Wine Spectator Top Wines for 2009

Just in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday entertaining and gifting season....

 Wine Spectator has listed it's long anticipated, and surprise selection of the Top Wine of The Year

No, it's not a wine from France, or anywhere in Europe.  It's an affordable Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon. Check out the video on this selection, and the list of the rest of the Top 100 Wines here.

Wine Spectator's comments were:

(the winemaker) used grapes from six low-yielding vineyards to create a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with 5 percent Merlot and 4 percent Cabernet Franc. This wine belongs in the company of the world's great Cabernets and, with its low price and significant production, earns our 2009 Wine of the Year.

And, if you try it out, let me know what you think of the judges selection.

Cookbooks Every Kitchen Should Have?

You may want to make room on your book shelf....

The Atlantic presents its view of the five essential cookbooks every kitchen should have......you may differ, as I do (except for #4).  But, they are thoughtful suggestions.

Every kitchen should have:

1) A good reference book. Always on the top corner by the wall on my armoire in the den is La Varenne Pratique, because when I need it, I need it. A book like this covers everything from how to carve a ham and how to fillet a fish to the proper way to scramble an egg and a few basics of pastry. It is 500 pages of answers to most culinary questions. I attended this school and this book is like a refresher course every time I pick it up.

2) A pastry book. Next to La Varenne Pratique is The American Baker by Jim Dodge. He has a way of taking the fear out of baking. I also like books you really learn from. In the beginning of this book, he covers the topics of seasonal ingredients, complementary tastes and textures, clarity of flavor, simplicity, and promises of pleasure. Any pastry chef who gets into these topics before recipes has my respect, and his recipes work.

3) A Junior League book. Mixed in with many of my favorite cookbooks are several editions of Come on In. My favorite is from the Jackson, Mississippi Junior League. Maybe this is where the southern belle in me comes out. I would think finding the best Junior League books would follow the same rule as ordering sweet tea: Never order one from a state that does not have an SEC team.These books typically have about 100 recipes for dips and party appetizers for the home cook, but like a sassy Betty Crocker, they cover everything with more flavor and spice. They are always tested, and as much as I tease my friend Doris Ann Benoist that she has never made an entrée in her life--she has entertained for years with just dips--I always enjoy her latest dip.

4) An Italian technique book. My pick is Giuliano Bugialli's Classic Techniques of Italian Cooking. This book is a culinary history book, and also includes techniques. I have always believed if you can master French cooking and Italian you have the basic knowledge to venture into all the other cuisines. Remember, I am trying to limit this list to five. (You can substitute your favorite book here.)

5) A book to nourish loved ones. The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery--This is a book I have added to my shelf and it will always be within reach. I think this book could be called many things--a mother's handbook to nourishing your loved ones or cooking to cure. I know my family and friends will benefit from my new favorite book the next time I need to cook something to make them feel better.

The Business Of Pizza

It ain't easy.....

But if you love it, and strive to excel...it can be Art.  But even Art can be a prison.  After five years being celebrated as one of the top pizzaiolo's in New York City, and the country, this pizza artist / businessman has recently turned over his creation to another artist.

Mr. Anthony Mangieri started Una Pizza in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., where he worked to create pies as authentically Neapolitan as possible. In the fall of 2004 he moved to 349 East 12th Street. There, in his wood-fired brick oven he served four types of pizzas — white, marinara, Margherita and the filetti. There was nothing else on the menu.

Video: 'Naturally Risen' 

Enjoy the beautifully shot and edited video of Una Pizza Napoletana and its moody pizzaiolo, Anthony Mangieri-- by Art director and commercial artist Michael Evans.  The video is backed by a great Tommy Guerrero instrumental. You'll find the homage on Evans's site: divisionofsafety.com/NATURALLYRISEN
(Hat tip SLICE)

Cloudy With A Chance Of A Meatball

One Meatball........

With all the attention given to the new movie "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs", seems like a proper time to pay some attention to Josh White's great blues song about the man who could only afford one.... meatball.

Video and music here

One Meatball - Josh White

A little man walked up and down,
He found an eating place in town,
He read the menu through and through,
To see what fifteen cents could do.

One meatball, one meatball,
He could afford but one meatball.

He told the waiter near at hand,
The simple dinner he had planned.
The guests were startled, one and all,
To hear that waiter loudly call, “What,

“One meatball, one meatball?
Hey, this here gent wants one meatball.”

The little man felt ill at ease,
Said, “Some bread, sir, if you please.”
The waiter hollered down the hall,
“You gets no bread with one meatball.

“One meatball, one meatball,
Well, you gets no bread with one meatball.”

The little man felt very bad,
One meatball was all he had,
And in his dreams he hears that call,
“You gets no bread with one meatball.

“One meatball, one meatball,
Well, you gets no bread with one meatball.”

Barley, Hops, Yeast, Kelp, Mackerel?

First Sea-Aged Beer In 150 Years!

Tired of wimpy, pale, watery beer?  Well, now you may have a chance to try some genuine sea-aged brew.

Brew Dog, an iconoclastic British brewer, has re-discovered and revived the original recipe and methodology for true India Pale Ale aka: IPA.

Originating in the 1700s, India Pale Ales were developed in Britain and sent by sea to British people living in India. The beers travelled inside oak casks on board sailing vessels however the lack of refrigeration and tempestuous sea journeys often compromised the quality. India Pale Ale was born when brewers realised that together, hops and alcohol act as a natural preservative ensuring that the beer could withstand the voyage and arrive in good condition.

Atlantic IPA (and James!) survived two months on the North Atlantic, involving a tense barrel-rescue-mission, beatings from force ten storms, 60 foot waves and encounters with killer whales. Upon safe return to dry land, the IPA was bottle conditioned and is now available at www.brewdog.com 

See video here

James Watt, BrewDog's Head of Stuff, said "Today the term IPA has lost its meaning and UK brewers mainly use it to describe beers which are neither particularly hoppy or high in alcohol....

"We wanted to take the style back to its roots and we have created the first genuine, commercially available IPA for 2 centuries. Going beyond the realms of what would normally be deemed possible in order to deliver is what we're all about at Brew Dog. We're constantly pushing ourselves to come up with audacious, unusual and cool concepts and Atlantic IPA is definitely the most ambitious brew project we've accomplished to date."  

Full story here.

Poached Egg Cloud - Toasted!

Egg Soufflé Sous Vide 

Many ingredients require some degree of manipulation before they yield a desired texture. Chef Raphael Peña demonstrates manipulating an ingredient's textural potential in the kitchen of Gresca. Check out the full story to see Chef Peña's technique, and his recipe for Egg Soufflé with Asparagus, Iberico Ham and Cream



An exaggerated emphasis on the contrasting textures of the egg makes Chef Peña’s souffléed egg dish an arresting reinterpretation of a casually encountered ingredient. Preparing the whipped egg white sous vide creates a pillowy, cloudlike texture that is weighted only by the succulence of the thick, runny egg yolk inside. 
Step 1: Cut a folded, double-thick sheet of plastic wrap the size of writing paper and use it to line a biscuit-sized metal ring, with the center of the plastic wrap on the bottom of the ring and equal lengths hanging over the side.
Step 2: Separate egg yolk from white and set aside. Whisk egg white to stiff peaks.
Step 3: Spoon most of the egg white into the lined metal ring, leaving a small depression on top.
Step 4: Put the yolk in this depression in the egg white and cover it with the remaining egg white so the yolk is entirely invisible.
Step 5: Gather the overhanging plastic wrap and twist at top to form a ball. Secure the ball with a long tie of stretched plastic wrap to avoid disturbing the egg yolk. Allow extra length on plastic wrap tie.
Step 6: Using plastic wrap tie, tie secured egg ball to a heavy metal object that can be safely submerged in water.
Step 7: Place egg ball with tie side down in pot, using metal to weight it down.
Step 8: Cook egg sous vide in a 70°C (158F) water bath for 19 minutes.
Step 9: Remove egg from plastic wrap and put on parchment-lined baking sheet, tie side up. Bake for 4 minutes at 200°C. (392F)
Step 10: Remove egg from oven. White should be browned on the ridges and yolk will still be runny. Serve atop diced asparagus, zucchini, potatoes, fennel, asparagus tips, bacon, Iberico ham and cream.

Chef Raphael Peña Gresca Carrer de Provença, 230 08036 Barcelona, Spain 93 451 61 93

Thieve's Oil

Put your spices to work for you....

With the daily onslaught of dire warnings about a "Swine Flu" epidemic, and the real problem of growing anti-biotic bacterial resistance due to today's overwhelming focus on anti-bacterial soaps and hand creams, here's a simple way that you can use common kitchen spices to protect yourself and your family without contributing to the problem of bacterial resistance.....it's kid-friendly too.

As reported by Anahad O'Onnor in the NY Times:

A recent study by a team of surgeons, for example, found that a solution made with cinnamon oil killed a number of common and hospital-acquired infections, like streptococcus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The study found it was just as effective as several antiseptics widely used in hospitals. Another study by French researchers in 2008 had similar results, showing that at concentrations of 10 percent or less, cinnamon oil was effective against Staphylococcus, E. coli and several antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

 It turns out that there's a really great, natural, plant-based recipe that takes the cinnamon oil one step further - "Thieves Oil" so named because grave robbers in the Middle Ages used it when they were engaged in "harvesting" their treasure, and never got sick.  Here's a video demonstrating it's mixing, followed by a recipe.

Video

Recipe (Video and recipe Courtesy Dr. Lawrence Rosen's blog)
Natural Hand Sanitizer

1. In a small bowl, put one drop each of the following essential oils: cinnamon, clove, rosemary and eucalyptus.

2. Add five drops of lemon essential oil. Mix in 1 ounce of water and 1/2 teaspoon aloe vera gel (available at pharmacies and health food stores).

3. Store in an airtight container or a small travel-size bottle.

Note: Essential oils can be purchased online or at health food stores.

Alternative: Instead of purchasing the 5 separate essential oils, use 5 drops of the "Thieves" blend from Young Living Essential Oils (youngliving.com)