week four

week four
Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• green chile potatoes with mint and cilantro, yogurt rice
  


• tamarind garlic taro (wanted this for a while), lime-chana dal rice
  


• red-braised beancurd sticks, pan fried noodles, lao sze chuan style chile cabbage
  


• ma po tofu with kale (unmade from last week)
  


• indonesian stir-fried carrots
  


• salad with roasted potatoes, green goddess dressing
  

malbec and steak!

We finally had malbec-and-steak wine club, and managed to all go to delicious Tango Sur with lots of great wine. A great night overall I have to say.

A. Pélisse Croix du Mayne Cahors 07

Very full bodied with tons of fruit, my note for this simply read, “yum, but needs steak.” This is what I drank mostly with my meal.

B. NQN Malma 07

The lower tier from my favorite Argentine producer – I could not get the reserva or the “colección” from NQN, but still recommend them highly. Yael and I loved it but some others found it overly acidic and alcoholic.

C. Clos de los Siete 07

Interesting oak, forest-floor-like for me, on top of heavy fruit. Bitter and watery for some.

D. Pulenta La Flor 08

Smoke, heavy, “tastes like a 2×4.” One person found it interesting, another “smooth” but too oaky.

F. Urban Uco 08

Although in Cahors malbec/côt is often blended with Merlot, this one from Argentina is not. Surprising, since it tastes more like bad merlot than X below (which was boring, but not offensive). The most positive note was "lightly sweet and peppery", one "meh", and one "ew"

G. Bodega Septima 08

“Good” or “great” according to two. This tasted more like good high-cacao dark chocolate than anything else we drank. Very well integrated tannins and oak, with hints of vanilla and lots of fruit.

H. Árido 08

This is what I think of when I think Argentine malbec. One called it rounded and tingly, two noted the bitter grip of its tannins.

S. Doña Paula Estate 08

I called this restrained and elegant, some people found it overly oaky and several noted “bitter.”

T. Cèdre Hermitage Cahors 07

I enjoyed the lightly vanilla oak and very firm tannins here. Two said “bleh” and that they didn’t want to try it again, but I think they just hate tannin.

W. Caminade La Commandery Cahors 06

Though some found it “flat,” another wrote “:) the most interesting so far!” with licorice and earthy flavors. Some things online call it “textbook Cahors.”

X. El Colectivo 09

For me just unforgivably boring. Others said flat and uninteresting, generically fruity. “Nice, but not outstanding.”

Y. Clos Triguedina Cahors 05

Very tight, tannic, but light bodied. One person hated it though.

Z. Alamos 09

Charred barrel, overly oaked, “California style” wrote one. Not great.

Week Three

Week Three Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• creamy turnip soup (needs stock) with caesar salad
• black beans & rice (glee night)
• spaghetti with kale
• polenta with braised collard greens
• burnt caramel ice cream (with colombian panela from sebastian)
• biscuits and sausage gravy
• ma po tofu with some kale
• chicken breast filets al ajillo, potato-turnip purée
• zaletti: polenta cookies with currants

First Vicki box of the year yay

Week One! Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• saag paneer variation (radish greens, mexican cheese)
• szechuan carrot soup plus miso; bekana and radish salad with thai dressing
• braised turnips with mustard sauce; salad of spinach, goat cheese, beets, pepitas
• steamed bok choy with oyster sauce; tofu and mushrooms with black bean sauce
• tamarind garlic taro, cucumber salad

foooods

• quiche with bacon and zucchini; spinach and red onion salad
• hamburgers & pretzel rolls; nappa and watercress salad
• mango tofu with red peppers; jasmine rice
• potato and sweet potato with spinach; blackened chiles and coconut milk
• short pasta with zucchini and freezer-pesto cream sauce
• challah for Yalda’s dinner gathering
• whole wheat berries for breakfast

things to eat

• lions head tofu-groundpork meatballs with cabbage, jasmine rice
• corkscrew pastas with zucchini, bacon, and parmigiano
• puneri dal, black cardamom rice
• cod with olives and potatoes en papillote
• carrot rotis and/or plain parathas with avocado raita, cucumber salad, yogurt rice

what we’ll be eating this week

• tea and ginger simmered chickpeas; tamarind-garlic taro
• thai green curry with tofu, asparagus, and mushrooms; sticky rice
• baby potatoes roasted with garlic and rosemary; black eyed peas with bacon
• puneri dal with rice
• moong dal with chiles and onion
• biscuits with sausage gravy
• quiche with zucchini and bacon

more yummy things

• drunken spaghetti with leeks and cream (and bacon)
• ma po tofu
• stir fried noodles with snap peas
• salad with roasted beets, buttermilk-mayonnaise green onion dressing; focaccia
• more garlic-tamarind taro; black cardamom rice

chilean wines

A. Lapostolle “Casa” Chardonnay 2007

The most amusing note about this was that it tasted like “vomit and fruit.” It had an unwelcome bitterness. Most people found it unbalanced, inelegant at best.

B. Ché-vere Cabernet Sauvignon Valle Central 2007

B was for Boring, for most of us. Someone said it was like D but not as good; it was exactly as deep as the typical Che Guevara T-shirt wearer.

C. Montgras Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley 2006

This was full of cherry flavor. One person remarked that it was well balanced, inoffensive, tame. Another called it simply “red.” It would be a good party wine.

D. Santa Ema Reserve Merlot, Maipo Valley 2005

“Smooth” appears in three separate notes. Flavors of cacao, chocolate, with some bite – one person said “rubber cement, in a good way,” it has nice spice to it.

E. Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere DO Peumo 2007

Raspberry, herb, chocolate, plum. This was a well made, unmistakable Carmenere. Inky purple, full, and rich. One person did not like its lingering finish. This was my clear favorite.

F. Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris Cochagua Valley 2007

One note says “watered down martini,” another “mouthwash tang.” This had a nose of diesel on top of dirty melon rind.

G. Montes “Classic” Chardonnay, DO Curico Valle 2008

Classic indeed. Beautiful fruit, well integrated hint of oak. Nice acidity, crisp, went nicely with the crab dip. I would add that everything I have had from Montes is either very good or great.

H. “Calcu” Blend Colchagua Valley 2007

Cabernet Sauvignon .5 / Carmenere .3 / .15 Cab Franc / .05 Petit Verdot. Tart, tannic and tight. One person loved it, finding it Pinot Noir-like, peppery, spicy but light. Another way of putting this was “beef + caramel”.

S. Origin Carmenere Central Valley 2008

Well-liked, easygoing, straightforward and uncomplicated. This could tend to uninteresting depending on food pairing, but another good party wine here.

T. Peralillo “Arenal” Carmenere Central Valley 2008

Tight, tannic, leather, stone. This improved by being open and swirled around a bit. For anyone on the fence about it, I would say to try another bottle, this seemed to me slightly corked.

V/W. Root:1 Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley 2008

No one identified these two as being the same. I said one was “full, rich, cherry, chocolate” and the other a “neat blend.” It is in fact Cab .85 / Syrah .15. Many people noted fruit flavors like cherry, pomegranate, currant, blackberry.

X. Urban Red Blend Maule Valley 2008

.41 Merlot / .29 Cab Franc / .22 Carignan / .08 Cabernet Sauvignon was two people’s favorite. Called spicy, huge, long-lasting, “lips on fire” which I think refers to its 14% alcohol content.

Y. Simone Special Reserve Carmenere Maule Valley 2008

Very fruity, well made, nice finish; one person found it bland and dry though. A good expression of the grape.

Z. Cono Sur Carmenere Colchagua Valley 2008

Very assertive coffee flavor. Gregg’s alliterative adjective works best: zealous.

My ranking: E X G D VW Y H C S Z T A B F

yummy things

• tostadas de carne apache (basically beef ceviche)
• chicken with yogurt almond mint sauce, rotis
• thai mango tofu, jasmine rice, laab
• slow-cooked baby potatoes in yogurt-fennel sauce (kashmiri dum aloo)
• panissa vercellese (piedmontese rice and beans)

Chianti & Pizza

• (0) Poggio al Chiuso 2007
• (1) Ruffino 2008
• (2) Casa alle Vacche Chianti Colli Senesi 2006
• (3) Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico 2006
• (4) A Quo Toscana IGT 2008
• (5) Castella di Farnetella Chianti Colli Senesi 2006
• (6) Gabbiano 2008
• (7) Gini 2007
• (8) Tiziano 2007
• (9) Monsanto Riserva 2006
• (A) Ruffino Riserva Ducale 2006
• (B) Piccini 2008

Impressions: 2 was universally hated, but the other Colli Senesi was well received. Fèlsina (3) owns Farnetella (5); both stood out as fuller-bodied than the others, with 3 probably the most complex and elegant in the lineup, and 5 the most concentrated and intense. 4 was aggressively oaky, and stood out as the most CA-styled. 8 and A were both overly tannic, improved with exposure to the air, but were not well liked overall. 0 was thought bland and uninteresting. Most people were “indifferent” toward one group, either the (oak aged) Riservas or the unoaked ones. My own preferences tended a little toward the unoaked ones. In the future, when I want to pick up something to go with a Tuscan meal, I will choose 3, 6, 7, or 9.

a menu

• potatoes with parsley and peas, some kind of bread
• tea and ginger simmered chickpeas
• minty kidney beans and potatoes or chickpeas and potatoes with singed spices
• crack pepper beef; broccoli (hopefully a photo forthcoming)
• deconstructed italian sausage pasta
• green curry with asparagus and peas and tofu

Wine Club #1

I very much enjoyed our first wineclub gathering last night and look forward to next time, Chianti. Here is the roundup of what we had, in roughly lightest and driest to sweetest. My favorite was definitely #1, followed by 5 and 8 tied for second. The Spanish 3 and 4 were both delightful in totally different ways and thus tie for my third ranking. I did not much like 7 (boring) or 11 & 12 (both overwhelming, palate fatiguing). [I don’t mean that as any kind of competition, just my subjective experience and what I’d like to remember.] Thanks to everyone for joining in the fun! What were your favorites?

1. Gitton Sancerre “Les Belles Dames” 2007 (Sauv Blanc)
2. Château Graville-Lacoste Graves (Bordeaux) 2008 (Chardonnay)
3. Pazo Señorans Albariño 2008 Rias Baixas
4. Montecillo 2006 Rioja (Viura)
5. Champalou Vouvray 2008 (Chenin Blanc)
6. Skouras White 2008 Peloponnese (Roditis 60% / Moscofilero 40%)
7. Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina Sannio 2008
8. Colombelle Vin de Pays Côtes de Gascogne 2008 (Colombard 70% / Ugni Blanc 30%)
9. Hugo Grüner Veltliner 2008
10. Trimbach Alsace Pinot Blanc 2006
11. Petit Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc 2008
12. Crios Torrontes 2009
13. Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium 2007 Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Kabinett

food this week

• tindora (ivy gourd / gentlemen’s toes!), yogurt rice
• potato chorizo soup, no-knead bread, pumpkin flan or tarte tatin
• pumpkin hummus, pita, baked beef-lamb kibbe
• sweet potato purée, glazed broiled tofu
• fresh tagliatelle all’alfredo, glazed carrots

Next week: the chicken-methi-pumpkin curry. It necessitates a trip to Devon (I am out of frozen methi).

Food for the Winter (12 weeks sans vicki box)

So begins 12 weeks without vicki Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

The present challenge is to spread out the last three weeks and the final giant box over as long a time as possible. Also, we have a bunch of stuff in the freezer. So, first a tentative grouping of recent produce to be sure we use the oldest stuff first; then the freezer inventory; then a list of stuff I want to make and not forget about!

Dry Storage

1. • cabbage
   • beets
   • apples
   • pumpkin
   • daikon
   • garlic
2. • pumpkin
   • butternut
   • beets
   • sweet potato
   • red onion
   • carrots
3. • pumpkin
   • daikon
   • potato
   • white onion
   • carrots
   • collards
4. • pumpkin
   • red pepper
   • butternut
   • cabbage

The Freezer

• 3lb collards
• 10oz broccoli
• 22oz asparagus
• 12oz yellow pepper
• 1lb cauliflower
• 6oz blackberries
• 2.5oz green pepper
• 9oz blueberries
• 9oz red pepper
• 6oz blackberries
• 20oz corn
• 4.2oz pesto
• 1lb Harr-STL bacon
• 1lb ground pork
• .5lb pork breakfast sausage

Stuff to make!

• chicken with pumpkin-lentil sauce, fenugreek, sambhar masala
• roast chicken with shallots, garlic, and potatoes
• potato rosemary bread
• cabbage soup with tarhana
• vietnamese tofu thing, jasmine rice
• pasta with tequila cream sauce and yellow peppers; broiled fish
• marsala glazed carrots
• more beet and potato latkes? or sweet potato?
• potato chorizo soup, crusty bread
• roasted beet and goat cheese salad (timbale)
• pizza – frozen red sauce and pesto
• collard greens with smoked jowl
• bitten tarte tatin
• squash lasagne
• pasta with squash, sage, pine nuts
• asparagus and peas green curry with shrimp or chicken
• ground pork and black bean soup with green pepper, corn, and sour cream
• simple lentil soup, crusty bread
• curry fried rice with cabbage, beansprouts
• pumpkin hummus
• pistachio macarons
• pumpkin cheesecake, gingerbread crust
• deconstructed italian sausage pasta

winterbox

winterbox
Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• Amchur chana, potatoes with carrots and peas, radish parathas
  
• Pumpkin and red lentil soup; pita(?)
  
• Cream puffs (to finish thanksgiving chocolate pastry cream)
  
• Kale and peanut stew with pasta
  
• baked potatoes with a variety of toppings
  
• tofu with brown (oyster) sauce; lao sze chuan style shredded cabbage; jasmine rice

Near-final list for our friendly thanksgiving get-together

Conspicuous gaps to me appear to be: breads, salads, any flourless desserts. And ++wine -> ++good

*** = Definite
() = Maybe

Appetizer/Lunch/Other

***Pain aux fruits, le beurre (Jon)
***Cranberry Polenta Cakes
() spanikopita with feta and mint

Entree/Dinner

***Reichl swiss pumpkin
***Jeweled rice
***black potato rye bread
***Red curry duck ravioli, coconut-lime sauce
***sweet potato black rice salad

Dessert

***Quince and Apple Brown Butter Tart
***chocolate cream puffs
***Ensaïmadas with vanilla pastry cream
***black sticky gingerbread with pumpkin mousse
***marshmallows (Jon)
*Samsa (Ikbel)

Drink

** Eyes Wide (whiskey, grapefruit, jamaica, banyuls)
** falling leaves (riesling, pear brandy, cointreau, bitters)
** aperol spritz
** ice cider
** mmmm red wine (ok white too. but mostly red.)

potatoes with fresh coconut and chiles, for ryan

I think this is what we ate about two months ago. I tried looking through past foodlist blogposts. Anyway, it is adapted from the excellent 660 Curries— and if it is not the same dish, I am certain it is delicious.

Potatoes with Fresh Coconut and Chiles, Thenga Urulikazhangu

The coconut in this dish provides a sweet balance to the pungent chiles, especially because it is added toward the end. for an even sweeter alternative, use sweet potatoes instead of half or all of the white ones.

• 2 lb potatoes, in 1 in chunks
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp urad dal (cream colored, skinned split black lentils)
• 4 dried Thai or cayenne chiles
• ¼ tsp ground asafetida (hing)
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 2 tsp coarse salt
• 12 med to large fresh curry leaves
• 4 fresh green thai, serrano, or cayenne chiles, cut in half lengthwise
• ½ cup shredded frozen coconut or ¼ cup shredded dried unsweetened coconut, reconstituted in water

1. heat oil in a pan over med high heat. add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until the seeds have stopped popping, about 30 seconds. Add the urad dal and cook until they are golden, about 15 or 20 sec. Immediately add the dried chiles, asafetida, and turmeric. Stir-fry until the chiles smell pungent and are slightly blackened, about 10 sec.
2. Add potatoes, 2 cups water, and the cilantro, salt, curry leaves, and fresh chiles. bring to a boil then reduce heat to med-low, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 8 to 10 min.
3. Raise the heat to med-high, uncover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, 3 to 5 min. Some of the potato pieces will disintegrate.
4. Stir in the coconut and serve.

thanksgiving box

thanksgiving box Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• Italian sausage and carrot greens agnolotti
• kabocha masaman, sticky rice, cucumber salad
• pumpkin chipotle soup with tortillas
• the beet and apple soup I still haven't made
• pumpkin risotto
• sweet potato and turnip gratin
• zucchini quiche or frittata

binny’s south loop french tasting

A nice selection from distributors of French wines. I bought a bottle of my #5. My favorites of the 45 wines:

1. Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Estournelles St. Jacques 2005 ($80) (I love good pinot noir. especially the rich funky bourgogne kind.)
2. Château Quinault l’Enclos St. Emilion 2006 ($40) (Merlot done right. Very right.)
3. Lorentz Crémant d’Alsace NV ($20) (Interesting and delicious. Other sparkling wines and champagnes at the tasting were very good, but this would be my pick.)
4. Perrin Vinsobres Les Cornuds 2006 ($20)
5. Perrin Côtes du Rhône Réserve Blanc 2008 ($9)
6. Lorentz Pinot Blanc 2008 ($13)
7. Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône 2006 ($27)