hwilson41

GG; If you can find it, try bluefish after it's been smoked over Pecan. You'll think you've died and gone to heaven . THW

Fifi; Say it isn't so! We seem so akin in tastes (BBQ, hot links, etc.) that I'm stunned. How very narrow minded of you . I too am a native Texan, but I love okra - breaded and fried, in tomatoes and onions, in gumbos, whatever. My favorite aunt raised registered Angus in Comanche County to pay the bills, but she always planted okra every year in her vegetable garden, and we used to eat it by the bowlful when we went to see her. Perhaps you've just not been exposed enough? No, I guess not - not if you've tasted it prepared by Mayhaw. How very sad . But we can still be friends anyway . THW

FWIW, Ben Giliberti in the Washington Post was pretty high on the current Nouveau Beaujolais this week also. I'm not even close to expert and can't give a professional sounding opinion, but when we tasted the Duboeuf Beaujolais last weekend we thought it quite nice and somewhat more polished (probably not the right word) than NB from earlier years. THW

Freshly picked wild blackberries from the Outer Banks of NC in July. The cultivated variety just doesn't quite measure up, and picking the wild ones is worth the bites from the thorns. Those and fresh summer peaches make a homemade ice cream that will bring tears to the eyes of a strong man . THW

Am I correct in assuming that there is also no mayo allowed? A burger without mayo is like a life without sex. Well...not quite, but close . THW

Hi Katie; Thanks for the reply. We're having friends over tomorrow night to taste the Pol Roger and the Bollinger Special Cuvee, along with the VC and another (supplied by the company) whose name escapes me at the moment. I'll report back after that, but it's comforting to have an educated opinion to go on. If the Pol Roger is as good as I expect, I'll probably lay in a case, although Champagne has a distressingly short life expectancy in my house . THW

Brad; Thanks for the reply. What I was asking, I think, was if we are being fed bullshit by some of the wine critics that write for the media. We all know that they have to say something, and if they're feeding us drivel (or worse), I'd like to know. If I find a wine I like (often from recommendations in the Post), I usually buy a case or maybe even two. I rarely pay more than about $25 per bottle for wine, although I have on rare occasions broken $100. But frankly, in one tasting years ago in NYC, we ordered two bottles of wine, one around $35 if memory serves, and another around $125 (these are ~1975 New York restaurant prices), both recommended by the restaurant staff (not sure whether they had an official sommelier or not, but they should have from the prices we paid ). There were six of us at the table, all fairly serious amatuer foodies with some degree of knowledge, and we all came to the same conclusion - the $90 spread just wasn't there, i.e., none of us could taste anywhere nearly enough difference to justify the difference in price. I've tasted $25 Cab from Chile or Argentina (can't remember which) that put the $135 bottle in the shade. I tasted the VC Yellow Label New Year's Eve and actually thought it was quite good (I tasted it while I was still more-or-less sober ). Perhaps my palate just isn't sensitive enough or sophisticated enough to detect the difference, but any advice from the pros would be most welcome, particularly on what one should be looking for in a "good" Champagne. THW

To turn out authentically spiced and flavored andouille and Texas hot links. And to figure out how to keep those damned air bubbles out when I'm stuffing the casings . THW

I am anything but expert on wine or Champagne, but found many of the above comments very interesting in light of a recent article by Ben Giliberti in The Washington Post food section (12/21/03). Here are four on the list, two or three of which are mentioned above in this thread: Pol Roger NV Brut Extra Cuvee de Reserve ($30-$35): It takes a formidable performance by a great Champagne house to unseat my usual favorite nonvintage brut, Bollinger (see next entry), but Pol Roger has done it this season. I can’t say I’m totally surprised. The parallels between Bollinger and Pol Roger are striking. Like Bollinger, the house of Pol Roger is small, family owned and operated and extremely quality conscious. The quintessential Englishman’s Champagnes, the sparkling wines of both houses were favorites of Winston Churchill, and, indeed, Pol Roger’s top Cuvee is named after the great man himself. Ironically, Bollinger’s nonvintage brut, made in a fairly powerful, yeasty style, has always reminded me more of the Cuvee Winston Churchill than has Pol Roger’s own nonvintage brut, which tends toward greater delicacy with a distinctive, almost Chablis-like lemony/minerally quality. This season, Pol Roger nonvintage brut maintains all of its usual virtues but seems to have taken on an extra richness, apparently benefitting from the extraordinary quality of its 1995 and 1996 Chardonnay. (Chardonnay makes up about one-third of the blend. The balance is one-third each Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir.) Another great thing about Pol Roger is that, perhaps more than any other nonvintage brut, it improves with a year or two of cellaring. Given the quality, you may want to double up on your quotient of Pol Roger this season to have enough to drink next New Year or to enjoy throughout 2004. Bollinger Brut Champagne Special Cuvee NV ($35–$40): This is yet another bravura performance for Bollinger’s remarkable nonvintage brut, called Special Cuvee. Rich biscuit and baked-apple aromas are followed on the palate by full-bodied, mature flavors set off by nuances of grilled nuts, ginger/apple and marzipan. While Bollinger Special Cuvee is delicious served by itself as an aperitif, it is the dinner Champagne par excellence. Barrel fermented and made from a high percentage of the full-flavored Pinot Noir grape, it is the kind of powerful Champagne one could easily design a grand meal around. The classic French dinner accompaniment would be duck confit or duck l’orange, but the light ginger and spice notes suggest a highly amicable partnership with Asian cuisine. Duval-Leroy Brut Champagne “Paris” NV ($30): Although this less familiar Champagne is not as widely promoted as the major brands, it is well worth trying owing to its excellent price/quality ratio. Delicate, yeasty aromas of fresh strawberry are followed by effusive pinpoint bubbles and the harmonious interplay of fruit, tartness and dosage (sugar) that marks the finer Champagnes. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin NV Brut (Yellow Label) ($35): Given the exceptional quality displayed by Veuve Clicquot’s 1996 Brut Reserve ($75), it is not altogether surprising that the immensely popular Yellow Label nonvintage brut has soared above its usual excellent quality this season, apparently benefiting[sic] from the addition of reserve stocks from the extraordinary 1996 vintage. Although I am still a greater fan of the Veuve Clicquot vintage product, even at the higher price, the Yellow Label is impressive this season, offering the classic Veuve Clicquot balance of power and finesse. I gather the board experts disagree with some of these opinions . Any further comments would be appreciated by this novice. THW

For those who like to make their own hamburger, if you own one, try using the Cuisinart with the sharpest metal blade. Cut the beef into 1" to 2" chunks and chop only as much as will fit loosely in the bottom of the bowl, then remove that and repeat until all the meat is chopped. As long as you don't over-process the meat, it comes out more like chopped sirloin - little bits of chopped steak - as opposed to "crushed" steak. Very nice texture, and it makes great chopped sirloin, as well as cheeseburgers, or so we think in our house. Also have the KitchenAid grinder and suasage stuffer. Indispensible for making various kinds of sausage, but the Cuisinart makes better "hamburger". JMHO. THW

I think the importers have this covered with markups already. Yeah, the Tempranillo folks have Spain well covered, but I still think there is so much more from that country we haven't even scratched the surface of yet. I'm with Jason on the Spanish wines. Several 2001 Spanish wines were reviewed in The Washington Post by Michael Franz last July, and we hosted a small tasting party built around his recommendations. These have come to market recently, and some of them are IMHO excellent values. Two particularly well liked, even by my wife, who is usually a white-wine-only girl, are Vina Mayor Tinto Roble ($10 per Franz, but we found it on sale at Calvert Woodley in DC at $7.99/bottle). Marques de Griñon ($11 per Franz, on sale at $8.69 at CW) Both are smooth, somewhat fruity, with little or no Cab-type heaviness (which I like but which is a turnoff for spouseperson). We bought cases of each of these and two more, which are now maturing in a cool, shady spot downstairs (the closest thing we have to a wine cellar ). Haven't broken into them again, but they were super values and probably will age well (according to Franz). THW P.S. Almost time for the ham, collards, and black eyed peas. Happy New year y'all . Edited to remove stupid spelling mistake.

Woodburner; I think you're right and I'm wrong. I did a google on "flesh definition" and the first one that came up (from hyperdictionary.com) says "the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate; mainly muscle tissue and fat." I stand corrected. THW

Woodburner; My impression (not based on any scientific information) has always been that fat is fat, and "flesh" is muscle. Maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time . THW

Perhaps I'm using an incorrect analogy, but when I cook duck breast, I always score the fat, but never all the way down to the flesh. If you do, the flesh has a tendency to dry out. Maybe fresh ham is different, but if so, I'd like for somebody to tell me why. More internal fat, maybe? THW

Like a lot of eGers, I'm sure, I often read cookbooks like most folks read novels, and frankly, if I ran across this recipe while reading a cookbook, my initial reaction would be "Yeah, right! You've gotta be kidding me." . But there are a lot of opinions on this board that I respect who say otherwise, so I'm going to try it. Just one more benefit of hanging out at eGullet. Sometimes you find out you're not quite as smart as you thought you were . THW

Mayhaw; Thanks again for the link. Ordered 6 lbs andouille and 3 lbs tasso from Jacob's. I asked how they smoked their andouille and was told they only use Pecan, unlike what I've read elsewhere (mixture of Pecan and sugar cane). Anyway, I'm anxious to taste the result and see if it is like I remember. Will file a report after a batch or two of jambalaya and gumbo. Best news is that even up here in northern VA, we can still get fresh okra (no idea from where, but I can't afford to be picky at this time of year ). THW

Lucille; Those are the folks I was trying to think of (misspoke and said Paris, should have said Pittsburg). How are those hot links, anyway? Hot enough to bring tears to your eyes ? I've been tempted to order some but haven't written the check yet. TIA. THW

Willie Gluckstern's The Wine Avenger (which I discovered while perusing eGullet). Absolutely delightful. Great info, and devoid of the puffery, pretension, and bullshit you usually find in "wine" books. THW

Spoken like a true Texan . LOL. THW

Mayhaw; I may or may not be in your league, but that description fits me pretty well also. Of course, there are always exceptions. I popped off one day to an Indian (Brahmin) neighbor about being from Texas and loving hot, spicy food. His mother-in-law was visiting from India, and she quietly handed me a little bottle of Vietnamese (I think) fish sauce and suggested I try some. I put a dollop on a cracker and downed it. Now that was hot, and of course everyone had a good laugh at my expense while I quaffed down a big glass of milk. But most of the time, I'm the last one out in a "hot" contest. If you're ever up toward DC, PM me and we'll have some fun experimenting . THW Edited to remove duplicate salutations (duh).

Fifi; I guess I'm following you, but you do come up with such interesting threads . Here is one site whose description explains what's happened to hot links, I fear. Scroll down, and you'll see "A Texas favorite is our spicy but not too spicy hot link." (emphasis added) Bunch of damned wusses . I have found on occasion a link to some folks somewhere up around Paris (TX) who claim to make old fashioned all beef hot links, but can't seem to google them up right now. If I find them, I'll post it. For all of us chili heads, the passing of the old style Texas hot links is a great loss indeed . THW

Yeah, but they're wrong and we're right . THW

Thanks to all for the replies. Mayhaw; Special thanks for the link to Jacob's. A recommendation from a local who knows is worth more than all the advertising claims in the world. I'll call and give them an order tomorrow. Maybe I'll need to adjust my recipe after tasting. I have a big smoker, but can't get sugar cane this far north. Pecan, I can get with a bit of scouting. Maybe a mixture of Pecan and Apple? Hmmm....another experiment to try . Fifi; Thanks for the review of Aidells. Them being light on cayenne was exactly what I expected. As for the hot links, I have a close friend in Fort Worth whom I've known since we were babies, and he says you can't find hot links for love nor money any more, at least not any that taste like they did in the old days (1960s). How very sad. When I get my recipe perfected to my taste, I'll be glad to share if anybody's interested. THW

In our house, andouille is used for one of two things 99% of the time; as the sausage in jambalaya (mostly), or as an accent for gumbos. Occasionally, I also use it to spice up scrambled eggs for breakfast, but less often than the other two. With the jambalaya particularly, there is so much liquid in the dish and the cooking is so long that it doesn't make a hell of a lot of difference about the smoking...I don't think. I haven't ordered any andouille from any of the Louisiana makers (I'm also working on a recipe for that too ), so maybe I need to do that. But I'm just a little suspicious that most have been toned down to expand market appeal. Thanks for that. Maybe my memory is faulty (my wife would second that motion in a flash). Or maybe I got lucky and found the guys in Louisiana who liked their sausage as spicy as I like mine . Good luck with the boudin. I'd love to read a progress report as that evolves. THW

Lucille (again); Oops. I got so excited talking about the hot links, I forgot my question . I gather you're from Louisiana. Is your recollection like mine, that the andouille was almost as hot as the Texas hot links? I live in northern VA now, outside DC, and there is one place that makes andouille (unsmoked, unfortunately) that I think is almost as hot as what I remember from trips to Baton Rouge and NO. The rest of the stuff being marketed around here as andouille is pretty wimpy by comparison, toned down to broaden market appeal I'm sure. THW