Tag Archive: Wine

Hot & Spicy

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.

chiliesThe 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.

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The Perfect Cocktail Party

Sunday, November 5, 20000

Q San Francisco
November 2000
Pages 60-61

The Perfect Cocktail Party

greenoliveEver 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.

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A Roll of the Deiss

Sunday, October 8, 20000

20001008Another one of our wine themed dinners – here, with all but the sparkling to launch the evening, from Marcel Deiss, one of my favorite Alsace producers.

A Roll of the Deiss
Sunday, 8 October, 2000

Alain Robert “le Mesnil” Blanc de Blanc, 1985
Roasted Beet & Pecan Salad

Marcel Deiss Gewurztraminer “Bergheim”, 1995
Sauteed Shrimp with Chanterelle Sauce

Marcel Deiss Riesling “Engelgarten”, 1994
Matelote

Marcel Deiss Pinot Noir “Burlenberg” Vielles Vignes, 1996
Roast Pork Loin with Black Trumpet Confit

Marcel Deiss Pinot Gris “Bergheim” Vendanges Tardives, 1994
Yogurt with Jonagold Apples & Honey

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Dinner Menus - Second Sunday Supper Circle

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All Tarted Up & Nowhere To Go

Sunday, July 9, 20000

20000709All I remember is that I’d picked up some bottles of different vintages of “Clos de Tart”, and invited a bunch of wine geek friends to sample them over dinner. The names of the dishes were plays on the word “tart”, as well.

The Second Sunday Supper Circle
presents a new series of dinners….
Wine Geek 101

All Tarted Up & Nowhere To Go
July 9, 2000

Steak Tartare
Mommessin Morey-St.-Denis “Clos de Tart” 1990

Choros a La Perricholi
Mommessin Morey-St.-Denis “Clos de Tart” 1985

Vitello alla Putanesca
Mommessin Morey-St.-Denis “Clos de Tart” 1976

Cahill’s Porter Tart
Mommessin Morey-St.-Denis “Clos de Tart” 1969 from magnum

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Dinner Menus - Second Sunday Supper Circle

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A Taste of New England

Wednesday, July 5, 20000

Q San Francisco
July 2000
Pages 54-55

A Taste of New England

There’s something very romantic about New England. It may be that taciturn Yankee stoicism, much reminiscent of a couple of past boyfriends. It could be the rocky beaches with windswept waves that bring to mind gothic romance novels. Or it could just be that, gosh darn it, I like cranberries.

I’ve never lived there, but I try to wander into little port towns whenever I have a long weekend to get away. I’m not a “P-town” kind of guy, it’s a little too commercial for my tastes, even if it is the hotspot for those of our clan to gather.

I have my favorites. Anytime I just want to get away and feel pampered, I head for Newport, Rhode Island. I can visit one of my favorite wineries (more about that later), and ensconce myself in lodge-style luxury at the Inn at Castle Rock. I can dine on some of the best northeastern fare at the Inn’s acclaimed restaurant.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire is like a first love. The very first time I headed to the northern shores was when I first became a chef. Somewhere during my training I’d heard rumors about some bizarre, wild, innovative chef who’d created a little restaurant called the Blue Strawbery (yes, with one r).

James Haller, who later became a cookbook and food & health author, put out some of the most unusual food this boy had ever seen. Not afraid to mix just about anything he could think of together, and see what happened, night after night he put out one of the country’s earliest, and best, “tasting menus” – before it became all the rage. In the sixteen years he ran the restaurant, he never once repeated a menu. That’s the kind of thing I could aspire to.

Like most of my travels, places become inexorably linked with local foods. While James may have been whipping up roasted lamb in a pumpkin, honey and soy sauce (up to that point, I’d only seen soy sauce in little plastic packets from the Chinese take-out, who knew you could cook with it?), it was local foods throughout the region that most attracted me to return.

crabcornSometimes it’s the simplicity of baked beans, a classic of the Boston area. Johnnycake, a stone-ground cornmeal pancake, hails from Rhode Island. Fried, with plenty of butter, it may not fit the latest diet craze, but in its simplicity, it is simply delicious. What better source of fresh lobster than the coast of Maine. Friends of mine used to maintain a summer home there and ship lobsters down to New York. It’s more fun to drive up there and get them as they come out of the water.

Perhaps the most famous, yet most misunderstood, dish is the clambake. This is not, as one local friend thinks, a platter of clams topped with bacon and Parmesan cheese. Those are baked clams, and despite his insistence, violating multiple kosher laws does not cancel them all out…not that I’m spending my time worrying about them.

A clambake is near impossible for the average city-dweller to make. It doesn’t just involve a big pot with clams, corn, onions, fish and lobster all packed in and steamed over a flame. The steam needs to come from fresh-from-the-water seaweed heated over hot rocks in the bottom, and on top, of all those great ingredients. Preferably, it’s all done over an open fire on the beach.

Many years ago, I had the opportunity to spend a day with Craig Claiborne, the first food critic for the New York Times. He had recently come out in his memoirs and was willing to chat with a budding food writer from a gay magazine. As a still somewhat unseasoned chef, it was an amazing day for me. Craig recently passed on, and I offer the recipe he and I cooked for our lunch that day in tribute and in memory.

Crab & Corn Chowder

4 ears of fresh sweet corn
2 dozen or so new potatoes, washed and cut in half
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
4 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 cup clam juice
1 cup water
1 cup half-and-half
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander or parsley

Fill a large pot with enough cold water to cover the potatoes and leave room for the corn. Heat to a boil. Add the corn and let it return to a boil. When it is boiling, cover and turn off the heat. Let it sit for five minutes and remove the corn. Cut the kernels from the cob and set aside. Drain the potatoes and set aside.

Heat the butter in a large saucepan and cook the onions, celery and potatoes until the onions are translucent. Add the clam juice, water, half-and-half, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the corn and the crabmeat and bring to a simmer for about 8 minutes. The potatoes should be cooked through but not mushy.

Ladle into soup bowls and top with freshly chopped herbs. Serves 4 as a main course soup.

As I noted earlier, one of my favorite wineries is located in Rhode Island. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that one of my favorite wine people is located there. Susan Samson, affectionately known to many of us in the business as “the hat lady”, is a tireless promoter of things New England, especially local chefs and her own wines. With her husband Earl, who oversees the winemaking, the reputation for quality and affordability of Sakonnet Vineyards wines is widespread.

It is, perhaps, a bit surprising that New England produces such quality wines, but latitude and soil-wise, it is in many ways similar to the vineyards of Germany and northern France. Like Oregon, Washington and Idaho, who knew?

My favorite wine is probably their Gewurztraminer. Crisp, clean, and full of that vibrantly aromatic fruit that the grape is famous for, Sakonnet produces one of the better American examples. Susan and Earl are also fond of using local grapes, and their Vidal Blanc, in both oaked and un-oaked styles are delightful fruity wines, perfect for pairing with a lunch of crab and corn chowder.

The winery also produces a tasty Chardonnay, a wonderfully perfumed Cabernet Franc, and, when it suits them, an amazingly rich red “Claret” blend.

Though I’m always fond of pairing local wines with local foods, I think this soup would be a great match for other fruity, slightly off-dry wines. Some current prime choices from California would be Zaca Mesa Roussanne from Santa Barbara, Wild Horse Malvasia Bianca from Monterey, and the J. Fritz Melon “Shone Farm”. All worth seeking out at your local “bottle shop.”

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

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A Taste of Hawaii

Friday, May 5, 20000

Q San Francisco
May 2000
Pages 54-55

A Taste of Hawaii

HibiscusPurpleClipArtThere are many things about Hawaii that captures our imagination including: beaches, volcanoes, palm trees and ocean waves, but until recently food was just an afterthought.

Only a decade or so ago, most major restaurants in Hawaii served what chefs thought the tourists would want to eat. Not wanting to offend the sensibilities of the islands’ major source of income, typical “mainland” fare was the order of the day. The thought that the average New York, Iowa or San Francisco bumpkin would want to nibble on local chow was simply not considered.

Luckily for everyone, a few intrepid kitchen maestros decided enough was enough. It was time to share the amazing local produce, seafood, and spices with the inbound masses. Hawaii is fortunate to have the influences of several major world cuisines to draw from. Recipes, techniques, and nuances from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Spanish and Portuguese cuisines add their flavor to the Polynesian and uniquely Hawaiian ingredients and classic dishes.

Hundreds of different edible fish, many available nowhere else in the world, now show up on dining tables throughout the islands. Some are even finding their way to the restaurant kitchens of major cities throughout the rest of the country. Fruits, vegetables and seaweeds of varieties that some cooks only read about are readily available for serving, garnishing and saucing of plates.

Names like Roy Yamaguchi, Alan Wong, Sam Choy, and Jean-Marie Josselin are popping up on food networks next to the likes of Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. In fact, while he may not be the pinnacle chef of Hawaiian food, Roy Yamaguchi is certainly its pinnacle ambassador, with more than a dozen outposts of his famed restaurant, Roy’s, around the world.

Internet sites devoted to Hawaiian cuisines are easily accessible for any home cook’s browsing pleasure and a quick search of the web turned up a half-dozen books on Hawaiian cuisine published in the last year.

Like much of American regional cooking, modern Hawaiian is a synthesis of the cuisines that come from its immigrant populace. James Michener, the author of the historical novel Hawaii, notes in the introduction to a Hawaiian cookbook that it is near impossible to attend a Hawaiian dinner and not have dishes from at least three different cultures.

Though by no means definitive, it would probably be fairly safe to say that modern Hawaiian cooking tends to be on the sweet side. It is not at all unusual to have sauces that are some form of sweet and sour, or based on sweetened coconut milk, or an Asian style soy, vinegar and sugar marinade. Fruit is often used in dishes. Unfamiliar (at least to us mainland types) produce, like purple Molokai sweet potatoes and poha berries sit side by side with fish like kumu, moano, moi, and wahoo.

With no claim to authenticity on my part, and full license on yours to play with your food, I offer a recipe, in tribute at least, to the new Hawaiian chefs. Influenced, of course, by my own cooking background…

Grilled Shutome with Molokai Hash
Serves 4

4 6-ounce shutome (Pacific swordfish) steaks
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
salt & white pepper
1/4 cups raw macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
4 molokai (purple sweet potatoes), peeled and cut in 1/4″ dice
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced thinly
1 fresh medium-hot pepper, sliced in thin rings
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons corn or canola oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper the swordfish steaks (you can substitute any good steak fish, like tuna or shark), and coat both sides with hoisin sauce. Marinate for two hours.

Heat the oils together over medium heat and add garlic, green onions, pepper rings, and ginger and cook, stirring, until they start to turn golden brown. Add the macadamias and sweet potato dice (you can substitute regular sweet potatoes), turn the heat down low and cook, stirring regularly, until the potatoes are cooked through. Add the soy sauce and sugar and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat.

Grill the swordfish steaks on both sides until cooked through – preferably over an open grill. Kiawe wood (a Hawaiian wood) would be ideal, mesquite is a good substitute. A stove-top grill is the way most of us city-dwellers have to go. Serve with the hash.

Hawaiian Wines

Hawaii has two active wineries. Given the range of climates over the various islands and altitudes, grape growing is not all that difficult. Nonetheless, what is more important to the wine industry in Hawaii is an emphasis on local fruit wines. For those of us who’ve bounced around the country and sampled various fruit wines, we know these can range from insipid to quite good, but can almost always be counted on to be interesting. World-class is not the aim here – but fun drinking is.

In the wine business, Tedeschi Vineyards, located on Maui, is perhaps the more famed of the two. Often joked about amongst wine-folk, the winery’s specialty – Maui Blanc – is legendary as THE wine made from fresh pineapple juice. In business since 1974, Tedeschi produces a range of eight different wines, from grapes to passion fruit to pineapple. A visit to the winery, in upcountry Maui, is a must for the adventurous wine lover. In fact, 180,000 visitors make the trek annually.

Volcano Winery, on the “Big Island”, is nestled between two active volcanoes – Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Claiming distinction as America’s southernmost winery, they produce nearly a dozen different wines. Producing wine since 1986, Volcano, too, is worth the trip. Volcano’s claim to fame are their Symphony wines and their honey wines. The former are made from the Symphony grape – a hybrid between Grenache gris and Muscat of Alexandria. The latter are fermented entirely from local honey – unlike heavy, cloying European honey beverages like mead, these are light, fresh and delicately sweet.

Volcano Winery was able to ship some samples for my review. Symphony Dry is made from the hybrid grape Symphony and was a medium bodied, very aromatic wine and dry wine that reminded me of canned apricots and lychees. It worked well with the swordfish, though probably would be a better match with a less spicy sauce. Passion Chablis is a blend of an unidentified white grape and passion fruit wines, and tasted of, well, passion fruit. Being slightly off-dry it worked beautifully with the spicy sauce on the swordfish. With dessert, preferably something with banana or coconut, the Macadamia Nut Honey Wine was delightfully light, refreshing and tasting of honey and macadamia flowers.

Both wineries have well designed websites that are worth a visit, respectively at www.mauiwine.com and www.volcanowinery.com

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

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Beaujolais: Gamay at its Best

Monday, May 1, 20000

Santé
The Magazine for Restaurant Professionals
May-June 2000
Pages 80-82

Beaujolais: Gamay at its Best

Twice while I worked for Santé, I was asked to do all the tasting and write-ups of tasting notes, for articles written by other writers, in this case Rob Costantino. I remember it seemed odd both times that the author wasn’t tasting the wines they were referencing in the article, but hey, I got to taste lots of wines.

Reviewer’s Choice

Coudert / 1998 Fleurie Clos de la Roilette
Dark berry fruit, a touch of smoke and geraniums. A great selection with game fowl and darker poultry dishes.

Domaine Manoir du Carra / 1998 Non-Filtre
Allspice, berries, Moreno cherries and just a touch of smoke make this a great choice for grilled meats.

Louis Jadot / 1998 Moulin-à-Vent Château des Jacques
Cinnamon sticks, cloves, cocoa and orange peel, with a good does of cherries underneath. Perfect with seared pork dishes.


BEAUJOLAIS

VALUE

Pierre et Paul Duridilly
1998 Les Grandes Coasses
Upfront tobacco and blackberry aromas; good, long finish. Delightful on its own or with a grilled T-bone steak. [Michael Skurnik Wines, 516-677-9300, $88/case]

Domaine Madone
1998 Le Perreon
Very forward grapy flavors but slightly green; a trifle hot on the finish. A good, basic “burger” wine. [Michael Skurnik Wines, 516-677-9300, $96/case]

Olivier Ravier Signé
1998 Domaine des Sables d’Or
Raspberries, white pepper and a touch of green stemminess. A simple and basic quaffing wine. [Serge Doré Selections, 914-243-7950, $54/case]

BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES

VALUE

Bouchard Père & Fils
1998 Le Chamville
Sweet cherry fruit, with a touch of cinnamon oil that works well with spicy sausage dishes. [Clicquote, Inc., 212-888-7575, $85/case]

Domaine Manoir du Carra
1998 Non-Filtre
Allspice, berries, Moreno cherries and just a touch of smoke make this a great choice for grilled meats. [Kysela Père et Fils, Ltd., 540-722-9228, $80/case]

Georges Duboeuf
1998 Flower Label
White pepper and wild raspberries with a good amount of depth. Delightful with simple veal dishes. [W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd., 914-273-1221 / Winesellers, Ltd., 847-679-0120, $42/case]

Jaffelin
1998
Smoked meats, red cherries and a touch of light spice. Perfect with a charcuterie plate. [Rémy Amerique / Premiere Wine Merchants, 212-399-4200, $80/case]

Jean-Claude Boisset
1998
Smooth and velvety, good Swiss milk chocolate, with bright cherry fruit. Great wiht roast chicken or sautéed veal. [Boisset U.S.A., 800-878-1123, $72/case]

Léonard de Saint-Aubin
1998
A touch of grilled meats, with dark Amarene cherries. A nice match with lighter game dishes. [Parliament Import Co., 609-348-3690, $64/case]

Louis Jadot
1998
Yellow plums, nutmeg and a touch of black pepper. Perfect with chicken or other light poultry dishes. [Kobrand Corp., 212-490-9300, $65/case]

Maison de Lamartine
1998
Simple, grapy, lightly sweet and easily quaffable wine. A nice bar pour with casual bar snack food. [Kysela Père et Fils, Ltd., 540-722-9228, $80/case]

Prosper Maufoux
1998
Candied cherry fruit with a touch of cinnamon red hots. A tasty choice with a classic spinach and bacon salad. [The House of Burgundy, Inc., 212-247-0550, $82/case]

MODERATE

Ch. de Lavernette
1998
Red plums, fairly hot and just a touch of bubblegum. A simple quaffing wine. Great with appetizers. [Michel-Schlumberger Wines, Ltd., 707-433-7427, $112/case]

Ch. de Lavernette
1998 Beaujolais-Leynes
Dark, rich, chocolate and cherry fruit with incredible depth and spice. A great steak wine. [Michel-Schlumberger Wines, Ltd., 707-433-7427, $144/case]

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS

VALUE

Georges Duboeuf
1998 Chiroubles Flower Label
Slightly hot, with bright raspberry fruit. Delightfully simple. The perfect wine for a grilled chicken Caesar salad. [W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd., 914-273-1221 / Winesellers, Ltd., 847-679-0120, $61/case]

Georges Duboeuf
1998 Morgon Flower Label
Plums, fairly hot, and a bit of cherry eau-de-vie. An interesting choice with a cheese plate. [W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd., 914-273-1221 / Winesellers, Ltd., 847-679-0120, $61/case]

Ch. de Saint-Lager
1998 Brouilly
Red plums, spicy and a touch of floral. Nicely balanced to work with duckling or goose. [David Milligan Selections, Inc., 516-537-7126, $96/case]

Olivier Ravier Signé
1998 Côte de Brouilly Domaine de la PIerre Bleue
Milk chocolate, sour cherries, lightly floral. simple wine that would match quite well with chicken dishes. [Serge Doré Selections, 914-243-7950, $85/case]

MODERATE

Bernard Broyer
1997 Chénas
Smooth, grapy, with notes of lavender and violets. Delightful with light fish and poultry dishes. [T. Edward Wines, Ltd., 212-233-1504, $128/case]

Bernard Broyer
1998 Juliénas Vieilles Vignes
Very floral, elements of candied cherries and licorice. For lighter dishes, such as fish and seafood. [T. Edward Wines, Ltd., 212-233-1504, $128/case]

Nicole Chanrion
1998 Côte de Brouilly
Dark cherry fruit and notes of slightly sweet liqueur, quite spicy. Great choice for roasted veal. [Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, 510-524-1524, $136/case]

Coudert
1998 Fleurie Clos de la Roilette
Dark berry fruit, a touch of smoke and geraniums. A great selection with game fowl and darker poultry dishes. [Michael Skurnik Wines, 516-677-9300, $144/case]

Ch. de La Chaize
1998 Brouilly
Extremely ripe, raisiny fruit with characteristics of fresh mint. Light texture with strong sour cherry flavors and a hint of orange rind. Extremely pleasing from beginning to end. Spicy pasta dishes or pâté. [Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Co., 707-942-3357, $108/case]

Louis-Claude Desvignes
1998 Morgon Javemière
Soft plum fruit, a bit of tannin, nicely structured to work well with a grilled steak. [Michael Skurnik Wines, 516-677-9300, $136/case]

Domaine des Grand Cras
1997 Morgon
Blackberry and plum. Hot and spicy, with really wonderful structure. Perfect with game roasts. [Kysela Père et Fils, Ltd., 540-722-9228, $104/case]

Domaine Laurent Dumas et Fils
1998 Fleurie
Blackberries, floral, light smokiness and a touch hot. Definitely a choice for lighter game meats. [Jeroboam Wines, 212-625-2505, $136/case]

Domaine Sparre
1998 Moulin-à-Vent Henri De Villamont
Bittersweet chocolate, light spices and dark cherry fruit. Grilled pork and veal would be a perfect choice. [Admiral Wine Merchants, 800-582-9463, $123/case]

Joseph Drouhin
1998 Fleurie
Light and earthy, with floral notes and wild berry flavors. Lighter game and meats, preferably grilled. [Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., 212-818-0770, $141/case]

Joseph Drouhin
1998 Moulin-à-Vent
Floral aromas, with milk chocolate and light cherry fruit flavors. A nice choice with lighter poultry. [Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., 212-818-0770, $141/case]

Joseph Drouhin
1998 Brouilly
Sour cherry fruit. Tannic now, needs time. I would plan on this with a duck dinner next year. [Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., 212-818-0770, $125/case]

Joseph Drouhin
1998 Morgon
Blackberry, lightly floral and white pepper notes. Nicely balanced to go with game fowl. [Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., 212-818-0770, $122/case]

Ch. de Fuissé
1997 Morgon Charmes
Fizzy, raspberry and blackberry fruit, somewhat hot. An off-bottle but the structure is clearly there. Recommended with lighter game meats. [Frederick Wildman & Sons, Ltd., 212-355-0700, $108/case]

Jeffelin
1998 Brouilly
Milk chocolate-covered cherries, a bit high in acidity with light tannins. Needs some time, but will partner well with red meats. [Rémy Amerique/Premiere Wine Merchants, 212-399-4200, $112/case]

Louis Jadot
1998 Fleurie Château de Poncié
Geraniums and roses, fairly high acidity, raspberries. Veal and pork dishes are the way to go. [Kobrand Corp., 212-490, 9300, $120/case]

Louis Jadot
1998 Moulin-à-Vent Château des Jacques
Cinnamon sticks, cloves, cocoa and orange peel, with a good does of cherries underneath. Perfect with seared pork dishes. [Kobrand Corp., 212-490, 9300, $135/case]

Maison de Lamartine
1997 Côte de Brouilly
Bright cherry fruit, slightly high acidity, light spice. Chicken would be the best partner. [Kysela Père et Fils, Ltd., 540-722-9228, $120/case]

Raymond Mathelin et Fils
1998 Saint-Amour Domaine Touton
Plums, white pepper and a touch of floral notes. Nicely balanced to pair with lamb. [Bayfield Importing Co., 516-869-9170, $104/case]

Raymond Mathelin et Fils
1998 Fleurie Domaine des Grands Rochaux
Spicy, slightly hot, with dark berry flavors. Grilled sausage is a great match. [Bayfield Importing Co., 516-869-9170, $104/case]

Prosper Maufoux
1998 Brouilly
Quite simple, grape bubblegum flavors and aromas. Basic quaffing wine. [The House of Burgundy, Inc., 212-247-0550, $115/case]

Prosper Maufoux
1998 Moulin-à-Vent
Milk chocolate, cinnamon and cherry. A wine for simple poultry or pork dishes. [The House of Burgundy, Inc., 212-247-0550, $135/case]

Michel Tête
1998 Juliénas Clos du Fief
Candied violets, light cherry and spice. A nice wine to serve with fish. [Michael Skurnik Wines, 516-677-9300, $136/case]

Domaine Viornery
1998 Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Speciale
Lightly fizzy, spicy, Amarene cherries. Good with pork or veal chops. [Michael Skurnik Wines, 516-677-9300, $120/case]

Domaine Viornery
1998 Brouilly Cuvée Speciale
Light fizz, dark cherries and a touch of tannin. A great veal partner. [Michael Skurnik Wines, 516-677-9300, $120/case]

PREMIUM

Guy Breton
1998 Morgon Vieilles Vignes
Dark plums, spice, tannic, great concentration. A nice choice with roasted venison. [Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, 510-524-1524, $184/case]

Jean Foillard
1998 Morgon Côte du Py
Spicy, red plums and strong floral aromatics with great structure. Perfect with grilled red meats. [Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, 510-524-1524, $192/case]

Marcel Lapierre
1998 Morgon
Soft and plummy, toasty oak, light spices, a nice touch of tannin. Needs some time to develop. A great partner with roast pork. [Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, 510-524-1524, $184/case]

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Magazine articles, Santé

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Oscar hors d’oeuvres

Friday, March 3, 20000

Q San Francisco
March 2000
Pages 54-55

Oscar hors d’oeuvres
and the QSF Award for best wines of the year

The idea of the importance of wine to film seems a stretch. But my view is, any excuse to throw a party and drink a little wine is…well, any excuse. There are few films in which wine is of key importance. There is Night of the Comet, which revolves around a large, old bottle of wine, sort of. There is Days of Wine and Roses, which really doesn’t relate to wine at all. In most films, the only wine ever noted is Champagne, but that’s too easy.

As I write this, the time for the Academy Awards approaches. Nominations have been announced, and we all wait with baited breath. For nearly 70 years, someone’s been voting on the best picture, best director, best actor, best…you know the drill…and sending one film after another into the halls of immortal fame. Many of us probably haven’t seen most of them. How many of you have rented a copy of the very first film to win – Wings? How many people who happened to attend the first Oscars had actually seen it?

At least today, we can watch the awards from the comfort of our own living rooms and see clips that somebody thinks are what it’s all about. And don’t forget the costumes – of the recipients, not the people in the films… So, we have all the elements. Film, awards show, wine, costumes…hey kids, let’s put on a party!

First, the setting. Obviously you don’t want to completely redecorate just for one night’s festivities. I suppose you could string up strands of 8mm film around the sofa, and paint a bunch of Ken dolls in gold and pose them around the room. Hire some cute young pool-boy types to paint themselves gold and stand around looking Oscar-ish. I like to let my friends be the decoration. Ask them to come as their favorite film stars or in a fabulous costume that Cher or Sally Fields or Angela Lansbury would wear. Perhaps one, or all of them, or even you, could wrap yourselves in celluloid – or the pool-boys. The possibilities are endless.

Next, the show. You need a television set. Big would be good. You do plan to invite dozens of your absolutely best friends to this soirée, don’t you?

In my view, the important part is always the food and wine. But that’s just me. Regardless, I’m going to inflict this view on you. How about some party snacks? I give you one of my favorite, reasonably easy to make, hors d’oeurves.

Smoked Tomato Cheesecakes

Crust:

3 sticks unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Whip the butter, sugar and salt together in a mixer until light and fluffy. Sift the flour and spices together and mix into the butter mixture. Press out into a pan approximately 12″ by 16″ and 1″ or more deep. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, just enough to set the crust.

Filling:

4 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (reconstitute in olive oil if dry-packed)
4 eggs
Fresh marjoram

Mix the cream sheese, salt, flour, lemon juice and liquid smoke together till thoroughly blended. Whip in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the tomatoes. Pour filling over the crust. Bake at 450°F for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 250°F. Continue baking for another 20 minutes and then check. Depending on the exact size of the pan and the depth of the filling, let it cook until lightly browned on top and the filling is solid.

Cool and then cut shapes either by knife or cookie cutter. Decorate each piece with a leaf of fresh marjoram.

gardineAnd now, my own little awards show. The Oscars for best wines of 1999. All votes are my own and do not reflect the whims of the Academy. These are wines that should be currently available – I didn’t think it fair to include older wines that may be impossible to find. Sample them yourself and cast your own votes.

Best Domestic Wine from a White Grape – Matthew’s Semillon, Yakima Valley, Washington

Best Domestic Wine from a Red Grape – Oliver Caldwell Zinfandel “Aida Vineyard”, Napa, California

Best Foreign Wine from a White Grape – Domaine Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Vin, Alsace, France

Best Foreign Wine from a Red Grape – Roger Belland Santenay Premier Cru “Gravières”, Burgundy, France

Best White Wine Featuring Bubbles – Krug “Grande Cuvée”, Champagne, France

Best Pink Wine Featuring Bubbles – Pommery “Cuvée Louise” Rosé Brut, Champagne, France

Best Red Wine Featuring Bubbles – Peter Rumball Sparkling Shiraz, South Australia

Best Wine Featured as a Dessert – Alois Kracher Trockenbeerenauslese “No. 12”, Burgenland, Austria

Best Packaging for a Wine – Vranken Demoiselle “Cuvée Twenty-One”, Champagne, France

Best Wine – Château de la Gardine Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe “Cuvée des Generations”, Rhône Valley, France

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

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Magazine articles, Q San Francisco

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