Thursday Sips & Nibbles

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)T o celebrate the extra day in 2016, Chef Brian Poe will hop to it by dishing out a series of Leap Year specials at his three restaurants on Monday, February 29. Chef Poe’s creative culinary style and his flair for using exotic meats will be showcased through creations that use “hopping” proteins, putting the “leap” into “Leap Year.”

Bukowski Tavern in Inman Square will be celebrating Leap Year with “Hoppy Hour” from 5pm through midnight. Each hour, Bukowski Tavern will feature a hops-forward beer to pair with Chef Poe’s Leap Day special, the Cilantro Szechuan Peppercorn Kangaroo Burger with hopped cashew Thai chile aioli, hop-battered onion rings and ginger beer pickles.

Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake, in the Back Bay, Chef Poe will be serving up Hoppin’ Frog Tostadas piled with jalapeño-braised frog legs and topped with a saffron aioli on crisp corn tortillas.

The Tip Tap Room, on Beacon Hill, will be dishing out a Bacon-Wrapped Rabbit Loin with yuzu apples, garlic and a pistachio crumble. Chef Poe recommends pairing the rabbit with Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union brew.

COST: Leap Year specials are available for $13.95 at each restaurant. Specialty beers available at a la carte pricing.

These dishes certainly intrigue me and I'm very tempted to visit one of the restaurants on Leap Day.  I love kangaroo, frogs and rabbit so it might be tough to decide which I want.

2) The Cheese Shop of Concord has launched a new program to please the palates of cheese lovers – those who live or work near the Town of Concord, and even those who don’'t. It’ is the shop’'s first-ever, Monthly Cheese Club, with memberships available in increments of 3, 6 and 12 months.

In March, the cheese lovers club will showcase the Great Cheeses of Massachusetts. There are more than two dozen family farms across the Commonwealth making artisanal cow, sheep and goats milk cheeses.

Club members will receive 1.5 lbs. of whatever three cheeses are at their best, pairing suggestions, plus 2 or 3 “surprise” gifts such as jams, nuts, candy or more from The Cheese Shop’s. With more than 1,000 cheeses rotated throughout the year at The Cheese Shop of Concord, club members are guaranteed a wide-ranging selection of flavors, textures and styles in cheeses made from Deerfield, Massachusetts to the Italian Dolomite Mountains … and from Stowe, Vermont to Fribourg, Switzerland.

Introductory prices for 2016 are as follows:
$225 for a three-month membership …
$420 for a six-month membership …
$720 for a full year (that’s close to 20 pounds of cheese, and almost 40 culinary extras from now until February 2017)

3) On Wednesday, March 9, at 6:30pm, Legal Sea Foods in Park Square will host a wine dinner with selections from Ravines Wine Cellar. A boutique winery located in an emerging world-class wine region, the Finger Lakes of upstate New York, this small, distinctive winery crafts elegant and food-friendly wines using Old World winemaking traditions with New World innovation.

Legal Sea Foods will team up with owner & winemaker, Morten Hallgren, to host a four-plus-course dinner featuring cuisine paired with his selections from the Ravines vine. The menu will be presented as follows:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Mussel Escabeche, Warm Baguette
Oysters on the Half Shell, Blood Orange Granita, Caviar
Shrimp Arancini, Passion Fruit Aioli
Ravines “Methode Classique” Brut Sparkling Wine, Finger Lakes, 2006
FIRST COURSE
Diver Scallop Ceviche (Navel Orange & Aji Amarillo Leche de Tigre, Salsa Criolla)
Ravines Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, 2014
Ravines “Argetsinger Vineyard” Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, 2012
SECOND COURSE
Pan-Seared Halibut Fillet (Hazelnut Beurre Blanc, Mashed Turnip, English Peas)
Ravines Chardonnay, Finger Lakes, 2013
MAIN COURSE
Cedar Plank Roasted Tuna & Pork Belly (Herbed Yukon Gold Potatoes, Braised Broccoli Rabe)
Ravines Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, 2013
Ravines Meritage, Finger Lakes, 2012
DESSERT COURSE
Caramelized Pineapple Empanada (Coconut Ice Cream, Sabayon)
Ravines “Late Harvest” Vignoles, Finger Lakes, 2013

COST: $85 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9397

Boston Wine Expo: Quinta Dona Matilde Port

Each year at the Boston Wine Expo, besides seeking out Portuguese still wines, I also look for Ports that are new to me. This year, in the Vintners' Reserve Lounge, the Winresources USA table showcased two Ports from a small, family estate. I hadn't tasted Ports from this producer before so it was good to have the opportunity to check them out.

Once known as Quinta do Enxodreiro and founded in 1875, the Quinta Dona Matilde is a family-owned estate located on the banks of the Douro River. In 1927, the estate was purchased by Manuel Moreira de Barros, who founded the Barros Wine Group. It was he who changed the name of the estate to Dona Matilde, in honor of his wife. About ten years ago, the estate was sold but soon thereafter, Manuel Angelo Barros, the grandson of Manuel and Matilde, bought the estate back and now works it with his sons, Filipe and Nuno. The estate covers about 93 hectares, including 28 hectares of quality vineyards, and they produce both still wines and Port.

The 2008 Quinta Dona Matilde Colheita Porto ($37.99), made from a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Amarela, and Tinta Barroca, was created to be a fresh, easy drinking Port. Usually, these Colheitas are released after 10-12 years but this is an exception. With a pleasant nose of jammy fruit and spice, I found this Port to be elegant and approachable, with prominent bright fruit flavors, mild spice notes, and a little toastiness. The tannins are mild, it isn't overly sweet, and has a fairly lengthy finish. With this Port, they have accomplished their goal and it would be perfect for a chilly evening, accompanied by a hunk of pungent Blue Cheese.

The 2011 Quinta Dona Matilde Vintage Porto ($54.99) is from a vintage which was universally declared and has received major raves. Made from Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca and Rufete, this wine spent the first 2 years in large oak barrels and the rest in the bottle.  With a deep and alluring aroma, this is an intense Port, muscular and powerful yet still restrained and elegant. It is full bodied, with strong tannins, deep red and black fruit flavors, and moderate spice notes. It possesses a lingering and pleasing finish. Though I think it would benefit from additional aging, it still is fairly approachable for a young vintage Port. With time, it should become a superb Port.

Did you enjoy any Ports at the Boston Wine Expo?

Boston Wine Expo: Portuguese Wines & LGL Imports

Every year at the Grand Tasting of the Boston Wine Expo, I make time to stop by the LGL Imports tables, to check out their diverse portfolio of Portuguese wines. And every year, I find delicious wines, which are often excellent values too. I always recommend that my friends and readers stop by their tables, to discover the wonders of Portuguese wine. Last year, two wines from LGL Imports made my 2015 Top Ten Wines Under $15 and one of their other wines made my 2015 Top Ten Wines Over $15 (but under $50).

As I've said before: "I love the fact that Portugal possesses an abundance of intriguing indigenous grapes, which can provide a unique taste to their wines. You can find tasty Portuguese wines for under $10 which are better than similarly priced wines from most any other wine region. Portugal is rich in vinous history, and their wines pair very well with an abundance of foods. If you're not drinking Portuguese wines, you need to rush out and sample them."

Please also check out All About Portuguese Wines to find links to my myriad of previous articles about the wines of Portugal, including Port.

This year, I sampled seven of the LGL Portuguese wines, with the only caveat that they had to be produced only from indigenous grapes. I want to taste Portugal in every sip and feel that their indigenous grapes provides me the best path. These seven wines will help you understand the allure of Portuguese wines. In addition, these are some incredible values, all but one which cost under $10!  (Though note that prices will vary across the country, and also from wine store to wine store.) It is very difficult in most wine regions to find such delicious wines under $10 but Portugal seems to  deliver time and time again at this price point.

First, I began with four white wines, and overall they were crisp and fruity, easy drinking wines with more character than many similarly priced wines. They would be excellent summer wines but could be enjoyed during the winter too. Though you can enjoy them on their own, they are definitely great food wines, with everything from seafood to chicken dishes. They will appeal to most wine lovers seeking a delicious, bargain white wine.

The 2013 Caves Velhas Bucellas ($9.99) is produced from the Arinto grape, offering bright citrus flavors with with some floral notes. Fresh, crisp and tasty. The 2014 Herdade Das Albernoas ($7.99), made from Antão Vaz & Arinto, is also fresh, crisp and fruity but with some herbal accents. The 2013 Montes Claros Colheita White ($9.99) is a blend of Roupeiro, Arinto and Antão Vaz, offering another fresh, crisp and fruity wine, with more grapefruit and lime flavors.  The 2014 Adega De Borba White ($7.99), also made from Roupeiro, Arinto and Antão Vaz, had a similar taste profile though the lime was more prominent and there were some subtle orange notes.

The 2013 Herdade Paco de Conde Tinto ($9.99) is a blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet and Touriga Nacional, spending about three months in French and American oak. With an appealing nose of earthiness and black fruit, the wine is smooth and dry, with an intense melange of flavors, including black cherry, ripe plum, spice and earthy accents. This wine is an overachiever, presenting so much more complexity and character than most other wines at this price point. Pair this with everything from pizza to burgers, steak to ribs. At this price, you should buy it by the case so you always have a bottle on hand.

The 2011 Caves Messias Quinta do Cachão ($8.99), a blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz, is a bit more tannic (though still well controlled) and less earthy, with delicious black fruit flavors, hints of spice, and nice acidity. This is more a food wine, best with hearty dishes. I can picture this in the summer, enjoying a thick burger or slab of ribs off the grill.

The most expensive wine of the seven, and still a good value wine, is the 2010 Quinta do Penedo Dão Red ($13.99), a blend of Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro. On the nose, this wine had a stronger earthy aroma with spicy accents. On the palate, it was the biggest of the three red wines, with plenty of earthy notes, big spice and black fruit flavors. This is clearly a food wine, best with a hearty dish like a thick steak or a fettuccine ragu. As I enjoy earthy wines, this appealed to me very much though I understand why some wine lovers aren't fans.  

Which Portuguese wines did you enjoy at the Boston Wine Expo?

Boston Wine Expo: An Overview With Food

A fascinating Spanish wine that was a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and old vine Palomino. An intriguing Georgian Rkatsiteli wine fermented in a traditional qvevri. A Sparkling Ribolla Gialla wine from Slovenia. Killer value Portuguese wines under $10. And I found even more delicious and interesting wines at this past weekend's Boston Wine Expo.

The 25th Anniversary of the Boston Wine Expo was held on February 13 & 14 at the Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center. Presented by the Boston Guild of Oenophilists, the Expo gathered together thousands of wine lovers, producers, importers, distributors and others. As a media guest, I attended both days of the Expo, seeking out new wines, enhancing my wine education, and hanging with friends. Overall, it was a fruitful weekend as I discovered plenty of interesting wines and had lots of fun.

I spent most of my time in the Grand Tasting, which featured over 200 producers and about 1800 wines, though I also checked out the Vintners' Reserve Lounge. At the Expo, I got to see some wine loving friends, including Doug, Todd, Chanie, Brett, and William, and told them about some of my favorite wines. Though I enjoy discovering new wines, I also get much enjoyment from sharing those discoveries with others. And it is even better when your friends also find joy in the wines you recommended. In the next couple weeks, I'll be sharing those finds with my readers too.

Once again, the Grand Tasting offered some intriguing diversity in some respects, but failed in certain areas. On the positive side, you could find wines from lesser known wine countries including Moldava, Lebanon, Israel, Georgia, Romania, Slovenia, and Uruguay. California, France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal were well represented. However, some countries and regions had very limited or no representation, including South Africa and Alsace. There were only two Sake producers represented and I would have liked to see more representation, especially from some of the smaller Sake breweries. I also would have liked to see more Spanish Sherry, Ports from Portugal, and Italian Franciacorta.

I understand some of the reasons for the lack of diversity in some areas. It isn't cheap to have a table at the Expo and not all producers, especially the smaller ones, believe they receive a sufficient economic benefit for the cost. Maybe the Expo organizers could try to address this matter by providing reduced pricing for small wineries, maybe based on production levels. In addition, maybe Expo organizers could also be more proactive in trying to bring more exhibitor diversity to the event by actively seeking out producers in regions which have been under-represented in the past.

During the trade hours, from 11am-1pm, I got plenty of work done, tasting a variety of wines, learning about those wines from the producers, distributors and importers, and taking notes. It is a quiet time then, with fewer people around, so you have a greater opportunity to taste and chat. When the Public hours began, at 1pm, it is tougher, especially on Saturday, when the crowds fill the great hall. You often have to wait in line to reach a specific table, and the producers, distributors and importers have less time to speak with each person who comes to their table.

This is probably the main complaint about the Expo, is that it gets too crowded, and that complaint has some validity. Of the two days, Saturday was definitely the more crowded of the two, which is usually the way it is each year. They have tried to separate the tables more, to create larger aisles, to alleviate some of the crowding. In some respects, that has helped, but certain spots still get too crowded so that it is tough to even make your way down the aisle. This is an issue at all major wine event where thousands of people attend.

Besides all the wine available at the Expo, there are a number of food exhibitors, many offering free samples of their products. As I've often repeated, at such a large wine event it's beneficial to have plenty of food samples to help absorb the alcohol and cleanse the palate. I have also recommended before that attendees should try to pair some of these food samples with the wines they taste. For example, I paired some chocolate with a Licor de Tannat, an Uruguayan wine similar to a Port. Did you try any food and wine pairings at the Expo?

I'm going to highlight some of the favorite food and non-wine finds from the Expo, and would like to hear about your own favorites too.

McCrea's Candies makes a variety of delicious caramels and I've been enjoying their caramels since 2012. They are a local company and have been regularly exhibiting at the Expo. This year, they were involved in my favorite food & wine pairing of the Expo. I enjoyed their Black Lava Sea Salt Caramel with the Bodegas Hidalgo-La Gitana Alameda Cream Sherry.  The sweet and salty caramel went well with the complex flavors of the Sherry, including its nutty, briny and caramel notes. A magical combination.

Bella Bella Gourmet Foods, located in Connecticut, represent a group of farms in Sullivan County, New York which raise heirloom poultry, game birds and other meats such as rabbit. They also produce foie gras and foie-related products. At the Expo, they were sampling a number of duck products, from duck bacon to duck prosciutto, and including a duck quesadilla. It was all delicious and near-addictive. They are high quality products, with plenty of flavor, and worth checking out.

Fortuna's Sausage Co. has been producing sausage and other meats for over 100 years. The current third-generation owner is Patti Fortuna-Standard, whose grandparents came to the U.S. from Calabria, Italy. They brought their recipes with them, and they still form the basis of the company. Their products are only available online and at some trade shows. They sell a variety of salumi, all natural and nitrate free, from Pepperoni to Salami, many priced about $16-$20 for a 9-10 ounce stick.

At the Expo, they offered samples of maybe seven or eight of their products and all of them were tasty, with a nice blend of spices and meat. The Pepperoni were excellent as was the Soupy, which is also known as Supri, Suppi, and Calabrese salami. They have five varieties of Soupy, including Sweet, Mild, Hot, Extra Hot and Nuclear Hot. The Hot Soupy, with a meaty, savory taste, also had a spicy kick on the finish, a slow growing burn in your mouth. I tried the Nuclear Hot as well, and it certainly left a fiery burn in your mouth, deserving of its label, but again it was something that slowly built over time in your mouth until it became an inferno. I know some people who will love it!

Mamadou's Artisan Bakery, located at 63 Swanton Street in Winchester, is one of my favorite bread bakeries. They were selling some of their delicious breads at the Expo and I picked up a baguette. It was good to walk around the tasting, being able to snack on some crusty bread in between sips. If you haven't stopped by their bakery, I highly recommend you do so.

In the Vintner's Reserve Lounge, Chef Ming Tsai offered one of the best dishes of the Expo, Red Roast Duck Tostadas with a spicy pineapple salsa and avocado puree (though I had mine without the avocado). The duck was tender and flavorful, with a nice blend of spices, and the salsa added a mildly spicy kick. The tortilla chip made a nice vehicle for the duck and I enjoyed several of these tostadas as I sampled several wines. It went especially well with both a Provence Rosé and a Spanish Mencia.

Chef Brendan Pelley, formerly of Zebra's Bistro, has launched a new project, a Greek inspired pop-up called Pellekasis. It is located in Wink & Nod and will be around for maybe another six months or so. Chef Pelley is hoping that it might lead to a future brick and mortar restaurant. I like that Chef Pelley is presenting Greek cuisine, but with some new techniques and ingredients, bringing a fresh approach. At the Expo, Chef Pelley conducted a Chef Demo, creating Wild Boar Keftedes, meatballs, his own spin on a Greek classic. He adds a bit of an Asian flair, using soy sauce and panko in his recipe. The meatballs  were moist and flavorful, and I love that he used wild boar. I need to check out Pellekasis soon.

Jonathan Potash, the Cocktail Guru, is pictured above with Kirsten "Kitty" Amann, both very well known in the Boston cocktail scene. They presented two different wine cocktails, The Wiseguy and the Santa Vino.  Both were intriguing cocktails, well balanced and tasty, though my favorite was The Wiseguy as I liked its smoky edge accompanying the yuzu and banana flavors. These cocktails were a nice addition to the Expo.

During the next couple weeks, I'll be posting reviews of the wines I most enjoyed at the Expo. Stay tuned..

The Quiet Man: A New Irish Whiskey & Distillery

“What whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for."
--Irish saying

The first whiskey distillery in Derry, located in Northern Ireland, was established about 200 years ago. In 1815, Alexander Stewart opened the first whiskey distillery and it wasn't until 1828 that other distilleries opened, including one by Ross T. Smith on Abbey Street and another by James Robinson in the Waterside. In 1839, David Watt acquired ownership of the Abbey Street distillery and by 1887, it became the largest distillery in Ireland, spread out over eight acres.

Until Prohibition, the city of Derry was the largest whiskey producer in Ireland and then the distilleries started closing. When Prohibition ended, Derry never recovered to its prior whiskey-making heights. The first new whiskey distillery, in about 150 years, should start construction in Derry at the fall of this year.

The Black Rose recently hosted a tasting event, showcasing a new Irish Whiskey, The Quiet Man.  Luxco, a producer, importer and marketer of beverage alcohol products, has partnered with Niche Drinks, an Irish producer of Cream Liqueurs, Irish Coffee and Ready To Drink Cocktails, to sell The Quiet Man. Niche Drinks has been around since 1983, and Ciaran Mulgrew, it's managing director and co-owner, is spearheading the effort to create this new whiskey. I was invited to the event as a media guest and had an opportunity to taste the whiskey and chat with Ciaran Mulgrew.

Ciaran (pictured above) was personable, upfront and charming. The name of this whiskey is intended to honor his father, John Mulgrew, who spent 52 years working as a bartender.  “In more than 50 years behind the bar, my father saw and heard it all, but like all good bartenders, John Mulgrew was true to the code and told no tales. He was ‘The Quiet Man,’ or as they say in the pubs of Ireland, ‘An Fear Ciuin.’” For a time when he was a child, Ciaran lived above a bar and he remembers the smells of the bar, such as that of beer and whiskey, that seeped up through the floor. He credited this to being one of the motivators for him getting involved in the alcohol business.

His ultimate objective is to construct a new whiskey distillery in Derry, to recover some of the glories of the history of the Derry whiskey industry. In the mean time, Ciaran has released two varieties, a Traditional Blended Irish Whiskey ($39.99) and an 8-Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey ($49.99), both bottled at 80 proof. To produce this whiskey, he has been purchasing Irish whiskey from two different sources, both new whiskey and some partially aged. Then, he has been aging all of the whiskey in first-fill bourbon barrels, sourced from Heaven Hill and Sazerac.

Ciaran says, “The difference between a good whiskey and a great whiskey lies not just in picking the best ingredients and having the most skilled distiller. It lies in selecting the finest barrels to let the whiskey mature in. Our unique process of finishing the aging in barrels that previously held bourbon but never whiskey allows The Quiet Man to soak up those wonderfully sweet yet spicy oak flavors, and the result is two great Irish whiskies.”

Some of the whiskey, after spending eight years aging, will then be placed into used Oloroso Sherry casks for another two years of maturation. None of that whiskey has yet been released but it sounds promising. As a Sherry lover, I generally like whiskey that has spent some time in Sherry barrels, acquiring those additional and delicious flavors.

Initially, Ciaran's plan was to open a distillery, bottling, maturation plant, and a visitor center in Campsie but those plans fell through. Now, he will open an urban distillery, located in two buildings in Ebrington Square, the site of an old naval base. At the end of World War II, about 60 German U-boats surrendered at this historical location. The warehouse where they are currently aging their whiskey will remain as is and they hope to begin construction on the distillery in October 2016, with a proposed finishing date fifteen months later.

It will then take another four years before their first Irish whiskey is ready to be bottled, so it won't likely be ready until at least 2022. The whiskey they produce will use the same mash bill as their current whiskey, to maintain a consistent product. In the mean time, they will also use their distillery to produce some Gin, which they can release much quicker.

The Traditional Blended Irish Whiskey is aged for four years and has a high malt percentage. It possesses a nose of sweet caramel with floral notes, and on the palate, it will remind you of a bourbon, especially due to its sweetness. There is plenty of caramel and vanilla flavors, with a hint of spice, and it drinks very smooth with only a hint of a bite on the finish. You could drink this whiskey on its own or mix it into a cocktail.

Of the two whiskies, I preferred the 8-Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey as it possessed a more savory taste profile. It had a pleasing nose of spice, smoke and floral notes and on the palate, it was much less sweet, though there still were tastes of caramel and vanilla. Those sweeter flavors though were balanced by a spicy backbone and a hint of smoke. It too drank very smooth, lacking the bite on the finish that was in the Blended version. It definitely is an Irish whiskey to slowly savor and enjoy, and during the winter, it would be welcome drink on any chilly night.

A pleasant surprise during the tasting was another product from Ciaran's company, the Saint Brendan's Irish Cream, which is named after a sixth century monk. This Irish Cream is made from all natural ingredients, from cream made from the milk of grass-fed cows to their own Irish Whiskey. Bottled at 34 proof, it has a richer butterfat content than many of its competitors. Ciaran said that basically, the cows would be milked on Sunday, the cream made on Monday, the cream blended with the whiskey on Tuesday, and it would be bottled on Wednesday.

I was impressed with its taste, finding it light, creamy and only mildly sweet, far less sweet than Bailey's Irish Cream. It was delicious, without any artificial taste, and would be the perfect drink to cap off a night. I could easily see this in a cocktail, or even as the basis for a tasty frozen shake. And as it only costs $12-$13, it is an excellent value as well and highly recommended.

After the event, I learned they also make a limited edition Saint Brendan's Salted Caramel Irish Cream and was sent a review sample. Similar in many ways to the basic Irish Cream, it was smooth and creamy, though it was sweeter which you would expect from this flavor. The caramel notes were prominent with hints of saltiness and it was like a liquid salted caramel. If you prefer a sweeter drink, this would be your choice and it would work well in a number of cocktails.

Broaden your palate, explore Irish whiskey and check out The Quiet Man.

"And remember--in Scotland and Ireland, whisky is always 'taken,' not drunk."
--Whisky, A Very Peculiar History by Fiona MacDonald