Mise en Place

Wine, Food, and Other Vital Things

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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

Steven McDonald passed the "world's toughest test." (Courtesy Pappas Bros. Steakhouse)

There’s a New Master in Town: Steven McDonald Gets His Pin

September 14, 2018 / / 0 Comments

I am not sure when I first met him, and I don’t get the opportunity to see him as often as I’d like, but I want to congratulate Houston’s Steven McDonald on having recently become a Master Sommelier. I mean it sincerely when I say that it could not have happened to a nicer man. (If you don’t know much about the accolade, take a bit of time to learn what goes into achieving the title. The journey can be fascinating.)

I most recently saw Steven about two months ago, at his “office” — better known as Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. I was there to meet a friend in the bar and saw Steven on the way out. We chatted briefly, and, as ever, the conversation was rewarding.

I featured the new master in my Wine Talk series back in 2015, and now’s as good a time as any to reprint it (it first appeared in PaperCity magazine). Give it a read below, and when you are next in Houston, make a reservation at Pappas Bros. and say hello to Steven McDonald. (Another great reason to go to the steakhouse: the number of German Rieslings on the list.)

There’s a new master in town (he’s on the left). (Courtesy Steven McDonald Facebook page)

The Wine Whisperer

I love to talk about wine with people who share my passion for it. We open bottles, and we trade stories about travel and winemakers and terroir and residual sugar, and we talk of taste and food pairings and cost. We recommend wines to one another, and we drink, and we learn a lot. In Wine Talk, I will introduce you to some of my friends and acquaintances — individuals who love wine as much as I do, who live to taste and learn about it. You’ll appreciate their insight, and I hope you’ll learn something from them as well. 

Steven McDonald has a great personality. He’s a kind, soft-spoken man, and when he’s pouring wine at a guest’s table, there’s no one more assured, unassuming or gracious. McDonald is the wine director at Houston’s Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, and his stewardship of the program there since 2013 has enhanced the restaurant’s reputation as a wine-lover’s paradise. He’s worked in New York for Michael White, he was a founding member of the Houston Sommelier Association, and this past Sunday evening he was named Service Person of the Year at the Houston Culinary Awards. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with him at the steakhouse on Westheimer, and the wines he chose for my meal there were superb. I recommend that you pay him a visit.

Tell me about three wines that are drinking well at the moment. What makes them worthwhile? How about a food pairing for each?
I have been raving about G.D. Vajra Albe for a couple of vintages now, and the 2010 is great. It performs far past its price point. Tart red fruits framed with roses and black truffle. It is a Burgundian wine drinker’s Barolo – my favorite kind. Pair this wine with braised meats, lamb ragu or filet mignon. We’ve got it on the list for $120 a bottle. [Editor’s note: Houston Wine Merchant sells this vintage for $45.]

Next, the 2012 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Clos de Guichaux. This wine was an incredible surprise, and we’re so lucky to have this in Houston. This is a single-vineyard Chenin Blanc from a great Loire Valley producer. It is intensely mineral and assertive with tart citrus fruit and white flowers. For lovers of Sancerre or Chablis, this wine will hit a home run — a perfect pairing for raw seafood, crudo, oysters etc. It’s $85 a bottle on our list. [Expect to pay an average of $46 for this vintage retail.]

Finally, a Cabernet Sauvignon: Pepper Bridge Winery’s 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. Sommeliers and wine enthusiasts have been talking about the Walla Walla Valley for a few decades, but these wineries are really hitting a stride with Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. This is a Cabernet-based wine, and it’s everything you want in a rich red wine: blueberry, blackberry, mint, clove, coffee and cocoa. Pair this with New York strip, ribeye and even lamb chops. We sell this for $120 at the steakhouse. [This wine, when you can find it, sells for about $60 at wine merchants.]

Let’s say that cost is no consideration. What’s the one bottle you would add to your personal collection?
It would have to be the 2004 D’Auvenay Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. This is the personal label of Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy (of Domaine Leroy and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti), and she releases an excruciatingly small amount of wine. The complexity and depth of flavor was like nothing I’ve ever tasted. The finish seemed to last for several minutes, and it made me think about the wine for weeks afterward. 2004 was a great vintage for white Burgundy, and this is by far one of the most transformative wines of my career.

What is your favorite grape?
It’s hard to decide between Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir. They are both aromatic, complex, unique in every terroir, and both make some of the world’s greatest wines.

How about one bottle that our readers should buy now to cellar for 10 years, to celebrate a birth, anniversary or other red-letter day?
You’ll want some Bordeaux or Rhône wine that will really pay off after that much time. Consider buying 2010s or 2009s from top wineries. You’ll be paying quite a bit of money, but it will be worth it. Remember to keep these bottles stored under temperature control and on their sides.

What is the one thing you wish everyone would remember when buying and drinking wine?
Drink what you like. Always try new things. Keep an open mind when trying new wine and it will pay off big-time.

Where is your go-to place when you want to have a glass or bottle?
Camerata, 13 Celsius and Public Services. David Keck, Adele Corrigan, Mike Sammons and Justin Vann do amazing work. In Houston, we’re blessed with talented sommeliers and beverage professionals. When I get out with my wife or friends, I try to make it to all three spots.

What was your “wine eureka moment” — the incident/taste/encounter that put you and wine on an intimate plane forever?
A 1978 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva. A guest brought it into the first fine-dining restaurant I ever worked at, Ai Fiori, in New York. It had been perfectly stored, and it was my first chance to have a great vintage Barbaresco with that much age. It was haunting and beautiful. I had read and studied so much about this wine and wine region, and I was finally tying it all together with the wine itself. It was one of those moments that you step back and say, “This is why I do this job.” It happened in 2010.

What has been the strangest moment/incident you have experienced in your career?
It was April 1, and I was taking care of a famous winemaker who was dining at the restaurant (Pappas Bros. Steakhouse). They were excited to try some older white Bordeaux and splurge on an expensive bottle of red Bordeaux. The first bottle of white was corked (a flaw that isn’t caused by the restaurant storage but the winery itself or the cork sourcing). Then, the first two bottles of red were corked as well. They decided to switch wines, and the first of the new bottles was corked as well! At this point I thought someone was playing a prank on me or that it was some terrible April Fool’s joke gone awry. I even got my colleague, Bill Elsey (who also hold an Advanced Sommelier certificate), to confirm the flaws, just to make sure I wasn’t crazy. Finally, we opened the second bottle of the second red wine choice just as the steaks arrived. The guests loved the wine and everything was perfect. It is still to this day the largest number of corked wines I have ever opened on one occasion.

Want more wine? Check out these stories:

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

Choose a village and go. (winefolly.com)

Provence is the Source of Some Great Wines

September 2, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Provence. Saying that word makes me happy, because I’ve spent some great days and nights there, days and nights that included, of course, some superlative food and wine (not mention landscapes and views). Escargot, lamb, salade niçoise, soup au pistou … merely typing the names of those foods causes my mouth to water.

Today I’m writing about a recent tasting I conducted that was all about Provence, and while I was unable to venture to France, I did make some food to pair with the three wines that took my taste buds to the beloved region.

The wines — two bottles from Côtes de Provence and one Coteaux Varois en Provence AOP — were opened and tasted on the same evening, and I paired them with a variety of cheeses and olives, duck sausage, a bit of basil pesto and bread, and grilled lamb chops.

First up, Domaine de la Sanglière‘s Prestige Blanc, made from 100 percent Rolle. The Domaine de la Sanglière is a perfect apéritif, and is full of citrus and floral loveliness, bouquet- and palate-wise. Pale straw in color, redolent of honeysuckle, a hint of red grapefruit, and a nice touch of vanilla. The Sanglière sees six months in oak, and it seemed made for the chèvre we served. Its generous, agile mouthfeel proceeds to a crisp finish. Serve this around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and drink now.

From Provence come some fine wines.

Next up, the 2015 L’Oratoire from Domaine Saint Andrieu (AOP Coteaux Varois en Provence), which is made of 51 percent Syrah and 49 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. If you are fond of spicy notes, then you’ll want to get a bottle of this wine. The soils from which this one comes are dominated by clay and limestone; a mild and wet spring, followed by a hot and dry summer, led up to a September 2015 harvest. The duck sausage we paired with the L’Oratoire was an inspired choice; the earthiness of the duck was lifted by the spicy richness of the wine, and the flavors of both were enhanced. This wine is drinking well now, so open and enjoy.

Domaine Saint Andrieu is certified to be High Environmental Value by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food, so if that is something on which you place value (and we all should), that’s another reason to try a bottle. According to French guidelines, HEV encompasses biodiversity conservation, plant protection strategy, managed fertilizer use and water resource management. It aims to identify and promote particularly environmentally friendly practices applied by farmers and winegrowers. The certification ensures that the “factors for biodiversity, such as hedges, trees, strips of grass, flowers and insects, is widespread throughout the vineyard and that the stress applied to the environment through farming practices is kept to a minimum.”

Finally, we come to the 2014 La Bravade from Chevalier Torpez (AOP Côtes de Provence). It was born for the lamb chops we grilled (pan-seared with nothing but salt, olive oil, garlic, and a touch of butter). This wine is 50 percent Grenache, 20 percent Syrah, 15 percent Carignan, and 15 percent Mourvèdre. In the glass, the La Bravade is deep cherry in color, nearly black. Aromas of cherry and other dark stone fruit dominate, with an undercurrent of raisin and a hint of cinnamon. 

Like kirsch? Then this wine will be on your “keeper” list, because that profile is remarkably evident on the palate. Mouthfeel here is rich and satisfying, and the tannins are supple at the finish. This vintage is reaching its peak, so drink now.

(This story was originally published at papercitymag.com.)

Want more wines? Check out my grape and spirits library at PaperCity:

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

“It seems to me that our three basic needs, for food and security and love, are so mixed and mingled and entwined that we cannot straightly think of one without the others. So it happens that when I write of hunger, I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and the hunger for it… and then the warmth and richness and fine reality of hunger satisfied… and it is all one.” ― M.F.K. Fisher, The Art of Eating

Grace Amid Discord and Despair: We Talk Ramey, Cline, ‘Sideways’, Riesling, Zinfandel, Syrah, and More

August 19, 2018 / / 6 Comments

Fires out west, Twitterreah in D.C., and collapsing infrastructure in Genoa: The woes continue unabated (it’s always been that way, of course), and as summer progresses toward the autumnal equinox, despair and dismay seem the manners of the day. What to do?

Well, once you’ve checked on your friends and acquaintances in wine country, those dealing with the deadly fires, once you’ve donated to relief efforts there, after you’ve made sure your friend in Genoa is OK, after you’ve read the latest piece from Maggie Haberman about the goings-on in the White House (has there ever been a leakier bunch at 1600 Pennsylvania?), it’s time to cook and drink and eat and give thanks for the solace that can be had in those activities.

A few weeks ago, I was at State of Grace in Houston, drinking Rosé and enjoying some oysters. Matt Crawford, the restaurant’s general manager and beverage director, stopped by and poured us a Mezcal, and we talked briefly. Matt’s a great guy, and he just happens to be the subject of my latest Wine Talk. Give it a read, and next time you decide on oysters, pair them with Mezcal.

Drink Mezcal with your oysters. (Brockhaus photo)

Briny heaven (Brockhaus photo)

Continuing with wine, we move to Germany (my favorite wine country), and a great cause. (Drink Riesling every day!) But first, let’s hear from Mark Twain on Deutschland:

My philological studies have satisfied me that a gifted person ought to learn English (barring spelling and pronouncing) in thirty hours, French in thirty days, and German in thirty years. It seems manifest, then, that the latter tongue ought to be trimmed down and repaired. If it is to remain as it is, it ought to be gently and reverently set aside among the dead languages, for only the dead have time to learn it.
– “That Awful German Language,” Appendix D of A Tramp Abroad

Whenever the literary German dives into a sentence, that is the last you are going to see of him till he emerges on the other side of his Atlantic with his verb in his mouth.
– A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

…mastery of the art and spirit of the Germanic language enables a man to travel all day in one sentence without changing cars.
– Christian Science

A dream…I was trying to explain to St. Peter, and was doing it in the German tongue, because I didn’t want to be too explicit.
– Mark Twain’s Speeches, 1923

The Germans are exceedingly fond of Rhine wines; they are put up in tall, slender bottles, and are considered a pleasant beverage. One tells them from vinegar by the label.
– A Tramp Abroad

Twain’s sarcasm and humor set aside, if you read this today (Sunday, the 19th of August, 2018) before 4 o’clock in the afternoon or so, and if you are in Houston, Texas, hightail it to Camerata and drink some fine German wines and contribute to a good cause. (Click here for more details.)

All of this talk about German wines takes me back to a fine summer day a few years ago; my friend Holger and I took a journey that included a stop at Schloss Vollrads. We drank and ate well.

A fine setting for Riesling.

I enjoy a Riesling at Schloss Vollrads.

Drinking Rielsing with Holger on the Rhine near Bingen.

Finally, there’s Zinfandel and Syrah, and Cline and Ramey. Two bottles we opened recently, two vintages that I recommend highly and that will pair with everything from hamburgers to beef stew and grilled ribeye or lamb. David Ramey and Nancy and Fred Cline are the names behind these two bottles, and you’ll want to add both wines to your inventory.

Zinfandel from old vines is in this bottle.

A steak dish at Theodore Rex (James Brock photo)

The Brockhaus Cooks a Birthday Feast High Above Houston, Theodore Rex Has Great Taste, and Wine Families of Italy

August 8, 2018 / / 0 Comments

The Brockhaus returned in late July, to cook 41 floors above Houston in a penthouse apartment near River Oaks. I donated a dinner for four as an auction item at The Catastrophic Theatre’s annual gala, and the winning bidder decided to host a birthday feast for a friend, a Brockhaus Birthday.

I came up with a six-course tasting menu that included a tomatillo and cucumber gazpacho (perfect for a hot Houston evening), seared scallops and corn and tomatillo salsa, and ribeye. Alyssa Dole, a pastry chef who lives in Houston, contributed the dessert, a charred-tomato panna cotta with brûléed cherries and kadaif. I want to see her dessert on the menu of a Houston restaurant, because it is a fine dish, full of texture and flavor and one that satisfies all of one’s senses.

This dessert deserves to be enjoyed by the (discriminating) masses. (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

I prepped the gazpacho and the dough for the Uovo in Ravioli the night before, and the pork belly was brined for three days. On Saturday, Alyssa made the ravioli, I took care of the risotto and the sauces for the Caesar salad, and all went well.

Here’s the menu:

THE BROCKHAUS

A Birthday Feast / Saturday, July 28, 2018

Houston, Texas

TOMATILLO & CUCUMBER GAZPACHO

SCALLOPS / CORN SALSA

UOVO IN RAVIOLI

PORK BELLY / PEA RISOTTO

GRILLED CAESAR SALAD (Ribeye from Meats by Linz)

CHARRED-TOMATO PANNA COTTA

The course starring the ribeye (Grilled Caesar Salad) featured charred romaine and a traditional olive oil-based sauce featuring garlic and anchovies. I cooked the ribeye at 175 Fahrenheit after searing it on the stovetop, a method I love. The steaks were dry-aged for 55 days.

A great piece of meat. (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

Romaine and ribeye make a wonderful pair. (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

Here are some other images from the dinner:

The flame, and a touch of sugar, transforms the flavor. (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

Put some romaine on a flame and taste. (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

Berkshire belly brined for three days, then cooked at 375 Fahrenheit. (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

Ravioli ready for the water. (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

Finishing ravioli in boiling water. (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

Rich pasta, egg yolk, pancetta … in broth, oil, and butter. (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

Ravioli in Uovo (Photo by Yoav Horesh)

The Brockhaus will return soon, so stay tuned to this space for details.

I have had the pleasure of dining at Theodore Rex a number of times in the past several months, and Justin Yu and his team are doing it well. There’s a dish of rice and beans that will move you, and the restaurant’s version of a Paris-Brest belongs in the Pantheon of Houston dishes. The wine list is thoughtful, as well, and you won’t find the service anything but exemplary. Here’s a review I wrote of Theodore Rex. Get a reservation, and let me know what you think.

Tomato Toast: One of the fine dishes at Theodore Rex.

Like a good Croque Madame? I do, and if you are in Houston, I’ve got one to recommend. It’s at Café Poêtes. Read about it here. And when it comes to wine, family and Italy are the themes this week. The Inamas and the Castagnedis produce great things, and if you have not tasted their offerings you’re missing something special. Here’s a look at the Inamas (think Soava and Carménère), and read this to get to know the Castagnedi brothers.

A family of wine. (Courtesy Azienda Agricola Inama)

Still going strong after 55 years of marriage ... James and Sandra Brock.

Football (and Food and Wine): You Win Some, You Lose Some

July 22, 2018 / / 0 Comments

I need not remind anyone that Die Mannschaft made an ignominious exit from the World Cup this year, one that stirred up much debate in Germany and giddy glee in Britain. For the first time since 1938, the team did not make it of the group stage. Löw and company lost to South Korea and Mexico, all the while playing with no heart, and left it to Croatia and France to contest the final, which was a satisfying spectacle all around.

After Germany’s exit, I was supporting Croatia, mainly because I like the way Luka Modrić plays, but the French side was better on the day. With Germany gone, I didn’t entirely lose interest in the tournament, but 2018’s World Cup will not be remembered as one of my favorites … a lot of the play was lackluster, Neymar was (and is) an idiot, and, well, Germany was definitely not Germany. We now wait for 2020 and 2022, and a better Mannschaft.

There’s more to life than Fußball, of course, and good wine and food are two vital components of an existence well lived. Angela and I were in Florida last week, there to visit my parents, who live in Clearwater, and my friend John Ryan, whom I have known since I was a child. We cooked steaks and opened a few bottles, and we made it to some restaurants, dining on fried chicken and shrimp cocktails and collard greens. One evening, Angela and I made the short drive to the Seminole Heights area of Tampa and ate at  The Refinery, where the pakora was overfried but a dish of pappardelle, black eyed peas, sauerkraut, bacon, dill, and crème fraîche was a revelation.

Pappardelle, black eyed peas, and sauerkraut … at The Refinery in Tampa.

The homemade pappardelle was to the tooth, the combination of crème fraîche, dill, and bacon amazingly comforting, and the black eye peas and sauerkraut? I would eat that by the gallons. Some olive oil and salt completed this surprise course. (The chef and owner of The Refinery, Greg Baker, attended high school with my friend Steven Eigenmann, the goalkeeper on my Florida club soccer team, who recommended we try the restaurant. I trusted him in goal, and I trust his palate.)

This Tomato Toast at Theodore Rex will have you smiling.

Back in Houston, Theodore Rex and a Rosé were on my mind. You can read my review of Justin Yu’s restaurant here, including a few words about Tomato Toast, and if you’re looking for a wine to share with good people, I recommend the Endless Crush, from Inman Family Wines.

Here’s a Rosé for you.

History will repeat itself.

The World Cup Truly Begins Tomorrow (June 17): Deutschland Versus Mexico

June 16, 2018 / / 0 Comments

For four years, Die Mannschaft has held the World Cup trophy, and on Sunday, Germany’s campaign to retain it begins. I’m biased, of course, but, as I predicted Löw and company would win the tournament in 2014, I’m stating now that I fully expect to see Neuer and his teammates emerge victorious come July 15. Yes, Germany will be the first team to win back-to-back World Cups since Brazil’s great sides of ’58 and ’62 accomplished the difficult feat.

Back in 2014, I was interviewed about the World Cup and Germany’s prospects by Colin Randall, a former colleague of mine at Abu Dhabi-based The National, on Salut! Sunderland, a site he publishes, and to kick off the 2018 World Cup I’m sharing the dialogue here. (Visit the piece on Salut! Sunderland here.) Randall is an intelligent and experienced observer of Fußball, and I am certain he’ll be in front of a telly tomorrow to watch Germany defeat Mexico 3-1.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Salut! Sunderland: You are naturally a supporter of the United States first, but what is an American doing also rooting for Germany?

James: Actually, my first team is Die Mannschaft (Germany). I lived in Germany and attended high school there, and played for a club team and for my American school. I have written a bit about the genesis of my love and passion for the German side here: https://jamesabrock.com/2014/06/12/man-and-woman-cannot-live-on-food-alone-one-must-have-fussball/

Do you speak German and do other aspects of German life and culture fascinate you?

I do speak German, and Germany changed me as a human being. Living there taught me to expect excellence and order, to strive for it, and to, unfortunately, have little tolerance for the absence of those things. I love wine, and went to high school in the Pfalz, which produces some of the world’s best Rieslings. In addition, beer is one of my favorite libations, and I don’t think I need to tell your readers about the excellent quality of German beers.

 

Who wore short shorts?

Who wore short shorts?


At what stage of Brazil 2014 did you decide it was winnable for Germany? Or does it just go back to that old Gary Lineker quote about football being a game played by two teams of 11 in which Germany win?

Since the late 1970s Germany has been, to me, an invincible team. In every match since then I have not expected them to lose, and always expect them to win. I felt from the beginning of the tournament that Germany could win the trophy.

And at club level, I presume it would be Bayern Munich every time for you? How closely do you follow the Bundesliga?

I am a big fan of the Bundesliga, but my club is not Bayern München, it is FC Kaiserslautern. (I do support Bayern in European competitions.) FCK is a storied Bundesliga team with a passionate fan base and a great stadium. It is called the Betzenberg, and I spent many a day and night in the stands. My ticket cost 5 Marks at the time, and that small sum gave me such joy, and the chance to see the team knock Real Madrid out of the Cup, Elton John in the stands during a match against Watford, and great players like Briegel, Brehme, Klose, and Ballack, all of whom played for the Red Devils. They are and always will be my club team.

Germany have had a strange World Cup, emphatic against Portugul then a few stutters , disciplined rather than exhilarating against France, unstoppable in the semi. Explain!

I am not worried about Germany’s form in Brazil thus far. They have been to four consecutive semifinals and the final will be their eight appearance in the ultimate match. They do what they need to win. Sometimes they do it with aplomb, other times they do it with efficiency. I will take the wins no matter how they come — though I do prefer the Beautiful Game.

Neuer looks as good as any keeper at the tournament but who else has really made the difference in getting Germany to the final?

I will state that Neuer is the top keeper in the world. Germany always has great keepers, going back to Sepp Maier and Harald Schumacher [ouch – Patrick Battiston] , and through to Oliver Kahn. As for other players at this tournament, Hummels is having a great time, and his goals have been good ones. Müller is a gem, and he is destined to break Klose’s World Cup scoring record in 2018. Lahm has been his usual world-class self, and Khedira is back on track after his knee injury. Kroos is perfect, and has scored some great goals in Brazil.

How important is it to have an accomplished coach and what are Joachim Löw’s most impressive qualities?

I think Loew’s greatest quality was his willingness to embrace change, as he began doing when he was Klinsmann’s assistant. He never hesitates to bring in new blood, fully supports his players and staff, and always looks good doing it.

James wore them, at uni in Florida

James wore them, at uni in Florida


You share my contempt for diving and playacting. Would you also agree it’s a particular shame when truly gifted players – eg Robben, Suarez, Muller, Ronaldo and, though absent from Brazil, Bale – indulge in it as well as the limited ones who feel the need to compensate for lack of technique?

I detest diving. When I played I never took a dive, and I admire players — Messi comes to mind — who push on despite the tackles. The Robben example is a perfect one: he is a supremely gifted player, and should be much more respected, but his dramatic flopping sours everyone. FIFA must crack down.

Give me your assessment of the 2014 World Cup so far, the highlights and the moments you’d rather forget

I have been watching the World Cup since 1982, and this one is right up there among the best — I would say that along with 1982 it is the best. The US had a great run, and I would say that, with Germany’s dismantling of Brazil, count as the highlights to me thus far. Oh yes, I will add Klose’s breaking of the scoring record. He is one of my favorite players, and is a real gentleman to boot. However, on Sunday, when Germany lifts the trophy, I will be crying tears of joy and pride, so that will be the highlight.

If not already dealt with, what is your impression of the state of English football and, this being a quite different thing, the Premier League?

It is known that I am not a fan of English football. There are several reasons for my aversion, one of them being the attitude of many English fans, behavior I have observed over the decades. In addition, so many of the players, at least for the past 15 years or so, are unlikable. I can no longer be gleeful about the national team’s failures, because they have passed into the territory of pitiable, but I do take joy in seeing them squirm and falter. As for the Premier League, I follow the teams on which Americans play, but the league as a whole does not appeal to me, mainly because I think it has sold its soul to monied outsiders, some of whom are suspect when it comes to ethics. I cannot stand Man City for that reason.

A few Americans latch on to Sunderland – I hesitate to say “support” though some would say they do – because of Jozy Altidore. Wretched season for us, heartbreaking early injury in Brazil; what do you make of him?

I think he is a good holding forward, strong. He scored many goals for his team in Holland. But I would not buy him if I was an owner.

* Closing stages of voting for the finalists of your choice:

The 2014 World Cup final: choose you team
 
Describe how you and where you will watch the final

Ah, the final. I will be watching it with Angela Shah, who has been very gracious in her support of Germany. She likes Loew, and though she is also a supporter of France, will I am sure be happy for me if Germany wins the trophy this year. We will be serving a nice dry Riesling and a Weissbier, and enjoying some great sausages. (We are still deciding between watching it at home or joining in with the crowds out somewhere.) [And Monsieur Salut says a special bonjour to Angela, with whom he also worked in Abu Dhabi]

What will be the score?

Germany will win the final 3-1.

* James Brock on himself:

Now he'd sooner tackle this ...

Now he’d sooner tackle this …

I love food and cooking, and I love football. I started play in Florida, then my family moved to Germany and the real education began. I speak about this in the blog post to which I earlier linked, but I cannot overstate the importance of Germany to my education and formation, in football and other walks of life. Journalism has been my money-earning profession for a long time, but I am now formulating a second act, one that will involve food and cooking and wine.

Interview: Colin Randall

6 RESPONSES TO “GERMANY VS ARGENTINA WHO ARE YOU?: (1) ‘WHY DIE MANNSCHAFTARE INVINCIBLE’”SUBSCRIBE

  1. JeremyJuly 10, 2014 at 3:51 pm #

    Nice article James. I agree about Neuer. What has impressed me so much about him is his decision making which is so far ahead of the majority of goalkeepers in my opinion. When he can’t catch the ball and has to parry it away he always considers how to put it somewhere safe. He isn’t content with just making the save and hoping his defenders do the mopping up for him,.

    You might say that this is something all goalkeepers do but Neuer seems to be able to do it when other GKs simply can’t, and that’s what separates him from the pack for me. He has also shown that he’s a very effective sweeper coming out for through balls confidently and fiercely. In a WC that has featured some fantastic goalkeeping performances Manuel Neuer has stepped into a league of his own. He may be the match winner on Sunday for Germany.

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  2. Eric012July 10, 2014 at 5:08 pm #

    Germany are everything that England are not. James says “they have passed into the territory of pitiable”. Can’t argue with that.

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  3. DennisJuly 12, 2014 at 8:58 pm #

    One of the first things a keeper learns when starting out is that he is the last man on defense and the first man on offense. Never has given the world a clinic on this concept.
    Germany 4, Messi 1.

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  4. JeremyJuly 14, 2014 at 12:00 am #

    Yes Dennis, and the clinic continued in the final. We saw him do things that normal “mortal” goalkeepers couldn’t even imagine.

    One of the summarisers on our coverage (in the US), said that someone had described Nueor as “the best ever,” which may be a little strong, but he seems to have “redesigned” goalkeeping and has produced some paradigm shift in what a goakeeper can and might now be expected to do.

    That may be the first time that the term “paradigm shift” has appeared on Salut. That’;s just the way it is on Salut, constantly shifting paradigms. and sofas, sacks of coal and sundry items.

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    • William CJuly 14, 2014 at 11:20 am #

      I’m always doubtful about ” best ever ” comparisons.

      Lets just say that he is the best of the modern era. He certainly is in my opinion. As you said earlier, he has to some extent redefined the role of sweeper.

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“Life is complicated. It’s filled with nuance. It’s unsatisfying... If I believe in anything, it is doubt. The root cause of all life’s problems is looking for a simple fucking answer.” (Image: Jenny Antill)

The Purpose of Eating is To Relieve Pain, or, Farewell, Anthony

June 10, 2018 / / 10 Comments

You’re on your hands and knees, naked, pawing the dingy shag carpet with your scratched and cut hands, looking for scraps of crack that might have fallen from the pipe a few hours earlier. The bright sun streams through dirty windows, the day is already hot, and you want to die. The fun is gone, over, and you don’t derive any pleasure from cooking. That’s been the case for a while now, ever since the night you looked up from the piece of meat in your hand and drew a blank. You had no idea, no thought or plan, nothing. You put down the knife, and the steak, and walk out the back door, throwing your apron on the wet ground.

It’s still early, so you run your fingers through your hair, wipe the sweat from your face, and walk through the door. Your place at the bar is unoccupied, and Mike nods at you, puzzled look on his face. Why are you here at this time of night, instead of at the restaurant? You sit, he puts the glass of whisky in front of you. The odor of sweat and onions and blood overtakes the moment, and you reach for the glass and drink, an attempt to annihilate the stench. The whisky burns, tastes good, and for a minute you relax.

But the minute passes and you want to go. Somewhere. Anywhere. But not there, not the room with no curtains and splotchy walls and unopened mail strewn on the counter that once held bowls of fruit and loaves of bread. You stand up and shake Mike’s hand, walk out of the bar and into the night headed nowhere on purpose but end up back in that room, on the couch hungry and hot and sweating, trying to remember the feeling of meaning something to someone, anyone, you, her, them. It doesn’t come back to you.

The notebooks are full, so you send a story to Paul, the friend with connections in the publishing world who thinks your stories are good. You had put down the knife and picked up the pen, an act that when it happened meant nothing to you, an act for which you had no forethought, no plan. The words and ideas and desires in your head, those things meant something, and they were jumbling up against one another in your brain and they frightened and aroused you so you probably saved yourself by committing them to paper, to reality. You wrote about what you knew, and loved and respected and detested, and Paul was right and the publisher loved your thoughts and statements and you saved yourself, because when your goal is becoming a good heroin addict, what remains after that?

Les Halles in the late afternoon, the Park Avenue weeknight crowd passing by the double doors, the bar full of men in ties and women wearing pearls and wedges. You’re feeling good, and cooking well. You like the honest food and the unpretentious place. There’s something comforting about the macaroni gratin and the meats in the glass case and the Gamay on the wine list and the people enjoying your dishes and you got a new apartment and this one has wood floors and you had them take out the carpeting in the bedrooms and the desk at which you write is overflowing with books and you sent another manuscript to the publisher and the book tour starts next week and the night is easy.

What you always tried to do, since the time in that boat in Brittany when you sucked the oysters from their shells in the warm sun and wondered about the fish under the water and how they would taste, what you wanted to capture always, was an entire existence in a mouthful, a feeling that nothing was wrong and the horizons, your horizons, were wide open and the next breath you took would lead surely to the next a step and movement and thought that meant something, that meant you meant something, mattered.

That’s how it was for a long time, and that’s how it was again. You are not in France, but you are in New York and cooking and laughing and the guys respect you — the book helps, of course — and the magazine articles and photographs  and the people coming to the restaurant hoping to catch a glimpse of you.

Your parents had taken you and your brother to France, and you became, after those oysters, what you are, the man seeking that complete, meaningful, worthy existence in a mouthful, with others you respect. The bread and cheeses and foie gras had split your brain wide open, turned you into something that was at first frightening but that after several months you gave no thought to, because it was who you were supposed to be and that felt right and good and you no longer shook your right leg nervously when you sat. You had wine, and you walked on the beach and kissed Simone and her hand was cold then warm and you wanted to stay in that place forever with her.

You are in a car in California with Eric and Michael and the sun is high and the three of you want to eat and drink and the meal ahead will be long and pleasurable; the chef, this man who gives you “vapors”, is going to cook 21 courses, and the wines are chilled and open as the car pulls up to the restaurant’s driveway. You think of Bocuse and Lyon and the stall in Hong Kong and the old woman in Mexico whose mole is the best you’ve ever tasted (that’s the very moment, when you and Eric and Michael walked through the restaurant’s door, that you had the idea of bringing all the food you love to one place, a pier on the Hudson in Manhattan) and cannot believe that the person in your body is the real you. You are not supposed to be here, you are supposed to be in a small kitchen somewhere in Manhattan, cooking for businessmen and tourists. You’ll feel this way forever, that you are a fraud, that at any minute it will all end and you’ll be Tony again and you’ll be on your hands and knees looking for that feeling again, the one you first had on that small boat on calm waters off the coast of Brittany when the briny oyster first touched your tongue.

That fear, of it all suddenly ending, never leaves you, no matter what you’re eating or whom you’re talking to, whether you’re sitting at a sushi bar in Tokyo or squatting in a hovel in Cambodia. One of the problems is that you don’t like the person you were, the one who was an asshole to people, the one who, just to shock, carried a machete around with him, the one who yelled cruelly for no reason. You can’t seem to give yourself a real chance to accept the idea that you changed, have overcome that man and was someone else, someone with a family and respect and genuine, unselfish emotions, a man whose passions for life and all of its experiences outstripped his attraction to self-denigration and dissipation. Your intelligence is, of course, more than sufficient to allow you to realize that, but what’s intelligence up against emotion and fear?

You stuck at it, the filming and the running and flying and you even quit smoking cigarettes and lost weight and took up martial arts and honed your speaking persona and your causes — who can forget the episode you filmed in Lebanon? — and your books continued to sell and a new generation of admirers came aboard (to say nothing of the acolytes, the guys who would give their left testicle to be you, a cohort you were not always comfortable with, especially after you realized that machismo and excess were not the road to great food). You were admired, and you, most of the time, admired yourself. There is no disputing that your dedication to the reality that food and respect for it, and the individuals who produced and cooked it, was honest and real. You were not a fake. James Beard Awards? Who cares. Ruth Bourdain deserves one, however, you state, so much more than those food writers with their panties in a wad, “a bunch of old hookers complaining about the new girl who kisses on the lips.” No, you are not a fraud.

Demons. They never leave, though, do they? Your parents divorced when you were young, and that, though hard for you to believe, still hurts, always hurt. You married your high school sweetheart, you two stayed together a long time, that was important to you. Your daughter came to you late, and that was a good thing for you. But would you fail, you asked yourself incessantly. How can I be a good father? I’m fucked up, I’ll fuck this up.

(Image: Instagram account of Ottavia Busia-Bourdain)

Keep moving, you say, don’t stop, there are too many people out there who need me to tell their stories. Maimed and sad people, people whose food deserves exposure, you sent that dying boy on a feast journey to Spain and made his wish come true and you made sure writers and chefs and cooks and just plain people you admired and respected got the recognition they deserved (that was the best part for you, the thing about yourself you most admired). Keep moving, through those years.

France is the key, of course. Those oysters and that girl and the mouthfuls of perfect moments leading from one to the next, no one asking anything of you, no one begging you to come to their restaurant or have lunch with them or sign their book (how many books did you sign?) or adopt their cause or make their city famous. France and Eric and Bocuse and nothing but … hunger.

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