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By Joseph Temple

Growing more than 200 different crops that include everything from almonds to plums, there is no denying that California is the nation’s breadbasket.  So when America’s leading agricultural producer experiences a massive drought that is now entering its fourth year, it’s not surprising that a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that eighty-four percent believe these conditions will lead to significant increases in the price of food.  While opinions vary as to how much of a spike consumers are going to feel at the cash register, the dire situation has highlighted the need for new and sustainable irrigation methods by farmers, both big and small.

Then there’s the wine industry.

Unlike avocados and strawberries that require considerable amounts of water to flourish, grapes have proven to be much more drought-resistant as vines are forced to dig deeper into the soil in search of water.  And with less irrigation, smaller grapes with thicker skins and a heavier concentration of flavors are popping up across the state. Ironically, as other crops turn brown while billions in profits dry up, many vineyards in Napa and Sonoma are experiencing double-digit growth due to the drought.

“This year’s vintage could be one for the ages,” said one California vintner in 2014.  According to the Wine Advocate, Cabernet Sauvignon produced in the Golden State scored an average rating of 78 in 2011—one year before the drought.  By 2013, that number had shot up to 96!

Of course, not all growers are benefiting from these conditions.   Smaller grapes are starting to plague the producers of inexpensive wines in California’s Central Valley.  “While people typically think of cheap wine producers as being big firms,” reports CNBC, “many of the largest producers actually buy their grapes from small, independent farmers in the San Joaquin Valley.” With profits largely based on bulk quantity pricing, those selling a bottle for $7 and less are being hit hard, seeing shipments drop between 2-3% last year.  Factor in the competition from other low-priced alcoholic beverages and quite possibly, the worst is still yet to come.

The $64,000 question that still remains is when will the effects of this drought begin to wreak havoc on higher-priced wines?  Will the short term gain that Northern California is currently feeling eventually morph into long-term pain?  According to the experts, the answer is yes.  “Grapevines may be able to withstand droughts for a certain period of time, but they cannot carry on forever,” said one observer.  “And they may reach their limit soon. Even though the plants can reach up to 100 feet below the ground to get water, the lack of precipitation could cause salt levels to rise and damage the vines.”

Sources:

Balakrishnan, Anita. (2015, Apr 1). California drought and wine: Cheaper products hit hardest. CNBC.com. Retrieved from http://cnbc.com.
Carlton, Jim. (2014, Oct 17). California Drought Produces Tastier Wine Grapes. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://wsj.com.
Koba, Mark. (2014, Apr 19). Your food, your wallet and the California drought. CNBC.com. Retrieved from http://cnbc.com.

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Question: What is the difference between black cod and sablefish?

Answer: Not much. Here on the west coast of North America in the old days a popular item was the salty orange coloured smoked black cod from Alaska. A new product was encouraged as a non-smoked black cod that really took off and was marketed with the unique name of sablefish.  I was just at a dinner at West restaurant in Vancouver this week celebrating the 10^th anniversary of the successful Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise conservation program. Lots of sustainable seafood served including spot prawns, side stripe shrimp, Albacore Tuna, Dungeness Crab, Halibut and Wild BC Sablefish (served a la Plancha with pickled mushrooms, braised Daikon & Dashi Broth).

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By cyclonebill from Copenhagen, Denmark (CavaUploaded by FAEP) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

By Joseph Temple

Ever since the financial meltdown in 2008, many sparkling wine drinkers have searched high and low for a substitute to costly Champagne.   And in 2013, Italian Prosecco—where the secondary fermentation process takes place in steel tanks, reducing the price per bottle significantly—outsold its French competitor for the first time ever.

However, if you’re looking for another alternative that won’t put a major dent in your wallet, you might want to try Cava, one of Spain’s most popular exports.  Although seen by many as the poor man’s sparkling wine, being largely relegated to college parties where quality takes a back seat to affordability, the stereotype is slowly being dismantled as numerous Spanish winemakers seek to improve the negative perception of this drink.  Much like Prosecco, if you’re willing to spend a little extra, you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

But what exactly is Cava?  What grapes are used to make it? What methods and industry regulations govern the production of this wine?  Have no fear—below are ten quick facts that will get you up to speed on this bubbly libation.  Cheers!

By SantiagoFrancoRamos (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

1. Cava is made in several regions across Spain, but approximately 95 % of it comes from the Penedès region of Catalonia.
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By batega (originally posted to Flickr as Young wine) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

2.  A number of different grapes are allowed to make Cava.  However, the three most traditional are xarel-lo, macabeo and parellada.
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3. Many vintners also use chardonnay and pinot noir to make Cava — two grapes that are also used for Champagne.
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By Justus Hayes [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

4. Cava that is made from local grapes tends to have earthy aromas.
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By MARIA ROSA FERRE ✿ (Flickr: Caves Freixenet, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

5. Freixenet, makers of the world-famous Cordon Negro in its signature black bottle, is also the world’s largest producer of sparkling wines.
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By cyclonebill from Copenhagen, Denmark (CavaUploaded by FAEP) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

6. Up until 1970, Cava was called “Spanish Champagne.”  But due to E.U. regulations, no area outside of Champagne, France can use that term — requiring Spain to change the name to Cava.
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By Alberto-g-rovi (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

7. The word Cava is Catalan for “cellar.”
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By Herrero Uceda (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

8. Despite most Cava being relatively inexpensive, it is made through the traditional method where the secondary fermentation process takes place in the bottle instead of in tanks, which is usually the case for lower-priced sparkling wines.
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9. After removing the yeasts from each bottle, a sweetened reserve wine is added to Cava.  The amount added will determine whether it is dry (brut) or sweet (Demi-sec or Semi-seco).
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By Agne27 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

10. Rosé Cava is usually the result of adding cabernet sauvignon, garnacha or monastrell grapes to the blend.
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Sources:

Amatuzzi, Dan. A First Course in Wine: From Grape to Glass. New York: Race Point Publishing, 2013.
Asimov, Eric. (2010, May 10). Cava, the Prosecco of Spain, Gets Its Due – at Last. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://nytimes.com.
Asimov, Eric. (2014, Aug 8). Cava Is Overlooked Everywhere but Catalonia. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://nytimes.com.
Asimov, Eric and Fabricant, Florence. Wine With Food: Pairing Notes and Recipes from the New York Times. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, 2014.
Harding, Julia. The Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
Hornsey, Ian Spencer. The Chemistry and Biology of Winemaking. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2007.
MacNeil, Karen. The Wine Bible. New York: Workman Publishing Company, 2000.
Nowak, Barbara and Wichman, Beverly. The Everything Wine Book: From Chardonnay to Zinfandel, All You Need to Make the Perfect Choice. Avon: Adams Media, 2005.
Welch, Nicky. The Pocket Guide to Wine: Featuring the Wine Tubemap. Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, 2014.

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Question:  I am planning an IWFS event where the theme will be: Breaking all the wine rules.  These rules will include:

– White before red. Any suggestions for a good starter red? Answer: Try Rose or Gamay.

– White only with fish.

– White with red meat. Not sure what white would go well with what kind of red meat.

Answer: Try Riesling with Pork, Veal, or Wiener Schnitzel. A big full mature white Burgundy can work with simpler red meat dishes especially beef.

– Sweet wine at the end. I’ve read somewhere the Victorians liked to start a meal with Sauternes and foie gras. Not sure if that was an hors d’oeuvre or a sit down starting course.

Answer: Sauternes is a perfect aperitif!

– No wine with asparagus or artichokes. Sauvignon Blanc or Alsatian Muscat goes with either.

My question:   Can you think of any more wine rules we might break?

Answer: Andre Simon always said “Grapefruit, like all citrus fruits, is constitutionally unsuited to be the partner of any wine”. However he suggested a plainer Sherry of medium sweetness might work! Find the best wine match for citrus fruits.

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By Joseph Temple

Last month, the doors opened to EXPO Milan 2015, a World’s Fair that runs until the end of October and is expected to attract over twenty million visitors.  With its theme titled Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life, the focus will be on how both countries and individuals can produce healthy and sustainable quantities of food that could end world hunger.

Of course, throughout the history of these fairs, which date back to the late 18^th century, food and drink has always been paramount.  From the Bordeaux Classification of 1855 to the modern era where everything from Sangrias to Crawfish burst onto the national scene after being showcased at the fair, numerous expositions have propelled hundreds of little-known delicacies into the collective appetites of millions of Americans.

So for this week, let’s look back at one of the most important fairs in U.S. history—the World Columbian Exposition of 1893, an event held in the city of Chicago that ushered in the modern era. Spread over 686 acres near the shores of Lake Michigan, it earned the nickname “White City” after nearly 200,000 incandescent bulbs—during a time when most Americans lived without electricity—illuminated the fair grounds which contained the very first Ferris Wheel and over a hundred neoclassical buildings featuring the latest conveniences.

But in addition to automatic dishwashers, moving walkways and Edison’s Kinetoscope, many devilish delights were popularized that year in Chicago as twenty-seven million hungry fair goers descended upon the city.  Below are six items that got their first national exposure in Jackson Park and have stayed in our kitchens and dining rooms ever since.

 
1. California wines

At the beginning of the 19^th century, Ohio was the country’s largest producer of wine.  But as America expanded to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, California—with its ideal climate—emerged as a grape growing powerhouse.  And at the Columbian Exposition, many visitors got their first taste of Golden State wines that were sent by local vintners in hope of achieving both national and international visibility.
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2. Cracker Jack

Outside the various exhibits, a strange new mishmash of caramelized popcorn, peanuts and molasses were sold at a feverish pace.  The combination was so popular with fair goers that in 1896, its inventor, Frederick Rueckheim, patented it with the name Cracker Jack, which went on to become one of America’s most popular snacks for over 100 years.
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3. Pabst Blue Ribbon

Ever wonder how Pabst got its famous blue ribbon?  Look no further than the World Columbian Exposition when it took home the award for best suds.  According to author Jerry Apps: “Anheuser-Busch, which had been ahead by five-eights of a point, threatened legal action when the judges finally decided that Pabst should win the blue ribbon.”  From that point on, the victorious Wisconsin brewery marketed its beer as Pabst “Blue Ribbon.”
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4. English Muffins

In addition to Aunt Jemima pancake mix that debuted at the fair, another breakfast item called English Muffins garnered significant attention.  Striking while the iron was hot, S.B. Thomas formed a company that began manufacturing these delightfully airy bread rounds under the name of Thomas’s English Muffins.  Since then, they have been a staple at the morning table and afternoon tea where the nooks and crannies of the signature craters are perfect for capturing every last bit of butter and preserves.
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5. Shredded Wheat

If pancakes and muffins weren’t up your alley, you could always go to the “Coarse and Dry Wonders of Tomorrow Pavillion” where a new machine patented by a Boston lawyer named Henry Perky was churning out what he described as “little-whole-wheat-mattresses.”  Known later as Shredded Wheat, the product would go on to be one of the most popular breakfast cereals of all-time.
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6. Chocolate bars

When a caramel maker named Milton Hershey arrived at the fair, he was absolutely blown away.  That’s because a German manufacturer from Dresden had demonstrated how to make something called chocolate — a sweet most Americans at that time have never heard of, let alone even tasted.  After sampling this delightful confection, he immediately purchased the equipment used to make it.  And in a very short time, he was able to make chocolate in a convenient bar form that could be purchased by both rich and poor, creating a whole empire based on what he saw that day in Chicago!

Sources:

Apps, Jerry. Breweries of Wisconsin. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2005.
Larson, Erik. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America. New York: Crown Publishers, 2003.
Mattern, Joanne. Milton Hershey: Hershey’s Chocolate Creator. Edina: ABDO Publishing Company, 2011.
Smith, Andrew. Eating History: Thirty Turning Points in the Making of American Cuisine. New York: Columbia University Press, 2009.
Smith, Andrew. Food and Drink in American History: A “Full Course” Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013.
Smith, Andrew. Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006.

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