JasonZ
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Posts posted by JasonZ
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Manischewitz Sparkling Grape Juice Being Recalled
It's the sparkling grape juice, not the wine being recalled, but I had this vision of schticky purple bombs going off in random places . . .
What a way to go ... if the glass don't kill ya, the sugar high will ...
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1960 Vintage
in Wine
I'm looking at James Suckling's book on Vintage Port (1990, Wine Spectator Press) and he lists the 1960 vintage as #23 on his "all time best" list. He gives it a score of 87. It was clearly overshadowed by the 1963 (98) and 1966 (93) vintages, but that means it's not as sought out by collectors and may be easier to find and more reasonably priced. A colheita would be ideal and, in fact, is what many Portuguese use for such occasions (eg, birthdays, anniversaries), where a vintage port might be unobtainable or prohibitively expensive.
Don't know when you need this bottle, but I will be in Portugal & Spain June 18-July 4 and in the Duoro Valley (Porto and Pinhao) 29 June - 03 July. I'll be visiting both lodges and Quintas, notably Niepoort, which has become my favorite "undiscovered" port and Quinto do Noval Nacional, the most collectible port (made entirely from ungrafted vines). If you have something you'd like me to look for, send me a pm and let me see what I can do ...
Regards,
Jason
PS I've enjoyed so many of your posts and find we share many of the same thoughts, so I'm happy to make the offer ...
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From James Suckling, Vintage Port: The Wine Spectator's Ultimate Gude for Consumers, Collectors and Investors (Wine Spectator Press, 1990) ... there are tasting notes (ratings) for Qunita da Eira Velha, 1987 (86), 1982 (81), 1978 (85). He uses the Wine Spectator rating system (1-100). The background info repeats much of what I've already provided, with more family details and a description of the tiled scenes around the lagares.
Suckling has no rating on collectibility for this producer. Given the small area of vineyards, clearly production is quite limited. He refers to the "very good quality" of the vintage port from this single quinta. Since he still writes for Wine Spectator, you may be able to either google a more recent review or send him an email question.
Of interest is the following: "At one time, the Newmans had a fleet of trading ships and would take Port from Hunt Roope in casks as ballast. The yount Port would spend the winter in Newfoundland and then be shipped back to Portugal [my note: this was the classic method of barrel aging young ports and for madeira]. 'The Canadians got a tasted for the wine', said Peter Newman, 46, a co-owner of Eira Velha who lives in England. 'We still ship a Port called Newman. The Newfoundland Liquor Corporations sells Newman's Celebrated Port. We find the blend for them.'"
That's all the info I have, until I go and visit ... we'll see what I can add once I return.
Regards,
Jason
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Brad B is right ... for a non-vintage port, once opened about a month under OK storage conditions. If you have a VacuVan or some other device to suck air out of the bottle, you can easily get 3 months. Tawny ports are pretty forgiving in this aspect, since they've done most of their oxidizing in the vat for their 6 years or so.
LBV (Late Bottled Vintage) is another choice ... these are ports from a single year's harvest that are of vintage or subvintage quality, but usually in a year where a vintage is not declared (vintages are declared about 3 times in a decade), and since vintage port must (by law) be bottled 2 years after the vintage is harvested, wine for LBV is stored in cask longer (usually 4-6 years), then bottled (hence the "late" in LBV). LBVs are ready for drinking when they're bottled or they can be aged for a short while (up to 10 years, nothing like the 40-70 years of a great vintage port).
The tawnies, like the Taylor Fladgate, are blends of ports of varying ages, so a "20 year" old tawny will have mostly 20 year old port, but also a mix of some very old stuff and some very young stuff. Here, the blender's art is what counts in creating the flavor.
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Can't tell you about taste, but there is quite a colorful history. This is a summary from Ben Howkins: Rich, Rare & Red: A Guide to Port (3rd ed, 2003) and Richard Mayson: Port and the Douro (author's private printing, 1999).
Hunt Constantino: Better known under its former title of Hunt Roope, this firm has one of the longest and most colorful histories in the Port business. It was established by a number of the Dartmouth and Devon families of Newman, Roope, Holdsworth, Hunt and Teague. The Newmans carried out a thriving trade in dried cod (bacalhao) with their own ships, dating as far back as the fifteenth century.
In 1735, Hunt Roope opened lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia and Viana do Castelo, the former for wine, the latter for fish. The company's ships had a number of escapades and adventures. Their brig named Jenny, en route to London with a cargo of Port, beat off a French privateer with 18 guns. This is commemorated in a panel of azulejos [classic Portuguese tiles] on the wall of the adega at the Newman's family property, Quinta de Eira Velha [a quinta is similar in concept to a chateau in French winemaking].
Ferreira bought the firm of Hunt Roope in 1956 and the Newman family retained the Quinta. In the 70s the quinta passed into the hands of the Cockburn firm, which markets an exceptional single quinta wine under the Martinez label. At vintage time, the family flies the Portuguese flag, the Union Jack, and the flag of the old Newman Newfoundland Shipping Company.
The quinta is listed as "Grade A" under the Cadastro grade, which means it has an almost ideal altitude, sun, soil, etc., combination. The quinta is just outside Pinhao, looking out on the Douro River and the railway station -- it apparently has one of the most spectacular views in the Douro Valley.
I'm hoping to be there in a few weeks and will try to post pictures if I can. I also have James Suckling's book rating vintage ports and will try to see if he has any tasting notes.
What exactly do you have? Is it labeled "Newman's"? Is it dated, vintage, ruby, tawny?
Regards,
JasonZ
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Yes, the one in Elkins Park. I couldnt recall what that area was...
Lemme know...
Hi G-R:
Sad news ... there are 3 H-Marts in the greater PHL area -- I went to the one on Bristol Oxford Valley Rd in Levittown (Bucks County), with a copy of the URL in your origianal posting ... they didn't have it. I called the H-Mart in Upper Darby ... they either didn't have it, or didn't recognize it from the description over the phone. I will go the one in Elkins Park tonight to see if I can find it. I will be in Upper Darby next weekend and will look for it physically as well.
You're right ... H-Mart is a definite step up in cleanliness and organization from what I'm used to on Washington St in South PHL ...
I know I can shape onigiri by hand, but I love the idea of having several molds and having an onigiri party for people not familiar with that treat (I often stop and buy onigiri at Maido in Narberth, just as a snack, when I'm there).
Regards,
JasonZ
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Look what I bought at H-Mart in Cheltenham Pa (near Philly)
ONIGIRI KITS!!!
With a mold and special plastic/nori sheets like you get in Japanese Combini Onigiri!
YAY!
Hi GlorifiedRice:
The H-Mart at 611 & 309 in Elkins Park or is there one in Cheltenham?
Regards,
JasonZ
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You're right, you DO deserve better from your audience. I've read all 4 chapters to date and sent e-copies to my friends (I still have a few left ...), who are all now on eGullet as newbies, waiting for the next installment ("The Intermezzo") ... and when the book comes out (note I didn't say "if"), we will be first in line to buy ... and send to you to be autographed ...
I've never opened a restaurant (although I sometimes think about it, for "after I retire"), but your descriptions are so funny, poignant, exciting ... it makes we want to do it while I'm still young enough to enjoy the terror, fatigue, and utter anarchy ...
Keep on writing ... we're desperate to keep on reading ...
JasonZ
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When I was young, "bigger was better". Now that I am bigger (and in terms of health, not necessarily better for it), I've come to appreciate that certain cuisines (Chinese with dim sum; Spanish with tapas; eastern Med with mezze) understand that variety of taste and texture, in small packages, can be more exciting to the palate ... and the gourmand/consumer can choose the quantity needed to sate their appetite. Same for saucing or meat/cheese ratios: there is a correct balance and that food is best that achieves that golden balance ...
JasonZ
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That said, Copper River is renowned for being the earliest of the chinook runs as well as, arguably, the tastiest.
Absolutely ... I've been lucky enough to be in Seattle when the salmon start running and places like Elliott's on Pike Wharf will fly the catch down in chartered planes and hold a festival akin to bistros in Paris, waiting for the first of the beaujolais to arrive. I've had the chance to taste Copper River vs other sources and even an untrained salmon palate like mine can tell the difference!!
There are now a number of sources that will FedEx a Copper River salmon (filleted or whole) to you, in case you prefer to do your cooking at home. Expensive -- they pack in dry ice -- but it's as fresh as you can get.
JasonZ
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Krazy Kats (Route 100, Wilmington, DE)
Cafe at Longwood Gardens (but BYO food!!)
Pace One
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I have a pretty good collection of Lodge cast iron for home -- been buying the pre-seasoned, since it makes for a great base to continue seasoning ... and for friends who will never season their own pans ... and also got a mini-set with Dutch ovens for campfire cooking, including the lid lifters and covers for storage/carrying. Great value for money ... and great biceps/triceps development tools!!
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Sounds like it's worth a visit. Will be out of town this weekend, but will go next week ... used to be my old haunt ... lived at 15th/Locust, worked at 15th/Sansom, ate everywhere in between.
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Hi Kitchen Mom:
I noticed you're from the Phila 'burbs, so one question is whether a Phila 'burbs restaurant is a possibility, or if you've settled on Center City.
If 'burbs are OK, you might want to look at Nectar, Michael Wei's American restaurant (he also owns YangMing in Bryn Mawr and CinCin in Germantown) in Berwyn. Can handle all your likes/dislikes (we recently had a group of 10, ranging from vegetarians to sushi gotta-haves, and it all worked).
If Manyunk is a better choice, go for Jake's -- CIA trained chef, private room as well as bar. Discuss what you vegetarian wants (is she a lactoovoveg; vegan?) -- he did a very nice custom menu for my daughter, a lactoveg, a couple of years ago.
If CC, others will have more experience and comments than me, but Amada would work -- good wines, individual plates & choices. Surprisingly, Davio's, a "Northern Italian steakhouse", handles vegetarians (Italy has a wonderful vegetarian tradition -- just call David Boyle with a heads up) easily as well as anyone else's preference -- my favorite is the Jail Island salmon -- and has a great wine list and ambience.
Good luck!!
Regards,
JasonZ
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Unfortunately I'm at work, so I can't scan the pages for you, but Nina Simond's "A Spoonful of Ginger" has a listing of the various teas and key ingredients to treat a variety of conditions. My best source for info (as well as her later book, "Spice of Life").
Hope you get better fast!!
Regards,
Jason
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If a restaurant is that good (Vetri), I'm willing to wait until my reservation comes up. If it's that "in" (Per Se), I'll avoid it until it's available. Quality lasts, fad doesn't ... and as for gaming the reservations system .... if people want to buy and sell options, let them play with like-minde others on the stock exchange and leave restaurants and those who enjoy food alone ...
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I live way out in Bucks County these days, so I can't comment on CC's current crop of eateries for everyday, cheap sustenance. But when I did live in CC, I don't think I would have done Monk's Cafe (just a short walk from where I lived) for everyday dining -- too expensive and too fattening for 5-6 days/week.
In Manhattan, it was possible to have sushi, salad and miso soup every day, if I wanted, for right around $10 for lunch. Can't do that in PHL. Chinese, in NYC Chinatown, easily, under $10. Katz's Deli (or even Carnegie Deli, on 55th, near home) -- $1-2 more, but enough for a full dinner. Just don't think about it for every night, unless you want to end up looking like a delivery truck!
So, could I eat out every night in NYC -- yes. In PHL -- no. Not enough variety, not enough nutrition, not enough finances.
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Now, now ... we were asked for help, not for opinion ... and each of us has their own concept of taste. Yes, in American-Chinese cuisine, it is often made to Americans' sweetish tastes ... but there are versions true to the authentic tradition as well.
Cookwithlove, Gus-tatory's suggestion of starting with the sweet&sour thread and Ah Leung's pictorials is very good -- lots of suggestions there. Most of the classic chinese cook books have recipes as well -- you could go to Barbara Tropp's Modern Art of Chinese Cooking or Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's The Chinese Kitchen or the early books by Nina Simonds ... or other sites concentrating on recipes, such as chef.com or (my favorite) recipezaar.com will have hundreds of versions -- look for the ones that have been made/commented on by the most people and received the highest average rating.
If you want unorthodox, more modern versions, you can go to Barbara Tropp's China Moon Cookbook (very '70s California; not an eGullet favorite at all), or to Nina Simonds more recent books (more oriented to health than classic recipes) or to Ming Tsai's Master Recipes or to Susanna Foo's cookbooks.
It's a classic sauce that is evolving with chefs' creativity all the time.
Good luck and enjoy the journey!
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deleted -- answer to question provided later in the FoodBlog ...
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Daniel:
It's a wonderful city in its own way, so I hope you'll enjoy it. Re restaurants, I would defer to any Pittsburgh natives who reply, but since I visit the city about once a month (my daughter is a student there), I'm happy to provide my personal favorites.
First, some references, in case you don't like the suggestions you get or want a second opinion. Pittsburgh Magazine's most recent (June 2006) review of 25 Best Restaurants -- 2006 plus an online exclusive on a hot new chef, David Racicot at Aqueous. The link to the most recent issue's Restaurant review section is HERE, but given what you have in NYC, you may want to stick to the more traditional & unusual places in Pittsburgh.
I'd suggest looking at some of the restaurants in the Big Burrito Group, notably Umi (Japanese -- especially sushi), Kasbah, Eleven (downtown, very convenient to Westin), and Soba. These are out in Shadyside, about 15-20 minutes from downtown, near the University and Museums.
I assume you'll skip Lidia's which is very good home style Italian, but you have access to Lidia Bastianich's flagship restaurants at home anytime you want. You may want to consider formal Spanish cuisine, at Mallorca or tapas next door at Ibiza.
For classic American cuisine in a lovely setting, try Opus in the Renaissance on N 6th St. For a lighter version of American, beautifully prepared, locally grown, in a lovely setting, go for the Cafe at the Frick, where you can also spend a lovely afternoon viewing art, an antique auto collection, or a famous industrialist's home FRICK HOME.
There are great places for pulled pork, beef, brisket hoagies, but I'll leave it to the local experts to advise you on that.
Hope that gets you started ...
Regards,
Jason
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The link woodburner quoted in his post (#16 in this topic) is no longer available at this URL -- it's been moved to THIS LOCATION, info courtesy of woodburner.
BTW, did my first batch of onion confit -- vegan, using olive oil (no butter), champagne, apple cider vinegar, and an herb mix characteristic of Tuscany (thyme, majormam, basil, oregano, savory, and sage).
20 hours in a slow cooker, with a large amount of liquid released by the onions. I simply poured that off into a saucepan, reduced it separately, then added it back to the confit. Appearance similar to everyone else's -- fabulous intense flavor!
Regards,
JasonZ
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Just don't tell people that platinum is present in the catalytic converters of their cars ... they'll think those are healthy also
I've never seen anything in the nutritional literature about the health value of platinum!
Regards,
JasonZ
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Canned loquats are always available at First Oriental Grocery, off Washington St. between 4th and 5th. I'm certain they get them fresh when in season.
Pasion
in Pennsylvania: Dining
Posted · Edited by JasonZ (log)
Will !Pasion re-open at another location?
Any word on what Michael and Guillermo will do next?
Will they stay in PHL?
For me it was the scene of at least one Valentine's Day and several birthdays, not to mention great meals on no occasion at all
... and a chance to introduce my children (pre-teen then) to the joys of ceviche
... I'll miss it, but the memories will last a lifetime
... as will two autographed copies of that wonderful, personal cookbook
Regards,
JasonZ