Highlights on the menu include the salad with chevre and dried cherries, and the main course of roasted and confited duck with a lemon-fig sauce. The daily specials are always tempting, even when, as often is the case, your waiter can’t remember what they are. The wine list is chockfull of unusual selections from the French countryside, making this a don’t miss dinner. Oh, one note, cash only. (Casanis, 54 E. 1st Street between 1st & 2nd Avenues, 212-777-1589.)

Across the street from the Joseph Papp Public Theater is L’Udo. Rustic brick, frescos and a garden make a great setting for simple Provençal. An early prix-fixe menu offers the perfect meal before heading to the Public Theater or just down the block to the long-running Blue Man Tubes production. Highlights of the regular menu are the baked sea bass with saffron broth and Provençal vegetables, and for dessert, a baked apple with calvados and vanilla ice cream. The wine list reflects the cuisine, concentrating on simple country wines from both France and Italy, though many a trifle on the pricey side for what they are. Still, L’Udo is a delightfully romantic place. (432 Lafayette Street just south of Astor Place, 212-388-0978.)

It is impractical to discuss East Village dining without at least giving a nod to the strip of 6th Street known as Little India. A couple of dozen Indian restaurants line up side by side on both sides of the street and trail around the corners. Most are basic, with virtually identical menus. Though not hot or trendy, one stands above the rest, Windows on India. The corner location, lots of windows, beautiful lighting and impeccable service make this the spot for Indian dining in the East Village. A far ranging menu that even includes selections from Indonesia offers a vast number of dishes. My favorite appetizer is dal papri, a cold salad of potatoes, yogurt and tamarind sauce topped with crunchy diamonds of fried lentil fritters (the word “fritter” pops up more times on the menu than I cared to count). The best of the main courses come from the tandoori oven; go for a combination platter of your favorite meats, fish and vegetables. Unusual for an Indian restaurant, Windows on India offers a wine list, most of which is well picked to go with the cuisine. (Windows on India, 344 E. 6th Street at 1st Avenue, 212-477-5956.)

Numerous other culinary adventures await those of you who venture into the hinterlands of the East Village. There are the traditional and long-lived delis like the Second Avenue Deli, Katz’s and Ratner’s; Polish and Russian fare is served up from Kiev to Veselka to Christine’s, while Asian cuisine from all over – Lavo (Thai), Angry Monk (Tibetan), Esahi and Iso (Japanese), Indochine (Vietnamese) – are some of my favorites. One of the nicest things about dining out in this neighborhood is that you can have a great meal and your credit card won’t have a meltdown when the bill arrives.

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

NYC, Restaurants, Travel

Q San Francisco

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