Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1)  Today, I am flying to Portland, Oregon on a food and wine press trip, which is being sponsored by Travel Oregon. Around twenty or so writers and bloggers will be participating in this trip, though we will sometimes be split into different groups for varied activities. I'll be dining at places like Ping, which serves multi-Asian street food. I'll be drinking wines (probably lots of Pinot) from Oregon wineries such as Chehalem, Argyle, Abacela, Penner-Ash, King Estate, Apolloni and Troon. In addition, I will attend the Pinot in the City event, which will have over 100 wineries, along with samples of local foods. In addition, I will attend seminars on the local Cocoa Movement and Charcuterie Basics.

And on my own, I will tour the SakeOne Brewery, which I knew was a "must see" if I were traveling to Portland. They are producing the best and most exciting sake in the U.S. so I can't wait to see the brewery, to watch how it is done. Plus, I'll have the opportunity to visit an izakaya or two, and drink sake with other like-minded sake fans. A win/wine all around.

The 2012 Wine Blogger's Conference will be held next August in Portland, so this trip will be excellent research for me. I'll get an inside scoop on some of the best places for attendees to check out next year. So look forward to my future Portland posts.

2)  On Saturday, September 10, from 12pm-3pm, China Blossom, located in North Andover, will host the first annual Blossom Festival. In partnership with the Peabody Essex Museum, Chinatown Main Street, the Kwong Kow Chinese School, Chinese Culture Connection, Yang’s Martial Arts, Origamido Studio and Feng Shui expert Lidong Yu, China Blossom will highlight authentic cuisine as well as feature various Asian traditions, in an effort to garner visibility of traditional Asian cultures and cuisine within the community.

Free to the public, guests will savor traditional Asian specialties like sweet dumplings, mooncakes, and zongzi, with a chance to learn more about traditional rice wine during a sake tutorial. Brush up on your chopstick skills with “Chopsticks 101” where you will learn to use the vertical forks more efficiently before using them to dominate the marble contest. Enjoy butt-kicking kung fu and lion dance demonstrations, explore your Feng Shui destiny, and practice your paper folding skills, turning ordinary pieces of paper into origami. Try your luck in the wok races and sumo competitions before grabbing your very own bamboo plant and various Asian pastries to take home. Make sure you stay for the red balloon release, much like the traditional Chinese lanterns of the same hue; harness your artistic expression for the common good by releasing your email address into the sky to find a pen pal.

Schedule:
Ongoing: Balloon note writing
Ongoing: Origami demonstrations
Ongoing: Sumo competitions
Ongoing: Feng Shui consults and education
Ongoing: Sushi samples
1:00PM-1:05PM Lion dance demonstration
1:05PM-1:15PM: Kung Fu demonstration
1:15PM-1:30PM: Wok demonstration
1:30PM-1:45PM: Chopsticks 101 and contest!
2:00PM-2:05PM: Lion dance demonstration
2:05PM-2:15PM: Kung Fu demonstration
2:15PM-2:30PM: Sake tasting
2:30PM-3:00PM Balloon release

3)  On Tuesday, September 27, from 6:30pm-8:30pm, The Beehive's co-owner and resident curator Jennifer Epstein will host the 11th installment in The Beehive's continuing art series entitled, Sting! XI: Object Relations. This installment welcomes guest curator Jeff Perrott who has put together a group show with 11 Boston artists whose work centers around the principles of abstraction.

The ongoing event always signifies the launch of a new art installation at The Beehive and highlights an evening of live entertainment, food & libations along with amazing art. Jeff Perrott is an artist himself who lives and works in Cambridge, MA. His work has been exhibited internationally, is included in major museum collections including the Museum of Fine Arts. He is currently represented by LaMontagne Gallery in Boston. Mr. Perrott has been a key supporter and infrequent co-curator of The Beehive's art program since its inception.

The artists of Sting! XI: Object Relations invite viewers to participate in an active, open dialogue with the abstract art object. Instead of relying on illusory space, they employ the ‘real’ nature of the object itself – its materials, surface, scale, and geometry – and its physical relation to the viewer, to prod viewers into a deeper sense of their own ‘real’ nature. At the same time, their formal choices echo their particular concerns with that object relation, reflecting a personal approach embedded in the universality of their forms. Visitors to The Beehive will be witness to the broad diversity of mediums, materials and techniques utilized by this group of artists, including works on plexiglass, raw linen, tarp and aluminum, paintings made from carbon smoke, house paint and acrylic, in addition to photographs, fabric collages and carved mirrors.

Sting! XI: Featuring the work of:
Arisa Boit
John Guthrie
Andrew Mowbray (Represented by LaMontagne Gallery)
Ross Normandin
Joshi Radin
Isabel Riley (Represented by BK Projects)
Daniela Rivera (Represented by LaMontagne Gallery)
Jim Stroud (Represented by Galerie Mourlot, NY)
Bill Thompson (Represented by Barbara Krakow Gallery)
Doug Weathersby (Represented by Dodge Gallery, NY)
Brian Zink (Represented by Howard Yezerski Gallery)

Drops of God: Coming In October

For nearly four years, I have been waiting for this book to be released in an English edition. I first mentioned this book in an article, A Comic Book Selling Wine, on my blog in December 2007. Then, in May 2008, I mentioned how a French translation had been published. In June 2010, in a post titled, Bring On The Comics, I talked more about this book, noting that it might be published in English later in 2011. Now I am pleased to inform my readers that the English translation of Drops of God: Volume 1 will be published on October 4, 2011.

This first volume of Drops of God will be released as a trade paperback of 432 pages, with a suggested retail price of $14.95. I am unsure of how many issues of the original comic that this volume will include. Volume 2 will be released on December 13, 2011 and Volume 3 on March 12, 2012. At this rate, we might expect the release of 3-4 volumes per year. As the manga series began publication in Japan in November 2004, and it is still ongoing, it will be many years before all of the issues will be translated in English.

In Japan, the book is titled Kami no Shizuku, which translates as "The Drops of God." The book is a manga, a Japanese comic, and has a weekly readership of about 360,000. How many wine magazines have even close to such a readership?  The plot centers on a quest by two competitors to locate thirteen legendary wines. Whoever succeeds will then inherit an invaluable collection of rare wines. It is an extremely popular series and the wines that it mention suddenly become hot commodities. The book also describes wines in more unique ways, not using points or any type of rating system.  For example, the 2001 Despagne's Château Mont Perat was "...likened to a concert given by the rock group Queen, with the wine's acidity taking the place of Freddie Mercury's vocals."

In Decanter's Power List of 2009, Drops of God came in at #50, and it was stated to be "arguably the most influential wine publication for the past 20 years." But how will the U.S. wine lovers feel about Drops of God? Will it be as popular here as it has been around the rest of the world?  Will it help sell wine? Or will it be but a minor footnote?

I believe that its impact, at least in reference to selling wine, with be much lesser in the U.S. than it has been elsewhere. First, as the manga is seven years old, most of the information on specific wines will likely be dated. It may be difficult, if not impossible, to purchase wines mentioned in the manga and even if available, the prices may be prohibitive. At best, the manga might sell a few more wines, but that will be a mere drop in the bucket compared to how the manga has been received elsewhere.

I also feel that it is unlikely that the general public will embrace this manga, as we don't have a culture of adults who embrace comics like Japan or France. Too many people still see all comics as juvenile and below their maturity. How wrong they are though, as comics come in a such a wide range, with many written for an adult audience. The manga will appeal far more to wine geeks, and even some of them may not be keen on reading a comic about wine.

But Drops of God deserves attention, at least for in the ways it addresses wine knowledge and reviews. It is more down to earth, unpretentious and presents a unique style. It can provide lessons to wine writers in different ways to connect with their readers, in different ways to review wines without scores or rating systems. It is a clever book, which could be an intriguing primer on wine for anyone. A comic may not be considered a traditional wine book but that is also a strength. It can take risks, and both entertain as well as educate.

I urge all wine lovers to take a look, with an open mind, at Drops of God when it is published next month. Give it a chance and you might be surprised at how much you enjoy it.

Moby Dick: Delicious Kabobs & Shirin Polo

If you were to eat at a restaurant named Moby Dick, what would you expect of the cuisine? My first thought would be seafood, or maybe traditional New England. I certainly would not expect a Persian and Middle Eastern Style Barbecue restaurant. Yet there is a famous Moby Dick restaurant in Tehran, Iran, and it appears some people in the U.S. have adopted the name for their own Persian restaurants.  I am still not sure the original reason for the naming of this place, but there is some type of connection.

As part of a recent food blogger dinner, which was complimentary, I visited Moby Dick, located on Huntington Avenue in Boston. This is an independent place, not connected to the chain of Moby Dick restaurants based out of Washington, D.C. It is a small hole-in-the-wall spot, which you might pass by without giving it a second glance. Parking is difficult but it is close to a couple subway stops and gets lots of foot traffic from local college students.  

Inside, it is a small, casual place that looks like nothing special and which does not instill high expectations. But you must give Moby Dick a chance as its plain veneer conceals some freshly made and top notch food. I was pleasantly surprised at the high quality of the cuisine, and it deserves a hearty recommendation. Who would have suspected to find such a worthy spot in this locale?

The restaurant is open every day, except Monday, for lunch and dinner. The menu consists of Appetizers (most $3.95-$5.95), A La Carte (salads and yogurt for $2.95-$5.95), Rice Platters ($14.95-$22.95), Sandwiches ($6.95-$10.95), and Vegetarian ($4.95-$7.50). During lunch, they also have a number of organic specials. Rice Platters come with one or two skewers of meat, and are served with basmati rice, barbecued tomato, pita bread and a choice of garden salad, Shirazi salad or cucumber yogurt.  Sandwiches may be filled with ground beef, steak, lamb, chicken, vegetarian, or even swordfish. Plenty of diversity so that everyone should be able to find a meal that appeals to them. Prices are also reasonable, especially considering the quantity of food I witnessed on other people's dinners.

For our meal, we were presented with a diverse selection of dishes, family style, to sample a variety of their foods.

We began our meal with an appetizer platter, including: Mirza ghassemi, a dip of sauteed eggplant, onion, tomatoes and garlic; Falafel meatballs; Grape leaf wraps; Hummus and slices of pita bread. Everything seemed fresh, spiced well and tasted very good. Though I am not a big fan of eggplant, the others raved about the Mirza. I very much enjoyed the falafel and the hummus was quite tasty as well.

The Garden Salad, with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions, was topped with their house dressing, and again the ingredients were fresh.

As an entree, we received a platter of three kabobs, including ground beef, lamb and chicken. I was impressed with the meat, which was very tender, flavorful and moist. I had worried that the meat might be overcooked and dry, but that was very far from the case. I have had other kabobs before, and have to say that these meats were some of the best I have tasted. Your inner carnivore will certainly savor these meats.

We also had three rice dishes, including two vegetarian dishes. The Lubia Polo is a spicy dish of basmati rice with green beans, tomatoes, saffron and spices while the Adas Polo is a milder basmati rice dish with lentils, sauteed raisins, onions and spices. My favorite was the Shirin Polo, basmati rice with shredded chicken, orange peel, mountain berries, pistachio, almonds and saffron. This dish had an intriguing and tasty blend of citrus and spice, with some crunch from the nuts and plenty of moist chicken. I had a couple portions of this dish and probably could have devoured even more. The vibrant melange of flavors and textures meshed very well, pleasing my senses.

For dessert, we had some Baklava and Bastani, homemade Persian ice cream (pictured above), topped with pistachios. The Baklava was ok, not much different from others I have tried. The ice cream though was something new to me, and it possessed touches of saffron and rosewater. Though it was a bit floral, it was not overwhelming, and it had a nice creaminess to it.

Though you might be tempted to just walk by this restaurant, you should stop by and enjoy their reasonably priced, plentiful and delicious food. True passion goes into this restaurant, elevating it above your expectations. I will definitely be returning here, and give it a hearty recommendation. It is one of those excellent restaurants which largely operates under the radar, so impress your friends and take them there.

Rant: Do We Need Grape Days?

Last Thursday, September 1, was both Cabernet Sauvignon Day as well as Tempranillo Day. Did you raise a glass of either, or maybe both, to celebrate? Or were you one of the ones opposed to such grape days?  Other grapes and wines have had their special days too, and there are more to come this year. For example, October 1 is International Sake Day while October 28 is Champagne Day. But are such days necessary and beneficial, or are they merely marketing ploys?

The basic idea behind such days is to promote a grape or wine, and savvy marketers take the opportunity to highlight and push their products. The first question that comes to my mind is whether the grapes or wines actually need such promotion or not. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon is already a very popular grape so why does it really need its own special day? What does it really accomplish which warrants holding a special day of promotion?

There are plenty of under appreciated grapes and wines, such as Assyrtiko or Sherry, which would benefit much more from their own special day rather than Cabernet. They need the publicity, to boost their sales and recognition.  But many fewer wineries would support days promoting those under appreciated grapes and wines. Cabernet Sauvignon Day can draw in many more wineries, from all over the world. Thus, it is much easier, and profitable, to market Cabernet Day rather than Mencia Day.

I would much rather see days celebrating the wine underdogs, helping to gain them recognition and new fans. I want people to broaden their palates, and taste new grapes and wines. For example, Sake is still vastly under appreciated in the U.S. so having a day that celebrates and promotes it makes sense. Though Sake also does not have a huge marketing effort behind it so Sake Day does not get promoted anywhere close to as much as it should. Did you know Sake Day has existed since 1978? That makes it far older than most, if not all, of these grape and wine days.

We also have to ask who actually knows about all of these special wine days? Who is the target audience? Does the average consumer know anything about Cabernet Day, or is it something known only to wine writers and more hard core wine lovers? I suspect that the general public is largely unaware of such events, unless they happen upon a local tasting. I doubt most know about it ahead of time and make specific plans to celebrate. So it would seem that it is best known to wine lovers who already have an appreciation for the common grapes like Cabernet. So if that is the main audience, then what is the need for such a day? I just don't see it.

Wine lovers though still need exposure to more uncommon grapes and wines, and they are the ones most likely to be experimental and try something new. So, a special day promoting such varietals or wines can have a positive effect, beyond a mere marketing ploy, by enticing wine lovers to step out of their comfort zone and taste something different. And if they are also wine writers, then maybe it will cause them to further promote the grape or wine, which could lead the general public to consider trying it.

So rather than another Chardonnay Day, let us see Xynomavro Day or Madeira Day. What do you think?  

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) Bistro 5, in Medford, is holding their 6th Annual "Heirloom Tomato Celebration" throughout the month of September. As of Thursday, September 1, they will be presenting a Farmer's Market Tasting Menu that is an Ode to Tomatoes, "which even Pablo Neruda would be proud of." I have been to a few of their prior Tomato Celebrations and the meals have been amazing so this is a don't miss dinner.

"...inexhaustible, 
populates the salads of Chile, happily, it is wed to the clear onion,
and to celebrate the union
we pour oil, essential child of the olive..."
Poet Pablo Neruda, Ode to Tomatoes

*This menu is subject to change based on ingredients availability and chef inspiration on a daily basis.

Lobster Bisque
Constoluto Genovese Tomato Bisque, Saffron Bubbles, Chorizo Bits and Brioche Croutons
2010 Domaine Félines Jourdan, Picpoul de Pinet, Languedoc

Fried Green Tomatoes
Green Zebra Tomatoes, Panko-Coated, with Buffalo Mozzarella and Opal Basil Pesto
2010 Santa Maria La Palma, Aragosta, Vermentino, Sardegna

Heirloom Tomato Risotto
Black Plum and Pineapple Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Crispy Prosciutto
2008 Michele Chiarlo, Barbera d'Asti, Peidmonte

Duck Breast
Smoked Speckled Roman Tomato Brulee, Sweet and Sour Kuri Squash, Thai Basil and Pickled Ginger
2007 A Mano, Primitivo, Puglia

Tomato...Sweet Tomato
Organic Peach Tomato Napoleon, Basil Yogurt Gelato,Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise and Sweet Pistachio Pesto
2010 Elio Perrone, Bigarò, Brachetto d'Aqui

Tasting Menu
Five Course: $65 per person
Three Course: $45 per person

Wine Pairing
Five Course: $25 per person
Three Course: $20 per person

2) Legal Sea Foods is holding an Oyster Festival from September 19 to October 16.  “Our oyster bars are a hallmark of our restaurants,” observed Roger Berkowitz, President and CEO of Legal Sea Foods. “And no longer should oysters be just the favorites of gastronomes. We want to educate all our guests and encourage experimentation. We’d like everyone to share the belief of the idiomatic saying, ‘the world is your oyster.’”

Special events will be held at various Legal locations and will include: Shellfish Shindig, a ‘shuckout’ of $1 oysters at Charles Square’s vast outdoor Terrace Bar—let the shucking begin on September 25 from 2pm – 4pm (a la carte pricing); Sip Slurp and Sup, a trio of oyster-friendly wines paired with seasonal bites hosted in the Park Square location’s 10,000 bottle wine cellar on September 27 at 6:30pm ($35 per person); Oyster ‘Brew’haha, a four-course oyster and craft beer tasting hosted by Craig Corthell from Craft Brewers Guild at the Copley Square location on October 12 at 6:30pm ($65 per person); and, the grand finale event, Bivalves and Bubbles, an oysters-and-champagne pairing gala featuring eight different varieties of oysters and other specials hosted at the roof deck of Legal Harborside on October 15 from 12pm – 2am ($80 per person). For tickets and more information on each of the events, please visit www.legalseafoods.com.

All Massachusetts Legal Sea Foods locations will also feature a series of rotating in-restaurant specials including items such as: oyster stew; pickled oysters; oysters and bacon on melted leek sriracha toast; smoked oyster spread; Oysters Legal; fried oysters with cassia salt and lime; oyster and andouille sausage jamabalya; oyster po’ boy; and, carpetbagger steak and oyster, mushroom and spinach pie with green salad. Guests are encouraged to toast the festivities with White Sangria, the featured drink throughout the promotion, which features bright, lemony and floral flavors to pair with oysters.

3) From September 12-17, Turner Fisheries will donate 10% of all sales to Newton-Wellesley Hospital to help support its mission of providing the Boston Metro-West community with a wide range of services including medical, surgical, obstetrical, orthopaedic, neonatal, pediatric, cancer, bariatric, emergency and psychiatric care. In addition, 10% of the proceeds from any private events booked in one of Turner Fisheries’ private dining rooms throughout the month of September will also be donated to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Simply enter the promo code “NWH” when booking your event to contribute to this great cause. This effort is part of Turner Fisheries’ 2011 Charitable Giving Campaign in which the restaurant will support deserving local charities and organizations throughout the course of the year.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital (NWH) is a full system member of Partners HealthCare, a nonprofit organization that includes acute care hospitals Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's/Faulkner Hospitals, North Shore Medical Center, and specialty hospitals McLean Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare, Partners HealthCare at Home, and the community-based doctors and hospitals of Partners Community HealthCare, Inc. Newton-Wellesley has been serving its community for over 130 years and provides a wide range of services, including medical, surgical, obstetrical, orthopaedic, neonatal, pediatric, cancer, bariatric, emergency and psychiatric care. The medical staff of the Hospital includes nearly 1,000 physicians practicing a full range of specialties. NWH is a major teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School residents.