by katrin on August 12, 2010
There are certain wines that are just so fitting for a particular season. Rosés from Provence, for example, bring to mind relaxed summer days. The red, white, and rosé wines of the Loire Valley – with their crisp acidity, lighter body, and generally gentler tannins – inspire similar images. With several weeks of summer still to come (I hope!), there was no excuse for missing the tasting of the wines of Jon-David Headrick Selections at Brix Wine Shop on Broad, so Glenn and I quickly signed up.
Since its founding in 2005, this importer has focused on wines produced in small quantities by family-owned wineries. Most of the wines of Jon-David Headrick Selections are organic, some are biodynamic, and all produced with the least amount of manipulation and intervention in the field and the winery, allowing that famous French terroir and sense of place to shine.
Our guide through these elegant wines was the knowledgeable and charming Loire-native Laurent Noblet. Laurent explained that the Loire Valley is a diverse wine-making region. With 68 appellations and counting, all styles of wine are produced there: dry to sweet, still and sparkling, red, white, and rosé. There is a strong Burgundian influence, as many winemakers head to Burgundy early in their career to learn their craft. [click to continue…]
by katrin on August 11, 2010
Katrin: Glenn and I had such a great time at the first Mystery Meet at Ten Tables that we were quite eager to attend the second one regardless of the location that Seth Resler had chosen. Of course we were also excited to find out where it would be. Ten Tables would be difficult to top! In a wonderful and mysterious fashion, Seth had been releasing clues over the past couple of weeks – the restaurant is in Boston, we would be dining family-style, and the chef, who had been featured on the cover of Stuff in the past year, is a marathoner.
The day before the dinner, our hunch that it might be Myers + Chang was proven to be right. Myers + Chang had been on my list since it opened in 2008, but for one reason or another I just hadn’t made it over there.
Glenn: I worked in a hotel for many years and formed friendships with several Chinese women. When their children married, I was invited to the wedding banquet in Chinatown. The evening would be a somewhat wild and raucous event with many courses arriving one after another. And the Mystery Meet at Myers+ Chang reminded of those good times, though without the Crown Royal. We were seated banquet-style at one long table. The food, arriving family-style, kept coming – and for the most part – coming. There were eight items in all, highlighting Joanne Chang and Matthew Barros imaginative mash-up approach to Vietnamese, Thai, and Taiwanese cuisines. I really couldn’t pick a favorite – the dishes were all so well done – though I did feast on the wok-roasted mussels and indulged in the palate-soothing tofu and broccoli chow fun. [click to continue…]
by glenn on July 19, 2010
Central Bottle and Provision is a busy place. A wine shop with a unique and well chosen inventory of wines from small producers, delicious take-away food and a great cheese wall and case, it has an ambitious calendar of events – chef demos, meet- and- greets with winemakers, a weekly wine bar (or the occasional beer bar) and a staff of congenial folks who actually appear to enjoy their jobs. There is also a seasonal cheese series consisting of four classes – spring, summer, fall and winter. The series is moderated by cheese master Robert Aguilera and David Seaton, the cheesemonger of Central Bottle. I had missed the spring class – I was at The Wine Riot - but I signed up early for the summer session which was devoted entirely to goat cheese. [click to continue…]
by glenn on July 15, 2010
Glenn – What a concept! Combine social media and networking with foodies and end up with an event at a restaurant. I know that the success of the Korean taco trucks in L.A. is fueled by Twitter – but this is Boston and Mystery Meet is the new frontier in the internet food scene here. The premise of Mystery Meet is simple – contact foodies through email and Twitter and announce a date for a tasting event. Then, closer to the date, announce the location. People show up and have a great time. And we did. This was the inaugural event hosted by Mystery Meet and was a success.
Katrin - Alternative dining experiences have intrigued the winedinewith.us team since before the launch of our blog, leading to the creation of the Sunday Night Supper Club and participating in underground dinners. Founded by Seth Resler, the Mystery Meet is a fabulous way to meet local foodies and try different restaurants.
Glenn – I had always wanted to eat at Ten Tables but traveling to Jamaica Plain can be daunting. Their second location in Cambridge, in the space vacated by Craigie Street Bistro – now Craigie on Main – is much more accessible for me. After checking out the menu online to get a feel for the chef’’s cuisine – and finding it quite appealing – I was looking forward to the Mystery Meet.
Katrin – I first checked out the wine list and thought that it was carefully selected and interesting. Plus the menu looked great.
Glenn – The tasting menu – 4 courses for $40 – was well planned – composed salad, fish course, meat course and dessert – some items chosen from the current menu while others were created especially for the event. For an additional $25, wines could be paired with each course. I thought this to be great value. I would be hard pressed to pick my favorite course – all were freshly and thoughtfully prepared using as may local ingredients as available. I appreciated the visit to our table by the chef, David Punch, to discuss the food and answer our questions, but also to inadvertently receive kudos for such fine food. Also, service, under the direction of Ian Rose, the GM, was outstanding.
Katrin – The salad (Prosciutto Americano with Asparagus, Fava Beans, Shaved Pecorino, Walnuts
& Black Truffle Vinaigrette) was a perfect starter. Those of us who opted for the wine pairing had the choice of three white wines. The second course was the fish course. Some at our table had cod over cherry tomatoes and cucumber gazpacho; others got the bluefish with sugar snaps, yellow Indian woman beans and spicy chorizo sauce. The accompanying wine was the Jean Luc Colombo Rose. I’m not a big fan of bluefish, but it was well done with a savory and crispy top. The next course was a stand out: Berkshire pork over freshly-shucked corn with chipotle butter. And finally, the dessert. Again some of us had the rich chocolate terrine with sea salt and Thai basil ice cream and others Greek yogurt panna cotta with strawberries and saba. (Foodie quiz of the day – “What is saba?”)
Glenn – I really enjoyed the wines we were served. Also, I thought it quite hospitable to offer several choices for each course rather than just being given a pour. The Colombard and Ugni Blanc blend from Gascony was the perfect summer white – aromatic, lemony and crisp. Since I’m a fan of Crus Beaujolais, I was pleased to be offered a Moulin a Vent. And, as a former pastry chef, the selection of dessert wines was varied and gratifying – a late harvest Zinfandel, a Banyuls and Vin Doux Naturel of Petit Manseng.
Katrin – Super idea, Seth! Great execution, Ten Tables! Thanks for a fun evening!
by rodney on April 27, 2010
Last Saturday, my friend, BU Wine School Classmate and proprietor of East Side Market, Steve Neidhardt asked me to host the weekly tasting at The Main Course in Canton, MA. I had some big shoes to fill for ”The Wine Guy”, Steve’s alter ego at The Main Course, but I was up for the challenge. Well, the wine challenge at least, since I was told that there was no mistaking Steve for me by Bob “The Butcher”, The Main Course’s backbone. (I’ll forgo detailing the differences in the name of modesty). If that wasn’t proof enough, every third customer asked “Where’s Steve today?”
The Main Course is a purveyor of fine meats, seafood (fresh daily), prepared foods and, most of all, an exceptionally fun and friendly experience. Us city dwellers often avoid and fear the ‘burbs, but it is worth becoming a regular, even if you’re not a local. Come in for the Saturday tasting and leave with all the fixings for the evening’s dinner.
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by glenn on April 19, 2010
GLENN – Let’s get this out of the way at the get-go. I was not the oldest person at the Wine Riot – I was the second oldest. The Second Glass, sponsor of the event, aims for a young demographic and panders to the perception that older wine lovers are wine snobs ready to shoot down any young wine novice who wanders into their range of fire. Come to the Wine Riot, taste among your own kind and don’t worry about the disapproval of the geezers. The language used to push the Wine Riot is actually humorous – Really, what is a “baller wine”, really?
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by glenn on April 13, 2010
On Sunday April 11th, The Bueno Queso Social Club held the inaugural meeting of its fourth year. Previously, I’ve written about my passion for cheese and the BQSC in the post “It’s the Most Wonderful Class of the Year“. Now, once again, we were gathered for further gastronomic adventures with Robert at the helm ably complimented by Derek the wine guy. In addition to our usual chef, Morgan Bigley, we had a guest chef, Robert from The Butcher Shop. All were assisted by Judy from the sushi and wine shop Seiyo. The theme for this class was charcuterie – the ancient art of preserving meat through curing, smoking, salting and the manufacture and cooking of various forcemeats. Robert also had a line-up of cheeses to round out the menu. Derek’s choice of wine was mainly Italian – according to him, Italian wines and charcuterie make the best pairings. On to Round One…….. [click to continue…]
