summer week three

summer week three
Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• mushrooms and peas in fenugreek-cream sauce (malai waale dhingri mutter, 660)
• picnic: pita, cucumber mint raita, radish raita, salame
• fresh pasta with parsley-basil pesto
• persian rhubarb beef stew, salad
• palak paneer with the beet greens
• chicken sour cherry rice

baked goods:

• upside-down sweet cherry cake, one of the best looking things in rustic fruit desserts
• sour cherry muffins with coconut struesel for the scott-breakfast

and a couple wineclub plans:

• roasted sliced golden beets finished on the grill
• grilled meatballs (with bacon and ricotta? yes please.)

party and double picnic week

• gujurati yellow and black chickpeas (and kidney beans and black lentils); whole wheat rotis
• blanched greenbeans, crab aïoli for jon’s thing
• mushrooms with tasso and capellini
• potato-rosemary bread, maybe potato salad; salami, cheese

summer week two

summer week two
Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• rhubarb bread pudding
• pea mint lettuce soup
• gujurati-style black and yellow chickpeas (660)
• potatoes and carrots with coriander-fenugreek sauce OR stewed potatoes, carrots and peas (660)

summer week one

summer week one
Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• crack pepper beef (video: inside the flavor inside!), steamed broccoli, hong kong fried noodle
• kale, andouille, white bean soup; salad with radish and strawberries
• baked potatoes with spring onions, béchamel, chorizo kale, valdeón, tomato, sour cream, cheddar, etc.
• more calzones with spinach and mashroom, salad
• quiche of zucchini, spinach, and bacon

week eight

week eight
Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• crack pepper beef with steamed broccoli
• yogurt-harissa chicken; spinach salad with beets, radishes, broccoli, and onion tops
• albondigas and braised kale
• spinach lasagne
• spring onion - garlic chive - mushroom dumplings for the freezer
• more rhubarb syrup

typesetting checklist

PDF. This is a really great compilation of things to check when typesetting, and helpfully geared toward Minion Pro. It does not address protrusions, which I lament that I have to give up for xetex.

Also, for web stuff, see Google Font Directory

week seven

week seven
Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• aloo saag – potatoes with kohlrabi greens & kale and bangala clove-cardamom masala
• arroz con pollo ahumado
• crêpes with nutella and strawberries
• spinach salad with strawberries, turnips, and fresh and roasted beets; kohlrabi soup; focaccia
• red-braised tofu skin sticks
• cabbage and plantain kootu with buttermilk & pigeon peas

week six

week six
Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• Salad of arugula, spinach, and radishes; garlicky mashed potatoes and turnips.
• Saag murghi, stewed chicken with spinach, radish, and kohlrabi greens sauce
• Aai braised kohlrabi and palak urad dal, spinachy skinned-split black lentils
• Spaghetti with arugula and cream
• Thai red curry root vegetables and sticky rice
• Rhubarb buckle with ginger crumb
• Asparagus: blanch & freeze

grüner veltliner / germany / alsace tasting

The initial suggestion for this was Grüner Veltliner, basically the grape of Austria. Thinking it would be tough to find a large number of examples of that specific cépage, I suggested an expansive interpretation of German Europe, excluding its best known and most common grape, riesling. Two grüner veltliners each showed up twice. They and a third one were quite lovely and all of them would be exceptional with thai food. I’ve tried to group the list below somewhat thematically from light and dry to heavy and sweet.

O. Kuentz-Bas, Alsace, 07

This blend of chasselas - gewürtztraminer - pinot blanc was light yet complex. It smelled of lychee, flowers, and grass, and it was crisp and slightly mineral. One of my favorites. Two people managed not to like it, saying it was watery or bland.

S. Schoffit Pinot Blanc Auxerrois Vielles Vignes, Alsace, 07

One wrote “heavy in a good way” referring to its sweetness, which was slightly more than the kuentz-bas but still balanced by sufficient acidity. I wrote “party: goat cheese” and also craved a tarte flambée / flammeküche.

N. The Furst Riesling, Alsace, 07

A nice example of alsatian riesling, less citrusy than the trimbach, but otherwise comparable. Notes include “fresh, tangy” and “smooth. like.”

Q. Loimer Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, 09

This was lightly effervescent, and really well balanced sweetness and acidity. It wasn’t assertively floral like O and S, but had more mineral than the other grüner veltliners. People found it “sparkly, balanced” or “med. sweet, unexciting”.

W/X. Huber Hugo Grüner Veltliner 09

One wrote “interesting! and spicy” and I found it tart like a green apple, but not at all lemony. It was called “acidic and strong” and “tingly”. This wine made me want tom kha soup.

P/D. Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner 09

Less sweet than Q and less citrusy than W. It had a bit of yeasty taste usually associated with champagne. Generally well liked but no one seemed to find it more than “passable” or “meh”.

Y. Becker Estate Pinot Noir, Pfalz, 07

This stood out as the only dry red, but I was very pleased to try it and will be buying more. Most people disliked it, but we will be tasting it again with its peers whenever we have pinot noir night. I also like Zach’s suggestion of smoked trout with it but we were this wine’s only defenders.

H. Vranac Red, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 07

A 1939 interpretation of “german” brought this lush red. It was “rich” and “very smooth” with a long finish, that I compared to Hungary’s egri bikaver. I wanted a rich meaty gulyás with this wine.

T. Valckenberg Dornfelder, Rheinhessen, 08

This light, sweet red smelled of violets and tasted like pluots. One suggested this would be a nice addition to a batch of mulled wine.

Z. Martin Schaetzel Gewürtztraminer Cuvée Réserve, Alsace, 08

This was “cloyingly sweet” and “anæsthetic” but it was the most complex of the sweet wines. One said “blackberries” which is fair but “honey” predominated.

V. Saint Josef Kabinett, Rheinhessen, 06

I said this tasted like pineapple- and lemon-flavored haribo gummy bears or pineapple jolly rancher. Two agreed that it tasted mysteriously “dusty” and “sweet. too sweet.”

—. Seebrich Scheurebe Kabinett, Niersteiner Ölberg, 03

This was the last sweet one that was accidentally left in the refrigerator until after the tasting. It had considerably more acid and better balance than V. We found it improved with just a dash of chartreuse.

extremely useful list of type resources

includes unicode and html entity references and stuff for @font-face, and a bunch of goodies as well.

Week Five

Week Five
Originally uploaded by gay.goy.gourmet

• collards with merguez over either couscous or quinoa
• matzo ball soup, challah, and salad (probably with crispy bacon and creamy dressing, knowing me)
• stir-fried asparagus and tofu with oyster sauce, more LSC cabbage
• more delicious:days muffins with carrots and nuts (the blog is great, but these are not on it)
• baked fish with potatoes, olives, and capers en papillote

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