Non-Rant: Embracing Food/Drink Friends

"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship."
--Thomas Aquinas 

After the Thanksgiving holiday, having enjoyed two delicious dinners and still in an excellent mood, then I don't think today is appropriate for a Rant. So, instead, I'm posting a Non-Rant, highlighting something which makes everyone happy, and something which I probably don't devote enough attention on my blog. 

Let's talk about friendship.

“Of all possessions, a friend is the most precious.”
--Herodotus

It's a given that the circumstances surrounding us when we eat and drink will affect, positively or negatively, our perception of that food and drink. If you're vacationing in Europe, drinking local wine at a picturesque cafe, you'll probably think the wine is stunning, partially a reaction to your amazing surroundings. If you had that same wine at a dirty, noisy and crowded little restaurant, you might not enjoy it as much. The same applies to food as well, as dishes you enjoy at an exotic vacation destination may taste better than if you had that same dish at a local spot. 

Besides your surroundings, the people with you at the time will also play a significant role in your enjoyment. When you are dining with the people you most love, such as close friends, you're more likely to have a better overall experience. Your food and drink often tastes better because of those friends. 

“The greatest sweetener of human life is friendship.”
--Joseph Addison

As I have repeatedly said before, good food and drink is even better when shared. My best dining and drinking experiences have always been with good friends and/or family. I sincerely hope that you have at least one good friend who enhances your own dining and drinking experiences. I suspect many people who shared Thanksgiving with good friends enjoyed their food and drink even more. Maybe you should even thank those friends for enriching your life. I also hope that you do the same for your own friends, making their own food and drink taste better. Appreciate the friends in your lives and make your life even better. Without friends, your life is empty and shallow.

In addition, with inspiration and thanks to Gary Goldblatt, food-lover and friend, I want to note that being a good food/drink friend can also entail sharing your knowledge and experience with your friends. For example, you can introduce your friends to different cuisines or different wines. And hopefully they will reciprocate, introducing you to new food and drink experiences as well. And be willing to share your knowledge of food and drink with interested strangers as well, as they might then become friends.   

Cherish your food and drink friends, and try to be a better one yourself.

"Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief."
--Marcus Tullius Cicero

Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

Today, all across America, many of us will celebrate Thanksgiving. This year is an excellent time to remember the deeper meaning of the day. Beyond the turkey and pecan pie, the stuffing and cranberry sauce, the doughnuts and mashed potatoes, Thanksgiving is a day for reflection upon our lives, to ponder and be thankful for all of the positive things in our lives. 

We need to appreciate the goodness in our lives, to be happy with everything we have (and I don't mean in a material sense). No matter what troubles or adversities we might face in our lives, I am absolutely sure there is also much to bring us joy.

That is especially true during these troubling times. We need to embrace the positivity that we do possess, rather than wallow in despair. We must see hope in the future, and we must cherish the good in our lives. Our focus today, and actually how it should be every day, should be on the positive aspects of our lives. 

Savoring the positive in our lives can brighten the darker parts of our lives, and place everything in perspective. Complaining and criticizing often accomplishes little and instead we should concentrate on solutions. We can make our lives better if we truly desire to do so. It may take time and effort, but we can accomplish much with a positive mindset.

I am thankful for many other things in my life, including family, friends, health, and much more. I am thankful for all my blog readers. It would take too long to list every single thing I am thankful for here, but I will take the time to reflect upon all of them today. I will try not to dwell on the negative elements in my life. It will hopefully be a day of appreciation and reflection, of hope and a brighter future.

I fervently hope that everyone else can embrace the positive, rather than dwelling on the negative. Share your positive feelings with your family and friends. Tell them that you love them, thank them for being in your life. You might not be able to see them in person this year, but see them on the computer, or talk to them on the phone. You'll never regret sharing your feelings with your loved ones.

I'm going to enjoy a couple days of delicious drinking and eating with family. I'll open a couple of special wines, enjoy some amazing food, and savor the day. And I'll spend time remembering everything I should be thankful for in my life. I hope my readers do the same.

Wednesday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a special Wednesday edition (due to the holiday tomorrow) of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) For the Christmas holidays:

Situated on the rooftop of The Newbury Boston, Contessa Boston, overlooks the city skyline and brings the flavors of Northern Italy to Boston. On Christmas Day, guests can enjoy family-style dining ($195 per person). To start, the antipasti for the table includes Burrata with Caviar; Carciofi, featuring shaved artichokes, crushed almonds, Parmigiano, and lemon; or the Chianina Beef Carpaccio. For the primi course, guests may choose either Spicy Lobster Rigatoni or Fettuccine Bolognese. The secondi course features either a choice of Prime Rib or Grilled Mediterranean Branzino. To end on a sweet note, enjoy either Nutella Fudge Cake or Panettone. Reservations are available from 12pm-8pm on Christmas Day, so please call (617) 741-3404. 

Matria Boston, the Northern Italian–inspired steakhouse at InterContinental Boston, is celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with a dedicated holiday menu. In addition to Matria’s full menu, guests can enjoy a selection of Christmas specials, including the Seafood Tower ($120), featuring 18 oysters, 10 jumbo shrimp, and a whole lobster (1.5 lbs.); Cinnamon Clove Rubbed Lamb Rack ($62), with smoked chestnut purée, brown butter, roasted heirloom carrots, and ginger–kumquat marmalade; Seared Venison Tenderloin ($58), with herb-roasted root vegetables, black truffle gratin potatoes, and fig–pear–pomegranate compote; and Lobster and Truffle Gnocchi ($42), featuring homemade gnocchi with fontina cheese, Parmesan, black pepper, and toasted hazelnuts. Reservations are available on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 4:30pm-10pm, so please call (617) 217-5151. 

2) For New Year's Eve: 

Situated on the rooftop of The Newbury Boston, Contessa Boston, overlooks the city skyline and brings the flavors of Northern Italy to Boston. On New Year's Eve, guests can enjoy a family-style dining experience ($295 per person). To start, the antipasti for the table includes Burrata & Caviar Bruschetta, Black Truffle Carpaccio, Asparagus & Avocado Salad, or Squash Blossoms. For the primi course, guests may choose either Spicy Lobster Rigatoni or Truffle Ricotta Gnudi. The secondi course features Jumbo Prawns, Dover Sole Piccata, Wagyu Ribeye, or Veal Milanese. To end on a sweet note, guests can enjoy either Mocha Tiramisu or Lemon Chiffon Cake. Reservations are available from 5pm-10:30pm on New Year's Eve., so please call (617) 741-3404. 

Matria Boston, the Northern Italian–inspired steakhouse at InterContinental Boston, is celebrating New Year’s Eve with a dedicated holiday-themed menu. In addition to Matria’s full menu, guests can enjoy the following New Year’s Eve specials: the Seafood Tower ($120), featuring 18 oysters, 10 jumbo shrimp, and a whole lobster (1.5 lbs.); Truffle Chestnut Porcini Bisque ($17), made with parmesan tegula; Cinnamon Clove Rubbed Lamb Rack ($62), served with smoked chestnut purée, brown butter, roasted heirloom carrots, and ginger-kumquat marmalade; and Roasted Truffle Lobster ($59): a whole Maine lobster with Parmigiano, lump crab, white wine tarragon, and shaved truffles. To end the evening on a sweet note, guests can indulge in the Golden White Mountain Chestnut dessert ($15), featuring chestnut confit, hazelnut praline, and Manjari dark chocolate mousse. Reservations for New Year’s Eve are available from 4:30pm-10pm, so please call (617) 217-5151. 

Akashi-Tai Daiginjo Genshu Sake: Only Available at Karma in Winchester

There's a delicious, new Sake in Massachusetts but it's only available at Karma Asian Fusion Cuisine, in Winchester. It's a "Karma Private Label Sake," a Daiginjo Genshu from the Akashi Sake Brewery. It took over a year of development to make this project come to fruition. I recently enjoyed lunch at Karma, and made sure to try some of the exclusive Sake. They have a display of the Sake bottle on their bar (pictured above), and I especially love the Patriot's glasses on either side of the Sake. And the Sake was absolutely delicious! Even my dining companion, who generally dislikes Sake, enjoyed the taste. 

The Akashi Sake Brewery, a family business, was founded in 1856 and is located in the port city of Akashi in the Hyogo Prefecture. This Prefecture is a well-known Sake region, the birthplace of the famed Yamadanishiki rice, considered the "King" of Sake rice. Some of the most famous Sake regions are also located in Hyogo. Their current Toji, master Sake brewer, is Kimio Yonezawa, and their website states, "An innovator at heart, Kimio Yonezawa follows the way of “kakushin” (meaning radical innovation in Japanese), yet does so with absolute respect for the ingredients of the region, only ever making sake in small batches."

Kimio Yonezawa also states, “my goal is to create a sake with real personality.” He continues, “A luxurious, bodied, generous sake, with a lot of depth and great aromatic intensity, which makes you want to savour the tasting. I also wanted a sake that reveals its origins and the calming influences of the sea. I have spent much of my life searching for that magic moment, when the flavour of sake pairs with that of the food, creating a perfect balance.” Finally, he has also said, "To produce sake with character, you need three ingredients: the best local rice from the Hyogo prefecture, an artisanal method and a lot of passion."

A symbol of the brewery is the Tai, which means "sea bream" in Japanese. In the U.S., sea bream is sometimes called "red snapper," though that's incorrect as red snapper is actually a different fish. Sea bream are common in the waters of the coast of Akashi, and they use it as a lucky symbol as their "brewery has survived against the fierce currents of time and change since 1856." An image of the sea bream is depicted on the front label of their Sake bottles.    

The Akashi-Tai Daiginjo Genshu is an iconic Sake, but it hasn't been available for retail in the U.S. since 2019. So, now it's available in the U.S., but only at Karma, available by the glass for $17, or in a 300ml bottle for $55. It's a Honjozo Sake, meaning it's brewed from only 5 ingredients: rice, water, yeast, koji-kin mold, and brewer's alcohol. The brewer's alcohol is used to bring out certain flavors and aromas, and does not make the Sake more alcoholic. It's also made from Yamadanishiki rice, the King of Sake Rice, which has been milled down to only 38%. This Sake is a Daiginjo, the highest quality grade, which requires the rice to be polished down to at least 50%, so this Sake has been polished even more. It's also a Genshu, meaning it hasn't been diluted down by water, but has a 17% ABV, which is actually lower than many other Genshu, which can be around 20% ABV. 

I found this Sake to have an appealing fruity aroma (especially stone fruit), with a touch of floral notes. On the palate, it was absolutely delicious, complex and fruity, with subtle hints of floral elements. It was dry, with a medium-body, and a lengthy finish. It has a taste profile which should appeal to many people, even those new to Sake, or even those who claim they dislike Sake. This Sake could easily be enjoyed on its own, sipping with good friends, but it also would pair well with a variety of foods. It worked very well with the Sushi I had for lunch, but also went well with Crispy Chicken & Shrimp Wontons. The brewery also recommends that it pairs well with "Lamb or duck with a rich sauce, Oysters and other seafood, Marinated salmon and all types of sushi and sashimi." 

I recommend you dine at Karma in Winchester and order some of the Akashi-Tai Daiginjo Genshu Sake. Their Lunch Specials are an excellent and tasty deal, and the Sake would well complement the dishes.

Rant: Boring Customers Lead To Boring Restaurants

Last week, the Michelin Guide announced their results for the Boston+ area, the first year they have done so. Obviously, the list came with controversy, and plenty of people, including myself, felt they omitted some top-notch restaurants. 311 Omakase received the only Michelin Star, while six restaurants received Bib Gourmand designations, which emphasizes high quality food at a reasonable price. It's interesting that four of those six restaurants serve Asian cuisine while the other two serve Italian. Nineteen other restaurants were listed as Michelin Recommendations. 

Rather than address those restaurants which I believe should have received Michelin recognition, or deserved a Star rather than a mere Recommendation, I want to address another issue which has been raised during discussions about the Michelin Guide in Boston. 

Boring Restaurants!   

Some claim that Boston has too many boring restaurants, that innovation doesn't receive sufficient attention. Is that true? And if it's true, what is the reason for those boring restaurants? And if so, how can we change that situation?

First, we can all agree that operating a restaurant is a significant challenge, especially in these economic times, when finding good help is difficulty, the prices of food ingredients are high, rents are out of control, and liquor license prices can also be very high. Most restaurants operate on slim margins, especially the small, independent spots. So, it can be difficult to run a creative and innovative restaurant if you can't attract sufficient customers.  

And creativity and innovation is often resisted by boring customers. Too many people eat only a limited variety of meat and seafoods. Too many people are unwilling to try different cuisines, or different dishes, that are outside their normal intake or comfort level. For example, there are people who refuse to dine at an Italian restaurant unless it has chicken parmigiana on the menu. I've seen Italian restaurants cave into these customers, adding the dish to their menu, so they won't lose the business.   

A hundred years ago or so, Americans were more adventurous with their palates but that has been changing over time. We need to return to that prior time, to be more adventurous in our palates, being open to experience new foods. If we do, then maybe more creative restaurants can flourish rather than struggle.   

Consider that Americans primarily eat three animals: cows, pigs, and chickens. Approximately 10 billion animals are slaughtered in the U.S. annually, and almost 9 billion of them are chickens. Most Americans restrict their consumption to such a limited choice. Instead of chicken, why not expand your palate to include duck, quail, goose, squab, pheasant, and guinea hens? As for other meats, go beyond beef and pork, and try animals such as bison, elk, venison, rabbit, wild boar, lamb, goat, or go even more exotic with items like kangaroo, snake, yak, llama, and more. Did you know that the USDA has stated that Rabbit is the most nutritious meat?  At the very least, you should seek out more heritage and special breeds of cows and pigs, from Wagyu cattle to Mangalitsa pigs. 

As for seafood, most of it consumed by Americans is limited to 10 different types, including Shrimp, Salmon, Tuna, Tilapia, Alaska Pollock, Pangasius, Cod, Crab, Catfish, and Clams. With our proximity to the coast and access to the vast bounty of the sea, our seafood consumption should range much wider. We have so many other options available to us. Why not venture out to consume more mussels, dogfish, sardines, mackerel, fluke, and much more?  

Let's also consider restaurant drink programs. Too many people demand to find California Chardonnay on a restaurant wine list. By catering to this demand, and other similar ones, wine lists can become very boring. Fortunately, there some courageous restaurants, such as A Tavola and Krasi, which have taken a bold stance, restricting their wines to a single country, the country of their chosen cuisine. Would you expect to find a Neapolitan pizza on the menu at a Sushi restaurant? No. Would you expect to find a cheeseburger on the menu of a Spanish tapas restaurant? No. In a similar vein, diners shouldn't expect that a restaurant, concentrating on a specific cuisine, will carry wines from all regions of the world. Diners need to be more adventurous, willing to try different wines from the popular Chardonnay, Cabernet or Sauvignon Blanc. 

Why have Americans become so boring with their food choices? Primarily, it's a psychological issue, and rarely a taste issue. Customers "think" they won't like a meat, seafood, or wine, even though they have not tasted it. They choose to stick with the familiar rather than take a risk. They get into a rut, always ordering the same dish at specific types of restaurants. However, by doing so, they compel some restaurants to conform to their boring tastes, and the industry overall suffers. Restaurants would like to take more chances, but it needs to be financially viable. And with too many boring customers, the risk isn't often worth it.   

Stop being so boring, and let your palate take an adventure. Let more Boston restaurants embrace creativity and innovation!