Mise en Place

Page 13 of 28

UB Preserv: A Fine Cocktail, and How About Those Collard Greens and Short Rib Fajitas?

May 25, 2018 / / 0 Comments

When I found out I would be moving to Houston, back in 2013, I reached out to John T. Edge for some recommendations. I had seen a piece of his in Departures about the city’s food scene, and he told me to go to Underbelly and Himalaya (among other restaurants). About both of those places, I found out that John T. was resoundingly right. Himalaya soon became an addiction, and it still occupies a place in the top 5 on the Brockhaus Best Houston Restaurant List. As for Chris Shepherd’s Underbelly, one of my favorite things to do after work (I was the managing editor at the Houston Press at the time) was to take a seat at the bar, order a glass of wine, and get a dish of the Korean braised goat dumplings. Excellent food, friendly staff, beautiful restaurant, and I liked the wine list and its overseer.

Fast forward to last night, when Angela and I met some friends at UB Preserv, Shepherd’s new baby, a restaurant designed to, as the menu states, “preserve what we started at Underbelly.” Situated in the building that previously housed Poscol, UB Preserv, to judge by our dishes, is off to a great start. I arrived early, and took a seat at the bar. (Constance, a friend from Austin, told me a few weeks ago that Becca, to whom Constance had introduced me one evening at Drink.Well., the cocktail bar and gastropub at which Becca worked, was now living in Houston and behind the bar at UB Preserv, an added reason to make my inaugural visit to the restaurant.) I greeted her, and we talked a bit about Constance and Alison, then I asked her to make me her favorite drink on the menu. Good choice, that, because she served me the Billy Gibson, a nice mixture of dry gin and vermouth, fennel, and pickled onion. It’s what every Friday evening needs for a great beginning.

Dry gin and vermouth, pickled onion, and fennel: The Billy Gibson is a worthy cocktail.

Fatema and Wisam arrived around 7:30, so we sat at our table and waited for Angela, who was coming from downtown. Drinks were ordered, Angela arrived, and we got to the pleasure of ordering food. We started with the Crispy Rice Salad and the Pork Dumplings, the former a bowl of, yes, rice crisped perfectly, toothsome and possessing a comforting texture, plus a mix of herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a vinaigrette made with serrano peppers. The dumplings were warm and moist, the pork was slightly tangy and rich, and the addition of fried shallots, soy, chilies, and black vinegar produced a miniature flavor bomb.

Like pork? Get these dumplings.

Wisam and Fatema ordered the Crawfish and Noodles, and Angela wanted the Vietnamese Short Rib Fajitas, at $65 a dish definitely meant to be shared, though we were sharing everything. It occupies a space on the menu with Smoked Bone-In Lamb Shoulder ($70), Texas Heritage Crispy Chicken ($68), and Whole Roasted Snapper ($54). The rib meat, from 44 Farms, is a thing of beauty, and its fat content will wow you. Such flavor alone would satisfy, but when you wrap the meat in a leaf of the lettuce it’s served with and then add some mint and cilantro, the next level is achieved. The flavors and textures mingle, and all is right with the world. The crawfish dish was, to my palate, less successful; the crustaceans were delicate and buttery, but I think I was wanting a touch more acid. The noodles are crispy, however, and this dish will please many.

The bonus of  the evening? A bowl of collard greens that rank up there for me as some of the best I’ve had. The greens had been sliced razor-thin, and the broth was full of umami; we ate the greens with chopsticks and I drank the broth from the bowl when they were gone. Order these collards.

A pork broth and collard greens of righteous deliciousness.

The wine list is diverse and friendly; Teutonic Wine Company’s 2017 Pinot Noir Rosé will cost you $42, and a bottle of 2014 Müller-Catoir Scheurebe can be yours for $43. We went with a red blend from Tenuta di Trinoro, the 2015 Le Cupole ($54).

The 2015 Tenuta di Trinoro ‘Le Cupole’

The evening progressed, the place emptied out — when we left there were two guests sitting at a table with their food— and the experience had been much more than good. UB Preserv will, I predict, attract lots of diners, and carry on well what Shepherd and his team began at Underbelly.

Looking for some fine tasting? Here's your lineup. (Photo by Michelle Watson)

Great Wines for a Great Feast: Rootstock and Delicious Alchemy Pair With Perfection

May 12, 2018 / / 0 Comments

It was meant to be, is what I now think. Angela and I were at Vinology, a wine bar in Houston, sampling a few vintages on a Sunday afternoon. I had a lot on my mind, because my colleagues and I at the Recipe for Success Foundation were putting together the myriad parts of three events, the largest of which, Delicious Alchemy: The Banquet, involved 100 guests, 10 chefs creating a 10-course meal, and wine pairings for each course. It is the foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year, and I wanted to do my part to make it a perfect event.

One component of that perfection: wine. I sought to select great wines to pair with each course, bottles that would fit the fun and elegant affair and complement the food, which included snapper and shrimp ceviche, branzino, duck leg, and lobster bisque. A diverse menu, one that posed certain difficulties when it came to pairings. In an episode of serendipity, the decision to stop by Vinology that day led to perfection, because Nathan Smith was there.

Nathan is with Rootstock Wines, whose portfolio I love, and Angela and I had the same idea at the same time: Rootstock, and Nathan, would be perfect partners for the foundation and Delicious Alchemy. I had met Nathan several years earlier, when he was with Marco Wiles’ group of restaurants, and I respected his palate and approach. We told him about the event, that it was Recipe for Success’ most important fundraiser of the year, and that I wanted to give our guests unique wines, wines that spoke confidently of their provenance. Nathan immediately went to work, contacting the owner of Rootstock, Ian McCaffery, who also liked the idea.

Angela and I met Nathan for dinner a week or so later, at Amalfi Ristorante Italiano & Bar, whose chef and owner, Giancarlo Ferrara, would be cooking at the event. We talked more about the dinner, its scope and timeline, and the chefs involved. I was in the final stages of compiling a complete menu, which, a week or so later, I shared with Nathan, and the rest is history. Nathan and Ian began reaching out to their producers, who came through with aplomb, and the fine people at Kermit Lynch also offered their services. After a lot of work and thought and gracious acts (special gratitude goes to Silvia Altare and Riccardo Sorbino), the wines, and food, were set, and they were, to my mind, perfect. See for yourself:

The menu for Delicious Alchemy: The Banquet is a thing of beauty.

 

Nathan Smith: I like his style. (Nick de la Torre/Houston Chronicle )

The day arrived — May 7 — and all was in order. Nathan came to the event venue — a beautiful home in the Memorial area in Houston — in the afternoon, to open bottles and taste and confer with the service staff about the wines. We tasted and talked about the selections, and Nathan poured for the chefs. Guests arrived, dinner began, and it all went oh so well. As I wrote, Delicious Alchemy: The Banquet, is our largest fundraiser, and this year’s edition, thanks to the support and largesse of the guests, donors, and partners, raised nearly $240,000.

I cannot say enough about these selections, and I urge you to find and taste them for yourself. If you are in Houston, Houston Wine Merchant and Vinology are two great sources for these wines.

Here are some tasting notes:

Arcari+Danesi Franciacorta Brut Dossagio Zero 2013
Giovanni Arcari and Nico Danesi are the new guard of Franciacorta, making it their mission to show the true soul of the wines of their beloved region. Instead of trying to imitate Champagne (which has been the norm in Franciacorta), Arcari and Danesi make their small-production Franciacorta with a method they call “solo uva” or ” grapes only”. This method results in an elegant and fresh style of “metodo classico” sparkling wine, a product that doesn’t have the oxidative qualities that you get when using sugar for secondary fermentation.  This wine is brand new to the Texas market, but has been in high demand in the top wine markets of the world since its inaugural vintage. We couldn’t be more excited to have them as part of the Rootstock portfolio.

Region: Lombardia – Montorfano, Franciacorta
Grapes: Chardonnay 90%,  Pinot Bianco 10%
Production: 11,000 bottles
Aged on lees: minimum 30 months
Soil: moranic, silt, clay
Importer: Rootstock

Campogrande Cinqueterre Bianco 2012
The story of wine in the Cinqueterre goes back to the times of the Roman Empire, when the  terraced vineyards were built. The wines produced then were celebrated by kings, popes, and  poets. Renowned Barolo producers Elio Altare and Antonio Bonanni have rediscovered the potential in the vineyards of this Unesco Heritage site that was once overgrown by forests. Two hundred meters above the Mediterranean, the ancient coastal varieties in this wine are grown on steep, terraced vineyards, and are painstakingly worked by hand – to produce but a few thousand bottles a year.

Region: Liguria – Cinqueterre
Grapes: Bosco and Albarola
Production: 5,600 bottles
Soil: sand, schist, limestone
Skin contact: 4 days
Importer: T. Edwards (donated by Silvia Altare)

Punta Crena ‘Vigneto Ca da Rena’ Pigato 2016
The tiny village of Varigotti sits on the Mediterranean, just a few rows of houses and restaurants on a pristine beach, with its back against steep hills. Climb up into the hills and you will discover neatly terraced vineyards on the slopes and in hidden clearings farther up on the peaks. The Ruffino family has been tending these vineyards for more than 500 years, hardly changing a thing as they pass their knowledge and wisdom from one generation to the next. These grapes come from just 1200 meters from the water and enjoy sea breezes that help keep them healthy and happy. Pigato is a genetic variation of Vermentino that developed around the 18th century and was probably named for its pighe—“freckles” in the local dialect, referring to its spotty skin. Pro tip: save a splash for your branzino!

Area:  Liguria – Riviera Ligure di Ponente, Colline Savonesi
Grape: Pigato
Production: 10,000 bottles
Aged on lees: 3 months
Soil: rocky red clay
Importer: Kermit Lynch

Manni Nössing Südtirol Eisacktaler Grüner Veltliner 2015
Descended from a family of farmers, Manni Nössing has no formal training in viticulture or enology but seeks to learn from each vintage in order to produce wines that are capable of giving pleasure while also reflecting the terroir from which they originate. In 2000, he made the decision to start bottling his own wine instead of selling to a nearby co-op. Since then, he has increased his holdings to 5 hectares, all hillside vineyards at altitudes of 650 to 800 meters. Today, Manni is seen around the world as one of Südtirol’s top producers. Half of Manni’s Veltliner is fermented in acacia barrels, an alternative to oak, which adds roundness to this otherwise pristine, clean-cut white.

Region: Alto Adige (Südtirol) – Valle Isarco
Grape: Grüner Veltliner
Production: 12,000 bottles
Elevage: acacia, stainless steel
Soil: sand, granite
Importer: Kermit Lynch

Cascina Delle Rose Langhe Nebbiolo 2016
Cascina delle Rose’s three-hectare estate includes some of the best vineyards in the Rio Sordo Valley. This family operation (winery and agroturismo) has been producing world-class Barbaresco since 1948, They practice organic viticulture and traditional winemaking, using large, neutral barrels for their Barbaresco. This incredible Langhe nebbiolo is made from the same wine as their cru Barbarescos, the only difference being the oak and bottle aging. Classic pairing with butternut squash agnolotti and black truffles.

Region: Piemonte – Barbaresco
Grape:  Nebbiolo
Production: 8-10,000 bottles (depending on vintage)
Elevage: Stainless Steel
Soil: calcareous, clay
Importer: La Famiglia Corona (donated by Riccardo Sorbino of Cascina delle Rose)

Sandro Fay Valtellina Superiore Valgella ‘Costa Bassa’ 2014
A fun juxtaposition to the Langhe nebbiolo, this nebbiolo from Valtellina (regionally called “chiavennasca”) has a very long history in northern Italy. In fact, Valtellina was the first region where nebbiolo was fermented dry. Sandro Fay is based in the small town of San Giacomo di Teglio and is widely regarded as one of the leading producers in the region. They sustainably farm 14 hectares, work organically, and harvest by hand. The nebbioli of Sandro Fay come from terraced vineyards and are most notably differentiated by the effects of altitude and exposure for each of the parcels. The fruit in the Costa Bassa comes from about 500 meters above sea level, and the wine shows lighter tannin and a fuller expression of fruit with balanced acidity.

Region: Lombardia – Valgella, Valtellina
Grape Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca)
Production: 16,000 bottles
Elevage: 12 months in neutral oak
Soil: sandy silt over limestone
Importer: Rootstock

Passopisciaro Passorosso 2015
Andrea Franchetti arrived on Mt. Etna in 2000 as one of the first of the modern wave of producers on the volcano. There, he found 70- to 100-year-old, bush-trained vines across the northern side of the volcano across a variety of optimal sites between 550 and 1,000 meters (1,800 to 3,300 feet) above sea level. The grapes are taken from various contrade (crus) of Malpasso, Guardiola, Santo Spirito, Favazza and Arcuria; generally, the higher crus are on a more gravelly soil, the lower ones in a deeper powder made with more oxidized, older lavas. Often compared to Burgundy and Nebbiolo these wines are really something all their own – offering red fruits, minerals, herbs, and the apparent aroma of the volcano in the glass.

Region: Sicilia – Mt. Etna
Grape: Nerello Mascalese
Production: 40,000 bottles
Elevage: large-format neutral oak
Soil: primarily gravelly soil and old lava flow
Importer: Rootstock

Tenuta di Trinoro Le Cupole 2015
Located in a remote corner of southeastern Tuscany, Tenuta di Trinoro specializes in rich, age-worthy red wines made of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. The 200-hectare estate sits in viticultural isolation in the Orcia Valley near Sarteano, where Tuscany meets Umbria and Lazio. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in one- to three-year-old barriques and cement, Le Cupole is velvety and approachable. Tenuta di Trinoro is the first project of Andrea Franchetti, and has an interesting connection to Houston. Andrea is the nephew of artist Cy Twombly, whose collection has its own building at the Menil. Andrea purchased this estate in Val D’Orcia after selling one piece of his uncle’s art!

Region: Tuscany – Val D’Orcia
Grapes: Cab Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot
Production: 57,000 bottles
Elevage: 8 months in neutral French barrique (1 to 3 years old)
Soil: Clay, Limestone, gravel
Importer: Rootstock

Meroi Verduzzo Friulano 2013
Coming from the westernmost part of Colli Orientali in Friuli, Meroi is a winery of great importance in the region. Damiano Meroi and his father make some of the area’s best red and white wines, as well as amazing dessert wines made from indigenous varieties. This wine is made from Verduzzo Friulano and is a traditional pairing with local desserts. Fun fact: Verduzzo is considered to be the most anti-oxidant of all grape varieties.

Region: Friuli – Colli Orientali
Grape: Verduzzo
Production: 2,500 bottles
Elevage: 30 months in used barrique
Soil: Eocenic marl (Ponca)
Importer: Rootstock

(Slideshow photos courtesy Michelle Watson)


Up next: The food at Delicious Alchemy: The Banquet

Dressed for the horses

Derby Day: Assault, a King Ranch Wonder Horse, Takes The Triple Crown

May 5, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Derby Day, and thoughts go back to 2013, when Angela and I spent the weekend in Louisville with friends and hundreds of thousands of strangers drinking Juleps and drenched — it was a muddy running — the women with plastic over their hats, the men wearing shoes heavy with rain. We were lodging in a haunted bed and breakfast near the river, a house whose owner was delightfully eccentric and made soft and creamy eggs for our breakfast.

I’ve forgotten who won the Derby that year, and I guess I could look it up, but I prefer to remember Barbaro, and another horse, this one a Triple Crown winner, the only horse from Texas to have ever won that illustrious title (and one of only 12 horses ever). He was foaled at King Ranch on March 26, 1943, sired by Bold Venture, winner of the Derby and Preakness Stakes. Assault’s story is an inspiring one; known as the “Club-footed Comet”, the chestnut horse stepped on what is believed to have been a surveyor’s stake early in life, and thereafter walked with a limp, an impediment that disappeared at full gallop, something Assault did with gusto.

Assault died in 1971. Think of him today while watching The Derby, and while you are, I hope, sipping a Mint Julep.

 

The harvest at Fattoria Selvapiana (Courtesy Fattoria Selvapiana)

Chianti and California on My Mind (Plus, Edna Lewis’ Chocolate Cake and Cheese Straws)

March 17, 2018 / / 0 Comments
A noble grape it is. (Courtesy Social Vignerons)

A noble grape it is. (Courtesy Social Vignerons)

Chianti Rufina has been on my mind lately, and while I can’t travel to Italy at the moment, I can drink some wine from the small subregion, which accounts for around 4 percent of Chianti DOCG production. I have been sampling wines from Fattoria Selvapiana, a solid producer whose properties include the famed Bucerchiale vineyard. In short, I loved what I tasted. Sense of place is strong with these wines, and the acidity is outstanding.

The 2013 Vigneto Bucerchiale is 100 percent Sangiovese, and is young, not fully formed, could easily benefit from at least another five years in the bottle (and eight would not be a bad thing at all). The vines from which it was produced vary in age (the oldest were planted in 1968, the youngest in 1992). This wine is bottled only in the best vintages (they skipped 1980, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2008, to name a few recent omissions). Look for this (but know that there is not a lot out there) for around $30, and drink by 2026.

In addition to the Bucerchiale, the 2014 Chianti Rufina was at the table, and for $17 you cannot go wrong with this wine. It’s 95 percent Sangiovese (Chianti Rufina must be at least 75 percent Sangiovese) and 5 percent Canaiolo Colorino and Malvasia Nera. If you are seeking the perfect pairing for your favorite pasta dish, this is it.

Read more here about these wines from Selvapiana, and about a Prosecco and Sauvignon Blanc that I recently tasted — and that cake and those cheese straws — by clicking here.

"The Vintagers" (after miniature of the "Dialogues de Saint Gregoire" (Collection of the Royal Library of Brussels)

An (Italian) Gentleman of Wine: Osvaldo Pascolini

January 27, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Have you had a good glass of Prosecco lately? A really good one? There’s a lot of, well, let’s just say, “mediocre” examples out there, so don’t drink that. Osvaldo Pascolini, whom I met a month or so ago, likes Prosecco, and drinks it often. I asked him a few questions about wine recently, and you might be interested in what he has to say. He’s the subject of the latest Wine Talk, which you can read here.

Pascolini is a geologist, works in the energy industry, and hails from Italy. He now resides in Houston, teaches courses on wine, and never swirls a sparkling wine. Open a bottle and get to know him.

Osvaldo Pascolini knows a bit about geology and wine.

Drink well, with people you like.

Want more wine Read on? 

From Boston to Austin, With Wine in Mind
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

Turkish dumplings at Nancy's Hustle: These will warm you on a chilly evening.

Lardo Takes Me to Florence, Manti to Istanbul: That’s a Great Week in Houston Dining

January 16, 2018 / / 0 Comments

You’re walking around Florence, taking in as much as you can, running your hands across the stones of buildings, wondering about the people who lived and loved and died in them a thousand years before you were born. You imagine all the wild boar roaming in the hills above the city, think about feasts of yore at which cinghiale starred, you wind down a narrow passage near the river and find yourself outside the restaurant with the rabbit dish you love. At your table, you order a quartino of Nebbiolo and accept a small plate of lardo, a gift from the owner. Outside, the sun begins to set. Inside, the evening begins, deliciously.

Lardo. If you’ve never experienced the pleasure that is lardo melting on your tongue, get a table at Houston restaurant Charivari (no, it’s not the only place in the city that serves lardo, but it’s certainly home to some fine examples of it) and ask for it. The chef, Johann Schuster, will be happy to oblige. Here’s a look at a platter of the food that I sampled recently at the midtown establishment — and I find myself wanting more as I write this.

Lardo, two ways, and tongue head cheese.

Read about Schuster’s lardo here, and don’t delay if you want some, because this is not mass-produced salumi. (I write about a great dish at Nancy’s Hustle as well in the piece. The manti served at the new — and popular — restaurant in Houston’s EaDo area, took me back to Istanbul, as the lardo transported me to Florence. Not bad for a week in Texas.)

Finally, I give you sausage, two made with skill by Schuster, which I tasted on the lardo evening. There’s a rich, decadent blood sausage, and a garlic sausage that is as good as any I’ve ever had. You’ll love them.

Blood sausage and a hearty garlic sausage, as served at Charivari

The Nancie Chardonnay would make a nice gift for your mother — or anyone. (Courtesy SommSelect)

A Wine For Your Mother, And You — Plus, Some Fine Rum Distilled in Texas, and The Brockhaus Returns

January 10, 2018 / / 0 Comments

There are times, when working on stories, that one comes across individuals who make an immediate impact. That impression and experience can, of course, be good and enriching, or it can be upsetting and frustrating. Both types of encounters provoke thought, in different ways, and while discourse with and exposure to jerks and zero-sum people can provide one with a level of amusement, I much prefer dealing with and learning from unselfish, self-secure subjects, people for whom life is a rollicking adventure, men and women confident enough to know that there is always something new to learn and that being kind and giving does not lead down the road to mediocrity. The world is a better place because of these types, and would, I am confident, be much more rewarding if the zero-sum cohort disappeared with haste.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with and/or talking to individuals — both in the beverage industry  — who make the lives of those around them better. They are passionate about their craft, they display infectious enthusiasm about what they are doing, and they are clearly and genuinely interested in what others do. They are worth knowing.

This woman makes some fine rum. (Courtesy Railean Distillers)

 

I’m referring to Kelly Railean and Joe Donelan (click on their names for additional words about them and what they do). I met Railean in December at her distillery in San Leon, Texas, took a tour of her workshop, and sampled her wares. I recommend you do the same. I have spoken with Donelan on the phone several times, each conversation thoughtful and attentive. The Brockhaus is partnering with Donelan Family Wines on an upcoming dinner benefitting an animal-welfare and shelter charity, a direct result of that pointed disavowal of the zero-sum mentality. In December, I had the pleasure of tasting Donelan’s 2014 Nancie Chardonnay, named after Joe’s mother, and it’s drinking well now. He’s built a business in California that honors his passions and his family, and, as has Railean, he’s added joy to the lives of many along the way.

Good people, making good things, doing good. I hope you have a multitude of such people in your life, and I hope you steer clear of that sad zero-sum trap.

Want more stories about wine and spirits and the people who make them? Read on:

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

 

"Greens are a dish that most Southerners would walk a mile for," said Edna Lewis, and she was right.

Cornbread, Black-Eyed Peas, and A Very Good Chocolate Cake: Miss Lewis Is With Us Today

January 1, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Perhaps you’ve had a wonderful 2017; then again, you might be of the opinion that the year has been a bad one. I, as often as I can, try to remind myself that good and bad are intermingled, twined, eternally debating and by turns battling it out for dominance, good on top for a while, then losing to bad, which takes its place at the top for a time. Then there are those days and nights during which good and bad share the roost. Those might seem strange periods, but the wise among us know it’s aways that way.

I imagine 2018 will bring more of the same, as human years always have. Our minds either figure out how to assimilate and understand the dualities of good and bad, and stay above lazy despair or vapid elation, or fight against the bad, a struggle that — and these latter types of minds, in my opinion, never realize that their crusade for “their” good results in the killing of the self — is futile and cripples the struggler, often mortally.

Wake up and smell the coffee in 2018.

The first day of a year, as arbitrary as that day might in actuality be, is a good time to decide which mind you want to have. It’s January 1, 2018, and I’m thinking of Edna Lewis, who had a great mind and soul. I’m thinking of her because Angela made A Very Good Chocolate Cake yesterday, and today I’m making cornbread. The recipes for both come from Lewis, a woman with whom I wish I had been able to share a table at least once, a beautiful woman with soul and spirit and grace and talent who conquered New York City with her food and hospitality. She also: made a dress for Marilyn Monroe; worked with Dorcas Avedon (Richard’s wife) as a dress copier; and, perhaps most famously, presided over the kitchen at Café Nicholson, where she served Truman Capote, Marlon Brando, Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, Diana Vreeland, and Marlene Dietrich, to name but a few of the many who found nourishment for their bodies and souls at her table. If you know Miss Lewis, celebrate her memory by creating something from one of her cookbooks. If you do know not know of her, now’s the time.

Angela (and Edna Lewis) did this.

I’ve made A Very Good Chocolate Cake many times, and have enjoyed hearing from others who made it at my urging, or after reading this. I’ll go ahead and persuade you to make it, because it is nothing but good.

This list is small, but it's packed with interesting bottles.

First Impressions: Nobie’s Has Some Good Stuff Going On

December 26, 2017 / / 0 Comments

A busy and inviting bar, suitable lighting — neither too bright or jarring, nor too dark so as to cause discomfort— a small but considerable wine list, and a menu created with thought. All good things, yes?

I experienced all that, and more, this past week in Houston, at Nobie’s, a welcoming (and, on the evening of my visit, my first to the restaurant, bustling) place set up in a former residence in a neighborhood street off of Kirby. It opened in the fall of 2016, so all things should be firing well, and based on my meal, they are.

I arrived earlier than my date, so took a stool at the bar. It was a Thursday, and all bottles of sparking wines are half off on that day. I ordered a Spumante (100 percent Arneis) from Malvira and was glad the bartender poured it into a wine stem. Light and fizzy, aromas of peach and white flowers, and pleasantly dry — no residual sugar here. Most of the seats at the bar were occupied, some guests with plates of food before them, others drinking only. Go to this bar, and if whisky is your thing, go on Wednesday, when all whiskies are half off.

Shrimp and grits at Nobie’s

We sat outside to dine, and began with a dish they’ve named “Bohemian Radishy.” Yes, there are lots of radishes on the plate, perhaps too many for the amount of crab dip served. (I write that because I loved the crab dip, all speckled with trout roe, and wanted more.)

Next came “Bang Bang Shrimp & Grits” and “Surf n’ Swine.” The former’s grits were definitely the stoneground variety, rich and creamy and dotted with hot sauce. The crustaceans were not overdone, something I encounter far too often in these parts, and I liked the crunchy texture provided by their shells.

The seafood and pork dish was served in a small cast-iron cocotte, and the clam and chorizo played off of one another marvelously. The pork was smoky and tender and reminded me of my great-grandmother’s ham and peas. What’s better than that?

This pie: Oreo crust, and a salty, rich peanut butter, plus fresh whipped cream

Well, our dessert came close. A pie with an Oreo crust (minus the white filling of the cookie, thank goodness) topped with a decadently creamy and slightly salty peanut butter. Share this with someone you like.

Sara Stayer (Courtesy Nobie’s)

Martin Stayer (Courtesy Nobie’s)

First impressions matter, of course, and I’ll return to Nobie’s soon. Martin Stayer, who’s done the rounds of some fine kitchens in Chicago, runs the back of the house, and Sara Stayer, to whom he is married, has the front of the house under relaxed but professional control. The menu changes often, so consult it before you go. But do go.

Nobie’s is at 2048 Colquitt Street.

Christmas Eve Cooking: This Year, It’s Bok Choy, Pork, and Rice Noodles

December 24, 2017 / / 2 Comments

I come from a long line of Southern cooks (that’s that terribly interesting and crazy and beautiful and frustrating region in the United States of America that’s produced some of the best writers known to man, along with some of the best food and cooks anywhere) who begin planning their Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts every year on December 26, people who never miss a date with a giant pot of black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year’s Day. Tradition, spiced up by something new every year, a recipe or dish that my mother wanted to make, was the comforting norm, and that is a good thing. I taste still my grandmother Ida’s cornbread stuffing, and it’s been 15 years since I’ve actually put a spoonful of it in my mouth.

This year is going to be a bit different, however. Christmas Eve dinner’s main course will star pork and rice noodles and lots of bok choy (plus garlic and ginger and Thai chiles and cilantro and scallions and a good bottle or two of Riesling). Angela and I will be cooking with a friend who lost her mother this year; she also dealt with the death of her dog. Loss is everywhere all the time, of course, but this woman, whom I met only recently, is full of life and spirit and hope. It’s a lesson to me, her determination to tackle her grief while at the same time saying “yes” to life, embracing and respecting the sadness but pushing for communion and solace. She invited Angela and me into her home to cook and share a meal, and that’s as good a tradition as any.

I’m missing my parents this year — I spent Christmas with them last year — and making the distance worse is the reality that my father is dealing with a disease that has forced him to use a walker. He doesn’t sing any longer, but the songs are still in his smiling eyes. I’ll travel down to Florida next year to be with them in December, and I hope to start planning the meal with my mother soon. I want to recreate one of our holiday meals of yore, with all the trimmings. And I’ll bake the best chocolate cake that’s ever existed.

Here’s the recipe for the pork and rice noodles, if you want to make your own. I based it on one I found in The New York Times.

Ingredients: 

5 heads baby bok choy
2 ounces ginger root (choose one that fills the palm of your hand)
10 ounces thick rice noodles
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1.5 pounds ground pork
1.5 cups soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3/4 cup sliced scallions
4 garlic cloves sliced thinly (so one can see through them)
1 thai chile, stemmed and seeded (or 2 chilis, if you prefer if hotter)
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons (or more) sesame oil
cilantro or basil, torn
black vinegar (feel free to use balsamic vinegar as a substitute)

How to cook it:

Wash bok choy thoroughly, and shake off excess water. Cut green leaves from the stalks, then slice the stems thinly (discard the woody, thick bottoms of the stalks). Peel a good chunk of the ginger, perhaps 2 ounces of it, and finely chop half of it and matchstick the rest.

Heat half of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add pork and cook until browned and cooked through, using a fork or spoon to break it into small pieces. Season with salt, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar. Stir well and taste, then remove mixture to a bowl.

Bowl water in a kettle; put rice noodles in a large bowl (heat it first in water if you are worried about the heat cracking it). Pour bowling water over noodles and stir, then let them sit for one minute. Drain the noodles, then rinse them in cold water and let them drain again, well.

Pour the remaining peanut oil into the skillet and turn heat to medium. Next, add half of the scallions, the garlic, the chile, and the chopped ginger. Cook for 2 minutes or so, allowing the flavors to mingle and intensify. Now’s when you add the bok choy stalks, and more oil if desired. Cook the stalks until they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Next, add the bok choy leaves and the pork to the skillet, and stir and cook all a few minutes longer.

Add the noodles to the skillet a bit at a time, so they untangle, along with the remainder of the soy sauce and  the rice wine vinegar. Heat through gently, taste for salt, and season as you desire. (I add more soy and rice wine vinegar, most of the time.)

When the mixture is hot, pour it into a large serving bowl, then toss the torn cilantro or basil on top and bring to table. Lay the ginger matchsticks in a small bowl and pour the black or (balsamic) vinegar over them, put the scallions in a small bowl, and sit down. Pour more wine, and enjoy.

Whatever you are cooking and drinking this year for the holidays, do it with love and share it all with good people.

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