Paris on My Mind

Have been thinking a great about Paris of late, with my recent posts regarding escargot and Apres Vous. Anyway, here's a cool Paris pic, taken by ap during her trip there this past summer:

Paris bistro scene (again, compliments of ap):

And you can't talk about Paris and NOT talk chocolat. Mmmmmmm, enjoy!

Friday Night Fun

As a food and wine lover, I have a special attraction to France in general, and Paris in particular. (I've been to Paris twice, and want to go back VERY soon.) To help whet my Paris/France appetite, I like to watch French-made movies. Why the stories often aren't the greatest, I love to watch the scenery, particularly when food and wine are involved.

So here's a suggestion for a fun French food and wine movie: Apres Vous (please mentally add that little accent over the 'e'). It's about a headwaiter at a French restaurant (Daniel Auteuil) who, to help a stranger, tries to have the stranger (played by Jose Garcia) become the restaurant's sommelier. Everything gets complicated, of course (no good deed goes unpunished!) when, of course, Auteuil falls in love with Garcia's love-of-his-life, Blanche (Sandrine Kiberlain). Of course.

While the story may be a bit predictable, particularly the ending, I thought that there were many funny moments and of course great food and wine scenes. And there's something more: Apres Vous has a very human touch, its humanity---what it means to be human---is very evident, and to me, that makes any movie worth seeing. Check it out and enjoy.

Haunted by the Land Lobster

My magical eight days of feasts (see Sept. 19: Eight Days in September) came to a wonderful end on Sunday with a scrumptious dinner with ckd at Langley's on the Green in downtown Windsor. (Thanks again, guys, for the treat.) Langley's boasts fabulous food/wine, beautiful decor, and great service. PLUS they do two or thing different things. (You do one different thing, you catch my attention; you do two or three things differently than all the other restaurants and you turn me into a stark raving fan.) (And best of all, National Speak Like a Pirate Day had thankfully passed, so ckd were back to their normal selves.)

One thing struck me more than any other during our dinner. The conversation among the four of us varied widely. Among the topics that popped up was another common dinner that we had shared earlier in the year, a wonderful feast hosted by Richard and Leslie Mansfield of Mansfield Winery fame (see July 19: My Cup Runneth Over). And what, of that dinner, in particular was still on our minds---was still haunting us, in other words? I was thinking it, and cd said it: the escargot.

So it's time to talk turkey when it comes to, what escargot producer Henri Maire calls the "Land Lobster." Here's a blurb about Henri Maire escargot:

As with all gastronomic delicacies, escargots exhibit varying levels of quality. Henri Marie's snails maintain an unwavering reputation for incomparable products. Their formula is quite simple. They begin with authentic Burgundy snails (Hélix Pomatia Linne), found only in the wild in southeastern France. They are then hand-sorted by size, washed, and cooked in an aromatic bouillon according to the same ancestral standards used in 1894. There are 116 types of edible snails, and the Helix Pomatia Linne is the unanimously proclaimed #1 in terms of flavor and texture. Nicknamed the "Land Lobster", it exhibits a similar texture to lobster, with an earthier flavor. These escargots are 100% natural, 100% organic, low-carb (Atkin’s friendly) and have very high nutritive levels. This tin of "Extra Large" size escargot contains 36 snails.

Where to buy these? Check out the Potironne company.

The next time I'm in Paris, of course I must visit l'Escargot Montorgueil. (Check out their menu with all the snail, er, escargot variations.

And finally, a classic escargot recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white wine

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons butter

12 snails, removed from shells and rinsed twice in a weak solution of vinegar and water.

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, reduce the wine, shallots, and garlic to a thick syrup.

2. Gradually, add the butter, stirring constantly to form an emulsification.

3. Add the snails and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Serve immediately with the sauce and plenty of French bread.

Serves 2

Ah, escargot--the distribution system for butter and garlic!

Note: Pic of escargot above compliments of AP, during her visit to France this summer.

We Meet the 'Meat Monkey'

Well, the first Every Meal A Feast "Gathering" was a resounding success. Fantastic atmosphere, unusual food, great wines, a talk with the chef, and friendships new and re-newed. All in all, it was a night I probably won't ever forget.

Above: Inside the special room where we ate; the mural is from Dante's Inferno

Our excursion, of course, was to Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco for their Il Quarto Quinto (Fifth Quarter) tasting menu. This special menu, prepared by Incanto Chef Chris Consentino, features "offal" or those "lost cuts" of meat that peasants and everyday people used to eat (because they couldn't afford the pricey cuts of meat). The meal was fascinating. Several things the EMAF gang didn't really go for... But others: WOW!

We started out with rabbit ears and carrot chips with aioli. The rabbit ears (deep fried, of course) had a strong, gamey taste. I could eat five or six...and that was it. The carrot chips were awesome: light, not oily, and full of flavor. Next we had Chef Chris's version of Turf and Surf: a soup with tuna and beef tripe. WOW! Awesome! Along with the tripe, which we thinly sliced and had the consistency and texture of pasta were heirloom cherry tomatoes, parsley, and ZING: Fresno chilies. The burst of sweetness from the cherry tomatoes was offset by the burning-on-the-back-of-the-throat (not the tongue) from the chilies. I LOVED this dish.

Next, calf's brains with white chanterelles, capers and lemon. I was expecting a consistency sort of like cauliflower. Instead, the brains were mushy, almost custard-like. I could only eat one bit of what-must-certainly-be-an-acquired-taste thing. Then we had "Trotter Cakes"--pigs' feet in a crab cake-type format. Again, a bit fatty for me. Finally, we ended the evening with a wonderful dessert: Chocolate blood panna cotta. This had a pudding like consistency, and was awesome, especially with the accompanying fresh strawberries.

For wine, we polished off a bottle of Geyser Peak Winery 2005 Alexandra Valley Walking Tree Vineyard cab, and a the bottle of 1987 cab I brought from Kathryn Kennedy Winery. I'm happy to say that the KKW cab was awesome: great bouquet, and smooth with no tannins and a real peppery, long finish.

At the end of the meal, Chef Chris came out and we had a great talk about the Fifth Quarter menu, along with his new "tasty salted pig parts" venture: Boccalone. Chris definitely loves all things hog-related; the self-proclaimed "meat monkey" had just gotten in four sides of hogs, with each side being about 210lbs. That's a lotta pig!!!!

Anyway, the meal was exceptional. It's always nice to have expectations for something---that anticipation---and have those expectations exceeded. It just reaffirms to me that every meal can be a feast, no matter how small or, in this case, no matter how much uncertainty is involved (from the "different" foods, the 20-year-old cab, from gathering people together who don't know each other, etc.), because with great food, and great wine, and with especially with people who enjoy both:

Silly Wabbit!

Deep fried rabbit ear and carrot chips with aioli. Fresno chilies that burned the back of the throat (not the tongue). The KKW 87 cab held up remarkably well. And a chat with Chef Chris. Details to follow (when the spinning in my head/mind slows) but quickly, the Il Quinto Quarto menu at Incanto was superb. Best of all: seeing MS and DC hit it off so well. Oh, and wait till you hear about THIS version of "surf and turf."

87 KKW CS: ?!?!?

The Incanto feast countdown has passed the less-than-12-hours-to-go mark, which is nice. Yesterday, I went deep, deep into my wine cellar, and emerged hours later (and quite dusty too, as a matter of fact) with a bottle of 1987 Kathryn Kennedy Winery Cabernet Sauvignon. KKW is located in Saratoga, California, in the South Bay, very close to the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation. The story behind my association with this winery is as follows: many moons ago, while living in the South Bay, I answered a "call for volunteers" at this small, family-run winery, and helped several times during their mobile bottling. My payment: KKW wine. I've been nursing these bottles over the years, reserved of course for special occasions, and now am ready to break one out again tonight. A great meal deserves a great wine, of course, so why not go for a 20-year-old Cab? It also adds another layer to the dinner, i.e., has the wine held up? Has my cellar done me justice? Ah, questions...soon to be answered.

A shot of the KKW vineyards:

Eights Days in September

Sometimes the stars and planets align, my Tarot reading reads uber-positive, and all becomes right with the world...or at least with my world...for a few days, anyway.

Right now, I'm in the middle of eight days of feasts-beyond compare. It's making me a little heady, that rare combination of both great-moments-just-had with anticipation-for-what's-next. Check out this just-over-a-week lineup of culinary adventures:

Sept 16: Dinner at The Spinnaker in Sausalito

Sept 20: The first Every Meal A Feast "Gathering" at Incanto Restaurant, in San Francisco (less than 36 hours away, but who's counting?)

Sept 22: A visit to Buster's Barbecue and Bakery in Calistoga following M's volleyball game

Sept 23: Dinner with CKD at Langley's on the Green in beautiful downtown Windsor

And the icing on the cake, so to speak? Poker with my buddies this Saturday, which means greasy pizza and cold beer. Which perhaps---perhaps---tops them all.

Food with a View

Wow, wow, wow--had a wonderful lunch today at The Spinnaker restaurant in Sausalito to celebrate G. and M.'s birthdays. The food was wonderful (more on that in a moment), but wow, wow, wow--the view. The restaurant practically sits in the water with a direct view of the San Francisco Bay and, across the water, the San Francisco skyline. As it was a beautiful, clear Sunday, the Bay was full of all kinds of sailboats and tour boats and sea gulls. It was almost hypnotic to stare out the windows at the amazing view.

And the food? I thought it was wonderful. I debated for a long time, looking hard at the Spinnaker Paella, and of course the Bouillabaisse, but then settled for the Penne Rustica, penne pasta with sauteed scallops, swordfish, and prawns in a wonderful garlic/mushroom/onion/white wine/butter sauce. I thought it was fabulous, particularly with a glass of Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay, which rather than having that full-bodied oak-y taste was delicate (G. thought it 'wimpy', but not me) with a touch of lemon/citrus. In other words, a perfect compliment to the food.

Here are some photos through the window:

I didn't like my penne rustica:



We definitely want to go back, perhaps this time at night with what must be an amazing view of the lit San Francisco skyline. My insider's tip: forget Friday and Saturday nights; too crowded and crazy. Instead, try around 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. on SUNDAY---order some appetizers, a bottle of Chardonnay, then later as the sun sets have your meal. That's one thing about The Spinnaker (spinnaker, by the way, is a type of sail on a boat), the pace is LEISURELY.

We seek out great food and wine. There are times, though, when we want more: not only great food but in a wonderful setting too. Or, in this case, with wonderful views.

The Incanto Countdown Continues...

Just a friendly reminder that September 13 is the deadline to reserve your spot at our first EMAF "Gathering" on September 20 at Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco. (For more info, see the side panel or my post of September 3: Join EMAF for an "Enchanted" Evening.) If you'd like more info or want to join our group for this special feast, give me a call or send an email to bignightfan@gmail.com.

P.S. I've had several of my female friends express, shall I say, mild concern at joining the group sans husband, boyfriend, or date. Strange men (and at least one woman), eating strange meats and drinking copious amounts of red wine, a post-midnight dash across the Golden Gate Bridge and then down the fog-slicked hills into Marin County and then home.... I mean, come on folks: What could possibly go wrong?!?! Trust me on this: I'll have your back. No worries. You'll be in good hands. And so on.

P.P.S. The pic for this post has nothing to do with the evening. I just happen to really like it.

State of the Grape: Part 2

The 2007 Sonoma County grape harvest and 2007 Napa Valley grape harvest are in full-swing right now. Workers are tromping through vineyards throughout the night (to pick the grapes in the moonlit coolness); trucks are busily--and noisily--plodding across back roads, main roads, and highways. Winemakers and other winery workers are busy crushing. All in all, it's an exciting time, full of the promise--and the flavor--of things to come.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit my friends at Nord Estate Wines to witness their bottling. This process usually takes place in August, primarily to empty the tanks and barrels to make free space to take in the new grapes which will be coming in in September and October. The "mobile bottling" is a fun--and fast!--experience. Here's how it works:

1. empty bottles enter a convey belt at the back of the mobile bottling truck



2. each bottle is shot with air, to blow out dust and other unwanted particles

3. each bottle is shot full of Nitrogen, to push out the air (oxygen, of course, damages wine)

4. each bottle is over-filled with wine


5. the extra wine is pulled out, and the bottle sealed with nitrogen

6. the cork is placed inside each bottle

7. a foil cap is placed on top of each bottle (pretty much the only by-hand step)

8. a machine seals the foil cap

9. the label is placed on each bottle

10. the bottles return to the back of the truck, where they are placed into cases

The bottling company can do up to 2,000 cases a day. Like I said, it's a fun process to watch...and an exciting one, knowing that all that great Napa Valley and Sonoma County wine is that much closer to being enjoyed by all!

P.S. For "State of the Grape: Part 1", see my post of August 14, 2007.

Yummmmm: Tasty Salted Pig Parts!

In my previous post (September 3; Join EMAF for an "Enchanted" Evening), I described how Every Meal A Feast will be holding its first "Gathering" at Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco on September 20. While perusing the Incanto web site, I of course (hey, the marketing guy in me is TOO curious) signed up for their newsletter. Well, just yesterday Mark Pastore of Incanto sent a note announcing the launch of he and Incanto Chef Chris Cosentino's latest project: Boccalone. Boccalone will focus on "artisan cured meats"... which is of course a fancy way of saying Tasty Salted Pig Parts!

Anyway, as an fyi to FROTB, Pastore and Cosentino will be hosting an open house on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Incanto to launch Boccalone. If you can't make the open house but want to be part of this new Boccalone Salumi Society (with me), check out their web site. Ciao.

Join EMAF for an "Enchanted" Evening

Of the many unexpected pleasures I've received from this blog since I began it several months ago, perhaps the most gratifying have been the positive comments and well-wishes not only of friends, but also from quasi-friends, those people I know but haven't really spent much time with, for whatever reason. I've discovered that food and wine (or, at least in this case, sharing experiences about food and wine) really does help bring people together. So when my poker buddy Mike S., who has become a Frequent Reader of This Blog, asked me if I'd be up to go to a restaurant with him for a special meal, I not only jumped at the chance, but Mike and I discussed, and now we're inviting you, FROTB, to join us in this, the first Every Meal A Feast "Gathering".

And what a special meal it's going to be! We're off to Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco for Chef Chris Cosentino's special Il Quinto Quarto, or Fifth Quarter, tasting menu. Consentino, who has a special love of "offal" meats (he even has his own web site, OffalGood.com), prepares a special menu using those "lost cuts" which traditionally mainstream American has forgotten (or never eaten in the first place). A sample menu might include pig's feet, fish maw, lamb liver and kidney, and chocolate blood panna cotta. It's going to be a feast not only for the senses, but also sharing among friends. (Hey, it might just be Mike and I, and you know what, that's O.K.). So if you're interested, here are the details:

Date: Thursday Sept 20, 2007

Time: Reservations are at 7:30 p.m.

Location: Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco

Cost: $65 plus tax, tip and drinks. (NOTE: I am going to budget $100. Also, Every Meal A Feast will be providing at least one bottle of wine for the dinner.)

Carpooling: Will be available from Sonoma County

Reservations: You must reserve a spot by Sept. 13 by contacting me at my phone number or by email at bignightfan@gmail.com

We're throwing a party...and you're invited. Contact me if you want to join us for an enchanted evening!