Jakob's Bowl

Pass The Ketchup Please...

 

It's very often tough to take foodies seriously!!!

Three Cheers For Self Gifting

I have always been extraordinarily self-gifted, especially at this time of year - I haven't done to shabbily on my birthday either. This Xmas season it is liquid libations from across the world. I've long been of the opinion that the world's finest dry Rieslings were made in Austria, and I was able to locate two hard to find, well-reviewed Rieslings from wunderkind Franz-Joseph Gritsch (more in a few days). I was also able to find malt whisky from two of my favorite distillers, From The Barrel - a cask strength blend from Nikka in Japan, and a 10-yr-old Single Malt from the Ben Nevis Distillery in Scotland, which, surprise, surprise, just happens to be owned by Nikka. Tis the season to be jolly!

One Year After The Mast

Just as soon as I found a local source for the Mast Brothers' chocolate bars last fall, it seemed as if it dried up permanently, and after tasting only two different bars. The sight of their bars on the shelf at Dean and Deluca in Georgetown last month brought a smile to my face. In the past I would have gone for their 81% cocoa content bar, but after reading about the source of the hazelnuts in their hazelnut bar, Freddy Guy Hazelnuts in Oregon, I simply had to buy one. They use their dark Venezuelan chocolate (75% cocoa content) and roast the hazelnuts in-house. Although more than one Italian culinary professional has tried to convince me that hazelnuts go better with milk chocolate, I think dark chocolate suits them just as well, and this bar just reinforced my long standing opinion...it was very, very tasty, on par with what I had tasted last year, and those Freddy Guy Hazelnuts are some of the best. (Their bars are now available online.)

Will The Real Wine Bar Please Stand Up

On my recent extended visit to Washington D.C., I had more than ‘traditional’ pizza on my mind, specifically tasting more than a few wines that don’t seem to make it to the West Coast. On that note I visited a few of the more highly touted wine bars, including Proof, just a stone’s throw away from the Arena, and Cork in the hoppin’ area on 14th Street NW. As it happened, I visited each place twice, under similar circumstances, once during the week, once on the weekend, once in the early evening, once in the middle of the evening, once alone, and once with a friend.

Proof was first on my agenda, and I arrived without a reservation at about seven on a Wednesday evening. The hostess indicated that I was welcome to take a seat at the bar or any one of the ‘high’ tables. As I stepped into the place, the ‘space’ overwhelmed me, - I am not a big fan of million dollar build-outs. Yes the bar was loaded with wine bottles, but it didn’t feel as if it was the ‘heart’ of the place, rather it felt more like the typical adjunct to a white table cloth restaurant - the place also felt a little 'stuffy' for a wine bar. I seemed to have run into the post-work power crowd, and while all tables in the main room were not full, the bar and the high tables were. It was a warm evening so I opted for a table outside.

My Maine Evening In Washington DC

After graduating from The Pennsylvania State University my first job was in the Washington DC area where I lived and worked for two years, and a half decade after moving to Chicago, work took me back to Washington on a semi-regular basis throughout the latter 1980s. The ‘good’ restaurants weren’t always easy to find back then, but I still fondly recall many good meals. Before this current trip, I hadn’t been back there since 1990, and while the town has changed, finding a ‘good’ meal seems to be a challenge still - especially if you are not interested in big hunks of grilled meat or haute French.

For my first foray out into the District of Columbia culinary world, I chose Restaurant Nora, a small establishment that bills itself as “America’s first certified organic restaurant” (April 1999). A stone’s throw away from Dupont Circle, it is a great space with a warm and inviting ambiance. The menu was loaded with goodies, and I went with an all Maine seafood line up including a starter of Maine Peekytoe Crab & Avocado Salad with Red Onion, Cilantro, Ancho Chile Vinaigrette, Crispy Tortillas and a main course of Pan Seared Maine Diver Scallops & Saffron Risotto with Leeks, Fall Squash, Turnips, Tomatoes, Romesco Sauce. (Unfortunately, the restaurant was too dimly lit for my high speed Leica lens, and a flash was out of the question.)

The crab was fresh, fresh, fresh, and the Ancho dressing was excellent, light enough to show its flavors without dominating the delicate crab. I was a tad apprehensive about the risotto - all those vegetables could throw off a lot of water. The scallops were fresh and while I would have liked a bit more of a sear, they were delicious. The risotto looked ‘stiff’ when it came out, but it was far from that, as a matter of fact it was one of the best risottos made with fresh garden vegetables that I have ever been served. Far from being watery, the high quality of the saffron was center stage in the flavor, and all of the vegetables had an al dente crunchiness that I love. A bit of turnip green even added a surprisingly refreshing counterpoint to cap off the dish.

The only disappointment to the meal was the wine service. The wine list had the following note:

In lieu of a wine by the glass selection we offer an interesting choice of half bottles. Whether savored alone or shared with a friend they represent a better value.

I was dining alone, and at 5:30 a half bottle seemed daunting, but I wasn’t about to eat without wine, so I ordered what turned out to be a very good Austrian Riesling, Salomon 2007. Half way through my meal, a couple was seated at the table next to me, and as they looked at the wine list, their waitress - my waitress - described the ‘house’ wines available by the glass!!!

Another Touch Of Frances

The Little Neighborhood Restaurant That Could: II

About an hour after decanting the 1992 Beringer Private Reserve was still a bit tight, but was tasting mighty good after 18 years in the bottle. It wasn’t long before our entrées arrived, and we managed to cover three of the four. The first was Lamb from Watson Farm cooked several ways, grilled, roasted, and an amazing braised Lamb Pavé made from lesser cuts. I had the Soul Food Farm Redbro chicken, a ballotine of light and dark meat wrapped in chicken skin and roasted served over creamy white polenta with chanterelles, sweet corn, and nectarine chunks all in a roasted chicken jus. It was a great combination with the perfectly ripened nectarine chunks adding a great counterpoint. (Here was one of the few downticks for the evening - the jus was over seasoned, which suggested that the Redbro chicken might have been brined.) Last but not least was the Saffron Risotto with Butter Braised Chanterelles, Summer Squash, and Tomato, a very pretty and ‘lively’ tasting risotto done in a looser, lighter style.

After the table was cleared we perused the dessert menu over the last of the red wine. Since all of the desserts sounded delicious, we decided to order one of each for the table. The Dark Chocolate Mousse with Meringues was laid on the table first, - it can be seen in the upper left corner of the first dessert picture - followed in quick succession by the Fig Semolina and Almond Crostata with House-Made Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Panna Cotta with Plum and Rosemary Shortbread, and a Cornmeal Pound Cake with Peach and a Ricotta Semi-Freddo. The clear favorites at the table were Dark Chocolate Mousse and the Cornmeal Pound Cake. The latter was my personal favorite, and we were all struck by the attention to detail…both the plums and the peaches were perfectly ripened. (The second of my two downticks for the evening was a bit too much gelatin in the Panna Cotta.) The food lived up to the high expectations, and the service was second to none…all in all, a great way to spend three hours with good friends on a Friday evening in San Francisco.