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Swirl Wine Bar & Market

3143 Ponce de Leon Street
New Orleans, La 70119
504.304.0635

Hours (Wine Bar & Market)

Monday 12-7
Tuesday-Thursday 11-8ish...
Friday 11-9
Saturday 11-8ish...


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Pasta e Ceci

A classic Italian soup, I fell in love with this the first time I had a version of it at Ristorante Del Porto in Covington. I've been thinking about it ever since, so I played around with a recipe last week and was very pleased with the outcome. It is rich and creamy even though it has no dairy or cream and was the perfect meal on Ash Wednesday to wind down after a LONG Mardi Gras season!

Like the Holy Trinity of New Orleans cuisine, a "soffritto" is the starting point for many Italian soups, sauces and stews. While locally we use equal parts onion, celery and green peppers, in Italy the base is usually a combination of carrots, onion and celery with the proportions of each depending on what you are cooking.

If I had more time I would have soaked dried chick peas overnight and made a homemade chicken stock. But, it was the day after Mardi Gras and I just couldn't deal with all of that! So here is a relatively quick version of this delicious, hearty, Italian classic!

Ingredients
1/3 C. olive oil
1 med. onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 6" sprig of rosemary, finely chopped
2 cans chickpeas
3 T. tomato paste
3-1/2 cups chicken stock
3-4 ounces small pasta shapes (ditalini are preferred, but I used orecchietti)
1/4 -1/2 tsp peperoncino
grated parmigiano-reggiano
basil chopped
premium olive oil
Salt and pepper to season


Directions
1. Pour the olive oil into a heavy based saucepan and heat gently. Add the rosemary to the pan and fry over a gentle heat till it begins to release its aroma.
2. Add the onions, carrots and celery to the pan and fry over a gentle heat till soft and golden.
3. Add the tomato paste and fry for just a couple of minutes before adding the cooked chickpeas, stock and peperoncino. Simmer for approx 20mins, then remove about half of the soup and process through a food mill (use a blender if you don't have a food mill). Return the pureed soup to the pan.
4. Add the raw pasta then simmer gently, stirring regularly to make sure the pasta doesn't start sticking to the base of the pan. Add a little more water/stock if necessary.
5. Once the pasta is done, let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
6. Sprinkle with cheese, basil, salt and pepper and serve with a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Wine of the Moment, Farnese Montepulciano D'Abruzzo

My love for Italian wine keeps me constantly on the look out for lesser known wines that represent great values and easy drinking. After our food and wine tour of Sicily, southern Italy is where it's at for me right now. And while Abruzzo is just barely considered part of the Mezzogiorno, its mountains have shielded it from the northern influences, aligning its culture, cuisine and wine making styles more closely related to that of the south.

If you head due east from Rome, you'll run into the region of Abruzzo, bordered by the Appenines Mountains to the west, the Adriactic Sea to the east and home to the Montepulciano grape. Montepulciano is one of Italy's most important grapes, and it is the defining variety for Abruzzo just as Sangiovese is for Tuscany and Aglianico is for Campagnia.

Stylistically you have two different wines that are produced from the Montepulciano grape; the young, more common fruit forward type seduces the palate with velvety mouthfeel balanced by a rustic edge that keeps it intriguing and the more tannic, ageworthy style from the Colline Teramane zone.

This young, easy, Farnese Montepulciano D'Abruzzo is the former and made by a prodcuer that’s been making wine for over four centuries in the Colline Teramane zone. An incredible value, it brings ripe, luscious fruit, satin-textured bramble, black cherry and wild berry flavors with soft leather and a touch of earth. This wine will be an ideal pairing with the Creole Daube featured recipe this week!

A steal at $12.99!

Delectable Daube

"A Sunday Morning Breakfast". Photo of interior of Madame Begue's Restaurant, 1894

In a New York Times article dated December 29, 1907, readers learned the secrets behind making Daube d’Italienne according to a recipe from the restaurant made famous by Madame Begué in New Orleans. The restaurant’s namesake had died the previous year and operations were taken over by her daughter and son-in-law, the Anouilles.

“Lard a nice piece of beef,” the recipe stated, “about three inches thick with strips of fat ham and pieces of mashed garlic.” Louisiana colonial cooks routinely used hog lard and bear fat for their flour-based thickening agent (or roux). Then “brown the meat thoroughly on both sides,” adding both “carrots and onions, and enough water to cover the whole.” The suggested seasonings were “salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaf and parsley.” After putting this over the fire early “in the morning” and cooking “slowly without interruption at least eight hours” (and with a few other steps), one was to serve the meat that evening over macaroni along with “a good sprinkling of grated Italian cheese”. (click here for a PDF scan of the original NYT article)

From its humble beginnings, the New Orleans Beef Daube is a wonderful example of how French and Italian cooking merge in this food mecca, be it in restaurants or at home. In its classic French form, daube (pronounced dohb) is a beef roast that is larded or stuffed with salt pork slivers and cooked in broth and wine until tender. But the simple, home-style version that developed over the years adds a Sicilian twist that can be as simple as a beef roast cooked in red gravy until falling apart and served with spaghetti.

So here is the classic New Orleans Creole Daube recipe that Dale Curry and New Orleans Magazine put out in an article in 2005 on "Saving the Daube". Don’t be off put by the long slow-cooking process. The dish can simmer on the stove with little attention while you catch up on rest and relaxation.

Creole Daube

• 3-pound rump roast
• 5 cloves garlic, 2 slivered and 3 minced
• Salt, Pepper, Creole seasoning
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 large onion chopped
  
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 2 ribs celery chopped
  
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
  
• 1 cup red wine
  
• 1 14-ounce can beef broth
  
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne to taste
  
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  

Directions

With a sharp knife or ice pick, punch holes in the roast about 2 inches apart and stuff with slivers of garlic. Rub roast generously with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven and brown roast well on all sides over medium-high heat. When browned, take roast out of pot and set aside.

In the same oil, sauté onion, bell pepper and celery over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook for 5 more minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it almost begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 more minutes. Add wine, beef broth, Italian seasoning, cayenne, salt if needed and sugar and stir well.

Return roast to pot, fat side up, turn fire to low, cover and simmer for 4 hours or until roast is very tender. Stir well every hour and turn roast over halfway through cooking. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with spaghetti. Serves 6.

Pair with the Farnese Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, this weeks wine of the moment!

Recipe and photo from myneworleans.com, New Orleans Magazine February 2005, "Saving the Daube".

Ex-Saints Player Makes Extraordinare Wine

What do you get when you combine an ex-NFL safety with a degree in genetics and a passion for farming? Terry Hoage, the two time All-American from Georgia, actually spent a year with the Saints after being drafted by Bum Phillips, but was waived the next year by new coach Jim Mora. He then went on to a very successful 5 years with the Philadelphia Eagles, followed by another 6 years playing with Washington Redskins, Houston Oilers, San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals. Terry retired from football in 1996 the rest of the story goes like this:

Terry Hoage's transformation from highly regarded NFL safety to highly regarded vintner began like a bad joke: "A guy walks into a bar. . . ." In 2000 the guy, Hoage, moved with his wife, Jennifer, and two children from Phoenix (his 13-year career with six teams had ended with the Cardinals in 1996), to California, eventually landing in Paso Robles, a burgeoning wine center two hours north of Santa Barbara. Hoage stopped by a local watering hole and hit it off with a group of thirtysomethings who happened to be oenophiles--"the wine geniuses of Paso Robles," he calls them. Under the guidance of his new friends, Hoage bought a 26-acre plot, where one of the geniuses, Justin Smith, helped him plant vines and provided him with the facilities and equipment to make his wine. Within a few years Hoage had his own 3,000-square-foot winery; his first vintage, in 2005, produced 100 barrels.

Hoage does everything from marketing his product and leading tours (with Jennifer's help) to fixing the tractor. He produces roughly 2,000 cases a year of wines that bear sly names like The Hedge Syrah, referring both to a pruning technique and to a fabled feature of the stadium at Georgia, where Hoage was an All-America both on the field and in the classroom. (He graduated with a degree in genetics and a 3.8 GPA.) Far from being an aspiring Mondavi, Hoage has capped his production and says he's happy to remain a boutique winemaker. For him the business is less a moneymaking venture than a means to challenge himself. "I tend to get bored pretty easily," he says. "But here I get to be a scientist, an engineer, a marketer--I even taught myself to weld. I can be killing gophers in the afternoon and leading a wine tasting at night!" (article from sports illustrated)

One of the true "Rhone Rangers" of California, Terry's small production, highly rated wines made exclusively from Rhone varietals, Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre, Counoise, Cinsault, Grenache Blanc and Roussane are extraordinare examples of gorgeous, rich, lush wines that embody the spirit of the Rhone, in a ripe, California style. The wines blew us away when we tasted them, and with Parker scores rarely under 90 points, I think you'll be very impressed as well! In his August 2009 edition of the Wine Advocate, Parker says of the 2006 Block Five, "This is the kind of wine the Central Coast should be producing more, an intriguing blend that is both hedonistically and intellectually pleasing".

We are excited to have Terry and his wife Jennifer in the shop on Tuesday, February 23 at 6:30pm for a tasting of his wines. Meet the Hoage's, taste some great wine, get your bottles signed and have a little fun with us. Here's what we'll be tasting:


“The Gap” Cuvee Blanc 2008 -Fragrant jasmine and marmalade mingle with dried apricot and perfumed powder, a medium bodied white blend of Grenache Blanc and Roussanne has a juicy intensity and a lingering floral honeysuckle finish with terrific crisp acidity. 60% Grenache Blanc and 40% Roussanne. 100 cases produced

“Bam Bam” Estate Rose 2008 - Aromas of juicy ripe strawberry and cherry blossom entice the nose of this lovely pink rose. Showing nice weight on the palette, and displaying excellent fruitiness and great acidity. Excellent for enjoying on a hot evening. 80% Syrah 20% Grenache. 110 cases produced.

“The Hedge” Syrah 2006 - (RP 89, WS 92) Pure ripe chunky fruit with boysenberry, ripe black cherry,and wild blackberry. Layered with Vosges chocolate and dried black Þg, and nuances of sweet tobacco, loamy earth,and perfumed purple violets. Finishes with pure fruit and spicy licorice. Firm tannins mellow with airing. Long and lingering finish. 100% Syrah. 405 cases produced.

“5 Blocks” Cuvee 2006 – (RP 90, WS 90) Uncommon depth and concentration of huge blackberry, huckleberry and cassis with subtle notes of smoke and creamy stewed caramelized morel mushroom. This lovely blend is fleshy and concentrated with long spicy pepper and anise finish. Firm ripe tannins will further smooth with cellaring. 57% Syrah, 29% Grenache, 7% Mourvedre and 7% Cinsault. 365 cases produced

“The 46” Grenache-Syrah 2006- (RP 90, WS 92) Has amazing fruit purity and range of flavors, from freshly picked blackberries and ripe plums, kirsch, mineral, spice and earthy truffle. Graceful mouthfeel with velvety tannins on the intense lingering finish that has a touch of bittersweet chocolate and just the right amount of acidity to carry the long finish . 50% Grenache 50% Syrah. 485 cases produced.

“The Pick” Cuvee 2006 - (RP 90, WS 89) Bright fruit of wild blackberry with cranberry notes that are vivid and youthful, yet intense and focused, herb de Provence, white peppery spice, earthy mushroom Þll the palette. Finishes long and persistent with forest mushrooms, spice and smoky toast. 54% Grenache, 23% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 8% Counoise. 310 cases produced.

Club Swirl February Selections From Spain

Part wine club, part discount program, "club swirl" offers a great way to try new and exciting wines from around the world. Benefits include our 2 wines of the month, discounts on all wine purchases and tastings, invitations to special members only tastings, advance email notices on special wines brought into the store and more for only $39.99/month! Memberships applications are available, call 504.304.0635 for more details.

2007 Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat

If anyone embodies the promise and spirit of “The New Spain,” it is 43-year-old Alvaro Palacios. His L’Ermita is widely considered—along with Peter Sisseck’s Dominio de Pingus— to be the most important Spanish wine in a generation.

One of nine children born to the owners of Rioja’s respected Palacios Remondo, Alvaro studied enology in Bordeaux, while working under Jean-Pierre Moueix at Chateau Pétrus. He credits his tenure at Pétrus for much of his winemaking philosophy and for showing him “the importance of great wines.”

Alvaro could have returned to the security of his family’s domaine. Instead, he was drawn to remote and wildly beautiful Priorat, 60 miles from Barcelona, which had been one of Spain’s important pre-Phylloxera wine regions. With its unique terroir of steep hills and terraces Alvaro believed that here he could make a wine that was like a cross between Pétrus and Grange.

In 1995, the flow of critical praise for Alvaro’s L’Ermita began, and it hasn’t stopped. But while L’Ermita has received most of the attention, Alvaro produces other wines compelling in their own rights: Finca Dofí, Les Terrasses and Camins.

The 2007 Camins del Priorat marks the first year for this exciting entry level Priorat by the man considered the region’s greatest producer. It is a blend of 30% Garnacha, 60% Cariñena, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah made from vines that are 10-50 years old, aged in 100% French oak for 8 months, then bottled unfiltered. Red berry fruits, meat, spice, pepper and oak on the nose. It's a medium bodied Priorat, with lovely dense plum and red berry fruit, lots of pepper and spice and a real juicy core, oak is integrated and crucially the tannins are ripe making it very approachable now. It's got a lovely meaty savory character along with the berry fruits. It's a delicious approachable style with fabulous fruit. A real winner for drinking over the next 3-5 years, though really enjoyable now.


2007 Bodegas Zarate Albarino

Bodegas Zarate is among the oldest family growers of Albariño in Galicia, with their first release in 1950. This tiny 7 hectare farm with very old vines and single vineyard releases is the most eclectic and terroir-driven estate in Galicia. Ernesto Zarate was one of the pioneers in the production of Albariño in the 1950s.

Today winemaker Eulogio Pomares Botana studied in both Bordeaux and then Germany to investigate parallels between Albariño and Riesling. His first vintage was 2000 and he has steadily been upgrading technology but, mainly, improving quality in the 11 vineyards which they either buy from or own. Average vine age is an impressive 35 years and some are being planted, ungrafted, with a view to biodynamic viticulture. As in so much of this area, granite soils predominate.

The estate is dedicated entirely to the Albariño variety and it’s century-old vineyards, expressing the character of each vineyard in the wines. The 6.54 hectare estate and it’s 11 vineyards are located in the villages of Sisán and Padrenda which lie in the Salnés Valley (the northwest subzone of Rias Baixas). All of the family vineyards are planted with Albariño and this level of focus and dedication to quality puts the wines in high demand, leaving only tiny quantities for markets outside of Spain.

The Zarate is 100% estate grown Albarino, aged in stainless steel with 6 months sur lie. It is pure and unadulterated Albariño fruit that is strongly mineral and very focused and tight. Unlike some paler versions of Albariño, this wine should drink well for the next 2-3 years.



2005 Bodegas Castano Solanera

Located in Southeastern Spain, the region of Yecla lies to the east of Jumilla and to the west of Alicante. The Yecla region’s progressive leader, Bodegas Castaño, has long been an advocate of the Monastrell varietal, also known as Mourvèdre. The varietal is best regarded for its influence on the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape where the terroir and climate is not dissimilar to that of Yecla. Both benefit from a very warm, Mediterranean climate with warm days and nights.
Created by Ramon Castaño Santa and his 3 sons, Bodegas Castaño is not nearly as old as the vines it owns. Starting quite small, the family has nurtured old plantings and re-planted other parcels and now owns about 400 hectares (10% of the D.O.) in four prime vineyard estates.

Bodegas Castaño, as it is known today for its entrepreneurial spirit, focus and vision, really begun in the early 80’s when it slowly and carefully started to experiment with bottling and its state of the art winery facility. The family’s commitment to both quality and the Monastrell variety is unparalleled. Today, Daniel Castaño, one of Ramon’s sons, runs the winery with the help of other members of the family.

The 2005 Solanera is a blend of 65% Monastrell, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Garnacha Tintorera aged in French oak. It reveals an expressive perfume of underbrush, licorice, graphite, blueberry, and black cherry. This is followed by an elegant, intense, smooth-textured wine with tons of red and black fruit, excellent balance, and a lengthy finish. This tasty effort will drink well over the next four years.

Kerry's Game Face

Who Dat! Headin' to the Quarter before the big game....

Krewe of Cork Parade

Celebrating in the streets with Jeanne and Bruno.

What an amazing day! Six straight hours of Taittinger Champagne, lots of fun with our friends from Republic and the shop, great costumes and a festive parade through the Quarter. And of course Clovis was the perfect Grand Marshall for the event!

Photo by Michael DeMocker, Times Picayune

Lisa's Birthday Dinner

Our friend Lisa's birthday was last week and with our crazy schedule we didn't have time to do anything special for her so we decided to cook her dinner on Sunday night. Kerry wanted to serve bubbly (of course!) and I wanted to serve an Italian red (of course!) so we decided to just drink them both knowing that Lisa would be happy with whatever we opened!

As usual I had a specific wine in mind when I planned the menu. Knowing how much I love the wines and foods of the Bastianich family, our friend Monica from Neat Wines brought 2006 Bastianich Calabrone a few weeks ago. New to their portfolio, the nose alone told me I had to have it. Besides the fact that it is only released in excellent vintages, and that it is a an unusual blend of 40% Merlot, 45% Refosco, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Pignolo, the other thing that makes "Super Friulian" so special is the vinification process. To punch up the flavors and soften the tannins of the Refosco and Cabernet Franc they take 30% of the best clusters of the grapes and hang them in a ventilated hilltop attic for a four to eight week drying period. This appassimento process, similar to Amarone, as well as the aging for 2 years in oak and another in bottle before release, results in a truly special wine (so special it was served to the Pope during his visit to New York in 2008!). Deep red fruits, velvety texture, powerful, elegant, with some delicious spices, cocoa and espresso, notes this needs some robust food!

Enough about the wine, what about the food?? Since I've been on such pasta kick lately, I decided to make some fresh pappardelle and do a Porcini and Pancetta Cream Sauce. And what better to accompany the pasta than a big steak served Tuscan style and a nice salad with heirloom lettuces and mache.

So, the pasta; to make the pappardelle I used my usual recipe for Pasta all'Uovo. Once you roll out the sheets, cut them in half crosswise to make 10 strips about a foot long and 5" wide. Lay them out in trays, in layers, lightly floured and covered with towels. Take one of the strips, and lay it out on a floured board; dust the top with flour as well. Starting at one end, fold the sheet over on itself in thirds or quarters, creating a small rectangle with 3 or 4 layers of pasta.

With a sharp knife, cut cleanly through the folded dough crosswise in 1-1/2-inch wide strips. Separate and unfold the strips, shaking them into long noodles. Sprinkle liberally with flour so they don't stick together. Fold, cut, and unfurl all the rolled pasta sheets this way, and spread them out on a floured tray. Leave them uncovered, to air-dry at room temperature until ready to cook.



The Sauce:
Ingredients

* 3/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
* 1-1/2 cups hot water
* 1 pound pappardelle
* 2 tablespoon olive oil
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1-1/2 ounces pancetta
* 1/3 cup minced shallots
* 3 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
* dash of truffle oil
* 3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
* salt
* freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

Place the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl, cover with the hot water, and let sit until reconstituted and soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and their liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, squeezing the mushrooms to extract as much liquid as possible. Reserve the liquid and roughly chop the mushrooms. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Have it ready to go, because the fresh pasta cooks very quickly.

Meanwhile, a little of the oil in a large skillet and brown the pancetta. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Add the rest of the oil and melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushrooms, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the reserved mushroom liquid, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is nearly all evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream, thyme, salt, pancetta, dash of truffle oil and pepper and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cream is reduced and thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of the cheese and the parsley and stir to incorporate.

Add the pappardelle to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 2 to 4 minutes for fresh pasta. Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the sauce, tossing well to coat. Add 2 more tablespoons of the cheese, toss, and remove from the heat. Serve immediately and use the rest of the cheese for garnish on the plates.


And the steak? My version of bistecca fiorentina, the first time we made this was with freshly cut Chianina beef steaks over an open fire in a villa in Tuscany with 8 of our close friends. Although we'll never be able to recreate that special experience, it is still one of my favorite preparations and it always take me back to that magical night.

Grill some fresh t-bones rubbed in olive oil, salt and pepper, they should be pretty rare. While the steaks are cooking, fry a big handful of fresh sage and some rosemary in a good amount of olive oil until the sage leaves are crispy.

When the steaks are done, put them on a cutting board and thinly (1/4") slice the meat of the bone. Put the meat on a serving dish and pour the hot olive oil and herb mixture over to finish cooking and seal in the juicy flavor. Salt and pepper to taste.

Buon Appetito!

Wine of the Moment, 2005 Hope and Grace Cabernet

Charles Hendricks has been part of the California wine scene for quite a while. Since the early eighties he has been making wine for clients such as Viader, Barnett, Regusci, Paoletti and Bacio Divino. His wine making style has created award winning wines coveted by wine collectors and celebrated by leaders in the wine industries. But, as do most winemakers, he always had the dream of producing his own wine.

In 2001, he was given an unexpected opportunity to purchase Pinot Noir grapes from the renowned, Robert Talbott, Sleepy Hollow Vineyards. Having to move quickly to secure these amazing grapes, Charles needed a place to crush and store his new found fortune, and his friend Jim Regusci graciously lent a hand in getting started. Realizing that this is really happening, Charles went in search of a name…he thought of two attributes that he has in life, his daughters, Hope & Grace Hendricks. And his dream became a reality....Today, his production has grown to a total of approximately 2,000 cases, and includes his award winning Chardonnay, Pinot Noirs, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignons.

The fruit for the 2005 Hope & Grace Cabernet comes from one of California's oldest continuously-owned family vineyards in the Napa Valley. The vineyards of the historic Lewelling estate were established in 1864 near the western foothills in St. Helena by pioneer winegrower and horticulturist John Lewelling. His great, great grandchildren still farm a 28-acre vineyard on a portion of the original estate, where they make their own wine and sell their grapes to a handful of quality producers like Charles Hendricks.

This wine is 100% Cabernet and is aged for full 2 years in French oak before release. They only make 950 cases of this and we're excited to have it as part of our lineup in our tasting this Tuesday with Charles Hendricks at Swirl.

Charles' Notes: The 2005 vintage was a bountiful harvest that produced vibrant, fruit rich wines. This is Hope & Graces’ second vintage of 100 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon from the renowned Lewelling Family Vineyard in the St. Helena, Napa Valley Appellation. Intense aromas of cocoa powder, dark berries and black licorice come forward with the first swirl, followed by undertones of spicy plum, marjoram and lead pencil. Fully textured, the plum and cherry flavors broaden with the sumptuous weight of the wine across the palate. The wine leaves the mouth with the vibrant fruit of the vintage.

Wine of the Moment, Hinomaru Jozo Manabita Junmai Ginjo

While I love all of the premium sake in our upcoming tasting this week, the one that stood out the most for me in terms of it's unique flavor and quality was the Hinomaru Jozo Manabito Junmai Ginjo. With a subtle fruitiness, it is complex, rich and smooth with a hint of earthiness. As much as I enjoyed it by itself, I've since had it with food and found it an amazing pairing with fresh tuna. You can taste it on Wednesday and I liked it so much, I've added to our list of sake available at the bar!

Founded in 1689, Hinomaru Jozo has been producing sake for the people of Akita for more than 320 years. Its rich history and loyal fan base have allowed the brewery to specialize in premium production. For the sakes in the Manabito line, this dedication to excellence means the sakes are bottle-aged for an extra year before being released. This unique practice, more similar in concept to wine production, is a source of great pride for the brewery. According to owner Jouji Sato, “the bottle aging prevents oxidation and flavor loss, and preserves our exceptional quality.”

The brewery’s meticulous attention to detail in sake making extends to their rice as well. All of the sake rice used in the Manabito sakes is specially commissioned by the brewery. Amazingly, many of the farmers who spend the warmer months growing rice then spend their winters as brewery workers, turning that rice into sake. The name “Manabito” is taken from a local mountain that overlooks the fields where the sake rice is grown, emphasizing the importance of that essential ingredient to the brewery.

With sakes that are both traditional and refined, it is no surprise that Hinomaru Jozo has been able to survive for such a long time. In fact, the brewery was founded so long ago that it is the only brewery in the country allowed to use the Hinomaru name, which is also the name of Japan’s national flag. After such a long history, Hinomaru Jozo is proud to finally introduce Americans to the essence of Akita found in every bottle of Manabito sake.

$21.50

Sake Sommelier Linda Noel Kawabata

Fevelo for News

Bronx-born sake sommelier Linda Noel Kawabata found 'soul of Japan,' new career in sake


Monday, November 2nd 2009
Article by New York Daily News
Clem Richardson

Even people who make appointments with her are usually surprised to meet Linda Noel Kawabata.

"I'll come in the door and people will be looking past me for some little Japanese lady," said the Bronx-born, African-American Kawabata.

Blame the mix-up on Kawabata's job as much as her last name. She is a sake sommelier, the U.S. Brand manager for Akita Sake Promotion and Export Council, a consortium of five sake - Japanese rice-wine - breweries.

Two consortium members, Hinomaru Brewery and Suzuki Shuzouten, have been making sake since 1689.

As a sommelier, Kawabata is versed in all things sake - not just which goes with what occasion or which is better hot or cold, but also in minutia like how different types of rice, milling processes and even the containers the sake is stored in affect the final product.

"Sake is the distilled essence of the Japanese soul," said Kawabata, who lived in Japan for more than two decades. "Sake is a part of every important ceremony. Couples aren't considered married in a Shinto ceremony until they take three sips of sake."

As brand manager, Kawabata crosses North America holding tastings for sake experts and initiates alike. She has had several in New York City - the next will be 5 p.m. Nov. 9 at Morrell Wines Bar and Cafe on Seventh Ave. between 48th and 49th Sts.

Scheduled appearances are also listed at aspec-sake.com.

Kawabata gleaned her sake knowledge from mentor John Gauntner, an American and recognized sake expert who has written several books and runs the Sake World Web site (sake-world.com).

But Kawabata came to the subject with hard earned expertise of her own, knowledge that she unknowingly earned throughout her many careers which shared a common theme: "Learn as much as you can from the best people in the field."

It started with how parents Arthur James Noel and Polyanna Noel raised their three daughters in the South Bronx. Kawabata is an identical twin - her sister, an art gallery operator who changed her name to Noel to honor their late father, "has one dimple and I have two," Kawabata said.

Kawabata, then Linda Noel, was an associated health editor for Essence Magazine in the early 1970s when a colleague introduced her to Atsuhiko Kawabata, a Japanese journalist stationed in New York.

"It was like someone struck a match," when they met, Kawabata said, despite his being 20 years older.

Puzzled by how Americans had so much of everything but were still getting sick, Kawabata resigned her position and set out with her husband on a years long quest to find, "somewhere in this world, a formula for wellness," she said.

Their journey took them through Africa, India and Indonesia, ending in Toyko, but only after the Kawabatas spent years living in a farmhouse on Mount Kuju in western Japan, where she taught yoga classes to local farmers.

"Rice was part of the diet everywhere we traveled," she said. "By the time I started studying sake in the late 1990s I knew a lot about the different varieties of rice, so I applied that knowledge to sake."

Atsuhiko Kawabata died in 2000. The couple have a daughter, Hanako, who lives in Charlotte, N.C.

Link to original article: Soul of Japan

dc 10 does brunch!

High from the Saint’s victory on Saturday, the dc10 celebrated the quite decisive win over the Cardinals with a delicious theme of "brunch". Be it the Saints win, and the euphoria that accompanied it, or the fact that it was brunch and we were all a little sharper, everyone seemed to agree that this was our best yet. The food was taken to another level this weekend as each dish was truly spectacular and thoughts of how were going to top this one will keep everyone on their toes.

We were a full 45 minutes late with our fresh egg ravioli taking more time to assemble than anticipated. But we arrived to a very cheery group (normally we would be severely chastised for being so late!) sipping on Cat and Gabe’s Fiery Fresh Bloody Marys. Rimmed in fennel, coriander and celery salt and made with the fresh juice of 9 different vegetables, fruits and herbs and topped with jalapeno ice cubes, they were a refreshingly spicy start to our day. Served with the amuse of Smoked Salmon Canapés on Rye Toasts with Fresh Dill Hollandaise and garnished with salted capers, they were perfect together and was my favorite pairing of the meal.

Next up was Chris and Treana who were a little tense during their prep time in the kitchen, but when the dish came to the table, we could see why. A take on Japanese brunch of dim sum, they created a Shrimp and Scallion Bun artfully served with a smear of Hoison sauce. Filled with egg, shrimp and scallions, the gently fried, soft, homemade buns melted in your mouth with the hoison adding the perfect combination of salty sweet accents. Admitting that the wine was more of an after thought with all that went into getting the dish right, they served the 2004 Alfred Merkelback Spatlese Urzinger Wurzgarten which ended up pairing quite well with the food.

We had preassembled everything for our dish so all we had to do was basically boil the ravioli, fry the pancetta, brown the butter, plate and garnish. Due to the whole fresh egg yokes in the ravioli, we refrigerated them when we got there, so they were a bit too cold when we put them in the boiling water. I probably should have boiled them a bit longer, but I had to be careful not to overcook the eggs, making the pasta a little more al dente than we would have liked. After plating, we garnished with a drizzle of the butter, a few pieces of the fried pancetta, sea salt, fresh pepper, grated piave cheese and a sprinkle of Kerry’s arugula micro greens. Sunny Side Up Eggs with a Side of Bacon, Italian Style (click here for recipe)! It was pretty cool to see the bright orange egg yoke running out of the ravioli when cut and all of the ingredients paired well together. Our wine was not quite right with the dish as the Ajello Grillo-Cataratto blend from Sicily had a little too much acid to complement the food, but enjoyable none-the-less!

Our hosts, Lucie and Matt went for a Mexican inspired entrée, serving up Scrambled Egg and Blackbean Tacos, Chipotle Mojo marinated Pork Loin with Red Mole`, and delicious sides of Habenero Salsa Fresca, Fresh Fruit with a Spicy Rub, Guacamole, and Queso Fresca. There were so many amazing flavors on the plate, but I think everyone seemed to agree that Matt’s Red Mole was the best any of us had ever had. Served with the refreshingly different Rum Spiked Horchata, Mexican rice milk with a little vanilla, cinnamon and sugar, we were all in gastronomic heaven. Needing to rest our stomachs a bit before dessert, we all rolled into the living room to watch a little of the Dallas/Minnesota game.

Monica and Neal were up next with their Mardi Gras inspired dessert of King Cake Bread Pudding served with “Fun Coffee”. Using a traditional king cake as their base, they prepared deliciously gooey and rich bread pudding topped with purple green and gold sugar and served with a Bourbon and chocolate spiced coffee to give us all a little kick to get through the rest of the afternoon. As full as I was, I ate every bit and even some of Kerry’s, it was a fabulous end to our afternoon!

After 4 hours of eating, drinking, watching football, gossiping and talking about our amazing Saints, we went our separate ways, completely satiated, a few pounds heavier and just a little tipsy. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Pasta for Breakfast?

Ok, so maybe we've taken our love of pasta a bit too far this time, but when we saw this preparation on iron chef, we knew it would be perfect for our upcoming dc10 theme of "brunch". So here's the deal. We've put our own spin on the recipe and made large ravioli stuffed with the usual ricotta and herb filling, but then topped it off with a fresh egg yoke before covering it with the 2nd sheet of pasta. We boiled them, just like you do regular ravioli and then plated them drizzled in melted butter and a little pancetta. Sunnyside up with a side of bacon, Italian style!

My standard pasta recipe is Lidia Bastianich's from her book Lidia's Italian Table. It is simple, delicate and comes out perfect every time I've made it. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer for the initial blending and then add the attachments when it is time to roll it out. I use farm fresh eggs (the fresher the better) that we buy from Justin Pitts at the Crescent City Farmer's Market when possible.

Make the dough first. I've taken the time to type Lidia's recipe word for word and added photos of the steps. You will have lots of left over dough to make regular ravioli or cut it into fettuccine. Click here for Pasta all'Uovo

I did the dough, Kerry came up with filling and we assembled them together. A fun, albeit a bit stressful, Sunday morning in the kitchen... I think the dc10 brunch was our best event yet!

Serves 12

Ravioli Ingredients
2 medium shallots
10-12 oz. fresh spinach
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Peperoncino
1 stick butter
1 t. freshly chopped dill
fresh nutmeg
10-12 oz. fresh ricotta
12 fresh egg yokes (reserve a little of the whites to brush the edges of ravioli
6 oz. pancetta, cut 1/2" slices
Freshly grated Piave or Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese
Fresh pasta sheets, see link to recipe above


Directions
Chop shallots and saute in 1 T. of the butter with a few generous grinds of black pepper and a pinch of peperoncino. When shallots are clear, add spinach and stir until spinach is wilted. Add dill and salt to tasted. Be sure all of the water has cooked out of the spinach, but be careful not to over cook.

Transfer cooked spinach to a cutting board and let cool for a few minutes. Place ricotta in a bowl and grate a small amount of nutmeg in (to taste, and you don't need much). Add cooled spinach and shallot mixture and blend well. Add more salt to taste. If mixture seems to "spinachy" add a little more ricotta. Proportions are not too critical here, you just need to have a good consistency to make the nests for the egg. Taste and add more pepper if desired.

Now you are ready for the fun part! Find a glass or something you can use to make roughly a 5" in diameter circle. Take your sheets of fresh pasta that have been resting for the past 15 minutes, and cut them in half so that each sheet is roughly 6" x 15" (this will make them a little easier to work with). Flour your surface to keep the sheets from sticking. Take your glass and gently mark out 4 ravioli on a sheet. Spoon about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the ricotta mix in the center of each of the four circles. Form the mixture into little, equally shaped nests using a teaspoon or your fingers, their rims have to be high enough to keep the egg yolks from escaping.

Carefully divide the eggs (the egg yolks must stay whole) and gently place one yolk in the center of each ricotta nest. Take one of the unused egg whites and brush the pasta around the ricotta, in order to make the pasta sheets stick together well. Gently place another pasta sheet over the ricotta/egg yolk arrangements and tightly seal each one to avoid any air trapped inside. Stamp out the individual ravioli with your glass or mark and cut with a pasta cutter. Repeat 2 more times until you've made 12 ravioli.



Cook the ravioli in a large pan of salted, slightly boiling water for two to three minutes until just al dente, but with the egg yolks still runny. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a frying pan and brown for a few minutes if desired. In another pan brown the pancetta. Drain the ravioli using a skimmer, place on a warm dish, then top with the butter, freshly ground pepper, a little extra grated Parmesan and place the pancetta on the side. Prepare for an amazing gastronomic experience!

Pasta all'Uovo - Basic Egg Pasta Dough

My standard pasta recipe is Lidia Bastianich's from her book Lidia's Italian Table. It is simple, delicate and comes out perfect every time I've made it. I use my Kitchen Aid Mixer for the initial blending and then add the pasta roller attachments when it is time to roll it out. When possible, I like to use farm fresh eggs (the fresher the better) that we buy from Justin Pitts at the Crescent City Farmer's Market.


This is Lidia's recipe when using an electric mixer. Her book also details mixing the dough by hand as well as with a food processor.

Ingredients
4 cups unbleached flour
6 large eggs
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. olive oil
warm water as needed

Directions
Place all but 1/3 cup of flour in the mixing bowl of a of a heavy duty electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, salt and olive oil together until blended. With the mixer on low speed, pour the egg mixture into the mixing bowl. Knead just until the mixture comes together to form a rough dough. If necessary, drizzle a very small amount of warm water into the bowl.


Remove the dough from the bowl and knead using the remaining flour, and more if necessary, using the following method.Once you have formed a rough dough, it is ready to knead. Flour a marble or wooden work surface. Press the heel of one handing deep into the dough, keeping your fingers high. Then press down on the dough while pushing it firmly away from you-the dough will stretch and roll under your hand like a large shell. Turn the dough over, then press into the dough first with the knuckles of one hand, then with the other; do this about ten times with the knuckles of each hand. Use the knuckles of your forefingers especially during this process.


Then repeat the stretching and "knuckling" process, using more flour if needed to prevent sticking, until the dough is smooth and silky, 10-2o minutes. Roll the dough into a smooth ball.Place the dough in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature, or up to 1 day in the refrigerator, before rolling and shaping the pasta. If the dough has been refrigerated, let it stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before rolling and shaping.


Rolling the dough with a pasta machine (I used the Kitchen Aid attachments). Cut the ball of dough into 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a rectangle about 5x3 inches. Lightly flour the pasta rectangles and cover them with a kitchen towel. Set the rollers of the pasta machine to the widest setting. Pass one of the pasta rectangles through the rollers long side first, then pass it though the rollers a second time. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Keep the dough lightly floured-just enough to prevent if from sticking to the rollers. Reduce the width by one setting and pass each piece of dough through the rollers two times. Support the dough with your hand as it comes through the rollers-don't pull it though, or the dough will shrink so it is narrower than the width of the rollers.


Continue working with the pieces of dough in the same order and reducing the width one setting each time until all pieces of dough have been passed through to the proper setting. (Each pasta machine is different. Consult the directions for proper setting of your equipment the type of pasta you are making); the pasta sheets should be about 5-1/2 x 30 inches. Always keep the pieces of dough that aren't being rolled covered with a towel. If you find the dough is very elastic, let all pieces rest for 5 to 10 minutes before continuing. Once all pasta has been rolled into sheets, let them rest, completely covered with towels, for about 15 minutes before cutting them.

Now comes the fun part of deciding what you want to do with these beautiful sheets of dough. Linguine and fettuccine will need another cutting attachment or a hand crank pasta roller. Lasagna, ravioli, papardelle, cannelloni can all be cut by hand from this point.

The Fig Report, Week 10

There must be something in the air because the little fig cutting surprised us with not one but two new leaves this past week! Things are looking good so far! It is amazing what a little warmth and sunshine does for all of us...

Sono studentessa di italiano!

I've been wanting to learn Italian for years now. After many Italian language tapes, a conversational class at Delgado, and a few trips to Italy (and more in the future), I've decided it's time to really do this. Most likely the oldest person registered in the Italian I class at UNO, can one learn a new language at middle age? My swiss cheese like memory and crazy schedule will make it challenging, but what the hell? What am I waiting for? Do what you want to do now, who knows what could be coming your way....I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Rocca Delle Macie, Chianti at It's Best

Rocca Delle Macie is considered a young winery when looking at the history of most of their Tuscan neighbors. But in their short 37 years they have managed to become one of the most highly regarded producers in the Chianti Classico region. Founded by spaghetti western star, Italo Zingarelli, the winery is still family owned and operated and produces a stellar lineup of wines.

Located in Castellina in Chianti, they have built their reputation on affordable and approachable Chianti Classico and Riserva, but also produce award winning Super Tuscans including the Ser Gioveto and Roccato. I tasted the whole line up of wines last week with Jimmy Buckle of Palm Bay Imports to chose our wines for our upcoming tasting on Tuesday with Rocca Delle Macie's Vito Candela. Presented with 8 amazing wines, it was hard to narrow it down to 6 for the tasting, but I decided to stick with what these guys do best, Sangiovese. From the light and easy Rubizzo to the seriously structured Roccato, you experience the many faces of this grape from the best production areas in Tuscany.

If I had to pick a favorite from the group, it would have to be the 2005 Chianti Classico Riserva. It is 90% Sangiovese with a touch of Merlot and Cabernet, that spends 2 years in French oak and a minimum of 3 months in bottle before they release it. It's got everything a great Chianti should have; beautiful cherry fruit with a slight tobacco note, a richness in the mouth, nice structure without being overly dry and tannic, the wine over delivers for the price.

But the Roccato Super Tuscan was a huge favorite among the tasters as well, showcasing the classic combination of Sangiovese and Cabernet. One of their premier high scorers with multiple Tre Bicchieri awards under its belt, this shows terrific red fruits with spice notes, cocoa, vanilla and rich fig and coffee.

So there will be something for everyone at this tasting, except white wine lovers will feel a little cheated. Being a classic Tuscan producer, the will only be one white wine, the Occhio a Vento which showcases the Vermentino grape. Call if you are interested in attending, we're limiting it to 40 people and the cost is $12. 504.304.0635, Tuesday 1/20, 6:30pm.

Sake to Me, Baby!

Needing to get the menu set for our upcoming sake tasting and food pairing, Chris Noyes sat down with Chef Dan Esses, Ron and me to taste through the lineup for next week. Hands down the best sake I've ever tasted, these are all new to the market and being brought in by Winebow. We were all blown away by the quality, complexity and individuality of the wines which inspired Chef Dan to come up with an amazing menu. Check it out below, but if you are interested, don't wait too long, we only have 8 spots left...504.304.0635.

Handmade Apple Pork Sausage over Braised Cabbage topped with Pickled Onion paired with Naba Shoten Futsuu-shu

Chef Daniel's BBQ Shrimp over Popcorn Rice paired with Suzuki Shuzoten Honjozo

Crab Salad over Fried Green Tomato paired with Akita Seishu Junmai Ginjo

Smoked Brisket with Spicy BBQ Sauce paired with Akita Seishu Junmai

Fish & Chips, Fried Gulf Fish with Handmade Sweet Potato Chips paired with Hinomaru Jozo Junmai Ginjo

Baked Oysters with Cheesy Mornay Sauce paired with Tenju Shuzo Junmai Daiginjo

Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms

Trying to decided what I wanted to cook to accompany Kerry's chicken dish she prepared last week, I picked up a beautiful clump of oyster mushrooms at Whole Foods. Originally from Asia his delicate white mushroom is ideal for simple preparations that allow its sweet, woodsy flavor to come through. It is now cultivated around the world and is highly praised for its medicinal and pharmacological value due to its high content of statins which help to control cholesterol. So hopefully that help to balance out all of the butter and fat I used for this recipe...

We opened up a 2001 Poliziano Asinone Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to pair with the chicken dish, but it actually worked better with the mushrooms. The wine was fabulous, but it has hit its peak so we better drink that last bottle we've been saving soon!


Ingredients
1/2 lb. fresh oyster mushrooms
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, cut into small half inch pieces
2 T. Marsala
1/4 C. water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
-Separate the mushrooms by hand tearing each one away from the clump.
-Take a large saute pan and add the butter and oil over medium heat until the butter starts to foam.
-Add the pancetta and stir until browned.
-Now add the mushrooms, coat with the butter/oil and turn up the heat to medium high. Once it starts to sizzle, add the marsala and water and cook until mushrooms are softened but still have a bit of a crunch.
-Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!