pierrot's Profile
Corkage fee at retail shop/winebar
Based on the example listed, $5 corkage is a bargain compared to any wine bar or restaurant.
Retail markup is much lower than a restaurant markup (approximately 1 1/2 versus 3-4 even 5 times bottle cost at a restaurant) Most restaurants will argue that the extreme mark up is needed to cover their cost in glassware and service. If an on premise wine bar offers all that at only an added $5 cost, that's an awesome deal.
Do those who object to the $5 corkage feel as strongly about restaurant markups? Not to mention that to bring the bottle to a restaurant they would also pay corkage (often $15-20) for the same service?
How do I know when my CI skillet is 'Hot" enough?
This was a le creuset enamel coated cast iron pan. May be the enamel coating makes the difference?
They told me that, you get the pan hot, and then turn the heat down. Leaving it on a high heat will change the tempering of the iron essentially, making it brittle and the pan will shatter.
This is all second hand information, i could be completly wrong, I'm just looking for clarification.
How do I know when my CI skillet is 'Hot" enough?
While on the topic of heating cast irons, a friend of mine (and this really is a friend, ie, not me) was heating a cast iron pan on high and the pan shattered. Since i had also purchased the same pan for searing etc, i went back to the store and asked. They said that if you heat it for to long, at to high a heat then the iron will become very brittle and break apart.
However, the sales person could not really explain exactly how long, or how high a heat should be avoided. Any thoughts on this?
More Monsanto conspiring against consumers
Interesting link! I have a hard time thinking of an organization that is backed by or in any way affiliated with Monsanto as being "grass roots."
If they think the consumer is "confused" by such information and they have information that shows that there are no health concerns for synthetic growth hormones, why not mount a campaign to inform, rather than try to restrict options. I mean, that's what the egg people did when everyone was concerned about cholesterol, and now we have that great jingle, "I like eggs, from my head down to my legs..."
I fail to see how removing information will help to clarify any issues for the consumer.
I like hormone free milk, as long as I have a choice, that's what I buy.
Sunday night restaurants
You had a bad experience, I had a bad experience, on this basis our opinions negate each other.
But i couldn't say much for the ambiance at Sweets and savories, it was intolerably cold and they were playing bad french radio, complete with commercial breaks, the walls were mostly bare and badly painted and i already mentioned the very bad service.
While you may not like the style, the atmosphere at avec was lively and welcoming, i had no trouble with the seats and they do offer cushions (i saw several people with them), it's an informal style of restaurant, it's not trying to be fine dining. It's related to blackbird, so i'm surprised you didn't like it more.
Sunday night restaurants
Personally, I would skip sweets & savories. I was pretty disappointed by their food, service and wine/beer list. Our server was often no where to be found, though there were only two other tables, I "accidently" ordered soup, b/c i asked him what the soup du jour was. clearly he was not listening. They are fairly pricey yet, IMHO, deliver very little.
I would, in its place, recommend avec, which is open until 10, but doesn't take reservations. The food was delicious, the service was attentive. I showed up on Saturday at 7:30 and had a 45 minute wait for 2. A fun wine list, with many off the beaten path choices, we tried the brandade app as well as sausage stuffed bacon wrapped dates, both very well done and served with freshly baked bread. next was wood fired pizza with lamb sausage, garnished with parsley and red onion. deep, rich flavors- cinnamon, garlic...best pizza i've had to date. dinner was pork shoulder with slab bacon and pork belly. need i say more? lots of bold, rich flavors balanced by subtle spices. the food was awesome. Price wise, it's inline with sweets and savories, but there are also more options to choose from and you can get an assortment of dishes and share. (i could not eat all of that by myself!)
$75 a glass for Krug Champagne?
I'm referring to all sparkling wines. Champagne will keep but other sparkling wines, depending on the method of production, will not hold up as well.
However, there will probably be some loss in aromatics after being opened for a long period of time (overnight or nights)- while many customers will not notice this, a loss in fizz is more dramatic, hence my suspicion the restaurant wants to protect itself from losing any money on an open bottle.
Even with champagne sealers, vacuum stoppers etc, there is oxygen that has come into contact with the wine, has dissolved into it and the wine will begin to degrade- it is wine specific which ones will be okay the next day (or two) and which ones will not.
As for the pricing, i was also speaking of sparkling wines in general, they seem to have the highest markup over that of still wines when compared to average retail prices.
$75 a glass for Krug Champagne?
It has been my experience that restaurants will put the highest markups on their bubblies- even more than the cost of the bottle. I suppose the reason being that, if poured by the glass, if the whole bottle does not sell than it will not be good, or as good, the next day. The markup must be higher to offset any loss in profit. This is hardly justified in my opinion, along with markups in general, but hey, I don't see that stopping anyone.
Sulfite free wines
Though I do hear this type of complaint and reasoning often- "I was at a party/bar/dinner and drinking such and such wine and I got a headache so i must be allergic to sulfites..."
People don't seem to take quantity into account when trying to figure out the cause of their headaches.
Capsules and Customs
Part of the idea of it is to leave the bottle as intact as possible, as a sign of respect for the wine (it should be handled as delicately as possible) and also to make a better presentation for the customer. this is old school french style.
Sweet vs. Fruity (or???) as a descriptor
You've pretty much hit the nail on the head, people confuse the sensation of fruit flavor with that of "sweetness" There are a number of wine terms that are confusing for people, dry is another one.
Different areas on the tongue respond to different sensations- only the tip of the tongue tastes for sweetness. If this area of the tongue does not respond to the wine, there is little to no sugar in the wine.
Alcohol can mimick the sensation of sweetness, so Zinfandel, which gets a pretty hich alcohol content in addition to it's bright fruit, can be a good choice.
When recommending a wine, I always clarify what someone is asking for, as so many wine terms confuse people and they may ask for the opposite of what they want. And to get everyone on the same page, sometimes a little bit of technical jargon can be of help. But most often, in order to avoid more confusion- I ask what other wines they enjoy- and those looking for a sweeter red typically gravitate to fruit forward styles, not those with RS. Another area is acidity- some people see a similarity between bright acidity and fresh fruit and end up in the "this wine is not dry" camp, yet they love a CA chard with a lower level of acidity and typically a higher RS- go figure.
WSET VS ISG wine courses
I haven't taken the WSET, but I have taken the first two levels of the ISG, and will be taking the 3rd in September. I really enjoyed the course, it presents a lot of information in a very focused and manageable way. It was a lot of work and requires a lot of studying, but is very rewarding.
Though it is less well known in America (compared to the Court of Master Soms) it is based in Canada and therefore may be very useful there. If you are just starting out in the industry, it is a great way to jump in and become familiar with just about everything you could need to know. It may be daunting if you are taking it for personal interest. The first level focuses a lot on vineyard care and management which may be of less interest to you and if you are not interested in memorizing yield restrictions and minimum sugar levels etc, the second will be very challenging. The WSET does offer some courses just for those looking to enhance their personal enjoyment of wine, rather than those pursuing a career in wine.
As to what you can do with the degrees and certification- The ISG is very useful to those interested in becoming a Sommelier or managing a wine program or wine shop. The WSET is highly regarded and most of the people I have met who have pursued this degree are less in the service realm and more in the writing/reviewing area.
Childhood literary chow memories
My two faves:
Blueberries for Sal- Though I grew up In Jersey, I was lucky enough to spend a lot of summers in Maine and New Hampshire- this is the book that managed to keep me going the rest of the year! (as well as instilling a love for canning fruits and veggies)
My Side of the Mountain- I loved his recipe for acorn pancakes and the other various roots and vegetables he managed to subsist on, and his desciptions of the cooking tools he managed to create were great to- using tin cans and making his own plates and bowls out of scrap wood. This inspired many daydreams of running off and making my own way in the woods.
Food Magazines
My three faves:
Gourmet- out of all the mags i get, the find myself making the recipes from this one the most.
Saveur- for the stories and photos.
Cooks Illustrated- b/c they give the science and reasoning behind why the recipes work- and i have yet to attempt one of their recipes that didn't turn out perfectly.
These all offer great insights and I've found a number of favorite recipes that i keep returning to. Though I don't subscribe to Cooks, but only buy it off the shelf when the recipes interest me.
I'm looking for a book about American food
James Beard's The American Cookery, gives traditional recipes along with how they developed.
Open that Bottle Night
It seems to me that part of the problem here is how the question was asked: as a statement.
It makes little sense to ask for a recommendation in this manner, though many people do. But as one who often receives this type of statement, it can be difficult to dissuade some people from making such mistakes.
When it comes to wine, people have a lot of hang ups. They are unsure, and would rather take a "safe bet" than try something new- in this case, sticking to a grape that they are familiar with even though lasagna will do very little to make a "great Cab" shine. And for most people, food and wine pairing is an unfamiliar idea- instead of choosing a wine and food that match, they choose on the basis that the wine is "good" and the food is "good" and therefor both a good choice for dinner.
I do typically pair wines with food from their country, but I don't think that one necessitates the other- there are many good matches to be had and it's experimenting and trying new combinations that is half the fun!
Pomello- recipes?
So I happened to pick one of these up the other day just for curiosity's sake and though I assume I can just use it in place of a grapefruit- are there any preparations that would really showcase the fruit best?
It's rather large and intimidating on it's own and so I hesitate to cut into it not knowing how tart or acidic it might be.
NY Foodies visiting Chicago
I think you will really enjoy Kaze Sushi, it's one of my favorites- and I think on Tuesdays, they offer a half price tasting menu with wine pairings- $45. A great deal and a great way to get an idea of the restaurant.
Another place to check out:
Hot Doug's- awesome house made sausages and on weekends, duck fat fries
Butter and Garlic fries...
I've not had "garlic fries" as such, but The hopleaf serves their fries with garlic aoilli, truly delicious
Where is the must dine spot while visiting?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think jestein means taleggio, a creamy italian cheese from lombardy (and one of my favorites)
It looks similar to brie, but with much deeper flavors- meaty, nutty, slightly salty. the richness of the cheese offsets the earthy pungent tone to make for an incredibly delicious experience- and a great pairing for italian reds such as Barbaresco, Chianti Riserva, Taurasi, Valpo Ripasso...
Lost in the Wineshop: is this common?
Are we referring to the same type of deals? such as a buy a case, get a magnum? Recently I saw one company trying to meet it's target number, offer buy 10 cases get 20 free. I know there are lots of "off the book" deals, but these are in formal writing.
Lost in the Wineshop: is this common?
Though, I think the laws differ from state to state- In Michigan any kind of free good is seen as bribery- while in Illinois it's pretty much a free for all (case deals and free goods abound)
Best place to get chocolates?
In terms of pricing, Cocorouge is one par with Vosges, and between the two, I pick CocoRouge- the flavors are more balanced, more complex and more creative.
It is a matter of taste, but that doesn't make CocoRouge not worth trying.
Best Merlot
I just tasted through their line up a few days ago and was pretty impressed with all their stuff.
Their Meritage style was really good, a very vibrant acidity, the Syrah reminded me of some St. Josephs that I have had, though with more forward oak and a rich mocha tone underneath.
Wine glasses
I'm really fond of Bottega del Vino- they are expensive, but they are very hard to break. They have been dropped, tipped over and bumped against hard surfaces but have yet to chip or break. I just have the "Chardonnay" glass, but I use it as an "all purpose" glass.
Ravenscroft makes some affordable glasses, their white wine glass is essentially just a larger size of the INAO tasting glass and this is what I use for tasting at work.
Best Merlot
If you like Northstar, try DiStefano, it's less expensive but just good (if not better) IMO.
