Off to New Orleans

I am on my way to New Orleans. Having lived on the Gulf Coast for three years, I have had the pleasure of visiting New Orleans several times. This is my first trip after the devastation of Katrina. I remember the old world charm and the intense blend of cultures. While the storm may have smashed the buildings of New Orleans, hopefully the spirit of the city did not sway one bit to the onslaught.

Of course the two characters that New Orleans is known for are food and music. Yet it is not just characters that make up a story. If food and music are the characters to the New Orleans story, then the Cajun culture is the plot and the Bourbon Street social scene is the setting. Don’t forget the Mississippi River and the French Quarter as supporting cast as well.

When it comes to food, my favorite place is Café Royale. This multi-storied restaurant sits at the corner of Bourbon Street and Royale Street, This corner building is painted a light pink and it stands out from its neighbors. As with most of the buildings in the French Quarter, it offers wrought iron balconies for its patrons dining on the second floor. I remember one of their untraditional dishes, a jambalaya pasta. The andouille sausage was so fresh and the spices were intense. Another food fare that I can not wait to sample again is an oyster poor boy. This is a sub sandwich made simply with fried oysters and tarter sauce. It is rich and creamy and crunchy.

The seafood on the gulf coast is diverse yet unique from other regions. Seafood is one of my dearest culinary passions. I hope that Katrina did not wipe out the Gulf’s seafood supply.

I will continue to post as my trip progresses.

Prosciutto Champignon Brie Dip

Every once in a while I get an idea or two for putting something original together in the kitchen. If the result is good (often I come up with disasters), I will share the recipe. Last month I went to a meeting of a wine club I am in and I came up with a dip that went over pretty well (thank goodness).

As I said before, I am a huge fan of prosciutto and for a long time I have wanted to incorporate its spicy and salty tastes into a dip. Also, I know that brie cheese makes an excellent base for a dip as well. The challenge is to keep the saltiness at the right level. Both brie and prosciutto can be on the salty side. When it came time to buy the ingredients, I looked for an alternative to brie to add a little more uniqueness. I chose Champignon Mushroom Cheese. This is a German Brie with mushrooms.

So here we go with the ingredients:

1. ¼ lb of prosciutto—Have the butcher slice it as a 1/8-1/4” thick slice. Butchers are used to cutting prosciutto paper thin--so make sure to ask up front for this cut. The thicker slice makes it easier to work with.
2. ¼ lb of Champignon Mushroom Cheese. Brie will do
3. 16 oz of cream cheese
4. Olive oil as needed
5. 2 cloves of garlic
6. 2 Tbsp of fresh tarragon
7. ½ cup of diced chives
8. 2 Tbsp of fresh oregano
9. Paprika to taste
10. Chipotle chili powder to taste (I like it spicy—careful, a little goes a long way).

Preparation:

Cube the prosciutto and place in food processor with garlic, tarragon, and oregano. Add enough olive oil to coat the contents of the processor. Blend until mixture is almost a paste.

At the same time, combine cream cheese and Champignon Mushroom Cheese in mixer and blend. Depending on size and power of mixer, you may have to start with portions and add as the mixture blends.

Once the cream cheese and brie cheese are well blended, add the prosciutto mixture and half of the chives. Add the paprika and chili powder once the prosciutto mixture is well incorporated. Make sure to add a little bit at a time—adding the paprika and chili all at once may cause it to clump together in one spot of your dip.

Presentation

I served the dip in a bread bowl, but a normal bowl will do. Once the dip is in the bowl, sprinkle some paprika on top for color and top with some of the diced chives. Offer the rest of the chives on the side. You can serve with artisan crackers or sliced sourdough bread.

There you have it. If there are leftovers, the dip makes a nice spread for a sandwich the next day.

Enjoy!

Grimbergen. . .Abbey Ale Heaven

I devoted my first wine article to one of my favorite wines my first beer article is for one of my favorite beers. I am a huge fan of the wide range of beers from Belgium. Out of the Belgian beers, the Trappist/abbey style ales are my favorite. Trappist ales were traditionally brewed by the Trappist order of monks in Belgium and the Netherlands. The Trappist have strict guidelines for the brewing, distribution and consumption of ale. Therefore, there are only a handful of true Trappist ales brewed. Many breweries use the term Abbey ale to denote an ale brewed in the Trappist tradition, but not associated with the Trappist Order. Over the years, these abbey ales have become more and more varied and the some of the original interpretation lost as creativity mutated the style.

Of all the abbey ales, Grimbergen is my favorite. Grimbergen is brewed by Alken-Maes in Belgium. There are several different Grimbergen brews: Blonde, Dubbel, Tripel, Optimo Bruno and the Cuvee De L'ermitage. I have had a chance to try the Dubbel and the Tripel. Both were somewhat pricey (~$15.00 a six-pack), but were well worth it.

The Dubbel Grimbergen is my favorite of the two that I have sampled. It is dark and it pours with a handsome, toffee colored head. Toffee carries over into the aroma and initial taste. This is followed by coffee and sweet malt syrup. The head remains and leaves a beautiful lacing on the glass. While the Grimbergen Dubbel is very sweet and malty for a beer, it is not over powering. Some barley wines and other strong malt examples must be sipped. This is not the case with the Dubbel. It is just smooth enough to quaff like a session beer, but because of its full body, I normally feel satisfied after two or so.

I have difficulty finding any example of the Grimbergen line, but when I do, I snatch it up as if it were gold!

GRIMBERGEN Dubbel

Color/Appearance: 5

Head: 5

Nose: 5

Taste: 5

Consistency: 5

Overall: 5

Grimbergen Glass Image from http://www.sonverre.be/

Up and comming Zinfandels in Amador, California

In August of 2004 I was in Northern California and I knew I wanted to check out a few wineries. While I was thinking of going to Napa or Sonoma, a very good friend of mine told me to go to the Amador Valley area. I knew that Amador had a small winery base, but I had been away from NorCal for so long that I did not know how much the Amador region had matured. My friend assured me that the wines from Amador were excellent and the in-winery experience in Amador was much more personal. This friend is one of my oldest, most trusted friends and his taste in wine and fine food is very respectable, so I took his advice. He said that I had to go to Sobon winery—for it was one of the best and he personally knew the owner.

Amador Valley is on the Western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The grass of the softly rolling hills are baked California golden brown and are dotted with hearty scrub oaks.

I went to Amador on a warm, very sunny weekday. The drive was leisurely down California Highway 16. While the drive to Amador is not as spectacular as going to Napa or Sonoma, you are rewarded once you reach the old prospecting town of Plymouth. The town has kept its rugged western outpost feel. Once through the town, make a hard right to go up into the hills, and it’s pure wine country from there on.

I arrived at Sobon just after midday. When I left the car I remarked at how hot and dry it was. This was a large contrast to Napa, which tends to be cooled by the coastal weather patterns. I wondered how grapes would hold up to this almost brutally dry heat.

The Sobon Winery is in an old white wash structure. Its court yard is a collection of old wine making and farm equipment. Inside is a spacious dimly lit tasting room and gift shop. It was quiet. I was the only person there.

One of the owners was behind the tasting bar and she readied a flight for me to sample. I started with their Cab, because Cabs are my favorite. She next poured their ReZerve zinfandel. I told her I was not a big fan of zins and she assured me that I would like it. She also explained that Amador was known for zinfandel and that its hot, dry climate was perfect for this grape. Well, after one sip I was convinced she was right and became a Zinfandel fan. It was both bold and refreshingly fruity. I bought several bottles. She told me that the family owned another winery down the road and I should check it out.

Sobon Winery Courtyard

Sobon’s sister winery, Shenandoah Vineyards was a contrast in character. The winery gift shop and tasting bar was contemporary and brightly lit. There were several people looking around. I bought a tasting here as well. The wine that struck me the most was their barbera. It is a gold medal winning wine and I could tell. It is one of the best wines I have ever had!.

There are many more vineyards and wineries in the Amador area. I did not have enough time to go to any more (believe me though, the next time I am out there, I will visit my old favorites and a few new). To find out more, check out the Amador Vintner’s Association webpage.

If you have the fortune to take a trip to Napa or Sonoma, make a point to do a day trip to Amador. You will be surprised and rewarded.