Pecorino, pecorino.....and more pecorino
Customarily, I finish a pasta or even a risotto with a generous grating of Pecorino Romano rather than Parmesan. I love the earthy dimension this cheese adds to these dishes. However, Romano, my simple grating cheese, is only one style of Pecorino, a family of cheeses though differing in style are all made with sheep’s milk. Central Bottle Wine + Provisions recently offered a class that gave an in-depth look at this cheese family – in actuality, a feast of Pecorino. The outstanding selection was assembled by Central Bottle’s cheesemonger Stephanie Santos. Cheesemonger extraordinaire Matt Rubiner was to be a co-presenter of the class but car trouble left him stranded on the side of the Pike. However, Stephanie’s commanding knowledge of the cheeses enabled her to hold forth eloquently even in his absence. Pecorinos are made up and down the boot of Italy. The evening’s selections came from Sardinia, Tuscany, Campania and Sicily, ranging stylistically from young and fresh to aged to even smoked. The beer and wine selections – well received on their own and well paired with the cheeses – were a collaboration with Maureen Rubino, Central Bottle manager, and Liz Vilardi, resident wine guru, and featured both familiar Italian grapes and more esoteric varietals. The evening began on a casual note with Stephanie’s version of “Beer and Pretzels”, “Field Mouse’s Farewell” with Pecorino Pepato – Pecorino studded with peppercorns – the malt and grain in the ale playing wonderfully with the salt and spice in the cheese. And then it was on to serious tasting. Some highlights of the evening -
- While producers are important in the production of Pecorino, the “houses” or affineurs determine the quality of the cheeses – an old notion in Europe, only now gaining serious impetus in America. The two houses represented in the class – Guffanti and Casa Madaio – are the premier affineurs of Italian Pecorino.
- The most controversial cheese of the evening was the Fiore Sardo, a rustic smoked cheese that proved challenging to some. Yet the cheese’s extreme piquancy was mediated by the fruity, vibrant Argiolas Cannonau Rosato. ( Actually, I think the wine converted one of the guests to the pink side.)
- For those interested in pairing condiments with cheese, Stephanie accompanied the Ruffanti Marzalino with a wonderful New Zealand honey produced from the flowers of the rata tree. The honey is available at Follow the Honey in Harvard Square. Extremely delicious!
- My favorite pairing of the evening was the outlier. Right in the middle of the tasting was the incongruity of the class – a Pecorino from Bellweather Farm in Petaluma CA paired with the well oaked and ripe Chardonnay from Belle Pente in the Willamette Valley OR. Both were creamy and well balanced; together, it was the most elegant pairing of the class.
- While Stephanie’s choice of cheeses and her presentation made for a most informative and enjoyable class, an added bonus was the interaction of those attending. Class members spoke freely and animatedly about their likes and dislikes, what worked and what didn’t work – all resulting in a spirited conversation.
For those interested in deepening their knowledge of cheese, classes at Central Bottle provide the perfect opportunity – a relaxed friendly setting, well selected cheeses and spirits and a knowledgeable staff. The next class – a cheese and beer pairing – is happening on June 27th.
- The class selection
The cheeses and their accompaniments
Guffanti Pepato Siciliano with Pretty Things “Fieldmouse’s Farewell”
Guffanti Marzalino with Carfagna Ansonoco
Casa Madaio Cinerino with Valdiperti Fiano di Avellino
Bellweather Farms “San Andreas” with Belle Pente Chardonnay
Fiore Sardo with Argiolas Cannonau Rosato
Casa Madaio Calcagno with Sella e Mosca Cannonau
Guffanti Pecorino di Pienza Gran Riserva with Barbi Rosso di Montalcino
Central Bottle Wine + Provisions 194 Mass Ave Cambridge MA
by glenn and kristen on May 14, 2012
Frangipane Tart, Lemon Tart, Fruit Tart, Mascarpone Mousse Cup, Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake
GLENN – Once upon a time, brews got no respect – they were the Rodney Dangerfield of the spirits world. And food pairings incorporating beers? Beer and ale were only fit to accompany dogs and brats. Yet this scenario has now become clichéd. As the American craft beer movement gains momentum – elevating even venerable Belgium and German brews – new paradigms emerge. Beer dinners have become commonplace – various foods and beers do complement each other. Hipsters pair cheese with beer instead of that old standby wine (English plowmen were right). Restaurants have beer sommeliers. And now, here was an event pairing beer and dessert. When we were invited by Mindy Valone of CM Communications to be media guests at the beer and dessert pairing at Finale Desserterie and Bakery, I was intrigued. A guided tasting and discussion would be presented by Executive Pastry Chef Nicole Coady and Bryan Greene of the Craft Brewers Guild. Though I knew that I could handle the pastry portion of the evening and I’m certainly an enthusiastic beer drinker – the opportunity arose for our colleague, Kristen Sykes, to accompany me. Now Kristen, aka @BeerLady2, has craft beer bona fides – beer aficionado, avid home brewer, certified beer judge and founder of BABES (Boston Area Beer Enthusiasts). Now we had expertise on both fronts.
KRISTEN – When I was invited to join the Wine Dine With Us folks at a craft beer and pastry pairing, I jumped at the chance. I’ve led and participated in beer dinners and beer and chocolate pairings but never paired beer with pastry. There are over 100 styles of beer from light and wheaty, effervescent and hoppy, to dark and cloying. I was excited to see what styles Nicole and Bryan would pair with the pastry. I was also looking forward to sampling the local beers on offer, which included a brew from Maine and cider from New York. Truth be told, while the European beers selected were some of my favorites, it would have been great if the pairing included some of the more than a dozen local craft beers brewed in Boston or Massachusetts, many of which use local ingredients and are the freshest you can find anywhere!
GLENN – What makes a pairing succeed? It isn’t science or some culinary voodoo but rather taste – actual tasting – and actual trial and error. Factors such as acidity and sweetness play a part but a chef with an experienced palate, such as Chef Nicole Coady, will taste a wine or, in this case, a beer and decide what dessert may work with it. Further tasting of both beer and dessert together hones the final pairing. In planning this event, Byran Greene brought her a selection of beers to consider. As they sampled through them, Chef Coady would dash off to the pastry case and bring forth pastries that she felt were simpatico with the beer. Thus, a menu for the evening was created. For me, the desserts were all extremely well done and the beers all delicious. Two of the parings were outstanding. The first match-up of the evening, pairing cider with a frangipane tart, was excellent. The apple in the cider and the almond in the tart shone through. The cider, just a bit off dry, contrasted nicely with the slight bitterness of the almonds. My favorite pairing of the evening was between the German Aventinus – a Weissen Bock – and the mascarpone mousse cup. The beer highlighted the chocolate cup, the delicacy of the mousse contrasted with the heartiness of the brew but the pay off was the synergy between the beer and chocolate covered espresso bean. However, the pairing between the Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock and the mini chocolate peanut butter cupcake was also a strong contender for “Best of the Event”. The cupcake, though, was my favorite pastry: the chocolate cake moist and delicate (culinary note – Chef uses cake flour and both buttermilk and sour cream); the peanut butter icing extraordinary. In fact, one of my fellow bloggers inquired if the icing itself was available for purchase. For me, the evening pushed the boundaries of food and beverage pairing
KRISTEN – I agree with Glenn that the first pairing of the cider with the Fragipane Tart was well done. The cider, which uses Granny Smith apples, provided a tanginess that was complemented by the tartness of the raspberry that adorned the tart. The two types of champagne yeast used in the cider provided a dry finish that blended well with the bitterness of the almond in the tart. The second pairing of the lemon tart and the ever-popular Allagash White was a bit off. The velvetiness of the lemon tart was magnificent but bitterness of the beer could not match it. The alcohol of the beer was also a bit low (5%) for the intensity of the tart. Sam Calagione (founder of Dogfish Head Brewery) recommends in his book He Said Beer; She Said Wine that “creamy, sugary desserts such as lemon tarts should be paired with beers that are slightly higher in alcohol.” For future pairings I would recommend a beer around 7% ABV. I agree with Glenn that the pairing of the Aventinus with Marcapone Mousse Cup was well done. The rich, deep texture of this beer as well as its higher alcohol (8.2%) was well matched by the mousse. The pairing that stole the night for me was the Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock and mini chocolate peanut butter cupcake. The nuttiness of the peanut butter was a perfect match for the high alcohol brew (6.7%) and the dark fruit flavors of the beer were complimented nicely by the roastyness of the chocolate cupcake. Both Nicole and Bryan did a great job describing elements of the pastries and the beers. However, what was lacking was information on why a given beer was chosen for a given pastry, such as what elements the beer was meant to bring out of the pastry. This would have been educational and would have enhanced the parings even more!
The evening’s line-up
Exploring the World of Craft Beers
Original Sin Hard CiderPaired with a Frangipane Tart
Allagash WhitePaired with a Lemon Tart
Duvel Golden AlePaired with a Fresh Fruit Tart
AventinusPaired with a Mascarpone Mousse Cup
Ayinger Celebrator DoppelbockPaired with a Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake
by glenn and katrin on April 30, 2012
KATRIN: Over the years – and especially before we even launched the Wine Dine With Us blog – we have attended quite a few wine dinners. The best of these wine dinners bring together a winery and a restaurant that complement each other stylistically and philosophically, resulting in food and wine pairings that bring out the best of each other. The April 23 dinner at Harvest in Cambridge with David Hopkins, the winemaker at Bridlewood Estate Winery, did just that. We were impressed by both the quality of these well-made wines and the flavorful dishes. In fact, early on, Glenn leaned over and asked me to tweet “Most incredible wine dinner ever!”
GLENN: Several years previously, we had attended a dinner at Harvest that featured the wines of Hamilton Russell. Now, there was a new chef in the kitchen and a winery with which I was unfamiliar. I was put partially at ease when I met the Bridlewood winemaker David Hopkins, a genial gently aged surfer dude. And then I had a sip of Bridlewood’s Monterey County Chardonnay and knew that the evening’s wines would be just fine. Here was a Chardonnay with rich fruit – but no annoying tropical fruits – and good acidity, a wine ideal for pairing with food. Yet there was something intriguing about the wine. With the first course of the perfectly seared scallops – caramelized without, creamy within – I was put totally at ease: the food was going to be spectacular.
KATRIN: Part of David’s winemaking philosophy is that he makes wines first and foremost for himself. He explained that he likes good food and wants a wine that will go well with the meal. He looks to make sure that the acidity and tannins are to his liking and that the fruit is varietally correct. In Old World fashion, he aims to create wines that can age and that express the terroir – a term that has become almost a dirty word among American winemakers. The Chardonnay was a perfect balance of richness, flavor, and food-friendly acidity. The Pinot Noir was elegant and a wine I will look forward to trying again. Tipping its hat at the Rhone and California’s Rhone Rangers, the Blend 175 (50% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Viognier, 10% Grenache) was approachable and rich with black and blue fruits, licorice, and black cherry.
GLENN: Simply put, David Hopkins likes to talk about his work and does it well. Each course and its accompanying wine led to detailed discussion about David’s winemaking, both in terms of both philosophy and practice. I did find out what made my Chardonnay so intriguing. Taking a cue from the French, he adds a bit of Viognier that elevates this wine from the ordinary. Of the evening’s five wines, I most enjoyed the Monterey County Pinot Noir, a wine that proves that the craze for Cali Pinot – sparked by Sideways – was well founded. Not overly extracted nor excessively alcoholic, the wine is redolent of Bing cherries, mushrooms and autumn leaves with the requisite acidity to be food-friendly. In fact, Mr. Hopkins does not make the often typical low acid, high alcohol California fruit bombs. The Pinot accompanied the Tenderloin Tartare which was outstanding. In fact, all the courses were excellent and thoughtfully composed. Even though we had previously enjoyed Chef Mary Dumont’s food at The Dunaway House in Portsmouth, the meal at Harvest showed just how much her considerable talents have evolved. Kudos to Chef Dumont and her staff!
KATRIN: The wines were a delightful change of pace, proving that there some winemakers in California who are willing to buck convention and make wines that are profoundly enjoyable without the whopping alcohol levels and heavy extraction. And David Hopkins is one. Special thanks to Jenna Buhagiar of Fleishman Hillard for putting together this perfect match and for inviting us to this media-only dinner and to David Hopkins for making the evening fun and fact-filled!
The Menu and Wine Pairings
Seared Scituate Scallop
Richter Farm Rhubarb, Celery, English Peas, Candied Ginger & Celery Salad
2008 Monterey County Chardonnay
Painted Hills Tenderloin Tartare
Caperberries, Crispy Shallots, White Truffle Oil & Toasted Country Bread
2008 Monterey County Pinot Noir
Roulade of Giannone Farms Chicken
Wild Mushrooms, Green Garlic, Fava Beans, Vanilla Scented Carrots
2010 Central Coast Blend 175
Rooibos Tea Marinated Pennsylvania Duck Breast
Bing Cherries, Fennel, Soy Beans, Forbidden Black Rice
2010 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon
Toffee Chestnut Cake
Milk Jam, Mead Jelly, Orange, Sheep’s Milk Frozen Yogurt
2010 Late Harvest Viognier
by glenn on April 26, 2012
The Blue Ox 191 Oxford St. Lynn MA
One could watch the Food Network or attend a demo at Williams-Sonoma but the experience would not be particularly engaging but rather passive – couch potato passive and adoring audience passive. Frankly, one needs more zip in one’s culinary life and what better avenue to culinary engagement than attending a cooking demonstration with Chef Matt O’Neil at the Blue Ox in Lynn. Chef O’Neil periodically presents an evening’s program which offers a three course prix fixe menu during which he demo’s the main course. The Dinearound of which I’m a member has been to three of these demonstrations – the evening, thanks to Chef O’Neil’s entertaining yet highly informative teaching style, is that engaging. And, did I mention, the food is excellent. For a recent demonstration, Chef O’Neil created a dish using wild striped bass with a vegetable medley featuring several spring vegetables. (When I hear the phrase “vegetable medley” I think of those restos I worked in where uninspired chefs would offer sliced zucchini, yellow squash and carrots as a vegetable medley du jour. Not so here at the Blue Ox.)
Chef O’Neil’s dishes are just a bit complex. The striped bass dish featured not only the fish but the vegetable ragout upon which it sat and the tomato and chervil salad with truffle dressing which it was topped. But Chef deconstructed the whole creation into manageable components for the home chef. He began by talking about the spring vegetables he was using and how to prep them ahead of time. For those unfamilar with ramps or fresh fava beans, time to listen up. Next he discussed the striper – what to look for when buying the fish, how to breakdown a large piece into serving portions and then prepare those for cooking. Then onto the salad. For those unfamilar with chervil and truffles and truffle oil, he provided the lowdown. While he prepared the various components, we began the first course, the deeply flavored corn and crab chowder. Chef O’Neil never misses a beat – the dialogue and cooking are non-stop. While creating good cuisine may be paramount, communicating culinary information and technique is essential.
At the beginning of the demo, Chef recommended two wines, both California chardonnays. Actually, though, I wanted to try the Paul Hobbs “Crossbarn” which proved to be an excellent companion to both the chowder and the main course. And that main course? The fish was perfectly cooked with extra crispy skin; the vegetable medley a fresh taste of spring; and finishing the dish, the earthy tomato and truffle salad. The tart provided a sweet - but not too sweet - finish; though local strawberries and rhubarb are available at different times, we often think of this dessert as essential springtime.
For a bit of culinary education and adventure, get out of the city. Like Worcester, there’s life in Lynn – and it’s well worth the trip.
The next demo is May 22nd and seats are quite limited. More info here.
1st course
Corn & Crab Chowder
cilantro, mint
2nd course
Wild Striped Bass
sautéed ramps, fava beans, English peas, diced potato, chervil, tomato & truffle salad
3rd course
Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
vanilla sauce, whipped cream
by eleni on April 21, 2012
This year I finally had to try my hand at dyeing eggs for Easter.
Ever since the recall of red M&M’s, the Rit Dye #5 has always fascinated me. Why do we still use it? Who wants to eat hard boiled eggs with pink pigmentation. Who eats hard boiled eggs (I much prefer mine 6 minute soft-boiled).
First, I went on the hunt for Rit Dye #5 i.e. “Scarlett”. I accidentally found the last box at a drugstore thanks to a friendly cashier. Then I purchased brown eggs because I was told by a family member they are stronger (necessary for their primary intent – the egg game) and make the red more darker.
Then I had to figure out how to dye them so I Googled it. It was a long hunt but I ended up deciding to adapt a recipe I found on the Utah Greek’s Web site: http://www.kued.org/productions/greeks/recipes/eggs.html.
I doubled the recipe since we’re expecting 18 for Easter. And I decided to multi-task–dye and hard-boild the eggs at the same time.
bubble bubble pasta pot
relaxing after a hot bath
eggy
oiled up
slotted spoon beware
I ended up boiling them for about fifteen minutes. I set them to dry on many layers of paper towels on top of a plate to help reduce the damage to the counter. And then it was time to oil them up.
If I were feeling more Martha Stewart I would add some sort of gold stamp or other such decor but I am going natural as a counter part and also serving fresh Heritage Chicken eggs from Harrison’s Poultry Farm that are a beautiful light blue.
by glenn on April 20, 2012
Fast food perfection
Could I sell this on Ebay?
The folks at Franklin Cafe know how to do things right – renovating a gas station into burger heaven. Though the name may imply some mayhem – ask about the art work by the door – all is peace and love at this outstanding burger emporium. While the focus is on burgers, salads and dogs are available as well as vegetarian and vegan options. Wine is available by the glass or bottle though beer is featured with eight draughts and over thirty selections in cans. The burgers are nicely sized at 1/3 lb. and come in twelve iterations. Since this is essentially fast food, all burgers are cooked to medium though the squeamish may ask for well done. After evaluating all the different burger option, I was finally able to choose. The menu describes my choice thusly –
MUSHROOM sautéed mushrooms, cheese, Tasty 17 steak sauce $5.50
To pair with my burger, I chose Troegs signature amber ale Hopback. And this is how it went down – [click to continue…]
by glenn on April 19, 2012
- The evening’s fare
The Evening’s Featured Pairings
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2006 Jackson Triggs Vidal (Niagara, Canada) – Finale’s Signature Cheesecake
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2009 Renwood Amador Ice Wine (California) – Strawberry Frangipane Tart
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2006 Selaks Marlborough (New Zealand) – Key Lime Tart
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2009 Cooper Mountain Vin Glacé (Willamette Valley, Oregon) – Lemon Tart
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2006 Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine (Niagara, Canada) – Crème Brulée
Winemakers have a repetoire of tricks to turn a sow’s ear of a wine into a silk purse commodity. Adding sugar to underripe grapes, removing water from thin bodied wines, removing alcohol from wines made from overly ripe grapes – all tricks of the hacker’s trade. Yet, in the case of ice wines, the greatest manipulater of all is Nature. By allowing already ripe grapes to hang on the vine until they freeze, the water inside the grapes crystallizes into ice and when pressed, the ultra-ripe grapes yield a concentrated juice. Where freezing temperatures are fickle or even non-existent, the grapes can be harvested late and then frozen mechanically. The resulting wine is ambrosial – full-bodied, sweet and acidic – the perfect partner to desserts and some cheeses.
As part of the ongoings series of special tastings at Finale Desserterie and Bakery, Chef Nicole Coady with the assistance of Tracy Burgess of HMS Walker presented an evening of Ice Wines paired with Finale’s outstanding desserts. I was fortunate to be invited by Mindy Valone of CM Communications to be a media guest. The evening began with Tracy giving an interesting and concise ”Ice Wine 101″. Chef Coady then explained the process she uses of matching wines with her desserts – tasting a wine and then pairing it with any number of items until she finds the best partners. Ice wines with their elevated levels of sugar and acidity marry well with desserts that are likewise sweet but also rich – think butter, eggs, cream. Moreover, desserts with high acidity also stand up well to the wines.
The ice wines chosen for the evening showcased the broad stylistic range of these wines. The two wines from Canada both made with the North American hybrid grape Vidal Blanc were traditional – harvested while frozen. The other three made with European varietals were mechanically frozen. And what a diverse lot! The Renwood Amador made in the Sierra Foothills is a blend of Zinfandel, Barbera and Viognier – ripe red fruit and a hint of peach. The Selaks Marlborough blends Reisling and Gewurtraminer for a particularly floral and citrus nose. The Cooper Mountain is straight Pinot Gris imparting a wonderful aroma of apples. The Inniskillin was the star of the evening – unctous and august. All the wines complimented or contrasted with the desserts with which they were paired. The Jackson Triggs highlighted the acidity and the creaminess of the cheesecake. The pretty pink Renwood worked well with the nuttiness of the frangipane and the sweetness of the strawberry. The Selaks and the Key Lime Tart – both sweet but tart - underscored the fruity raspberry component of the dessert. The Cooper Mountain and Lemon Tart produced a certain piquant but mellow experience. The Inniskillin and Crème Brulée were stellar – the acidity of the wine elevating the richness of the custard. The success of these pairings also lies in matching the level of sweetness in both dessert and wine.
An event at Finale is quite engaging. After introducing each wine and dessert combo, Chef Coady and Tracy would then go table-to-table discussing the pairing and its components with the guests. This interaction added a welcome personal touch to the evening.
The next special tasting events at Finale are quite intriguing – pairing craft beers with desserts. More info available on the website.
