I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) Join A&B Burgers as they stroll through Bourbon Street on Tuesday, August 30th from 6:30pm-9:30pm. Chef Kwasi Kwaa and team are prepping up four courses of authentic cajun cuisine. They will be flying up fresh Louisiana crawfish and gator the night before to give attendees the real deal. This months A&B Dinner Series should be a delicious offering and I will be there too, savoring all that cajun seafood. As I've said before, A&B is more than just burgers.
Welcome Dish
Gator Lollipop (Fried gator pop with a Louisiana remoulade)
Course One
Shrimp & Grits (Creamy shrimp in grits served with cajun shrimp)
Course Two
Crab Étouffée (Served with fried okra)
Course Three
Crawfish Jambalaya (Spicy jambalaya with fresh louisiana crawfish)
Course Four
King Cake (Freshly baked King Cake with a brown sugar glaze)
Cost: $50 per person
Purchase your tickets on Eventbrite.
2) Chef Will Gilson, along with notable Boston-area chefs, and the Puritan & Co. team invite guests to join them for a multi-course meal inspired by culinary legend Julia Child. Other Participating Chefs Include: Nookie Postal from Commonwealth, Rich Eades of Temple Bar, Patrick Campbell of Café Art Science, Meg Thompson of Townsman and Marissa Rossi- the pastry chef at Puritan & Company.
On Wednesday, August 17, with one seating at 7pm, Puritan & Co. will team up with area chefs to celebrate the life and culinary adventures of one of the culinary world’s greatest heroes, Julia Child. Guest chefs from around Boston will prepare their favorite recipes from, “The Art of French Cooking” and present guests with a multi-course meal with optional wine pairings. Julia’s Birthday is August 15 and this is a way to celebrate the birth of one of the most important culinary visionaries in history.
Julia Child Dinner Menu:
Hors d’ouvres (Puritan staff)
-pan bagnat
-steak tartare
-foie gras eclair
Appetizer-Nookie Postal
“Oops I dropped the tart”
tomato and comte tart, green tomato ravigot, frisee salad
Soup-Rich Edes
“Duck a L’Orange”
Duck Liver Ravioli, Sweet onion consommé, smoked duck breast, orange
Entree -Patrick Campbell
“Fillet of Sole Grenobloise”
Clam butter, rice pilaf vert, almond beurre noisette
Veg side-Will Gilson
“Pommes Duchesse”
Whipped potato casserole
“Courgettes en Pistouille
Zucchini with tomatoes, peppers, garlic and basil
pre-dessert-Marissa Rossi
“Oeufs a la Neige”
purple corn soup, sumac meringue, pisco, pineapple
Dessert-Meg Thompson
“Gâteau Breton”
Hazelnut, Stone Fruit, & Wild Bay Ice Cream
Reservations are necessary and can be made by calling (617) 615-6195
3) The Ballets Russes Arts Initiative, Matter & Light Fine Art and Georgian Toast are excited to announce a first-of-its-kind wine tasting that brings the flavors of Georgia (the country) to Boston’s South End. On Thursday, August 18, from 7pm-9pm (VIP hour 6pm-7pm), this event is a unique opportunity to explore the viticulture of Georgia, where wine-making began more than 8000 years ago. Guests will taste through a great lineup of white, amber, rose, red, and dessert wine, from high quality Georgian producers using both European and traditional local methods. Food pairings, including some authentic to the region, will be provided.
The evening features wines from the portfolio of an exciting new Massachusetts-based boutique importer focused exclusively on the country, Georgian Toast. The lineup includes fine expressions of indigenous varietals (Rkatsitelli, Ojaleshi, Saperavi and Mtsvane), from famous regions and microzones (Kakheti, Khashmi, Lechkhumi, and Gurjaani), among which are some bottlings from old vines, organic or bio-dynamic grapes. NB: these are not your grandfather's Georgian wines (industrially made, semi- sweet, Soviet-style); experience ‘the real deal’: fine expressions of indigenous varietals. Check out my previous post & review of the delicious wines of Georgian Toast.
Taking place in the swanky setting of one of the hot new galleries of Boston's South End, Matter and Light Fine Art Gallery, and with proceeds benefiting local arts non-profit, Ballets Russes Arts Initiative the tasting is an opportunity to socialize in an artful setting as well as to support the arts. Money raised at this event will go to support the development of arts programming connecting the US with the post-Soviet region.
Regular tickets ($55) include tasting 7-9 pm.
VIP Tickets ($120) include a special pre-tasting 6-7 pm featuring additional hard-to-find wines and hors d'oeuvres, and a bottle of wine (retail value up to $20) to take home.
Purchase/learn more at georgianwine.eventbrite.com
4) Doretta Taverna's bartenders will be pouring the pink for all who love a little Monday Rosé. A Pop-up Rosé Bar on Doretta's patio bar will have you waiting your whole Monday work day to drink that pink. Every Monday from 5-8pm, Doretta's Pop-up Rosé Bar offers an expansive, diverse rosé list created by Doretta's rosé-obsessed team, and three rosé flights: "Fizzy, Salty + Bright", "Fruity, Delicate + Floral" and "Savory, Funky + Juicy". The patio bar features large format bottles (1.5L and 3L), and they regularly pop open some bottles they normally only sell by the bottle and pour them by the glass. Soak in the last few weeks of summer on the patio while sipping on some fresh rosé.
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
TasteCamp Vermont: Distilleries, From WhistlePig to Smugglers' Notch
At these tasting events, there was a limited time period to sample all of the wines, beers, ciders and spirits, so an attendee generally didn't have enough time to taste everything as well as spend some time speaking with the producers and their representatives. As such, you had to make decisions, usually hard decisions, as to what you wanted to taste first, knowing you might not get to sample everything you want. Such time periods were necessary though so we could experience a broad swath of Vermont's offerings and it is no different from many other tasting events where you can't taste everything that is available.
I'm going to highlight two other distilleries which participated in TasteCamp Vermont.
I previously wrote about their 15 Year Old: "The base of this rye is the 10 Year Old except it sits in the barrel for another 4.5 years and then is finished for anther 6 months in barrels of Vermont White Oak with a #4 char. At 92 proof, only 6000 bottles were released in the U.S. though more will be made available in September. This is a massively impressive rye, with such a phenomenal, complex melange of aromas and flavors. There is plenty of spice, caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, citrus, and even a touch of smoke. Every sip seems to bring something new to your palate and you won't want to quite sipping until the bottle is empty. It is a liquid aphrodisiac, decadently delicious with a sensual mouthfeel. I can't recommend it highly enough."
I look forward to see what WhistlePig releases next.
This small distillery somehow ended up the target of trademark litigation, being sued by Gruppo Campari which produced Old Smuggler, a blended Scotch whiskey. Fortunately, they were eventually able to negotiate a settlement, which allowed Smugglers' Notch Distillery to keep their name, but all of their new whiskey releases need to possess a more original name. For their first new release since settling that lawsuit, they chose to call it Litigation Wheat Whiskey.
Released in October 2015, Litigation Wheat Whiskey is an unblended whiskey, at 92 proof, made from 95% wheat and 5% malted barley, and is aged in new Char #4 white oak barrels for 2-3 years. The aroma has sweet elements, bits of honey and caramel, with some floral notes. On the palate, it is pleasant and smooth, with tastes of caramel and honey, balanced with a hint of bitterness, with a touch of wood and some grassy notes. An interesting and complex spirit.
The Straight Bourbon is made from two different mash bills, using corn, rye and malted barley, and 5 different new charred American oak barrels. Bottled at 90 proof, this bourbon has a pleasing aroma of sweetness with a hint of spice, and on the palate, it is soft and elegant, with vanilla and honey notes, enhanced by a mild, spicy undertone and with a long and smooth, satisfying finish.
My favorite of their products was their Rum ($30), which is a single-barrel amber rum bottled at 105 proof. The rum is aged for about 3 years in charred white oak and then finished for another year in 4-year old ex-whiskey barrels. The barrels are stored in a heated warehouse, which replicates being in a warmer climate, which accelerates the aging process. I was impressed with the complex and delicious flavors in this rum, which had some similarities to a fine bourbon. And despite its high alcohol content, you wouldn't notice it in this smooth and well balanced rum. Such tasty flavors of caramel, vanilla, and baking spices with a lengthy finish. Highly recommended!
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
TasteCamp Vermont: Honey & Barrel-Aged Gin From Caledonia Spirits
--Thomas Hardie
As I mentioned yesterday, around 1820, there were over 200 distilleries in Vermont and it is thought that Gin was the most widely produced spirit. There are now far less distilleries in Vermont but one of those, Caledonia Spirits, is honoring this past by producing some amazing Gin, especially their Barrel-Aged versions.
At TasteCamp Vermont, Caledonia Spirits sampled their products at one of the group tastings and they were a huge hit, selling a significant amount of their spirits, especially their Barrel-Aged Gins. I'm not a fan of many Gins, because of their strong aroma and flavor of juniper, but the Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat Barrel-Aged Gins impressed me thoroughly, and I had to buy some as well. This is Gin you could easily enjoy on its own, neat, or you could also use it in a cocktail.
The origins of Caledonia Spirits extend back to 1965, when distillery founder Todd Hardie started working as a beekeeper. He eventually became the apiary and bee inspector for the Vermont Department of Agriculture. In 2006, Todd started working with a local wine maker to produce mead, a natural fit considering his beekeeping, and founded Caledonia Spirits in 2010 in Hardwick, Vermont. Caledonia Spirits partner with local farmers and beekeepers to source organic grains and honey for their spirits, which basically include Vodka and Gin. Local sourcing is very important to them, as is the use of raw honey, as they believe it is a medicine, a food and a sweetener.
--Caledonia Spirits
The Barr Hill Vodka is produced from 100% organic, raw northern honey and is 80 proof. There are no grains in this spirit. The honey is cold fermented for several weeks, essentially becoming a mead, before it is then distilled, using a pot and column stills. The resultant Vodka is gluten free and kosher, and they state that: "The spirit which emerges reflects the essence of the soil and flowers visited by the bees." I found this vodka to have a pleasing honey aroma, and up front, there is a mild sweetness, a nice rich honey with hints offloral elements. It is a Vodka that I think would work best in cocktails, providing more of a natural sweetness to the cocktail so you might not need to add another sweetner.
The Barr Hill Gin is produced from a neutral corn-based spirit, juniper and 100% organic, raw northern honey. It is 90 proof, gluten free and kosher. The honey is added a short time before bottling, providing a floral element to accompany the juniper, and interestingly enough, each batch of their Gin will vary to some degree, dependent on the specific seasons and blossom of the honey that is used. Not all honey is the same, so each Barr Hill Gin batch will have at least some mild variation. For my own preferences, the juniper flavor in this Gin is too prominent though Gin lovers will find much to love. And the addition of the honey does elevate the complexity of this spirit.
--Caledonia Spirits
It is Barr Hill's Barrel-Aged Gins which are especially garnering great attention. For many Americans, barrel-aged Gins have only started coming onto the market no more than about ten years ago. However, the process has a lengthy history, extending back several hundred years. The Dutch placed their Genever in oak barrels and European Old Tom Gin also spent time in the barrel. Though you might think Gin is too delicate to age in a barrel, it seems to actually benefit well from such aging.
Caledonia calls their barrel-aged Gins "Tom Cat" which "is the modern day adaption of 18th century England’s most revered spirit, Old Tom gin. After gin was outlawed by the Spirits Act of 1750, rebellious pub owners would hang a wooden plaque shaped like a black cat to inform the passerby of their defiance of the ban. Deposit a few pennies through the cat’s mouth and a bartender would pour a ration of Old Tom to be sipped through a tube between the cat’s paws."
Their original Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat Barrel-Aged Gin spends approximately 4-6 months in new American white oak barrels and is 86 proof, gluten free and kosher. The oak aging actually makes the spirit taste more like a whiskey than a gin, pushing the juniper flavor to a minimal element. There are still honey notes, enhanced by a spicy aspect and hints of vanilla and caramel. The floral elements are also more of an undertone, and the overall taste is complex and intriguing, delicious and satisfying. This is a spirit I could easily enjoy on its own, or showcased in a cocktail. It is a Gin that even those who dislike Gin are very likely to enjoy. It receives my highest recommendation.
Caledonia's newest release, which isn't even listed on their Spirits page yet, is the Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat Barrel-Aged Gin which has been aged for about six months in Vermont white oak. In the recent past, when there was a barrel shortage, Caledonia began investigating the use of Vermont oak, collaborating with a forest, sawyer and cooper. The white oak is sustainably and selectively harvested from the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Once harvested, the oak is stacked and air dried for a year. The difference of Vermont oak is that it tends to have a tighter grain and possess more wood sugar, which adds more sweetness to the taste while also reducing tannins and astringency.
I found this Gin to be softer and more subtle than the other barrel-aged Gin. It is fragrant and elegant, with plenty of complexity and exciting flavors. There is still a whiskey element in this Gin, with a very subdued juniper taste, but it certainly is a more unique spirit in its totality. I would only drink this on its own as in a cocktail, you might lose some of the subtle flavors of this superb Gin. This also receives my highest recommendation.
As I've written before, WhistlePig Rye is also experimenting with Vermont White Oak. It's use is still in its relative infancy but it seems to me that it could be very important to the future of the Vermont drinks industry, especially due to the importance of local ingredients to many producers. I also foresee that other producers, from all over the world, might start looking toward Vermont White Oak to age their own products, from wine to spirits. We might be seeing a glimpse into the future through Caledonia's use of Vermont White Oak for their Gin.
All of the Caledonia spirits are probably available for sale in Massachusetts, though I'm not positive on the Vermont Oak-Aged Gin.
Monday, August 8, 2016
TasteCamp Vermont: History, Prohibition & Today
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont
Vermont is well known for maple syrup and cheese, Bernie Sanders and Ben & Jerry's, skiing and leaf-peeping. However, its drinks industry, including wine, beer, cider and spirits, is lesser known for many people. Of all those drinks, its beers may have the greatest recognition beyond the state lines, though it is interesting that historically, there were few commercial breweries in Vermont. Currently though, you'll easily find over 40 commercial beer breweries in the state. Vermont entire drinks industry, though still relatively young in many respects, needs more recognition as there are a number of excellent producers worthy of your attention.
This past June, approximately 35 writers and their significant others, attended TasteCamp 2016, which was held in Vermont. TasteCamp was created by Lenn Thompson, of the New York Cork Report, back in 2009, and the concept is a weekend immersion into a wine region for a small group of wine writers. We have visited places such as Long Island, the Finger Lakes, Quebec, Virginia, and Niagara. This year, the TasteCamp attendees included people from both Canada and the U.S., with a couple people coming from as far away as California. It's great to see wine lovers willing to travel such a distance to explore a small region where most of their products aren't sold outside of the state.
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont
The TasteCamp group generally visits a variety of producers, tours vineyards, tastes dozens of wines, dines on local foods and holds a fun BYOB dinner. Over the years, the scope of the concept has evolved so that it is no longer limited to wine, and now also includes beers, ciders and spirits, noting how local regions have developed fascinating drinks industries. A key principle for TasteCamp is "drink local," consuming products that are locally produced, usually from local ingredients. There is little reason to limit ourselves to wine when local producers are making so many interesting and tasty beverages.
Each TasteCamp has a limited number of sponsors and the attendees shoulder the lion's share of expenses for the trip, including their transportation, lodging and most meals. With its limited size, TasteCamp is a more intimate event, allowing you to get to know everyone in the group, reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones too. The focus of the event is on tasting, both food and drink, and there aren't any seminars or events about writing, blogging, photography, or similar activities.
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont
TasteCamp is a curated event, intended to showcase some of the best of the region. This year, a huge debt is owed to Todd Trzaskos (pictured above atop the barrel), of Vermont Wine Media and author of the book Wines Of Vermont, for all his hard work and dedication in helping to plan, organize and curate TasteCamp Vermont. His efforts helped to make this one of the best TasteCamps ever. Lenn Thompson, Remy Charest and myself also contributed to the organization and planning of this event. The attendees learned much about Vermont, acquiring a new appreciation for this region, and spreading their new passion to others.
To understand the present, it can be worthwhile to understand something about the past, to see some of the origins of the drinks industry in Vermont. Almost two hundred years ago, Vermonters were drinking a significant amount of alcohol. "While estimates vary on daily consumption in the United States during this period, it is generally agreed that the average adult consumed around five gallons of spirits, a barrel’s worth of beer and untold amounts of hard cider over the course of a year. A simpler breakdown would be around seven drinks a day per man, woman and child." (Vermont Prohibition: Teetotalers, Bootleggers & Corruption by Adam Krakowski).
Around 1820, there were over 200 distilleries in Vermont (more than the number of towns in the state), and it is thought that Gin was the most widely produced spirit. Curiously, there were few beer breweries during this period, which was due in part because many people made beer (and cider) at home and they could even find beer recipes in local newspapers. However, the 1820s also saw the rise of the temperance movement, such as the founding of the Vermont Society for the Promotion of Temperance.
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont
The temperance movement was apparently quite influential in Vermont and in 1852, a state mandated prohibition on alcohol was passed, effective March 1853. Contrast that with Federal Prohibition which didn't begin until 67 years later, in 1920. The main focus of the Vermont prohibition was on distilled spirits, with lesser restrictions on fermented alcohol. For example, people were permitted to make their own fermented alcohol at home for their own consumption. There was also another law that people could consume alcohol at their home, provided it didn't cause intoxication. It seems the law was fascinated with the idea of intoxication as the only beers that were prohibited were those which were found to be "intoxicating" and there would eventually be legal cases on that very issues.
The production of hard cider was also permitted, for a number of reasons and with some restrictions. For example, you couldn't add any additional fermentable sugars to the cider. The government also felt that with the ease of cider production, and the myriad of apple trees in the state, that it would be impossible to enforce a prohibition on cider. Plus, cider provided important nutritional benefits as water consumption was still risky. Prohibition thus led to a surge in hard cider consumption, which eventually bothered the temperance movement which finally got hard cider production banned in 1880.
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont
Like Federal Prohibition, Vermont prohibition was generally ineffective, especially considering their border with Canada. Plenty of illegal alcohol passed across the border and law enforcement seemed relatively useless in stopping the majority of the flow of this bootleg alcohol. Prohibition though did decrease revenue, from alcohol sales, for the state and it also decreased the amount of tourism, hurting many communities.
After prohibition ended, Vermont was not quick to rebound and it wasn't until approximately 30 years ago that the alcohol industry started to establish itself once again. As such, their drinks industry is still relatively new, in many aspects, yet they have come far in a short time. There is certainly plenty of room for growth but there is much to be proud about now, and is worthy of your exploration.
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont
Since 2009, I've written a number of articles and reviews of Vermont wine, cider and spirits. In prior year's, I've attended the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival which not only offered an abundance of cheese but also presented some of the wines, ciders, beers and spirits of Vermont, from Boyden Valley Winery to Whistle Pig Distillery. Most recently, I've written about Mad River Distillers, more on Dave Pickerell & Whistle Pig, Eden Speciality Ciders, and Shacksbury Cider. Over the years, I've seen a clear improvement and evolution of their wines, ciders and spirits. TasteCamp helped to solidify my positive impressions of the current status of Vermont's drinks industry.
In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing what I experienced in Vermont, highlighting plenty of interesting wines, ciders, and spirits, as well as some compelling food. This summer, as well as in the coming fall, you should visit Vermont to taste your own way through some of the best the state has to offer. It's only a short drive from Massachusetts and there is much to see and do in Vermont. It's certainly one of my favorite places to visit and in my subsequent articles, I'll give you more motivation to travel to Vermont as well.
I'll also be looking forward to next year's TasteCamp.
"This is just the beginning of history for the wines of Vermont."
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont
Friday, August 5, 2016
Two Compelling Greek Wines At Committee
A week ago, with family and friends, I had a fantastic birthday celebration at Committee. We began with cocktails out on the patio, including the refreshing "We Can't Elope," and then when we went inside for dinner, opting for wine.
Their wine list is essentially Mediterranean, and includes wines from France, Spain, Italy, Lebanon and Greece. Their more than 25 Greek wine selections include Sparkling, White, Rosé, Red, Retsina and Dessert wines. You might feel a little intimidated by the Greek wines as most of them are produced from strange grapes you might not know. However, you should take a chance on Greek wines and feel free to ask your server for advice on which Greek wine to order. I'm sure once you taste then, you'll enjoy their diverse and delicious aromas and flavors.
Let me also provide two of my own recommendations, a white and a red, from their Greek wine list. We thoroughly enjoyed these wines at dinner and I'm positive many other wine lovers will enjoy them just as much.
Both of the wines were from the same winery, Ktima Brintziki, a family owned winery which is located in the village of Lantzoi, only a few miles from the ancient site of Olympia, where the ancient Olympic Games were once conducted. Vineyards have been growing on the property since 1932 but the Brintziki winery wasn't founded until 1996. Dionysios Brintziki, and his wife Dionysia, were both professional musicians but eventually decided to get into the family winemaking business. Having names related to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, may have even helped in that decision. They own about 13 hectares of vineyards and in 2010, they were certified as the first green winery in Greece and their wines are certified organic by BIOHellas.
With an ABV of 13%, this wine undergoes battonage 3 times a week for a month and seems not to see any oak. On the nose, there are alluring notes of stone fruits and light floral elements. On the palate, it was crisp and dry, with delicious flavors of apple and pear, with floral hints and a touch of tea. There was some round, creaminess to the wine, balanced with its nice acidity. The finish was long and pleasing and it certainly had a slightly different taste than many other white wines. It paired well with a diversity of food, from the Avocado Hummus to the Tomato Keftedes (tomato fritters). Skip the Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc and choose this Tinaktorogos instead.
With an ABV of 12.8%, this wine was aged in new French barrique for about twelve months. This wine did possess a rich red color and an intriguing nose of red fruits, mild spices and savory notes, possibly a touch of olive. On the palate, the wine was dry with mild tannins, and tasty flavors of cherry, plum, savory herbs and mild spice notes. It was elegant, with nice acidity and a lingering, satisfying finish. It was certainly more Old World in style, and was an excellent accompaniment to grilled meats, from Lamb Kofte to Loukaniko, from Chicken Souvlaki to Bifteki. This is a very food friendly wine, with a complex and interesting flavor profile, and highly recommended.
So when you dine next at Committee, why not expand your plate and try a Greek wine.
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