By Paige Donner, Editor, Local Food And Wine
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Thursday, July 28, 2011
Interview With Rothschild S.A.'s Adrien Laurent, USA-Mexico Export Manager
By Paige Donner, Editor, Local Food And Wine
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Monday, July 18, 2011
Le Baron Rouge
by Paige Donner As wine bars in Paris go, this is both authentic and on the beaten path. For years, when ever you'd search out wine bars and Paris, it is this one that would come up. It is nestled right next to the famous (and super cheap!) Marche d'Aligre.
Le Baron Rouge. It's a bit on the beaten track but every bit worthy of a drop-in. Plus, what better way to start off a Sunday morning but with a glass of good, country, French wine? Contact Local Food And Wine for our Culinary Tours and Rates.*LOCAL FOOD AND WINE *
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Friday, July 8, 2011
The Men of Vinexpo, France’s Biannual Wine Bonanza
By Paige Donner
Read Complete Article on Black Book Magazine
A biannual affair, France’s monumental, just-wrapped Vinexpo Bordeaux has, once again, firmly established itself as the world’s leading exhibition for the wine industry. A few numbers: there were approximately 50,000 attendees at the Bordeaux Convention Center; overall wine consumption between now and 2014 will reach a whopping 2.729 billion cases of wine, most of that light and sparkling; the US, China, and Russia are the countries primarily fueling this growth; in 2009 alone, this retail market already represented $389 billion. Indeed, people really enjoy knocking back a glass of the good stuff.
Kelly McAuliffe, Master Sommelier
While women buy more than half of the wine that ends up on your table, according to Wine Enthusiast, men still dominate the somewhat fusty, very-serious-despite-the-intoxication Vinexpo, which isn’t to say that there aren’t a slew of younger, more internationally-minded budding sommeliers to enliven the crowd. We spoke with 10 of the expos most insider-y insiders – from Baron Philippe de Rothschild to the Mayor of Bordeaux – to get the scoop on what’s new in the world of the vine.
Adrien Laurent, Baron Philippe de Rothschild
Nevermind that three bottles of Château Lafite Rothschild sold not too long ago at Hong Kong’s Sotheby’s auction house for a record $232,692 - each! Adrien Laurent, Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s U.S. and Mexico Export Manager, doesn’t rely on pretention when discussing his house’s eminent wines. In fact, if you can get him to talk about the history of the Rothschild family and how Baron Philippe turned Bordeaux’s wine world upside down back in the 1920s, when he was a mere 20 years old, you’ll really see the Oeno-lover take off his gloves. I’m just praying that the taste of ‘98 Château Mouton Rothschild that he poured me (and that I spit out) won’t be something he remembers me by. “I never spit out Mouton Rothschild,” he confides. I must add, in the interest of full-disclosure, that he did graciously pour me another splash of this legendary cuvée, which I fully savored.
Pascal Boyé, Nicolas Feuillatte
Boyé can be authentically described as a kind of dashing figure in a romantic novel. The French champagne executive lives in NYC, spends his weekends in Aspen, and takes business meetings in Epernay and Bordeaux. “We are the youngest of the big champagne houses,” he explains. Started a mere 36 years ago in Epernay, France, the heart of AOC Champagne, the house prides itself on its modernity. “We are the pyramid of the Louvre,” says Boyé. The number one champagne house in France is number 5 in the U.S. Within the next year, according to Mr. Pascal Boyé, Feuillatte’s North and South America Export Manager, the world’s third largest champagne house will move to the number four position in the U.S.’ 22 million bottle-a-year market.
Alain Juppé, Mayor of Bordeaux
There isn’t a resident in Bordeaux and its environs who doesn’t sing Mr. Juppe’s praises. He took over as Mayor of Bordeaux in 2006, and has since carried out remarkable beautification and restoration projects. The modern, efficient tram system that whisks you around the mid-sized city is another thing to write home about.
Read Complete Article on Black Book Magazine
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Sunday, July 3, 2011
Siptea in Santa Monica
Tea Cocktails [Courtesy Siptea.blogspot.com] siptea is OPEN in Santa Monica
Last night siptea made 3 tea cocktails for the Grand Opening Party. The most popular was the Mojito, or Mo-tea-to, then the Pina Chai-lada and a Lapsang Souchong Whiskey Sour.Mojito
Day before put green tea (I used organic Gunpowder green tea) in Vodka to infuse, use approx. 6-8 Tbsp. per 1.75L of vodka
Make a pot of double strength Mint tisane (herbal tea)
Add sugar to Mint tea to tasteCombine
1 part Green Tea Vodka
3 parts sweetened Organic Mint tisane
1/2 part lime juice
pour in glass with ice
garnish with fresh mintPina Chai-ladaDay before put Chai (I used organic Masala Chai black tea) in rum to infuse, use appox. 6-8 Tbsp. per 1.75 L this infuses quickly, so could be done a few hours before.
Make a pot of double strength organic Coconut green tea
Add sugar to Coconut green teaCombine
1 part Chai spiced rum
2 parts Coconut Green tea
1 part fresh pineapple
Blend well
pour over ice
garnish with pineapple slice or umbrellaLapsang Souchong Sour
Day before put Lapsang Souchong (I used organic Lapsang Souchong) in Marker's Mark, use approx. 6-8 Tbsp. per 1.75 L. This makes a great smoky whiskey, it actually resembles a aged peety, smoky scotch whisky when finished infusing & can be enjoy neat in a glass too.Combine
1 part Lapsang Souchong infused Maker's Mark (or other whiskey)
3 parts sour mix (you can make your own, I used the mix for the party)
pour over ice
garnish with maraschino cherryEnjoy & let me know if you have any tea infused cocktails you want to share!
Well we have been open a week. Still trying to get things in order & get more stock in. We are open but the Grand Opening will be in June. We did a soft open for the Montana Ave. Sidewalk Sale. Had a nice turnout & are trying to settle into the space. Things still need to be streamlined & figured out. This week we should get our shipment of Eva Solo tea products. They are very stylish & well designed. Look for more products to be coming in every week. We are also going to expand our 40 teas, to include more flavored teas and blends. Looking forward to having classes where we teach about what you can do with tea. We have redesigned the labels & also are updating the website. Stop by Monday thru Saturday from 10am - 5pm, Sunday 12pm - 5pm. We are located at 1627 Montana Ave in the back. And as always keep sipping tea...*LOCAL FOOD AND WINE *
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Monday, June 27, 2011
Monaco Royal Wedding Chooses Local Cuisine
It was in the kitchens of the Louis XV in the Hôtel de Paris, along with the executive chef of the kitchens of the hotel, Franck Cerutti, that Alain Ducasse received the confirmation from the Palace.
«H.S.H Prince Albert IIand Miss Wittstock’s decision honours me. It honours also Mediterranean cuisine,a sincere and fair cuisine that pays tribute to a rich and generous land. A cuisine that is respectful of its environment. Prince Albert and his future wife have thus expressed their attachment to nature and to the attentive work of the men and women who wisely nurture it. On this very special day, I cannot help myself remembering with emotion the tasty moments the Prince spent with his family at our table.
Monegasque since 2008, it was in 1987 that Alain Ducasse discovered Monaco,when Prince Rainier III called upon him to take over the direction of the kitchens of the Hôtel de Paris, Monte-Carlo SBM’s prestigious establishment, with the mission to make the Louis XV the first hotel restaurant awarded three Michelin stars, a distinction that was granted in 1990. Located between Nice and Liguria, it is at the Louis XV that Alain Ducasse brings cachet to Mediterranean cuisine. A cuisine of freedom, of emotions and of passion but also of rigor, sobriety and method; it gives the best role to each ingredient -from the modest vegetable garden plant to the most sumptuous crustacean- for the greater pleasure of the senses. At the very heart of this Mediterranean soil that so inspires him, he has found, in twenty-five years of professional partnership and personal implication, a staunch support. Today, Monaco is the essential anchor point in his profession as chef-creator. From the Louis XV, he trains most of his chefs, the very same ones who then carry his work across the globe.
The Princely wedding dinner, held on the terraces of the Salle Garnier, will be executed from the kitchens of the Louis XV at the Hotel de Paris, with the
support of a temporary kitchen located on the site. As for the theme of the dinner, Alain Ducasse simply states that he will work along side his team in the highest respect of a nature that today, we realise is weakened. It will combine the essence of taste -with emphasis on local produce- with the sober elegance of the tableware. On this subject, he notes with a smile, that the garden and the cows of Rocagel, Prince Albert’s property, will be involved in the menu. Indeed, the former will supply the vegetables, while the latter will provide milk for the dessert. The dinner prepared by Alain Ducasse with the full commitment of the employees of Monte-Carlo SBM establishments, will contribute in making the event a simple and warm moment for all the guests, as was requested by H.S.H Prince Albert II and Miss Wittstock. [Press Release]
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Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Bordeaux Nibbles And Fresh Markets
by Paige Donner
Bordeaux is the ideal-sized city to just wander around. In this sense, it is a bite-sized city that still offers enough funky and charming little neighborhoods to give you the feeling that you are exploring.
Chartrons is the traditional wine district of Bordeaux where, during the city's height of its centuries of wine trade with England, the wines were warehoused before being shipped out via La Garonne. Chartrons is now a charming district known for its many antique shops, lovely cafes' and trendy boutiques. Soon, it will sport a pedestrian zone as well.
- Chartrons Market, Bordeaux, France
Central now to the Chartrons District is the Chartrons Market Square and the covered market. About a 5-minute walk from the city's expansive gardens, if you turn off the main street and wind your way along smaller, norrower ones, you will stumble onto this covered Chartrons Market made of stone, iron and glass and restored in 1998 from its 19th c. original building.
Its walls are flanked with outdoor chairs and tables to enjoy afternoon and evening drinks and its perimeter is surrounded by delightful choices of Salon de Thes and lunch restaurants, many of which serve dinner as well.
La Bocca was recommended to me and when I saw the line going out the door for its Takeaway Sandwiches, 5 Euro which included a drink, I thought that was a good sign. I ordered a marinated artichoke and "Copa" sandwich (fine italian sausage), both of which were generously heaped onto a whole half baguette. About 10 diners were enjoying their lunch on premises, which is about all this Epicerie Fine can accommodate. With the business school just around the corner from its rue Notre Dame location, it does a roaring takeaway business for lunch. I took my sandwich and softdrink and walked the block down to the riverfront where there was plenty of open space and seating to enjoy my deliciously seasoned sandwich with other brownbaggers on this particularly sunny Spring afternoon.
On Sundays, if you feel like getting some goodies from the fresh market, the Chartrons Market is closed, but just walk down to the riverfront where the Sunday Organic fresh market begins from Rue Raze and along the river for a good several hundred meters. You will find the delightful French cheeses, pastries, roasted chicken and roasting pork, vegetables and crepes if you want a readymade hot lunch to eat on the spot. The other choice includes fresh oysters served with local Bordeaux white wine and crusty fresh, French bread.
The Chartrons District has lots to offer and some of the fellow American travelers I met had the notion that it was outside the city! Back in the 16th c. it was outside the walled city but it has been a bustling local neighborhood of Bordeaux for several hundred years now.
Other corners of Bordeaux city are equally as delightful and if you wander around the streets just past the Opera House you will find lots of beautiful little squares, most of which are lined with fabulous dining options. Just be sure to adjust your inner clock - after all, you are now in the South of France and you are in wine country.
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Sunday, June 12, 2011
L'Avant Comptoir, Odéon, Paris
Small plates are a Spanish thing. They're known as Tapas and they're a great way to share a meal with friends. It's also a great way to do wine tastings when you can share the bottles with a group or taste by the glass.
French "small plates" dining wasn't heard of in Paris until L'Avant Comptoir opened its doors next to Le Comptoir du Relais, a restaurant that boasts a 6-month waiting list for reservations. But no reservations are needed here at L'Avant Comptoir. It's the place to come before lunch or dinner to get an "appetizer."
Hors d'oeuvres, however, is not what I would call these small plates. Out of respect for Chef and Proprietor Yves Camdeborde, I won't call them French Tapas but I do think of them that way.
When I'm in Paris on assignment, there's often no time to sit down to a meal. So I've gotten into the habit of popping into the closet-sized, standing-room-only boudoir of Basque-and Bearnais -inspired deliciousness where I can eat a couple plates like seared fois gras on a skewer, a wooden cutting board covered with amazing Carpaccio de Boeuf, wash it all down with a glass of Saint Chinian - or whatever the chef recommends to me that day - and am out the door in under 10 Euro and less than 20 minutes. (I even ate Boudin there once - and liked it!)
Of course, when I had a friend visiting recently, a pal who can't pronounce Si'il Vous Plait to save his life but knows good food and has the charm to get what he wants, always, I had to drag him there. Compared to several sit-down, expensive meals, after an evening spent eating at L'Avant Comptoir, squashed between the elbows of our fellow gourmands-on-a-budget and up against the long pewter counter laden with fresh bread and the best butter in Paris, my Food Dude buddy couldn't stop raving. We would have been back there for lunch and dinner and snacks every day if he had had his way. Every day!
The great thing, too, for Non-French speakers is that there are pictures of all the small plates hanging right above your head, in addition to the day's specials, that you can mutely point to and you're still sure to get what you want.
A Franco-American we chatted up there one evening confessed that L'Avant Comptoir is his favorite place in Paris because it's the only place, he said, where people will talk to you openly and unreservedly.
This place just plain rocks. Once you go there, you will keep coming back AND it will always be on your Top 5 Paris Picks. Bon appetit!
L’Avant Comptoir, 9 carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006, Paris; 011-33-8-2610-1087. No reservations. Open daily.
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Wednesday, June 8, 2011
La Table du Lavoir
by Paige Donner
Read Full Article on Bordeaux Food And Wine
La Table du Lavoir is built on the 19th c. site of an old vineyard wash house the wives of the vineyard workmen would use on laundry days. It has been re-built, just across the road from Château Smith Haut Lafitte, stone by stone. Its roof beams are recovered from the 18th c. cellars of Château Lafite-Rothschild.
Photo c. Paige Donner
Its lovely glass doors - "French Doors" - are opened during the warmer Spring and Summer months to accommodate terrace dining overlooking the famous Bordeaux vineyards. During the colder months, or on rainy nights/days, the roaring period fireplace serves two functions: to heat the room and to roast the delicious-smelling meats.
Photos c. Paige Donner, Local Food And Wine
This is the "Bistro" restaurant of Hotel Les Sources de Caudalie and is run by Michelin starred Nicolas Masse. When he joined the team in 2010, on the 10th anniversary of the Small Luxury Hotel, he brought with him his philosophy of focusing on flavors concentrated in the local specialties of the region. For this, Bordeaux offers a range of both meats and seafoods, because of its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean as well as its country terrain. And, in addition, of course all the fresh produce and miraculous cheeses that the Gironde region, France is known for.
Photos c. Paige Donner, Local Food And Wine
The menus, printed on antique wooden laundry beaters, hold delights such as Roasted Duck with Stewed Apples and Red Cabbage, a feather-light Cauliflower Puree Soup, Home Made Lemon Tart - whose meringue topping is so picture perfect that your tastebuds can't believe that it can also taste so good! Chef Masse practices seasonality in his cuisine which allows for a rich and varied menu at any time of the year.
For Local Food And Wine lovers - Two Saturdays a month Chef Masse offers cooking classes at the restaurant. And every Saturday night, Head Sommelier Aurélien Farrouil hosts Wine Tasting Courses in the on-premise La Tour Degustation or Wine Tasting Tower. The Tower that has a part Cuban, with rich latte colored leather chairs, and part English feel to it, drawing on the Aquitaine's regal heritage, overlooks the vineyards.
Photo c. Paige Donner, Local Food And Wine
The French Paradox Bar is a cozy place to enjoy your pre-dinner (or pre-lunch) aperitif, either facing the 1200 bottle cellar that opens up from the bar or facing out towards the terrace that overlooks the delightful pond, inhabited by swans, and the vast vineyards in the background. The bar serves white and red AOC Graves by the glass which gives you a good opportunity to taste some of the appellation's prestigious wines before continuing on with your Oenotourism. La Table du Lavoir
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Sunday, June 5, 2011
Beka's 100% Chef Eco Logic
by: Paige Donner
After taking a series of cooking classes in Paris last Winter, I realized that it was time to have some dinner parties chez moi to show off my new masterful (!) cooking skills. So when I realized that my one pan large enough to fry one egg in wouldn't suffice for my dinner guests, I went shopping for new pots and pans.
The first thing I noticed was that since I'd last scoured the market, a whole new line of cookware had made its presence known on the store shelves. The most intriguing of these are the ceramic-lined cookware. I first did some window shopping in various department and specialty cooking stores and then placed my order with Beka whose Eco Beka line of 100% "Chef Eco-logic" line of ceramic-lined pots and pans had merited the 2009 prestigious Design Plus Award.
To really test the efficacy of the both products, I ordered one pan the identical size of the one pan I already had. My old pan was teflon-lined steel - not a cheap version but just last generation pan. The new shiny white pan from Eco Beka came lined with a beautiful slate gray ceramic.
It heats super fast, the hollow handle, metal, stays cool when cooking, I use a tiny drop of oil for non-stick and to steam vegetables I only use a 1/3 of the water.
What makes Eco Beka so efficient not to mention aesthetic?
- 100% environmentally friendly and worldwide exclusive treatment of eco hardened aluminum surfaces.
- PTFE and PFOA-free thanks to the water-based ceramic coating.
- No release of toxic substances - neither in production, nor when overheating.
- Natural color of the pan is preserved: no chemical dyes used
- Hollow, thermal handle: Fewer materials used which benefits the environment (this keeps the handle cool, unless used in the oven).
- Beka makes a whole range of Eco Beka. Take a look at the line of pots, pans and casseroles online.
And two more things: Super easy cleanup of the nonstick surface. Also, I swear that the fact that they sponsor the Top Chef TV show had no bearing on my decision to purchase Chef Eco-logic 100%. After all, I'm not a Top Chef, I just pretend to be one when I'm cooking at home.
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