Question: What is the name of that dessert Brandy from South Africa?
Answer: You must mean Jerepigo or Jerepiko. This special fortified wine can be either white or red but is produced by using grape juice without any fermentation plus added grape spirit. The result is a unique very sweet intense grape flavoured Brandy.
Last week your scribe pointed out the versatility of the abundant Summer fruits and vegetables presently in the marketplace. This week we are focusing on the availability of wild fresh salmon now in season especially Sockeye. Most of us know the 5 main species of salmon listed by me in order of my personal preference:
CHINOOK: Also called King, Spring, or Tyee. These are the biggest salmon with full rich delicious special tasting oils highest in Omega-3. They are becoming more and more difficult to find for sale in the retail market.
SOCKEYE: Most readily available species. Deepest red colour and firm flesh but rather tricky to cook so still remain moist and are not dried out. Also have lots of heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Photos show the look of a deep coloured fillet and our 2.6 kg (or 5 3/4 lbs) whole Sockeye.
COHO: Called Silver and versatile fine textured use.
CHUM: More frequently being called Keta. Paler red and milder taste.
PINK: Rose quite light pink colour with a softer texture and delicate flavours. Sometimes called Humpback (develops more when spawning).
Generally the most common species used for canning is Sockeye and Pink but are seeing more Keta (Chum) produced.
This July has been a plethora of Sockeye for us prepared many different ways and with diverse wine pairings. Really enjoy the flavours of a whole side cooked on the grill or BBQ but wrote back on July 16, 2018 that the taste was more delicious cooked as a steak on the bone. Three superb wine matchings with a Sockeye steak were all quite different being a white, rose, and red: classic 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillon very old vines Cuvee Guy Moreau of Christian Moreau, delicious 2020 Florence Rose by Baillie-Grohman of Pinot Noir fruit from the Kootenays in BC, and 2018 Whitehaven Pinot Noir from Marlborough New Zealand. Wine selections for grilled salmon were commented on here on April 6, 2016 but seems to taste better IMHO with a fuller richer white wine like classic 2012 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru Christian Moreau, underrated 2017 Chaberton Chardonnay with weekly lees stirring, and brilliant 2016 St.-Aubin 1er Cru Sur Gamay by Henri Prudhon & Fils. However, most Sockeye dishes will work with a variety of wines including Champagne (super value Le Mesnil) or Sparkling. Delighted in comparing Culmina’s excellent 2016 Chardonnays of rich full Dilemma style with wild yeast no malo fresh vibrant Stan’s Bench one! Also outstanding with Sockeye was an aged Bordeaux-like complex 2010 Howling Bluff Summa Quies 80% Sauvignon Blanc & 20% Semillon. Enjoyed Jean-Georges Vongerichten slow roasted recipe with capers and onions with the regular fruity 2018 CedarCreek Pinot Noir. Check out this Blog on May 4, 2016 for red wine with fish. Don’t forget to use the sweet salmon next to the bones for making your own salmon cakes one night. Went so well with a fresh dry no oak 2019 Noble Ridge Pinot Grigio Reserve. Enjoy the wild fresh salmon available and experiment with cooking methods and wine pairings. A lot of fun!
We all know about supporting local and sustainable foods. However, we sometimes neglect to really dive into what is seasonal. The Summer passes quickly but what an opportunity it is to use presently the abundant fresh crop of vegetables and fruits. Brings me back to judging the Canadian Culinary Championships in Ottawa 2020 & Okanagan 2019 both held at the end of January. How we wished then that there was a better selection of fresh produce available at that time of year for the competing chefs to use – rather than having to import kale from California. Right now we can choose vegetables including peas (mangetout & English), green beans & Romanos, zucchini (small, green & yellow), baby carrots, and varieties of new little potatoes. Like particularly those yellow-fleshed Sieglinde, Yukon Gold, & Bintje but also those many red-skinned ones. Fruits are versatile with strawberries, raspberries, cherries, rhubarb, and blueberries such a treat. Waiting on the wild blackberries to ripen. Remember to collect and enjoy next month all the colourful juicy tasty tomatoes – especially heirloom. Always follow the wise rule that “the better the quality of your ingredients the less you need to do with them!” Recipes are so flexible and easy. We are passionate followers of Chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Everything in his books and contributing articles in The New York Times seem to work. An example included here is his Broccolini and sweet sesame salad with green beans & snow peas from his book “Plenty”. Also using a lot from Ultimate Veg by Jamie Oliver like his Summer Tagliatelle that includes those Yukon Gold potatoes and green beans with the pasta. Try adding your oil & vinegar dressing on the warm potatoes for optimum flavour enhancement. Use your fresh herbs in salads and everywhere else. Your Summer dishes don’t have to be hot or cold – try tepid or lukewarm “tiede” instead.
Please give us your Summer dish idea to try out. Enjoy!
Question: What is your opinion of Spottswoode winery’s cabernet sauvignon and what were the best year or years?
Answer: You have selected one of the historic wineries in Napa Valley. The conscientious Novak family at SPOTTSWOODE were grape growers since 1972 and wine producers from their own Estate fruit since 1982. Their emphasis on sustainable soil practices farming both organically since 1985 (certified 1992) and biodynamic (2020) is admirable. Also helped by wine critic’s high scores right out of the gate by Wine Spectator’s James Laube in California’s Great Cabernets with 95 points for both 1985 & 1986 to the perfect 100 scores for 2002, 2010, and 2015 by Wine Advocate. Your scribe hasn’t tasted the 2018, 2019, or 2020 but you should be encouraged by their consistency and their ability to capture the unique character of what each vintage provides from this special vineyard.
