Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
Last night, I held a small dinner party for a friend’s birthday. Since I’ve known him, he’s talked about his mother’s coq au vin, so I decided to fix the traditional French dish for his birthday. In French, coq au vin means “rooster with wine”). It’s a rustic French braised dish of chicken cooked in wine, lardons, mushrooms, and garlic. For guidance, I turned […]
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In honor of Mardi Gras on February 21st, I’m offering this simple and delicious etouffée recipe. In French, the word “étouffée” means “smothered”. In Louisiana, food that is “smothered” is usually simmered in a small amount of liquid creating a thickened sauce that is served over rice. The base for any good etouffée is the ‘holy […]
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Last night, I had the pleasure of joining a group of wine writers for an online tasting of Chocolate Red Wine by Chocolate Shop. I admit I was a bit pessimistic about yet another flavored wine, but this one surprised me. The wine is a blend of multiple grapes (Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc…) that’s […]
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The pale yellow color of this French Burgundy is deceiving. On the nose, it shows bright lemony and freshly cut grass aromas. In the mouth, it’s bright and crisp with Meyer lemon and Asian pear flavors. Pairings: Salmon tartare, sauteed white-flesh fish, white pizza. Style: White Grape Type(s): Chardonnay Region: Burgundy, France Around $19
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Did I have high expectations from a wine from an ornate bright blue bottle? Not really. Was I pleasantly surprised when I got a taste? Yes. This inexpensive German Riesling offers juicy ripe apple and floral notes on the nose that got me excited to take a first sip. In the mouth, it’s moderately sweet […]
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Laurent Miquel produces Viognier exclusively and from sipping this affordable little number, I’d say he knows what he’s doing. On the nose, it’s hugely fragrant with lots of intense floral notes jumping out of the glass. In the mouth, it continues on the floral path with ripe pear and peach flavors. Pairings: Raw oysters or […]
[Continue reading...]Are you planning a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner at home or need a sparkling wine to bring to a local BYO? Here are five sparkling wines under $25 to toast Valentine’s Day with: 2009 Jagdschloss Spatburgunder Brut Rose (Rheingau, Germany) – beautiful light pink in the glass with tons of tiny bubbles. Aromas and flavors of […]
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For my birthday, my mom gave me a copy of The Art of Living According to Joe Beef. Joe Beef is one of Montreal’s culinary gems and its book reads like a gastronomical novel – it’s just beautiful in content and images. One of the recipes I knew I had to immediately try is the BBQ […]
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Beautifully-made Napa Cabernet. Deep purple in the glass, this wine displays a deep berry, very fragrant nose in the glass. In the mouth, it’s rich and well-balanced with plummy qualities and traces of coffee and cocoa. Wish I could put a couple cases in my cellar to drink in 10 years. Pairings: Grilled beef. Cheese […]
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By now, if you’ve read my posts, you know I’m a huge fan of Smashburger (http://bit.ly/bOgEKa and http://bit.ly/ahbqNg). I’m excited about the latest opening in northern New Jersey of the East Hanover location. Here are three things to note about the newest outpost: First, the space is large and ideally located in the most prominent […]
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