Humble Beginnings, Italian Soffritto

I've been craving pasta ever since we returned from Tuscany last week.  You see we ate it every day, sometimes multiple times a day, for two weeks straight.  And what is fascinating about pasta in Italy is that you can eat it that many times and never eat the same dish twice.  Because each place you visit has their own specialty shape or type of pasta, different sauce or preparation.  There was the rich and decadent chestnut flour ravioli at La Buccacia, or the wild boar ragu at Enoteca Fonterutoli, and the rustic pici pasta in Montepulciano, ricotta gnocchi at La Grotta, the paccheri giganti from Napoli, not to mention the Roman classics we ate our last night like Pasta Carbonara and L'Amatriciana.  The list is endless, but what I've really been craving lately in the lasagna made by our favorite Italian nonna in Cortona who spends all day making us 2 big pans of the most delicious layers you've ever tasted that we ate at our first dinner in the villa on Sunday night.  I decided yesterday to invite a few friends over for dinner so I could see how close I could come to her divine dish.

Paglia e Fieno Pasta at La Braccesca

But I have along way to go until I actually get to start assembling, not because it is a complicated recipe, but one with many steps that allows you to achieve something really special in a simple dish like lasagna.  And the first step is the soffritto. 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.

To begin to make the meat ragu, I first need the soffritto.  Using the recipe in Frances Mayes new Tuscan Sun cookbook, I began the long journey to tomorrow's lasagna!

 
Soffritto
Makes 1 cup:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
1 carrot, minced
1 stick of celery, minced
1 handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Mince the onion, carrot, celery and parley, do not use a food processor, take the time properly achieve a fine texture. I like to mince each separately and then combine all and mince together.  Saute the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium low heat until they begin to color and turn tender, she says 5-7 minutes, I say 10-12 minutes!

Orvieto: Day Tripping in Umbria

Our base in Cortona makes the region of Umbria just a short distance away and Tuesday we spent the day in the medieval city of Orvieto. Few places in Italy are more dramatically situated than this Umbrian town, which sits atop a cliff of red volcanic rock. A stronghold in Etruscan times, sacked by the Romans, reborn in the Middle Ages, Orvieto has one of the most beautiful duomos in Italy, ancient churches and towers, as well as a maze of quarries, tunnels and tufo cellars.



We took the funiculare up the hill from Orvieto Scalo so we could start the day with a trip down to Pozzo di St. Patrizio. In 1527, in the day following the sacking of Rome, Pope Clement VII took refuge in Orvieto. To provision the town with water in case of siege or conflict, this well was built, based on a plan of Antonio da Sangallo il Giovane. The St. Patrick's Well, completed in 1537, features two double-spiralled stairwells of 248 steps made for easier transportation of water.



We checked out the Etruscan temple ruins and then meandered down to the duomo with it's stunning gothic facade of mosaics and bas-reliefs, rivaling the famous duomo in Siena. Inside we were treated to beautiful frescos painted by Cortona born Luca Signorelli, said to be the inspiration for Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel.



By now our stomach's were grumbling so we went in search of another famous item in Umbria, porchetta. Porchetta is a savory, fatty, moist, boneless pork roast that is said to have originated in Umbria and can be eaten on almost every corner, at every bar, at every food stand when passing through the area. They take a whole pig, gut it, debone it, and stuff it with rosemary, salt, garlic, fennel, lard, pig organs, pepper, whatever your special wild herb mix is…and then slow roast it over a wood fire. We ducked in to Catina Foresi right by the duomo, and ordered a round of Porchetta Panini for the group.


Skeptical at first about the size of the sandwich and the lack of mayonnaise, feelings soon turned upon first bite of the moist, succulent meat finished off with a little olive oil and washed down with the local Orvieto white wine. After a round of espresso, everyone was off to shop for ceramics while a few of us searched for gelato before we headed back to Cortona for our Bistecca dinner at Trattoria Dardano.


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La Braccesca and Montepulciano

We had a great day visiting one of the Antinori family properties located about 15 miles outside of Cortona. While Antinori is a huge producer, La Bracessca is a small estate that has a unique geographical position in that it sits right on the border of the Vino Nobile DOCG and the Cortona DOC.






After a wonderful tour of the facility by Francesca, we were treated to lunch of local foods paired with their wines. They have a beautiful room with huge windows that overlook the surrounding vineyards.





The views were spectacular and it was a real treat to taste both the Montepulciano and Cortona wines.


The pasta course...


And the bistecca hot off the grill...


Followed by a fabulous panna cotta and a delicious Aleatico dessert wine...



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A Beautiful Beginning: Sunday in Toscana

We had a great start to our trip yesterday, our first full day in Toscano. The weather was absolutely gorgeous with bright sunshine and a comfortable 70 degrees. I started with a run/hike up St. Egidio mountain using the CAI (club alpino italiano) map of the Arezzo region as my guide. The trails are very well marked and took me on a quite strenuous trek for about 2 hours.



After a quick bite to eat we joined up with the group at the villa for our tour of the upper part of Cortona with a wonderful guided tour of the Chiesa di San Niccolo from the 13th century that features two beautiful paintings by famed Renaissance artist Luca Signorelli.



Next was the trek up the hill to the beautiful church of Patron Saint of Cortona, Santa Margherita and then to the very top of the hill to the Fortezza built by the Medici in the 1500's. Stunning scenery and a wonderful look at the culture and architecture of Cortona from medieval to the renaissance, we worked up quite an appetite and walked back to the villa for our panini lunch.



A leisurely lunch featuring regional meats and cheeses (sheep's cheese rules here!) with a few bottles of Prosecco and finished off with shots of espresso, we moved on to the next activity of the day. Antonio took a group to the Etruscan Museum, while the rest of us shopped, strolled the quaint streets and of course had a gelato while we sat on the steps of the Palazzo Communale taking in the scene.



Dinner was homemade lasagna from our favorite Italian nonna who makes the best ever with many layers of thin, thin pasta sheets, a bechamel sauce and beef ragu. We topped it off with a big salad, fresh buffalo milk mozzarella and tomatoes (my favorites from Southern Italy), and ended with Vin Santo AND limoncello!

Needles to say, everyone went to bed relaxed with full stomachs and fuzzy heads, waiting to see what the next day would bring!


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Antonio's Italy 2012 Begins!

We've moved from one spectacular view to another as we arrived in Cortona Italy Saturday afternoon. It was a long day of traveling as we left the fabulous Villa Le Sirene at 5:45am for the long, winding trip to Naples, then a train to Rome where we said arrividerci to our friends and said buongiorno to our new group of travelers. Another train to Cortona where everyone settled in to their home for the week in this gorgeous 14th century village.



We had a wonderful "light" lunch of regional cured meats, cheeses and vegetables accompanied by a few bottles of local wines. But more eating and wine drinking awaited as we walk to the center of town looking for our dinner at the beautiful Ristorante La Logetta overlooking the main piazza. We are off to a good start! Ciao!


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Treasures from the Sea

Scattered among the shiny black pebbles, the lovely worn pieces of colored terra-cotta are a source of mystery and fascination for tourists on the Amalfi Coast beaches. Whether strolling or lounging, you can't resist their call to sift and comb through the small rocks curiously seeking a bright spot of color, an interesting pattern or an eye pleasing shape. We don't know how they got here or where they came from but they are wonderful, little mementos from the beckoning aqua blue seas...
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La Nostra Buona Fortuna

Today was one of those wonderful days where from a disappointing morning arose the most perfect afternoon. The plan today was to take our friends to da Adolfo, one of my favorite beachside restaurants from our last visit. But when I called for a reservation this morning there was no answer and I found out from our friend Chiara that they are not yet open for the season. So she recommended her friend Sonia's place that sits on the beach right beside the now sadly vacant spot of da Adolfo. We had some miscommunication about our arrival so after a few phone calls to Chiara they arranged a private boat to pick us up in Positano and take us the short but breathtakingly beautiful trip to Laurito beach where Le Sirene is located.

Le Sirene is a small hotel and restaurant that shares the tiny pebble beach nestled in between the cliffs with da Adolfo. As the boat pulled up to the shore the scene that awaited was the stuff dreams are made of...a special table set for us right on the beach just a few feet from water's edge complete with a with a bottle of prosecco and the most gorgeous plate of bruschetta anticipating our arrival. Since the day was cool, there were no sunbathers, only a few dinners from the hotel, so we basically had the beautiful, peaceful beach to ourselves.


Sonia rushed to greet us and get us settled at our table. As we toasted with prosecco and sunk our teeth into that delicious bruschetta, we asked Sonia to chose our meal giving very little guidance as to what our stomachs could hold. I can't even begin to describe all of the platters of the freshest most incredible seafood, "appetizers" and pasta that arrived at our table. Mussles and clams in a lemon and rosemary broth, octopus carpacciao, insalta del mare, marinated raw tuna, gnocchi with zucchini, spaghetti in a seafood broth; the giant plates of food just kept coming.


We ate like queens in an unimaginably gorgeous setting, toasting our good fortune, enjoying each other's company, drinking regional wine and dining on the local dishes. Although is was sad to see the vacant space that last year was the scene of so much activity at da Adolfo, Sonia made the afternoon an absolutely unforgettable experience for us all! Grazie mille Sonia, we will be back!

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Just another week in paradise...

"Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you are gone.” John Steinbeck

It is an amazing thing to sit on this balcony and listen to the wonderful little town below wake up. The gentle sound of the ocean lapping against the pebble shore, the shop keepers sweeping up their small piece of treasured real estate, cats meowing at the door of the pescheria, dishing clinking in the open air restaurants on the beach and the birds softly singing their Sunday morning songs; this is our second trip here in less than a year and I still feel like I've stepped into paradise.

You never know when you come back to a place if it will have the same impact it did on your first visit. The breathtaking beauty is now familiar and comforting, the friends you made are even more welcoming than before, and while I look forward to returning to some of our favorite spots, I can't wait to discover new people and places. And as I sit here on our first full day, I know already that I'll be back, because this place affects me deep in my soul and there is no way, or reason, to resist its tug on my heart.


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Wild About Rosé Tasting Series

Some give credit to the Egyptians for its creation, others to the Greeks but most agree that France, especially Provence, has been the capital of rosé production for centuries.  By the time that the Romans reached the area in 125 BC, the rosé wine produced there had a reputation across the Mediterranean for its high quality. From the delicate, dry rosé of the Anjou in the Loire valley and pale style clairets of Bordeaux, the popularity of rosé swept over all of Europe and have historically been a part of everyday life.

Pretty much every winemaking region in the world produces some sort of rosé whether it be a sparkling, still or dessert style. While European rosé has usually been produced in a dry style, it was the US that began the "blush", sweet style wines that became popular in the late 1970's.   As a result, many Americans unfortunately still associate "white zinfandel" with all rosé wine and are missing out on a whole world of fabulously dry, flavorful and incredibly diverse wines.

Rosé is basically a lighter style red wine, made with red wine grape varieties, served cold.  Red wine gets its color from the dark grape skins being in contact with the juice, so if you remove the skins early and shorten the time of contact, you'll get pink wine.  And those same skins also give red wine its tannins, so by removing them early you get a pink wine that is structurally more similar to white.

We've always been huge fans of rosé and over the years have made a concentrated effort to educate our customers on the value of rosé for food pairing and quaffing.  A good supply of them is in the shop no matter what the season, but the number of offerings increases in the summertime and our Friday tastings almost always include a rosé.  Well something seemed to click last summer as New Orleanians, and the rest of the US, are finally embracing it and giving rosé its due. According to Nielsen Company, rosé sales in the US market grew 26.1% in 2011 and I excpect 2012 will see an even bigger jump.

Our efforts, combined with Bacchanal and their very popular rosé fest, WINO and other fine wine shops in the city, have paid off and people are coming to the shop in droves wanting to experiment with rosé.  In fact our best selling wine over the past two weeks has been the 2011 Charles & Charles Syrah Rosé with 10 cases sold in less than 2 weeks!

So I've been on a quest to find the best of the 2011 rosés, telling our reps to bring them in as soon as they arrive so we can taste and decide which of these lovely, refreshing pink wines we should stock for your, and our, drinking pleasure.  As promised, we've been sorting our of favorites to taste at our Flite Nite on Wednesday, April 18.  But since there are so many good rosés continuing to come in, I've decided to hold 3 different tastings over the summer with the first featuring the impeccable wines from Southern France.  So please join us this Wednesday for Wild About Rosé Part I, a flight of 6 wines from France.  The tasting is $15 and will feature 6 wines presented by myself, Mike Fabianski and sommelier Kimi Kirivania and I can't tell you how excited we all are about this event!  Due to the interest we've received, reservations are recommended, call 504.304.0635 to hold your spots.  We will accepts walk-ins as spacing permits.

Farm to Table on the Rise in New Orleans

From Covey Rise Farms in Husser

There are a few things we can actually thank Katrina for. We were forced to move forward and embrace change faster than our usual snail's pace.  People came from around the world with new ideas and fervent energy, bringing their forward thinking global consciousness to the city that care forgot.  Combined with the strong will and survival instincts of New Orleanians, a city known for it's decadence and overindulgence is now focused on green building practices, sustainable energy and, most exciting to me, a fast growing farm to table movement.

Lucky for us, we've always had a strong and unique local food culture primarily based on our seafood industry.  Chefs like John Besh, Emeril Lagasse and John Folse and culinary activist Poppy Tooker helped put New Orleans on the map as a unique destination for local food and flavors.  Their longtime support of our fishermen and local farmers markets put meaning to farm to table well before the term was coined. 

Mike Fabianski, HGMF

Now we have even stronger support and more access to our local growers through the Crescent City Farmers Market and the Hollygrove Market and Farm as well as the many community gardens that are popping up all over the city. Young entrepreneurs and chefs are embracing our culinary roots like never before and we are reaping the benefits.  In the last few weeks we've visited three farm to table restaurants and were thrilled with the options we now have for well priced restaurants that support our local food economy.


Maurepas Foods in the Marigny - Chef Michael Doyle, formerly of Dante's Kitchen, has been a Swirl supporter for years.  It's been great to hear about the progress of the project and his dreams brought to life in this renovated corner store on Burgundy Street.  We've visited a few times now and have had great experiences.  From the carefully selected wine list, artfully crafted and affordable cocktails and fresh, creative twists on local food favorites presented in an energetic, comfortable atmosphere, Maurepas Foods should be high on your list of places to try. Maurepas Food, 3200 Burgundy St., at Louisa, 504.267.0072, is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Satsuma Cafe

Satsuma in the Marigny has been a favorite of ours for a while now, but we've been hearing rave reviews about their newly renovated kitchen and added dinner options.  The quiet, intimate atmosphere was perfect for us and the fact that you could bring your own wine for a $5 corkage?  Priceless...Anyway the food was delicious from start to finish, the best ceviche I've ever had, a lamb bolognese that was out of this world, truly everything was delightful!  We will soon be considered regulars...  Satsuma Cafe,  3218 Dauphine St. | 504.304.5962

Sweet Olive in the Saint Hotel - We were looking for a new spot to celebrate a few birthdays with friends and Mike Fabianski (of swirl and HGMF fame) recommended we try Sweet Olive. Beautiful presentations, a wine list that offers 3 or 6oz pours which makes it perfect for pairing with different dishes, and a list of local farmers and ingredients are shown on the menu.  Nice atmosphere for hotel dining with a great combination of hip yet elegant and comfortable decor, we will definitely return!  Sweet Olive, 931 Canal Street • New Orleans, LA 70112 • Tel: 504.522.5400

Wild About Rosé, Chronicles of the 2011 Season, Part 2

We had a great week of rosé tasting and are working hard to find you the very best of the 2011 vintage.  Two standouts for the week were the 2011 Charles & Charles Syrah Rosé from Washington, and the 2011 Fabre Montmayou Rosé from Argentina, while the biggest disappointment was the Farnese Cerasuolo (due to an ordering error the 2009 vintage arrived instead of the 2011), which unfortunately was not an age worthy rosé...

So onto our two gems of the week...Jared Breaux showed up at our weekly tasting and social hour on Tuesday with a little beauty from Argentina, the Fabre Montmayou. Yet another Bordeaux producer who found a home in the mountains of Argentina, Hevré Joyaux Fabre makes this Malbec/Merlot blend with all estate grown, hand harvested fruit from vineyards at 3800 feet.  Bright strawberry and juicy red cherries, nicely balanced acidity and a dry finish, it screams for light fare from the grill.  At $13.50, you gotta try it!

Knowing my quest for the 2011's, David Sobiesk has been gushing about two wines he's been waiting for from the two Charles', Charles Smith of K Vintners (the guy that makes some of our Washington State favorites, Kung Fu Girl, Boom Boom, Velvet Devil, etc..) and his partner in crime Charles Bieler (Three Thieves).  Together they produce the Charles & Charles label and we've been anxiously awaiting their Syrah rosé.  Dave ran into the shop with it on Friday and I just couldn't pass up the watermelon jolly rancher nose all wrapped up in a palate of vibrant red fruit, mineral, spice and racy acid.  This is your perfect summer porch lounging, bayou sitting, picnic wine and we've got three cases coming in Monday or Tuesday.  We can't wait for you to try it, so we are featuring it in our Wednesday Nite Flites this week...We're still waiting for the Charles Bieler rosé from Provence, I'll keep you posted!

Gina Warren promises to bring the Librandi from Calabria later this week, so stay tuned, I'm doing quick Facebook posts when we try something we like.  And while my quest is focused on the fresh 2011's, don't discount some of the 2010's that are in the market and drinking beautifully like the 2010 Ferraton Cotes du Rhone Rosé, 2010 Puzelet KO Rosé and the 2010 Chateau d' Aqueria Tavel Rosé.


Salute!

Wild About Rosé Chronicles 1: 2011 Domaine Salvard Cheverny

It's an exciting time of year here in New Orleans.  Everything is becoming green again, flowers are blooming, vegetables gardens are sprouting shoots, people are coming out in droves to enjoy the beautiful weather and, most importantly, the 2011 rosés are arriving!  While rosés are really perfect any time of year in New Orleans, it is always a treat to try the new releases in the "spring" and fill our shelves with our favorite picks.

I'm asking my wine reps to bring me their 2011's for the next 6 weeks and I'll feature our top picks in my "Wild About Rosé" chronicles.  At our Wednesday Nite Flites on April 18 we'll feature 5-6 of our favorites to let you be the judge of the 2011 rosé season!

And so it's begins as last week I got my first "wow" of the season with this delicious wine from the Loire Valley...

Overshadowed by it's famous neighbors Sancerre and Tourraine, the young and dynamic AOC Cheverney (AOC status since 1993, one of the youngest in France) is an often overlooked wine region that produces some stellar wines at great prices.   The white wines from this AOC are primarily Sauvignon Blanc (60-80% by regulation) with the addition of some Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Arbois. The region is also known for its rosé, sparkling wine and lighter reds made with Gamay, Cab Franc and Pinot Noir. Like the most wines of the Loire, these lovely aromatic wines are heavily influenced by the limestone, calcareous and sandy clay soils of the region.

The 2011 Domine Salvard Rosé screams Loire Valley with it's stony minerality and thirst provoking acidity, but with a blend 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Gamay, it is full of rose petals and strawberries with a touch hint of white pepper.  The Domaine has been producing wines on the land since the late 1800's through 5 hard working generations of the Delaille family. They produce very classic Loire Valley wines, elegant, fresh, simple and utterly enjoyable.

So for those of you who are fortunate enough to have a taste for rosé, this is a must try.  At $17.00 it is a gorgeous example of Loire Valley rosé and one that you simply can't stop pouring into your glass until the bottle is totally drained so you should probably have at least 2 on hand at all times!

Next up in "Wild about Rosé?  I'm trying a Cerasuolo di Abruzzo from Italy tomorrow and I heard that one of our absolute favorites from Calabria will be in this week...I'll keep you posted.

St. James Cheese + Wine Pairing Class

Our Monthly Cheese & Wine Pairing Classes at Swirl are Back!
Casey Foote from St. James Cheese will join us on Wednesday, March 28 for a new and exciting class featuring Austrian and German wines paired with a small farm sourced artisan cheeses.  We'll be comparing styles, grapes, laws, aromas, flavors and pairings! And while Casey's been practicing his accent and bringing in new, hard to pronounce cheeses, I've been searching for great selections from both of these classic wine producing countries and have come up an excitingly diverse lineup.  While there will be one German Riesling, which is one of the best cheese pairing wines on the planet, we'll also showcase a Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Noir, a Sparkling Zweigelt Rose and a red Zwiegelt as well as at least one German beer!  Neither of us has ever presented a Germanic wine and cheese class so we are really excited about this one!! This class is at Swirl on Wednesday, March 28th, 6:30pm.  Reservations and prepayment are required, limited to 25 participants.  $25, call for reservations, 504.304.0635.

Gujarati Vegetables

Thinking Inside the Box, Recipes for Your Hollygrove Box of Fresh Local Produce

As much as we've been loving all of those winter root vegetables in our Hollygrove box, sometimes it's difficult to think up new and different things to do with them.  I've always loved Madhur Jaffrey's Gujarati Carrot recipe, so we decided to do the same with a combination of kohlrabi, cabbage and carrots and it was delicious!  Tangy, earthy and naturally sweet, we served it with a dollop of yogurt along side our vegetable sambar last night.

This is a quick stir fry, the veggies should stay crunchy.  You can find all of the spices listed at the international market in Metairie.

ingredients
3 T. Coconut oil
1/2 t. mustard seeds
1/4 t. asafetida
1/2 of a large kohlrabi, peeled and grated
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 small head of cabbage, purple or green will work, core removed and finely shredded
3 hot green peppers, seeds and ribs removed, sliced into thin strips
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. turmeric
1/2 t. ground coriander
juice of 1/2 lemon or lime

directions
Heat the oil in a wok or large fry pan over medium heat.

When hot add the mustard heats and as soon they pop add the asafetida. Stir to mix.

Add kohlrabi, cabbage, carrots, chillies, salt, turmeric, coriander and lime juice. Stir and fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat while carrots are still crunchy.

 

Champagne Dumangin with Gilles Dumangin

We are very excited to have Gilles Dumangin, fifth generation Champagne producer for the house of Dumangin, as our very special guest for our Wednesday Nite Flites this week.  We met Gilles a few years ago at a French Embassy trade event featuring producers seeking representation in our region.  We fell in love with his wines and were very excited when George Brown of Vino Wholesale added them to his portfolio.  We've carried Brut Cuvee 17 from the start, added the Brut Rose last year and brought in his Premier Cru this past week, all of which you will taste in this super exciting flite nite! 

Valentine's Day treat, compliments of George Brown

The little house of Dumangin was founded by Hippolyte Dumangin in the 1890s. His descendants have maintained control of their domaine through five generations, with Gilles Dumangin, Hippolyte's great, great grandson now in charge, still assisted by his father, Jacky. The two run this successful family business from their base in Chigny-les-Roses, a small Premier Cru village lying on the Montagne de Reims, almost directly between Reims and Epernay. Jacky and Gilles tend five hectares of vineyards, scattered around Chigny-les-Roses and the nearby villages of Rilly-la-Montagne, Ludes and Taissy, the latter a little further north, right on the outskirts of Reims. The Montagne de Reims, Champagne's most northerly region, is Pinot country, and both Pinots feature quite heavily in the Dumangin portfolio.

So here's the deal, we are anticipating that this will be a very popular event so we will take reservations for two time slots, 6-7pm and 7-8pm.  We can accommodate 18 people per time slot so if you want to ensure you'll get in to taste these lovely wines and meet Gilles, please call for a reservation, 504.304.0635.  We will still accept walk in providing we have availability.  The flite is $15 for three really amazing bubblies presented by pretty cool Frenchman....

From the Dumangin webite:

Brut 17 ($45):  This cuvee made roughly of a third of each champagne grape (Meunier, Pinot Noir & Chardonnay) got its name from the tank where Jacky & Gilles Dumangin originally blended the the wine in. A balance in favour of younger wines rather than reserve cuvees, a blending that create a fresh, fruity, young champagne that will make your parties more festive. 

Brut Rose ($56):  A recipe for success: Jacky & Gilles Dumangin have chosen to blend their best wines & decrease their volume of vintage produced every year to create this unmissable pink Champagne. It is the result of 85% white champagne & 15% red wine (from the Dumangin family vineyards ) blend. The white part (54% Chardonnay & 46% Pinot Noir) ensure a powerful structure and a remarquable finesse. The added 15% red wine from Pinot Meunier create a fruity character & a delicate light salmon colour. 
 
Premier Cru ($85):  Blanc de Blancs at its best . Harvested at late maturity, carefully seletced grape from one only vineyards at the exit of Chigny Les Roses… The Chardonnay is fully expressed in this complex and fine Champagne. Keeping potential of at least 5-8 years, it releases its extra-long finish with honey notes and a flowery bouquet.

Cooking from the Box, Roasted Root Vegetables

Nothing is more simple and satisfying roasted root vegetables, and the turnips in the last few Hollygrove boxes have presented us the perfect opportunity to throw them into our usual mix.  I asked our friend and customer Jane one day how she liked to prepare turnips and her answer was roasted, of course with onions, a little olive oil and sea salt.

So that's what we've been doing lately, dressing them up a bit with fresh rosemary and balsamic vinegar, and we've become addicted!  Last week the box came with freshly pulled onions, sweet potatoes and baby turnips so we combined the three for a delicious beta carotene rich side dish.  So if you've never tried roasted turnips before, now is the time!

ingredients
-2 sweet potatoes, washed and cut into 1-1/2" chunks
-2 large turnips (or 6-8 baby), washed and quartered
-2 small onions quartered
-2 T. olive oil
-Needles from 2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
-1/2 t. sea salt
-1 t. balsamic vinegar

directions
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-Take cut root vegetables and put them in a large mixing bowl.  Add olive oil , rosemary needles, sea salt and balsamic vinegar.  Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly in the bowl until veggies are coated with the oil.
-Put on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until veggies are soft.

La Sardegna Wine Dinner at the Italian Barrel

Join us Tuesday, March 6th with Antonio Molesini for an intimate wine dinner featuring the wines of one of Italy's most diverse islands.  A beautiful menu to pair with the wines created Chef/owner Samantha Castignetti, incredible atmosphere in a true Italian style trattoria and Antonio's informative and comedic presentation make this a don't miss event.  Reservations made through Swirl at 504.304.0635, $75 all inclusive.  The event is limited to 25 participants and prepayment is required.

Italian Barrel

430 Barracks Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

6:30pm Cash Bar

7:00pm Dinner

Antipasti

Insalata del Mare

paired with Santadi Villa Solais Vermentino di Sardegna

Insalata

Fresh greens with strawberries, goats cheese and balsamic vinaigrette

 paired with Santadi Grotta Rossa Carignano del Sulcis and Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva

Primi

Pasta Arribiata 

paired with Sella & Mosca Terre Rare

Secondi

Veal Chop with sauteed vegetables

paired with Agricola Punica Barrua Isola Dei Nuraghi

Dolce

Cappuccino Gelato and coffee

This Week at Swirl Wine Bar + Market

Happenings
Hold on to Your Wine Glass, March is Packed with Great Events! 
With everyone distracted by parades, parties and costume making, I tend to keep the month of Mardi Gras a little on the lighter side in terms of events.  However, I have made up for that with a vengeance for the month of March and am not sure how I'll still be standing at the end of it!  But when great opportunities knock, you have to go for it! 

This week we'll have our regularly scheduled Wednesday Nite Flites with Kimi and Mike at the bar pouring a beautiful flite of Pinot Noirs from around the world.  Our Free Friday tasting this week will feature a special evening of French wine, food and art as we dedicate the night our to our friends and neighbors at Cafe Degas.  Jacques Soulas and Jerry Edgar, owners of one of New Orleans' best French restaurants will be in the house doing a book signing of their cookbook released late last year.  This evening will also be an opening art reception for Jacques Soulas' work which will be one display at Swirl through mid April.  And don't forget our Saturday Happy Hour from 4-6pm with Hollygrove Market, see details below! 

Next week join us with Antonio Molesini for an intimate wine dinner at the Italian Barrel in the French Quarter featuring the wines of Sardinia, one of Italy's most diverse islands.  A beautiful 5 course menu to pair with the wines created by chef/owner Samantha Castiglione, incredible atmosphere in a true Italian style trattoria and Antonio's informative and comedic presentation make this a don't miss event. Check out the details below and I'll be posting the menu and pairings later today on our facebook page and blog. We limit this event to 25 participants and spots are going quickly! 

Hollygrove Market at Swirl                                          
Saturday afternoons are heating up at Swirl as we pair up with Hollygrove Market to be THE place to pick up your box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour. How to sign up for a Hollygrove Box pick up at Swirl:   
    visit hollygrovemarket.com
    click on: Order box now
    click on: Order Here for Pickup at our Satellite Locations
    add a box to your shopping cart and any other items listed
    at check out, choose *swirl as your location to pick up your box!
*To get your box delivered at swirl you need to order before 8am on Saturday

Events 
Wednesday Nite Flites, February 29, 6-8pmJoin Mike and Kimi at the bar a flite of Pinot Noirs from around the world! Flites are $12-$15 and feature 3-2oz pours of really amazing juice.  No reservations required, just pull up a seat at the bar and get your boarding pass! 

Special Event! Friday Free For All, March 2, 6-8pm
Join us for a special evening of French wine, food and art as we dedicate our Friday tasting to our friends and neighbors at Cafe Degas.  Jacques Soulas and Jerry Edgar, owners of one of New Orleans' best French restaurants will be in the house doing a book signing of their cookbook released late last year.  This evening will also be an opening art reception for Jacques Soulas' work which will be one display at Swirl through mid April.  The event is free and open to the public. 

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 3, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box!

Special Event! La Sardinia Wine Dinner at the Italian Barrel, Tuesday March 6, 6:30pm
Join us with Antonio Molesini for an intimate wine dinner featuring the wines of one of Italy's most diverse islands.  A beautiful menu to pair with the wines created Chef/owner Samantha Castiglione, incredible atmosphere in a true Italian style trattoria and Antonio's informative and comedic presentation make this a don't miss event.  Look for the menu and pairings in next week's email!  $75 all inclusive, reservations made through Swirl at 504.304.0635.  The event is limited to 25 participants and prepayment is required. 

Special Event!  Sherry Flites, Wednesday, March 7, 6-8pm
George Brown joins us for a new, highly rated, nicely priced lineup of Spanish Sherry.  Taste 3 sherries of very different styles and learn about the production process while you sample some Spanish cheeses, nuts and olives!  Flites are 3-2oz pours for $15.

Special Event! Book Reading and Signing with Local Author Constance Adler, Thursday March 8, 6pm
We're pairing up with Maple Street Books and one of our neighborhood authors to celebrate the release of Constance Adler's book, "My Bayou", a vividly described memoir that charts a personal and spiritual transformation along the fabled banks of Bayou Saint John.  As a special treat, the reading will be an excerpt from the book that took place while Constance was at a Swirl in 2006.  For more information on Constance and her book go to her website at constanceadler.com 

Friday Free For All, March 9, 6-8pmJuan Hernandez from Domaine Select Wine Estates and Jared Breaux from International will join us for a tasting of 4 great wines from his portfolio, plus delicious tapas by Chef Richard Papier!  

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 10, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box! 

Louis Dressner Selections Tasting, Tuesday March 13, 6:30pm
Join Greg Knaps from Lirette Selections for a tasting of six of our favorite wines from the Louis Dressner portfolio.  The Dressner portfolio specializes in naturally made wines that speak to a sense of place, wines that are soulful and are never over-processed. These are wines from vignerons with no aspirations of fame, glory and ‘monster’ scores. They only strive to farm their land with respect and provide pure drinking pleasure!  The tasting is $12 and reservations are recommended.  Call 504.304.0635 to hold your spot. 

Special Event! Champagne Flites with Gilles Dumangin of J.Dumangin & Fils Champagne, Wednesday March 14, 6-8pm
Producer of one of our favorite Champagnes, Gilles Dumangin, will join us for our very special flite nite as her pours 3 of his gorgeous Champagnes, including his Premier Cru, Rose, and Brut Cuvee 17!  This will be an unforgettable evening with some truly wonderful wines!  Flites are 3-2oz pours for $15.  More details TBA, I may need to take reservations for this one! 

Friday Free For All, March 16, 6-8pmGeorge Brown joins us for a tasting of 4 great new Spanish wines from his portfolio, plus delicious tapas by Chef Richard Papier!  

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 17, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box! 

Special Event!  A Saint Joseph's Day Altar and Celebration at Swirl, Sunday March 18th from 3-5pm
Join us for an afternoon of Sicilian wine and food commemorating the relief St. Joseph provided during a famine in Sicily. Traditional food will be lovingly prepared by our Sicilian patrons and we will feature a selection of wines from the island by the glass at the bar.   

Wednesday Nite Flites, March 7, 6-8pmJoin Mike and Kimi at the bar for our weekly flite nite! Flites are $12-$15 and feature 3-2oz pours of really amazing juice.  No reservations required, just pull up a seat at the bar and get your boarding pass!

Friday Free For All, March 23, 6-8pmBeth Kehn joins us for a tasting of elegant, beautiful wines from Evening Land, plus delicious tapas by Chef Richard Papier!   

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 24, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box! 

Wednesday Nite Flites, March 28, 6-8pmJoin Mike and Kimi at the bar for our weekly flite nite! Flites are $12-$15 and feature 3-2oz pours of really amazing juice.  No reservations required, just pull up a seat at the bar and get your boarding pass! 

Friday Free For All, March 30, 6-8pm
Join us for our regularly scheduled tasting of 4 free wines, plus delicious tapas by Chef Richard Papier!   

1/2 Priced Happy Hour w/Hollygrove Market & Chef Richard Papier!!! March 31, 4-6pm
Saturday afternoons are heating at Swirl as we are THE place to pick up your Hollygrove Market box of fresh, local produce.  The infamous $25 Hollygrove box contains roughly 12 items at the peak of their season and can be picked up at Swirl on Saturdays from 4-6pm during our 1/2 priced Happy Hour.  And to make this afternoon even more enticing, Chef Richard Papier will be in the store cooking up his delicious tapas using ingredients from the box!  See instructions above on how to order your box! 

Antonio's Italy, May 26-June 2
Sorry, this trip is full! Copies of our itinerary and pricing can be viewed here:  Antonio's Italy

Swirl and Savor
Our wine and food blog...here are a few from the past 2 weeks, but there are lots more at swirlandsavor.

Recent Posts 
Tips for Your Hollygrove Box
"This is the second time we've ordered the Hollygrove Box and I am really excited by the contents this week!  One of the things that is great about this box, besides the fact that the produce is about as fresh as it can be and that we are supporting local farmers, is that it makes us be creative with fruits and veggies that we may not normally purchase.  Kerry has coined it as "thinking inside the box" and I just love experimenting, looking up recipes online and talking to others about what they've done with the contents of their box."  Click here to see what was in the box and recipes to try,  Hollygrove Tips

Simple Lemon and Garlic Pasta
Often working until 8 or 9pm, dinner during the week is usually a late night affair.  Needless to say we keep our cooking simple on those nights, things we can quickly throw together for a healthy, balanced meal.  Standard fare is Kerry's simply fried, fresh Gulf fish, or my Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp with Garlic) with a big salad and pasta.  The other night I made one of my favorite, quick pasta dishes with lots of lemon and garlic..."  Click here for the recipes, Pasta. 

A Little Cup of Italy
"I'll never forget the first time I had an affogato.  Simultaneously exhausted and invigorated after a long flight to Roma and a puddle jumper to Catania, we had just arrived in Sicily.  It was October and our first try at organizing a wine and food tour in Italy.  As one of our partners in crime, Cynthia Nicholson, went to the rental place to start the long process of Americans renting cars in Sicily, she sent us across the street for a shot of caffeine..."  Click here for the post:  Affogato

Hope to See You Soon!
Beth, Kerry, Matt, Mike, Kimi and Sangi

Swirl Wine Bar & Market
3143 Ponce de Leon Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
504.304.0635
swirlandsavor.blogspot.com

Simple Lemon and Garlic Pasta

 Often working until 8 or 9pm, dinner during the week is usually a late night affair.  Needless to say we keep our cooking simple on those nights, things we can quickly throw together for a healthy, balanced meal.  Standard fare is Kerry's simply fried, fresh Gulf fish, or my Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp with Garlic) with a big salad and pasta.  The other night I made one of my favorite, quick pasta dishes with lots of lemon and garlic.  It is so simple yet so good, I think I need to make it again this week!  I paired it with the 2010 Paco & Lola Albarino, wonderful!

Serves 2
Ingredients:
3 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 T. Butter
2-3 Cloves of garlic
Big pinch of pepperincino
Zest of one lemon ( I used a small meyer lemon)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 - 1/3 cup of dry white wine (I used whatever remained in my glass...)
2-3 T. Fresh chopped parsley (we got beautiful parsley in our Hollygrove Box)
1/2 lb. angel hair pasta (I like angel hair best with this recipe, but was out so I used spaghetti)
1/2 Cup grated Piave Cheese (can sub parmigiano)

Salt and pepper to taste

-Put a large pot of water on to boil.  Just before it reaches it's boiling point, take a large skillet and put on medium high heat.  Once skillet is warm, and olive oil and butter and heat until they begin to bubble.  Throw in garlic, lower heat to medium.  When garlic begins to sizzle, add pepperincino; stir to keep garlic from burning.
-Put pasta in boiling water and start timer. Angel hair pasta cooks quickly, in 3-4 minutes
-As garlic softens and begins to turn golden, add lemon zest, lemon juice and wine.  Bring sauce to a fast simmer for a minute or two to cook off the alcohol.  Add chopped parsley and a few pinches of salt.
-Pasta should be ready to drain and then immediately add to skillet with sauce.  Mix to allow sauce to coat the pasta, add a little of the cheese and then salt and pepper to taste.
-Plate, top with a little more cheese and smile :)

Tips for Your Hollygrove Box

This is the second time we've ordered the Hollygrove Box and I am really excited by the contents this week!  One of the things that is great about this box, besides the fact that the produce is about as fresh as it can be and that we are supporting local farmers, is that it makes us be creative with fruits and veggies that we may not normally purchase.  Kerry has coined it as "thinking inside the box" and I just love experimenting, looking up recipes online and talking to others about what they've done with the contents of their box. 

This week for our $25 we got Baby Purple Cabbage, Beets, Green Onions, Strawberries (from Fekete Farm-Hungarian Settlement),  Sweet Potatoes (from MS), Popcorn Rice (from Campbell Farms-Gueydan), Organic Grapefruit (from Shwars Citrus- Braithwaite), Organic Naval Orange (from L’Hoste Citrus-Braithwaite), Natural Arugula, Natural Kale (from HM&F-NOLA), White Button Mushrooms (from Red Hill Mushroom-Independence), Roma Tomatoes (from Barrilleaux Farm-Cut Off), Natural Microgreens (from Good Food Farm-NOLA) plus I ordered a dozen Farm Fresh Eggs to be delivered with my box.  You can add a few other things as well to your online shopping cart before you check out, like milk, polenta, grits and more, that will be delivered to the shop with your box.

So as we experiment with new things and recreate some familiar favorites, I just wanted to share some ideas on what to do with whats in the box...

As I was on my run this morning I decided we had to have omelets for breakfast as there is nothing better than fresh eggs!  So I stir fried some of those green onions with the button mushrooms in a little olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper until soft. I then whisked three eggs and put them in another skillet on a low to medium heat skillet with olive oil and butter.  I slowly cooked the eggs, added the mushroom and onion mixture and added shredded aged Gruyere cheese, folded it over and topped with some of the fresh tomatoes and micro greens.  Dish it out with a sprouted grain English muffin and some sliced grapefruit and you have one delicious meal!

Kale can be hard to get right but I've found that blanching first takes the bitterness out, makes the tough greens super tender, and somehow locks in a beautiful, deep green color that’s better than what you started with! It is chock full of vitamin A, and has respectable amounts of calcium, iron, protein, potassium, and vitamin C, not to mention all the phyto-nutrients in that dark green pigment! Try this, I've even had two teenagers tell me they never knew kale could taste so good!click here for my Tender and Delicious Kale post!

Kerry used golden beets for this Beet and Arugula Salad, but any beet will do!  You've got all the veggies in the box, arugula, micro greens, beets and onions so it will be easy to recreate!  Click for the recipe, Sundays are Best.

Photo from Williams Sonoma

During one of our summer beach trips, our friend Rachel made broiled grapefruit.  I'll never forget how the crunchy sugar top gave way to the cool tangy citrus center.  This is not her recipe, but something similar that will get you hooked! Check out the Williams Sonoma recipe here for Broiled Grapefruit.

Now we're trying to find something different to do with that beautiful head of purple cabbage besides slaw!  I'll let you know what I come up and feel free to give suggestions...and if you haven't ordered a Hollygrove box yet, you really should, it's good for your body and your soul!  For directions on how to order a Hollygrove box of fresh local produce, check out my post, Think Inside the Box.