The Culinary Gadabout

Global wine consumption rising fastest in US and China

2012-01-25T08:40:00.000-08:00

According to a marketing study by Vinexpo, wine consumption will continue to grow swiftly in the US and China over the next four years. Conversely, a tough economic climate will create little increased demand in the "mature" (read "already-saturated") European market.

In 2011, the US officially overtook France and Italy to become the world's biggest wine consumer by volume. However, China is expected to overtake the US, becoming the world's largest wine market, within twenty years.

Between 2011 and the end of 2015, the US and Asia will drive a 6% increase in global wine consumption. By comparison, consumption rose by 4.5% between 2005-2010.

Read the whole story and a lot more statistics at just-drinks.

16 tasting rooms on Sonoma's 19th-century plaza

2012-01-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge. You can obtain a free copy of the map at the Sonoma Valley Visitor Center on the Plaza.

A bit more than a year ago I wrote an article about Sonoma for a travel website. At the time there were maybe half a dozen wine tasting rooms on the town's mid-19th century Plaza.

Today there are fourteen, with two more set to open soon.

Collectively known as the “Sonoma Square WineWalk,” the tasting rooms are rapidly gaining a reputation as Sonoma County’s premier destination for sampling top-notch, small-lot wines. They even have their own WineWalk map, which you can obtain for free at the Plaza’s Sonoma Valley Visitor Center (the back side offers 2-for-1 tasting coupons). Many, though not all, tasting rooms waive the tasting fee if you purchase one or more bottles.

To learn more about the wineries, read my recent newspaper article, "Take the Sonoma Square WineWalk."

And while we're on the subject of Sonoma, why not enter to win a Wine Country Getaway?

Paula Deen makes it onto 2011’s "worst cookbook" list

2012-01-20T07:02:00.000-08:00

Ingredients in Deen's "Lady's Brunch Burger" include butter, ground beef, eggs, glazed donuts and English muffins. Photo: www.pauladeen.com

I've never paid much attention to Paul Deen for the obvious reason: way, way too much fat and sugar in her recipes. Apparently I wasn't alone in my feelings.

On January 4, nearly two weeks before news of Deen’s 3-year-old diabetes diagnosis was revealed to the world, PCRM – Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine – included her Southern Cooking Bible on its list of 2011's worst cookbooks.

Getting on that list means a cookbook’s recipes exhibit a complete disregard for health. Specific to Deen, the organization stated in its January 4 press release that “Deen, who made it into PCRM’s Worst Cookbooks of the Decade list two years ago, is back on this year’s list with her latest cookbook, which contains recipes like Burgoo—a stew that calls for 3 pounds of chicken, 2 pounds of beef, and 2 pounds of lamb…One serving of Hot Buffalo Wings (three wings) contains 910 calories and 85 grams of fat; meat-heavy diets raise obesity risk.”

There is also compelling evidence that such diets lead to Type 2 Diabetes.

Suffice to add two paragraphs from WikiPedia:

Deen has faced extensive criticism for the high amounts of fat, salt, and sugar in her recipes. She faced particularly strong objections with the release of Lunch-Box Set, a cookbook aimed at children, with Barbara Walters saying of the book, "You tell kids to have cheesecake for breakfast. You tell them to have chocolate cake and meatloaf for lunch. And french fries. Doesn't it bother you that you're adding to this?"Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain commented in 2011 that he "would think twice before telling an already obese nation that it's OK to eat food that is killing us."

On January 17, 2012, Deen announced that she had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes three years ago, a disease for which a high fat diet is a major risk factor. It was also disclosed that Deen is a paid spokesperson for the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. She was called a hypocrite for continuing to promote her high fat diet while only disclosing her medical condition when it benefits her in representing the drug company to market their diabetes management program.Deen stated on the January 18, 2012 episode of The Chew that a portion of her compensation would be given to charities.

BTW, the other four books on the "worst cookbooks" list:

Jamie Oliver’s Meals in Minutes: “One serving of the Meatball Sandwich contains 1,182 calories, 47 grams of fat (including 18.5 grams of saturated fat), 185 milligrams of cholesterol, and 2,352 milligrams of sodium, according to a nutritional analysis based on estimates by PCRM dietitians.”
Guy Fieri Food: The Jambalaya Sandwich is “loaded with bacon, pork butt or pork loin, smoked sausage, Andouille sausage, chicken thighs, and Havarti cheese.”
The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook: More than 50 pages of recipes featuring grilled meat, which increases cancer risk.
The Neelys’ Celebration Cookbook: Bourbon Bread Pudding is saturated with butter, half-and-half, and whole milk; high-fat diets increase heart-disease risk.

“The high-fat meals in these cookbooks are real recipes for disaster,” says Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., and PCRM’s nutrition education director. “It’s scary that despite all that we know about the close link between high-fat foods and obesity and diabetes, cooks like Paula Deen continue to tout unhealthy meals. The real key to healthful eating is moving away from high-fat, meaty meals that increase the risk of these diseases.”

Enjoy Port? Maybe you'll win an iPad 2

2012-01-18T07:30:00.000-08:00

The Center for Wine Origins, devoted to protecting/promoting “unique wines from unique locations,” is giving away an iPad 2. Here’s the scoop:

January 27, “Port Day,” celebrates Portugal’s renowned fortified wine. As part of the celebration, the Center is hosting a contest encouraging U.S. consumers to photograph their favorite authentic Port wines.

To enter the contest and possibly win an iPad 2, send a picture of an authentic Port label to wineorigins@clsdc.com with the subject line “Port Day 2012 Photo Contest Entry.” Alternatively, you can post the picture to your Facebook profile, tagging yourself and the Center for Wine Origins in the picture.

One Grand Prize winner will be selected randomly on January 25 to receive an iPad 2. Complete contest rules are available here.

CG Shops: Quick and Fab Breakfasts

2012-01-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

Starting today, I'm adding a new feature to The Culinary Gadabout. Primo shopper Suzy Shepherd--always on the search for quality items at a value price--will occasionally write about a find geared to people who love to cook, enjoy a glass of something spirited, or take off on a trek to places far and near.

Today's CG Suggestion: Back to Basics' Egg & Muffin Toaster/Egg Poacher

Want a hearty breakfast before you rush out the door in the morning...but don't have time to fix it? I recently found the solution under the Christmas tree: a nifty and very efficient device that makes a delicious breakfast sandwich in less than 5 minutes. It's received a solid 4-star rating (out of 5) from more than 900 Amazon purchasers.

No kidding. The Back to Basics Egg-and-Muffin 2-Slice Toaster and Egg Poacher really makes delicious egg/muffin (or toast) sandwiches. It also contains a tray that warms up pre-cooked bacon or sausage patties, which you can then add to the sandwich. And it does even more.

The number of simultaneous functions employed with this handy 3-in-1 device is up to you. Maybe you'll want to toast bread while poaching or steam-scrambling an egg and warming up some bacon. Or maybe you'll just want to toast half an English Muffin. About the same size as a conventional toaster (7"x15"x8"), the BB Toaster/Poacher poaches one egg at a time (or boils up to four). Other features include light-to-dark toast settings, automatic shut-off, an easily-cleaned control touchpad (small photo), a removable crumb tray, and built-in cord storage.

The Back to Basics 2-Slice Toaster and Egg Poacher comes with a 1-year warranty and only costs $34.

Cooking for a crowd? Consider the $55 Back to Basic Egg ‘N Muffin 4-Slice Toaster/2 Egg Cooker.

Disclosure: If you click on a link and end up ordering something, The Culinary Gadabout will receive a small commission from Amazon, at no additional cost to you.

Wente Vineyards Introduces "entwine" tours

2012-01-11T15:04:00.000-08:00

This past summer TV’s Food Network and California’s family-owned Wente Vineyards collaborated to create entwine wines, a portfolio of Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that retail for $12.99.

Beginning in late January, Wente Vineyards is offering visitors a special behind-the-scenes tour of its historic Livermore Valley winery, where entwine wines are produced. The tour will include an exclusive tableside food and wine pairing experience.

This month’s tours will be held on Thursday, January 19, at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., and Saturday, January 21, at 2 p.m.

Thereafter, tours will be held on the third week of each month, from Monday-Thursday (twice daily at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.) and Saturday (2 p.m. only). The fee of $25/person includes a tour of the winery and winemaking facilities, specialized entwine and food pairings, and a 20% discount on all entwine and Wente Family Estates wines purchased the week of the tour.

Advance reservations are required, with tour groups limited to 25 people. For more information, including how to book a tour, please visit www.entwine-wines.com/visit-us

or call (925) 456-2306.

A little background: The initial inspiration for entwine came from viewers’ requesting the Food Network to introduce them to the world of wine. Food Network partnered with Wente Vineyards because Wente makes great wine and has a deep connection to food as embodied in its vegetable garden and on-site restaurant.

Founded in 1883, Wente Vineyards is the oldest continuously-operated, family-owned winery in the country; owned and managed by the fourth and fifth generations of the Wente family. In 2011, Wente Family Estates was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast and a top 30 wine company by Wine Business Monthly.

The Food Network is a lifestyle network, website and magazine connecting viewers to the power and joy of food. Food Network is distributed to more than 100 million U.S. households and averages more than 9.9 million unique web users monthly.

Nancy Cline of Cline Cellars & Jacuzzi Family Vineyards

2012-01-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

The Mission Museum's 1939 replica of the San Luis Rey Mission.

One of the best things about being a freelance writer living in wine country is that I get to to meet and interview so many wine industry people who love the work they do, from winery owners and winemakers to tasting room tenders and cellar rats.

I particularly enjoy profiling wine country folks who use their profits to accomplish a bit of good in the world.

On that score, I've admired Fred and Nancy Cline from the moment I stepped into the small museum they built on the grounds of Cline Cellars. The California Missions Museum houses a one-of-a-kind collection: large, hand-crafted replicas of all 21 California Missions. The replicas were built in 1939 by a team of German woodworkers for the World's Fair held that year in San Francisco.

The collection managed to stay intact until the late 1990s, at which time it was set to be auctioned off piece by piece. The history-loving Nancy Cline, believing that the Mission replicas should remain a set, purchased them all at auction. The Clines then built a home for them at Cline Cellars, opening the doors to the public. Admission is free. Last year 4,000 California 4th graders visited the museum as part of their history curriculum.

Just this year the Clines purchased and refurbished an historic hotel in Tonapah, Nevada. It makes for an interesting story, which you can read in my recent published profile of Nancy Cline.

The Mizpah Hotel in Tonopah, NV

Behind the scenes with wine.woot.com

2012-01-04T07:08:00.000-08:00

Wine.Woot founders, brothers David (left) and George Studdert, sampling wines. Photo: Christa Jeremiason/PD.

One of the Internet's earliest and most successful flash sales sites, wine.woot, keeps a deliberate low profile. So low, in fact, that I had no idea the company was founded and based in the town of Sonoma, California, where I live. An offhand remark at a party tipped me, and I ended up doing a story about wine.woot for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat--it ran on Sunday, January 1.

Here's an excerpt:

Prior to starting wine.woot, George had successfully run national sales programs for major corporations before founding his own boat lift company in 2001. David had earlier worked at Airborne Express, specializing in direct-to-consumer wine shipping. In 1998, when the states’ attorneys general declared this practice to be illegal, he started his own company to “help wineries ship legally to consumers in non-reciprocal states.”

The company did well until the U. S. Supreme Court’s 2005 Granholm ruling opened the door for wineries to ship directly to consumers. While that was great news for wineries and consumers, it essentially put David out of business.

But another door opened almost simultaneously. David had recently read a Wall Street Journal article about a new company, woot.com, that had pioneered the one-discounted-deal-a-day online business model in 2004 (woot.com was purchased by Amazon in 2010). He was intrigued by the one-daily concept and loved the site’s humorous sales approach.

“I was talking to George, worrying about the end of my business,” David recalled. “Suddenly he said: ‘Why don’t we sell wine on woot?’ He was half-joking, but I had a major epiphany, with bells and whistles going off in my head.”

The next day David sent an email to woot’s founder, Matt Rutledge, who immediately saw the possibilities in wooting wine. Talks ensued and, in May 2006, “almost a year later to the day,” wine.woot became the first offshoot launched by woot.

You can read the full story here.

10 Steve Jobs-style lessons for the restaurant industry

2011-10-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

I really wasn't going to write about Steve Jobs again, but this article from FastCasual, an online pub for the restaurant industry, is just too clever to pass up. Written by Alicia Kelso, it offers 10 tips for restaurant owners based on Jobs' life and work:

The customer-user experience trumps everything else.
Keep the brand simple and contemporary.
Get inspired by the small things.
Embrace technology.
Innovate past failure.
Anticipate trends.
Business is more than the bottom line.
No man or woman is an island.
Employees reflect the brand.
Keep it in perspective.

Read the article for yourself.

Steve Jobs, a new book by Walter Isaacson (CEO of the Aspen Institute and former chairman of CNN), will be released on October 24. Order it in advance on Amazon for $17.88.

Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off-limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. And Jobs speaks candidly, sometimes brutally so, about the people he worked with and competed against. His friends, foes, and colleagues provide an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted.

Driven by demons, Jobs could drive those around him to fury and despair. But his personality and products were interrelated, just as Apple’s hardware and software tended to be, as if part of an integrated system. His tale is instructive and cautionary, filled with lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values.

Steve Jobs narrates "The Crazy Ones"

2011-10-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

Not food, not wine, not travel.

Today it's just a simple video. A 1972 Apple commercial that never aired, it's narrated by Steve Jobs.

If you're one of the world's Creatives and sometimes feel out of step, you'll get the message.

Preserving California's ancient vineyards

2011-10-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

Dino Amantite of Sonoma County's Pagani Ranch, kneels beside a vine planted in the 1880s.

This past Sunday, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat ran a feature story by me entitled Preserving Vines of Yesteryear.

California's Napa and Sonoma counties are home to many historic vineyards. Some—such as Sonoma Valley's Bedrock Vineyard, Pagani Ranch, and Old Hill Ranch—were first planted in the 1880s. Ancient vineyards such as these not only tend to produce grapes of great intensity, concentration and flavor, but also harbor rare and even near-extinct grape varieties.

However, the economics of wine today are contributing to the gradual disappearance of these heritage vineyards. Like other commodities, wines move in and out of fashion. When a hot new varietal comes along, these historic vineyards are sometimes replaced by the more profitable grape.

In the article I discuss the work of a new organization, the Historic Vineyard Society, which is working to keep these slowly-dwindling ancient vineyards intact.

Here's a link to my article.

California wine history on Christie’s auction block

2011-09-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, California wine expert James Laube wrote that “Inglenook is to Napa what Margaux is to Bordeaux – one of wine’s crown jewels.”

This Saturday, September 24th, Christie’s New York will offer wine collectors a unique opportunity to bid for some of these “crown jewels.” The auction house will present a selection of rare bottles from the private cellar of Inglenook owner Francis Ford Coppola, including two bottles of the legendary 1941 vintage. All wines in this special offering were acquired by Mr. Coppola when he purchased Inglenook in the 1970s and have remained undisturbed all these years.

Inglenook Vineyards was founded in 1879 by Gustave Niebaum, a Finnish sea captain who used his enormous wealth to import the best European grapevines to Napa. Over the next several decades, under the guidance of the legendary John Daniel, Inglenook built a reputation as the source of some of the finest wines ever made.

By 1975, however, when Francis and Eleanor Coppola first purchased part of the famed property, the Inglenook Estate had long since been broken up and its name sold off. The Coppolas spent the next twenty years reuniting the vineyards and restoring winemaking to the historic Inglenook Chateau. Today, in addition to the Cabernet Sauvignon that dominates the Estate, the Inglenook acreage is also planted with Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, and six acres of white Rhone varietals that produce the estate's flagship white, Blancaneaux. Inglenook is now completely restored to original dimensions and is once again America's great wine estate.

The Christie’s auction now offers fine wine collectors the opportunity to purchase bottles so rare that only a handful remain in the original cellars at Inglenook. To mark the occasion for posterity, successful bidders will receive a handwritten note from Francis Ford Coppola with each bottle purchased, in custom-made wooden box designed specifically for this sale.

Here are some highlights of Christie’s day-long September 24 auction:

One bottle of the rare 1935 vintage from the “Golden Era” of John Daniel Jr. wines (estimate: $600-800).
A two-bottle lot of the celebrated 1941 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon (estimate:$8,000-12,000). Christie’s wine specialists note that the 1941 vintage can rightly take its place among legends like the 1945 Mouton-Rothschild, 1982 Lafite Rothschild, 1900 Margaux, 1961 Latour and 1989 Haut Brion, some of the most celebrated, most valuable and longest lived Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in the world today.
A vertical of 12 key vintages from the years 1946 – 2008 presented in a bespoke wooden case signed by Mr. Coppola (estimate: $3,000-4,200). Proceeds from this lot will be donated to Shigeru Ban Architects + Voluntary Architects Network, a charity that helps build temporary housing for tsunami victims in Japan.

To view the complete e-catalogue for this sale, please visit this site.

Simple pleasures

2011-09-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday after a 6- or 7-mile hike through classic Northern California landscape -- rolling hills, oak trees, killer views from the high spots -- I ended up in the garden of my hiking companion.

A landscape gardener, he has the kind of extensive, highly-productive garden you might imagine: eight different kinds of tomatoes, and a few different kinds of everything else (eggplant, squash, peppers, citrus, herbs, beans, and on and on).

But it was the melons that amazed me. I've never been able to successfully grow a melon, but David's garden contained at least half a dozen varieties. The dense vines sprawled across the ground, strong and healthy, with the fruit hidden below.

For about half an hour we tasted melons, slowly making our way up and down the rows. David would reach down, pluck a melon, cut it in two, and empty the seeds onto the ground. Then we'd stand there, straddling the melon vines, the late-summer sun nicely warm on our backs, tasting and comparing notes.

The most remarkable was the banana melon, which resembles and smells like it's namesake. The French charentais wasn't ripe enough; given the cool temperatures in Sonoma this summer, it may never get there. The honeydew needed another week, but was still excellent: crisp, clean, sweet. The yellow-skinned watermelon was a total winner.

I came away with a honeydew and a watermelon, and a few perfect veggies.

Sometimes the simplest things are the best things.

California Foie Gras ban is months away

2011-09-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

It's delicious, but... Where do you stand on Foie Gras?

This week Bloomberg took an interesting look at both sides of California's Foe Gras ban, which is set to take effect next July. The law was passed in 2004 and signed by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, enforcement was put off for eight years to give producers time enough to find force-feeding alternatives. Those alternatives haven't appeared.

Opponents of forced-feeding include major animal rights organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), famous chefs (e.g., Wolfgang Puck, Charlie Trotter), and high-profile celebrities such as Paul McCartney, Alicia Silverstone, and many others. All cite the cruelty and inhumanity of forcing feed into the esophagus of a duck or goose through a funnel, a process that takes only 2-3 seconds but is thought to be painful. Studies have shown that mortality rates among force-fed birds can be elevated in the latter stages of fattening.

Those in favor of forced-feeding -- chefs, foie gras purveyors, and gourmands of all stripes -- say that the forced-feeding process is not painful, and that it imitates the gorging behavior of birds in the wild as they prepare to migrate.

Force-feeding is not new. Evidence exists that, as early as 2500 BC, ancient Egyptians force-fed geese. The process spread rapidly across the Mediterannean and into Europe and has been widely used ever since.

The Bloomberg article by Allison Vekshin, Foie Gras Lovers in California Will Soon Become Victim to Rights of Ducks, interviews people on both sides of the issue. Among them are chefs who serve Foie Gras, some of whom intend to ignore the ban, and others who plan to reluctantly comply.

Perhaps the most interesting factoid in the article is this: San Francisco chef Gary Danko, who has won a Michelin star for his namesake restaurant, usually sells 40 orders of Foie Gras each night, but when protesters show up the foie gras orders double.

Where do I stand? I've enjoyed Foie Gras perhaps a dozen times in my life, mostly in France. It's always delicious, whether prepared and served simply or gussied up with a fancy sauce and other ingredients. No matter how it's prepared, it tends to melt in your mouth.

However, I stopped eating it long before I realized there were ethical issues involved, because it's one of the foods highest in choleseterol -- a whopping 255mg per 100g.

But even if I didn't have to keep an eye on my cholesterol level, I still wouldn't eat it now. I'm not sure that forced-feeding is painful, but it might be. That's enough reason to kill my appetite.

A dinner where all pairings worked

2011-09-06T08:09:00.000-07:00


Getting settled in for dinner at Arrowood Winery

Last Friday night I enjoyed a dinner of extraordinary pairings—every combination worked exactly right, with sip and bite interacting in ways that brought out the best in each other. Nothing unusual about an excellent pairing, to be sure; but it is rare, for me at least, to sit through 5 courses in which each pairing is a winner.

The event was a winemaker dinner at Sonoma Valley's Arrowood Winery, part of the annual Sonoma Wine Country Weekend—a three-day, blowout affair that includes dinners and lunches throughout the county on Friday and Saturday, Saturday afternoon's impressive "Taste of Sonoma" (160 wineries, 60 chefs) on the grounds of MacMurray Rarnch, and a mega-fun auction on Sunday at Cline Cellars. Proceeds benefit charities, so it was nice to see that, going into the weekend, events were sold out (gross proceeds for the weekend amounted to $1.4 million).


Arrowood's winemaker, Heidi von der Mehden

Our host at dinner was Arrowood's convivial winemaker, Heidi von der Mehden, who did a nice job of introducing each wine as it was poured. I was having such a good time that I forgot to take note of vintages, but all were either 2006 or 2007.

Dinner, catered by Sonoma's the girl + the fig, was splendid, incorporating the best in local foods. Here's the menu, with accompanying Arrowood wines:

First Course

Chilled Corn Soup with Crab and Basil Oil

Wine: Chardonnay, Russian River Valley

Second Course

Frisée and Mâche salad

Asian Pear, Toasted Hazelnuts and Pear Verjus Vinaigrette

Wine: Viognier, Russian River Valley/Saralee's Vineyard

Third Course

Tea-Smoked Squab Breast with Black Pepper Spaetzle, Mushrooms and Pomegranate Reduction

Wine: Syrah, Dry Creek Valley

Fourth Course

New York Steak with Caramelized Ratatouille, Bread Salad and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Smothers-Remick Vineyards

Summer Dessert

Grilled Peach Tart

Cream Cheese Pastry Cream and Brown Butter Crust

Wine: Late Harvest Riesling, Russian River Valley/Saralee's Vineyard

The impeccable chilled corn soup with crab and basil oil!

My favorite course was the steak. A perfect piece of meat grilled medium-rare, it was familiar in the best of ways. Ratatouille is familiar, too, but it was made new again by being caramelized, and then enhanced with the way-out inclusion of a small bit of bread salad. The combination of all three resulted in a taste that was totally new and, to be precise: scrumptious. And chasing it with that perfectly-balanced Cab with its black fruit overtones...

My favorite surprise pairing was the grilled peach tart with the Late Harvest Reisling. The peaches were the kind you buy in early July in a small outdoor market in an out-of-the-way village in the south of France—that is, they were absolute perfection, exactly what peaches should be but so rarely are. They were grilled so little that they were practically raw. The tart crust was light and airy. The reisling was fruity, with a hint of sweetness. The whole course was a sip-and-sigh. I don't normally even like dessert, but I sure liked this.

Eat local and be happy.

Food really does affect your mood

2011-09-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

This black bear may not know it, but she's warding off pessimism and depression by chowing down on that chum salmon.

An article in U. S. News summarizes various findings about the way in which the food you eat affects your mood, ability to ward off depression, and a lot more.

Elizabeth Somer, a registered dietitian and the author of Eat Your Way to Happiness (2010), notes that most people understand the link between diet and physical health. “But,” she continues, “the link between what you eat and your mood, your energy, how you sleep, and how well you think is much more immediate.”

The article looks at various ways diet could affect your mood. A few brief highlights:

Not eating regularly can make you feel “tired and cranky.” That’s because not eating causes blood sugar to sink, which in turn creates mood swings.

Being carb-phobic reduces your body’s production of the “feel-good” brain chemical, serotonin. According to research, low-carb eaters are more likely to feel tired, angry, depressed and tense.

Not getting enough Omega-3s, found in fatty fish like salmon and sardines, can lead to pessimism and depression.

Eating too much fat doesn’t just add pounds—it can lead to depression and even dementia!

There’s more, and it’s all interesting. Check out the article.

Just in: Top 3 Fast Food Chains in USA

2011-09-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

2011 has been a very good year for Five Guys Burgers and Fries, as it again tops consumers’ favorite quick-service restaurant (QSR) list, according to the annual consumer restaurant chain survey conducted by Market Force Information. It's followed by long-time West Coast favorite In-N-Out Burger (#2) and Chick-fil-A (#3).

The study also revealed that each of the top three restaurants excelled in friendly service, the category with the most differentiation among all contenders.

More than 4,500 consumers across North America participated in the survey conducted in August 2011. It examined which QSRs consumers prefer and which attributes are most important to them. Market Force first calculated the favorites based on pure number of votes, and then factored in the number of locations for each chain for a more level view of the results (see chart below).

The bottom three QSRs on the list are McDonald's, Subway, and, in last place, Burger King.

The study also asked respondents to rate QSRs by attributes such as food quality, taste, speed of service, cleanliness and value. Friendly service was the category with the most differentiation, and it was dominated by Chick-fil-A, In-N-Out Burger and Five Guys. The least variation was found in the taste category, which suggests that consumers see the most differentiation—and value—in those restaurants with the best service and friendliness.

While consumer-favorite Five Guys didn’t dominate any of the categories, it performed consistently well across most of them. Similarly, In-N-Out Burgers scored highest in food quality and second highest in friendly service and value. Other chains were less consistent. For example, McDonald’s scored poorest for quality of food, but ranked second for speed of service behind Sonic. Similarly, Taco Bell was lowest in cleanliness, but highest in overall value.

Wine & beer tie in US consumer preferences

2011-08-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

What's your preference?

For the first time since 1992, wine and beer have tied as the top choice among U. S. drinkers asked in a Gallup poll whether they most often drink liquor, wine, or beer. The poll found that nearly as many named wine (35%) as beer (36%). Liquor came in third, with a 23% preference.

That 36% preference for beer is the lowest recorded by Gallup since the poll began in 1992. Poll findings indicates that younger adults have a decreased preference for beer compared to their elders -- something the beer industry is no doubt paying lots of attention to.

If you'd like to read a detailed article about the study results, visit this Gallup page.

An online Q&A with a champagne expert

2011-08-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

This 1891 poster is an early work by Pierre Bonnard.

If you've wanted to learn more about France's gift to the world--champagne--here's a great opportunity. Thibaut Le Mailloux of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), the trade association representing the houses and grape growers of Champagne, France, is taking questions online through Google Moderator from now through Wednesday, August 31.

So ask away! Want to know more about this year’s Champagne harvest or learn which Champagne tastes best with poultry? Or maybe you'd like to know what makes Champagne different from other regions that produce quality sparkling wines. You'll get answers to all your Champagne questions directly from the vineyards in France.

Follow this link to submit your own questions or to vote on questions submitted to Google Moderator by other Champagne fans. You can also send questions through Twitter or Facebook, or email them directly to Champagne@clsdc.com (they'll be posted to Google Moderator for you). Use the hashtag #Champagne for all questions submitted via Twitter.

Submit questions no later than Wednesday, August 31, and check back at the CIVC site for Thibaut’s answers during the week of September 5.

September is California Wine Month

2011-08-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

For many of us, it's always California Wine Month, but that doesn't prevent the Guv from declaring September as the official month of wine -- something that's been done by governators for the last seven years.

And why not? After all, the state's wine industry accounts for an estimated 20.7 million yearly tourists, has created about 330,000 jobs, and brings in revenue from $18.4 billion in retail sales, including exports to 122 countries.

To celebrate California Wine Month, special consumer wine events are being held throughout the state, from special tastings and harvest tours, to wine education classes and wine and food festivals. You can find these events at Discover California Wine.

Two fun Bordeaux infographics

2011-08-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

Snooth's "Most Prized Wines"

Curious about Bordeaux wine? The two infographics here are worth checking out. Click on each to get a larger, easier-to-read version.

The top infographic, "Most Prized Wines," was compiled by Snooth. It shows per-bottle auction value for various vintages of the top five Bordeaux wines (Mouton-Rothschild, Latour, Lafite-Rothschild, Haut-Brion, and Margaux). At $284.66, the 1985 Mouton-Rotschild is the bargain bottle in the bunch. The most expensive, at $12,551.36, is also a Mouton-Rotschild (1945).

According to the Anniversary Vintage Chart, which sums up good/bad years for Bordeaux vintages, 1985 was a "lovely year in Bordeaux, Port & Champagne, top Burgundy still good." On the other hand, 1945 is described as a "fabulous vintage. Candidate for 'vintage of the century', including Port." From lovely to fabulous is worth about $12,300!

My only quibble with the Snooth graphic is the cutesy way they tell you what various combinations of value could buy you in real-world goods. It would work much better if they gave specifications for those goods.

They say, for example, that you can "trade the combined value of every vintage of Lafite-Rothschild for 3 thoroughbred horses." When I visited EquineNow, the value of a thoroughbred ranged from $650 to $12,000. And if you're talking about a top-of-the-line thoroughbred such as Secretariat, the value is in the mega-millions. So that's basically a useless comparison.

EnjoyBordeaux's "Organic Wines 101"

I like this infographic from EnjoyBordeaux because it gives a nice overview of Bordeaux's organic, biodynamic and sustainable winemaking.

My interview with Jean-Charles Boisset

2011-08-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Jean-Charles Boisset and his bulldog, Frenchie, at Buena Vista. Photo: Crista Jeremiason/PD.

A couple of weeks ago I visited Sonoma's historic Buena Vista Winery to talk with its new owner, Jean-Charles Boisset. You can read the resultant article here.

As president of family-owned Boisset Family Estates, the 41-year-old has overseen the expansion of the Burgundy-based company into California, where it also owns Amberhill Wines, California Rabbit, DeLoach Vineyards, Fog Mountain, Lyeth Estate, Raymond Vineyards, Sonoma Cuvee and JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset.

Boisset first visited Buena Vista at the age of 11 on a trip to the U. S. with his family. He fell in love with the beauty and history of the winery, never forgot it, and ended up buying it 30 years later.

His plans call for returning Buena Vista to its past glory while showcasing its magnificent history--founded in 1857, it was not only the first commercial winery in California, but the first to do a great many important things in the state's wine industry. For example, more than a century before the famed 1976 "Judgment of Paris," Buena Vista wines were winning gold medals in France.

Often described in the wine press as "one of the most powerful people in the world of wine," and the possessor of countless awards and honors in France and the U. S., in person Boisset is friendly, engaging, and highly energetic. During our interview we sat for a while at a picnic table, and he took great delight from chatting up visitors to the winery who strolled by.

Boisset is married to winemaker Gina Gallo (the couple became the parents of twin girls this past May) and divides his time between Northern California and France.

My article about Jean-Charles Boisset appeared yesterday in the newspaper of Sonoma County, the New York Times-owned Santa Rosa Press Democrat. You can read the story here.

A fun new twist on Manhattan sightseeing

2011-07-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Getting the yen to spend a week or so in NYC this autumn, and while doing a little research I've discovered a new way to see the place.

New York Water Taxi and Bike and Roll NYC have joined forces to let you bike across the Brooklyn Bridge and take a Water Taxi back. The companies describe it as "part instant adventure and one part jaw-dropping views. It’s easy, safe and fun, and you don’t have to be Lance Armstrong to do the ride--all levels of riders can enjoy this excursion."

The package includes an 8-hour bike rental, a Water Taxi hop-on/hop-off pass, a four-color route map indicating sights along the route, and a helmet and bike lock.

Highlights include a close glimpse of the Statue of Liberty as you cruise by on the return trip.

Details:

Excursions available at two Bike and Roll locations: Pier 84 (West 43rd Street) or Battery Park (just west of Pier A).
Pick up your bike as early as 9 a.m. and get a nice early start.
Get the return water taxi ride at Fulton Ferry Landing at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. It will take you to Manhattan's South Street Seaport, Battery Park, or Pier 84/Weswt 44th Street.
Price: $49/adults, $29/kids

For more info, visit the Water Taxi website.

Food cost: healthy vs. junk

2011-07-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

New research from the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) points to an interesting geographic variation in the relative price of healthy foods, which may give some Americans “an economic incentive to consume a less healthful diet.”

The study started with seven healthy food groups. Then, using data from the Quarterly Food-at-Home Price Database, it compared prices for 100 grams of healthy groups with prices of less healthy alternatives:

Whole-grain products were compared with refined-grain counterparts
Dark green and orange vegetables were compared with starchy vegetables
Whole fruit was compared with commercially prepared sweet snacks
Low-fat milk was compared with whole and 2% milk, and with carbonated nonalcoholic beverages
Bottled water was compared with carbonated nonalcoholic beverages
Fruit juice was compared with noncarbonated nonalcoholic caloric beverages (fruit drinks)

What the study found

Well…it’s complicated:

1. Some healthy foods were more expensive than less healthy foods, but in other cases, healthier options were less expensive.

Whole grains were more expensive than reined grains across the United States, with prices ranging from 23 percent higher (San Francisco) to more than 60 percent higher (nonmetro Pennsylvania and New York) than for reined grains.
Fresh and frozen dark green vegetables were more expensive than starchy vegetables in all markets (prices ranging from 20 to 80 percent higher than starchy vegetables), but orange vegetables (e.g., carrots, sweet potatoes, and winter squash) were less expensive than starchy vegetables in some markets, including metro New York, San Francisco, and Florida.
Low-fat milk (skim and 1%) was between 10-20 percent less expensive than whole and 2% milk in most markets.
Low-fat milk was more expensive than nonalcoholic carbonated beverages in some markets, but less expensive in others.
Bottled water is the same price or less expensive than soda in all but one market (urban New York), with a price ranging from 6 percent (Boston) to over 33 percent (San Francisco) lower than the price for soda.

2. Prices of healthy foods vary widely across the United States.

Whole grains, dark green and orange vegetables, low-fat milk, and fruit juice demonstrate the largest geographic price variation.
The geographic variation in the price of whole fruit when compared with sweet or savory commercially prepared snacks is generally smaller than that of other comparisons. On a per-gram basis, whole fruit is 60-70 percent less expensive in all markets.

Download the entire study, “Geographic Differences in the Relative Price of Healthy Foods.”

Best Beers in America for 2011

2011-07-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

Since 2003 the American Homebrewers Association has polled readers of its members’ journal, Zymurgy, to get a list of their 20 favorite beers. The only rule for including the beer is that it must be commercially available somewhere in the USA. AHA compiled the results to arrive at a list ranking the most popular beers. In other words, the beer in the #1 position was included on the most lists.

There were an amazing number of ties, but who cares? This list is a minefield of beers worth trying. I’ve never had the #1 beer, Pliny the Elder, but summer’s a good time to try it. If I can find it, that is.

Here’s the list:

1. Russian River Pliny the Elder
2. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
3 (tie). Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
3 (tie). Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
5. Bell’s Hopslam
6. Stone Arrogant Bastard
7. Sierra Nevada Celebration
8 (tie). Sierra Nevada Torpedo
8 (tie). Stone Ruination
10. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
11. Stone Sublimely Self Righteous
12. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine
13. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
14 (tie). Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
14 (tie). Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
16 (tie). Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
16 (tie). New Glarus Belgian Red
18. North Coast Old Rasputin
19. Bell’s Expedition Stout
20 (tie). Deschutes The Abyss
20 (tie). Left Hand Milk Stout
20 (tie). Odell IPA
20 (tie). Samuel Adams Noble Pils
20 (tie). Surly Furious
20 (tie). Troegs Nugget Nectar
26 (tie). Rogue Dead Guy Ale
26 (tie). Samuel Adams Boston Lager
28. Anchor Steam
29 (tie). Bear Republic Racer 5
29 (tie). Ommegang Three Philosophers
29 (tie). Oskar Blues Ten Fidy
29 (tie). Three Floyds Alpha King
29 (tie). Three Floyds Dark Lord
34 (tie). Avery Maharaja
34 (tie). Dogfish Head Indian Brown
34 (tie). Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron
34 (tie). Three Floyds Gumballhead
38 (tie). Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
38 (tie). Lost Abbey Angel’s Share
38 (tie). New Belgium La Folie
38 (tie). New Belgium Ranger
38 (tie). Oskar Blues Old Chub
43 (tie). Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
43 (tie). Great Divide Yeti
43 (tie). New Belgium 1554
43 (tie). Russian River Blind Pig
43 (tie). Ska Modus Hoperandi
48 (tie). Alesmith Speedway Stout
48 (tie). Dark Horse Crooked Tree
48 (tie). Green Flash West Coast IPA
48 (tie). Summit EPA
48 (tie). Victory Prima Pils

Other rankings:

Best Brewery: Delaware’s Dogfish Head Craft Brewery had the largest total # of votes received by readers.
Best Portfolio: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, with 28 beers entered into voting by readers.
Top Import: Rodenbach Grand Cru, from Belgium.
Best “Spirit of Homebrew” (brewery’s total # of votes divided by annual barrel production, giving very small breweries a chance to shine): Alpine Beer Company in Alpine, California.