Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting wine and food items that are upcoming. **********************************************************
1) On July 23, at 6:30pm, Legal Harborside will team up with Michelle DeFeo, Executive Vice President of Laurent-Perrier, for an exclusive four-plus-course champagne dinner. Founded in 1812, the French estate has over two centuries of experience in the industry. With such expansive and rich lands, Laurent-Perrier had the essential foundations required to produce superior champagnes which lead to create a full-fledged estate. The picturesque village of Tours-sur-Marne is ideally situated at the crossroads of the three successful wine growing areas: the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs. Laurent-Perrier is continuously hailed for their combination of traditional and new approaches as well as their ability to capture their distinct personality. Time and time again, their selections of champagne are celebrated for their historic style and consistency.

The menu will be presented as follows:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Bruléed Figs, Serrano Jamón
Kusshi Oyster, Agave Yuzu Sorbet
Lobster Beignet, Louis Sauce
Deviled Egg, Salmon Mousse, Salmon Roe
Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut, NV
FIRST COURSE
Seared Diver Scallop (Edamame Succotash, Miso Corn Velouté)
Laurent-Perrier Brut, NV
Laurent-Perrier Brut, 2004
SECOND COURSE
Grilled Tuna (Pickled Cherries, Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato)
Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut, NV
THIRD COURSE
Vanilla & Star Anise Poached Halibut (Braised Bok Choy, Verjus-Lemongrass Emulsion)
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle, NV
DESSERT COURSE
Nectarine Clafoutis (Honey Chantilly)
Laurent-Perrier Demi-Sec, NV

COST: $145 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9470

2) The Painted Burro is honoring one of America’s greats (and arguably one of its thirstiest) – Ernest Hemingway. Using locally distilled Privateer Rum as a base, the bar staff is shaking up a menu of signature daiquiris – one featured each night of the week – inspired by Hemingway’s works and travels. The creative combos of Privateer Rum, citrus and sugar all lead up to the ultimate National Daiquiri Day bash on Saturday, July 19 from 3pm-5pm, where guests will enjoy passed apps and daiquiri education free of charge including lessons on how to craft the perfect daiquiri and take-home recipe cards.

The “Summer Daiquiri Days” menu includes:
--Privateer Silver, Lime Juice, Pink Peppercorn Syrup, Peach Purée, Firewater, Peach Bitters, Splash of Rose Water
--Privateer Silver, Pineapple Simple, Luxardo Maraschino, Lime
--Privateer Silver Infused with Earl Grey, Sugar, Peach Purée

3) On Tuesday, July 15, from 8pm-12am, Beat Hôtel will transport diners to South America during “Cool Peru,” an evening featuring traditional Peruvian menu items and music from international superstar Damaris Mallma Porras.

Guests can begin their Peruvian experience with a dinner featuring the culinary style of Executive Chef Ignacio Lopez. In addition to the regular menu, Chef Lopez will be serving up several authentic Peruvian-flavored dishes. Guests can choose from a wide selection of appetizers including yellowtail ceviche, with lime, aji and sweet corn and Peruvian seafood stew with local shellfish, ginger and cilantro. Popular entrées reflecting the national heritage of the region include Peruvian roasted chicken, with papas Peruanas and chimichurri and stuffed spicy peppers, with seasonal squash, corn, tofu, and spicy cheese sauce, while the bar will be shaking up Pisco Sours.

The celebration wouldn’t be complete without live music. Guests can expect a special performance by internationally-known Peruvian folk singer, Damaris Mallma Porras from 8:00PM-12:00AM. Damaris is a renowned representative of contemporary Andean music, which is a mix of the traditional Indian language Quechua and modern pop music. She has received several industry honors, including the “Gaviota de Plata” (Silver Gull) for her song “Tusuykusun” during the 49th edition of the Viña del Mar International Song Festival.

For reservations, call 617-499-0001.

4) Prezza is welcoming summer by revamping their menu to include seasonal returns and newcomers. Chef & Owner Anthony Caturano now is dishing out the tastes of summer in New England laced with classic Italian home cooking that emanate fresh and full-bodied flavors. Chef Caturano also is debuting a new dish that is fresh-caught from his frequent fishing expeditions in the Atlantic.

For appetizers, Chef Caturano has added options such as Soft Shell Crab (fennel, orange segments, cucumber, lemon aioli - $16), a Salumi Plate (lomo, coppa, sopressata, speck, roasted peppers, truffle pecorino, pickled mushrooms - $18) and Burrata (English peas, fava beans, pea tendrils, cherry tomatoes, mint - $16). Handmade pastas that will make an encore performance this summer include the Potato Gnocchi (lobster, amaro cream, fava beans, tarragon, pancetta, crushed hazelnuts - $18/$36), Pea Ravioli (English peas, Jones ham, mint, mascarpone, parmigiano cheese - $17/$34) and Corn Raviolini (pancetta, corn, rock shrimp, white wine, garlic, butter, parmigiano cheese - $18/$36).

From the oven, Chef Caturano now will dish out Mahi Mahi (fennel puree, grilled radicchio, corn - $28) and Cod Oreganata (rock shrimp, white wine, pea tendrils, fava beans, English peas - $28). Chef Caturano, an avid fisher with his commercial bass license, also will be bringing his fresh-caught Roasted Wild Striped Bass (white beans, guanciale, braised cherry tomatoes - $32) to the menu straight from the seas.

As one of the few North End restaurants to create and execute their own desserts, Prezza has added Zeppoles (honey, salted walnuts - $12) and Strawberry & Rhubarb Cobbler (vanilla bean ice cream - $12) to their list of nine desserts.

For reservations, please call 617-227-1577.

5) The staff at Kenmore Square cocktail lounge The Hawthorne is calling class into session to help guests of all levels learn everything from the fundamentals of mixing the perfect cocktail to mastering large-batch drinks with a three-day series covering mixology necessities. The interactive classes include:

Day 1: The Basic Formulas
Many of the original classic cocktails use simple ratios – a Sour is a 2:1:1, a Manhattan 2:1 and a Negroni is equal parts. Mixing alongside Jackson Cannon, The Hawthorne’s Co-Owner and Bar Director, guests will get a hands-on experience in making basic cocktails such as a Gimlet, a Bee’s Knees and a Vieux Carre.

Day 2: Variations on a Theme
Maybe guests already have the basics down and it’s time to take their drink making to the next level. In this class, attendees will learn to assess their home bars and easily alter the three basic formulas for a variety of delicious and time-honored variations. Guests will leave understanding how to evaluate a home bar and design a cocktail menu from the ingredients around them.

Day 3: Drinks for a Crowd
Now it’s time to learn how to make a drink for a crowd. Here The Hawthorne’s experts will go over the difficulties in scaling up, best practices for batching a large cocktail and a few great tips for a killer punch. Come ready to get your hands wet creating Chatham Artillery Punch and a batched Daiquiri.

WHEN: Tuesday, July 15 – Thursday, July 17, 6pm-7:30pm
TICKETS: $30/person for one class or $75/person for all three; includes a hands on learning experience and cocktail tasting with light snacks.
To buy tickets, visit: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/raise-the-bar-foundations-and-formulas-for-better-drink-making-tickets-12083966469?aff=PR INFO: For more information, call 617-532-9150.

6) On July 22, at 6:30pm, Legal Sea Foods in Park Square will host a wine dinner with Beckmen Estate Vineyards. Founded in 1994, this family-operated estate located in Santa Barbara County is one of the highest regarded vineyards in California that produces world-class wines. Beckmen Vineyards produces a full line of exceptional estate-grown Rhone varietals including Syrah, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rose, Marsanne, and the Cuvee Le Bec blend. Today, that quality is still reflected in its wines by the adoption of biodynamic farming practices which ultimately captures the unique flavors of the region.

Legal Sea Foods will team up with Winemaker, Steve Beckman, to host a four-plus-course dinner. The menu will be presented as follows:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Salmon Tartare, Tangerine Aioli, Toasted Brioche
Blackened Tuna Cucumber Cup, Dill Crème Fraîche
Prosciutto, Pepper, Stuffed Crimini Mushroom
Beckmen Estate “Purisima Mountain Vineyard” Grenache Rosé, Santa Ynez Valley, 2013
FIRST COURSE
Cherrywood Smoked Mahi Mahi (Fiddlehead Ferns, Caramelized Mushroom Salad, Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette)
Beckmen Estate “Cuvee Le Bec,” Santa Ynez Valley, 2011
SECOND COURSE
Pan Roasted Wild King Salmon (Golden Beets, Watercress, Arugula Salad, Strawberry Vinaigrette)
Beckmen Estate “Purisima Mountain Vineyard” Grenache, Santa Ynez Valley, 2013
THIRD COURSE
Hickory Wood Grilled Veal Chop (Demi-Glace, Morel Mushroom Risotto, Herb Butter Sauce)
Beckmen Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley, 2011
Beckmen Estate “Purisima Mountain Vineyard” Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley, 2011
DESSERT COURSE
Peach Cobbler (Honey Oatmeal Crumbs, Ricotta Ice Cream)
Beckmen Estate Late Harvest Roussanne, Santa Ynez Valley, 2009

COST: $75 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9397

Thelonious Monkfish: A New Sake Menu

Sake lovers need to trek to Central Square in Cambridge, to check out the new Sake selection at Thelonious Monkfish, a restaurant specializing in Sushi & Asian Fusion. Their tagline is "Jazz for the Palate because we love to jam on Asian culinary themes." Now, while enjoying some of their delicious food, you can also pair it with one of their new Sakes, or even try out a special Sake flight.

The restaurant hired me to develop a new Sake menu for them, as well as to give a crash course in Sake to their staff. Based on their needs and the availability from their suppliers, we have introduced 10 new Sakes to their list, and they have retained several other Sakes from their prior menu. We have tried to present some of the diversity of Sake types, as well as keep the prices to a reasonable level. Generally, none of the Sakes on the list will cost you more than twice the usual retail cost, and often less. As such, their Sake prices are some of the best you will find at local restaurants.

The new Sakes, most available in the roughly half-bottle size, include:

--Ohtouka Okayama Namazake 
(An unpasteurized Sake that is aromatic, fruity, and lightly sweet.)
--Hideyoshi Namacho Honjozo
(From a 325+ year old brewery, this Sake was pasteurized once and is aromatic with nutty notes and exotic fruit flavors.)
--Shichi Hon Yari Junmai
(From a 470+ year old brewery that produces only small amounts of Sake, this Sake has a heavy, rich flavor with lots of umami and underlying peach and melon flavors.)
--Ozeki Yamadanishiki Tokubetsu Junmai
(Dry and full bodied with fruity notes of melon and peach.)
--Dewatsuru Kimoto Junmai (Available as a 720ml bottle)
(A rich and earthy style, this Sake has lots of umami.)
--Kaori Junmai Ginjo
(Light and crisp with tropical fruit flavors.)
--Manabito Kimoto Junmai Ginjo 
(From a 425+ year old brewery, this is an exceptional Sake. It is complex, rich, smooth and intriguing. Take your time enjoying this one.)
--Hakushika Junmai Ginjo
(From a 450+ year old brewery, this Sake is smooth, light and fruity. An excellent value Sake.)
--Wataribune 55 Junmai Ginjo
(Made from a rare rice, this is an excellent Sake that is complex, crisp and has nice floral and fruity notes.)
--Yuki no Bosha Daiginjo (Not yet available, but hopefully soon)
(The highest quality grade, this Sake is complex and smooth with delicious and more subtle tropical fruit flavors.)

The restaurant will also be offering a weekly Sake flight, where you can get a taste of 3 different Sakes. The line-up will change each week and give you the opportunity to sample Sake before you purchase an entire bottle. It is also an excellent way to better understand the difference between various Sake types and styles.

In three months, when International Sake Day arrives on October 1, Thelonious Monkfish is also planning to have a Sake celebration. I love their passion for Sake and are hoping that you will check out their new Sake menu.

Crémant d'Alsace & The Spartans At Thermopylae

Last week, I pondered the similarity of Crémant d'Alsace to the 300 Spartans that defended the gates at Thermopylae against the massive Persian army. Yes, on the surface it may seem like a crazy comparison, but give me a few moments to explain.

On last Thursday, I participated in a Twitter Tasting event of four Crémants d'Alsace (all media samples). For some background on Crémant d'Alsace, please check out a few of my prior posts about this delicious Alsatian sparkling wine, including Gustave Lorentz: More Alsatian Wine Treasures, Alsatian Wines & Pheasant at Craigie On Main, and Crémant d'Alsace: A New Year's Eve Recommendation. 

As I've mentioned before, Alsatian wines, and especially Crémant, isn't on the radar of many average wine consumers. When we consider statistics about the U.S. sparkling wine market, we see that Crémant d'Alsace is in a similar spot to the ancient Spartans at Thermopylae, as only about 300K bottles of Crémant d'Alsace are imported into the U.S. That 300K stands up to a massive army of other sparkling wines, including about 18M bottles of Champagne and 99M bottles of domestic sparkling wine. This massive army of Champagne, Cava, Prosecco and other sparkling wines is like the huge and diverse Persian army which threatened the Spartans.

Crémant d'Alsace is vastly outnumbered in the market yet it stands strong, possessed of great heart. Those familiar with Crémant d'Alsace understand its power and allure. They understand that the quality of Crémant d'Alsace allows it to compete well against any other sparkling wine. It might be considered an underdog, but you would underestimate it at your peril. Give this "Spartan" bubbly a try!

Onto reviews of four Cremants d’Alsace...

What a sense of history! The Lucien Albrecht winery traces its roots back nearly 600 years, as it was founded by Romanus Albrecht in 1425. Albrecht was also one of the primary proponents of the creation of the Crémant d'Alsace AOC. The Lucien Albrecht NV Blanc de Blancs Cremant d’Alsace Brut ($19) is a blend of 80% Pinot Auxerrois, 10% Pinot Blanc, and 10% Chardonnay. Crisp, clean, dry and elegant, it possessed a prominent lime flavor with an underlying minerality. Complex and refreshing, I wanted to sip this with a bag of salty potato chips. A good value at this price.

I've previously tasted the Gustave Lorentz NV Cremant D'Alsace Brut ($24.99) and my prior tasting note remains relevant. Though this Crémant is labeled as non-vintage, the winery does not blend vintages so all of the grapes in this wine are from the same vintage. The Cremant is a blend, in equal proportions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. It spends 14-24 months on the lees, is disgorged three times a year, has an alcohol content of 12% and only 4000 cases are produced annually. It has a pleasant, fruity aroma of with a creamy, bubbly taste up front which finishes crisp and clean. There are appealing tastes of green apple, peach and melon. This is the type of sparkling wine that is going to appeal to many bubbly lovers. My craving for salty potato chips intensified with this bubbly.

My favorite of the four wines was the Dopff et Irion NV Crémant D'Alsace Brut Rosé ($17). Another winery with roots hundreds of years in the past, back to 1574, the Dopff family were also the first, at the beginning of the 20th century, to create sparkling wine in the Alsace region. This Brut Rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir and I likened it to a dish of strawberries and cream. Though dry and crisp, there was a rich creaminess to the wine, with plenty of delicious red fruit flavors, including plenty of strawberry. Complex and with a lingering finish, I found this to be a compelling wine, as well as an excellent value for the price. Out of the four bottles of Crémant, this was the only empty bottle at the end of the night. Thought the other bottles still tasted delicious the next day.

The Domaine Charles Baur NV Crémant d’Alsace Rosé ($19) is also made from 100% Pinot Noir and provided an interesting comparison to the Dopff et Irion. The Baur was a darker red in color, with more prominent red fruit flavors and almost seems to possess a touch of sweetness to it. It is also fuller bodied and creamier than the other. I liked this Rosé but my personal preference is for the Dopff et Irion.

Do not underestimate Crémant d'Alsace. It is delicious and often presents a very good value for the quality. It may be the best sparkling wine that you probably are not drinking, but should.

Rant: The Fragility of Life

As this blog is primarily about food and alcohol, it might seem easy to dismiss it as relatively unimportant in the greater scheme of things. There are certainly plenty of more important topics that could be discussed, from terrorism to racism. However, if you look a little bit deeper into the world of food and alcohol, you'll realize that it actually can play an important role in our lives. It is not as shallow and ephemeral as it might seem from a cursory look.

I could easily point out some of the larger food and drink issues that affect our entire world, such as sustainability and the hunger crisis. No one can dispute the importance of these issues and they alone would justify the significance of any blog that covers those topics. We need more dialogue about such issues, a greater discussion on potential solutions and advice on how to improve these situations. However, that is not the prime point of this post.

I want to discuss the fragility of life.

We don't like to consider or discuss death, our own mortality. We don't like to consider life without our family and friends. We usually face it, and often reluctantly, only when it directly touches our lives. As much as we want to avoid it, death will come for all of us, and we don't know when it will arrive. We don't need to dwell on our eventual deaths, but we should acknowledge its inevitability and live our lives as if it might around the corner.

For many people, food and alcohol is a quality of life issue. It is what brings us pleasure, what makes our lives happier. And as I have emphasized repeatedly, food and alcohol is always much better when it is shared with others. If food and alcohol enhances our experiences with our family and friends, if it makes our lives better, then it is certainly a vital aspect of our lives. Just think of the simple pleasures of a grilled hot dog or glass of Rosé at a backyard BBQ with your family and friends. It is moments such as that which we should cherish.

Not everyone may feel that way about food and alcohol, but the basic idea remains for everyone: Enjoy life. It is far too short and we don't want to die with any regrets. Don't wait until you are older to create a bucket list. Start now and try to enjoy every ounce of life. Dine at that restaurant you have been wanting to visit but just haven't done so yet. Buy that bottle of wine or whiskey you have been eyeing. Travel and experience the food and drink of another state or country. Don't keep putting it off, as there might not be sufficient time tomorrow.

And finally, make sure you tell your family and friends that you love them.

My Favorite Fiction Books of 2014 (So Far)

Back in December 2011, I started a blog column, Authors, Alcohol & Accolades, which asked some of my favorite authors about their preferred drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. There have been 11 editions of this column so far, with more coming in the near future. The inspiration for this series is that I am a voracious reader, of both fiction and nonfiction, and I wanted to combine that interest with my love of food & drink. The series has proven popular and it has been fascinating to explore what authors enjoy drinking.

As a special addendum to that series, I previously posted a list of my Favorite Fiction Books of 2013.  Now, I am going to post a similar list, of some of my favorite fiction books of the first six months of 2014. During this time period, I have read over 130 books, both fiction and nonfiction. As I mentioned, I am a voracious reader, and expect to read about the same amount during the rest of the year.

The following lists of favorites will include books of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Mystery/Thrillers. Though nearly all of these books were published in 2014, there might be a few that weren't, but I first read them in 2014. The books are also not in any specific order of preference.

My Top Ten Favorite Novels of the first six months of 2014:
--Phoenix Island by John Dixon
--The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley
--Red Rising by Pierce Brown
--The Detainee by Peter Liney
--Code Zero by Jonathan Maberry
--Blood Always Tells by Hilary Davidson
--The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan
--Veil of the Deserters by Jeff Salyards
--Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence
--Night Terrors by Tim Waggoner

There are five other books which almost made the above list, but I had to make some tough cuts. However, they are still worthy of my recommendation.
--Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick
--The Furies by Mark Alpert
--The Forever Watch by David Ramirez
--Blood & Iron by Jon Sprunk
--The Empire of Time by David Wingrove

My Top Ten Favorite Anthologies of the first six months of 2014:
--Dangerous Women edited by George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois
--Kaiju Rising edited by Tim Marquitz & Nickolas Sharps
--World War Cthulhu edited by Jonathan Oliver
--Lovecraft’s Monsters edited by Ellen Datlow
--The Dark Rites of Cthulhu edited by Brian Sammons
--Dead Man’s Hand edited by John Joseph Adams
--The Lizard Ardent Uniform edited by David Cranmer
--Equilbirum Overturned edited by Anthony Rivera & Sharon Lawson
--Neverland's Library edited by Roger Bellini
--Dark Sun Rising edited by John Cairns

I am very interested to see which of these books will still be in my Top Ten at the end of the year. I already know there are some potentially excellent books due out during the next six months so there will be serious challengers to those currently on these lists. All of these books would make great summer reading and a number of these authors have also written other worthy books. Please support an author, a small, independent business person, and buy more books.

What are some of your favorite books so far this year?