I suspect that in middle America — and perhaps anywhere else the Western world — most people would assume that the French have cemented their reputation as the world’s culinary avant garde. It’s certainly a fair assumption. Not only have the French enjoyed an enviable culinary tradition for the last two centuries, but Western pop culture has reinforced this idea again and again. The notion of sophisticated French cuisine has become an enduring cultural archetype both here and abroad, as seen recently in movies like 2007′s “Ratatouille,” or even going back 20 years prior, to the Danish film “Babette’s [... read more ...]
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The Culinary Timeline is a side-project that I've been working on since October. I'm hoping to have most of it complete by the end of January, with any luck. Until then, updates around here will be weekly, rather than twice weekly. Do stay tuned. • • •
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You say tomato, I say hot pepper. I originally had an idea to run this photo as a contest: I wanted to give away a bottle of wine to the first person who could identify the winery represented on the serving tray above (someone fashioned this tray from the top of a wooden wine box, and now it’s in my possession). However, I have a feeling that giving away wine (even fine wine) might be illegal, not to mention the liability issues surrounding booze here in America. Too bad. In terms of cash value, this bottle of wine [... read more ...] The dining area outside Ehlers Estate. Slow Food Napa Valley hosted a pig roast and potluck on Sunday, September 11th, in conjunction with Ehlers Estate in St. Helena. The following photos highlight the event, which provided a forum for SFNV members to discuss the future of SFNV, and how they can help to increase interest and awareness of the Slow Food movement. Naturally, the brunch was amazing. Please click on any photo for a full-screen view. • • • Pig cracklins, up close. • • • CIA instructor Patrick Clark carves the [... read more ...] Oozing Flavor: The Kobe Burger @ The Kitchen Door, Napa. Those who have lived in the Napa Valley for the last several years might recognize the Kitchen Door’s Kobe Burger as a vestige of the recently-departed Martini House, which shuttered almost one year ago (October 30th will mark the anniversary). Way back when I was cooking at the Martini House — more than four years ago now — the Kobe Burger was offered as a bar-only item, and was reason enough to drop by the restaurant’s eclectic downstairs lounge. As I had seen on so many nights back [... read more ...] The definition of golden brown, and obviously not from a bag: Platanos con Dulce de Leche (Plantains with Sweetened Condensed Milk) @ Tacos La Playita, Napa. Sometimes simplicity is the best, but only if the ingredients can stand alone. Based upon its ripeness, the humble plantain will usually fall into two distinct categories: Starchy and bland, or sweet and delicious. At Tacos La Playita in Napa, the platanos definitely fall into the latter category, especially when dressed with dulce de leche. These plantains, pictured above, are actually a recent discovery to me, even though Tacos La Playita had [... read more ...] Designed by architectural historian Dr. David Gissen, this wine map of France is reconfigured to resemble a modern subway map. Pure genius, if you ask me. Gissen really captures the public-transportation aesthetic perfectly, presenting French wine in a uniquely urban context. Bravo. Wine geeks can purchase a high-quality printing of this map online at De Long Wine, creators and purveyors of the equally cool Wine Grape Varietal Table.
Sharing is caring… “Cooking: The Quintessential Art” is an odd little book, but with noteworthy pedigree. Co-authors Herve This and Pierre Gagnaire have each earned their stripes in the culinary realm (the former, as a food chemist and one of the pioneers of molecular gastronomy; the latter, as a three-Michelin star chef and an innovator of fusion cuisine). As contemporaries, This and Gagniere have both forged unique careers by rethinking the basic elements of cuisine. In “The Quintessential Art,” the two authors delve into the very meaning of cooking, by analyzing the culinary arts through a surprisingly comprehensive philosophical lens. Replete with [... read more ...] The Squeezeburger with Cheese (obviously) @ The Squeeze Inn, Napa. The calling card of a Squeezeburger is unmistakable: Each cheeseburger is adorned with a skirt of melted cheddar cheese, rendered crispy-thin on a flat-top grill until it’s roughly the dimension of a jukebox 45. In terms of practicality, the trick is to neatly tuck this excess cheese underneath the patty before eating, although my “encasing” trechnique certainly isn’t the only approach (some folks tear away the entire circumference of cheese and eat it on its own; others may tear away just enough cheese to gain an entry-point). One [... read more ...] “Coffee’s for closers only.” Anyone who has seen 1992′s “Glengarry Glen Ross” might recall this line from the film’s first act, when Alec Baldwin delivers one of my all-time favorite movie monologues. The scene marks Baldwin’s only appearance in the film — a scant seven minutes — but his abusive tirade establishes the movie’s tone, and it sets up the second act perfectly. In “Glengarry,” Baldwin plays the character of Blake, an über-alpha real estate salesman, and a role that was written specifically for Baldwin by playwright David Mamet (as great as it is, Baldwin’s “Glengarry” monologue was not [... read more ...] |
 
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© 2012 The Accidental Wino |
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