Archive for October, 2008

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Big Bang for your Vino Dollar: The two “R”s

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

Chateau de Nages 2006 Reserve Red Rhone WineSo, the Euro-to-Dollar conversion is kicking our ass, and the cost of good California wines is climbing ever higher as wine collectors realize the potential of premium vintages.  The economy is swirling the bowl, and you’re just an average Joe, plumber or not, trying to find a decent bottle of juice to quaff with Friday night dinner.  You’re no power exec, surfing the company expense account while buying vintage Bordeaux’s and “cult” Californian Cabernets.  You want something red, something solid, something that isn’t going to put your kids’ college fund in the crapper.

Fortunately, there are still quality wines to be found that won’t send you into sticker shock.  When an entry-level Burgundy or Bordeaux starts at $30 a bottle retail, it’s good to know that by shopping from the neighbors of great wine districts, or by choosing younger wines from the same pedigree, you can get the quality and character without the price tag.  By shopping wisely, you can keep yourself in good vin rouge for $10 a bottle, with a splurge up to $14-15 for those relaxing weekend evenings.

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One Last Gasp of Summer

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008

Lemon Shrimp with Tomato and Basil

The weather here in the Mid-Atlantic is starting to turn cooler, but I’m just not ready to let go of the last shreds of summer.  So, before I delve into the earthy and warming flavors of autumn, I’ve got to give light, fresh, and vibrant one more go.  Make this on a fleeting warm October afternoon, or hold onto it to spring on friends and family (ha!) come April.  Or, let’s be honest, you can use this on a winter’s day to bring a little of the lazy days of Tuscan summer into the kitchen.  Just be aware that some of the ingredients are only going to be available from distant climes.

This recipe is fast, fast, fast.  After about 15 minutes of prep work, it comes together as a meal in less than 10 minutes in most cases.  The sauce literally takes 5 minutes to prepare, so start it when your pasta has about 5 minutes to cook.

Ingredients:

6 oz. (dry weight) long pasta – spaghetti, bucatini, linguini fini, etc.
1 dry pint grape or cherry tomatoes
8 oz frozen, pre-cooked shrimp, thawed with tails removed
1 lemon
6 large cloves garlic
4-5 basil tops, fresh
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp white sugar
salt
pepper

Cooking time: 6-12 minutes for pasta, depending on type, 5 minutes for sauce.

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Tea Tales: Assam Teas, Part II

Saturday, October 18th, 2008

Tea Leaves by Takahiro Muneda, used under Creative Commons LicenseA week and a half ago, I posted the first part of my Assam tea reviews.  While I haven’t found a new favorite, there was an interesting variety that I might add to my regular rotation.  The second round of tastings is complete, and I’m not sure we’ve made any improvements.

Koilamari Estate TGFOP1

Dry Aroma: fruit/citrus
Brewed Aroma: malty, citrus
Color: deep reddish-brown
Flavor: malty, slightly cooked-fruity, good body and solid tannins, with a leathery and floral finish
Sweetened: maltier and leather notes more pronounced

The tannins in this tea are assertive when brewed for 4 ½ minutes.  The citrus in the aroma doesn’t carry through into the palate.  The tannins tended to overwhelm the other flavors, so perhaps a shorter brewing time is called for.  However, the body was just about right at this length, so shortening brewing to attenuate the tannins may leave the liquor thin.  Showed promise, but ultimately disappointed.  3 ½ out of 5.

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Beaulieu Vineyards 2004 Napa Valley Zinfandel

Friday, October 10th, 2008

Beaulieu Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel, taken by Rob NovakI’ve always had a soft spot for Zinfandel.  It’s a vividly dark purple grape that unfortunately sees most of its utility in pedestrian, sweet “white” Zins of miscellaneous and anonymous vintage.  White zin made from this dark grape, but the juice is not fermented with the skins.  It is the quintessential non-wine-drinker’s wine, the base for summer spritzers and the refuge of someone who’d rather be drinking an alcopop.  When treated well, however, the Zinfandel grape produces big, burly, fruit-driven wines with flavors of black fruit, spice, and licorice.  Zinfandel is genetically identical to the varietal that Italians call Primitivo.

BV Napa Valley Zinfandel is an affordable wine: $13-14 most days.  Beaulieu wines are generally solid, but not necessarily outstanding in their field.  Zins are usually pretty big with lots of tannin structure, so before tasting this I poured it into a decanter, to sit for a little under two hours prior to sampling.

Details:

Name: Beaulieu Vineyards 2004 Zinfandel, Napa Valley
Type: Red
Country: California
Region: Napa
Grapes: 100% Zinfandel
Price: $14

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Tea Tales: Assam Teas, Part I

Wednesday, October 8th, 2008

It's About Time by Flikr user visualpanic (Lali Masriera) under Creative CommonsThe summer heat is going the way of the summer sun, which to me always signals a transition to drinking more tea as opposed to coffee.  I drink coffee all year ’round, but more so when it’s warmer.  Tea is a calming fall and winter ritual – dried leaves invoking those scattered about by autumn winds, the boiling of water in the kettle and the aromatic brew in the pot.  Tea invokes comfort.  While summer’s activity goes well with coffee’s rush, longer nights and slower paces require a more gentle touch.  So, with this in mind, I ordered up a whole box full of tea samples in preparation for placing my winter orders.

The first set I’m going to look at consists of eight teas from the Assam region of India, which I’ll be dividing into two tastings.  Assam teas are made from a variety of Camelia sinensis native to the area (var. assamica), and are characterized by their dark color, rich body, and round malty flavors.  Also, unlike many other teas, Assams are typically grown at or near sea level instead of on elevated hillsides.  This contributes to their deep flavors and assertive character.  My current gold standard for Assam is the currently unavailable TGFOP leaf from the Singlijan tea estate – rich, smooth, malty, and complex, with fruit, cocoa, and citrus notes.  If it doesn’t become available again, I’ll be very sad when I’m out.  So, I’m looking for its replacement in my tea chest.

My tasting method:  Tea is measured out at 2.5g to each 6 oz. of water.  Black teas are brewed with water at a full boil, oolongs at 185-190°F, green teas at 170-180°F, and white teas no hotter than 160°F.  Brewing times are slightly shorter than those recommended by the vendor in most cases, as the tea is brewed in a 12-ounce iron tetsubin-style pot that allows for a much more thorough extraction than an infuser or tea ball.  The liquor is initially tasted plain, then sweetened with white table sugar in the case of Indian black teas.  I don’t normally take milk in my tea, so I don’t sample it that way.

Borpatra Estate STGFOP1S

Dry Aroma: herbal/floral
Brewed Aroma: green herbal, leathery, malt husk
Flavor: bright, slightly tannic, lightly floral (chrysanthemum/daisy)
Sweetened: enhances floral components
Body: smooth, medium weight
Color: dark amber / copper

Pleasant enough, but to my palate lacks the body and depth characteristic of Assam teas.  Brewed with water off the boil for 4.5 minutes.  Brewing longer would enhance the tannic astringency that’s starting to show here, perhaps this needs a slightly lower temp along with longer extraction.  Rating: 3½ out of 5.

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This Week at Eat Free or Die!

Monday, October 6th, 2008

I’ve just decanted a 2004 Napa Zinfandel from Beaulieu Vineyards – we’ll see how that goes.

A package was waiting for me today from Upton Teas, containing 20 individual samples of teas to be tasted.  I’ve got a bunch of Darjeelings and Assams, along with a couple Chinese Keemun.  Two of my favorite Darjeelings and Assams aren’t available anymore, and I’m seeking their replacement.  Most people aren’t familiar with the varieties of Chinese black teas, so the Keemun should be interesting.

By the way, let me just take a chance here to plug Upton.  They’ve got a great catalog, and sell nearly everything in it in 10-15g samples, most for $1 per.  Their staff is pleasant and knowledgeable, and can help you choose teas depending on your tastes.  They’re based in Massachusetts, and delivery normally takes 2 days to Baltimore via standard cheap USPS.

The fall crops are coming in and we’ll be seeing more cool weather squashes and brassicas (cabbages, cauliflowers, etc.).  Fall’s also traditional game and pork season, and I’ll be trying to dig up some goodies there as well.

Update: First tea is a miss for me.  The wine’s pretty darned tasty, though.

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