Mise en Place

Month: October 2018

Coming across these in the wild is nirvana.

Chanterelles Are Nothing Short of Divine

October 29, 2018 / / 0 Comments

A sight that makes me smile. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

I came across this box of chanterelles last week while picking up some collard greens, and could not envision doing anything other than buying the mushrooms and sautéing them  that evening. They were plump and fresh and beautiful.

I like simplicity when it comes to chanterelles, and these I gently rubbed clean with a paper towel and set on the counter for an hour or two, so they would dry as much as possible. I cut the larger ones into smaller pieces, and then put a bit of butter and olive oil in a pan and turned the heat on medium-high. Into the pan (once the butter was melted) went two cloves of diced garlic, and, a few minutes later, the chanterelles.

Cleaned and sorted with care. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

The aroma was stunning, and I swirled the mushrooms around the pan, making sure to coat them with the oil and butter. They absorbed all of the liquid after 5 minutes or so, a process that I love, and then, as if by magic, gradually, the oil and butter — along with the mushrooms’ own juices — began to emerge. It is a moving sight.

I seasoned the chanterelles with salt and pepper, garnished with some parsley, and relished a dish of perfection.

Chanterelles: A bowl of one of my favorite foods. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

La Lucha has brought something good to Houston. (Photo courtesy Restaurant Hospitality)

La Lucha Was Warm and Welcoming on a Rainy Evening in Houston

October 27, 2018 / / 0 Comments

The tacos are, with firm intent, meant to evoke stoner food — crispy tortilla shell, fried shrimp, American cheese, arbol chile — and succeed on that count, and more. The shrimp are toothsome and tender, the sauce clearly made with care, and the whole melds into a series of bites that would satisfy your soul no matter the time of day.

Eat these crispy shrimp tacos no matter your state. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

We’re at La Lucha, and the lighting in the main dining room is just right; one can read the menu with comfort, and the mood is slightly romantic, slightly homey. The chef de cuisine stands at the rear of the room, at the pass, handling tickets and dishes and keeping the kitchen straight.

Tables at the periphery of the dining room are set with white clothes, while those at the center, where we sit, boast uncovered studded metal tops. I like the juxtaposition; it’s as if you are in a place that can deftly handle casual and elegant at the same time, with no jarring clumsiness.

A Muscadet made with care. (Photo by the Brockhaus)

Our Muscadet (2017 Domaine Pierre Luneau-Pepin “La Grange”) costs $40, and we order it to pair with half a dozen wood-smoked jalapeño oysters from the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a good choice. Both are good choices. Large oysters from that gulf are not my preferred oysters, but I do appreciate them grilled over a fire and heat produced by burning wood. These at La Lucha are buttery and spicy and rich, and the crisp Muscadet, it is slightly effervescent and briny and cleanses the palate with grace.

The oysters, on the half shell, are plump, and they nestle in hot butter; we ask for more bread with which to sop that butter, because it is good, and warms us.

Do not waste any of the juices in this dish. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

La Crawfish bread is next, followed by those tacos. It is not late, but the room is inviting, and the bread, a pressed Po’ boy stuffed with crawfish and cheese, is crisp and moist, and when we eat some of it with the parsley salad on the plate the acidity of that salad makes the deepness of the Po’ boy soar.

Eat warm, because the acid and the crisp bread and the cheese and crawfish wow you. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

We forgo the fried chicken, but promise ourselves to return on another rainy night. La Lucha is a lot more than promising.

It takes a lot of work to make great wine.

Tastings: A Fine California Blend, Followed By a Roero Arneis From a Vaunted Name

October 25, 2018 / / 0 Comments

After a great tasting earlier this month of selections from 19 of Italy’s best wineries put on by the Instituto del Vino Italiano di Qualità – Grandi Marchi , I conducted tastings of several California wines and one from Italy, bottles that impressed me with their honest approaches and distinct characteristics.

A family of farmers who make great wine.

Among them was the 2014 Gamble Family Vineyards Paramount Proprietary Red Blend, a succulent and bold wine (32 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 32 percent Cabernet Franc, 28 percent percent Merlot and 8 percent Petit Verdot) that will continue to improve with age. Click here for my take on it, and then look for a bottle of your own, which will be an asset to your cellar for the next decade or so, or feature at your next dinner party. I shared a meal with Tom Gamble and one of his sales reps several years ago at Tony’s in Houston, and immediately grew fond of the man and his wines; I look forward to tasting more of them.

Vietti is the name behind another wine from this week, and that name is special to me. I have drank a lot of wine emanating from the house, and I’ve never been disappointed. This time, it was the 2017 Roero Arneis, a unique grape that more people should know about. Dry, full-bodied, satisfying, and crisp: I loved it. Here’s my brief review of the vintage.

I wrote about these wines, and many more, for PaperCity magazine, and if you want to see what else I’ve been drinking, check out the links below.

A Zinfandel for Daily Drinking
A Wine Family’s Excellent Adventure
Four Brothers and Some Great Young Wines
Your Endless Crush Rosé
Enrique Varela Loves Malbec
This Geologist Knows His Italian
A Chardonnay For Your Mother (and You)
Don’t Dismiss the Peat
Distinctive Whisky Enters a New Era
A Whisky Legend Visits Houston
A Rare Cask, Indeed
Austin Whisky, Strange Name
Here’s Your Texas Rum Goddess
A ZaZa Wine Guy Loves Great Service
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

Nineteen of the best wines in Italy. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

Gaja, Sassicaia, Masi, Jermann, Donnafugata, Alois Lageder … and More

October 21, 2018 / / 0 Comments

The wealth of wine excellence present in the Crystal Ballroom in Houston’s Rice Hotel the other day was so profound that I, upon recounting my experience to several associates, was met with overt disbelief. “You are mad,” one said. “Are you day drinking?” asked another.

Well, I am not mad, and had not had a drop of alcohol before speaking to my two doubters. I had, however, on that day talked with Alois Clemens Lageder about Rudolf Steiner and biodynamic farming; met Priscilla Incisa della Rochetta and tasted with her; enjoyed Ben Ryé with Antonio Rallo; and discussed the pleasures found in Umbria with Chiara Lungarotti. And that merely scratches the surface of the day’s interactions.

A panel of excellence (Photo by The Brockhaus)

The occasion was a tasting organized by the Instituto del Vino Italiano di Qualità – Grandi Marchi — here’s the complete lineup, and, as I wrote, it’s an impressive one: Alois Lageder, Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute, Antinori, Argiolas, Col d’Orcia, Ca’ del Bosco, Carpenè Malvolti, Donnafugata, Gaja, Jermann, Lungarotti, Masi, Mastroberardino, Michele Chiarlo, Pio Cesare, Rivera, Tasca d’Almerita, Tenuta San Guido, and Umani Ronchi.

Antonio Rallo and a bottle of Ben Ryé. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

Jeremy Parzen (click his name at left for the Wine Talk featuring Parzen) led the tasting and did a great job of keeping things on schedule and interesting, and the representatives of the wineries were engaging and generous with their time. I’ve had the pleasure of tasting most of the wines poured on the day, but not necessarily the same vintages, and seeing them all arrayed in one setting in front of me was a warming experience.

Priscilla Incisa della Rochetta and her family’s wines. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

The Grand Marchi  departed Houston the following day en route to Boston, then New York, for the storied New York Wine Experience. Next up for me? Putting together an itinerary that includes visits to each of these producers’ wineries.

Juliana McBride is making some intriguing wines at Crosby Roamann. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

Wines From Alto Adige and Napa’s Crusher Wine District, Plus a Lively Vermentino From Maremma

October 13, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Thursday was a good evening, wine-wise. We began at Avondale Food & Wine for a tasting with Juliana A. McBride of Crosby Roamannn. She’s a vintner, and along with her husband, Sean W. McBride, makes some great wine. She poured a 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, a 2015 Chardonnay, and a 2013  Cabernet Sauvignon; they would all have a welcome place at my table.

The Sauvignon Blanc (100 Percent) is a single-vineyard selection, made from Handley Ranch grapes (situated a short drive from St. Helena). It was fermented in a combination of French barrels (once- and twice-used and neutral), and aged for eight months in oak. One hundred cases were produced. Lemon and other citrus notes are remarkable in this one, and it’s crisp and bright. The mouthfeel is full, alcohol is 14.5 percent, and I would happily serve this to my guests, paired with poached lobster.

The Chardonnay, a Carneros, is an intriguing one; floral, a slight buttery note. I want more of this one (it’s in stock from the winery at $34). The grapes were picked by hand and whole-cluster pressed. Fermentation took place in 20 percent new French oak, and the wine was aged 20 months in oak.

A Sauvignon Blanc worthy of your attention. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

The tasting ended with the Crosby Roamann 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, a serious yet inviting wine that for $75 should appeal to Cab drinkers looking to switch up their routines of spending twice as much for a bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes here hail from the Rutherford AVA (a small percentage of Merlot is in this vintage, from the Oak Knoll District). The grapes are sorted by hand, and fermented in stainless for 31 days.  Aging takes place in 80 percent new French barrels for 30 months. The result is a supple wine whose tannins impress. You get the beloved aroma and flavor notes here — cassis, cocoa, black plum, leather, a touch of spice — but you get all of that for less coin.

Juliana is an engaging, friendly winemaker, and she represents her craft well. Read about Crosby Roamann here. (Side note: Take some time to visit Avondale Food & Wine; it’s L’Olivier’s next chapter, and Mary Clarkson and Olivier Ciesielski have made some major changes, including a retail wine operation, that promise good things.)

Drink this now.

Next was a quick tasting at Damian’s Cucina Italiana. Castello Banfi wines were on display in the restaurant’s upstairs private dining room, and the star of the event for me was La Pettegola (2017 vintage). It’s  100 percent Vermentino, and I’ve seen it for sale for as little as $14. Crisp, wonderful, balanced acidity, and just a simply crafted everyday wine that would go well with everything from pasta primavera to grilled shrimp. Drinking it was a pleasure.

Earlier in the week, I tasted a wine from Alois Lageder, one of my favorite producers. The 2016 Fórra Bianco Dolomiti IGT is a delightful pour, 100 percent Manzoni Bianco, and it sells for around $30 a bottle. You can read my take on this wine here, and I urge you to get your own bottle (or two). It’s one of the best things I’ve had in the past several months.

Drink well, and with people you love (or at least respect).

Want more wine? Check out these stories I wrote for PaperCity magazine:

Here’s a Serious California Cab
Drink Provence!
An Irish Whiskey With a Caribbean Twist
A Syrah You’ll Love
Houston Sommelier Charms at River Oaks Restaurant
A Zinfandel for Daily Drinking
A Wine Family’s Excellent Adventure
Four Brothers and Some Great Young Wines
Your Endless Crush Rosé
Enrique Varela Loves Malbec
This Geologist Knows His Italian
A Chardonnay For Your Mother (and You)
Don’t Dismiss the Peat
Distinctive Whisky Enters a New Era
A Whisky Legend Visits Houston
A Rare Cask, Indeed
Austin Whisky, Strange Name
Here’s Your Texas Rum Goddess
A ZaZa Wine Guy Loves Great Service
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

A steak tartare that presents itself beautifully. (Photo by The Brockhaus)

Robard’s Steakhouse Has a Menu Whose Rich Variety Pleases

October 11, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Angela and I began the evening in the late afternoon with cocktails outdoors. We sat overlooking the 18th hole of a golf course, enjoying our drinks — she a gin and tonic, an Old Fashioned for me — and contemplating the menu at Robard’s Steakhouse, where our table awaited us. It was Happy Hour, so a few canines lounged around us, brought to the restaurant to enjoy the doggie menu (treats made specifically for four-legged creatures) while their owners drank and dined on happy hour specials. The sun began to set, and our reservation time neared.

We began with some wine, and David Morris, the restaurant’s executive chef, greeted us. It was all pleasure from there, because one can find something for most palates on the menu here. The wine list is populated with a lot of the usual suspects, and that could be improved, but the quibbles here are minor.

Click here for my review of Robard’s Steakhouse, which originally appeared in PaperCity. And enjoy the photo gallery.

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From this house comes a fine sparkling wine: Bodega Valentin Bianchi.

Bubbles: Here’s a Great Sparkling Wine From Mendoza

October 8, 2018 / / 0 Comments

When is a sparkling wine not a great idea? I am of like mind with Churchill when it comes to the wondrous creation. “I could not live without Champagne. In victory I deserve it. In defeat I need it.” I always have a good roster of sparkling in my Eurocave, and ample ice to chill a bottle when the time comes.

A few weeks ago, I received a selection of wines from a distributor, and among them was a bottle from Bodega Valentin Bianchi , a brut that punches well above its weight when one considers it can be found for around $22.

This sparkling wine from Argentina is a great and delicious value.

If you’re looking for bubbles for your next party or gathering, this one should definitely be on your shopping list. It’s 62 percent Chardonnay, 33 percent Pinot Noir, 5 percent Viognier, and has a lovely golden straw hue. On the nose, it’s delicate, and will have you thinking stone fruit and melon. A first taste provides a refreshing brightness that slides into toast and almond. We drank this on its own, but I would not be disappointed if it was served with goat cheese and bread.

Bodegas Valentin Bianchi was founded in 1928, and is now in the hands of the family’s fourth generation. The grapes here come from Bianchi’s Dona Elsa Estate and Las Parades Estate, situated in the San Rafael DOC of Mendoza at 2,400 to 2,600 feet above sea level. The sparkling is made in the traditional Champenoise method, and is aged for one year in the bottles.

Want more wine and spirits? Check out these stories I wrote for PaperCity.

Here’s a Serious California Cab
Drink Provence!
An Irish Whiskey With a Caribbean Twist
A Syrah You’ll Love
Houston Sommelier Charms at River Oaks Restaurant
A Zinfandel for Daily Drinking
A Wine Family’s Excellent Adventure
Four Brothers and Some Great Young Wines
Your Endless Crush Rosé
Enrique Varela Loves Malbec
This Geologist Knows His Italian
A Chardonnay For Your Mother (and You)
Don’t Dismiss the Peat
Distinctive Whisky Enters a New Era
A Whisky Legend Visits Houston
A Rare Cask, Indeed
Austin Whisky, Strange Name
Here’s Your Texas Rum Goddess
A ZaZa Wine Guy Loves Great Service
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life
Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

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