Thanksgiving Recipe and Wine Pairing - Chef Berkman's Applewood Bacon Braised Kale

Over the past few years, I have gotten to know Legal Sea Foods' Executive Chef Jason Berkman the person. He's a great friend now and shares an affinity for many of the same things that I enjoy, namely good food, cigars and most importantly, wine. However, it was during this past year that I was exposed to his culinary prowess.

Back in August, a group of us took part in a wine dinner in which I selected the wines and Berkie collaborated on the menu (with Chris Baker). It was something to see how the meals came together and the precision in which they were prepared. After an event like this, it is hard not to have even more respect for the talent that good chefs possess.

Like Merry Edwards and John Carnevale, I thought that Chef Berkman would bring a unique element to the Thanksgiving project that I was putting together. I asked him to pick one of his favorite sides to share with us. He picked a kale dish which delighted me, as it is a vegetable that is dramatically underused, but extremely delicious and packed with vitamins. Also, with the gnocchi, crab dip and eventually cheesecake, we finally have something healthy! He also stressed the importance of buying local produce if possible. It will not only ensure freshness and regional identity, but it also supports local farmers. This last point is something that Chef Berkman and Legal Sea Foods aims to do with their menu items whenever feasible.

Applewood Bacon Braised Kale

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
8 heads of kale
2 large onions (approx 1 1/2 lbs)
1/3 lb of applewood smoked bacon
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
2 cups of chicken stock
1 tspn. kosher salt

Step 1
Remove the ribs of the kale from the green leafy portion. Discard the ribs and cut the green leafy portion into 1 1/2" strips, lightly wash and then steam them for 5 minutes.

Step 2
Dice the bacon into 1" pieces and render it in a medium sized pot with salt on medium heat.

Step 3
Add garlic to the pot with bacon, when the garlic starts to show signs of toasting, add the onions and continue cooking until onions are translucent (caramelized).

Step 4
Add the steamed greens to the bacon mixture and mix well. Increase heat to high.

Step 5
Add 1 cup of stock to the mixture and continue stirring until stock begins to reduce (about 10 minutes). Add the remaining cup of stock to the mixture and continue stirring and cooking for another 10 minutes until the most of the stock has cooked down. Remove from heat and serve.

Perfect Pairing
2006 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir, Willamette, Oregon - $44

The 2006 Domaine Drouhin is one of Berkie (and my) favorite pinot noirs. The aroma is of beautiful rich cherry that is mirrored on the palate along with a hint of spice. The tannins are noticeable; however, they are well integrated and somewhat delicate. This is a very thoughtfully made, well-crafted wine that is confident in structure and complexity. It is very much a terrific Thanksgiving pinot noir.

When you think about versatile Thanksgiving wine pairings, pinot noir should almost always be one of your first thoughts. The berries, spice, herbs and vibrant acidity that are common characteristics of good pinot make it a tremendously food friendly wine.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Recipe and Wine Pairing - Chef Berkman's Applewood Bacon Braised Kale

Thanksgiving Recipe and Wine Pairing - Merry Edwards' Crab Dip

After writing about the Merry Edwards 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, I was contacted by the winery and thanked for the kind words. When I originally came up with the idea for the Thanksgiving column for the Nashua Telegraph, I was hoping that Merry would contribute. She did not disappoint!

Merry Edwards, as a winery, is still very new to the game. They were incorporated in 1997 and started to produce wine in the early 2000s. Although new, do not let this fool you. In 1973, Merry Edwards became one of the first woman winemakers in California. Thus, she is certainly not inexperienced and brings a very unique approach to her wines. Many wineries are focused on the bottom line, while she states that their focus is on gentle, traditional, labor intensive winemaking practices. You can clearly experience this difference in their wines.

Connie’s Hot Crab Dip

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces Dungeness crab meat (two medium sized crabs)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons green onion, minced
1 tablespoon horseradish
dash Worcestershire
salt, pepper, and fresh dill to taste

Step 1

Combine cream cheese, crab meat, milk, onion, horseradish and Worcestershire in a mixing bowl and fold together. Once all of the ingredients are well incorporated, begin to add the salt, pepper and dill slowly, tasting along the way.

Step 2

Bake at 400 degrees in an ovenproof baking dish for 15 minutes or until bubbly.

Step 3

Let sit for about 5-10 minutes and then serve with mild-flavored or water crackers and enjoy!

Perfect Pairing:

2007 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - $42

Merry decided on the 2007 RRV Pinot Noir and in my opinion you could easily use their wonderful Sauvignon Blancs as well (or you can do both!). She describes this wine as "echoing the mood of the wonderful 2007 harvest, the personality of this wine conveys a strikingly pure fruit character. The deep garnet color is a prelude to its ripe, dark fruity aroma. Nearly all the descriptors common to Pinots from our Valley come to mind – black cherry, cola, blueberry, black currant and raspberry are tinged with rich cocoa, chocolate and nutmeg. Each time you return to the glass, another intriguing layer reveals itself. The rich fruit carries forward into a boldly structured palate which is bright yet smooth with a seamless, luxurious finish."

Sounds delicious!

Merry Edwards’ wines are available by order only (thanks for nothing NH Liquor Commission!). You can order her wonderful wines through the Merry Edwards Website, trust me they are worth every penny!

Thanksgiving Recipe and Wine Pairing - Merry Edwards' Crab Dip

Welcome to my wine world!

As published on 9/23 in the Nashua Telegraph (click link to view Telegraph version).

When I first proposed writing a wine column to the Telegraph, I did so for a few reasons.

First, as a restaurant/personal wine consultant, I hold a firm belief that wine has a way of elevating life's special moments. This belief may sound overly romanticized, but hear me out.

Have you ever had people over for dinner, or gone out to dinner with someone special or a group of friends? Of course you have. Now have you noticed how those same occasions are noticeably different when a nice bottle of wine is served?

Catch my drift?

Wine has special qualities that elevate a family meal into a feast or a chat around the table into a brainstorming session about fulfilling your dreams.

The second reason is to counteract what I have experienced from the beginning of my own wine journey. Wine has been the object of some very pretentious people who make it far too complicated. My goal is to show you that wine is simply wine – and it is meant to be enjoyed by all. The appropriate level of involvement is up to you. Never let anyone who thinks he or she knows more about wine make you feel inferior for not knowing!

Finally, there are truly special things going on in our neck of the woods regarding wine. My intent is to introduce, or re-introduce, you to local wine-related gems and review some of the restaurant wine experiences available in the area. No need to worry, restaurateurs! (Well, no need to worry if you offer a good experience for your patrons.) I will also be sharing my perspective on goings-on in the wine world, including some delicious and not-so-delicious reviews of readily available wines. I will also be offering practical advice for those who appreciate and/or collect wine.

Let me begin by offering the review of a wonderful wine that I recently enjoyed: 2006 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon - $44.

Domaine Drouhin has a very rich background. It is the product of the expansion of French wine houses into the new world. Maison Joseph Drouhin, of Beaune, France, had been producing celebrated pinot noir since the 1880s. In 1987, it sought to pursue its own expansion when it purchased 225 acres of what was then a Christmas-tree farm.

The 2006 Domaine Drouhin is one of my favorite pinot noirs. The aroma is of beautiful rich cherry that is mirrored on the palate along with a hint of spice. The tannins are noticeable; however, they are well integrated and somewhat delicate. This is a very thoughtfully made, well-crafted wine that is confident in structure and complexity. It is very much a Burgundy-styled Pinot Noir.

Wine ratings issued by a reputable publication serve as a barometer of the quality. As you will find out, I don't normally fall in line with the Wine Spectator reviews a majority of the time. I feel they are tightwads in some instances, but then again, it is only one person's rating/analysis. WS gave it a 90 for the 2006 vintage, and I almost feel slighted for them! This wine is very comfortably a 92 pointer – 90-94 points indicate a great wine – and I think this will only get better with time. Wine & Spirits gave the DD a 93. I think this illustrates that ratings are highly personal! I hope you have a chance to enjoy this terrific wine.

All of the wines featured in ongoing reviews are readily available at the New Hampshire Liquor Store off Exit 6 behind the Nashua Mall.

Until next time, cheers!

Welcome to my wine world!

The Sopranos in Nashua

A couple of big names from HBO’s The Sopranos hit the NH Liquor Store off of exit 6 in Nashua yesterday. John Ventimiglia (who played Artie Bucco) and Vincent Pastore (who played Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero) took a few hours to promote the release of The Sopranos Wine.

A very good sized crowd turned up to welcome these iconic stars of one of TV’s all-time greatest shows. Both stars were in good spirits and cracked jokes and posed for countless pictures, while signing bottles of Sopranos wine and anything else people shoved in front of them.

As my wife and I approached the table, we overheard some terrific banter.

Fan at the table: What would you guys pair with this wine?
Big Pussy: Pasta Fagioli
Person: Oh yeah
Artie: Well it’s better than a colonoscopy.
Big Pussy: That doesn’t sound fun.
Artie: It’s nothing, they knock you out.

Then it was our turn.

Big Pussy: (to Christine) Hey Honey!
Big Pussy: (to Me, less emphatically) Hey Honey.
Me: (To Artie) He is rather flirtatious isn’t he?
Artie: Yes he is.

Great times!

Ventimiglia and Pastore were refreshingly down-to-Earth and the wines were better then I expected. The varietals available were Pinot Noir, Chianti and Pinot Grigio. I am going to hold off final judgment on the wines until I have a chance to try them in a proper glass.*

According to their website, the wines were created to celebrate wine’s time-honored place in Italian family tradition. The Sopranos Wines line-up also includes a Chianti Classico and Riserva for those who appreciate wine and are not just looking for a novelty bottle. Hopefully they will be available locally soon.

All in all, the local wine/liquor scene in Nashua is being actively promoted. Along with the Soprano cast members, actor Dan Ackroyd was in town a few months back promoting his wine label. And in two weeks Danny Devito will be in town promoting his limóncello. Any chance of getting Francis Ford Coppola out here?

*The good people at Martignetti Distributing opted to use cups similar to those that accompany a bottle of cough syrup! Good job promoting your wines (and by good job I mean horrid job). You are lucky that Ventimiglia and Pastore are charismatic and excessively popular.

The Sopranos in Nashua

Unums: They totally get it!

As many of you know I have launched a business venture to try to improve the quality of restaurant wine offerings and service. The goal of Senel Wine Consulting is to help restaurants select quality wines at each price point to allow patrons to have an exceptional restaurant experience.

This past Saturday my wife and I had a chance to get out on a date night. We decided to go with somewhere which we have not been previously. We went to Unums in downtown Nashua and immediately I knew we made the right choice.

Co-owner Stephen Williams greeted us at the door with a handshake and escorted us to our table. From there on we had a terrific culinary experience. We decided on going with three appetizers instead of entrees so that we could sample some of Chef Brianas’ creations. With a line-up of fresh gnocchi & shrimp in a peanut sauce, a red pepper stuffed with mozzarella and sausage, and finished it off with baked brie & fruit plate how could we go wrong?! FYI – the portions were very generous!

We accompanied our meal with a bottle of 2005 Robert Stemmler Nugent Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. It was a very fragrant Pinot and went well with all three dishes. It had a smoked cherry nose and led to cherry and an earthy/smoky note on the palate. The tannins were mellowed out by the meal. It was elegant and complex with a very nice balance and pleasant finish. It is almost up there with the Domaine Drouhin, however the Drouhin inches it out in terms of finesse and complexity. Still a terrific wine! However, on its’ own merit I am scoring this a solid 91.

For dessert we enjoyed a glass of 1999 Felsina Vin Santo from the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. This was a very interesting wine due to the fact that it had such strong cognac features, yet once I had a chance to look it up (although the information was minimal) it does not seem to be fortified. Hence the nose was of very rich butterscotch similar to cognac. The palate however was very appealing with a lot of fleshy fruit and some honey going on, with the most memorable of the fruits being apricot. This is certainly a slow sipping wine and very fun to try on special occasions. I am by no means a dessert wine expert, however I found the butterscotch scent to be somewhat overpowering. Overall, I would score this wine an 89. It was very well crafted, but my aversion to cognac may have swayed the score slightly lower (don’t forget, every person’s preferences are different!).

Back to Unums!

Stephen and our waitress, Kira, were exceptionally gracious and attentive, yet not overbearing in the slightest. We were there for about three hours and it truly felt like they enjoyed us hanging around. Stephen and I had a chance to talk about the wine offering and also recommended some of his preferred wines. He also shared with me his ambitious endeavor to further improve the wine list and attempt to obtain Wine Spectator recognition. Considering his passion for enhancing his patrons’ experiences and love for well-crafted wine I believe he will certainly obtain this.

The owner, staff, atmosphere, food and drinks, brilliant! In the past I believed that Michael Timothy’s offered the best total dining experience in Southern NH. In my opinion they better stay on their game, because I can definitively say that Unums proudly rivals any New Hampshire establishment for culinary supremacy!

Unums: They totally get it!

Poll Winner: Pinot Noir!

Results:
Pinot Noir - 6
Sauvignon Blanc & Riesling - 4 each
Other (better not be White Zinfandel) - 2

So you guys picked a red varietal for your favorite summer wine?!

I am just kidding! I love Pinot Noir anytime of year, and besides Zinfandel it is my favorite summer red. Since Pinot was the poll winner, I will be devoting this entry to two recommendations from this varietal. One entry level, one moderately expensive and both of which can be found easily at your local liquor store (if you are in NH) and are popular enough to find if you live elsewhere.

2006, Domaine Drouhin, Willamette Valley, Oregon - $44
Domaine Drouhin has a very illustrious background. It is the product of the expansion of French wine houses into the “New World”. Maison Joseph Drouhin of Beaune, France sought to pursue this avenue and in 1987 purchased 225-acres of what was then a Christmas-tree farm.

The 2006 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir is one of my favorite wines. The nose is a beautiful rich cherry that is mirrored on the palate along with a hint of spice. The tannins are noticeable; however they are well integrated and even a somewhat delicate. This is a very thoughtful wine that is confident in structure and complexity, very much a classic Burgundy-styled Pinot Noir.

As always, I disagree with the Wine Spectator rating. I feel they are tight-wads in some instances, but then again as I explained in an earlier post, it is only one person’s opinion. WS gave them a 90 for the 2006 vintage and I almost feel slighted for them! This wine is very comfortably a 92 and I think this will only get better with time. Wine & Spirits gave the DD a 93. I think this illustrates that ratings are highly personal!

2007, Benton-Lane, Willamette Valley, Oregon - $22
Benton-Lane produces some very nice Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. In fact, their Pinot Gris has been a revelation. However I will be focusing on their lower-end (price, not quality) Pinot Noir.

The 2007 Benton-Lane Pinot Noir is a very tasty and crisp wine. It is not as complex or elegant as the Domaine Drouhin or its’ big brother, Benton-Lane First Class, but it is not nearly as expensive either. This should not detour you in the slightest. This is meant to be consumed in the near future and is extremely tasty and very well-suited for food.

This wine exudes some very nice strawberry and cherry on the nose. On the palate I found the aromas were reversed. I picked up mainly fresh cherry with some strawberry thrown in for good measure. The balance and finish on this wine are very nice and leave you wanting more!

I was unable to find any published ratings for the 2007 Benton-Lane, but I would put this in the 88 range. This is a very good wine with its nice fruit, balance and crispness keeping it towards the higher end of the 80s.

I hope you have a chance to enjoy one, if not both of these wines. That’s the whole reason why I these things!!!

Poll Winner: Pinot Noir!