Question: Just tried some Champagnes made from 1/3 white grapes chardonnay and 2/3 red grapes pinot noir & pinot meunier. Is pinot meunier just another name for pinot noir?
Answer: No it is not the same grape though it has been one of the 3 grapes often used traditionally in non-vintage Champagne blends. It is a red grape (like pinot noir) but buds later and ripens earlier on cooler sites producing generally a softer easy more forwardly contribution to the over all blend. Varies in quality but excellent grapes are still included in the Krug Grande Cuvee. Most Grande Marques now leave pinot meunier out of their blend as they are going for a longer aging Champagne. Lately we are even seeing some 100% pinot meunier Champagnes. Just tried one of those made by Langlet being served by the glass at a Paris restaurant.
In North America we hear a lot these days about eating foods produced within your own region and supporting your local farmers. The benefits of this approach are numerous including seasonable, sustainable and protecting the environment as advocated by the concept of the recent 100-mile diet.
Just completed leading a wonderful almost 2 week wine and food tour of Sicily the largest island in the Mediterranean with 1484 kilometers of coastline. Among the many things that impressed me this trip was seeing almost a zero-mile diet (home grown) as the focus is clearly on growing and using their own local food products to advantage there.
Too many to list here but so many restaurant menus featured local grown oranges, lemons, almonds, pistachios, artichokes, zucchini flowers, wild fennel, basil, tomatoes, white beans, bufalo mozzerella, fresh ricotta, and of course home made pasta and polenta. Seafood was very prominent and swordfish an endangered species in Vancouver wasn’t in Sicily. Also sardines, cod, anchovies, mussels, mullet, paddlefish, whitefish, baby squid, red prawns, and octopus to die for. Less meat but top Black Pig pork, veal, beef, etc. I am sucker for their gelato, cassatas, cannoli and chocolate produced in Modica. What a lot of local delights to choose from.
If you are visiting Sicily in the near future here are a few local food spots I highly recommend checking out:
Osteria Dei Vespri in Palermo – Dinner : osteriadeivespri@libero.it Friendly Rizzo brothers have a killer dish of Anelletti (ring shaped pasta) with octopus poached in red wine, wild fennel and saffron.
Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School – Tenuta Regaleali Contact information@tascadalmerita.it What a delightful experience.
Mamma Caura – Lunch on the water next to the local harvesting salt pads – mammacaura@libero.it
La Foresteria in Menfi immersed in the Planeta vineyards and herb gardens with outstanding cuisine. Like their 3 different quality extra virgin olive oils – one all Biancolilla, another Nocellara and the 3rd a blend of those two plus 15% Cerasuola.
La Pineta off the beaten path right on the beach for Lunch in a Natural Park in Selinunte. A must.
La Madia a 2 star Michelin in Licata truly outstanding food by celebrated chef Pino Cuttaia with all his dishes “telling a story with a pinch of memory” – info@ristorantelamadia.it
Ibanchi Pane Al Pane in Ragusa – info@ibanchiragusa.it for lunch. Also Il Barocco Enoteca for pizza only in the evenings.
Accursio in Modica – info@accursioristorante.it with unique scabbard fish rolls with potato puree & mint. Check out Modica’s best chocolate store Bonajuto for 70/80/90/100 cocoa count!
On Mt. Etna at Linguaglossa: Barone Pastry for marzipan goodies made since 1939, Pennisi Salumeria (Butcher shop), and Destro for the perfect winery Lunch.
Al Duomo in Taormina opposite the cathedral – info@ristorantealduomo.it Enjoy those often served wide Gragnano pasta noodles always stuffed and standing up on end.
It’s no secret that America’s collective waistline has been growing dramatically over the years. According to author Tracie McMillan, nearly two thirds of the country is either overweight or obese, making it an epidemic that could possibly surpass tobacco as the deadliest threat to the nation’s health. Needless to say, if you stroll down the aisles of your local supermarket, you can easily see how we’ve gotten to this point. For many overworked consumers, healthy and fresh produce is replaced by a plethora of processed foods. Seemingly cheaper and easy-to-prepare, the long-term damage from this type of unhealthy eating results in approximately $75 billion dollars in increased health-care costs every single year.
And to think—it doesn’t have to be this way! Contrary to what some critics may argue, eating healthier is not just for wealthy hipster types who shop exclusively at Whole Foods. In The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee’s, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table, McMillan demonstrates that nutritious meals are within the reach of everyone, no matter what their socio-economic status is. Working undercover in the fields of California’s Central Valley, two Michigan Wal-Marts and an Applebee’s restaurant in New York City, her anecdotal observations combined with some fascinating historical research help to highlight this thesis.
Combating the elitist sentiment that occasionally surrounds food discourse, McMillan tackles many stereotypes head-on. “I honestly believe that the only people who think that poor people don’t care at all about their diet—and only eat fast food because they’re too stupid to know any better—are people who don’t know any poor people, who have never actually talked to working people about how their meals work and how their lives work and what’s important to them and their families,” says the author in a Q&A session.
Not surprisingly, a key focal point of the book is Wal-Mart, which by 2009 controlled nearly a quarter of the food supply in the United States. After dominating the consumer goods market through economies of scale and loss leading, this retail giant wisely made the decision to move into the realm of supermarkets beginning in the late 1980s. Two decades later, groceries constitute more than half of its annual sales. And unlike the first supermarket that opened in 1930 with approximately 1,100 items for sale, a typical Wal-Mart caries up to 142,000 items, making it near-to-impossible for other stores to compete. That is, unless they’re selling produce.
Through her in-depth research, McMillan shows that when it comes to potatoes and oranges, Wal-Mart is nothing more than a paper tiger. “Small grocers are much more competitive when it comes to the price of fresh produce, which for all of its industrialization retains a stubborn agricultural trait: It rots,” writes the author. “In fresh produce, one of the large supermarkets’ biggest competitive advantages—scale—doesn’t get them very far.”
Therefore, it’s no coincidence that one must trek through the entire store in order to purchase essential items like milk and eggs. That’s because as you journey past the thousands of boxed meals and processed-food items—items that can be sold over the course of a year—Wal-Mart knows that you’re likely to purchase some of these goods, allowing their traditional business model to kick in. “Walmart might not win in produce, but it cleans La Colmena’s [a local grocer] clock when it comes to processed food … A fifteen-ounce can of Dole pears costs $1.99 at La Colmena, but a can of Walmart’s Great Value pears, twice as big, costs 98 cents,” observes McMillan. It’s also why coupons almost never apply to produce items.
However, in addition to pricing and the convenience that processed foods offer, the book sheds light on one of the more disturbing trends: The erosion of basic cooking skills. Starting in the 1970s, when a two-income household was necessary for maintaining a middle-class lifestyle, the culinary skills that were passed on from generation to generation suddenly came to a screeching halt in many households. Speaking to a cookbook editor, she stresses this regression: “Add two eggs, … In the ‘80s, that was changed to ‘beat two eggs until lightly mixed.’ By the ‘90s, you had to write, ‘In a small bowl, using a fork, beat two eggs,’ We joke that the next step will be, ‘Using your right hand, pick up a fork and …’”
Therein lies the enormous appeal of convenience food products, which by 2010 were used in nearly every dinner meal served at home in America. Even though some are more expensive and can take just as much time to prepare than something from scratch, they’re attractive from the standpoint of offering much-needed direction and guidance to complete kitchen novices. “What they [boxed meals] do instead is remove the need to have to come up with a plan for dinner, something that’s easy when you’re a skilled cook—and bafflingly difficult when you’re not. The real convenience behind these convenience foods isn’t time or money, but that they removed one more bit of stress from our day.”
So how do we as a society combat this lack of knowledge? McMillan points to programs run by national nonprofits like Cooking Matters, which instructs low-income individuals on how to prepare healthy alternatives. After taking part in the class, students surveyed said they felt much more comfortable cooking at home while saving money on their weekly grocery budget. Indeed, while McMillan’s book promotes the idea that it “goes beyond statistics,” it is the statistics that make The American Way of Eating such a fascinating read. Whether it’s the fact that obesity rates are largely determined by how far one lives from a grocery store or that less than five percent of federal agricultural subsidies go to fruits and vegetables, the information in this book shows us how the government’s mixed-up priorities have played an enormous role in this ongoing crisis.
Fans of Barbara Ehrenreich’s 2001 book Nickel and Dimed will probably be interested in the many stories McMillan tells about working (read: exploited) in the sweltering fields of California picking grapes and peaches. It was surprising to know that if farm workers, who barely scrape by, were given a 40% raise in earnings, it would only cost the average family $16 more on their annual grocery bill. That’s because a mere 16% of the total cost of delivering fresh produce goes towards labor; the remainder is spent on the infrastructure it takes to deliver the goods to the supermarket, strengthening the cause for local farming.
Likewise, fans of Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential will appreciate the section where the author works undercover at an Applebee’s restaurant. Sharing many similarities with Wal-Mart, it’s easy to understand why these chains favor deep-fryer friendly foods that usually arrive at the restaurant in a frozen box. As McMillan explains, “Produce … gets sidelined because of the ‘special handling’ it requires, which is to say it must be cleaned and chopped before it gets anywhere near the line.” And yet, these restaurants prove to be profitable year after year. Why? According to McMillan, “It takes them somewhere that’s becoming … rare: the twentieth-century American dream, when owning your own home and going out for a nice meal were within easy for so many of us … customers aren’t here for the food—not in any sophisticated culinary sense. They’re here to take a night off from the daily grind.”
Published in 2012, The American Way of Eating paints a dreary picture of what life—and eating—is like for many working class individuals. For many, lacking even the most basic culinary skills has directly led to the meteoric rise in obesity rates across America. However, with many concrete recommendations on how to combat this epidemic, the contents of this book are sure to provoke a much-needed conversation that is often swept under the rug.
Question: Which wine is better between a pinot gris and a pinot grigio?
Answer: Don’t feel it is a question of which is better. Both are using the same grape variety with different expressions in their style. Pinot gris can be fuller riper even spicy with rich sweeter notes when from Alsace. Pinot grigio is usually fresh lighter more floral and vibrant particularly from Italy. However you can’t totally rely on what the label says as this often more neutral flavoured wine can vary considerably from different regions and producers. Try some and find the one with the style you prefer.
In 1995 the 17th generation of the Planeta family embarked on a Sicilian wine journey that has already reached some 22 wines from 6 quality Estates in different regions of Sicily. A well done wine venture!
Impressed by my visit this month to their first one of 93 hectares ULMO near Sambuca di Sicilia producing 5 wines led by their oaky from 50% new barrels international styled Chardonnay plus a slightly sweet yet savoury white blend Alastro featuring 70% Grecanico (+15% each of Grillo & Sauvignon Blanc), Plumbago is drinkable ripe plums Nero d’Avola, single vineyards Sito dell’Ulmo juicy Merlot and Maroccoli minty spiced Syrah. Smart how they planted early on here in 1985 with the international varieties like Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah to see the potential of wine in Sicily and with the success shown have now turned to focus on the native varieties.
Their largest Estate of over 120 hectares in vineyards is DISPENSA also in Western Sicily on the hills of Menfi. Enjoyed staying right in the vineyards at their 2009 built ever so comfortable La Foresteria resort with outstanding food and hospitality. Definitely recommended. The 5 wines were interesting too with my favourite the flowery 2014 Cometa white from 100% Fiano grapes. Different from the more well known Fiano from Campania this one displays intriguing tangerine, chamomile, hay, with herbal basil and thyme. Should be a good pairing even with Thai or Indian cuisine. The big powerful 2010 Burdese Cabernet of 70% Sauvignon and 30 % Franc has a tannic structure with 14.5 alcohol. The popular blends of La Secreta Bianco & Rosso make for easy every day drinking as does the strawberry Rose of equal parts Nero d’Avola & Syrah.
DORILLI in Southern Vittoria has 34 hectares on red sandy soils with enticing aromatics for the 3 wines of floral spicy roses Frappato and Sicily’s only DOCG (since 2006) Cerasuolo di Vittoria & their special Dorilli Classico both aged in bigger 500 liter casks. These last two a blend of a majority Nero d’Avola with Frappato have an extraordinary elegant fruit character of strawberries and cherries with a compelling citric acidity. This impressive 2014 vintage will only get better with a little bottle age.
At the south east tip of Sicily by the picturesque town of Noto is 51 hectares of BUONIVINI featuring Nero d’Avola and Moscato. The hit is the well structured Santa Cecilia of 100% Nero d’Avola that does particularly well here in Noto. The 2011 was showing fragrant jasmine, orange zest, blackberry and graphite with only previously used Allier oak barriques. The limestone soil and the big range in daily temperatures in the summer are both keys to the complexity obtained.
The exciting new Etna project at FEUDO DI MEZZA is one to watch. It began with plantings in 2008 on those northern slopes around the old village of Passopisciaro with a winery in 2012. They have a refreshing sparkling Brut from Carricante grapes used as well for a still Bianco & Eruzione 1614 (with 10% Riesling) marking the legendary eruption of that year. The star is 100% Nerello Mascalese for both the Etna Rosso & Eruzione 1614 red. Lovely forest floor and spice with a unique minerality from the terroir including lava and volcanic dust!
The final Estate is their small 8 hectare north east Mamertino DOC called LA BARONIA on Capo Milazzo. Mix Nero d’Avola with 40 % Nocera for a lower alcohol easy drinking red fruity wine. Innovative experimental plantings are being studied of varieties like Vitraruolo,Lucignola, and Catanese Nera. Monitor this. Also 20 hectares of old olive groves.
Their admirable SOStain program evalutes 10 top resources including ground, water, energy, human, etc. for best sustainable agriculture. They have improved every year and are now nearly perfect with over 90% success.
Quite a winery success story by Planeta in just over 20 years. Congrats and keep it going!
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