bushey

I really like Nero d'Avola. There's a local Italian restaurant that specializes in Sicilian cuisine and they have several wines from Sicily on their list. I usually choose the Nero, but I can't remember offhand which producer. I'm making a note to look for this one.

afn, I think it's common practice not to taste a wine that's brought back, because they have no way of knowing if it was "doctored". A friend did eventually find a review, by Parker, I think, and it was rated quite low. I wasn't so displeased with the whole experience, but my husband was and got into a bit of an email exchange with the owner/manager. This is a very large store that's known for having great selection and prices -- and they do. They also have a fantastic selection of gourmet groceries and meats, so I will continue to shop there, but my husband will not. In the end we were offered a $75 gift certificate which we have not acknowledged (yet). In retrospect, they absolutely should have been more gracious from the outset. I find it hard to believe that a store of that caliber would not know that 93 was a poor vintage. They did say if it weren't so expensive a half-bottle they would pull another one to taste and have us compare. At the very least, they should have said something along the lines of "the wine appears to be fine, but we're sorry you were not happy with it. Please accept (fill in the blank): a gift certificate for $ xx, a similar wine from another producer (obviously, not as expensive but it's the thought that counts). Ironically, the store where my husband bought the 97 d'Yquem used to be managed by this same guy. It's a little further away and a little more expensive, but they have some great wines and were very solicitous in helping him locate this vintage. So, now you know the whole story and can probably understand better why I'm so looking forward to hearing about your tasting tonight!

Can't wait to read your notes. We recently had a bit of a debacle with a half-bottle of 1993 d'Yquem. I'd never had a Sauternes, but my husband has been fortunate enough to sample some excellent d'Yquem vintages with a group of buddies (they have an annual Wine Debauchery weekend and the host of the group has a phenomenal cellar). We picked up the '93 for what seemed to be a reasonable price ($88), but had done absolutely no research. We packed it carefully, chilled with blue ice, for our trip to the Caribbean and opened it on our last night. I made a little tray of cheese and grapes and we sat on the front porch, with a view of St Kitts. Opened the wine and..........it just didn't seem right. There was a little bit of grayish green mold on the business end of the cork, and the nose had a bit of a moldy smell at first, too. The wine wasn't exactly horrible, but it wasn't good, either. I suspected something was wrong with it, brought it back, schlepped it to the store where we bought it and the owner claimed it was absolutely fine. Said they smelled honey, white flowers, etc. It's against their policy to taste the wine. A little more research on our part revealed that 93 was an awful vintage: caveat emptor. As a surprise, while I was away last week my husband bought a half-bottle of the 97, which is supposed to be a wonderful vintage.

Freudian slip, perhaps? . Congratulations on your good news!

Don't be down, Sweet Willie. I don't really think you're missing too much. None of the local folks or ex-pats I spoke to mentioned Miss June's on their list of places we should go for good food........I think it makes the guide books more for the novelty.

Yes, it makes perfect sense. You can see the Eiffel Tower from the street, but not from inside the restaurant. I can see how, in the summer months, they might put a few tables just outside the entrance for folks to enjoy a pre- or post-dinner drink. However, don't let this dissuade you from booking a table and eating there -- it's a delightful restaurant with excellent food and service. We were there for dinner last winter and enjoyed it tremendously.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. The trip was magical, fantastico, 'squisito! Marco_Polo: one of our guides was named Marco, and I took to calling him Marco Polo. Funny, because I had printed out your suggestions for Bolgheri and the poem, but I had completely forgotten what your "handle" was. On one day, we part of the Valle di Cipressi from the Strada del Vino into Bolgheri. The next day, we rode the rest of the length of the Valle, from the obelisk devoted to Carducci to the turn for the Strada. I actually had chills down my spine looking up at the majestic Cypress trees. We had lunch at L'Acqualino Bocca in Bolgheri, sampling their ribollita. They served Ornellaia olive oil, which was outrageously good, but it was their last bottle -- or so they claimed :~(. I bought a few bottles of wine at Enoteca de Rossana: Le Serre Nuove, a 2nd label of Ornellaia, Paleo, a super tuscan that's 100% cabernet franc, and Le Difesse, a 2nd label of Tenuta San Guido. Florence was a bit smaller than I expected, not as beautiful, and full of tourists. Both hotels we stayed in, Una Hotel Vittoria and Adler Cavalieri, were very comfortable and gracious, though completely different from one another. We ate dinner in two small trattoria: Cammillo and 4 Leoni. Both were quite good, though I give 4 Leoni the edge. The pasta dishes were to die for: gnocchi in gorgonzola sauce at Cammillo and the fiochetti with pears and taleggio at 4 Leoni. Grand Hotel Tombolo, in Marina de Castigneto, was a lovely property and is owned by the Antinori family. The private beach is gorgeous and the amenities quite luxurious. The other properties where we stayed were agriturismo, and each had its own charm (and wine!). I would definitely return to this area of Italy, and perhaps explore a little further south to Grosseto and Massa Marittima. In the meantime, I'm dreaming of Cypress trees, the smell of Scotch Broom and you cycle by, and the little handmade signs saying "Vendita Olio e Vino".

In addition to La Rotisserie, a great place for take-out prepared food is for La Petite Colombe in L'Orient (right on the main road) and also long the road that leads to Colombier (or Corrossol? I can't remember). They also have wonderful roast chickens and side dishes along with fantastic breads and patisseries. Look in the refirgerators for chilled roses (we love Tavel) to have with your piq-niq. I second the recommendation for Andy's Hideaway, and regret not going to the Wall House. Fresh lobster at La Langouste was wonderful, if pricey, as was the fresh grilled snapper at Pipiri Palace in Gustavia. Do Brazil, on Shell Beach, looks like a nice place to have a sunset drink. Enjoy!!!!

I've had the kasha varnishkas at 2nd Avenue Deli and can heartily recommend them. Wulf's brand, in the brown box, is usually found in the Kosher aisle at most supermarkets -- at least, around here. It comes in various grain sizes, so be sure you check the package and the little see-through window on front carefully. Last Rosh Hashannah I had a craving for kasha and bought the fine grain by mistake when what I had wanted was a coarser, heartier grain, just like Mom used to make.

I stopped at Barney Greengrass one summer Sunday a couple of years ago when I was in the middle of a drive from Springfield, MA to Lincoln Center and then to back up to Cape Cod. I can still taste that sandwich: cream cheese(easy on the CC), lettuce, tomato and lox on a toasted poppy seed bagel. I could barely see over the counter to order it and the guy must have thought I was a lot younger than I am because the first thing he said was "that's a $10.00 sandwich" -- as if I might not realize it. Man, was that good. If I'd had more time and ambition I would have run over to Zabar's to grab a few rugelach for the ride as well.........................

Ed, thanks for your insight. Although our next Caribbean adults-only vacation is probably a long way off, it's always fun to have some plan fomenting.......For now, we are seriously considering a family trip to Curacao for our youngest daughter's bat mitzvah. A way to combine our family's love for the islands with the rich history of our heritage. Speaking of which, I was quite moved to visit the Jewish cemetery in Nevis and have been reading a book on the history of the island's Jewish community during the colonial period. Fascinating stuff.

Great suggestions. Another option for the oyster stew would be Muscadet -- I really love the combination and you can pick up an excellent bottle for very little $$.

Last summer my daughter had her first summer job, at the District Attorney's office. They absolutely loved her for her spunk and willingness to do anything and her great phone and computer skills. One day she was sick of seeing the gross mess in the refrigerator and spent some time creating a "Fun Facts" poster about germs, bacteria, shelf-life and possible illnesses. They all thought it was a hoot and a very diplomatic way to approach the situation. Or course, my husband's best friend is the first assistant DA and knows the "truth" about our daughter's cleanliness habits -- he's actually seen her room .

Fabulous, we rented a villa in the Fern Hill Gardens area, Deja View Villa. This is a residential area up a steep road directly across from the path to the old Hermitage Beach Club It was a 2-bedroom villa w/pool and absolutely delightful. However, we did have a few problems with the refrigerator and the water pump during the week and since the owners did not offer even an apology I am reluctant to recommend. The website Nevis 1 has lots of villas listed, with property manager information if you care to contact individuals directly to ask about rentals. If you ahve any specific questions about location, price, etc. feel free to PM or email me. Johnny, have you found any other hidden gems? I'm starting to look into St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada for trips in the future, but I think that would be pushing the envelope in terms of budget for us..........

Divina, thanks for the suggestions -- I wish I could stay in Florence longer to do a market trip/cooking class with you. Do you know the name of the Antinori property? I have a soft spot for Antinori, since one of the first Italian wines I fell in love with was the Antinori Chianti Classico Reserva. The itinerary for the trip does not mention dinner at the hotel, but suggests "dinner on your own in one of the lovely seaside restaurants". But we'll definitely check out the restaurants on-site and report back. Marco, Bolgheri is on the route for one of the days in that area and I've been looking forward to sampling some of the Super Tuscans. Thanks for the tip on house wines -- though I'm sure that after sampling several I'll be calling for the support van back to the hotel. It's my fate to adore wine and be a 5' 2" lightweight who personifies the concept of "cheap date" .

Ooh....I just bought some buckwheat flour, to try making authentic blini. My favorite pancake recipe comes from Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook -- I use the buttermilk version. Sometimes I throw in some multigrain flour for something different. When I make berry pancakes, I zap the berries, with about a teaspoon of sugar, in the microwave for about 45 seconds and then add the mixture to the batter. The berries burst, and the lovely juices distribute the flavor throughout the batter. (note: you should omit a bit of the liquid if you try this technique, you can always add a bit more) My daughter had a late-night craving the other night and use Mark Bittman's recipe for Light & Fluffy pancakes from "How to Cook Everything". She left the batter in the fridge for her little sister's breakfast, and they were pronounced "delicious". The secret to this recipe is separating the eggs and beating the whites until stiff. Has anyone tried cornmeal variations with success? I'd love to make cornmeal blueberry pancakes.

Thanks for your reply, Joe. Sostanza is already on my short list because I love steak, but there will be four of us and I'm not sure where the other 3 stand on the steak issue and whether there'll be other choices.................

Frozen containers of yogurt, or go-gurt, it will stay cold until lunchtime. Also, frozen juice boxes work well instead of the blue ice packs and your little one won't have to schlep anything home. My daughter's camp used to prefer brown bags for their lunches, so I got a big supply from the store and used markers to decorate her name everyday -- she really got a kick out of it!

In about 3 weeks I'm leaving for a bike trip to the Tuscan Coast. It's with Vermont Bike Tours, so most of the dinners are included in the trip, but we'll have a few nights on our own. Does anyone have suggestions for good places to eat in in Marina di Castagneto?We'll be staying at Tombolo Talasso Resort. In Florence we'll be in Oltrarno the first night, so I'm thinking about Quatro Leoni and Cinghale Bianco. Our last night will be near Santa Maria Novella, so any suggestions in that area (Il Latini is already on the short list) would be most welcome.

Now I'm really mad . I was schedule to go to a seminar tomorrow morning just south of New Haven and was planning to stop at Modern for lunch on my way home to try my first-ever New Haven pizza..........the seminar got moved to a location much closer to work and not even with justifiable distance of lunch-in-New Haven. I'll just have to plan on a special field trip.

Nevis had long been on our list of Caribbean islands to visit. It has always met all of our “no” based criteria (i.e. no shopping, no gambling, no night life, no cruise ships), but there were a few factors dissuading us: not known for having beautiful beaches, not known for great restaurants and not easy to get to. Recent American Eagle service from San Juan directly to Vance Amory International Airport in Newcastle eliminated that last factor, so we decided to give it a try this year. Smart choice all around. Nevis is a little gem of an island. Its 36 square miles are chock-full of lush tropical greenery, diverse wildlife, loads of history, lovely beaches and some of the friendliest islanders (both native and expat) we’ve ever met. Restaurant choices run the gamut from beachside BBQ to corner store rotis to fine, continental style dining in the plantation inns. We ate mostly low end and middle of the road (a couple of nights we didn’t feel like going out, so we cooked in, simple fare like omelets and toast). The one higher-end place we wanted to try, Montpelier Plantation, was fully booked with a group the night we wanted to go. Here’s a brief rundown : Café des Arts – a funky little café cum art gallery on the main road which runs along the ocean. We had breakfast here in the garden, surrounded by flowering trees and plants and hummingbirds. Strong, strong coffee was served with steamed milk. I had the pancakes, which were light, fluffy cakes fried nice and crispy on the outside. Absolutely delicious. Hubby had his week’s allowance of cholesterol in buttery scrambled eggs and meaty bacon, served with toasted baguette. We really wanted to return during the week for another breakfast but never made it, opting instead for cinnamon toast and coffee at the house in the morning. Sunshine’s – the ultimate beach BBQ place, on Pinney’s beach next to The Four Seasons. A lot is written about the “Killer Bee” served here – a potent rum punch – and we were a little worried that it would be too much of a “scene” for us, but it wasn’t. Just a low-key place on the beach, with a few tiki huts for shade and picnic tables painted the colors of the ANC. The first day we stopped here for lunch, we had just taken a long, hot walk on the beach and were really hungry. It was about 11:30, but hey, we were on island time and they don’t fire up the grill till 12:15 -12:30 so we couldn’t order any food but our gorgeous, friendly waitress brought us some cold Caribs and some water. At 12:00 we were able to place our order, and a few minutes later Sunshine came over with our salads: on oversized, square ceramic plates there was a beautiful salad of greens, ripe tomato, cucumber and perfectly ripe papaya dressed with a homemade sundried tomato and roasted garlic vinaigrette. The salad was followed by large platters of bbq ribs (dry rub, two thumbs up!), grilled chicken and curried rice with peas. Tab: $38. Golden Rock Beach Pavilion – on Pinney’s beach, right next to Sunshine’s. Pavilion is perhaps too grand a word – it’s basically an open-air structure with a permanent floor, roof , bar area and very tiny, basic kitchen. It’s run by Golden Rock Plantation, a lovely old plantation inn in a beautiful setting near Mt. Nevis. They run a shuttle that brings guests to the beach, and every day Pam Barry and her assistants shuttle down provisions to stock the bar and kitchen. Since they’re known for their lobster sandwiches, that’s what we decided to order the day we went for lunch. Once again, we were on island time in the off season, so even though their sign says “Open daily 11 – 3”, the shuttle van didn’t pull up to unload passengers and provisions until a little after noon. We had taken a walk along the beach and a few dips in the ocean, so we were pretty hungry…….and thirsty. We each ordered the lobster sandwich and a beer and shared an order of fries. The sandwich was fantastic! Since Caribbean lobster is virtually all tail, we had nice big chunks of sweet lobster meat. It’s also less stringy than New England lobsters. It was lightly dressed with mayo, pepper and little bits of pickle, and served on thick slices of homestyle white bread (crusts removed) from a local bakery, with hydroponic lettuce and tomato. On the side was a yummy, cheesy baked cabbage gratin. The fries were hot and crispy. Two thumbs up. Bananas Bistro – Owned by Gillian Smith, who also owns Café des Art and a furniture store, Bananas sits high on a cliff in an enclave of villas collectively called “Cliffdwellers”. There’s a funicular tram that takes guests up to the restaurant, saving them from the steep walk up, and in the evening it’s a charming way to get up and back, especially when the sky is clear and you can see the stars and moon over the sea. Popular place with expats, it’s a lively, hip scene with focus on fusion food. Excellent drinks mixed by the bartender – I had something called a Bertini that was made with vodka, passion fruit juice and lime. We ate here twice, and had jerk pork tenderloin with mashed sweet potatoes, jerk chicken kebabs, ribs, Thai fish cakes, and grilled mahi-mahi. Divine coconut cake for dessert. Food was very good and the presentation was nice, but the service was a bit irregular. In fact, half of our second meal was comped by Gillian due to a mix-up with our order (we had to really insist on paying half, they wanted to fully comp us). Gallipot - Another place that’s popular with ex-pats. Run by a British couple, who also run a deep-sea fishing business. The restaurant is open Thurs-Sat for lunch and dinner and Sundays for a traditional roast beef-and-Yorkshire pudding lunch. The night we went there was a big birthday party under way for someone local, so there was a festive atmosphere in the bar area and out on the lawn where picnic tables were set up. I had a fantastic piece of grilled mahi-mahi and my husband had a chicken and shrimp dish he loved. With a so-so bottle of Chablis – I should know better than to order wine in the Caribbean if it’s not a French island – two desserts and one Caesar salad, the tab came to just under $100. I can see why it’s so popular with the local community: really fresh food, prepared simply but well, and reasonable prices. Culturama Café - This is a little corner bar and snack shop that was at the bottom of the hill leading up to our villa. On a neighbor’s recommendation we stopped in one day to grab a roti for lunch. Rotis are popular throughout the West Indies and are handy sandwiches comprising a chickpea flour pancake wrapped around a curried filling. The vegetable roti was stuffed with curried potatoes, carrots, peppers, onions and lima beans. The chicken roti contained all of the above, plus shredded chicken. These were completely delicious, eaten poolside and washed down with Heineken (him) and Ting (me). Ting is grapefruit soda that’s popular throughout the Caribbean (http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/ting/). The Cooperage – This is the restaurant at Old Manor Inn, another one of the old plantation estates that is now a hotel. Lovely wooden building with a veranda that looks out over the ocean in the distance. The dining room is lovely and old fashioned – very formal table settings and short floral cloths over long white cloths. Instead of a centerpiece, there was a sprig of orchids lying on each table. Service was quite correct, and very warm. We each had the grilled lobster, which was a special that day. It was just perfectly gilled and served with a bit of beurre blanc, rice and nicely steamed vegetables on the side. I had a mixed salad to start and my husband had smoked salmon, which was quite good and presented nicely. After dinner we walked around the grounds a bit, by the old sugar mill and the coppers which were used to boil and process the sugar cane. The food was very good -- well prepared and satisfying as opposed to spectacular – but the ambience, service and setting all came together to make it a wonderful last evening in Nevis.

Does anyone remember HD Carob ice cream? I used to eat a pint almost every night my freshman year of college....well, okay, sometimes I would switch to Strawberry instead :~).

I had a lobster roll at B & G and found it quite disappointing -- it lacked any true lobster flavor. They got the buttery, toasted roll right, though. We were recently on vacation in Nevis and had a lobster sandwich one day for lunch at Golden Rock plantation's beach front open air restaurant. The lobster salad itself was scrumptious, made with Caribbean lobster (all tail meat), a bit of mayonnaise, some finely chopped pickle and salt and pepper. It was served on thick, timmed homestyle white bread from one of the local island bakeries, with lettuce and tomato from one of the local hydroponic nurseries. It was served with cole slaw and cheesy cabbage gratin. We shared an order of hot, crisp fries and washed it all down with a couple of cold beers, Carib for me and Stag ("a man's beer") for mr. bushey.

I just attended a bar mitzvah in the Bay Area, and at the party in the evening (Pacific Athletic Club) there was a pretty good, but small, selection of wines to choose from. The parents (my cousins) enjoy wine and are partial to West Coast wines, so that's what they chose. These are mid-priced: St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc, King Estate Pinot Noir (Oregon) and David Bruce Syrah. I've had the St Supery before, and it's a little tropical for my taste, but most people will enjoy it. Both the pinot and syrah were good. With the toast, we drank a 1992 Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon from a signed, 3L bottle that the parents have been schlepping around with them for 10 years on their cross-country moves. They have a good rapport with the winery and wanted something they could open at Noah's bar mitzvah. The joke was that they had no idea whether the wine would still be good. So there was a moment of silence as we all took a sip.................still good. Very good, actually.

I love The Montague. A friend and I had a wonderful lunch at Blue Door Bistro a few years ago, after a grueling morning viewing the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum. Tea there sounds perfectly lovely. Last year, when we took a family trip to London, we brought our three girls to tea at The Carlton Tower. Tea is served in the Chinoiserie lobby area and there was a harpist playing. It was a bit crowded, and smoky, but the service was excellent. I think we may have ordered one set tea and some additional a la carte items. There were several choices of tea, and I remember loving the Lapsang Souchong. Admittedly, we made our choice based on convenience of location and price, but found it very enjoyable.