Why I Choose Memphis

My good friend Leigh Johnson (aka Dr J) asked me to contribute to her blog on the topic of Why I Chose Memphis. My beloved city has come under fire & the source of this artillery are those damn top 10 bottom 10 lists with such titles as "Ugliest City" "Unhappiest City" etc... What a bunch of fools. If these morons had set one foot in this city before compiling their lists they would have seen the city that I continue to love. So I thought instead of discussing why I chose Memphis I thought I'd blog about why I CHOOSE Memphis & continue to choose it.

Food

Memphis is a delicious city that one outsider remarked "smells like bacon". How can you not love a city that smells like bacon??? We have brilliantly talented chefs in this city that run some absolutely taste bud electrifying restaurants. Majestic Grille's smoked salmon or array of flatbreads, Restaurant Iris' bone marrow or scallops, Tsunami's tuna "nachos" or pot stickers, South of Beale's tuna with sushi rice balls, Cafe 1912's burger...I could go on & on but I only have so much time in a day. I like to eat & so do most of the people I know in this city. We like to eat well, drink well & talk about a varied array of topics.

People

In the decade that I have spent here I have met some of the most interesting & fantastic people I've ever encountered. Some of these people have become very close friends of mine. Lawyers, professors, artists, photographers, teachers, chefs, writers etc. This city will support your passion & so will its people. We love to talk loudly, hug tightly & share our passions. We love to give back to our community....& did I mention we like to eat?

Potential

Memphis can get better. We all just have to help it along. While we do have a world class food scene, art scene, etc we can make it so much better. In the past few years I have seen changes for the better. Project Green Fork was founded a couple of years ago by Margot McNeeley to "contribute to a sustainable Mid-South by helping reduce environmental impacts, with a focus on strengthening homegrown restaurants." The list of PGF certified restaurants has grown exponentially & it is wonderful to support restaurants who want to be more ecologically conscious. Mayor Wharton has created a Brand Manager for the city to showcase the benefits of the city. Playhouse on the Square has opened a gorgeous new facility. These are just a few examples of what has happened recently & therefore what we can continue to work towards. Hopefully City-County consolidation is one of those things we accomplish.

It Got Me

Every once in awhile a wine will grab ahold of me. As if it's reached out of the glass & taken ahold of my heart. Last night a wine did just that. Spring Valley Vineyards Cabernet Franc "Katherine Corkrum" 2008 Walla Walla Valley almost brought tears to my eyes. The only reason I didn't let the tears flow is because I was in public with a group of people & I didn't want to embarrass myself. First of all I think I smelled this wine for a solid 10 minutes. There was so much expressive, musky, floral aromas coming off it that I couldn't stop myself. The first sip was as if I'd just experienced love at first sight. My heart pounded & the feeling spread throughout my body down into my nether regions & up into my throat. There are few wines that grab me like that & refuse to let go. I'm always thankful when one of them comes along.

8th Anniversary at Bari

Bari is celebrating their 8th Anniversary! This is one of the gems on the dining scene of Memphis. Unique, delicious, consistent & always fun. Tomorrow night they will be hosting a wine dinner that is sold out but it might behoove some of you to call & get on the waiting list just in case of a cancellation.

From Rebecca Severs at Bari:

Bari is celebrating our 8th Anniversary with a Wine Dinner on Tuesday 16th at 6:30 at Bari. Elizabeth Mall from Delta will be talking about the four wines from Dalla Terra that we have paired with four courses.
The cost of the dinner is $60 per person.

call 901.722.2244

Closer to Ta

Whenever I cook something from my childhood I always feel closer to my family even though the family is farther away than I'd like. That's especially true when it comes to saltanas (pronounced sahl-tehn-yas). They are kind of like empanadas. Saltanas always make me think of my Grandmother who we loving called Ta. The name stems from her trying to get my sister & I to say abuelita (meaning little grandmother in Spanish) when we were very little. I could only say TaTa & my sister could only say Ta. So the name stuck & it's the only thing I ever called her. If we wanted Ta to make saltanas we would have to request them over a day in advance so she could start preparing the filling & the dough.

After she passed away 13 years ago there was a definite piece missing that's still missing to this day. A number of years ago my mother started making the saltanas & my dad started making the hot sauce to go alongside them. Taking a bite into them would always make me smile & think of Ta. I decided to start making my own about a year or so ago but since Kelly is vegetarian I put my own spin on them. Normally they are stuffed with beef, olives, raisins & potatoes. I substituted red wine & garlic braised lentils for the beef & I must say they are pretty tasty.



Whenever I make them I feel her presence, guiding me as I add the flour or roll out the dough. She is in the kitchen with me as I fold the pastry over the stuffing & seal the edges.



I know she is proud of me when I pull them out of the oven looking gloriously golden brown. There is just nothing in the world that will ever taste as good as her saltanas. Not foie gras, not truffles, not cassoulet, not pork belly. Nothing. Ever. Never.

Lunch at Restaurant August

I've wanted to go to Restaurant August for years. Since Kelly & I haven't been to New Orleans in years we decided to go all out & eat & drink to our heart's desire. When we arrived at August with Max & Marlinee we were seated at a corner table right by the window. Right off the bat we knew we were in for an experience when they set down this



Fish custard with caviar & truffle. Oh my god...so good

Up next



Handmade gnocchi with truffles, crab & parmiggiano. Heaven. Total heaven.



Marlinee got the Lobster Tempura which was absolutely delicious. That's saying a lot for me because I don't care for lobster.



Up next was a matsutake mushroom salad with duck confit, absolutely outstanding



A lovely, earthy, rustic & rich Vacqueryas was our accompaniment for the entrees which for me was



Veal grillades in a super rich demi glace with lardons. Damn, I needed a nap after all this deliciousness

Back to Siduri

Haven't had a bottle of Siduri wine in quite sometime. I figured what the hell, it's a nice little date night so why not. So I popped a bottle open. 2005 Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir. I love love love pinot. Mostly I gravitate towards Oregon pinot but I've been a fan of Siduri for quite some time. The first I get off the nose are cherry pits, smoke, barrel char & a hint of cinnamon. As I'm inhaling more I'm getting some cherry conserve, cola & vanilla. Upon sipping it's striking how ripe the wine is at first. Quite a bit of sweet strawberry then the acidity spreads across my palate then some fennel bitterness comes on. It's a bit one dimensional at first but I just opened it so that could change. Another sniff brings some lavender & a hint of graphite. The wine is starting to broaden & expand with the cherry & fennel getting bolder & bolder & the finish is getting longer & longer.

Prejudice

Check out my latest article here.

The Second Day in NOLA

We were starving. Something about this city just made us all ravenous. I felt like a zombie but instead of brains I wanted po boys, gumbo & anything laced in butter. Max whisked us off to Domilise's for a true authentic po boy. This place was an original for sure. Total hole in the wall with a tiny bar, about 4 tables & an open kitchen (if you can even call it that) where the prepared amazing po boys. Kelly & I split a large fried shrimp po boy dressed with everything. Look at this beauty.



Perfect chewy bread, crispy shrimp that wasn't greasy, crunchy cool toppings. I drizzled hot sauce on mine & devoured it like I hadn't eaten in years. Absolutely delicious.

For dinner we decided on Herbsaint.



I've been reading about Chef Donald Link for years but never had a chance to try his food. Needless to say I was hungry. Thirsty too so I ordered a bottle of Henri Biliot Brut Champagne for the table. The server brought the bottle & some flutes & I asked him if he could please instead bring regular wine glasses instead. I learned from my good friend Sam that good Champagne should be treated with respect & should never be locked up tight in a flute. One sip of Champs from a normal wine glass & you'll never use a flute again. Thanks for that Sam!

Next we went Northwest for a little Oregon pinot gris.



Crisp, bright, nutty, rich but not over the top. This wine is lovely.

My first course was the most memorable. A unique spin on carbonara.



Panko fried soft boiled egg, housemade guanciale, creamy noodles. Heaven. The server actually said to me "be careful when you cut into the egg. It's been known to explode on people." To which I replied "I love it when things explode on me."

He wasn't kidding. Super creamy yolk that just ran right into the saucy noodles. Damn.

I nearly squealed with delight when I saw this bottle on the list. Again, Sam is responsible for creating a new obsession in me with this wine.



It is one of the most sensual, luscious, hauntingly sexy wine I've ever experienced. Truly something special.

Joe's Wines Octoberfest Beer Tasting

The lineup for Joe's Octoberfest High Gravity Beer Tasting is awesome! Tickets are still available for purchase at the store 1681 Poplar, 901.725.4252. The tasting is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Playhouse on the Square.

Night one in N.O. part 2

After a couple bottles & some cheese at Bacchanal we hopped in a cab & headed to Cure for some more snacks & drinks.



This was my first encounter with the cocktail culture of New Orleans. The drinks list wasn't very long but it was precise & had a good mix of different types of liquors. The spirits they chose leaned toward the artisanal which I greatly appreciated. Our cocktails took a little while to come to the table but we didn't mind at all knowing that they were being crafted by hand with meticulousness. The ice in the drinks were large square cubes which didn't melt as fast as smaller cubes & thus didn't dilute my drink as quickly.



I love this type of place because they built the menu for snacking & sharing over well crafted drinks.

Since it was still warm in N.O. we finished the night with a bottle of one of my favorites: Txakolina

Night One in N.O.

We pulled into town with the sun casting a golden glow across the city of New Orleans. We were hungry & thirsty. What a wonderful city for fulfilling those needs. Our B&B was in the Faubourg-Marigny district adjacent to the French Quarter. Some people would call this the real New Orleans. Our place was beautiful with an big huge patio overlooking Royal Street. Our first stop was a place called Bacchanal Wine & Sprits. I'd heard many things about this place so I was incredibly excited to check it out myself. Sunday night must have been the night to go because we couldn't get a table out back where all the fun was being had so instead we grabbed a table inside, had a bottle of bubbles



This lovely French bottle was something I had never experienced before so I was incredibly excited. It was appley, yeasty & a little nutty. Quite refreshing too I might add. Paired with the cheese we had (What was that cheese you picked out Max?) it was close to heavenly.

Next up was



Summer still laid thick across New Orleans so a chilled bottle of rosato was exactly what we needed. At first taste the Terre Nere had little to no flavor but once it warmed a bit & had some time to breathe it was expressing great earthy fruit notes.

The space itself is raw & cellar like which is why I liked it. Exactly what I was hoping it would look like.

Amazing Dish

Housemade spaghetti with fried yard egg & Guanciale. The best dish we ate last night at Herbsaint in New Orleans

At the Table

I'm still reeling from one of the best wine dinners I've attended. Chef Wally Joe & Chef de Cuisine Andrew Adams outdid themselves at The Brushmark last night. Each course was so expertly paired with the wines of Seven Hills. The food complimented & elevated the wine & vice versa. Everyone who enjoys good food & good wine owes it to themselves to attend the next one for sure. Sorry for the lack of photos of the dishes but I was too busy enjoying them to pull out my iPhone & snap pics.

Menu for Thursday's Seven Hills Dinner at The Brushmark

Here is the menu for Thursday night's dinner at the Brushmark with Seven Hills Vineyard:
Amuse: Black Mission Fig & Foie Gras

First: Seared Maine Sea Scallop on Tapioca “Caviar”, Sea Beans, & Smoked Steelhead Roe paired with Seven Hills Winery Pinot Gris

Second: Grilled Colombia River Wild Sturgeon on Oxtail Marmalade, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Sunchokes, & Mustard paired with Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, 2007 Tempranillo, Columbia Valley, 2007

Third: Roasted Ellensburg Ribeye of Lamb & Benton’s Bacon-Sweetbread Croquette on Truffled Chestnut Puree, Brussels Sprouts, & Black Garlic Sauce paired with “Ciel du Cheval Vineyard”, Red Mountain, 2007

Fourth: Red Currant Gateau Basque with Praline Chocolate Bavarian paired with Cabernet Sauvignon, “Seven Hills Vineyard”, Walla Walla Valley, 2007

$65 per person call 901.544.6225 for reservations

Zoomelier October 15th

Enrich animals and experience more than 240 of the finest wines at this fundraiser benefiting the Memphis Zoo, presented by Event Rentals by Hicks and Southwestern Distributing. “Wine” through Teton Trek and Northwest Passage sampling offerings from Oregon, California and Washington, as well as choice wines from around the globe while enjoying live entertainment and light fare from Lancer Catering. Zoomelièr is a must for any wine connoisseur and is unique as attendees will have the opportunity to order any wine sampled at the event to be picked up on Monday from their choice of available retailers.

You can purchase Zoomelièr tickets until 11:59 p.m. on October 14. Tickets will not be available at the door. Tickets are $55 for Zoo members & $60 for non-members. Click here to purchase tickets & get more information. Joe's Wines & Liquors will be pouring the wines of Owen Roe from both Oregon & Washington. I'm so psyched for this because some of my favorite wines are being showcased.

Love Letter to Washington

When I read this blog post my blood started boiling & my fangs grew. I've been passionate about the wines of Washington State for years & after visiting the region a couple times my passion was near insatiable. Visiting the vineyards, meeting the winemakers & the people behind this glorious juice ignited something inside of me. After tasting some of the younger wines, from younger vines even, I was shocked. How could such interesting wine come from such young vines? There is truly magic going on up there.

I know what Steve Heimoff is trying to do with this post. A little jab back at his neighbor to the north? Perhaps puff up the collective chest of the California wine industry? It's in his best interest to defend & ultimately market the wines of his backyard. I won't begrudge the man for that.

Washington's wines speak to me. They are unique, brooding, layered with flavor & oh so delicious. The vineyards are starkly beautiful. When I was standing at the top of Red Willow Vineyard I felt like the only person for miles. Before hiking to the top of the vineyard's Chapel Hill Block I sipped on an early RW vineyard syrah that David Lake (one of the founding fathers of the WA State wine industry) made for Columbia Winery. It was spicy, earthy, leathery & super sensual. After returning to the floor of the vineyard I participated in a syrah comparative tasting where I sampled one of the last wines that David Lake ever made. Recounting this now still gives me chills. I'll forever feel honored to have experienced what this man created & it only could have happened in Washington.

Dinner with Seven Hills Winery

Next Thursday, October 14th at 6:30 p.m. join me at The Brushmark Restaurant for a wine dinner with Seven Hills Winery.

Here is the full text of the Brooks Museum's invite:

Help Michael Hughes, GM of Joe's Wines & Liquor, and Brushmark chefs Wally Joe and Andrew Adams welcome Vicky McClellan of Seven Hills Winery to Memphis on Thursday, Oct. 14!

Walla Walla, Washington winemakers Vicky and Casey McClellan create benchmark Bordeaux-varietal reds, which are are recognized as some of the finest coming out of the Northwest and are among the great values of the North American wine world. At Seven Hills Winery, they have developed a style known for balancing structure and grace.

Vicky McClellan, a knowledgeable advocate on behalf of the broader Washington State winemaking community, will attend the Seven Hills Wine Dinner at the Brushmark and discuss the wines that Hughes has chosen to pour, which Joe will pair with a full four course menu.

Dinner is $65 per person plus tax and gratuity. Call 901.544.6225 for reservations.

A Chill In the Air

We haven't had our friends Justin & Amy over in a very long time. With the weather turning chilly I was in the mood for soup . Hence the previous post about roasted cauliflower which I turned into a soup. I mixed up a couple Manhattans for Justin & I using Sazerac Rye & Punt e Mes sweet vermouth with a few dashes of Regan's Orange Bitters & a dash or two of Peychaud's. Our garnish was some of my home marinated Brandied Cherries. Super delicious.

When they arrived I had a platter of grilled bread with sweet pea spread with lemon, parmiggiano, parsley, olive oil & salt & pepper. I know peas aren't in season but I was craving this dish so I made do with frozen organic. Blanched them off a bit & pulsed them in the processor with the other ingredients.



Justin brought some Burratta cheese & ciabatta with a fig-quince-red wine sauce that was outstandingly delicious!



For a little sweet I made some nutella stuffed wontons that I fried crispy





The name of the game this time around was simple, clean flavors. Alongside that we tasted through a delightful Owen Roe Kalita Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008 & a Rosa Mystica Cabernet Franc 2008. Unbelievable wines!

La Luna Azul

A traditional cocktail that has become an obsession of mine is called The Blue Moon. The star of the show is a liqueur called Creme de Violette which is unfortunately not available in Memphis. However I am working on getting a wholesaler to pick up a brand. What makes this booze so unique is its aromatics. Real violet petals are used in the distillation process which gives it a floral note unlike any other.

My spin on a Blue Moon:

1 1/2 parts gin (I like Citadelle for this)
1 part creme de violette (Rothman & Winter is a very good choice)
1 splash of my mother's homemade limoncello

Shake vigorously in an iced filled cocktail shaker or stir vigorously, your choice.

Pour into a chilled martini glass or highball, your choice.

Garnish with nothing. It's too pretty to need accessories.

Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a wonderful vegetable & it is so underused. Here is a great, easy, tasty recipe

Slice 2 heads of cauliflower into cross sections & clean. Layer them into one large roasting dish or 2 medium size ones. The point is that you don't want to crowd the pan. This will ensure that there is nice caramelization on the vegetable. Add 6 cloves of skinned garlic, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast in a preheated 405 degree oven until browned around the edges.

While that's roasting pour a 32 oz container of vegetable stock (either homemade or Whole Foods brand is my preference) into a medium size dutch oven. Add approximately a tablespoon of fresh thyme. I don't really measure I just strip leaves & throw them in. Warm that through. When the cauliflower is done add that to the pot & simmer for 10 minutes. Once the vegetable is soft puree that with a hand held blender or add in batches to a traditional blender. At this point you will have a puree like consistency. If that is your preferred texture than check for seasoning & adjust. If you prefer a less thick consistency then add more stock & season to taste.