A Good Read

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

"the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable."

Food & Wine

(this is a third post in a series of posts on wine tasting. The second in this series A Nose Is A Nose 3-16-2010 and the first Wine Tasting At First Sight 2-13-10)

Food and wine pairings are a dichotomy-they are either too simple or too complex. Food and wine are meant to be savored since one enhances the other.
The basic idea is to fuse two flavors to create a third, as simple as that. I think that the only wrong choice of food and wine is serving no wine at all. Wines follow a natural progression. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when planning a large multicourse meal. This is a favorite verse to remember which comes first:

Old before Young

Dry before Sweet

White before Red

Light before Full 

Simple before Complex 

Champagne anytime and with anyone!

Wine and cheese..what can I say? Its like peas and carrots, George and Gracie, a wink and a smile. Soft cheeses are usually creamy and milky in texture so they can be served with demi-sec Champagne, Moscato di Asti, Riesling and Sauternes. Hard cheeses pair well with reds due to the fat and protein content softening by the tannins of the red wine. Bordeaux,Cabs, Barolo (my personal favorite) Burgundy, Merlot or Barbaresco. They pair well with fresh meat, sausages and breads. If you would like to serve a white, stay on the heavier side with a Chardonnay, Viognier, Meursault, or even a full bodied Blanc de Noirs Champagne. Blue cheese pairs well with sweet wines. The powerful flavor of the cheese dominates dry white wines while their creaminess cannot stand up to the light tannins of medium bodied red wines. Sauternes, Moscato d'Asti, Vin Santo, Greman Kabinett and the classic match of Stilton Bleu and Port (I always serve almonds with this) For a red, try Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Dolcetto. Goat cheeses go well with crisp young whites or reds such as Savignon Blanc, Sancerre, or Chianti and Sanviogese. (I serve with toasted buttered baguette slices)

Picnic or grilled food over charcoals can be paired well with wines that have a lower body and alcohol content due to the warmer temperatures of outdoor parties. Try Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Alsace for whites. Beaujolais, Grenache, and although I haven't paired these myself yet, I am told that a slightly chilled red wine from the Rhone Valley or Languedoc-Roussillon are perfect for a beach picnic.  I like a light freshly mixed Sangria for outdoor functions. 

Meat and fish cooked over charcoals require a somewhat heavier body. I like Syrah or Pinot Noir with grilled hamburgers. Bordeaux or Zinfandel with steak. Grilled fish can be served with Chardonnay (One favorite pairing of mine especially when oak is noted in the wine, it pairs nicely with smokey overtones in grilled food including grilled portobellos or vegetables) 

Dessert wines are ,to me, the "nectar of the gods". They pair well with alot of startes such as foie gras and various pates. (I pair these wines with Thai and Szechwan food). Dessert wine rules are easy-match the color of the wine to the dessert. Deep dark desserts will go best with dark dessert wines like Port or a lesser known wine Banyuls. Lighter colored dessert wines match better with fruit desserts. There is always the option of choosing a dessert wine as the dessert.
Here's to the warm weather and good friends sharing good things. Cheers!

Loving the look of this

North By Northwest

 Brideshead Revisited

Breakfast At Tiffany's

Paper Moon

"What You Resist Persists"

The very nature of our constitution gives us certain inalienable rights and I love my country for all of its faults and diversities because it is proof of how well it works.
But i am becoming more and more disappointed in how we communicate our ideas.

Sarah Palin's PAC Facebook page shows a map of the US and crosshairs (that you see when looking through a rifle) that represents Congressmen/women that voted for the healthcare reform bill.
Despicable.
Every person on that list is a mother, father, sister or brother. They are people, just like you and me. Here stands a civic duty to stop this kind of hate.
Violence begets violence.
Mother Theresa once said she would not attend a war rally during the Vietnam war because it was just that a "war rally". She said she would attend if it was a "peace" rally. Mother Theresa knew that even though the idea was to promote peace at the war rally, the mere fact that the event was called a "war" rally discouraged peace.
In The Secret it is explained.
"So if you are anti-war be pro-peace instead. If you're anti-hunger, be pro-people having more than enough to eat. If you are anti-a particular politician, be pro-his opponent. Often elections are tipped in favor of the person that the people are really against, because he's getting all the energy and all the focus.
So now that its said and done Im moving on.
Concentrating on the solution.
Life is meant to be abundant and so the answer lies in compromise.
The health care reform bill is not the solution. History has shown that competition drives down cost not government interference. Affordability is the issue. If a person with a pre-existing condition has enough money, he gets coverage. Quality healthcare should not be determined by wealth. As Americans we should measure our success on the conditions of our poorest.
The best indication of a person's character is how she/he treats people who can't do her/him any good and how she/he treats people who can't fight back.
A deep sense of self respect is what is required now from all of our leaders.
Evolve to higher thinking or re-read  "Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten".

macarons

a delicate eggshell crust+
an airy creamy center+
sweet and savory fillings=
a perfect french macaron

payard chocolate bar
francois payard

paulette macarons
paulette macarons

madeleine's adeline patisserie
la mason du macaron

melange sucre

A Nose Is A Nose

(this post is the second in a series-see post Saturday, Feb 13, 2010 titled "Wine Tasting At First Sight. The third in this series will discuss taste and will be posted in the first week of April)
flavor (n); "the element in the taste of a substance which depends greatly on the cooperation of the sense of smell." (Oxford English Dictionary)
In wine tasting and evaluation, the sense of smell is a crucial aspect in determining the overall quality of a wine as well as it's taste.
When describing aromas, there are two key points to remember. The first aspect described should be the intensity of the aroma. Is it highly aromatic? powerful and inviting? or subtle and subdued? The second aspect should be the description of what did the wine's aroma remind you of? The character.
Varietals are recognized by specific aromas. The better the wine quality, the more apparent are the scents to the taster.  Aroma is the smell of the grapes used to make the wine.  Malolactic fermentation produces a butterscotch aroma (natural or added bacteria converts crisp malic acid (as in apples) into softer lactic acid (as in milk)-while aging in oak barrels contributes vanilla and clove notes to Chardonnay and most reds.
In contrast, Savignon Blanc is recognizable by its varietal herbaceousness (grass, bell pepper, eucalyptus).

Characteristic Wine Aromas 

Caramel
Butterscotch, Honey, Chocolate, Molasses
As found in Sauternes, Cali Chardonnay, and French Puligny-Montrachet.


Earthy
Moldy, Mushroom, Dusty, Chalky, Mineral
Used to describe Red Burgundy, Zinfandel or some fine examples of California Pinot Noir.

Floral
Violet, Rose, Orange Blossom
Some examples are Chenin Blanc, Vouvray and Sancerre.

Fruity
Tree Fruit (Apple, Pear, Peach)
Tropical Fruit (Pineapple, Melon, Banana)
Citrus Fruit (Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Lime)
Red Fruit (Cherry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Currant)
Dark Fruit (Blackberry, Blueberry, Plum, Raisin)
Found in reds such as Beaujolais, Merlot and Pinot Noir

Herbaceous or Vegetative
Fresh (Cut Green Grass, Bell Pepper, Eucalyptus)
Canned/Cooked (Green beans, Asparagus, Green or Black Olive, Artichoke)
Dried (Tea, Tobacco)
As in Savignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewirztraminer.

Nutty
Walnut, Hazelnut, Almond
Sherries, Maursault and a few Madeiras.

Spicy
Licorice, Anise, Black Pepper, Cloves
Shiraz, Cali Zinfandels, Rhone wines.

Woody
Burnt (Smoky, Coffee)
Woody (Oak, Cedar, Vanilla)
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon   

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