Chef Richard Verhagen’s Cassoulet Rustico — Part II
As with all of my partner’s dishes, they are an intersection of cultures that meld and rub up against each other in surprising ways. There is a kind of irreverence to them, a devil may care approach in the use of ingredients and techniques. He’s not at all shy about breaking the rules. This Cassoulet, […]
Ancient Peaks Chardonnay 2016
From Ancient Peaks estate, Margarita Vineyard lies within the coastal Santa Lucia Mountains. It’s the southernmost vineyard in the Paso Robles AVA, receiving more marine influence than most, and is host to a band of calcium-rich ancient soils including the rocky alluvium in which this Chardonnay is grown. It’s crisp and aromatic, opening with pear and […]
Ancient Peaks ‘Pearl’ Chardonnay 2016
Located a mere fourteen miles from the Pacific Ocean, Ancient Peak’s 2016 Pearl Chardonnay is sourced from block 26, one of Margarita Vineyard’s cooler microclimates. It’s an expressive wine, with d’Anjou pear and white peach resting beneath lighter notes of pastry cream, lemon curd, and baking spice. In the mouth, it’s all freshness and elegance—a […]
Ancient Peaks Rosé 2017
Limpid salmon in the glass—tasted blind, I would have thought this an Old World rosé—the expression is both elegant and poised with pie cherries, melon, orange zest, and line-dried linen rounding out the nose. In the mouth, a lean and tensile acid spine gives it lightness and a degree of weightlessness. The finish reveals pink […]
Herzog Lineage Rosé Clarksburg 2017
The 2017 Herzog Lineage Rosé 2017 offers up a bouquet of pie cherries and pomegranate followed by thyme, dried mint, rose petals, and warm spice. In the mouth, its medium bodied, with a touch of watermelon Jolly Rancher, Snapple iced tea and a trailing wisp of dried herbs and chalk on the finish. Sample Herzog […]
D’Artagnan’s Cassoulet Kit for Home Cooks and Armchair Travelers – Part I
Anyone who has indulged in Cassoulet will tell you that between the layers of duck fat and decadent sausages—confit duck legs and bone white Coco Tarbais beans—that there is pure magic. It is easily Gascony’s most celebrated and recognizable dish, named after the deep earthenware vessel it cooks in, the cassolle, Cassoulet inhabits a romantic place in […]
A great thing made of gold. Down the hill I saw it.
I and my wife stood amazed. Then I realised that the crest of Maybury Hill must be within range of the Martians’ Heat-Ray now that the college was cleared out of the way.
Department 66 Fragile Rosé 2017
Orin Swift winemaker Dave Phinney’s latest project is Department 66, a collection of sleekly packaged wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon. His 2017 Fragile Rosé is salmon-hued with expressive aromas of white peach, cherry blossom, field-ripened strawberries, and orange zest. There is more concentration on the palate than the nose belies, with ample depth and fruit at […]
Curried Turkey Salad
Ah yes, the holiday has passed and there is still, blessedly, several pounds of turkey yet to plow through—for the ambitious home cook, there are limitless ways to culinarily transform what’s left of the bird. I have my tried-and-true favorites that include wild rice and mushroom turkey soup, open-faced turkey sandwiches with gooey and melted […]
André Jacquart Rosé de Saignée Experience Brut Nature Premier Cru NV
Carmine red in the glass, the André Jacquart Rosé de Saignée Experience Brut Nature NV Premier Cru is comprised of estate-grown fruit from the Doyard family’s 60-acre farm maintained under France’s strict sustainable “culture raisonnee” guidelines. It’s a vivacious blend of 80% Pinot Noir from a small parcel located within the Vertus Premier Cru and […]