What's Laird Drinking Now?

Champagne,

No food or wine is more widely associated with celebration or occasion than Champagne. That is all well and good but, sadly, many seem to think that is all Champagne is good for. Nothing could be further from the truth. Champagne might be the most food friendly of all wines.

1: They can be white or rose

2: They can be very light, medium, or full bodied

3: They can range from bone dry through dessert sweet

This huge range of styles allow for a huge range of food pairings. The effervescence of the wine also helps to refresh the palate with each sip. Why then do we relegate Champagne to New Years Eve, weddings, and brunches where it is covered up with orange juice? The culprit is bad sparkling wine masquerading as Champagne. Two glasses of bad bubbly swill will most certainly give you a headache or heartburn. The real thing, from Champagne France, is made to a much higher standard. Yes, there are poor bubbles from Champagne, but on the whole; the bar is set higher than many other famous wine regions. Assuming good storage, Champagne is a very good wine for the novice to buy because of the champenois’ mastery of blending. The cuvee, or blend, is used both to create a house style and to assure a steady supply through the changing demands of each vintage. A basic working knowledge of house styles allows the consumer a very easy way to select the right wine for any occasion.

The other evening our wine group met for a tasting of several vintages and styles, with an emphasis on just a few producers. Non vintages wines were also poured to emphasize their importance as the primary product of each house.

In order of tasting:

1997 Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blanc: Creamy lemon fluff with nuts and nougat. Enticing nose of lemon-sugar icing. A wow wine that eventually gives up a sherry and iodine quality and a bit of toast. Really gains wings with an hour or so open.

1999 Diebolt-Vallois Fleur de Passion: The Tete de Cuvee from Diebolt and tonight either in need of more time or not the greatest vintage for Fleur. Smooth citrus flavors and a silky texture are very good to be sure, but this is simply buried by the 2002 version. Honey, caramel, and acacia notes peek out with air. Good, not great.

(House Style: Only grand Cru grapes go into these wines, all from Cramant, all chardonnay.)

Jacquesson Cuvee 733: A favorite for Napoleon for whatever that is worth. Notes of flowers and a vivid, powerful backbone of nuts and apples. Has a sense of butter or sweet cream.

(House Style: Jacquesson is medium to very full bodied, depending on the bottling.)

Bollinger Special Cuvee: Oak & iron with big, assertive flavors of sherry and biscuits. Loads of weight and typical Bolly size.

1999 Bollinger Grande Annee: Big and bold, such a youngster. This is not as big up front as the NV but is actually hiding more in reserve. A bit of a coiled spring here, rich and yet suave.

(House style: Bollinger is known as a “big” producer. Full bodied wines with long life spans emerge from this producer.)

De Venoge Rose:Classic salmon colored rose. Very dry and harmonious, this is the antithesis of the currently trendy electric reddish roses one sees everywhere. Biscuits and strawberries are hidden in a vinous lean form. Not flashy or explosive, just good in an old school way.

(De Venoge is owned by Burgundy house Louis Latour and it shows in the elegant style employed here.)

Moet & Chandon Rose Nectar Imperial: Sweet cream & toast. Kirsch and crème fraiche come through on the palate and roll through the sweetish finish. Many folks are scared by sweeter bubbles but this works.

(The Moet style is tricky to define since they make so much wine in so many styles. My overall impressions are of medium body and high dosage in an attempt to appeal to the widest audience.)

Champagne, just the name evokes images of decadence and the high life. I would argue, however, that Champagne should be part of your lifestyle. Not a beverage to mark a celebration, but to create one. I try to pour it at least once a week. Life is too short to fail to enjoy the wonder of Champagne. But in case you need further proof here are a number of folks more articulate than me.

"I drink it when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes, I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it if I am; Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty." -Madam Lily Bollinger.

"Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right." -Mark Twain.

"Remember, gentlemen, it's not just France we are fighting for, it's Champagne!" -Winston Churchill.

"In victory we deserve it, in defeat we need it." -Winston Churchill.

It’s hard to believe it’s been over twenty years since I walked in the back door of the Yellow Brick Bank. At the same it is impossible to be who I am without it. I have intertwined my life with that of the restaurant. I met my wife there, made my best friends there, and found my passions for food and wine.

Over the years, through good times and bad, the Brick has been a constant, like an old friend you can count on. I have been lucky enough to be a small part of thousands of people’s memories. The marriage proposals, birthdays, anniversaries’, and reunions that punctuate the lives of our guests have been my pleasure to host.

The Yellow Brick Bank is as much a state of mind as it is a restaurant. Fancy enough to be special, yet as familiar as an old sweater. We welcome new friends and remember the tastes of long time regulars. The great strength of the Yellow Brick Bank, even more than the venerable, quirky building has always been the staff. So many talented, energetic personalities have come through our doors. I always smile thinking back on the mental rolodex of great chefs who have worked the line here, so many of them have gone on to run other great restaurants, or to start their own. Bill Powell, Matt Miller, Damian Heath, Scott Guarino, Jim Carey, Moss Rudley, Rick Bishop, Carl Brown, Larry Messenger, and many more all contributed a true love for the craft of cooking and built the foundation of a really great restaurant. Mike Luksa anchored the staff as head chef for most of that time. I always thought his greatest ability as a chef was fostering and guiding talent. He got his cooks to hone their skills and really blossom into chefs. Today we are again blessed to have another head chef with the same gift. Chef Jeff McGee has a huge wealth of knowledge and talent but he also allows his staff to show off their own gifts for creativity on the menu and with our specials. From week to week I never know what will emerge from the minds of our kitchen staff and that keeps things exciting.

The front of the house has always been a melting pot of personalities with an emphasis on fun. We are not the most formal or stodgy, but hopefully the most genuine. The model for this, and our anchor, has always been Clifford Branson. Seventy-six years young, he quite simply is the Yellow Brick Bank. Always quick with a greeting and a smile, Clifford is as much an institution as the building itself. I am often reminded of just how special a place I work in by the return visits of former staff and the great nostalgia they have for the place.

Long ago I asked Kevin Connell, who founded the restaurant, just what it was we were trying to accomplish with the Yellow Brick Bank. He said, “…everybody needs a favorite restaurant, a place to feel welcome and to belong, that’s what we are.” A few years ago the Bank changed hands and the new owners, Ken and Mary Lowe, have stayed true to that notion. The future and the menu hold more surprises and fun in the beautiful old Bank building, while the familiar sounds of laughter and jazz play in the background. I’ll see you there.

Brunch, the word conjures up visions of laid back Sunday meals that are enjoyed after sleeping in on Sunday. Usually decadent, rich foods are the favorites and it is the one meal a week you can feel guiltless eating them. Besides, you can always take a nap afterwards. Many people are intimidated by preparing a brunch because so many of the dishes sound complicated and seem time or temperature sensitive. They can be, but brunch can also be pretty easy with some planning and a look at how restaurants approach them.

To a restaurant, brunch is a wonderful chance to use up what is left from the previous week and make some really tasty fare at the same time. Ever had steak and eggs for brunch? They take dinner size steaks, cut them in halves or thirds, and serve them with an egg or two. Eggs Benedict? Use up a few more inexpensive eggs by poaching a few and making a sauce with a few more. French toast? More cheap eggs and day old bread, what else were they going to do with it? Don’t get me wrong, I love all these dishes. I’m merely suggesting that you can do the same on a Sunday. Look in the fridge and pantry and dress up some bits and pieces you need to use up. Do not insult the meal by calling it scraps and leftovers, call it brunch and let the oohs and aahs roll in.

Recently we hosted a brunch and, I think it went really well. We used a few luxe ingredients, but they just framed a pretty practical meal and gave it a bit of panache. Yes, some Saturday night prep was essential, but in the end it made for a really easy Sunday of cooking and company that came off both easily and deliciously. Remember, if all the cooking is done without your guests being there to see it and at least watch, you are missing half the fun.

The Menu:

Course 1:

Crostini with three toppings Mushroom Duxelle, Olive Tapenade, and Smoked Salmon

The crostini can be made with fresh or day old bread. The Duxelle is basically pureed, cooked mushrooms with shallot, herbs, wine or sherry, and cheese. The tapenade is pureed olives with citrus, capers, and anchovy. The smoked salmon is a nod to luxury but you do not need much.

Course 2:

Individual savory bread puddings with sausage, mozzarella, and a fresh tomato sauce topping.

The bread puddings use day old bread and should be mixed with the custard the day before. This actually makes life really easy on brunch day since you have only to put them in ramekins and bake a half hour or so before service.

Course 3: Quail with cherry, bacon, almond stuffing and micro green salad.

Again, this is super easy. The birds are really cheap, but seem exotic. The stuffing uses up the last of the day old bread, any fruit would do, and the bacon is probably on hand for a brunch anyway.

Course 4:

Rack of lamb over mashed Potato cakes with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce with Celery and Onion:

The lamb is broken down into individual rib pieces so that cooking time is literally 1.5 minutes per rib. The potato cakes are actually best with leftover mashed potatoes for the cakes. The sauce took 7 minutes so you prepare it in front of your guests without being unable to enjoy your own brunch.

Course 5:

Pots de Crème: This, again must be made the day before; but so much the better. It just waits in the fridge for some fresh whipped cream and fresh fruit to make you look really good as hosts.

This brunch was made for our friends the Scudieris and was an absolute joy to plan and execute. We all had a great time with enough being done in advance to be easy yet enough to do to make it interactive. Brunch, a great meal. If you want any recipes, just ask.

Sundays are special here. It is our one day to share and we try to do them right. We prepare a nice meal or two and I try to serve a little really good wine to taste and share with friends. Sometimes, despite careful planning, you just miss the bullseye. In this case I was confident heading in, I had the top sparkler from an under the radar producer that I like a lot and a pair of reds from two top flight wineries in Europe. The results were a bit less than I had hoped and planned for. None of these were bad, not at all, just lacking inspiration and soul.

1998 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Cuvee Late Disgorged:

Spicy, ginger inflected nose is followed by citrus (bergamot and lemon), vanilla, and a hint of yeast. With some air the wine turns into a broad shouldered, generous tasting bubble with a very fine bead. I like this wine a lot and would love it if it was ten dollars cheaper. At $42 cost it has to be compared with Pierre Moncuit Grand Cru and Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blanc and it loses its luster at that point.

2004 Alois Lageder Pinot Noir:

Very cool in the mouth with limestone drenched Morena cherries and burnt matchstick. Aromas of spent shell casing and rose water with a hint of tar & candlewax. This is a very vinous style and Stacey did not like it one bit. I enjoyed it as an academic exercise but it really was a lot more fun two years ago.

2004 Artadi Rioja Orobio:

I believe this is a second wine for Artadi. It’s a big wine with loads of oak and extract. Not my cup of tea really but it is very well made. Overflowing with blackberry fruit, vanilla, and molasses this is the kind of wine that you drink as a cocktail. It shouts out at you but never really speaks. I should say that many folks would really love this wine even if I do not.

For the second year in a row we attended Will and Kathy Stolzenburg’s Chile pepper roasting party. It is a great event that evokes a real sense of community with all the neighbors wandering over bearing chili pepper themed dishes and kids running to and fro. We ate too much (the tamales were especially good) and I was full before Will even fired up the Chile roaster.

While we were there I got to meet George Durazzo who is involved in a project to bring the wines of Veleta winery in Spain to the U.S. He tasted me on three wines and sent me home with a fourth. I was not taking notes since it was a party, but they were all very good. There was a white made from Vijiriega , a native grape dating back some three thousand years. It was good, dry, and almondy with white stone fruits. My favorite for the chilies was a rose of Tempranillo that had a pronounced spicy character to it. It was certainly one of the best roses I have had this year. Finally we tasted the Nolados, a proprietary red blend. It was rich without being heavy and very well balanced in its cassis fruit and deft oaking. I believe these are all to be very well priced but could not get firm quotes as they are still working out distribution. They are well worth looking out for in the future. The Cabernet a few days later was also very tasty and went well with some hanger steak.

We really love this party and hope to attend for years to come. Community events like this are too rare and that is a shame because they really bring people together in the best of ways. I really enjoyed meeting George and talking shop about his restaurant days. The wines, as I said, are worth seeking out.

It was one of those sit around the house and read books nights. I love evenings like that, especially this time of year. We had the door open for the breeze and a starry night overhead.

2007 Pali “Bluffs” Pinot Noir Russian River Valley: Shows warm sun kissed plum and cherry fruit with a hint of baking spice and a good dollop of vanilla. The fruit takes on a briary edge with air. It seems plush and velvety, with a core of decent acidity that seems to focus it on the back end. A good wine, but not up to the quality of their single vineyard offerings that are just a few dollars more.

2002 Calera Selleck Vineyard Pinot Noir Mount Harlan: Calera is one of my favorite California Pinot producers and the Selleck is, to my mind, the flagship. Sadly, it is also the rarest of their offerings. Calera wines need time and this really showed it. At seven years of age it is just beginning to show its stuff. The nose is spellbinding with pomegranate molasses, graphite, stone, and chocolate covered raspberries. It is medium in weight with a cool, clean tone; it really sails on the palate. Air changes this wine from moment to moment, as it rolls out a crescendo of aromas and flavors. Iodine, figs, and aged balsamic evolve into cherries, cedar, and orange pekoe tea notes. The neat thing is that while intensely fruited, it is so deft and subtle; a really tough trick to pull off. It is a really beautiful, noble wine that evokes true Grand Cru Burgundy from a great producer and vintage. The complexity is surreal and it has sneaky length and palate persistence. I have not had many better wines this year. Many thanks to Jay for sharing.

Last Thursday night we went over to chateau Asam for a long overdue visit. Always great hosts, Kerry and Christian, served grilled steak salads and an appetizer pizza. After the kids went down we sat outside enjoying the autumn air and a few wines.

2007 Chehalem Three vineyards Pinot Noir Oregon: Horse merde and cranberry nose with a good dose of earth. Montmorency Cherries in the mouth with hints of black truffle and purple flowers; this is rather vinous in style.

2007 Paraiso Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands: much broader and more lush than the Chehalem, almost opulent. It has good acids along with loads of ripe red & black cherries. With air plum, saddle leather, barnyard funk, and a hint of poppy flower make an appearance as well. This is easily the best Paraiso I have had. In the past their wine always struck me as a value, but rather indifferent. In 2007 they have crafted a wine that tastes like it is worth seeking out for flavor, not just a price point.

2007 Foley Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills: This has a nose of wet hay and a blast of purple fruits. Allspice, clove, and a medicinal quality take over the mouth. Easily the biggest and heaviest of this trio, this is a tad too rich for me, but I know in the right setting it would please many. There is a lot of fruit and plenty of oak so if you like the thicker more glycerol style, pick some up.

Sitting out back on Christian and Kerry’s patio with friends, a starry night, and their perpetual breeze is a wonderful way to spend an evening. Hope to do it again soon.

A brilliant salmon color greets you at first pour. Good, juicy melon and strawberry flavors are lush and welcoming. There is a tiny hint of menthol hiding behind a good bit of vanilla and sweet butter. This rose is yummy and very easy to drink, I wish it was a little less fat and creamy but that is a personal preference. This would be very popular at about any gathering, just bring more than one.

Beef Stroganoff is a Russian classic dating back centuries, although its exact origins are the subject of some debate. Over the years it has been served all over the world and in its travels the recipe has been bastardized, either to suit local tastes or because some of the ingredients were not available. For instance many versions served in America include tomato, when the original sauce has none. We made a sauce that is different enough from the original that a culinary purist might claim it is not Stroganoff at all. It was however, delicious, and I'll call it that for lack of another name.

Stacey thought that Beef Stroganoff sounded good, what with the cooler weather and all. I agreed and she stopped at the market to pick up the supplies. While browsing for the ground beef she saw short ribs and thought they would be a delicious alternative, she was right. The short ribs require a bit more involved preparation so this recipe is in two parts.

For the ribs:

8 boneless beef short ribs

1 medium onion cut into ½ inch chunks

1/3 bottle dry white wine

¾ cup water

salt and pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1 tsp olive oil

All the ingredients go into a Dutch oven with the lid on for two hours at 375 degrees or until the ribs are fork tender and come apart easily. Reserve the ribs on a plate far away from your dog. Reserve the onion separately and discard the rest.

For the sauce:

1 medium onion minced

4 ounces tomato paste

12 ounces baby portabella mushrooms (white would do just fine)

4 ounces dry red wine

10 ounces canned tomato chopped

7-10 sprigs fresh thyme

10 ounces sour cream

Sauté onion in Dutch oven over medium high heat until translucent, stirring often. Add tomato paste and cook until paste turns a brick color, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms and stir through to coat (approximately 1 ½ mins.) Pour in red wine and reduce until slightly thickened. Add the tomatoes, reserved onions, and fresh thyme. Stir through and simmer for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand. Shred the beef ribs and add to sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook off your pasta (we used egg noodles but any variety you like will do). Just before straining the pasta add the sour cream to the sauce and stir to incorporate. Add strained pasta and stir until noodles are well dressed. We served this with a bit of freshly grated nutmeg and it was a really nice addition. This is really tasty right away, but even better the next day as leftovers. We may have bent the rules for classic Stroganoff, or made a separate dish entirely, but it was lots of fun and is now a new classic in our kitchen.

Ginger is a great ingredient and necessity is the mother of invention. A few nights ago I was making a quick dinner and while rummaging for ingredients I found a piece of ginger that needed to be used sooner than later.

We were having hanger steaks that had been in a marinade that included ginger so I thought that I'd use it in the rest of the meal as well.

I like a salad with steak so I made the following dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp ponzu sauce

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 medium onion finely diced

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

salt & pepper to taste

Whisk together and dress your greens. ( this dressing does get better if it gets to sit a while, the ginger flavor comes out more)

The Jus(or pan steak sauce)

I was grilling the steaks on a range top grill which collects the steak drippings. Not wanting to lose all that flavor I made a pan sauce, again using ginger. As soon as the steaks are done and pulled off to rest:

Throw 1 tsp fresh minced ginger and 1/8 minced medium onion into hot pan and stir until translucent. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup dry rose wine. Pour off mixture after about a  minute.

In a mixing bowl whisk together :

1 tsp chinese hot mustard

1/4 large tomato seeded and finely diced

1 good dash soy sauce

1 good dash worcestershire sauce

the liquid from the grill pan

The mustard helps to emulsify the sauce a bit and it makes a rich, tangy dip for the steak. Both of these items are very quick and easy to make, I hope you try one.