Beachfan

That is really amazing, that Vieux Comte, wasn't it? I visited 4 cheese stores trying to get one as splending, and while Marie Cantin's came closest, none were like it.

I'm pretty similar. Grafton extra old cheddar (or well kept Neil's Yard Montgomery, even better) Parmigiano Reggiano Boucheron (althought at the right level of affinage, I'll choose St. Maure). Lately, I've been wowed by the humboldt fog too. When it gets runny around the edge. UMMMMMMM!

I wonder whether Craig agrees on the Kistlers. I want to love them as I have a bunch of them, but the more I drink them, the more I think "wood", not "wine". Last one I had tasted like a liquid tongue depressor. I had a Littorai last month that seemed more restrained with the wood, and really yummy.

Love them. I've usually had them in the hands of good to great chefs. Parsnip puree that was fabulous for example.

My worst wine nightmare.

I think one of the major problems is that it should be made "ristretto (sp)" or "short". On many automated machines, there is a picture of a half cup and one of a whole cup. Most people who don't know what they are doing think they are cheating you if they only give you a half cup. Really, that just matches the amount of water to the beans correctly; double the water gives you all the bitterness. The good flavanoids come our with less water, but the bitter components only come up with more water.

From the Fat-Guy's post on another thread: "In my opinion, the two vegetarian restaurants that are worth bothering with if you're not a vegetarian are Hangawi (12 E. 32nd St., 212-213-0077) and Dimple (11 W. 30th St., 212-643-9464). Hangawi is a Korean buddhist vegetarian restaurant, and Dimple is Indian (and kosher). There are a few other vegetarian Indian places, including one that was just written up in this week's New York Magazine, but I don't have the experience to recommend any of them specifically. Also, a few of New York's top fine-dining restaurants have vegetarian tasting menus, if you're interested in that." My brother, who not only isn't a vegetarian, but doesn't like vegetables, also liked Hangawi. That would be my pick based on recommendations of others.

As was the Soave from a producer named Periopan (sp?). They have a standard version, a slightly more expensive blend and a much more expensive but well worth the money, late harvest version (they all have proprietary names but I forget them). None are sweet; all are delicious. Best, Jim Great suggestion. The Pieropan Soave La Rocca was my wine of the summer a couple of years ago. A case and a half went by very smoothly. I'm not aware of the "much more expensive one" this was a slighlty more ($17 vs. $12). For those of you who've only had the industrial Soave, Pieropan will be a real eye-opener.

My 2 summer whites - Selbach Oster 2001 Riesling Mosel Kabinett (got for about $12) and 1997 Smith Haut Lafite Blanc (my score of the year @ $14/bottle). The first wine should still be available for that price, the second one was sort of a miracle.

So, no tuna melts in Italy? With all those great panini machines?

Well, I'm usually red wine with fish (October through May or so), so I must be Emma Goldman.

Do you think more recent vintages (say 95 on) from Calera have been as good as the previous ones?

I won't try them for a year or so yet (still have some 99s). But they drink better on the young side, both a 97 (Tofanelli) and a 96 (Hayne) that I had recently were beyond their prime.

I went to Le Sud, one of Bocuse's place. I was disappointed.

Much has been discussed on the storage of wine. What about spirits. Does vodka get hurt by temperatures in the 80s? What about other spirits? Cognac seems to hold up ok to my liquor cabinet, which is in a room that gets very warm when we're not home. I assume many liquors wouldn't hold up, such as limone. Kahlua too? Grand Marnier? Any studies out there? Or students?

The frenzy at which people snap up any Bordeaux labled 2000 supports, albeit temporarily, their claim. Once these move through the pipeline, things will fall flat, with 98s,99s, 01s, 02s all floating around. But just see a case of 2000 Bordeuax put out at Costco, and you'll see a feeding frenzy.

Separate from food, I highly recommend the Moulin Rouge. I avoided it for 22 years thinking it was a tourist trap. It is loaded with tourists, but it's the sexiest, funniest, grooviest show of it's type worldwide. A very modest tip will get you seating right up front (way, way up front), which is where you want to be. Not cheap but worth every penny.

I went to Zaika and Tamarind almost back to back in September. Tamarind was very good, but cleary falling short of the fabulous magic being performed at Zaika.

Your first review was lukewarm at best. What made you give it more tries?

Best P-R I have had was purchased at Peck's delicatessen in Milan. I think it was "spring" cheese, i.e., the milk came from cow's during the spring, grazing on fresh green grass. I brought a kilo home, and la dolce vita followed.

It's one of the better Whole Foods. Also good is Kings Market on Military trail just south of Glades (but Glades goes over Military trail, they don't intersect). Kings has the best shrimp salad, large prawns in it.

Great notes; thanks. BTW I thought my last 91 Montelena (this year) wasn't quite as good as 8 months ago. But I like them fruity.

The Musee d'Orsay has a very nice cold buffet lunch.

duplicate

That's what I thought. From a business perspective, he killed a proven thing. From a winemaking perspective, maybe they didn't have the skills they thought they did.