mikeycook

1994 Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf-du-pape Bought this wine at the chateau on our honeymoon (2000). Fully mature and drinking well right now. Medium body. This is a very stylish Chateauneuf, less fruit and power, more delicacy. Tasted even better after an hour, but was followed by a steep decline. Still, better than expected of a '94, particularly for a more lightweight Chateaneuf like Mont-Redon. While I am a fan of Mont-Redon, I have to agree with Parker's assessment that the wines would be much richer if not fined and filtered.

Went for dinner to Cru NYC, in the former Washington Park space on 5th Avenue and tried a few of their wines by the glass. 1988 Auguste Clape Cornas Drinking well right now, has a nice reddish-purple color and a strong nose of berries. Still some tannins, although most have melted away, except for a few that clamp down on the finish. Decent fruit. Probably should stay like this for a few more years. 1990 Chateau Rayas Pignan Chateauneuf-du-Pape Much more fruit than the Clape and also more tannins. Very rich, black fruits are evident. This will get even better as the rest of the tannins melt away, which should also result in a longer finish. At least a few years away from maturity still. 1985 Taylor Fladgate Not as good as the '92, but have a wonderful nose of black fruits, anise, and violets. Still somewhat tannic, but drinking well.

I would like to see a quality show on winemaking and viticulture, focusing on how some of the best wineries produce their wines, but general enough that the modest size homemaker can impact some of the techniques. Topics in the vineyard could include determining sugar levels, when to harvest, practical details of managing a modest sized vineyard, principles of biodynamic farming, etc. The winemaking topics could include filtering and fining (why and why not), using new vs old oak, fermenting in stainless steel, racking, etc. Perhaps it could be done by focusing on a particularly producer each week and learning their process soup to nuts.

I have tried a few on my own, but never committed them to paper. Several times in the Rhone I have had rabbit stuffed with chanterelles and have tried to imitate it. I will see if I can find a similar recipe.

Went to Fleur de Sel for my birthday this year. Had the tasting menu and a couple of additional courses. The best dish was the Goat Cheese & Artichoke Ravioli in Red Beet-Dijon Jus. Worst dish (not on tasting menu) was the Suckling Pig and Foie Gras Terrine. Actually, all of the dishes were great except for the terrine, which had a nice texture, but lacked flavor. I am a huge fan of Tocqueville, which I think is very underrated. I have been meaning to go back. Not sure if it is still on the menu, but they had a stuffed quail dish (with foie gras?) with little bits of bacon and a quail egg. It is still one of the best appetizers I have had. Had lunch at Chanterelle about six months ago and although the food was good, there was nothing that really grabbed me, except the room, which is wonderful. It was gorgeous during the day with light coming in from high windows. The service is very formal, which can be fun sometimes. Bouley has long been one of my favorites. It's the top-rated restaurant that I have eaten at the most. I have always like his food and enjoyed the tasting menu last time there. One thing I would avoid, though, is the kobe beef, which was tough and lacking in flavor (have seen similar posts on eGullet with similar comments). Montrachet is sometimes excellent, sometimes mediocre, depending on the chef. When Harold Moore was there, it was very good. I haven't been since he left for Blue Hill, but having worked in Tribeca for some time, I had a fondness for it. Le Bernardin is wonderful, but perhaps a tasting menu of all fish would be a little overwhelming for a first-timer. I would personally choose either Toqueville or Fleur de Sel, although Chanterelle is certainly an approachable restaurant, as is Bouley.

When I think Chanterelles, I think rabbit (preferably with legs boned and stuffed).

To your question about whether or not we would automatically consider an Australian red when ordering at a restaurant, I would say wholeheartedly "YES", although I must confess that big Australian reds have the same pricing problems as california cabs and bordeaux (i.e. way too high). At restaurants (I live in NYC) I more often order a Rhone or Spanish or sometimes Burgundy because there is usually more variety in a decent price range (I try not to top $100-150 for a bottle, even at a 4 star place). Most of the Australians I encounter are the $100+ Shiraz and proprietary wines that go for double on U.S. menus. Those Australian reds that would be more affordable don't seem to find their way onto U.S. menus as much. For me, the wines that opened my eyes to Australia are the single-vineyard Grenaches made by Clarendon Hills (I can't touch their Astralis). Here is a case of a single varietal being done as well in Australia, arguably, as anywhere in the word (and eventually perhaps better). But, at around $50 per bottle, I am much more likely to drink these at home than pay the restaurant markup. Also a huge Syrah fan, I am starting to explore Australian wines in more depth despite some of the prices.

I am no expert, but a little search on cartedate (also spelled carteddate and cartellate) revealed some recipes and this one for Vin Cotto Fiche.

For someone not paying "heed" to the numbers , you sure had those scores up your sleeve! To be honest, I stole them from a Parker's Perfects list on Winebid. For me personally, I would define a 100x100 wine as one that got 100 points from Parker and WS, since they have no vested interest in reaching agreement on the subject. Any wine that gets 100 points from both must have a lot going for it.

I love Il Buco as well. We live just a few blocks from it. One of my only complaints is that usually we wind up seating near the front, which can get very loud as the bar begins to heat up. In 4 or 5 visits, I have never sat in the back room, which seems the better place for conversation.

Here's a good reason not to pay 100 points too much heed. Some Robert Parker 100 Point Wines and Their Wine Spectator Rating Wine RP WS 1992 Dalla Valle Maya 100 94 1994 Harlan Estate 100 95 1997 Harlan Estate 100 97 2000 La Mission Haut Brion 100 93 1982 Lafite Rothschild 100 92 1996 Lafite Rothschild 100 96 2000 Lafite Rothschild 100 100 1961 Latour 100 100 1982 Latour 100 98 1982 Leoville Las Cases 100 95 1982 Margaux 100 100 1990 Montrose 100 94 1982 Mouton Rothschild 100 98 1982 Mouton Rothschild 100 99 2000 Pavie 100 96 1989 Petrus 100 94 2000 Petrus 100 98 1982 Pichon-Longueville-Lalande 100 95 1997 Quinta do Noval 100 97 1997 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 100 95 I am sure a similar list could be made of WS 100 point wines that are not RP 100 point wines. This is why I take ratings with a grain of salt. Is the '82 Lafite a 100 point wine or a 92 point wine? Maybe it's 100 points, but would you want to pay a 100 point price (approx. $600) and decide you only think it rates 92 points?

i find the $349.99 tag makes it easy For the same price, I can buy 2 bottles of 1990 Hermitage La Chapelle at auction. That's an easy choice for me.

My favorite ways are: 1. Blanched and tossed with butter and white truffle oil 2. Blanched and sauteed with wild mushrooms (preferably cepes) and garlic 3. Provencal style (Julia Child recipe from MAFC1)

Thanks, everyone, for the quick response. That's it all right. In fact, I am pretty sure the one they used was this Santos. I am definitely going to look into buying one. Thanks. :-)

When my wife were in Washington, D.C. earlier this year, we ate at an upscale Chinese restaurant called Mr. K's (I know there is also one in New York, my hometown). When dessert came, the waiting brought a device that was essentially two glass balls that stack on top of each other (with a tube connecting them) and sit over an open flame. The water is put into the lower glass ball, the coffee in the top. When the flame is put under the lower ball, the water heats and rises into the top chamber, brewing the coffee. Once all the water is in the top ball, the open flame is taken away and the water drains back into the bottom ball as coffee (with the grounds remaining in the top ball). Can anyone tell me what this device is called and where I might buy one? It made one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had (and it would be fun to use at home).

Thanks for the response. I probably should have mentioned in advance that we will be driving. My wife has a disability that makes too much walking a problem, so even when we are in Paris I usually rent a car so we can get from one place to another more easily (needless to say, the Metro is not overly accessible -- few are -- and cabs can be a problem in some areas of town). As a result, we will drive to wherever our day-trip/overnight takes us. I suspected Burgundy would be a problem and was leaning towards Reims of the two, mainly because it is closer and because I would prefer to see Burgundy in warmer weather. I like Lyon a lot (I have been there alone), but we have been planning to take a trip over the next couple of years to explore the northern Rhone (Cote Rotie, Hermitage, etc.) and Lyon made sense as a starting/ending point, so we will probably save it. Also, the train to Lyon and getting another rental car and returning it, etc. might be too much to manage on such a short trip. We have both been to Versailles, but I don't think either of us has been to Fontainebleu. Would that be accessible in February (given my wife's disability, too much walking, particularly in snow, is a concern)? I don't know much about Lille, but I will look into it as it sounds like an option, on another trip if not this one.

My wife and I are taking advantage of the Air France companion fare deal and are scheduled to visit Paris in February over Valentine's weekend (arriving Friday AM, departing Monday.) We have been to Paris many times together, so we were thinking of perhaps making a day trip or an overnight outside the city part of the experience (we have travelled elsewhere in France, but mainly in the south, not the north). Our top two choices are Burgundy or Reims, but we were wondering how much we would be able to experience them in February. Are the wine/champagne houses open/accessible? Will much be open on Sunday? Any suggestions of restaurants and accommodations in either location would be much appreciated. We may not leave the city at all, but would certainly like to explore the possibility. Any locations other than Burgundy or Reims we should consider?

I had lunch at Chanterelle recently and was not overwhelmed. I thought the food was similar of what I would expect from lunch at Bouley, for instance. Given the current crop of 4 stars, I would not be surprised to see it remain at 3, especially since Per Se needs to be taken into the equation somehow. I will agree the room is spectacular and makes it worthy of 4-star consideration.

L'Impero is at 45 Tudor City Place (basically between 41st and 43rd between 2nd ave and 1st ave.) The chef is Scott Conant, formerly of San Domenica. The cuisine is Italian/New American. It is probably one of my current 2-3 favorite restaurants, but I understand why it will not be 4 stars in its current design (for reasons other than the food). That being said, I would rather dine more frequently at L'Impero than in Bouley or Le Bernardin (the two 4 stars I have eaten in).

Just north of Orange, in Mondragon, is La Beaugraviere, which Robert Parker has referred to several times. They have an excellent Rhone wine list. My wife and I have eaten there twice, once in 2000 for our honeymoon and once last summer. We thought the food had improved substantially since our first visit (although the prices of 1990 Hermitage La Chappelle had doubled. ). For hotels, I would recommend the Chateau Rochegude in Rochegude. It is a short drive from La Beaugraviere (about 12km).

We had tickets for Marcus Samuelsson on June 4th. Just got an email and call today telling us about the cancellation. Too bad.

Agree with L'Impero prix fixe. Also, Piccolo Angolo Nha Trang Sevilla

The fact that folks have been curing meat without refrigeration for ages is why I struggled with this process. I ultimately decided that it [refrigeration] was a technique that adds a valuable benefit with little downside. The key is to make sure that the refrigerator temp. is 39 degrees. I use my digital wine cellar thermometer. In fact, I read in one ham publication the cure time was extended day-for-day for each day the temperature dropped below 36 degrees, because the cure process simply stops below that temperature. I suppose you could cure using the refrigerator, but age (like hams) in a non-refrigerated environment. I'm not sure if this aging would effect duck significantly, but I know its a necessary part of traditional Virginia ham production. I printed out the material from the USDA that you cited and it certainly seems like above 36deg and below 41deg is the ideal range for curing (the material is great, although the federal code requires some patience). My initial impression, from reading various recipes, was that the 24-36 hours in the refrigerator were the equivalent of the curing (the rubbing and resting periods) in ham and that the hanging (15-30 days) was similar to the drying/aging. In the Virginia ham method, a metric of 1 1/2 of curing per pound of meat is mentioned, which would roughly correspond to the 24-36 cure time for a 1lb duck breast in most recipes. However, these recipes usually involve the addition of Saltpeter as well, which, I would think, would accelerate the cure and some of the dried hams are also immersed in salt for resting periods. So maybe a longer cure at 37-40 deg is the key. I think, as an experiment, I will make a duck ham using your method, but following the curing (15 days, I think), try aging the duck breast from 2 weeks to a month, similar to a ham, at 53-57deg at 75% humidity (in a wine cellar), and compare this to a ham cured using your method for 30 days (I may need another refrigerator for this). Thanks again for all the great info.

Thanks for the note on the additional recipes. If you don't mind, post some details of how the pork butt works out. I am thinking about trying some cured pork next and would love to know the details. Maybe we can even have this thread converted to a cured meat details/issues discussion at that point. Thanks Elie.

bbq4meanytime, that is an excellent and well-researched approach. I am certainly going to try a batch by your method. I am curious as to why more sources don't focus on refrigerator curing, but, to your point, this was a method born before refrigeration. Thanks for the excellent source material as I fully intend to utilize it.