KatieLoeb

This week we have: Belons Katchemak Bay Cape May Salts Kumamotos Island Creek Rappahannock River Wellfleets and York oysters. Also have Cherrystone clams. My personal faves are the Cape May Salts (briny and creamy) - a local farmed product that I am happy to support. Like Lisa, I love the Kumamotos. They are buttery and have a subtle metallic taste that's great with mignonette sauce. Haven't tried the Katchemak Bay but hear tell that they're really good. I know they're pretty hard to find. I believe we may be one of the only East Coast restaurants that serve them. And I happen to really like Cherrystone clams. I realize they're so inelegant and more rubbery than an oyster, but when I close my eyes and eat one with a squeeze of lemon on it, I am standing on the dock at the Lobster House in Cape May watching the fishing fleet come in with the day's catch on a sunny summer afternoon. Even in the dead of winter it's like a tiny little vacation to eat a Cherrystone clam like that. It's a powerful sense memory for me. I shall definitely be in tomorrow evening. Please ask for me and say hello!

Don't get me started... The PLCB (the C stands for CONTROL) is now and will always be a self-perpetuating middleman between the wine and spirit purveyors and the PA wholesale (restaurants & caterers) and retail consumers. There is no incentive to change the system and any legislation to do away with the agency is viewed as genocide by the hundreds of bureaucrats and administrators that are on the state payroll. Not going to happen anytime soon. I hope to soon have the opportunity to engage Chairman Newman in a dialogue about that and many other issues. I'll keep you posted on any progress in that regard. On the up side, as Herb mentioned, it's getting a whole lot better. Chairman Newman is doing a great job and is clearly a wine aficionado himself. The buying power the state of PA wields is enormous and there have been some fierce bargains of very good wine of late. I try my best to keep up with that on THIS thread, and there are lots of regular contributors who compare tasting notes and the eternal chase for that last bottle we covet.

According to Consumer Reports, the four highest rated models that have at least the thermal carafe to brew into are: 1) Capresso MT500 2) Hamilton Beach Stay Or Go 45234 3) Farberware Accents FAC400C 4) Zojirushi Fresh Brew EC-BD15 These range from about $60-170. Of course if the office is picking up the cost of the coffee system and writing it off as "office equipment" you could always go for the incredibly stylish looking Bosch TKA9110UC designed by Porsche for about $230. Lookee Here Pretty damned slick looking, but only brews a maximum of 8 cups for all that money.

Aw shucks guys! Thanks so much to all of you for the props. It really makes me happy that so many people refer to my new place of employ as "one of their favorites"! Truly this is one of the best restaurants in Philly, but sadly, seems to fly under the radar a bit. I wonder if maybe it just gets taken for granted, having been around so long, or perhaps because it isn't hip and trendy or trying to compete with the multitude of places that are. It's very old school, a true Philadelphia Fish & Oyster House in the manner of such places that have been popular here for a century or so. Even the old Victorian oyster plates that decorate the walls hearken back to another era. It's a comfortable, unstuffy and casual sort of place. But there's no reason that a "casual" restaurant shouldn't have four star service. Great service and hospitality don't have to imply "Jackets Required". That's what I'm hoping to accomplish. Just raise the bar a bit. I'm working on the wine list and the draft beers, I'm going to institute some great Happy Hour specials to go along with the inexpensive clams and oysters on the half shell that we serve from 5-7 PM Monday-Friday, and hopefully the minor improvements will translate into more and happier customers. Fresser, to answer your question, this job actually came and found me. The opportunity to really have such a fundamental influence on the restaurant at every level was too much of a challenge to pass up. I'd been with my previous employer for over three years and my head had hit the glass ceiling, so I took it as a sign and some cosmic flattery that this gig sort of landed in my lap. Bob - when I was doing a little research about the restaurant during the interview process I did indeed come across Cary's "Still Life Naked with Vita-Mix" photo. He doesn't know I've seen it, and until he knows me and my sense of humor better, I think I'll keep it that way. Although the thought occurred to me to say "Hey, I've seen you naked!" during my final interview, right after I accepted the offer.

You could do this, but it's sort of like using vanilla extract instead of scraping out a real pod to make vanilla ice cream. The end result is always better if you have the patience to do things the "hard" way. In this case I'm also not sure if the oils would mix with the alcohol as effectively as it does when it's infused over time. Sometimes the journey is as much a part of the end result as the result, Grasshopper.

Cool! This wine is (in theory at least) available at PA "Specialty" stores. I'll see if I can pick one up and play too. I used to serve the Planeta La Segreta Bianco 1999 as a by-the-glass wine at Striped Bass. Everyone loved it.

Ah, Tuaca....my favorite winter drink....."Hot Apple Pie"....Tuaca and mulled apple cider, topped with whipped cream. Xanath is a liqueur, so of course, it's sweet. But I would say that it's not one of the heaviest, nor sweetest, of liqueurs. I don't recall any other herbs in the flavor, just vanilla. I first tried it in Mexico and really liked it. Came back to Texas and couldn't find it in any of the stores. Was just about to order some online, but my local boozeshop called and said they had gotten some in for me. I'll bet you could have some ordered up there, too, without too much trouble. And it's a beautiful bottle....like a large vanilla bean. ← I'm on a mission! I may have to check out some neighboring states for it (shhhh...don't tell on me!) but I will definitely track some of it down. It sounds absolutely delicious!

Is there some reason you're resistant to the idea of buying two pretty Champagne flutes you can actually see and handle first personally, and then picking out your own Champagne locally, taking all three to a UPS store or a Mailboxes, Etc. and having them package it up for you safely and shipping it yourself? Seems the best alternative to me. Alternatively, although not in Dallas, I'd suggest my good friends (and former employers) at Moore Brothers Wine Company. They specialize in very small production high quality wines. The Thierry Triolet NV Brut Rose is spectacular and only $35 a bottle. A bargain for such delicious Champagne! There's also a 1996 Jose Michel et Fils Brut Vintage Club for $42. Great choices and definitely something your friends won't have seen before. They also carry Riedel stemware and could sell you two flutes. I'm certain they could have the package wrapped safely and shipped to your friends for you. The toll free phone number is on the site. Tell them I sent you.

One way to achieve the silky texture is to strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any completely unblended little bits of egg, those little squiggly things in the whites that always seem to turn the texture of a toenail no matter what you're cooking them in and to make the custard uniformly liquid before baking in the water bath. Another way to achieve incredible lightness of being (in flan, at least) is to separate the egg whites and whip them to soft peaks like a souffle before folding them gently into everything else. All that extra air makes for a much lighter end result, even if it isn't quite a souffle.

Katie....have you ever tried Xanath -- a vanilla liqueur that has been made in Veracruz for over 50 years. ← Jaymes: I have neither tried that nor seen it available anywhere in PA. But that's not saying much given that a lot of the more "marginal" liqueurs aren't carried by the PLCB. The only other vanilla flavored thing I've seen in wide distribution here in PA (other than low end vanilla "schnapps") is Tuaca from Italy. What is the Xanath like? Is it very viscous and sweet? Pure vanilla or other herbs and flavorings? How is it usually served? I do love me some vanilla. Especially if it there's liquor involved.

My award winning Turkey, Black Bean and Chorizo chili. Shots of Limoncello after dinner.

This is turning into a most lively and edifying discussion. I agree that climate is part of terroir, and that vintage variation has to do with the weather in any given year vs. the climate, which is a more stable factor encompassing average temperatures, average rainfall, diurnal temperature variation, etc. But it is a heck of a lot easier to grow grapes in a lovely lush and temperate place like Napa or parts of Australia than it is on those 60 degree rocky slopes in the Wachau in Austria or in Burgundy. I hadn't heard that either and it's hilarious!

Wow, that sounds good. How long do you need to let the caramel set? ← Oh, just until it isn't too sticky and liquid-y anymore. Maybe 20-30 minutes? So if you pour a batter on top it will stay set and not swirl into the liquid batter. Not like a caramel swirl would be a bad thing either, but it's more about having that gooey layer right above the crust when you put your fork through the slice. I have to stop now or I'll have to go bake a cheesecake.

Best cheesecake trick I ever learned was from the pastry chef at my very first restaurant job. Take two dozen Kraft caramels and peel off the nasty plastic sheets. Place caramels in a pyrex cup measure and melt in the microwave. Pour over the bottom of your graham cracker or other crust and let set. Pour over your cheesecake batter. After baking there's a gooey layer of caramel between the cheesecake and the crust. Oh. My. God. This is the most delicious thing in the whole world. Works with the chocolate flavored caramels too. And if you think about it, there's virtually no flavor of cheesecake that couldn't be improved with a little caramel. And it's a brilliant match with certain flavors like Pumpkin. Yummmmmm!

The Terroir issue is a valid one in discussing style of wine, but no less valid than the basic Old World vs. New World styles of wine that are determined more by the climate than by terroir or winemaker skill. By definition you will get far higher levels of ripeness in warmer places like New World wine growing zones and get much higher levels of ripeness at picking. This leads to higher levels of alcohol in the finished wine as well as a far fruitier more "in-your-face" flavor profile. The fact that many of the "great" wines of the world come exclusively from geographic areas where the climate and growing conditions really force the vines (and the winemakers!) to struggle to eke out an existence (it's pretty cold and often rainy in Germany, Alsace and Burgundy and the ground is often rocky and uneven) and often force the use of viticultural techniques like dropping fruit or really leaving the bunches on the vine long into the autumn (there's something magical about an Auslese or Beerenauslese Riesling that can not be duplicated) leads me to conclude that the Old World winemakers have it a bit tougher and although they've had hundreds of years more practice to figure out where to plant which grapes and which techniques to use, the end result will always have a certain edge or perhaps a slight whiff of the sweat equity that went into creating that end product. Maybe I'm an Old World wine snob, but in my limited experience (there's thousands of wines in the world - I'm drinking as fast as I can!) the truly memorable wines that I've had that have really impressed me with their elegance and as being truly extraordinary were always something Old World. I think that may be a distinctly East Coast preference, and again, may just be due to exposure. I'd be happy to try many more New World wines and see how they stack up.

Melissa: You read my mind. As soon as I started reading this thread I wanted to go link to that Philadelphia Inquirer article by Rick Nichols. I wept when I read it and as usual, it was a fine piece of evocative writing by our own Mr. Nichols. Glad I checked your link first though. I just had a feeling...

Those Mozart balls are probably the only thing I actually like marzipan in. And only because it's a tiny paper thin layer underneath that delicious chocolate. Vitually unnoticeable. I have a collection of those little New Years piggies of my own. My favorite is a very sexy and zaftig little piggie in a black and white bikini striking a voluptuous pose.

I think that some of this might also come from availability of wines in a particular style as well as the influence of local sommeliers/Beverage managers on the collective palate of their clientele in any given area on either coast. I know there's plenty of lovely wines that I stock, that I know are available to me in Philadelphia (and also in NJ, NY and CT) only because I happen to know the distribution area of the particular importer and distributor for those wines. It kills me that I can't tell you West Coast folks to go run out and grab yourselves a bottle of say Domaine Barmes-Buecher 2001 Sept Grains Edelswicker and enjoy it. I know I'll be sending you on a wild goose chase that will lead to nothing but frustration when you attempt to seek out a wine that isn't distibuted in your area. I have to assume that this market availability issue effects all of us, as well as there being a much larger selection of West Coast wines (and that style) on the West Coast. In addition, I'm certain that East Coast sommeliers and Beverage managers are constrained both by the previously mentioned availability issue as well as their own geographical exposure and expertise as revealed in which "coast style" their palate favors. Heck, I'm sure if I'd been fortunate to live and work on the West coast for any period of time, my own personal preferences might be quite different. It's all about what you're exposed to and how often that molds your own preferences. And for most of us in the industry that don't have the sort of budget and storage capabilities that Mark Sommelier has to work with at Citronelle (and don't think I'm not pea green with envy), it's about making those selections that will maximize the guest experience balanced with the Beverage department's weekly Cost of Goods. So by definition, my choices will reflect what's available to me, my personal preference, and what is selling well - therefore my clientele's East Coast palates (in my case, at least). It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy to some extent. There's only so much one can do to try and collectively change your local clientele's collective palate without running the risk of having a lot of wine sitting on shelves gathering dust. It's like looking at stacked up dollar bills on the shelves. And not at all the best way to do one's job if cost control is a part of their duties that is an expectation/measure of their performance.

I used to like Dry Sack on the rocks with a wee squeeze of lime in it. Quite the tasty aperitif.

There's already enough of us NOT counting spouses and spousal equivalents to fill up TWO dinners at least. Let me e-mail Shola and ask about his upcoming schedule and how many of us he'd be willing to jam into that dining room at once. We might have to do this in stages...

Not at all, I think you're right. I especially like the Moscato d'Asti from Michele Chiarlo and Bricco Riela ← David: Ca del Bosco is probably the most recognized producer of sparkling wines of the Franciacorta DOCG. Maurizio Zanella is the winemaker and has made it his personal mission to have the sparkling wines of Franciacorta recognized and respected throughout the world. There's the Brachetto d'Acqui you mentioned earlier that's a sweet red sparkler (and possibly the most delicious thing on earth with chocolate ) and there's another red sparkling wine called Freisa di Chieri from Piedmont, made from the Freisa grapes that also produce still red Freisa d'Asti. Can be dry or slightly sweet, just frizzante or full out sparkling. It seems you have a fondness for wines of this part of Italy! Moscato d'Asti definitely qualifies as liquid sunshine! I like the Marenco Moscato d'Asti myself. Has a lovely nose of honeysuckle and apricots that just makes me smile. And it makes a delicious float with a little scoop of vanilla gelato in it! Really!

And getting to know Varmint and any other cooks and helpers in an almost Biblical way as you shimmy through the kitchen.

I saw Shola just before Christmas - he popped in to Rouge and said hello. We created a new dessert idea together- a Moscato Float with the yummy Lemon-Brie Ice Cream he makes. Yow! I can hardly wait to actually try that with him. It has potential to be truly awe inspiring. He is well and busy doing the catering in NYC thing a few days per week, but StudioKitchen is still very much an ongoing concern in the present tense. He hasn't mentioned any plans to move, at least to me. We could certainly try and arrange an eGullet outing sometime in February perhaps. Anyone else interested?

My apologies. As usual, I'm a bit behind the curve. I finally got my bottle of Renwood from my purveyor just before the New Year holiday but was then sidelined recovering from some minor surgery (all's well - not to worry) and being medicated for a few days so I haven't really been doing my usual scale of damage to my wine rack. I got around to opening and tasting my Renwood Amador Barbera last night and tonight and found it to be very good. Lots of deep dark fruity flavors like Black Cherry and Plum and a subtle hint of anise in the background. Didn't taste nearly as hot as the over 14% alcohol content would normally indicate and the color and body were definitely in the medium range, deceptively somewhat lighter than I would have normally expected from a high alcohol wine that would normally seem more viscous and "heavy". I finished the bottle tonight aside some Mushroom Tortelloni and the bottle barely suffered having been opened overnight. Very tasty, quite food friendly and a real value for the quality IMO. Will buy a few more to keep around for future reference.

BIG glass of water before bed. Unfortunately that usually requires being sober enough to remember to drink it. Enormous mugs of strong coffee and very disgustingly fatty food for breakfast (i.e. Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast) will usually take the edge off the next day. The theory that the greasy food somehow "sucks up" the excess alcohol in one's system is like any rationalization. Sounds good and makes you feel better. But it gives you an excuse to eat something you know you shouldn't. Just like that fourth and fifth cocktail that got you to this point.