KatieLoeb

My favorite thing to have with Barbera is a really big juicy medium-rare hamburger! I always call Barbera my "burger wine". I'll bet this'll be good with the tomato based pasta dishes too, though. That Foie Gras, Bacon and Tomato sandwich sounds really good! My wine should be coming to me early next week, so I'll try it and post my notes as soon as I have it.

Which is precisely why these things are served together. Sancerre and a briny oyster together are a revelation. An acidic wine served aside briny foods (think fresh shellfish, anchovies, caviar) is as refreshing as that squeze of lemon on your fresh shellfish.

Greg: I'm certain any of the alternatives I mentioned would be happy to provide you with a "limited menu" from which your guests could choose for a set price per head. The advantage to doing that at a BYOB is obvious (and of course I'd be happy to help play sommeliere if you need me to. It's a holiday mitzvah to help people drink well ) but even places with a liquor license might be able to do an open bar type set up for you for a certain price per hour, or do the dinner as a buffet or limited menu and run a drink tab for you. There's a bunch of ways to skin that cat. I'd ask at several of the options to see how accomodating they're willing to be and which place fits your budget for this event. Separate note: when a few of us intrepid souls were at the Abbaye on Wednesday night they were having a company Holiday party on the other side of the restaurant. The guests looked very happy and the food and beer selection there is tough to beat.

OK - you've all inspired me to try and post a picture. First I must apologize for the poor quality - I know how to work the camera on my new cell phone, but not yet the digital camera I purchased a few months ago Also, the in-cabinetry lighting is out because the cord with the switch on it has fallen into the depths behind the built-in shelves and I have no idea how I'll ever fish it back out. Here's a look at the schnapps collection: There's about 16 different flavors of schnapps, limoncello and grappa in there. I've not had the urge tonight to have one yet - I've satisfied myself instead with a Vanilla infused bourbon and Ginger ale.

Percy: A most impressive collection of post-prandial libations you have there my friend! I have a very large collection of Austrian schnapps in various flavors, but it's been a while since I've had the desire to singe the lining of my esophagus that way. Perhaps now that's it's so chilly out, that warming effect might seem more welcome.

Butter Poached Lobster An achingly fresh oyster Sauteed Foie Gras A glass of Chateau de Y'quem Sauteed Foie Gras with the glass of Chateau de Y'quem A really well aged and well marbled steak, cooked no more than medium-rare Real fresh (not reconstituted from powder) wasabi with ruby red sushi tuna A fresh tomato out in the sunshine with nothing but a sprinkle of sea salt A still quivering fresh scallop Truffles shaved over virtually anything A glass of an older vintage of Pol-Roger Cuvee Winston Churchill. It's a revelation in how exquisite Champagne can truly be.

I'm personally very fond of the Domaine Barmes-Buecher Cremant d'Alsace. It's an inexpensive alternative to Blanc de Blanc and it's incredibly tasty with fine bubbles and a very dry finish. I have to respectfully disagree about Blanquette de Limoux. The few that I've tried have been delicious and a bargain by comparison with Champagne. But I've never had an overly yeasty one. Actually the overly yeasty thing is why I think Dom Perignon is so overrated. If you're going to spend that much money on a bottle of hulking muscular Champagne it better be Pol Roger Cuvee Winston Churchill. Nothing less will do.

Greg: Tierra Colombiana is a great idea. I hosted a DDC dinner there a while back and they could not have been more accomodating. They mix a mean mojito too. I've never been a big fan of Penang, but that may be a personal prejudice. I just find Malaysian cuisine too heavy and oily by comparison with other Asian food and hence, do not prefer it. Other possibilities could include Pho Xe Lua in Chinatown, Indian food (there's usually already a buffet), or perhaps a nice plated dinner at Nan, which is BYO and also not too far from you. How about Thai food?? Perhaps Siam Lotus? How about a South Philly BYO like Tre Scalini?? I'd thiink of all the fun places we've done previous DDC dinners and go from there...

But the Lazy Flamingo is a great bar! I still have my t-shirt from there somewhere...

Mike: Can you tell us a bit more about your Wine Club??? Thanks!

This is interesting. I was under the (obviously mistaken) impression that Stroh was made from Sugar Beets, not sugar cane. I thought that was the distinctive flavor & aroma. This stuff is mighty potent. Comes in at 80 Proof. Definitely will singe the hairs out of your nose if sniffed at. YIKES! On the other hand, it is the cure for all that ails me when in bed with a serious head cold. A wee dram of this stuff in your Thera-Flu and you'll sleep like a hero, sweat like a beast and wake up completely cured!

What - the gray fatty mass of mystery meat didn't catch your fancy?? Glad you had fun here and glad we could help out. Let us know next time you're coming and we'll have a whole new list for you.

Just tried the Bayley Hazen Blue from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont. The best of all blue worlds combined. Nutty like Cabrales, pungent and creamy, but more crumbly than Stilton. Awesome stuff! I highly recommend trying some of this if you can get your hands on it.

I knew that Concord Grape stuff had to be good for something... Whole Foods carries those interesting Out of a Flower ice creams and sorbets with really interesting floral and herbal flavors. Those would probably be delicious either with Moscato or with plain sparkling wine, depending on the flavors chosen.

Sideways Leads Golden Globe Nominations

Please let me know how you like it! It occurs to me on further consideration that there's lots of fabulous combinations to be made with interesting sorbet or gelato - particularly similar floral flavors. There's a gelateria here in Philadelphia that had Honeysuckle gelato over the summertime. I can't imagine anything that might be more delicious or echo those lovely scents and flavors in the Moscato d'Asti than that.

Had a lovely decadent multi-course dinner this evening at a local BYO bistro that's very popular. It was a birthday party for a fellow wine professional and the wines and dinner courses had been well thought out. For dessert we were served Moscato Floats! A small scoop of vanilla ice cream floating in a glass of Moscato. It was absolutely delicious and made me smack the heel of my hand to my forehead and say "Duh!!". Great combination of floral lightly effervescent wine and the taste of vanilla. Absolutely perfect and such a no brainer. I realize this sounds very odd, but trust me. Try this and you'll be floored by how tasty it is.

Excellent! Nishon was Pastry Chef at Striped Bass when I worked there and now bakes bread for several Philly restaurants including Rouge. We get our hamburger buns from Bread by Nishon and they're delicious. I'm sure his squishy white bread will be the best!

Anyone from South Philly calls it gravy.

Try this link: Via Travel Design It's a small company that specializes in France and Italy rentals as well as gastronomic tours of cheese farms, wineries, smaller restaurants, etc. The owners of the company are serious foodies/restaurant people, so they arrange trips for folks like them.

Yup - that's the place! It's like at 802 or 804 Christian just a couple of doors up from the corner on the south side of the street. There was also another small place that was actually on 9th Street, just north of Christian Street that was also pretty good for "down and dirty". I like Ba Le both because it's a bit cleaner and more professional, and because they have that HUGE menu of other stuff too. The soups there are really good too.

Ba Le Bakery on Washington makes pretty good Vietnamese Hoagies. The pate they use is very tasty and there's LOTS of cliantro, which I really like in bahn mi. There used to be a divey little shop at 8th & Christian that had them too, and those were the first ones I'd ever had. It was an epiphany, but now I stick to the more hygienic looking bakeries and such.

I believe my wine purveyor will be able to get a bottle of this for me so I can play too!

I've asked and we use the Minus 8 vinegar to deglaze the pan our Foie Gras is prepared in.

I find that for dry skin in general, increasing my consumption of flaxseed oil and taking a 1000mg Evening Primrose oil capsule twice a day really helps to heal from within. The Shea Butter, Emu oil combination in a salve or lotion is also great for really bad skin cracks.