kybecca blogs

American Beer Goes Global

noreply@blogger.com (Matt) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:39:00 +0000

Here's a cool article about how American craft beer is starting to get a demand overseas, especially in the UK. That's great news both from a business and cultural perspective. American brewers have made some distinctly American styles over the years and European brewers, who rely more heavily on tradition, are starting to innovate and are looking to the U.S. for inspiration. The article focuses on California breweries but East Coast breweries, being closer to the European market, have potential for exports too. I could see European demand for beers from Dogfish Head and Bell's, for example.

Porter Creek Winery

noreply@blogger.com (Matt) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:23:00 +0000

Here is a great article from the San Francisco Gate about Porter Creek Winery, one of my favorite Sonoma wineries. I got to visit this winery a few years ago. They have big, corporate wineries all around them with big fancy tasting rooms. Porter Creek's tasting room was basically their garage. And you know what? Their wine was far better than the stuff I was tasting from the big wineries. We currently have their Zinfandel in the enomatics, which was the NY Times #1 pick in a recent Zinfandel tasting. Look for the Pinot coming soon.

A restaurant-quality meal at home (at a price you'll love!)

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:03:00 +0000

New Year's Splurge or Steal

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:14:00 +0000

Pizza night at kybecca

noreply@blogger.com (Kyle) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:20:00 +0000

Pizza pizza everywhere!! Tonight we add a couple more Neapolitan style pizzas to the selection to bring the total to four. - fried chicken pizza and pesto pizza-
our line-up now includes:

3 cheese pizza - buffala mozzarella, regular mozzarella, and parmesean topping our house made sauce

mac & cheese pizza pictured) - our mac & cheese on a pizza.

Fried chicken pizza - tender buttermilk battered fried chicken as a topping and finished with parmesan cheese. perfect comfort food

pesto pizza - our pistachio pesto covered with mozzarella and parmesan. Great vegetarian pizza

see you tonight!

Pizzas at kybecca

noreply@blogger.com (Kyle) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 16:07:00 +0000

We are really excited about pizza day (Sundays starting at 4p) here at kybecca. While in Italy I was inspired by a chef who made the best pizzas. He made a pizza that was so simple and delicious I had to make it at the kybecca. Our take on this classic dish is great dough covered with a simple red sauces and smothered with buffala mozzarella, mozzarella and finished parmesan. This was the first pizza we introduced last week.
We started experimenting with flavors and decided our second pizza should incorporate something easily recognized as kybecca. Our mac & cheese is one of our customer's favorite items. Introducing kybecca's mac & cheese pizza. A half portion of our mac & cheese topping the new neo-Neapolitan dough, fresh house made red sauce with fresh herbs finished with just enough panko to give it a great crust. Come enjoy the our latest addition to the pizza menu.
Both Pizzas are available at 4p every Sunday. Next Sunday, Fried chicken pizza!
ble today starting at 4pm

.

Riesling Overdose

noreply@blogger.com (Matt) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:08:00 +0000

Last Tuesday I attended a dinner in Charlottesville hosted by Williams Corner Wine, one of our favorite importers and wholesalers. The wines were from importers Mosel Wine Merchant, who specialize in German wines, particularly Rieslings made along the Mosel river. We must have tasted at least a dozen different Rieslings plus a really nice German Pinot Noir. The wine was served with braised rabbit, which was delicious. Here are a few things I learned:

- Rieslings are still hugely under-rated. A $25 Riesling blows away most Chardonnay at that price when judged on the basis of complexity, food-friendliness, and originality, among other things.

- Even sweet rieslings pair beautifully with food.

- Global warming appears to be making better quality German Rieslings, so it's not all bad!

- Wine geeks appear to mostly be men. As the guests continued to arrive, I noticed with chagrin that there wasn't a woman among them. I mean wine geek in a positive way, though

The tasting made me really wish that Rieslings were taken more seriously. Too many people just can't get past the sweet ones, and the dry ones don't seem to be of much interest either. Too bad.

The Prisoner on Cougar Town!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:32:00 +0000

As you probably already know, we at kybecca are HUGE fans of The Prisoner! Evidently, Courtney Cox and her cast mates are also big fans of the wine and reached out to Orin Swift awhile back for some product placement. The first episode that featured The Prisoner aired on October 13th 2010 (Season 2, Episode 4 “The Damage You’ve Done!”) As the show is very wine-oriented anyway, Orin Swift is pretty excited about the opportunity. The wine will apparently make several additional appearances in the show.

You can catch up on past episodes of Cougar Town here. And you can come downtown or order from our website and buy yourself a bottle of the Prisoner to see what the hype is all about! (Or buy a taste in the Enomatics at the Wine Bar)

More About Ciders

noreply@blogger.com (Matt) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:31:00 +0000

Eric Asimov of the NY Times has a new article about ciders. I wrote about ciders in last month's Front Porch magazine. We don't do them as Thanksgiving picks because ciders aren't for everybody, but if you're game they are great to have on Thanksgiving. My personal favorite - the ciders of Michel Jodoin from Quebec, especially his rose cider. It's pink color comes from the type of apples used: Geneva apples, a rare variety that has red flesh. I've had plenty of French, American, and British ciders, and this one is the best I've ever tasted.

I'm Making These & Drinking This

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 03:31:00 +0000

I found some baby sweet potatoes at Whole Foods the other day, problem is I really haven't cooked with sweet potatoes very much so I don't have a good recipe handy.
Saveur.com to the rescue, they really have a wealth of great recipes. In fact most of my tried and true Thanksgiving recipes come from the pages of Saveur. This one is Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges w/ Yogurt Dipping Sauce.
In any case this one looks easy and yummy and I am going to make it. I think a nice Pinot Gris from Alsace would make a good pairing. They tend to be a little richer and riper than the typical offerings. My choice is the Klement Klur 2006 Pinot Gris, $26.99.

Pan con l’Uva (Bread with Grapes)

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:51:00 +0000

I came across this while browsing around on some of my favorite foodie blogs for Thanksgiving recipes/ideas. Just the pictures alone had me very nearly drooling...all oozing with rich grapiness atop a tender, lightly sweet & yeasty baked dough. (sigh)

Bread and grapes...I have a marked weakness for both. They are comfort foods, whispering of autumn and warmth. While my own grapes will not be ready to harvest for a couple of years, I believe Wegman's had some beautiful wine grapes in about this time last year - you can bet I will be checking. This could be a delicious alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.

I think this will be superb with a New World-style red blend from Tuscany, such as the Perazetta Erio Rosso.

Thanksgiving Pick # 2 & Pairing

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:29:00 +0000

You Are So Fine Vouvray 2007

21.99 / 18.69 solid case

A real standout. This unfiltered, organic and naturally-made 100% Chenin
Blanc from Vouvray is a richer version of the style due low yields and aging in 5 year old barrels.

Vouvray is the French region of the Loire Valley located in the Tourraine district just east of the city of Tours in the commune of Vouvray. The Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) is dedicated almost exclusively to Chenin Blanc.

It is a bone dry, fuller-bodied wine with notes of tropical fruits, honeycomb and a little nuttiness. Fermented in a style with a little fizz left in to keep it lively.

Unusual and so fantastic, this may be the most memorable wine of the day.

Pair it with this Cheesy Potato Spoonbread recipe.

2010 Thanksgiving Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 21:02:00 +0000

It's just about time for some turkey and we have five recommendations for a perfect Thanksgiving Day. Your favorite locally-owned retailer has once more scoured the globe for the best wines we can find, here's the list:

Oveja Negra Sauvignon Blanc/Carmenere 9.99 / 8.49 solid case
This neat Chilean white is a blend of of a white wine grape (Sauvignon Blanc) and red wine grape (Carmenére). It stays a white wine by using only the pulp of the Carmenére which gives the otherwise tart Sauvignon Blanc a softer finish. The result is a zippy white with flavors of lime and ripe fruits.

Bugey Cerdon NV 18.99 / 16.14 solid case
This delicious sparkler is a crowd pleasing wine with loads of wild berry, tart apple flavors and a hint of spice . Made from 95% Gamay and 5% Poulsard in a refreshing, rosé style. Use it to pair with cheese plates and hor d'eauvres or as an after dinner quaffer for your Turkey Day celebration.

Donkey and Goat Syrah ‘El Dorado‘ 2008 25.99 / 22.09 solid case
If you are looking for a rich red wine that will still pair well with the meal this little gem is sure to fit the bill. Featured in the New York Times as one of the few winemakers in the US to produce natural, organic wines and with very minimal added sulfites. This Syrah is a concentrated red with notes of dark berry liqueur, black raspberry and a pronounced spiciness. Worth the splurge!

You Are So Fine Vouvray 2007 21.99 / 18.69 solid case
A real standout. This unfiltered, organic and naturally-made 100% Chenin Blanc from Vouvray (France) is a richer version of the style due low yields and aging in 5 year old barrels. It is a bone dry, fuller-bodied wine with notes of tropical fruits, honeycomb and a little nuttiness. Fermented in a style with a little fizz left in to keep it lively. Unusual and so fantastic, this may be the most memorable wine of the day.

Bielsa Garnacha 2009 10.99 / 9.34 solid case
Old vine and unfiltered, this juicy Spanish red is sourced from 50 year-old Grenache vines that are dry farmed and then fermented in stainless steel at a cooler temperature. Fresh and fruity, with notes of black fruit, spice and dry earth.
The Bielsa is one of the best values at kybecca now.

retail pricing shown, view all our picks online at kybecca.com

Soaking Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Matt) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:59:00 +0000

Here's a good article about how you don't need to soak dried beans before cooking them. I've always had the same problem as the author - I can't be bothered to plan a day ahead for a dish involving beans. I think the overnight soaking thing came about because people are used to having their beans completely mushy. I have found that if you just simmer the beans for long enough they are perfectly edible but may have a little give, not unlike al dente pasta. Frankly I prefer the al dente style over the mushy style anyway. And if it's less work, so much the better.

How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Dish and then Save it with Beer

noreply@blogger.com (Matt) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:58:00 +0000

Yesterday I made some Bison chili at home. I love Chili when the weather turns cold and it's fun to cook too. There are a few things I do differently with my chili than most people. One, I don't use any tomato sauce or whole tomatoes. Instead I sautee some tomato paste with my onions at the beginning until it caramelizes a bit. This gives just enough tomato flavor without turning the chili into a tomato sauce. Second, I use a combination of beef stock and water instead of just water. I think this adds flavor. Third, instead of just using spices to give it a chili flavor, I make a puree from re-hydrated chili peppers combined with canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce. It is this third step where I went wrong this time. I foolishly put the whole can in the puree; too much for the amount of chili I was making. The result was a way-too-spicy chili with too much chipotle smoky flavor. It still tasted good, but was out of balance.

I had opened a red wine that I was planning on having with the chili, but because of the intense spice I just couldn't drink it. Instead I opened up a Belgian Christmas ale we just got in, the Delirium Noel. The beer is quite sweet and lower in alcohol than wine, so it goes well with spicy food. The sweetness of the beer toned down the spice in the chili and improved the flavor quite a bit. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Good wine or beer can improve a mediocre dish. Plus I love Christmas beer.

Thanksgiving Pick #1

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:12:00 +0000

Every year we start looking for great Thanksgiving wines about mid-summer. By then we are sick of the heat and dreaming about fall, Turkey and cozy dinners in. For Matt and I Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday of the year, truly a great American Holiday. No buying gifts or frenetic shopping, just one beautiful day to spend with friends and family to cook, eat and enjoy each other. I love it.
Needless to say the planning starts early with menus, ordering the Turkey (this year we reserved a Heritage turkey at Olde Towne Butcher) wine pairings, what cocktail to make and of course making sure the whole family will be together. Can you tell how much I love it?
Even at the shop I enjoy thinking about what other people's Thanksgivings will include and figuring just the right wine. My criteria is a wine that pairs well with a wide variety of foods, is a great value and is something different than the usual.
Enter the Donkey and Goat Syrah 'El Dorado' 2008.
If you are looking for a rich, red wine that will still pair well with the meal this little gem is sure to fit the bill. Featured in the New York Times as one of the few winemakers in the US to produce natural, organic wines and with very minimal added sulfites. This Syrah is a concentrated red with notes of dark berry liqueur, black raspberry and a pronounced spiciness.
Worth the splurge at $25.99 (retail)!

If lovin' Ewe is wrong...

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:45:00 +0000

...I don't wanna be right. Yes, I suppose that sounds a bit cheesy. And indeed, it is! I am of course, speaking of the Brebirousse d'Argental - a lovely ewe's milk cheese from the Burgundy region of France. It first charms the eye with its beautiful orange, bloomy rind and pure white paste. On the tongue it is pure heaven, rich and velvety like thick cream, tasting of fresh milk, newly mowed hay, butter and a light tang. Absolutely heavenly.

I shamelessly devoured nearly a quarter of a pound of this over two nights with a little white Bordeaux. It was a pretty perfect pairing but this cheese is soooooo special I think I might have to go for a bottle of Claude Riffault Sancerre for the next time. And perhaps a Chenin blanc after that...

Something Special in the Enomatics

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:37:00 +0000

The sad bankruptcy of importer the Grateful Palate means no more Bitch Grenache, Evil Chardonnay and many more brands our customers probably recognize. While many small importers are secretly cheering (the word I got was that these brands were not well regarded by many family producers who viewed them as a bit of a sellout), I think this is a real loss for small Australian producers. While the big brands were probably the most profitable for the company they also imported wonderful and really unique small-production wines. A few that come to mind are the dry-farmed Grenaches from Burge, the ridiculously delicious Samuel's Gorge Tempranillo and the Hazy Blur Shiraz. All these wines are made by hand on small estates by winemakers using very sophisticated techniques. In other words, the opposite of the vast majority of Australian wine. We have two bottles left of the 2003 Hazy Blur Shiraz and one is currently in the Enomatics. Here is what Robert Parker thought of it.

"From 40-year-old vines, the extraordinary, super-intense 2003 Shiraz Barossa Valley possesses an opaque purple color as well as a big, full-bodied bouquet of creme de cassis, blueberry, creosote, smoke, and background oak, and a heady alcohol content. This limited production cuvee boasts purity and intensity in addition to a multidimensional personality. It should drink well for 7-10 years, possibly longer." 94 points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate #161

Lobster Rolls & Champagne

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:23:00 +0000

This is how it's done!

For Matt's 33rd birthday he requested I make lobster rolls from Thomas Keller's (of Bouchon & French Laundry fame) lobster rolls from the Ad Hoc cookbook. I was a little leery at first because while I admire Keller's precision and formidable skills his recipes seem a bit unnecessarily complicated. Turns out it was no big deal. The work is all in the prep (hello picking 5 lobsters) and then assembly. Plus you end up with tons of shells to make stock for a winter fish stew.

Matt brought a gorgeous Champagne that has a great balance between dry and citrusy and bready, toasty notes. Larmandier-Bernier 'Terre de Vertus' NV is a naturally made, grower Champagne that retails for $78.99. It is a Brut Nature Blanc de Blanc which means no sugar was added during fermentation (also called dosage this is a common practice for many Champagnes, some more than others) and it was made from all Chardonnay grapes. The result is a superb wine that reminded me why Champagne is so special.

Quite simply, it all rocked.

New Canadian Beers

noreply@blogger.com (Matt) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:10:00 +0000

We got in a few new beers from Quebec, the Canadian province that probably has the most vibrant craft beer scene in Canada. Both beers are from breweries we already carry but both are new. First is from Trou du Diable and is called La Buteuse. It is a Belgian-style triple ale, so if you are a fan of Belgian ales you should give it a shot. A bit less spicy than the Belgian versions but very good.

The second beer is from Le Saint Bock and it's called Sacrilege. This one is not for the faint of heart. It is one big, big beer. Technically it's a barrel-aged Imperial Stout, but that description does not do it justice. For starters, it has virtually no carbonation. When you pour it no head forms. You can taste a bit of carbonation but that's it. Normally that wouldn't work for me but it seems to work with this beer. It's sweeter than Imperial stouts usually are, and it has a massive body and is very complex with flavors of dried fruits, toast, smoke, candy, coffee, chocolate, brandy, and that's just for starters. Truly original.

Nobody else in this area carries these beers and quantities are limited.

What's for dinner? Chicken Tikka Masala!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:15:00 +0000

Here's The Thing About Wine Lists

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:17:00 +0000

This past April I took a trip to Spain (partially solo, the other part with my brother Luke) and explored as much as I could of Madrid and Barcelona. No trip of mine is complete without looking up hot restaurants and exploring the food. Did I tour wineries? Nope, this trip was about anything but work. Of course I can't help notice things that relate to work along the way, and this is a topic I knew I had to blog about when I got back: Wine Lists.

One would think that being in a country that produces so much excellent wine would mean that every place I went would have wonderful, interesting wines. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many of the places I went to eat the wine selection was mediocre at best with lots of mass produced juice featured prominently. While this seemed surprising at first when I thought about it made sense. These wines have known brand names, most restaurant owners know little about wine (this seems to be universally true) and putting together a great wine list is serious work. It requires wine knowledge, research, good relationships with small distributors, the aptitude to bring in wines in multiple styles and price points and a little bravery to feature wines that need to be explained to be appreciated. One exception was Bar Mutt in Barcelona. The food was divine, the wine list fantastic (recognized many of our labels) and the service dismal. Oh well, can't wine them all.

So the next time you visit an independent restaurant with a great wine list keep all that in mind when you order a bottle. A great wine list is a thing to be appreciated all on its own.

Excellent Article on Fake Rare Wines

noreply@blogger.com (Matt) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:59:00 +0000

Via Vinography I read this great article in Slate about fraud in the rare wine collecting business.

Frankly I'm not surprised. I'm not a fan of wine collecting anyway. All this business about 1947 Chateau Latour or 1981 Cheval Blanc is really about vanity, not great wine. I don't judge what people do with their money, but it just contributes to the stereotype of wine snobbery that keeps so many people from enjoying wine.

I Love Old World Wines

noreply@blogger.com (Matt) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:39:00 +0000

Too many wineries in Europe have tried to modernize their wines to compete with those from the U.S. or Australia. But just as with architecture or culture, what makes European wines interesting is tradition. We've been trying to get some wines that really show the old world style - brooding, complex, sometimes earthy, and most importantly excellent with food. I'm very excited about a Rioja we just got in from Lopez de Heredia, a winery known for producing traditional riojas. Rioja is a region in northern Spain famous mostly for its reds, but most Rioja today is very different than it was even twenty five years ago. Lopez de Heredia makes their wines like they always did. Here's a great New York Times article about the winery. We have their Crianza which sells for $25 (retail) and is excellent. I can't wait to try it with some lamb.

Indian in the Cupboard

noreply@blogger.com (Amy) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:18:00 +0000

Maya Kaimal's Indian Simmer Sauces, to be more precise.

Many of our faithful customers remember fondly the rich, sumptuous, delectable line of sauces that we used to have in our cheese case. Made with the freshest ingredients, they were slow-simmered and perfectly spiced. The ONLY downside to these sauces was the expiry date...they generally had only a 2-3 week shelf life. AND they had to be kept in the fridge.

So when I heard that the Maya Kaimal shelf-stable sauces were available (previously a Williams-Sonoma exclusive) I was VERY interested...but also a bit skeptical. Would the shelf-stable sauces be as good as the fresh, refrigerated ones? So I asked my pal Tito at Cheeseworks if he knew anyone who had tried them, side-by-side.

Tito reported back to me that one of his co-sales reps and good friend did. Her favorite out of ALL of them was the Tikka Masala SHELF STABLE. Needless to say, that sealed the deal for me. We have six jars in stock right now, but we will be getting more (and new flavors) in next week. Did I mention they are shelf-stable for 2 years?! Time to stock your pantry!