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Slow Weekend: Antinori, Fries & Coltrane

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Not much beats a slow weekend in the kitchen.  Pots simmering, chocolate things baking, crispy things frying, corks popping, spices wafting.  By yourself or with someone you love, slow weekend cooking is pleasurable.  Don’t forget to turn on a little Coltrane -- anything is gratifying with Coltrane.  Even sweeping is hot with John Coltrane.

The Fries:

This weekend, might I suggest French fries.  Deep-fried potatoes are delicious and good for your soul -- don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.  Deep-frying is actually quite easy to master.  Once you do, you’ll be deep-frying everything, trust me.  All you need is a heavy-bottomed pot, peanut or canola oil, a deep fat frying thermometer, a few potatoes and salt.  I defer to Anthony Bourdain for the perfect French fry instructions (recipe below).

Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe Sparkling & a Good Book

Ratatouille & Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Nelly’s Garden Dry Rose

Ratatouille is never as good as it is right now. It’s the epitomical late-summer dish. Each ingredient is at its peak -- eggplant, peppers, basil, tomatoes, summer squash.

I became addicted to it in culinary school. While stewing all those vegetables for hours, I wondered if the French had finally screwed one up. Nay. My mouth had an epiphany. Before then, I don’t believe I’d ever experienced such a symphonic meld of beautiful flavors that somehow still allowed each ingredient its character.

2001 Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe Sparkling with Cod Tempura, Lemon Beurre Blanc & Grilled Cantaloupe

Squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of the last few summery days with a little something grilled, a little something fried and a little something bubbly. Cod tempura with a lemon beurre blanc, grilled cantaloupe, and avocado on a bed of lettuces should do the trick. And these flavors are quite fantastic with the 2001 Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe Sparkling.

The Pairing:
Honestly, every ingredient just sings with the Luxe’s toasty, lush bubbles. The hot, crisp, rich battered fish is a delightful contrast in both temperature and texture; the unctuous avocado matches the Luxe’s lushness; the grilled cantaloupe’s smoky-sweetness is a delightful surprise; and the buttery lemon sauce not only goes well with the Luxe, but enhances the cod’s flavor and gives a refreshing, lemony lift to the entire dish.

The Luxe:
Luxe is Domaine Ste. Michelle’s premier sparkler, and rightly so. She’s got a toasty, apple and honey nose; flavors of pears, almonds & vanilla; and tight, everlasting bubbles. It’s a very food friendly wine with a great depth of flavor. Many chefs say, when in doubt, serve bubbly -- you couldn’t go wrong with this one.

The Salad:
Cod tempura - dip chunks of cod (dried well on a paper towel and lightly salted) into tempura batter (box-mix with Jean George’s addition of sherry vinegar, salt & sesame oil) and deep fry in 350° peanut oil until crisp, golden and cooked through.

Late-Summer Dinner Party Menu

Taking a few days off after “the summer from hell” will make a girl giddy. Giddy enough to quickly arrange an intimate gathering, swing by the local farm for ingredients, and grab a dusty bottle or two from the wine cellar.

Didn’t take many photos - I was terribly remiss; but if you’ll indulge, I’ll give a few details. The evening was just beautiful -- warm, with a few clouds and a slight breeze; the music was soft Latin jazz; the double-doors to the back deck were opened wide, leading to the table set in Provencial hues with lots of candles, and even more wine glasses; the view was tall evergreens & neighboring horses.

Eric & Renee were the first to arrive on the scene, bearing gifts of wine, chocolate, cheese & a baguette. After the kiss-kisses and hugs, Brett shook up the first batch of ginger-lime martinis. A few moments later, our dear friends Kimberly & Darren, armed with even more wine, appeared just in time for me to forcefully scrape a reluctant first batch of potstickers out of the pan and shatter the martini shaker to the ground -- and it was going so well up to that point. But, knowing that every party has a few glitches, the glass was swept away, the pan was changed, and all was right with the world.

North Beach Food Tour down Columbus Avenue (San Francisco’s Italian Quarter)

What happens when Italian caffè houses, a bohemian bookstore, funky wine bars, and a really big-grass park come together? -- North Beach. Casually strolling down Columbus Avenue, I started to get a real sense of its cultural heritage, its poetic history, ... mmmmm, and its really delicious smells.

Beatniks made North Beach famous. Back in the 50s, San Francisco’s Italian Quarter became a breeding ground for young, bohemian writers, poets and artists reveling in nonconformity and hedonistic creativity. They sipped caffè, philosophized, read poetry, and blended an artistic, free-thinking cultural phenomena with years of Italian tradition & culture.

It’s this brilliant, fortuitous fusion that gives North Beach its unique identity -- it’s an eclectic concoction of upstanding tradition, a pinch or two of colorful indelicacy, and a good dose of swank and groove.

Here’s a tour of Little Italy, mostly gastronomic, of course, with a smattering of cool must-sees. The list begins at the north-end of Columbus and works its way down:

XOX Truffles
754 Columbus, bet. Greenwich & Filbert
When I first stepped into XOX, I wasn’t sure if the truffles were worth adding to my ever-increasing treat stockpile to take back to Seattle. I gave in & purchased a small box thinking (alright, this is awful) if they weren’t worth the calories, I’d give them to my husband as a surprise. I popped one in my mouth before reaching Filbert, turned immediately, ran back into the shop, & thanked the owner for making such amazing truffles. They are that good.

Cru Cellar Treasures Wine Club

What do you say when invited to an exclusive wine club dinner party featuring delectable food, rousing repartee with prestigious foodies, and rare bottles from their private collections? "{sigh!} I suppose I could shuffle a few things around to fit you in..."

Cru Cellar Treasures, a local wine tasting club started back in the ‘80s, gets together once a month to indulge their most passionate obsession -- wine. Usually meetings involve swirling, sniffing, swilling, and sizing up eight or so blinded vinos, but once a year, they have dinner together. The annual affair is normally held at one of Seattle’s top restaurants, but this year, wine expert Ed and personal chef Bennie volunteered their home, cooking skills, and two neighbors (to help serve) for the festivities.

A Study in Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Marier Sauvignon Blanc

Inevitably with Seattle’s first warm day of the year, I crave spicy nachos & a cold beer on the back patio. It could be a subconscious rite of passage to spring, or maybe I just jump the gun on summer, because (again, inevitably) five minutes into it, exhausted from shivering, I come inside and “warm my nachos” next to the oven that warmed my nachos.

Columbia Crest, Walter Clore & Ray Einberger

I got “Ray’d” in the parking lot. Apparently it’s a periodic occurrence, but as a new CSM employee, I was blind-sided.

A Week of Kuidaore

I don’t usually overindulge. Not even during Christmas. As a confirmed foodie & pleaser, the holidays are usually more of a distraction from eating in order to overindulge family & friends with food. Oh I can pack it away,