Inspired by Tequila

Behold! What you have above is my latest concoction. Silver Tequila Cocchi Americano Saffron Tincture Fresh squeezed persimmon from my friend's yard Garnished with a flamed meyer lemon peel & a skewer of rum-meyer lemon zest cured blueberries. Spicy, herbaceous, bitter, hints of sweetness. Absolutely delicious.

New On The Scene

The opening of Alchemy has caused a lot of buzz around Memphis. I got to see the space before it opened & it truly was stunning. I was shocked by how much space there was! When Au Fond & Grace were in that space it was so cramped. Seeing this space made it even more evident of how poorly that space had been used. But I digress. I was incredibly excited about Alchemy for a number of different reasons but specifically because of the cocktail program. I mean "cocktails" are in the name on the awning so they are going to be serious right? I also heard that they had hired a "mixologist" from New York so it was obvious they were going the extra mile & the cocktail program was going to be serious. Or so I thought. Kelly & I went with some friends this past Monday on one of the first nights they were open. The restaurant has a distinctive lounge vibe that was very alive & filled with people. Its always exciting to see a restaurant full on a Monday. That energetic, electric vibe ended when I took a look at the drinks list. I was very disappointed to see only 4 cocktails. Just 4?? Where was the focus on specialty "New York" style unique drinks. I was told that they hadn't nailed down that part of the program & they weren't comfortable putting out a full list yet. I sampled 2 of them that friends had ordered. They seemed a bit simple & didn't have anything hand crafted or house made in them. For $11 I was expecting quite a bit more. I understand there are always kinks to be worked out when a restaurant is opened so perhaps that is something that will get worked out as well. Hopefully. One thing that I couldn't get passed was the service. From beginning to end it seemed harried, disjointed & just plain clueless. After waiting for quite sometime at the bar I finally was asked if I needed help. Well sort of:

Bartender: Have you been helped?

Me: No.

Bartender: So do you need help?

Me: Yes!

Bartender----silence

Me: I was wondering if you could make me a Negroni.

Bartender: I don't know what that is

Nearby Bartender: I don't know what's in that

They both walked away.

Seriously. Just walked away without getting me another drink or asking me if they could get me anything at all.

That is not an opening kink that is a service issue. Service issues, if not nipped in the bud, will fester & grow & will cause serious problems. They could easily cause diners to never return. We were seated in a booth in the back & after another seriously long wait we finally got a server, got a bottle of wine & settled in. The food was another story. Aside from the very long ticket times that caused us to wait for a very long time for our food...it was delicious. The food was very good, except for the fish tacos which were too heavy with mayonnaise & fairly bland. The food really saved the day. I tasted the camembert fritters, beef, & lamb ribs. All were absolutely wonderful. Especially the lamb ribs. Lamb ribs, yep I said lamb ribs. My friend Jaime said they were like the best part of a gyro. That outside crusty part of the gyro that is filled with spice is what every bite of that rib tasted like. I want this place to succeed not only for the good of Cooper-Young but for the good of the Memphis food scene in general. But the service has to improve in a serious way. I can't wait to go back & see an extensive, unique & handcrafted cocktail list & significantly elevated, knowledgeable & friendly service. I hope.

Milbrandt Vineyards Tasting

This Thursday from 5 - 7 pm join me at Joe's Wines & Liquors for a tasting of wines from Milbrandt Vineyards. Buck Milbrandt will be on hand to discuss their unique vineyard sites. The Milbrandt family owns some of the most sought after sites in all of Washington & source to some of the top producers such as Charles Smith, K, Bunnell & Efeste. Come taste some of the best Washington has to offer. The tasting is free & we will be offering special discounts.

Cocktails in The Round

This Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Majestic Grille come sample some innovative drinks at "Cocktails In The Round". This "Chopped-Top Chef" style cocktail competition will feature a specific liquor along with secret ingredients that will be revealed to the competitors on Saturday. This unique competition will showcase local cocktail innovators at their best. Cost to attend is $15. This admission fee gets the attendees a sample of each competitors drink & the chance to vote on the winner. The event will begin with a demonstration of their modern twist on the art of the shot by Deni Reilly (owner, Majestic Grille) & Mark Cumberland (bartender, Majestic Grille). This will be an ongoing series of cocktail competition events held throughout Memphis. Yours truly will be showing my shaker skills & hopefully taking another win home after "Iron Shaker". Come join me for a fun, exciting & tasty event!

My Latest Cocktail Creations

Last night I did a test run on a really cool cocktail idea that I've been kicking around lately: a Negroni. I know I know, a Negroni is so well known & it's not that unique or a cool idea even anymore. But I've been dreaming about a white Negroni, or as I named it: Negroni Bianco. For my Negroni Bianco I used 1.5 oz Corsair Gin, 1 oz Cocchi Americano & 1 oz Dolin Vermouth Blanc. I stirred it about 40 times so as not to bruise it too much, poured it over a large cube which wouldn't dilute it quickly. I then peeled a lemon with a vegetable peeler took a 1.5 inch long strip of lemon peel & flamed it over the cocktail. It was bittersweet, pungent but mellow & absolutely delicious. Sorry, no pic. My other cocktail idea that has been haunting me is a spiced Manhattan which I think is very holiday-esque. So, here we go. Pour into a shaker 2 oz Bourbon (either Eagle Rare, Bulleit or Buffalo Trace) with 1 oz Punt e Mes or Dolin Rouge vermouth & 1 oz St Elizabeth's Allspice Dram. I then added 2 dashes of my homemade Allen Benton Bacon Bitter's & one dash of Angostura Bitter's. Shake or stir to chill & pour into a cocktail glass. You can either serve it up or, as I did here, over a large ice cube. I also skewered some of my homemade bourbon & cherry liqueur poached cherries. I give you the the Spiced Manhattan. Delicious.

David O'Reilly & Sweetgrass

Back in September Joe's Wines & Liquors hosted a wine dinner at Sweetgrass with David O'Reilly of Owen Roe Winery. The menu, as always, was paired perfectly with David's distinctive, expressive & bold wines. We began the evening with a trio of oysters paired with O'Reilly's Pinot Gris 2009 Columbia Valley. Each oyster preparation brought out a different flavor & texture in the wine. My favorite was definitely the raw oyster with mignonette. I guess I'm just a traditionalist that way. Next up was a Delta Sol Farms "Chile Relleno" stuffed with housemade chorizo, queso fresco & served over fennel cream with sriracha.

This unique spin on classic Mexican was paired with Corvidae Wine Co "The Keeper" Cabernet Franc 2009 Columbia Valley. The fennel cream amplified the fennel aroma & flavor in the wine while the spice played off the pepper & dried spice notes. Then we moved on to Confit Duck leg with squash & goat cheese flan with plum glaze paired with two special wines. Both Owen Roe Abbot's Table & Owen Roe Ex Umbris were a lovely match for the earthy duck & tangy goat's cheese. The Abbot's is a unique bottle comprised of zinfandel, sangiovese, blaufrankish, malbec, syrah, merlot. Quite interesting no? Initially I think some people might think it's just the leftovers. In fact O'Reilly & his team are meticulous in their blending of this. It's as if they are using the pantry & all the contents of the spice rack to create a perfect dish. The Ex Umbris is a syrah that initially was a result of a wildfire. The smoky style of this bold red is an ode to the that first "roasted-smoked" vintage. We ended on a superb note. Chef Ryan Trimm & his talented team paired up a Hangar Steak au Poivre with truffled pomme frites, fresh pea shoots, 63° Donnell Farms Egg & Honey Thyme Reduction with Owen Roe Yakima Valley Red Blend.

This gripping, earthy, sensual, heart grabbing red blend acted as a knife through the gorgeously toothsome hangar steak which is my favorite cut of beef. Everything came together beautifully. Chef Trimm's dishes are always delicious but the way in which they were paired was superb. David O'Reilly's wines were absolutely stupendous & just as cool as he is.

Honeymoon

I'm fluctuating back & forth between still buzzing after the wedding & honeymoon--& the harsh reality of being back to work. Well, at least I like my job so there is that. Kelly & I had an unbelievable weekend with family, friends, food & wine. Our wedding day was gorgeous & it was as if the weather was just for us. The reception was filled with friends, loved ones...more food & fantastic wine & a kick ass DJ (thanks Taylor!) We had a little bit of recovery time before jetting off to New York for a honeymoon in Manhattan where we stuffed ourselves silly & walked all over lower Manhattan. We also went to the city clerk's office & made it all legal. Thank you New York for helping continue our civil rights movement.

Kelly & I promised each other that we won't go a year without returning to New York. I can't wait to return.

We went to Wine Spectator's New York Wine Experience & it was absolutely overwhelming. A wine lover like me was in heaven. I think my head exploded a couple of times actually. I got to see lots of my wine heroes & sample their delicious offerings. One of the highlights was seeing Rollin Soles of Argyle & being able to tell him that Kelly & I just drank his Brut Rose 2008 on our wedding day. He seemed so appreciative & very flattered.

The Experience got me thinking about our events here in Memphis. Comparatively, the Brooks Museum's Memphis Wine & Food Series is a absolutely incredible event & definitely more interactive & personal. Not to mention more affordable...comparatively. Also, there are a bevy of events to choose from in the Series each one unique & very personal.

If you are a Memphis wine lover I highly recommend you attend one or all of these events. You will thank me.

Piggy Ears

I love pork. Sometimes I think I have a unhealthy relationship with pork. Not even kidding. One of my favorite parts of the pig is the ear. One of my favorite preparations I've ever had of said ear is at Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen. Recently (well not almost two months ago but hey I've been busy with wedding stuff!) my husband Kelly & I ate at AMIK with our very good friend Allison. I ordered the pig ear salad & they sent out this:



What we have here is pig ear & Benton bacon hash topped with a runny fried egg. It was perfection. Crispy, yet creamy gelatinous ears with smoky bacon & a luscious egg. Oh...my....god.

But wait! There's more! The guys also sent us out this:



Pig ears with fig agrodolce. Sweet, sour, slightly spicy. Absolutely wonderful. If I can tempt just one person to steer away from the pedestrian cuts of pork & explore the others then I have done my job.

Absent

I apologize to all 3 of you who read this blog for my absence. I haven't given up just yet I've just been very very distracted. I got married!!! Therefore, the time I would normally have to sit down & write was taken up by planning & such. Plus the copious amounts of celebrating & what not. I promise to get back on this blog & post some really cool (at least I think they are cool) stuff as soon as I decompress from my honeymoon & second marriage in New York City. I'll explain, Kelly & I had a ceremony with family & close friends then a bad ass reception. However, since we live in Tennessee it's not as if its legal in anyway. Which isn't necessary to us seeing that we have been together for 10 years. We decided to take our honeymoon in NYC because we can eat & drink wonderful things but also because we can get married legally. Not as if it's going to change our status here in TN but it's political, no?

I'll be back soon.

Project Green Fork's Loving Local Celebration

I love Project Green Fork & if you love food & eating out then you should too. Their Loving Local celebration will be super fun so go here & buy tickets now! They sold out last year so get on it!!

Good food
Local Beer
Organic Wine
Auction items

What more could you ask for?

This Sunday October 2nd go support an incredibly important organization!

Click here for tickets

Argentina Wine Dinner At Napa Cafe

If you are a fan of Argentina's wines then you owe it yourself to book a seat for Napa Cafe's wine dinner this Thursday. Napa's food is outstanding & they always put on incredible dinners. Their special guest will be Martin Lazorenco, Export Director for Michel Torino wines. He oversees all aspects of the export business for Michel Torino and personally handles the USA,Uk, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

Michel Torino Wines are located in the Cafayate region of northwest Argentina. Their 1500 acres are located in a rugged high desert region at 5500-6500 feet.



FIRST COURSE
Grilled provoleta, chimichurri, honey, sprouts, preserved lemon
DON DAVID Reserve, Torrontes, Cafayate Valley, 2008

SECOND COURSE
"Tuna salad sandwich", Ahi tuna, Gravenstein apples, grapes, Delta pecans, toasted brioche
DON DAVID Reserve, Chardonnay, Cafayate Valley, 2009

THIRD COURSE
Slow cooked lamb shoulder, spiced pumpkin puree,wilted spinach, hazelnuts
DON DAVID Reserve, Tannat, Cafayate Valley, 2007

FOURTH COURSE
Grilled beef tenderloin, crispy potatoes, roasted baby onions, red wine reduction
ALTIMUS, Malbec-Cabernet-Bonarda-Tannat, Cafayate Valley, 2007

DESSERT
Pistachio cake, homemade strawberry ice cream, Torrontes sabayon


Call now for a seat!

Napa Cafe
5101 Sanderlin Ave.
Thursday September 8, 2011
Reservations 901-683-0441
$65.00 per person

New Wave

I've been experimenting with cocktails again & here is a delicious wine I created. It's a play off the classic Negroni which employs gin, Campari & sweet vermouth. One of my favorite spirits to play with lately is Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur. It's bright fresh & somehow more exotic than most other orange liqueurs. Yes it is sweet but it's balanced by the blood orange's hint of bitterness & it can easily be a component in many drinks.

Sicilian

2 oz gin (preferably 209 or Corsair Artisan)

1 oz Solerno

1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth (preferably Carpano Antica or Dolin Rouge)

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

4 dashes Fee Brothers Grapefruit Bitters

It is refreshing, crisp, bright & has a back note of bitterness that is absolutely delicious.

Dinner with David O'Reilly of Owen Roe

I am extremely proud to announce Joe's Wine's & Liquors next wine dinner. On Sunday September 11th our special guest will be David O'Reilly owner/winemaker of the highly sought after & critically acclaimed Owen Roe Winery. David & his team craft some of the most hauntingly sensual Oregon wines & gripping earthy, bold Washington wines. We will host David at a wine dinner at Sweetgrass on Sunday September 11th at 6:00 pm. Cost to attend is $65/person inclusive. Seating is limited so please contact Joe's as soon as possible to secure your seat. Please call the store at 901.725.4252 or stop by to reserve & pay for your reservations. Due to the limited amount of seating we are unable to "hold" seats for you. Payment must be made prior to the dinner. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the store by phone or by email joeswineliquor@bellsouth.net

Drinks Trend

It would seem that trends can be interesting or irritating...sometimes all at once. What is the shelf life of a trend? Can a trend solidify something's place in history or is it merely passing fancy?

Case in point; the Pisco Sour.

It's difficult for me to call this a trend because I remember my grandmother making them & I know for a fact that they have been around for a long time before that even. However, the cocktail culture that is exploding across the nation seems to have dubbed this the next "it" drink.

I for one am pleased by this because one of the ingredients that really is the key to this drink is egg white. Anytime I can use something not typically associated with the bar in a drink then I'm happy. What the egg white does is emulsify the cocktail & give it a creamy mouth feel. No it doesn't taste like an egg so don't worry.

Here is my take on it. I like to tweak so feel free to take liberties.

Pisco Sour

3 oz Peruvian Pisco
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz thyme-lavender infused honey syrup
teaspoon orange blossom water or rosewater
Fee Brothers lemon bitters
Fee Brothers aromatic bitters
1/2 egg white

Combine pisco, lemon juice, syrup, water, egg white & 1 dash lemon bitters in a cocktail shaker WITH NO ICE. Shake vigorously to emulsify the egg white. Add ice, shake to chill & pour into a coupe glass. Dot the foam on top with 3 dashes of Fee Bros aromatic bitters.

The Questions

On a regular basis I get asked

"How did you learn so much about wine?"

"When did you get into wine?"

"How do you stay in such good shape when you drink so much & eat so much good food"
Seriously I have been asked this question often enough. My answer is that I swim laps & lift weights on a regular basis.

The other questions aren't answered so quickly or easily. I was raised in a multi cultural household where chicken-n-dumplins, spaghetti & fried chicken lived alongside lengua (beef tongue) & saltenas (empanada style stuffed pastries). My mother & grandmother cooked Latin American & Spanish dishes for us, my grandmother spoke Spanish to us as much as she could. Along with the more exotic family food there was always wine. My parents drank wine & my grandmother would bring wine from South America & Spain whenever she would go visit family. Keep in mind this was in the late 70's & into the 80's when wines from those areas were not readily available much less even heard of. Every once & awhile my sister & I would be given watered down wine to drink alongside the family's full strength glasses. At the time, of course, I thought nothing of it. It was just the way I was raised so I didn't think it was different. Only after I started going to friend's houses did I see that in fact yes I was raised differently. Throughout college I started exploring wine somewhat at the local Southern Illinois wineries. Yes there are wineries in So. Ill. After college I felt like I was drifting. Took an internship & then position at a publishing company in San Francisco. Left SF & moved to Memphis. Worked in restaurants for years & then took a job at a non-profit. Left the non-profit & took a job with Coletta & Company (now Smart City Consulting). It was here where I had a huge realization--I was simply working--. I didn't give a damn about what I was doing. There was no passion & there never was throughout any of those previous jobs. I had no idea what the hell I was doing nor why I was doing it. I was in awe of my boss, Carol Coletta. She was this force of nature that seemed to subsist on biscuits with a little lemon curd & her workload. She was easily one of the most intelligent people I'd ever met. What really amazed me was her passion & dedication for every project that she touched.

I wanted that. I wanted to feel so strongly & passionately about what I did that it was simply second nature. I wanted to work hard yet not realize how hard I was working because I loved what I was doing. Most of all I wanted to believe in what I was doing as if I was meant to do it.

As scary as it was to do I mustered up the courage & quit my job. I was completely freaked out but I knew in my heart that it was exactly what I was supposed to do. While I was working at Coletta & Company I took a part time job at Great Wines & Spirits out in East Memphis. Dipping my toe in the water just made me want more. I studied my ass off & took the Introductory Sommelier Course offered by the Court of Master Sommeliers. Much to my surprise I scored the highest in my entire class! Achieving this really propelled me to take on the Certified Sommelier Exam so soon after the Intro. The Certified exam was the most difficult test I had ever taken, or at least it felt that way. After the three part exam we were released for a break before the results were announced. I remember calling Kelly & telling him "I'm sure I failed. There is no way I passed. I completely screwed that up." He talked me off the ledge & I returned to the hear the results. I passed! Oddly enough my criticism was flipped. What I felt I did well on was actually what I did poorly on & vice versa. It was an interesting moment to say the least.

Soon after that a friend of mine asked me to help out with a wine tasting that her employer was putting on. I said yes & I guess I really impressed them because the store owner, Brad Larson, offered me a job soon thereafter. Working at Joe's Wines & Liquors has been an incredible experience. I've grown so much, learned so much & experienced a great deal.

I'm living proof that you should be doing what you love. I can't imagine doing anything else.

Why We Choose What We Choose

The point of a wine club & beer club is to showcase new, unique, interesting top quality products that any given member might not select for themselves. The point is not to shovel out the same boring bullshit that you can get just about anywhere. Yes, not everyone in said club is going to like every selection. That's not what we are trying to accomplish. We are trying to expand the palates & minds of those members. Recently, some of the beers that we put in the club at Joe's Wines & Liquors caused some very strong reactions. Some people absolutely HATED the Belgian Geuze Lambics (sour style, spontaneous fermented beers). One member actually poured them down the drain. Another member called me up at the store just to tell me that he was going to quit the club until he tried them. He enjoyed them so much that he decided to stay in the club.

These strong reactions happen often enough but they don't ever cause me to lose track of the focus of each club. I will continue to put wines in their hands that cause reactions. Kelly will continue to put beers in their hands that cause reactions. Yes I select wines because I think the majority of the membership will enjoy & appreciate it. But I don't really give a damn if some of them hate that bottle. What really makes me happy is when a wine makes them think. Of course, when one of my club members comes in & waxes poetic about how much they loved a particular bottle....yeah that feels good too.

5 Boring Guys

When 5 Guys Burgers came to Memphis you would have thought it was the second coming. I just didn't get all the hype over a chain when there were very good burgers in town made by talented chefs in locally owned restaurants (i.e. City East Grille, Majestic Grille, Cafe 1912, Three Angels, need I continue?). Since it was so far out east, & far removed from Midtown where I live & work, I quickly forgot about it. This past Sunday we found ourselves out east doing some shopping & what not. I was famished so we went by 5 Guys. We ordered & waited & waited & waited & waited. The space looks like a down market Steak & Shake with no table service that utilizes the dining room for storage. The burger was decent size but misleading. It's a double patty but basically the same amount of burger you'd get at the previously mentioned restaurants. It was fine but not close to those other places. The fries were extremely plentiful but greasy & flavorless.

This experience was an unfortunate lesson. It seems like most people in Memphis are so used to mediocre chain food that they actually get excited about it. Sad. Really sad considering that we have a wealth of LOCALLY OWNED restaurants that offer better quality at great value.

Break the Chain! Eat Local! It tastes better.

THE Rose of the Summer

It's no secret I love Oregon. However, my bias towards this incredible wine growing state doesn't affect my ability to judge quality. If its good its good. With that being said I have fallen head over heels in love with a wine. It's my rose of the summer but I know I'll be drinking this way into December. Not only is it refreshing for the summer heat but it also could pair up with many fall dishes too. Especially the holiday spread at Thanksgiving. I present to you Lachini Rose of Pinot Noir 2010 Willamette Valley $20.99. It's refreshing, brimming with bright fruit & mouthwatering acidity with a lingering spice note & gorgeous texture on the finish. Buy it now (only available at Joe's Wines & Liquors). Drink it all summer (which in Memphis lasts until almost October) & drink it way into the fall. Thank me later.

Dinner at Acre

Arguably the most anticipated restaurant opening of 2011 was Acre. Chef Wally Joe has a passionate following in Memphis as well as national recognition. Andrew Adams (who juggles chef duty at both Acre & the Brushmark at Brooks Museum) is incredibly talented as well. This culminates at Acre in plates of food that are beautiful without being precious. The space is jaw dropping. The design is elevated rusticity with an incredible attention to detail. It's truly a beautiful restaurant that was very well planned & well thought out. The wine list is a tight collection of lovely bottles, by the glass & (my favorite) by the quartino. There are few selections on this list that I wasn't pleased to see. It has quickly rocketed to the top of one of my most favorite lists in town. Why? Well first & foremost it's unique & not just a collection of ubiquitous labels. Second, it appeals to the wine obsessed as well as the casual drinker; meaning it's approachable & not scary yet still interesting. Most of all, when we ordered a bottle of Bergstrom Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir 2008 Willamette Valley it came out at the proper temperature; not "room temperature". I cannot tell you how many times I've had to bite off a small chunk of ice from my water glass & drop it in my red wine to cool it down. Newsflash--room temperature in the south in the summer hovers around 80 degrees. This does not make the red wine tasty.

Service is comfortable & attentive without being fussy or too silent.

The menu is outstanding. It's a compact collection of delicious plates of food that have been so obviously loved over. But still not even an ounce of pretension whatsoever. It's very very good food using top quality ingredients that are prepared with expert technique so of course there is no need for pretension. I appreciate that quite a bit because it kept me in a constant state of giddy anticipation for the next plate.

First round:

Tomato Tartar with chickpea panise & goat cheese.
Tiny Octopus salad with paprika cashews & avocado
Duck Pastrami with cherry mustard & pickled cippolinis

Entrees:

Halibut with favas, squash & a Lobster sancocho
Sea Scallops with artichokes, fennel, capers, roasted garlic potato puree & buerre rouge

Every bite of food was delicious, absolutely delicious.

We followed that collection up with an artisan cheese course with tasty little accompaniments; a unique twist on Tres Leches & a Chocolate & Peanut Cremieux that was luxurious & unctuous.

I will return soon & when I do I think I might dive into the suckling pig dinner with a group of 10. FYI- you have to order it a week in advance.

Oregon-itis

I'm still reeling from my June trip to Oregon. I promise to have more posts up about it very soon.