Robin Meredith

All this talk about caramelized onions makes me think of French Onion Soup... which makes me think of the reason I never make French Onion Soup, because I never seem to have good beef stock on hand... which makes me think of Bittman's article, which (I'm working on memory now, with a backlog of several weeks, so the reliability factor is quite low) I think made some reference to making stock in a crockpot... which makes me think...could there be some way to simultaneously caramelize onions and get a basic stock going? I know you couldn't use too much liquid without interfering with the caramelization process, but I'm thinking of a chicken stock technique outlined in Cook's Illustrated a while back which began with a dry "sweating" of chicken parts to release their juices - seems like there might be a way to replicate this process in a crockpot using beef shin or other stock parts. Think I'll give it a try in any case, but if anyone has any ideas please fire away.

The dreaded Rachel Ray creature uses this acronym constantly on Food Network - for that reason and that reason alone, it shall never pass my lips.

Nothing has changed (give thanks)! Finally made it to Fairway last night, and I'm thrilled to say that nothing has changed since the last entries in this thread (all the way down to the slightly nervous stalking of the room by Mr. London). The first thing I saw when I walked in was a bottle of Cheval Blanc being opened in the kitchen, so the place has clearly found a niche with serious BYO types. The Caesar salad is absolutely first rate, one of the best I've ever had. My strip was cooked dead-on medium rare, and the meat itself was as described by everyone else - thin, crisp char, with plenty of melting internal fat. My wife's filet suffered from typical filet problems (she won't repeat that order), but it was still an impressive hunk of meat. Roasted mushrooms were dry but flavorful, the creamed spinach much more spinach than cream (which I like), and the mashed potatoes subpar (they were sold out of the gratin). A bone-in ribeye for two was available as a special - we couldn't fit this in to the demands of our group, but I would love to try it on a future visit. They provide basic stemware automatically now, so the tumblers are history. Service was a notch below harried and amateurish - think harried and amateurish with a bit of attitude thrown in. The crowd was decent but not outstanding for a Friday night (they filled up briefly around 7:00 pm, but there were a few tables available most of the time we were there). A truly astonishing value - let's hope it lasts!

Another Trip Report Just got back from a long weekend in NO (longer than we planned due to the storm). Here's the rundown: Commander's Palace - A distinct letdown. Five out of six course were solid, grade "B" cooking (including Tasso Shrimp Henican, stuffed quail, potato crusted gulf fish, Chocolate Sheba, and the bread pudding souffle). My wife's sweetbread appetizer was in the "C-" range (poorly thought out and cold). Service was fine, and the beverage program was well above average (we had an interesting Sauvignon de St. Bris from Brocard, a fine Chablis producer, which is just the kind of thing I like to sample in restaurants), but there were absolutely no fireworks. Amazingly enough, I don't think I'd return here on future visits. K-Paul's - Our original plan for Valentine's Day was to catch an early dinner at a place that didn't take reservations, but that went up in smoke when we discovered at the last minute that they changed their policy for V-Day and were completely sold out. We ended up at K-Paul's because they reserve half the place for walk-ins, but I was kind of dreading it given their rep. The food really wasn't all that bad - crawfish popcorn, very spicy jambalaya, and stuffed pork chops were all pretty good, and the wine list included a nice, fairly priced selection of California bottlings. The food was overpriced, and I probably wouldn't return, but it's definitely not as bad as you might think. Brigtsen's - This is more like it. Had to wait 30 minutes for a table (with a 9:30 pm reservation), but it was worth it. Had a four course menu including turtle soup, a simply amazing crawfish gratin, tenderloin medallions in a debris sauce for me and spiced flounder meuniere for my wife, sumptious chocolate cake and the greatest pecan pie on earth. Good service, another nice wine list, and an experience I would definitely love to repeat. Arnaud's - There seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding the "institutions", but I loved this place. The room is lovely, the food is very traditional, somewhat minimalist, not at all showy. We had a very spicy shrimp remoulade, smoked pompano, fish "en croute" with a scallop mousse, and another crawfish-based main course (my wife was binging on crawfish at this point). A Lucien Crochet Sancerre was a dead-on match with virtually all of the courses. The pecan pie was a pale reflection of the masterpiece at Brigtsen's, but the overall experience was delightful. Would definitely return. Jacques-Imo - Loved this place. We showed up at 6:10 pm and got one of the last open tables (they open at 5:30 pm) - by the time we left the number of people waiting was truly frightening. Had a decent crawfish and wild mushroon "roulade" first course and an amazing paneed rabbit with tasso and oysters, along with a very well-turned out platter of fried seafood. The menu is extremely varied - this is the type of place you could go back to over and over again. Another fairly priced wine list (we had a New Zealand SB, but they also had Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant 1999 for $42), knowledgeable service, and a really festive atmosphere. Other Miscellaneous Addresses - Elizabeth's is a great spot for breakfast/brunch in a truly unlikely location, with a number of inventive creole specials. Camellia Grill gets a lot of praise, and you might like to have it your hometown, but it's not worth your time if you're on vacation - fine omelettes and waffles, but ultimately nothing special. Uglesich's is tough to figure - fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade were extraordinary (except for the second portion we ordered, which arrived cold), the signature fried oysters were interesting, and everything else was kind of flat. This place can be a real hassle if you don't arrive before 11:00 am. Acme Oyster Company is great fun - can't understand all the criticism. Just don't order anything cooked (except maybe crawfish), and don't expect it to be like slurping Kumamoto's at Gramercy Tavern - load those baby's up with horseradish and hot sauce and you'll have a great time. I also don't get the problems with Cafe Du Monde - the coffee may be nasty, but if you order Cafe Au Lait there's so much milk in it you won't notice, and the beignets are a delight. For some great live music, check out Donna's - brass bands and jazz every night, and it feels like it's a world away from Bourbon Street!

Garnet Wines & Liquors used to be the Loire Valley specialist in NYC. Others may have surpassed them, but they still pay more more attention to Loire Valley reds than most other retailers, so if your interests lie in that direction they may be worth a look.

My wife and I have visited the Niagara Peninsula for touring and tasting at least four times since 1997, and we continue to be extremely impressed with the output from that region. Since it is clearly an emerging wine region, things are still evolving rapidly, so we've learned that you have to be open-minded and "take what you find" on each trip. For example: *Initially we were most impressed with the Rieslings we tasted, but the 1997 vintage was just too hot for Riesling - however, it yielded a number of incredibly impressive Chardonnays (a variety we never had much use for in previous years). Thirty Bench, Cave Spring, and a handful of others made some great, oily, viscous, absolutely unique Chardonnays that year; *Producers vary dramatically from year to year. Thirty Bench has been one of our consistent favorites, and Cave Spring and Henry of Pelham performed very well on some previous visits, but the last time we were there none of these producers were pouring anything noteworthy. The highlights of that visit were Daniel Lenko and Stoney Ridge (Reserve Rieslings from both were outstanding). We've come to the conclusion that you really do have to make the rounds, since you never know who is going to stand out. *Surprisingly, we tasted some top flights reds on our last trip, including a Bordeaux blend from Hillebrand and an amazing Cabernet Franc from Peller. Both of these wines were from the 1997 vintage, which was a real outlier up there, so I'm not ready to say that they've hit their stride with reds, but they can do some great things in good years. Producers who have impressed us on at least one occasion include: Thirty Bench Cave Spring Henry of Pelham Daniel Lenko (a potential rising star) Stoney Ridge (need to be selective) Lakespring (but not recently) Hillebrand (may be on the upswing) Malivoire (more potential that actual, but worth watching) All that aside, this is a great place to visit - Niagara-on-the-Lake is a wonderful base for exploration, and some of the winery restaurants are terrific. Definitely worth a long weekend.

I've sampled one varietal Pinot Meunier - a Long Island bottling that claimed to be the only one of its type (guess they'll have to drop that claim now). My recollection is that the wine was structurally similar to Pinot Noir (light in color, relatively high in acid, somewhat astringent and austere), but with none of Pinot Noir's aromatics or sweet fruit. Definitely a food wine - not something you would want to approach on its own. In short, a nice novelty, but nothing worth a second look. I'd be interested to see what a California sparkling wine specialist could do with the variety, so if you're inclined post some of your reactions after you taste it!

Does this room have any windows? Based on your question, I'm guessing it doesn't - but if it does, a simple window air conditioner could be a great solution for a room that size. One of the most obsessive collectors I know has used a set-up like that for years with great success. Having gone through three or four expensive cooling units since the last time he replaced his $300 window unit, I am quite jealous. Good luck!

It's been several months, but my recollection is: First courses $8 to $12; Mains $15 to $20 (although there may be some lower priced sandwiches I never tried); (Absolutely essential) desserts around $8 (usually with one item sized for two people priced a bit higher). You probably know this already, but just in case - be there when they open (at noon, I think). It's not uncommon for the tables to fill up by 12:15 pm. Have fun!

As a former Denverite (and veteran of countless Saturday morning treks to Applejack), this thread made me quite nostalgic. But my real question is... Are the Barralito rums really available in the States? I just got back from PR a few weeks ago, and I was told repeatedly by the folks there that I would not be able to find any Barralito here. Was I misinformed? Information, please!

My first experience with Port was a glass of Graham's Six Grapes in the upstairs lounge at the Old Faithful lodge in Yellowstone. Memorable setting, OK wine... If you're curious about Port, you may want to start by getting acquainted with the three basic styles: Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage (there are others, but I'd start with these three). Ruby Ports are blended wines without vintage dates designed for immediate consumption. Some are labeled with proprietary brand names (Fonseca Bin 27, Sandeman Founder's Reserve, Graham's Six Grapes). They are straightforward, grapey, and sweet, and should not cost more than $20 (preferably under $15). Tawny Ports have been aged in wood casks for an extended period of time prior to bottling. They are much lighter in color and more complex than Ruby Ports. Some simpler Tawny's don't carry an age designation, but most tell you their minimum age right on the bottle (typically between 10 and 40 years). You can spend a lot on an old Tawny, but you should be able to get a decent 20 year old for $50 or less. Vintage Ports are bottled after a relatively brief period of aging in wood, so they pick up most of their complexity from extended bottle age. Many people think drinking a Vintage Port with less than 10 years of bottle age is infanticide (I'm not so sure about that, myself). Most bottles that carry a vintage date are Vintage Ports (as long as they don't something else like "Late Bottled Vintage" or "Colheita", two other categories of Port that you may want to pass on for now). The big names are Graham, Fonseca, and Taylor, but there are at least half a dozen other excellent producers. The 2000 vintage has just been released, but I would try to find something older, which isn't that hard with Port - with a bit of luck you should be able to find something from the mid eighties for $40 to $80. I would consider buying one bottle from each category and comparing them over an extended period (great thing about Port - it holds quite well after being opened, so you should be able to enjoy the bottles over a period of a week or so). See what you like and then experiment some more! I used to like to serve Port with something (blue cheeses, chocolate, etc.), but these days I find that I enjoy it most on it's own, after dinner or before bed. Unfortunately, Port has just caught up with the rest of the wine market from a pricing standpoint - for the last several years it has been a tremendous value, but the release prices for the 2000 vintage are at an entirely new level. Good luck!

Braised meat dishes often seem like the ideal setup for something profound (think mature Barolo, Barbaresco, Burgundy, etc.), but there is one wild card you should think about: CARROTS The base used for many osso buco recipes (onions/carrots/celery) adds a touch of sweetness that can throw off many serious red wines, especially if they have some age on them. I like the previous suggestion of a California Pinot - there's enough fruitiness there to deal with the carrots, but enough elegance to match the basic character of the dish. Austere wines from Chianti or Bordeaux, or mature, delicate wines from just about anywhere, are the ones you really want to avoid. Good luck!

Everyone else will undoubtedly tell you this, but first off, relax and have fun... You can eat or drink whatever you want that day, but it might not be a bad idea to lay off coffee for an hour or so before the tasting. The biggest danger often lies in food offered with the tasting. I never cease to be amazed by people who put on tastings to try to sell their wines and then surround them with inappropriate snacks. For me, 90%+ of all cheeses will negatively impact any red wine they are served with, and while the odds are slightly better with white wines they are still not in your favor. Anything even remotely sweet should be avoided like the plague (I recall a winery tasting room I used to visit that always had bowls of slightly sweet crackers on the counter - I could never understand why they did that). Getting to know the characteristics of specific grape varieties (Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, etc.) can be a valuable learning experiences for any novice wine drinker, so you may want to try to identify the grape varieties that are included in each of the wines you are tasting. This may not help you much at first, but over time you will begin to identify flavors and aromas that are unique to each variety. Good luck!

Sorry - it really is called The Wine Shop (I wasn't being lazy), and it's located between 82nd and 83rd on 1st Avenue. Or: The Wine Shop If you visit the web site, keep in mind that they don't seem to have real time inventory tracking, so things may appear to be in stock that really aren't.

Given the fervor surrounding the 2001 vintage in Germany (and the speed with which some of the hotter items are disappearing from retail shelves), I thought it might be fun to share some of our experiences with wines from this vintage. I'll kick things off with the following: 2001 Strub Niersteiner Kabinett (1.0 liter bottles, $8.99 at The Wine Shop on 1st Avenue in NYC as of last week, 87 rating from RP) I have to admit, I didn't pay as much attention to this wine as I probably should have - partly a function of the format and price, no doubt. But I came away with the distinct impression that it was alive - almost like an incredibly fresh piece of fish that almost seems to quiver on your plate. Bright, bouncy, well-balanced, capable of short-term aging but incredibly delicious now. Since this is the German equivalent of a village Burgundy (no vineyard designation), I can't wait to start tasting a little further up the quality ladder in this vintage. Speaking of up the ladder, just ordered a case of Schaefer Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett - assuming the retailer actually comes through, notes on that one will follow.

Corton Charlemagne really requires age in my experience - recently tasted bottles from Latour and Bonneau du Martray from the late eighties were just entering their prime - so I'd be inclined to stay away from the 2000 Bouchard. I tend to enjoy wines on the young side, but my recollection of the few young Corton Charlemagne's I've tasted is that they tend to be kind of monolithic and dull (even good producers and good vintages). I don't know anything specific about the Condrieu, but it might be a better choice based on general principles at this point in time.

I don't think it's a coincidence that specific vineyard designations are most commonly used in regions where varietal wines dominate (Burgundy, Piedmont, Germany, Alsace, parts of California like Santa Barbara County and the Russian River). Virtually all wines express terroir at some level (even if we're talking about a hideously overripe Central Valley Chardonnay), but it seems to me that terroir differences come through much more clearly when you're tasting up and down the villages of the Cote D'Or than when you're comparing various Bordeaux or southern Rhone estates. Maybe it's not so much a question of whether blended wines express terroir (clearly they do), but whether terroir differences can be perceived as clearly in areas where blended wines dominate. To me, the answer to that question is probably no.

Biba Caggiano's "Trattoria Cooking" has a recipe for "Amatriciana Bianco" - basically a standard Amatriciana without the tomatoes. This might be a great way to showcase the guanciale without burying it under too many other flavors (it's conceptually similar to the bucatini with guanciale dish currently on the menu at Lupa). Where did you find guanciale?