Crayfish with Pasta Pearls

Use the crayfish stock recipe, I wrote about previously.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Kilos of Crayfish - Pick out tails and claws, yields about 3-4 cups.  Reserve shells.
• Italian Parsley (1/2 Cup) coursely chopped.
• Shallots 1/2 Cup - Thinly sliced and then coursely chopped.

1. Simmer Stock
2. Braise the shallots, but leave a slight crunch.
3. Leave crayfish meat out to get to room temperature.
4. Add crayfish meat to stock to warm up.
5. Boil pasta.  Cook al-dente.
6. Drain Pasta, put back in pot, add stock, parley, and shallots, and reserved crayfish meat.
7. Plate and serve.

Venison Spare Ribs w/ spicy red wine reduction

These venison ribs were bought at the South Kensington farmer's market from Wickham Manor Farm. Wickham Manor consistently has beautiful meats and produce.

Ribs
Onion
Hot Chilli pepper
3 cups of Chicken Stock
3 cups of red wine

1) Preheat oven to 110C or 250F
2) Dice the onion, and quarter the chili pepper (removing the seeds and top).
3) Place ribs, meaty side down, in a lasagne dish or other deep baking dish.
4) Add onions and pepper on top. Cover with chicken stock.
5) Braise the ribs in the oven for 3+ hours. Occasionally, spoon stock over the ribs or push them down if they pop up during cooking.
6) Start to create your red wine reduction. Place wine and any remaining stock in a large pan. Place over low heat and stirring occasionally reduce, reduce, and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon.
7) Remove ribs from oven. Carefully remove ribs from pan and cover to keep moist.
8) Put a cast iron griddle or skillet on low heat.
9) Reserve the chilli pepper, and then strain the stock. Add to your red wine reduction and reduce again.
10) With the back of a spoon, mash up the chilli and add to your reduction to give it a bit of a kick.
11) Place the ribs fat side down on a griddle and slowly render the fat. Mopping up excess fat with a paper towel. You don't want to boil the ribs in oil.
12) When the layer of fat has been mostly rendered, you can slowly spoon your reduction over the ribs. Treat it like a risotto, a couple of spoons of reduction over the ribs, let it bubble up and disappear (but not burn) and add a little more.

You could subsitute your favorite BBQ sauce and just do the braising part, but why would you waste all that delicious stock?

Rupert & Rothschild - Baron Edmond 2004 "a classic french blend"

Anyone familiar with South African wines will have had or at least heard of this wine. It consistently gets top marks from the John Platter guide for a reason.
It is a class act, another fine example of a collaboration from a major french producer and a local winery. The wine is a classic french blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and a bit of Cabernet Franc. The 15% alcohol, is not very french, but typical for a South African red.
The wine is still young but drinking beautifully, and I look forward to having it again over the years.

Marianne Pinotage 2004 - "run, don't walk"

This is 3rd time I've had the Marianne Pinotage 2004 from South Africa. The first, was tasting it at the vineyard, the next time was from one of the 3 bottles we bought. This last time was also from our small stash. What was I thinking? I've got to run, not walk, to the nearest distributor and buy as much as I can.

I'm not the only one that loves it. It won a ABSA 2007 Top 10 award as well as a Michelangelo 2007 gold medal.

Delicious plum fruits give way to tobacco and earthy mushroom flavors. Silky soft with a small bite of tannins.

Crayfish and Chicken Jambalaya

Fall is crayfish season in England. The non-native and invasive species, American Crayfish, do so well here, they are sometimes almost 6-7 inches long. More like mini lobsters than the crayfish I've had in New Orleans.
This recipe below was very good. As usual, I modified it to meet my own circumstances.
http://neworleanscuisine.blogspot.com/2005/05/shrimp-and-chicken-jambalaya-recipe.html

Instead of rice I used barley, I like the texture of barley better, and I think it holds up well to longer cooking times. I found a beautiful smoked chicken breast, and some nice chorizo, and I also substituted the shrimp with my crayfish. 1 kilo (2.2 Lbs) of crayfish picked out about a cup and half of meat from the tails and claws. I reserved the shells when picking out the meat and created a stock.

Crayfish Stock:
Reserved Shells (Heads, bodies, picked over tails, and claws)
Medium Onion - Chopped
2 Celery - Chopped
2 Carrots - Chopped
Salt & Pepper
2 Tsp Sage
2 Bay Leaves
2 Tbs Rum or Cognac
Cheese cloth or Butter Muslin

1) Place heads, bodies, and leftover shells into large stock pot.
2) Place on medium high heat, and when sizzling, add the Rum or cognac and ignite (careful don't burn yourself). If it flames too much, don't panic, the flames will subside shortly or put a lid on it.
3) Add the vegetables, spices, salt and pepper to taste. - Cook for 5 minutes
4) Add cold water until everything is well covered. Turn heat to medium low. You want it to simmer, not boil.
5) Periodically, mash the shells with a potato masher. Cook for 3o minutes.
6) Strain the stock through a cheese cloth, wash stock pot, and put stock back into the pot.
7) Reduce until about 3 cups. Skimming and congealed fat by turning the back of a spoon through the stock and wiping clean with a paper towel.

Barley
3/4 Cup Barley
1 1/2 cups stock

1) Wash Barley in strainer
2) Bring stock to boil
3) Add Barley, reduce to simmer cook for about 45 minutes.

That's it for my modifications, otherwise cook as per the recipe above and enjoy.
I served this with a nice spicy Shiraz.

Southern Right - Sauvignon Blanc 2008 "can't wait to open another"

Southern Right Cellars is located near Hermanus, South Africa. The wine and winery are named after the whales that visit each year.

I was pleasantly pleased with this wine. South Africa's whites are generally overlooked in the world market and this one showed a lot of class. Clean and crisp green fruit showed through. Think granny smith apple, with a bit of caramel and honeysuckle.

I can't wait to open another one.

Jordan Cigoj - Zelén "clean and bright"

In Slovenia, they produce a wonderful summer white they describe as "fresh". I agree with the "fresh" moniker. The wine is clean and bright with citrusy, dry overtones. At 12% alcohol it is easy drinking on a hot summers day.

I'm told that all Zelén (the grape varietal) wines are shipped in the same similar curvaceous bottle with hanging labels, so it can be confusing (to non-Slovenians) to identify different producers. And, just to confuse you, the bottle pictured illustrates my point. It is a different maker of zelén. I have not tried the bottle to the left yet.

Union Gostilna - Bled, Slovenia "A winner, worth another visit"

Spent the weekend in Bled, Slovenia. Weather improved each day and Sunday found us enjoying intermittent sun behind billowing alto cumulus clouds with temps in the 75F region. A typical Slovenia summer day I would imagine.
Slovenia extends down to the top corner of the Adriatic Sea, Italy to the West, Austria and Hungary to the North, and Croatia to the East and South. Bled is a pretty little town to the north, dominated by the large Bled lake. This lake is warmed by geothermal springs, and it's bright turquoise colour jumps out in Google Earth.
They clearly get the Tourist thing in Bled, the calendar is stuffed with events all year round. The main sites to see are the church on the island in the middle of the lake and Bled Castle on top of a large lakeside cliff. We managed to see neither as we were too busy golfing, eating and drinking the local wine which we found surprisingly good.
Union Gostilna is a casual restaurant on the main drag at the edge of the village. With advance notice, they serve a variety of foods cooked on an open hearth under "bell". The bell looks like a beefy wok cover. The suckling pig we enjoyed was cooked for over 3 hours. In the final stage, the meat is placed skin up, and the bell is covered with hot coals held in place by little barrel hoops. It was great and I hope to order some of these to replicate that dish.
Both the King's Course and the 9 hole companion course at "XXX" were very good. A nicely laid out course and more than worth a few rounds.
Bled is a winner and worth another visit to get to the tourist spots we missed, more golf, and more of the local wine.

James Taylor, O2 Arena 06/Jul/09 - "Rockabye, Sweet Baby James"

James Taylor and band members played a nostalgic set at the O2 Arena. His voice, still pure and all James Taylor, echoed my memories from countless listening in the late seventies and early eighties.
The last time I saw him was 1980. I remember, at the time, I was shocked that he had lost his hair and looked old. The hair is still gone, and he looks older, but music keeps him young. He is obviously still in love with his work.
The set lists were a mixture of covers and JT classics. His interaction with the crowd was sometimes a bit geeky and bit stiff, but it was obvious he had done this many times before and he graciously inserted a request for "Only One" into the set.
The backup vocals by Katie Markowitz, Andrea Zahn (also on fiddle), and Arnold McCullough were stunning. Jimmy Johnson on bass and Larry Goldings on keyboards rounded out the ensemble of talented musicians onstage.
His song introductions gave me a new understanding and appreciation into why he had written them. Sweet Baby James, written as a lullaby for a nephew named after him, was sung with a sweetness as if he was setting eyes on the baby again for the first time.
It was a bit of a time warp at the O2 last night, I was comfortably teleported back and happily lulled to tranquility. It looks like this was recorded for DVD, I'll be looking for it. "Rockabye Sweet Baby James", and thank you.

Set List
SET 1
It's Growin
Sea cruise
Country Road
Whiskey before Breakfast (Andrea Zahn - fiddle solo)
Stop thinking bout that
Wichita Lineman
Why Baby Why by George Jones
Only One - audience request
Everyday by Buddy Holly
Oklahoma By Rogers and Hammerstein
You've got a Friend by Carole King
Mexico
Shed a Little Light
Set 2
Hound Dog by Big Momma Thorton
Down in the Hole
I'm a roadrunner
Sweet Baby James
Fire n rain
Up on the Roof by Carole King
Steamroller
Carolina
Shower the People
Your Smiling Face
ENCORE
Walking Man
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Midnight Hour
????

Spinal Tap - "Sod the one night"

Ah, Spinal Tap. When I heard back in April they would be playing a "one night, world tour" in London, I knew I had to go. Had it really been 25 years since their [r/m]ockumentary was created?
The Folksmen, Spinal Tap's folk playing alter-egos fronted the show. Sadly, we were a bit late and missed this part. A prior write up made me chuckle, when it reported that Christopher Guests' 5 year old son, saw the Folksmen playing and wondered when the "old guys would finish and the loud guys would start".
The band, played through their repertoire. Going back through their fictional past to play songs from before they became Spinal Tap. They also played some songs from the obligatory band splits up years when members explored their musical talents on their own.
Keith Emerson joined them onstage for a few numbers.
All in all, it was a good head banging time. I laughed until my "ears bled": the bass turned way past 11 for chest thumping riffs. Like all good bands, the encores never stopped (after 3).
Sod the one night - we want more Spinal Tap.

SET LIST - Missing songs and order: I'll correct when I find a complete list
Hell Hole
Heavy Duty
Gimme Some Money
Cups And Cakes
Sex Farm
Stonehenge
Rock and Roll Nightmare
(Listen to the) Flower People
The Majesty of Rock
Big Bottom
Stinkin' Up the Great Outdoors
Clam Caravan

Latium - Campo le Calle -"wonderful summer white"

The Latium Morini, Campo le Calle I had with dinner last night is a wonderful summer white wine. This is an unpretentious Italian white. Perfect for casual and light dining: lunch or dinner.

Not a dry wine, but not too sweet, bits of tart apple, and green fruit come though. Have it with a summer salad with pear or a Waldorf salad with apple and walnut.

http://www.latiummorini.it/

Eric Clapton Royal Albert Hall - "professional rock & roll"

I saw Eric Clapton when he opened up his 11 day tour of the Royal Albert Hall in London on Saturday May 16th. I was blown away.

He and his band mates are such masters of their instruments. The length of time they have been playing together clearly showed. These were professional rock & roll showmen. Unlike another legend I saw recently, Eric Clapton played his songs with power and depth but still true to the original.

See Setlist and review from a more famous publication. It was great to hear a mix of old classics and covers. I particularly liked "Somewhere over the Rainbow". Tender and slow, it seemed to substitute for "Tears in Heaven" which did not make an appearance.

When he came to "Cocaine", instead of growling the anthem to show the power of the drug, he barely whispered the word. It almost seemed more of an apology for his early year excesses and an emphasis of the "bad" side of the powder.

"Crossroads" was a great ending to a fine set. I wish I had signed up for more nights. Catch it in the US if you can.

Simple Weber Grill Roasted Whole Chicken - "Have fun, the chicken cooks itself"

I've been cooking whole chickens on my Weber for years. I like this method because you can have fun while the chicken cooks itself. You can tell from the smell pouring from the grill when the chicken is ready: generally 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on size of bird and the outside temperature. I cook on the grill all year round and except in the dead of winter with strong winds, I've found this to be simple, easy, and worry free.

To make this work, you create a hot and a "cold" side to your grill and cook over indirect heat. This simply means instead of spreading all the coals around the bottom, you dump them unceremoniously on one side.

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken - rinse with water and pat dry.
Old Bay Seasoning - You will shake over the chicken.
1 large Piece of aluminum foil folded in half. - Enough to protect bottom of chicken and side.
1 small Aluminum container to hold hot water.
Charcoal (the same amount as if you were going to cook in a normal way)

Instructions:
1) Remove chicken from fridge and allow to come to room temperature (1-2 hours)
2) Adjust your Weber's vents. The bottoms should be fully open.
3) Start your charcoal (If using briquettes, throw them out and buy charcoal. A briquette fire will not last the 75-120 minutes burn time).
4) Boil about a quart of water. This will be put in the aluminum container and placed to the side of the Hot side to help keep the chicken moist.
5) Rinse chicken under faucet inside and out, and pat dry.
6) Place chicken on a plate and generously coat all over with Old Bay Seasoning.
7) When the coals are hot, dump them on one side of the grill and replace the grate.
8) If possible, place the chicken on the cold side on top of the folded aluminum foil such that the legs are pointing to the hot side (You do not want any of the chicken over the coals). If not, try your best to distance the chicken from the heat so it cooks indirectly, do not jam it against the side of the grill, you want air to circulate freely around it. The foil will help deflect the heat but don't make a boat, you don't want your chicken swimming in fat.
9) Place the aluminum container to the edge of the host side (if you put it directly on the hot side it will evaporate too quickly) and fill with boiling water.
10) Put the lid on the grill, such that a gap of about 1/2" to 1" is on the cold side behind the chicken. You can use this gap to peak at the chicken and keep an eye on the fire. The vents on top should be closed.
11) That's it. Resist the temptation to have a look: any peeking destroys the built up heat and extends cooking time. Peer through the crack to make sure your fire is burning, but if you started with well burning charcoal, and the vents on the bottom are open and the lid is cracked open as above you should have no problem.

After about an hour you will start to notice the lovely smell of a cooked chicken. After 90 minutes, it will smell perfect and you'll know it is time to remove it.

12) Let rest at lest 10 minutes before carving.

Serve with a smoky Australian Shiraz or a rich Argentinian Malbec.

Sweet Potato Rosti - "addictive as french fries"

I think of Rosti as a winter dish, but prepared properly, it can be as addictive as good french fries. In this recipe, I use a mix of sweet and regular potatoes. This keeps the Rosti from getting too sweet and the white potatoes add body.

Serves 6
2 Sweet Potatoes
2 Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 Medium onion
Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Nonstick pan that can be placed into a hot oven (Watch out for plastic handles) or grease a cast iron skillet.

1) Par boil all the potatoes (leave the skins on) about 20 minutes.
2) Cut the onion into quarters and thinly slice.
3) Saute the onions over medium heat. About 5 minutes.
4) Remove potatoes from heat. Empty water and let cool. Run under cold water to speed the process.
5) When cool enough to handle, remove skins from the potatoes.
6) Preheat oven to 350F
6) Alternating sweet and white potatoes, grate into large bowl.
7) Try not to mash the potatoes as you mix in the onions and mix the potatoes together.
8) Place mixture in nonstick pan or greased iron skillet.
9) Cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes.
10) Place dabs of butter on top or spinkle with olive oil.
11) Place in Oven, and bake for 60 minutes. If the top is not browning, turn on broiler before serving. If browning too much, lower heat or cover with tin foil.

Viader, Terra Rouge, Stags Leap, Pahlmeyer, Mount Veeder - "absolute gems"

Wow, I love having a "wine cellar". This weekend we went though and sought out wines we had purchased years ago and thought might be past their prime. Some were, but others were absolute gems.
Terra Rouge 1999 - Syrah. Full fruit, smoky flavors. Drinking very well.
Mount Veeder 1991 - Had two bottles, both were on the downhill. Soft, faded fruit flavors that melted away quickly. Drink any remaining bottles.
Stags Leap Cask 23 1992 - Stunning. Opulent, rich, bold fruit that went on and on.
Pahlmeyer 1996 - Rich and smooth, softer red fruit flavours.
Viader 1997 - Fading, but still a great cabernet.

A nice looking bunch.

Muenchberg Riesling 2005 "Pineapple Tart tatin"

Last night I had a bottle of the 2005 Muenchberg Riesling 2005 from Domain Ostertag. This Alsacian Grand Cru is drinking well but I would imagine it would be stunning in 5-10 years from now.
A bit of oak comes through, but the predominant flavor is pineapple and tropical fruit. Think pineapple tart tatin cooked with butter. Nicely dry, not sweet. I'll head back to buy some for the cellar.

Trimbach Riesling Reserve 2006

I wish I could review this wine, but, to be fair, the wine was slightly corked.
Whenever I open a bottle, I always examine the wine end of the cork for flaws and that telltale grey-blue line that hints of a problem. It is not a poncy thing to do.
I once had a "perfect" looking cork, and a quick sniff revealed no issues. Then, I squeezed and smelled the cork. Yikes! A disgusting whiff of moldy cork came spewing out. The cork is your canary in a coal mine. It will more readily reveal off flavors that have bled into the wine. Always squeeze and check your corks!
Back to the Trimbach. This cork had a dark line running across the bottom. It smelled of wet cork (sometimes also not good) but not anything more sinister. The wine did have slight corky overtones but was otherwise pleasurable. If I had been in a restaurant, I'd have sent it back. If I had had another bottle, I'd have opened it.
Instead, I drank. As the wine opened up in the glass and the bottle, the corkiness became more pronounced. I've never returned a half consumed bottle to my local wine merchant. It should be interesting.

Chicken Tikka Masala & Punjabi Chhole (Chick Peas)

OK, I admit it. I cheated. I have never cooked Indian food, and I don't have an Indian recipe book (yes I know there is something called Google), so I used packaged spices to make these recipes.
Before you immediately click away in disgust, let me say in my defense that I generally do not do packaged foods. The "Arora Creations" spice blends, however, are all natural, no MSG, and gluten free. Reading the ingredients, they sounded authentic and now that I have tried these two dishes they tasted authentic.
Maybe next time I'll mix the spices myself, but then again where is the typical non-Indian family going to find and store the amchur powder, anardana, cardamon, and mace? The Arora Creations spice packets look like seed packets for your garden and have complete recipes on the back. Convenient, tasty, and efficient. I'm going to stock up.

Bob Dylan O2 25/04/2009

Despite all the recent acclaim Bob Dylan has received for his new songs, I haven't bought any, nor do any titles come to mind. So as I headed to the O2 in London, I was looking forward to hearing a mix of old and new.

Starting out with Maggies Farm (see setlist), his unmistakable voice rasped out. As he progressed into The Times They Are A-Changin', it became clear that this was Dylan but also something new. It was like coming across a long lost, old pair of favorite jeans and finding, with delight, that they still fit and felt good.

The new arrangements of old classics, brought out a richness and depth to the songs I was never aware of. Unfortunately, (or possibly very fortunately) it made them almost impossible to sing along to. The staging was very old school, there were no screens for the benefit of old eyes (most fans) and just a few 60's throwback light patterns projected onto the back curtain. For me, part of the magic of seeing these legendary performers is to be able to watch how they play and work their instruments. Without screens, it was impossible to see any detail.

Moving through Workingman's Blues and Highway 61 were highlights of the show, but the comfortable rhythms had seemingly turned the whole O2 into one gigantic methadone clinic. Old and young, gently rocked.

By the time he got to Like a Rolling Stone, and All Along the Watchtower, I was really missing the old Bob Dylan. The rearrangements of these songs lacked the punch and emphasis they had when they (and Bob) were young.

The three song encore ended with "Blowin in the Wind". It was not the frenetic finale a younger man might have made to leave the audience stunned and wanting more. It was more the gentle caresses of experience and maturity. I'd have preferred more of the younger man.

Rimauresq Rose 2007 "nice but forgettable"

Much of the pleasure we derive from wine is influenced by the surroundings, foods, and people we enjoy it with. Last night, two of those three were great, but the dinner (my fault) was abysmal.
Rimaureseq Rose is a Provencal rose made from Tibouren and Cinsault grapes. At £14, it was much more approachable than the Domaines Ott at £28.
I found the whole experience with this wine to be lacking. It was like being introduced to someone at a cocktail party and immediately forgetting their name. You have a nice but forgettable conversation and you part with vague promises of getting together sometime.
I must give this wine another chance, "let's do lunch" I suggest.

Disaster: Fish Choucroute

Somewhere in the UK, I had a fish choucroute and it was lovely. I know it sounds weird, fish with sauerkraut. This dish however was sublime: it had lovely butter notes in the sauerkraut and the smoked pork chop was replaced with a hot smoked salmon. It had pieces of haddock, and a fish sausage and I really enjoyed it. I've now twice attempted to make it: after last night, my wife has banished it from the kitchen table.

If anyone has a recipe, I would like to try it. I think with fish, all the ingredients need to be cooked separately and then combined at the end instead of cooking together like the traditional Alsacienne dish. I tried to get the deep flavors I remembered by making a very rich fish stock, that recipe is below.

Ingredients:
Hot Smoked Salmon Fillet
4 Scallops (remove roe & reserve for stock)
8 lg. shrimp (clean & reserve heads and shells for stock)
1 Pink Bream (fillet & reserve rest for stock)
1 Gunnard (fillet & reserve rest for stock)

Fish Stock
4 small Carrots
2 Celery Stalks
1/2 Med. onion
Bouquet Garni
Pepper Corns
A few Juniper Berries
Fishy bits from above.

Combine all. Bring to a soft boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Use potato masher to extract flavors and generally make a big mess of things in the pot.

Strain and simmer on low heat until reduced to appropriate flavor. While the dish above was a disaster the fish stock was delicious. I apologize to the fish that their lovely selves were wasted on an unappetizing meal.

Steak with Morel Sauce, Asparagus and Broad Beans

Ah, the British Spring is here. I was planning on a Thai beef salad for dinner but the sight of fresh morels, asparagus and broad beans had me heading in a different direction: time to feast.

Serves 2

2 Rib Eye Steaks (3/4" or 2 cm thick)
1 1/2 Cup of Morels (depending on size, I like the 1"-2" size caps.)
3-4 Tbsp Single Cream
1-2 Tbsp Butter (unsalted)
Small onion (minced)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Asparagus (for 2)

Broad Beans (for 2)

1. Prepare morels: cut off stalk, leaving cap. Look out for bugs: I like to keep my morels in a large glass bowl to capture any escapees. The less than perfect morels, I chop up in large chunks. The pretty ones, I quarter or halve.
2. Mince onions, place about 2 Tbsp worth into small skillet with about 1 Tbsp. butter and a touch of olive oil. Saute until translucent.
3. Add the morels and simmer covered, stirring gently occasionally. This can prepped ahead of time and set aside. To finish, simmer once again and stir in 3-4 Tbsp of cream. I usually finish the morel sauce as my steaks are resting as it only takes a few minutes.
4. Remove the broad beans from the pods. Cook in some boiling water for about 5 minutes.
5. Plunge broad beans in cold water and remove outer skin. If they are super fresh and young the skins can be eaten, but removing the skins will reveal the bright green inner bean.
6. Place broad beans in a skillet with a Tbsp of butter or olive oil and the leftover minced onion.
7. Preheat oven to 200C
8. Heat skillet for steaks to med-high.
9. Season steaks with salt and crushed pepper just before cooking
10. Sear the steaks about 4 minutes per side and then place skillet in hot oven to finish cooking. Depending on the thickness of the steaks, I usually put in the oven for about 8 minutes for med-rare. Note: Steaks should rest for about a quarter of the total cooking time to allow for the juices to redistribute after cooking.
11. Finish, on a medium low to low heat, the morel sauce. Add the cream, and salt & pepper to taste.
12. Start cooking your asparagus. For fresh asparagus, I think they are perfectly done when little beads of sweat start to appear. Double check by poking with a fork.
13. Saute your broad beans, butter, and onions.
14. After your steaks have rested, cover half the steak with the morel sauce, dribbling the rest along the side. Arrange your broad beans and asparagus on the plate.
15. Enjoy.

Chateau Montrose 1996 - "kissing a distant relative"

The Chateau Montrose 1996 was everything you would expect in Saint-Estephe Grand Cru.
Compared to the previous nights Californian of the same vintage, here was the beginning stirrings of a musty forest. There was still fruit, but it was riper, darker as those mushroomy notes crept in. With the alcohol at a very French 12.5%, it did not dominate the experience.

The wine was more like meeting an old distant relative: familiar and comfortable and easy to give a good hug and kiss, but the experience leaves you wondering how much longer they will be on this earth for. I hope we can enjoy each other for at least a few more years.

Cardinale 1996 Red Wine - "last bite of a great steak"

The last bottle in the cellar went last night. It was bought in 1997/8 from Dean & Deluca in Napa Valley for $98.00!
It was absolutely gorgeous. Still plenty of ripe red fruit, a bit of alcohol coming through, and a nice long lingering finish.
It reminded me of those last bites of a really good grilled steak. Chewy, slightly peppery, and so good you smear it around in the remaining juices enjoying every bite.

Perfect Applesauce

I was making applesauce to go with a roasted pork belly (you should try this recipe), as fate would have it, I almost burned the applesauce, but what I got was pure heaven. Lovely caramel notes, sweetness without added sugar. The red pepper flakes add an almost imperceptible heat to counteract the acidity of the apples.

Serves 4
4 Bramley Apples
4 Tbsp Water
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Rum (I prefer Angostura 1919 - nice woody notes)
2 Tbsp White wine (Riesling is a good choice)
1 large pinch red pepper flakes

1) Peel, core, and quarter apples.
2) Put apples, water, and butter in small sauce pan (something you can use a potato masher in), turn to high heat.
3) When boiling, add rum and light on fire. (careful not to burn yourself) If you have a heavy hand with the rum, the flames can get big, just take off heat and don't panic: the flames will subside quickly.
4) Cover, and turn heat to medium and let cook until apples begin to break down. Use a potato masher and mash up the apples.
5) Ok, now is the tricky part. Your time will depend on the amount of liquid produced, the heat of your stove top, and the pan you are using. It will take at least 20 minutes for it to cook down and you will notice the bottom of the pan is a dark caramelized color. Remove from heat and use your masher to mash up the apples and "deglaze" the bottom of the pan adding that color and flavor to your applesauce.