Friday, July 31, 2009

New York-esota

Bobby and I had something like a Minneapolitan evening in New York (minus the traffic on 35W) on Monday, starting with dinner at the New French in the West Village. I was a huge fan of of the New French Cafe in the Warehouse District, which closed in 2001 (right after I moved to New York. Coincidence?).
The new New French, open since early 2008, is apparently named after the Minneapolis one, minus the "Cafe," but not run by the same people. The verdict on the wine we chose: one hit, one miss. The 2007 Pumphouse Red (North Fork), $9, was bracingly acidic, sort of like a Goth teenager. But the 2007 Nero D'Avola (Nausica), $10, can best be described as red velvet in a glass. I had the New French salad (romaine, radicchio, pear, gruyere, celery, carrots and beets in red wine/pear vinaigrette), served in a dish approaching mixing bowl-sized -- so huge I couldn't finish it. And the fries were excellent, crispy, grease-free and not overly salty. (FYI: This photo is from the Web site of the defunct New York Sun.)
Our entertainment for the evening was the Minneapolis hip-hop group Atmosphere at Webster Hall -- a sweaty, 16-plus, sold-out show. The music was great, and we were additionally entertained by the dozen or so ejections by a large guard of various teenagers for what I must assume was underage drinking (and one attempted cigarette smoking right in front of us). Come on, kids, if you're going to be bad, it's best to go stealth.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Out of the Cabinet

Well, it's not always wine, wine, wine around here. I was rearranging some kitchen cabinets yesterday and ran across a bottle of Mathilde Cassis Liqueur and spotted a recipe on the back of the bottle for the Purple Rain (hmm, I wonder: What Would Prince Drink?): 1 ounce cassis liqueur, 2 ounces rum, 2 ounces pineapple juice; mix and serve over ice.
I think the cassis must have been brought over by Scott, who's always making some foufy drink or another. (I have only had it in a kir.)
Anyway, I used some rum our friend Luke brought back from Haiti last year. It was a refreshing, slightly tropical cocktail, not as sweet as I was expecting.
Too bad that was the end of the rum.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Birthday Barbera, and Bubbly


Down on Eighth Street in the Village, Otto, one of our favorite Italian restaurants, was the destination for my birthday celebration last week. Bobby and I started with dishes of marinated figs and roasted peppers, then moved on to the addictive thin-crust pizza. I have daydreams about the pane frattau: tomato with pecorino and a fried egg on top. It sounds kind of gross, I know, but it is divine; a simple, savory pie that keeps me coming back (although I have tried making it at home. It turned out OK.). The well-edited wine list produced a 2006 Oddero Barbera d'Alba (Piedmont), a bright, slightly spicy quartino ($12). And while I was indulging, there was gelato: I had a trio of salty caramel, dark chocolate and peppermint chocolate chip. ... And I'm still enjoying it, just thinking about it.

The next night, Laura, Tammy, Scott and I were due for a pilgrimage to the last outpost of Miracle Grill in Brooklyn. We kicked off the evening at Laura's place with Nicolas Feuillate Rosé Champagne, a perky, deep-pink bubbly that went down easy. A quick cab ride to Brooklyn, to our destination in Park Slope ... but I was only about two tortilla chips in when, unfortunately, the evening had to be cut short since I seem to have had a case of food poisoning from my late lunch (I think it was the broccoli). Well! A quick return trip to Manhattan, and an early night to bed for me. I think we will pick up the celebration where we left off ... soon, I hope.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Red, White but No Blue

For the Fourth of July I suppose we should have had only American wines, but it just didn't turn out that way. I bought a 2005 Montecillo Crianza Rioja ($12.99); the winery was founded in Spain in 1874, 382 years after Columbus came to the New World, so there's your American connection. Anyway, I found the wine bright and uncomplicated -- I've had better riojas.
Next was the 2005 Catena Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendoza, Argentina), which had aromas of red berries, moss, maybe a little smoky quality. It was slightly tannic but the fruit hangs in nicely. A winner (and a gift from my newly engaged brother. Thanks, Tom!). (About $17.)
Last was a 2007 Mirassou Chardonnay (California), with a minerally scent and a note of cucumber; very fresh-tasting with a hint of pear. Not at all oaky, a flavor category I have grown to dislike. Might as well gnaw on toothpicks. ($10.99.)

Friday, July 3, 2009

A Cabernet Disappoints

Laura dropped by for dinner the other night; I was craving a brie-and-fig panini I had at this amazing Italian cafe/market in Philadelphia a few years ago, so I whipped them up on my cast-iron grill (no room for a panini press in my kitchen!).
We also had steamed fresh green beans with a splash of lemon, and for dessert, in honor of Wimbledon, I made fresh whipped cream to go with strawberries (which make themselves).
I had picked up a 2005 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua, Chile) earlier that day, and while it wasn't terrible, I found a little too jammy and cloying for my taste.
It was $9.99 at the DeLauren wine shop on Eighth Avenue in Chelsea, and now I recall Kevin Zraly saying the best Chilean cabernets are really in the $15 to $25 range. I wish I listened...