Sake News

1) Akane Niikura, a 10-year old-girl, is Japan's youngest sake expert, having passed a test held by the Sake Service Institute. Even though she is too young to drink sake, she was able to pass the test solely through her sense of smell. It probably helps that her mother is also a sake expert, running a sake bar.    Akane specializes in recommending sake for food pairings.   Check out the news video about her.

2) Pizza and sake?  It might sound strange to you but the two can pair very well together, and I can show you the possibilities. Join me at my upcoming "Sake 101: Pizza & Sake" class at the Boston Wine School on Wednesday, July 27, at 6:30pm. This will be a fun introduction to the realm of sake, covering diverse topics such as sake history, the brewing process, sake types, rituals & customs, terminology and much more. No prior knowledge of sake is required to take this class. We will taste through a number of sakes, as well as see how it pairs with a variety of different pizzas. Open up your mind and arm yourself with the knowledge you need to safely navigate a restaurant's sake menu or a wine store's sake selection. There is limited seating available so please sign up soon so you don't miss out.

Rant: Money Buys Influence & Access, Duh!

Unless you live in an isolated cave, you realize that political contributions can purchase influence and access. Just pick up any newspaper and you will be almost sure to see a story about such contributions. It is a fact of our political system and it probably isn't ever going to change. So pointing out that some group has donated a lot of money to political campaigns, hoping to protect their business, is not significantly newsworthy. So why all the attention lately to the amount of money spent by alcohol wholesalers?

What spurred on this latest attention was a study released by the Specialty Wine Retailers Association (SWRA) entitled "Toward Liquor Domination," and subtitled "How Alcohol Wholesalers, Time and Money Have Corrupted the American Alcohol Industry." The study indicates that alcohol wholesalers have contributed over $82 million to political campaigns and federal lobbying during the past three election cycles. The report states: "The $82 million wholesalers donated over the course of five years dwarfs that spent by retailers and producers on influencing lawmakers across the country." Unfortunately, the report fails to provide sufficient data to fully support that allegation.

I should initially note that I am not a supporter of the current three-tier system and I also do not support HR1161. But, if those matters are to be fought, then accurate information should be disseminated, rather than allowing hyberole and misinformation to divert attention from what is most important. Such matters give opponents fodder to attack, allowing them to avoid the important issues. Don't belabor the obvious and provide something new and substantial.

It is a simple fact that alcohol wholesalers contribute millions of dollars to political campaigns and lobbying in efforts to seek influence and access.  It is also a fact that alcohol producers and retailers contribute millions of dollars to political campaigns and lobbying in efforts to seek influence and access. The only difference between the two is the amount of money spent. So it cannot be corrupt for wholesalers to make such contributions, or producers and retailers would also be guilty of such corruption. 

The wholesalers appear to be more successful because they spend more money. Rather obvious isn't it? So why don't producers and retailers just spend more money, to be more competitive?  Producers are generating billions in revenue so it can't be a lack of money issue. Do they care enough to want to effectuate change in the three-tier system?

Let us look more closely at the figures presented in the Study, and I will also point out the missing data.

In the Federal Influence chart, during the past three election cycles (2005/6, 2007/8, 2009/10), it is noted that alcohol wholesalers contributed about $15.5 million to "federal election campaigns and Political Action Committees."  The producers of wine, beer & spirits contributed a total of about $9.5 million, with beer producers contributing the most, $5.5 million, and wine producers only contributing about $2.3 million. So, wholesalers spent about $6 million more than producers. But this chart omits the contribution of retailers, so the gap is actually lower. Why was information on retailers not provided?

In the State Influence chart, during the past three election cycles, it is noted that alcohol wholesalers contributed about $58 million to state political campaigns. Brewers, wineries, distilleries and retailers contributed a total of about $29.8 million, about half the amount of wholesalers.  This is the only chart with complete information.

In the Federal Lobbying Expenses chart, during the past three election cycles, it is noted that alcohol wholesalers spent about $8.8 million on lobbying efforts. But the chart fails to provide any information on lobbying expenses for producers or retailers.  Why was this information not provided? 

So, by totaling all of the figures for these three charts, alcohol wholesalers have spent about $82 million. The total for producers and retailers is about $39 million, but that number is actually higher as there is data missing on some of their contributions and expenses. That means the Study's conclusion is based on incomplete data and thus not properly supported.  Roughly, based on the figures we do possess, it appears wholesalers spend about twice as much as producers/retailers, which I do not think constitutes a total that "dwarfs" the other. That is just a bit of hyberbole. $40 million is a significant amount of money in its own right.    

I am also curious as to how much the Specialty Wine Retailers Association contributes to political campaigns and lobbying expenses.

A good portion of the Study rehashes the familiar problems with the three-tier system, which is not really necessary as that has been discussed many times before. And it is not earth-shattering news that alcohol wholesalers spend a lot of money on political contributions and lobbying.  I would rather know why producers and retailers are not contributing more to defeat the efforts of wholesalers. That is something people don't discuss, and has direct relevance to the overall issues.

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.
**************************************************************
1) “I’m just one guy, with a boat, a truck and a dog, but since last year, I’ve been selling my haul of 60-80 lobsters a week to 50 Local,” says Chip Zeiner of Cape Porpoise, whose crustaceans become restaurant creations like Lobster Carbonara, Lobster BLT’s and Lobster Spring Rolls.

Chips’ sales guarantee from having a one-on-one relationship with a chef is echoed by each of the farmers and fisherman, dairy and cattlemen, cheese-makers, foragers and gardeners who’ve formed a beneficial alliance with 50 Local, a chic yet casual bistro in the center of this historic Maine town.

With culinary chops honed in Boston kitchens, husband and wife co-owners David Ross (chef) and Merrilee Paul (GM) opened 50 Local to raves last year. 50 LOCAL’s ultra-locavore concept is a polyglot menu finely tuned so that almost every ingredient used in the kitchen is sourced from a local purveyor located within a few miles of the restaurant’s door. Just inside that door is a tall blackboard announcing which farms contributed to that day’s offerings.

July fare changes daily, but might include:
Margaritas with cukes and blueberries from Merrilee’s grandmother’s farm ($9)
South Berwick’s Breezy Hill Farm Pork Chop with sage brown butter – a special when they get a pig every six weeks
Veal chop from Harris Farm with Swiss chard, and foraged mushrooms by sous chef Jared St. Onge of Moonswell Farm ($36)
Browne Trading Co. Atlantic Halibut from with lemony risotto ($34)
Blue Velvet, a semi-soft raw cow’s milk cheese made in Phippsburg, Maine ($6)
Caesar Salad with a poached egg from Ewe & I Farm ($11)
Pemaquid, ME Oysters ($16/dozen)
Groundwork Farm Greens with sherry vinaigrette ($9)

2) The Claddagh Fund and Dropkick Murphys are gearing up to host the first annual Rotten Tomato Karaoke Party in a tent that will be set up right next to The Barking Crab restaurant on Thursday, July 21, from 6pm-10pm. Some of Boston’s best-know athletes, media personalities, politicians and chefs will give their best karaoke rendition in front of a sea of rotten tomato-packing audience members! All attendees will have the chance to purchase tomatoes (all proceeds will benefit Claddagh Fund) to throw at the singing notables should they not hit that high or low note on key.

Some of the celebrities will include: Stanley Cup Winner/Bruins Champion, Shawn Thornton; NESN’s Heidi Watney; Actor, Lenny Clark; Celebrity Chef, Jamie Bissonnette; Boxer, Micky Ward; Miss Massachusetts, Alida D’Angona; WFNX’s Adam 12; State Senator Jack Hart; City Councilor Bill Linehan with more to be announced.

Tickets are available for $25 at www.CladdaghFund.org with a limited amount of $30 tickets available at the door. Patrons are encouraged to guarantee entrance with an online ticket purchase before the event. Ticket purchase includes complimentary appetizers courtesy of The Barking Crab, beer courtesy of Budweiser and Narragansett and cocktails courtesy of Sailor Jerry Rum, Skyy Vodka and Pepsi.

Karaoke is open to all patrons on a first come, first serve basis although spaces in the line-up have been saved for celebrity guests. Tomatoes will be sold on-site for $30 per tomato or 4 tomatoes for $100. Discounted tomato packages will be on sale prior to the event on the Claddagh Fund website, www.CladdaghFund.org

The Claddagh Fund is the charitable foundation of the Dropkick Murphys, founded by Ken Casey in 2009. Honoring the three attributes of the Claddagh Ring, Friendship, Love and Loyalty, the mission of the Claddagh Fund is to raise money for the most underfunded non-profit organizations that support vulnerable populations in our communities.

3) As the Chinese proverb says “deep doubts, deep wisdom….” It’s time to doubt the stereotypical beer and sake pairings that generally accompany the intrinsic flavors of Asian cuisine and grab a glass of wine! On Saturday, July 23, from 12pm-5pm, join the Wine ConneXtion for “Wok n’ Wine,” a complimentary in-store wine tasting featuring a special wok tasting from China Blossom and a live Kung Fu demonstration from Yang’s Martial Arts.

Guests will have the opportunity to sample authentic Chinese dishes and watch live wok demonstrations as the experts at the Wine ConneXtion help pair wine to complement the flavor of traditional Sichuan and Cantonese wok-style cooking. Get inspired with live Kung Fu demonstrations from students from Yang’s Martial Arts, streaming Kung Fu movies and wok races. Special prizes will be raffled off to guests from both China Blossom and Yang’s Martial Arts.

Walk ins welcome all day, Kung Fu demonstration starts at 2:45PM. Kan Pei! (Bottom’s up.)

Newport Food & Wine Treasures on Bellevue

If you are a food and wine lover visting Newport, Rhode Island, then you need to make a stop on Bellevue Avenue, just across the street from the Hotel Viking.  You'll find three places of interest here, including a wine store, gourmet food shop and chocolate shop. And they are all located right next to each other.

Maria and David Glade own both the Newport Wine Cellar, established in November 2008, and Le Petit Gourmet, opened in November 2009. The wine store generally stocks more artisan, boutique wines as well as some craft beers and spirits. They hold complimentary wine tastings on Fridays and Saturdays, from 4-7pm.  In addition, they often hold wine classes on Wednesday nights, which cost $40 per person.

The store has two rooms, the front being devoted to Old World wines and the back room more for New World wines, beers, and liquors. The shelves make it easy to look at the wine labels and I was impressed with the diverse selection I found. These are not your usual suspects, but much more interesting wines, and they even have a decent selection of half-bottles.  Prices are average and there is a 10% discount on a mixed case. You will find wines at a wide range of price points, including some under $10.

With summer here, they are stocking over a dozen different rosés, and I had the opportunity to taste a complex and intriguing 2010 Lucien Crochet Sancerre Pinot Rose ($34.95). I also ended up purchasing a couple of Portuguese rosés. This is a very worthy destination for wine lovers. And it certainly was better than the other wine store I visited in Newport that was plagued with a significant dust problem.

Le Petit Gourmet is a gourmet food and cheese shop, with a diverse selection of fresh and packaged items. Though small, they have packed lots of food items into this space. They have a refrigerated case with some specialty meats, such as sausages and pates, including from D'Artagnan.

The cheese case looks very compelling, with an interesting variety of cheese from all over the world.

You'll find fresh bread from a bakery in Hyannis, homeade croissants, quiche, salads, soups and sandwiches. With your wine from next door, you can come here and buy enough food to take home for dinner, or for a picnic. Wine & food go well together. 

With your food and wine, you only need something for dessert so you then stop at Le Maison de Coco, new shop for truffles, tarts and other confections. You can stop here for takeout, or get something to eat at their outside tables.  The colors of the interior of the shop are supposed to reflect the colors of ripe cacao.

Owner Michele De Luca-Verley primarily uses chocolate from Madagascar cacao beans which were processed in France.  Michele is very personable, and obviously passionate about chocolate.
 

Michele enjoys making tea and fruit infused chocolate truffles, and I tried the Bergamot, Jasmine Peach, and Orange Blossom. The truffles had a rich chocolate flavor and the fruit/tea flavors were distinctive but not overwhelming. They complemented the chocolate and did not possess that artificial flavor that sometimes you find in other truffles.

So, if you travel to Newport, make sure to stop by Bellevue Avenue and check out all three of these cool food and wine shops.

Perro Salado: Creative Mexican in Newport

When you think of restaurants in Newport, Rhode Island, seafood probably first comes to mind but do you even give any thought to Mexican cuisine? Probably not, but if you dine at Perro Salado then it is very likely that your mindset will change.

Perro Salado is Spanish for "salty dog," an apt phrase to pay homage to this famous fishing and sailing port. The restaurant is about four years old, a joint venture between three people: Dan Hall, Andi Johnson, and Russ Hall. Russ, Dan’s brother, always had a dream of owning a restaurant. He fell in love with Mexican cuisine and saw an opportunity in Newport, which was largely bereft of such cuisine. Dan was a chef, who had worked in Miami and New York, and was up for the challenge of opening a restaurant. Andi Johnson, the general manager, has an artistic eye and helped develop the look and decor of the restaurant.  Andi also works as a bartender, helping to create the innovative cocktails on their drink list.  

I was invited to dine at Perro Salado, and was intrigued enough by their menu and philosophy to accept the invitation.  The restaurant is located inside the 300-year-old colonial Decatur House, where naval captain Stephen Decatur was raised prior to the Revolutionary War. As it is a house, the dining areas are spread out through a seeming maze of different rooms, with a bar set in the entry room. Thus, each room is also relatively small, with maybe a half dozen tables or so in each. This provides a homey ambiance, and the decor contributes to this pleasant atmosphere. The Mexican flair is restrained and more subtle, not like other Mexican places which overwhelm with kitsch. Perro Salado is a casual place, appropriate for an intimate date, a group of friends after work or a family.   

There is also a moderate-sized outside patio where you can dine and relax on a warm summer night.  When I arrived, it was a beautiful Saturday evening and there was a short line of people waiting for the restaurant to open at 5pm. By 6pm, the restaurant was nearly full, so it is obvious this this is a very popular dining destination. After my own experience, I can readily understand why it is so popular, and I would return there when I go back to Newport.   

Before ordering your meal, you might want to start off with an alcoholic drink, and tequila reigns supreme here, from margaritas to tasting flights. There are five different types of margaritas, from the House Margarita to the Cilantro-Jalapeno, priced from $6.50-$8 per glass, or a pitcher from $30-$35. Prices are higher if you want a more expensive tequila.  I very much enjoyed the taste of the Blood Orange Margarita, and they did not skimp on the tequila. For flights, you can get a Vertical (consisting of a silver, reposado and anejo from the same producer) or a Horizontal (consisting of the same grade from three different producers).  You'll also find some other Mexican inspired cocktails, $6-$10, from Oaxacan Lemonade to the Pepino Fresco. I tried the Mezcal Mule, with Scorpion Silver Mezcal, ginger beer, and lime juice, though it did not impress me, needing more ginger flavor.  

They offer Red and White Sangria ($11/glass, $22/pitcher) and tried a glass of their Red. I have high standards for sangria, having been spoiled by the excellent sangria at Dali. To my surprise, Perro's sangria reminded me exactly of that from Dali, and I was extremely pleased with its taste. This is sangria I could drink all night long. On the drink menu, you will also find beers, draft and in the bottle, and a small wine list, which has some interesting choices.  I should also note that upon arrival, your server places a chilled bottle of water on your table, a nice touch.  

The food menu is relatively small but with sufficient diverse and interesting choices, including 5 Entradas (appetizers), 2 Ensaladas (salads), 5 Platos Principales (entrees), Taqueria (tacos to quesadillas), and 10 Sides. There were several off-menu specials as well. This is a restaurant that is not trying to overwhelm you with choices, and I like that idea. If you want seafood, beef, poultry, or even vegetarian, you will be able to find something to choose. Based on the dishes I had, I think you could even make a great meal, sharing just Entradas, Ensaladas and Sides. 

Most of the cuisine is not traditional Mexican cuisine, but rather inspired by the flavors and ingredients of Mexico. The chef uses fresh ingredients, often local and/or organic, and most of the specials included local ingredients.  This is another compelling reason to patronize Perro Salado, though the true test is still the taste of the food.  And in that regard, Perro passes with flying colors.

My dinner began with a couple Entradas, the first being the Seafood Chowder ($10), which includes shrimp, mussels & scallops in coconut milk & lime broth. The broth was thinner than some other chowders, had a strong seafood taste, lots of buttery notes, and some tropical flavors. There was plenty of seafood in the chowder, and it all seemed fresh and tender.  I enjoyed the taste, especially the unique addition of the coconut and lime.

The Sticky Pork Ribs ($11) were a knockout! The ribs are supposed to be glazed in Coke, brown sugar and Mexican spices, and you receive two good-sized racks. The ribs had a delicious charred and crispy exterior that easily peeled away from the rest of the ribs. I would have been satisfied with just a plate of that tasty crispness. The rest of the ribs were very tender and meaty, falling off the bone. They had a strong sweetness to them, with underlying hints of spice, and were plainly addictive. If you visit Perro, you must order these ribs.

An intriguing Mexican variant on a famous classic is the Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad ($9) which has jalapeño, bacon, cotija cheese, and a house dressing.  The jalapeno added some appealing heat to the dish, and the cotija presented a creamy texture to the the dish. The produce seemed very fresh and I think I like this variant better than a conventional Caesar. 

For an entree, I decided to combine an Entrada with a choice from the Tacqueria.  From the Entrada, I went with the Empanada del Dia ($9), which was beef. The flaky pastry was filled with plenty of well-spiced meat, and sure seemed as if it were homemade.

From the Tacqueria, I chose a Quesadilla ($8), filled with Chicken Tinga. The grilled tortilla was filled with plenty of moist, shredded chicken and melted cheese, and the sauce added a spicy edge to the dish. For the price, it was a good-sized dish and shows the kitchen can produce more traditional Mexican dishes as well as their innovative ones.

One of the special entress of the night was a Lobster dish, special, atop rice and accompanied by corn, garlic scapes and other veggies.  There was lots of sweet lobster meat and the rice was also quite tasty too. Everything seemed fresh, as had all of the other dishes, and once again is was an intriguing variation on something more traditional.

I saved a little room for dessert and chose the Sopapillas, which are drizzled with Mexican chocolate and accompanied with whipped cream. Light and flaky, the warm sopapillos made for an excellent platform for the rich chocolate and whipped cream. And they were light enough that almost everyone should have enough room after dinner to have a couple sopapillos. You won't be disappointed.

Service was very good, attentive without being overbearing. Overall, I was impressed with the cuisine, especially the sticky ribs and caesar salad, plus their philosophy of using many local and organic ingredients is a worthy one. I enjoyed its casual and homey ambiance, and their red sangria gets my hearty approval. It is clear why the restaurant attracts the crowds that it does and I would definitely return here on my next visit to Newport. I strongly recommend that my readers make a visit there too, and have some sangria and ribs.