Decanter Power List: Omissions & Influence

Which individuals in the wine industry possess the greatest influence over the wines you drink?

The answer depends on numerous factors, as well as what limitations you place upon that answer. For example, are you restricting your answer to only the United States, or do you include the entire world? How do you determine which individuals are influential? Is influence measured solely by how many bottles of wine are sold? This is a complex area, yet numerous people and companies have taken a stance on trying to answer the initial question.

Decanter Magazine has offered their own answers in the latest edition of their Power List. This list, which comes out every two years, is in its fifth edition. They select the "50 most important people who influence what’s in your glass today" and claims that the "list is as objective as it is possible to be." Can such a list truly be objective? It would seem the complexity of the question would have to interject a good measure of subjectivity into the answers.

You can check out the people listed in The Decanter Power List 2013 and many of those names probably won't be much of a surprise. I am sure there are individuals on the list you will disagree with, and you probably believe deserving people were omitted. The significant number of individuals with connections to China and the rest of Asia seems to indicate the growing importance of this region. However, what intrigued me more were the people who were not on the list.

In their last list, The Decanter Power List 2011, the Amateur Wine Blogger was ranked at #16 yet they did not even make the 2013 list. Why is that the case? Is the influence of wine bloggers decreasing? If so, why? Or is it merely the perception that wine bloggers have lost much of their influence over the last couple years?

In the 2011 list, there were six women and in the 2013 list, the number of women remained the same. Four of those women, including Jeannie Cho Lee MW, Gina Gallo, Jancis Robinson, and Annette Alvarez Peters, were on both lists. Why aren't there more women on this list? You might expect to see at least a couple more women added each edition, but that wasn't the case with the latest 2013 edition.

The 2011 list also presented seven names of people to watch for in 2013, who could end up on the Power List for "reflecting the trends seen in the main list, and expected to proliferate over the next two years." These individuals included Ian Harris, Eric Asimov, Simon Tam, Debra Meiburg MW, Ryan Anderson Opaz, Bill Foley and Bruno Paillard. Not one of those seven people though actually made it on the 2013 list. Why is that the case? Have they not proliferated sufficiently? Has their influence actually decreased during the last two years? I should also not that none of these people even made the 2013 list of people to watch.

In 2013, they selected five people to watch for in 2015, and that includes Antonio Galloni, Daniel Johnnes, Edouard Moueix, Patricio Tapia and Alejandro Vigil. Will any of them actually make it on the 2015 list, or will they fade away like the people to watch of 2011?

What are your thoughts on the Decanter Power List?

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Rant: Teens, Binge Drinking & Irresponsible Parents

Parents, do you care that you may be causing brain damage to your children? Do you care whether you get arrested and maybe face prison? Do you care that you might have to pay millions of dollars in compensation? This is your wake-up call so pay close attention or otherwise face the consequences of your reckless behavior.

During this season of high school graduations, proms, and other related occasions, why do some parents allow alcohol-fueled parties at their homes for underage teenagers? I am not talking about letting your children drink a glass or two of wine or beer with dinner. I am talking about parties where cases of beer, bottles of hard liquor and other alcohol are available to teenagers and where they generally can drink as much as they like. What the hell are these parents thinking?

The most common reason given seems to be that the parents would rather their children drank in front, or near them, rather than sneak it outside somewhere. I think that is a weak argument, and the situation can cause far more harm than good.

It is extremely doubtful that the only time those teenagers are drinking is at a home sanctioned party. They are doing so in the woods, at homes where the parents are away, in parks, and elsewhere. There are parties every weekend somewhere. Many of these teens are not just sipping a beer or two. They are getting drunk, swigging down beer after beer, or shot after shot. Letting those children drink at a house sanctioned party only tells them that is it ok to drink at other times as well.

Compounding this matter is that when those drunken teens stumble home from their unsanctioned parties, their overly permissive parents might gently chide them, if even that, and the scene will get repeated time and time again. The teens know their parents won't really do anything about their drunkenness, so they have no incentive to curb their behavior. And that behavior comes with a cost those parents are not even considering.

Even at a house sanctioned, I think parents are deluding themselves if they think they have it under control. Do they personally ensure that each and every underage child at their party does not drink too much? How do they monitor that? Do they personally monitor and inspect each and every child as they enter and leave the party? Or are the parents off in another room of the house, allowing the children their freedom? It seems likely the parents are not in the main room with all of the teenagers. How many children want their parents hovering around their party, watching everything? I generally believe that any monitoring is lax, and fails to accomplish its intended purpose.

What harms could result from the action of these parents?

First, such behavior is illegal, a violation of Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 138, Section 34, which states in part: "whoever furnishes any such beverage or alcohol for a person under 21 years of age shall be punished by a fine of not more than $2,000 or by imprisonment for not more than one year or both. For the purpose of this section the word “furnish” shall mean to knowingly or intentionally supply, give, or provide to or allow a person under 21 years of age except for the children and grandchildren of the person being charged to possess alcoholic beverages on premises or property owned or controlled by the person charged." By allowing an alcohol-fueled party for your underage children's friends, you could be fined or even go to prison. Is it worth the risk?

As an example this year, there was an arrest of parents in Connecticut for hosting an underage drinking party as well as an arrest of an adult in Hingham for the same. And every year, there seems to be other parents and adults arrested for allowing parties at their homes where alcohol is served to minors. Do you really want to be in the news, maybe even on the front page, for such an arrest? What example does that serve to your children?

Second, you open yourself up to potential civil liability if one of the drunk, underage teenagers at your party injures themselves or others. Every year we read about a deadly drunk driving accident involving a teenager. In 2010, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 30% of the 15-20 year olds that were killed in automobile crashes had a blood alcohol content of .01 or higher while 25% had a blood alcohol content of 08 or higher. That doesn't consider all of the other drunk driving accidents that occur where there is serious injury, but not loss of life.

No matter how many times teenagers are warned about the dangers of drunk driving, some of them still do it each year. Some parents like to think that their children are smart enough not to drink and drive, but teenagers don't always make the best decisions. They think they are invulnerable, that bad things happen to other people, not themselves. They screw up, cause they are teenagers and sometimes  don't choose the right thing to do.

Do you really want to be partially responsible for a death or serious injury of one of those children you claim you want to protect? Do you really want to open yourself up to potential liability, which could be in the millions? If you can't guarantee 100% monitoring of any such underage party, and it is probably impossible to do, then there is a possibility one of those drunk teenagers could injure or kill themselves, or someone else. I certainly wouldn't want that on my conscience. Would you?

Third, and a point that most parents don't seem to realize, is that binge alcohol drinking by teenagers can permanently harm their developing brains. In the latest issue of Scientific American Mind (Juy/August 2013), there is a disturbing article, Bad Mix For the Teen Brain by Janet Hopson. It discusses the effect of binge drinking on teenage brains and the results should scare any parent who allows their children to have alcohol-fueled parties at their homes, or who does little to curb their teen's drinking away from the house.

Approximately 24% of high school seniors and 44% of college students binge drink, which means they consume at least 4-5 drinks at a single occurrence at least once every two weeks. Just consider how many weekly alcohol parties occur with teenagers, and it is easy to see that binge drinking for some of them can occur every week, and not even every other one.

What is the harm in that? A very serious one. "An emerging body of data indicates that alcohol damages specific regions of the maturing brain." (p.68) It gets even worse.  "Periodic heavy drinking is more damaging to both body and brain than smaller amounts of alcohol consumed more often because extremely high blood alcohol levels are toxic to organs, severely impair sensory and cognitive functions, and encourage habit formation of addiction." (p.68) Teenage brains are still developing and binge drinking can wreak havoc with that development, especially in cognitive abilities. It is currently unknown whether that damage is permanent, or whether there may be a way to fix the damage. The key obviously is to protect your child from sustaining that damage in the first place, and allowing underage children to binge drink at your home is part of the problem, not the solution.

And don't expect your children to be able to control their alcohol consumption. "In addition, a youthful brain has weaker controls that would stop a person from drinking too much." (p.68) If they have access to alcohol at a party, their psychological ability to control their drinking is far less than it would be in an adult. They often make poor choices in regarding to drinking, which can cause additional damage to their maturing brains. Those weaker controls also contribute to why such teenagers may drive while they are drunk.

Stop allowing your teenage children to drink alcohol. You are not doing them any favors. Instead, you are opening yourself up to arrest, civil liability, endangering the lives of those children and you could be contributing to damaging their maturing brain. Being the cool or permissive parent is an insufficient reason to allow underage drinking. Parents, wake up and start acting like a responsible adult and do the proper thing for your children.

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Rant: Sake Don't Need No Stinkin' Scores!

Should Sake be rated by the 100 point system?

Earlier this month, I posted about a recent issue of Wine Spectator (May 21, 2013), which contained articles on Sake, as well as tasting notes for over 50 Sakes. Kim Marcus, Managing Editor, and Bruce Sanderson, Senior Editor, blind-tasted the Sakes, using Bordeaux-style glasses, and did not write about a few Sakes which did not reach their minimum quality level. They grouped the Sakes, all premium, into six categories: Junmai Daiginjo, Junmai Ginjo Junmai, Daiginjo, Ginjo and Honjozo. They did not include in their tasting some of the more unique types of Sake, such as Sparkling Sake, Kimoto/Yamahai, Nigori, and Koshu.

The name of each Sake included the Prefecture, the region of origin, though that is not the usual way Sake names are listed. It is good to include the Prefecture within the description but it would better if it were not within the name as that will only make it more confusing for consumers. For example, if they tried to order a Sake online, they would likely see the Sake name, but maybe not the Prefecture. They might hesitate to order that Sake, believing it is not the same as the one they saw in Wine Spectator.

Rather than evaluate the Sakes by their usual 100 point system, Wine Spectator listed the Sakes as Good, Very Good or Outstanding. Within their tasting notes, they commonly mentioned a brief description of flavors, the aromas and mouthfeel. Kyle of Colorado Wine Press wrote about the Wine Spectator's Sake reviews, noting the lack of numeric scores. Kyle stated, "I think the method was more effective at describing the sake than if they had used points, but I clearly am not an advocate of the 100-pt system."

In the comments section of Kyle's post, Thomas Matthews, the Executive Editor of Wine Spectator, mentioned, "We have much less experience with sake, and felt that broader categories would be more appropriate to express our opinions on their quality. However, I could easily see a critic with deeper experience in sake using the 100-point scale, and perhaps if we taste extensively enough, one day we will too." That explains why they did not use numeric scoring and shows a sense of humility, that they were not trying to claim experience and expertise that they did not possess. Maybe other wine writers could follow their example when tasting wines of which they have little experience.

I have seen a few magazines and critics numerically score Sake but it is relatively uncommon. I would prefer that Sake is not scored in that manner as I believe it could have a negative impact on Sake consumption. I don't see sufficient advantages to numeric scoring to outweigh the potential negatives. Describe it, evaluate it, but don't score it. Why do I feel this way?

First, numeric scores have not made some other niche beverages more commonly popular. For example, let us consider Sherry, a wine that inflames my passion. However, most people still don't drink Sherry, especially the dry versions, and less Sherry is sold in the U.S. than even Sake. Sherry is commonly numerically scored but obviously that is not a guarantee of increased consumption and sales. So why should scores guarantee more Sake consumption? There is no guarantee.

Second, one of the compelling aspects of Sake is its relative low ceiling on its highest prices. Usually, you won't find a Sake for more than $150 a bottle. And the prices are often closely aligned with the costs of producing Sake. There are exceptions but they are rare. Compare that to the wine world where there are plenty of wines costing more than $150. And one of the most significant factors that has led to those high wine prices are numeric scores. I don't want to see Sake prices get inflated merely because they garnered a high score. Higher prices will only drive more consumers away.

Third, numeric scores could promote lazy distributors, store owners and restaurants. As it stands, many of those people and establishments need more basic education about Sake. Learning about Sake is an excellent way for them to be able to sell more Sake, just as wine knowledge helps them sell more wine. They need to invest the time and effort into Sake education, just as they do wine. If these people can just point a customer to a high scoring Sake, there is less incentive for them to learn about Sake. Scores gives them an easy out.

Fourth, what Sake taste profile should critics base their numeric scores upon? In general, American palates prefer aromatic, big, bold and rich flavored Sakes. Is this a side effect of consumers following the perceived wine preferences of Robert Parker? Possibly. On the other hand, the Japanese generally prefer more subtle Sakes, which might have muted aromas, and which may be “as easy to drink as water.” Which style would or should garner high scores? If a prominent critic's numeric scores reward big, bold Sakes, then there could eventually be a backlash against such Sakes as there has been a backlash against Parker style wines. Both styles need to be embraced, and neither style should be promoted over another.

Finally, you can include all of the usual criticisms of the 100 point system to the mix. They are as applicable to Sake as they are to wine. For example, a mere numeric score won't tell you anything about how well that Sake (or wine) will pair with food, or which foods that make the best pairing. And if I pondered the issue more, I am sure I could come up with a few more reasons as well.

To get more consumers to drink Sake, the first and most important thing to do it is to get them to taste premium Sake. Too many consumers have had a bad experience with hot Sake. However, once they taste a good, chilled Sake, their opinion can change. The taste of chilled premium Sake is drastically different from the taste of a cheap, hot Sake. It can be an eye opening experience and is more persuasive than any numeric score or tasting note. Wine stores need more Sake tastings. Restaurants need to offer inexpensive tasting flights of Sake, or hold Sake-paired dinners. The best education is tasting.

Women could end up leading the path to increased Sake consumption. We already know that women purchase more wine than men, and they are often more adventurous in their purchase choices. At the Sake tastings and events I have held, the most popular Sake, and overwhelmingly with women, has been Sparkling Sake. Low in alcohol, lightly sweet and effervescent, Sparkling Sake is kind of the Moscato of the Sake world. It makes for a good gateway Sake, opening the door to the diversity of other Sake types.

Sake doesn't need numeric scores!

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Wine Spectator: New Sake Articles

I am always pleased to see Sake articles in the media, helping promote this diverse and compelling beverage. However, I get dismayed when such articles contain erroneous or misleading information. I try to educate people about Sake, to clarify their misconceptions, but that becomes more difficult when articles in popular magazines and newspapers perpetuate such misconceptions. As such, I try to offer corrections and clarifications when I note a new Sake article that might be erroneous.

The latest issue of Wine Spectator (May 21, 2013), which has a cover story on Sushi, also contains two articles on Sake, as well as tasting notes for over 50 Sakes. Overall, I was pleased with the articles and tasting notes, and they cover lots of ground and give a decent foundation for understanding Sake. The articles note the growing popularity of Sake in the U.S. and I was especially pleased to see the main article mention that Sake "pairs nicely with Western cuisines as well, including, fish, poultry and pork dishes." I have long advocated that Sake is extremely food friendly, with all types of cuisines, and I have discussed the myriad reasons for why that is the case.

The second of the articles, Sake's True Believers, by Mitch Frank, an Associate Editor, describes some of the biggest sake fans and advocates, from John Gauntner to Marcus Pakiser, from Monica Samuels to Henry Sidel. It mentions how vital Sake education is for consumers, wine stores and restaurant. Sake can be intimidating, even for experienced wine drinkers, but the basics are not that difficult to understand. The article also notes that price is an issue, as there are only a small number of premium Sakes available under $20. That is an area that needs to be addressed, and there are some solutions, such as finding good futsuhu and promoting half-bottles.

The primary article is Decoding Sake by Kim Marcus, the Managing Editor,and it provides a basic introduction to the world of Sake, noting matters such as its comparisons to wine, how it is created, the various categories and more. It makes a good case for the promotion of Sake, and it is great to see Wine Spectator advocating for Sake. However, though the article gets much that is correct, there are a few bits which were incorrect or misleading. I'll try to provide some clarifications on these matters.

Nigori:
On page 71, the article notes that nigori  is "unfiltered," and that is incorrect, though it is a common error. Usually Sake undergoes a charcoal filtration, and if it is not filtered as such, then the Sake is called muroka. That is true, unfiltered Sake. The term "nigori" actually means "cloudy" and refers to the milky colored mass found within a nigori. That milky mass contains Sake lees, unfermented rice and koji.

How do you make Nigori then? During the production process, the Sake will eventually be pressed, to separate the lees from the Sake liquid. This pressing is commonly conducted with a series of mesh panels, though there are a few other processes which can be done instead. The pressing stage is a legal requirement, so for many years, only clear Sake was considered legal. Cloudy Sake was commonly considered moonshine. In 1966, this all changed due to a creative brewery which wanted to legally produce Nigori Sake. They wanted to press their Sake, but use mesh panels with larger holes, which would permit some of the lees into the liquid. The government approved this practice, and soon other breweries started making Nigori in this manner as well.

Daiginjo:
On page 71, the article states that Daiginjo Sake is sometimes polished down to as little as 35%. That is not fully true as you can find Daiginjos that have been polished down even lower, to as little as 9%. A popular Sake is the Dassai 23, which has been polished down to 23%.

Junmai
On pages 71 & 74, the article states that a Junmai Sake must be polished down to at least 70%. That is incorrect, and another very common error, as Junmai actually lacks a minimum polishing requirement. Prior to 2004, it had that polishing requirement, but the law changed. As of January 1, 2004, any Sake that is made with only rice, water, koji and yeast is considered a Junmai, no matter the amount of the polishing rate. So you could have a Junmai Sake that is only polished down to 80%. Honjozo Sake has a polishing requirement, and at least 30% of the rice must be polished away.

Prefectures:
Curiously, on page 72, the article alleges that John Gauntner stated that Sake is made in all but two of Japan's 47 prefectures. I doubt they recently spoke to John about this issue, and probably relied on an old Sake book for this information. In recent years, John has repeatedly stated that Sake is made in all but one Japanese prefecture. And most recently, even that has changed. Kagoshima Prefecture, which had long been the sole holdout, now has a Sake brewery so Sake is now produced in every Prefecture of Japan.

Koshu
There is information on aged Sake which appears to contradict itself in this article. On page 71, there is a reference to "premium aged sakes" but then on page 72, it states, "You don't age sake." Though rare, aged Sakes exist and commonly are referred to as Koshu, though other terms are sometimes used as well. These aged Sakes may generally be matured for 2-10 years, and there are two main styles. Some Sake is aged under very low temperatures, and it will look as clear as any other Sake. The aging can help to round out flavors and deepen the complexity. If it is not aged in cold temperatures, the Sake may darken, acquiring more earthy, nutty, and sweet notes. In some respects, it reminds me of Tawny Port or Aged Sherry.

Aged Sake was actually popular back in the 17th & 18th centuries, but diminished in popularity as brewers stopped aging it for financial reasons. As they were taxed by the government on what they brewed, not sold, they wanted to recoup their expenses as quickly as possible. Currently, some Sake lovers are even experimenting with aging Sake on their own.

Kudos to Wine Spectator for writing about Sake, but hopefully they will write about it more than once a year.

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Don't Wait In Line At Shake Shack!

A Shake Shack recently opened in Chestnut Hill and another location may open in Harvard Square. The local media went crazed, saturating their readers with abundant coverage of the new Shake Shack. People on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites could not stop talking about this burger joint. Some people waited an hour or more to get a burger and shake. Though some of the talk has died down, it remains hugely popular and you will likely have to wait in line to place your order.

However, I have important advice for you. Don't wait in line at Shake Shack!

Do I have something against Shake Shack? No. In fact, I have not even eaten there yet, though I plan on visiting in the near future. My advice actually should be more general, that you shouldn't wait in line at any fast food restaurant. Why? Because the waiting will only decrease your enjoyment of whatever food you eventually order. If you want the optimal taste of fast food, you shouldn't wait in line for it.

Before explaining this advice, let me note that eating fast food, especially frequently, can be unhealthy for us, and far too many people choose fast food over much healthier selections. Why do they do this when they clearly understand the potential negative health consequences? In the Scientific American Mind (March/April 2013), there is an informative article, Time-Warping Temptations, by journalist David H. Freedman which provides some rationale behind these choices.

The psychological culprit appears to be temporal discounting, defined as "..our tendency to view small rewards available now as more desirable than even much bigger payoffs down the road." Temporal discounting is responsible for such problems as "...overeating, overspending, abusing drugs, and more." It is believed that it might be an evolutionary trait from when man was surrounded by constant threats to his life so that it was beneficial to take the immediate reward as one never knew what the future might bring.

Temporal discounting is responsible for people's desire for instant gratification, for our tendency to seek whatever will fulfill our immediate need, even if it might not be good for ourselves in the future. The hustle and bustle of fast food restaurants can also accentuate our desire for an immediate reward. There are ways though to fight this psychological instinct, ways for us to look more toward the future and stop giving in to our base desire for instant gratification.

One of the most important ways to do this is to find a way to delay the immediate reward, and counteract the temporal discounting. Rather than dining at a fast food restaurant, spend a little time shopping first, even if you just window shop. You might find then that your desire for fast food has abated, and you might be willing to seek a healthier choice. This should work in other circumstances as well, such as trying to stop smoking cigarettes.

Why does this type of delay often succeed? Well, now we get back to my original point of why you shouldn't wait in line at a fast food restaurant. "Research has shown that requiring people to wait just five minutes for a treat cuts the appeal of the treat in half." So, if you wait in line at a restaurant, then you are less likely to enjoy the food you eventually eat. The delay you face in a long line at a fast food restaurant will cause your experience to be diminished. You probably don't realize it is occurring but it exists.

If you want to have the best experience at Shake Shack, or any similar place, then go when you don't have to wait in line, and not when your experience would be lessened. And better yet, don't eat as much at fast food restaurants, choosing more healthy options.

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Modern Farmer Magazine: A Debut, With Chicken Love

Do you care about the source of your food? Do you prefer local, organic products? Do you frequent farmers' markets and local farms? Do you belong to a CSA or CSF? Do you grow your own herbs,  vegetables or fruits? Do you have respect for farmers? Do you want to learn about all of these topics, and more? If you answer affirmatively to any of these questions, then I recommend you check out a new quarterly magazine, Modern Farmer.

While perusing the magazine stands at Barnes & Noble, I noticed the inaugural issue of Modern Farmer, which was newly released. As I flipped through the pages, it intrigued me, with its fascinating photography and article topics. I bought a copy and have spent several days enjoying its contents. The magazine makes a promising debut, I will be awaiting their next issue and it earns my hearty recommendation.

Their website states their intent: "There has been a movement afoot in recent years to make connections between what we eat, how we live and the planet. Modern Farmer exists for people who want to be a part of that movement—it is for window-herb growers, career farmers, people who have chickens, people who want to have chickens and anyone who wants to know more about how food reaches their plate." Besides being a quarterly magazine, Modern Farmer is also a daily website, events series, and online store.

The magazine runs 136 pages and consists of about 35 articles, columns and reports. I love the diversity of the content, from frozen foods to wild pigs, from smoothies to cocktails. I found the various articles to be well written, informative as well as interesting. They did not come across as preachy or pretentious. The magazine also has a global scope, with articles about the U.S., China, Malawi, South Africa, Italy and more. With the articles, there are plenty of excellent, accompanying photographs of people, animals, items, scenes and much more.

There is a 20+ page center section of the magazine, called The Modern Farmer Handbook, and it is devoted to many more practical issues for farmers. You will learn items such as how to select the best breed of chicken to raise, how to turn your backyard into a four-season farm, and how to build a straw bale house. There is even a section on different type of "poop" used for fertilizer. Immediately following this section is a photo essay, Meet the Modern Farmers, which presents pictures of seven farmers, and some of their families, from around the world and devotes a couple of paragraphs to each one. There is even a farmer and restaurant owner from Massachusetts presented there, Mark Firth of Monterey.

Some of these articles are going to lead me to further research into their topics. I was pleased to see the current surge in organic farms in China and worried about the exploding population of wild pigs, including radioactive pigs wandering across Europe. Another uplifting article was on mangoes in Malawi, and how they have become so popular now for smoothies across the world. And it was cool to end the last page of the magazine devoted to a Durian vendor.

Check out Modern Farmer. You won't be disappointed. You will undoubtedly learn plenty. And you will enjoy it.

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Once A Critic, Always a Critic

Is being a restaurant critic the best job in the world? When I meet someone new and tell them that I write about food and wine, they often respond by telling me I am a lucky person to have such a great job. They want to hear the details, to know the names of my favorite restaurants and wines. They want to hear about my best and worst meals. Yes, I love what I do but, like any job, it is not perfect. And most restaurant reviewers would likely agree.

At the New England Food Show (NEFS), I attended an interesting panel, put on by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, called Once A Critic, Always a Critic. The discussion dealt with: "What makes a great restaurant? Where do they usually make mistakes? What are new trends in dining (and what trends should end)? Join some of Boston’s most respected and influential food writers and critics for an open discussion about the restaurant industry in the Hub and as a whole. In this insightful and entertaining conversation, writers will share personal anecdotes and discuss their best and worst experiences (on and off the job), pet peeves, what always impresses them, and,favorite new local restaurants, and what keeps them coming back for more."

Moderated by Nicole Russo, Executive Vice President of 451 Marketing, the panel participants included (as pictured above): Mat Schaffer, a former Boston Herald restaurant critic and now the principal of Mat Schaffer Consulting, Jolyon Helterman, an Independent Writer & Editing Professional, and Amy Traverso, Senior Editor, lifestyle of Yankee Magazine. Nicole asked the panelists a series of questions, and then there was a time for questions from the audience. The panel only lasted an hour though could have easily gone for twice that length.

Please note that I am paraphrasing the responses of the panelists.

Is being a restaurant critic the best job in the world?
Amy: Yes, is is an amazing way to make a living.
Jolyon: There are beauty hazards and it is hard to keep the weight off
Mat: It can be the best job but still lots of work is involved. He had to eat out 5-6 times per week and had to be in mood for whatever restaurant cuisine his editor assigned to him that week. He used to eat at a restaurant, anonymously, 2-3 times and order lots of food. After quitting his job as a critic, he lost about 30 pounds. He notes that a restaurant critic must be objective, honest, fair and possess a professional attitude.

What type of feedback have you received from your reviews?
Amy: She related an anecdote about a hotel which was upset that it did not receive a magazine award. They bundled up copies of the magazine in a ttrash bag and delivered it to her office.
Jolyon: He mentioned that he has not written about some negative things he has encountered at restaurants as he felt it would not be fair to the restaurant, such as finding chewed gum in a dish.
Mat: He has received plenty of negative feedback from his critical reviews, from mass emails to profantity laced diatribes.

Where do restaurants make their biggest mistakes?
Amy: She is very sensitive to sound issues. Also thinks service is very important.
Jolyon: There is too much fancy plating at casual dining spots.
Mat: The "restaurant business is all about expectations" and they must meet or exceed them. He has little issue with noise but hates misspelled menus.

What are some of your "go to" restaurants outside of reviews?
Amy: As she has a child, she now goes most often to casual spot. She really enjoys Area 4, Sofra, Puritan, Island Creek, and Marliave.
Jolyon: He searches for a perfect vibe, even if all of the food is not so good. Maybe a place does a great fried chicken but the rest of their menu is merely average. Also likes sitting at the bar. He enjoys Myers + Chang, Coppa, Belly Bar, Westbridge, and Erbaluce.
Mat: He likes a number of places in Chinatown, such as Montien, China King, and some Hot Pot spots. He thinks that the best restaurant in the Boston area is Salts and that Clio is another top notch place. He also enjoys Stella's in the South End.

What are some current restaurant trends?
Amy: Experimental business models such as popups, underground restaurants, and food trucks. She likes the new restaurant Asta which only offers three prix fixes each night and there is no ala carte menu. She also likes to see old style recipes brought back, kind of retro for traditional dishes.
Jolyon: He likes the pre-order big dinners, like pig roasts, which become more of an event than just a dinner.
Mat: Cocktail culture, farm to table, other nationality cuisines.

How does the Boston dining scene compare to other cities?
Jolyon: He likes Boston but feels that Portland, Oregon and Seattle are kicking our butts. Much of that is due to the issue of liquor licenses as it is so tough for new restaurants in Boston to obtain them. That acts as a significant obstacle to potential new places.
Mat: He feels the Boston culinary scene is not as big as some other cities and that we lack sufficient resources to support many more restaurants. He is proud of our restaurants, feeling we have come a long way but that we still have a long way to go.

Who are some young chefs to watch?
Jolyon: Should keep an eye on the Chefs de cuisine who are working under the big name chefs.
Mat: Will Gilson and Louis DiBiccari

How has food writing changed in recent years?
Amy: Critics have been forced to review restaurants earlier. Used to wait 4 months but now only 2. A great restaurant review should present a historical/cultural context, and almost be like an anthropological study.
Jolyon: Immediate feedback. One of the biggest problem is a lack of calibration, where some writers let one small slight take over their entire review, rather than giving each element its proper proportional credit.
Mat: For bloggers and online writers, there often is no editor to keep them honest.

I asked them a question on whether restaurant critics should address drink programs in their reviews.
All of them agreed it was necessary and recommended critics gain wine/alcohol knowledge. They also mentioned there were three possible reasons why a review might not include coverage of drinks programs. First, it might be the fault of the critic. Second, it might be the fault of the restaurant which fails to emphasize its drinks program. Third, it could be due to editorial cuts in the review.

A few additional comments of note.
Amy stated some advice for writers. "The more specific your pitch the better."
It is hard to get attention from restaurant critics for a long term client. The new restaurants seemd to get all the attention.
It also seems hard for restaurants outside of the Boston area, such as in the suburbs, to get restaurant reviews.

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Rant: Save The World, Cook At Home

Stop going to all those fast food restaurants and start cooking at home! Now only will it be better for your health but it will also be better for the environment which will benefit everyone. You will probably shake your head in agreement with me, but will you actually act on it?

The new issue of Lucky Peach, one of my favorite food magazines, is themed around the Apocalypse. The first article in the magazine is "The End of the World as We Know It", an interview with Michael Pollan, the famed food writer and journalist. It is a fascinating and thought provoking article which anyone interested in food, cooking, climate change and the environment should read.

"The way we eat now is having a profound effect on climate change,..." Pollan begins by explaining the  environmental threats related to current food system, how it leads to an increased carbon footprint which contributes to climate change. The huge fast food chains are often significant contributors to this problem and people need to frequent such restaurants far less.

Pollan has a solution, a relatively easy answer, to reduce the environmental impact of our food system. "Home cooking is very important to solving these environmental issues." He notes that after World War 2, when more women began to enter the work place, there arose issues as to who would cook dinner at home. The corporate food industry, which had been seeking an opening for years, moved in like a shark going for the kill. Some started marketing fast food, frozen foods, processed food and other such items as a feminist option. The corporate food industry tried to make it simple, so that there was no need to argue over who would cook. They could instead just grab some friend chicken from KFC.

There is a discussion of food technology, including how much of it doesn't actually create delicious food. He does not believe that meat substitutes taste good. "No one but a vegan can get excited about fake bacon." He also feels that cooking shows on television might actually be counterproductive. "Cooking on TV might be keeping people away from the kitchen." The function of television is not to motivate people to do anything except watch more television.


How do we motivate people to cook more at home? They have many excuses why they think they can't cook more at home. But are they really valid reasons? "I think the best way to get people back into the kitchen is to have more than one person cooking." I think that is an excellent idea. Have spouses or significant others cook together. Bring together friends or family to communally cook. It is more fun that way and seems far less of a chore.

Pollan has a new book due out in April called Cooked. He wants to "make a case for cooking as a valuable way to spend your time." Based on his thoughts in the Lucky Peach interview, this should be an excellent and valuable book. It promotes the importance of cooking at home and that is beneficial on many levels. So don't go to so many fast food restaurants and learn how to use your stove.

Cook together and have fun!

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Rant: Make It Simple But Accurate

Though I am always pleased to see Sake articles in the media, helping promote this wonderful beverage, I get dismayed when such articles contain erroneous information. I try to educate people about Sake, to clarify their misconceptions, but that becomes more difficult when articles in popular magazines and newspapers perpetuate such misconceptions. Most of the time, such errors could have been easily corrected and that makes the offense seem even worse.

The new issue of Boston Magazine contains an extensive Asian Dining Guide and one of the articles, Good Libations, discusses Sake. Though it is a brief article, it makes some significant errors and I was initially informed by the Food Editor that the article had been fact checked. That was dismaying and raised numerous questions in my mind. If it was fact checked, and still contained errors, then what did that say about the process? Who fact checked the article? How was it fact checked? What resource(s) was used to fact check it? Why were the errors allowed to stand?

I was later informed that at least some of the errors were intentional. Intentional? Apparently, they did not wish to confuse the public with too much information so they chose to ignore and omit certain basic facts about Sake. They essentially wanted to dumb down the article because they didn't believe the public was capable of handling the truth. I think the use of erroneous information is more harmful to the public in the long run and that the public is capable enough to handle at least a minimal degree of difficulty. They should be treated as adults, not children, and not spoon fed simple data as if incapable of handling more. One can be simple yet accurate.

Let us look more closely at the errors that were put forth in the article.

First, the article states that there are "three types of premium sake" but there are actually six types. The article failed to mention that there are three types of Honjozo Sake, a second premium category. The Honjozo category is actually even larger than the Junmai category.

The magazine intentionally omitted any reference to Honjozo, allegedly for simplicity's sake. However, they still could have remained accurate yet also been simple. All they would have had to say is something like "there are six types of premium sake but we will highlight only three here." That is succinct and accurate, fixes the error and should not unduly confuse readers. As you see, the term Honjozo didn't need to be mentioned yet readers might be intrigued enough by the reference to other types of premium Sake to seek out more information.

Second, the article states that the types of premium Sake are "categorized by the amount of rice milled away" but that is not truly correct either. First and foremost, the most important element that determines whether a Sake is "premium" or not, is the number and type of ingredients used in the production of the Sake. The milling percentage is a secondary consideration and alone not indicative of a premium Sake.

To be a Junmai, a Sake must only contain four ingredients: rice, water, yeast and koji-kin. To be a Honjozo, the Sake can contain one more ingredient, distilled alcohol. No matter how much of the rice is milled away, a Sake is not "premium" unless it also only has those four or five ingredients. Only about 25% of all Sake produced qualifies as "premium."

Again, the fix would have been relatively simple, adding that premium sake is "categorized by the number & type of ingredients, as well as the amount of rice milled away." Succinct and accurate, it fixes the second error and again should not unduly confuse readers.

Third, the article states Junmai must be "milled to 70 percent or less of the original grain."  Beside the awkward construction of that phrase, it is incorrect as there is no minimum milling requirement for a Junmai. A Junmai could be milled down to only 80% and still be considered a Junmai. The only requirement for being a Junmai concerns the number and nature of its ingredients. This is an error that runs rampant in many other Sake articles too.

The fix is also simple. Just state that "Junmai does not have a minimum milling percentage." There is really no reason why that couldn't have been done.

I don't see a valid reason why this article could not have been made accurate. Alleged concerns about dumbing down the article for the general public do not seem warranted, especially considering how easy it would have been to fix the errors. I understand this was not a lengthy educational article on Sake but simple articles can and should still be accurate. Give your readers some credit for being intelligent.

As a final matter, I want to address the lone "tip" in the article, advising people to look for the milling percentage on the label if the writing is in Japanese. I don't think that tip is really helpful and is more likely to confuse someone than help them.

The average person will almost never find a Sake in the U.S. which doesn't specify its type, such as whether it is a Junmai or Ginjo. They will though find a number of bottles which fail to list the milling percentage. So it is far more prudent to remember the type of Sake you prefer and seek out that type on the label rather than hunt on the bottle for milling percentages, which might not even be there. Plus, it is probably easier to remember a word "Ginjo" rather than remember you like Sake that has been milled down to at least 60%.

If you go to a restaurant, their Sake menu will list Sakes by type and almost never mention the milling percentage. Thus, remembering that you like "Ginjo" makes ordering Sake at a restaurant much easier too. Forget milling percentages and learn the name of the Sake type you enjoy.

Kanpai!

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2012: Favorite Food-Related Items

What were some of my favorite food-related items of the past year?

Let me continue my collection of lists of my best recommendations and favorites of the past year, 2012. Yesterday, I provided a list of my Favorite Restaurants of 2012 and now I want to address my favorites for other Food-Related Items, from markets to books, from cheese to candy. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.

This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more food-related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

Favorite Food Magazine: For the second year in a row, Lucky Peach easily prevails as my favorite. This quarterly magazine is eclectic and irreverent, with fascinating articles, essays, recipes, and more. I eagerly devour each issue when it is released and its quality has remained consistent. It entertain and educates, as well as providing much to ponder. Their recent Chinatown themed issue was very cool. If you love food and are not reading Lucky Peach, then shame on you.

Favorite Ethnic Cookbook: If you enjoy Chinese cuisine, then you should read Feeding The Dragon by Mary Kate Tate and Nate Tate. The book is a combination travelogue and cookbook, broken down into regions of China. Each regional section begins with interesting essays about that area and then provides about 10-15 recipes, spanning the range from appetizers to desserts, and including several beverages too. The book is a fascinating culinary survey of China with a sampling of recipes that provide some authenticity for home cooks. It is aesthetically pleasing, with numerous beautiful photos of not only the dishes, but also of the people, places and items of China. An excellent read.

Favorite Food Trade Event: For the second year in a row, I have selected the International Boston Seafood Show (IBSS) as my favorite. It is a massive trade event, a three day event showcasing purveyors of seafood and related vendors. You'll find tons of free seafood samples and learn plenty, from sustainability to cooking. It is an engaging event and I wrote over a dozen posts about the show this year. It is a compelling on many levels and I look forward to attending the next IBSS in March 2013.

Favorite Cheese Shop: The Concord Cheese Shop has a huge and diverse selection of local, domestic and imported cheeses, including many small production and unique cheeses. Local cheeses are one of their specialties. In addition, they sell a good selection of wines and other gourmet foods. A one-stop store to stock up for any party. The staff is very helpful and it is in a good location, where you can also check out many other intriguing shops. Make it a day and visit Concord and the Cheese Shop.

Favorite Cheese Event: Each summer, the Vermont Cheesemakers' Festival is held at Shelburne Farms and I have attended many of their events, always enjoying myself. This year, the event showcased over 40 Vermont cheesemakers, with over 200 cheeses for sampling, a smorgasbord of dairy pleasures. There was a vast diversity of cheeses, from chèvre to blue cheese, from cheddar to mozzarella. Besides all these cheeses, there were other foods as well, from candy to croutons, breads to hot sauces. In addition, there were local wines, beers, ciders, spirits and other drinks. It does get crowded, but it is still well worth attending.

Favorite Cheese: I love cheese, in all of its forms, and it was not easy to select just one to be my top favorite for the year. However, I made my selection, the Grafton Village Cave Age Truffled Bismark. The Bismark, named for a legendary Vermont ram from the late 19th century, is a sheep's milk cheese that has been aged for at least three months. The Bismark has an intriguing taste; nutty and creamy with a delicious earthiness due to the addition of white and black truffles as well as some truffle oil. This would be a perfect cheese for an umami rich Sake, like a Kimoto or Yamahai. An amazing cheese with such a depth of flavor and complexity. Highly recommended.

Favorite Seafood Treat: Bacon? How about Salmon Bacon? Yes! I enjoyed two different salmon bacons, and they were significantly different. Though I liked both of them, my preference was for the MacKnight Salmon Bacon as it seemed more like bacon rather than just smoked salmon. It still had a salmon flavor, but was thinner and crisper and I would eagerly place it on any breakfast plate. It is even supposed to be healthier for you than pork bacon.

Favorite Pickled Food: It seems that almost any food can end up pickled and this year I was especially impressed with Pickled Willys seafood. They currently have four different types including Wild Ling Cod, Wild Sockeye Salmon, Alaskan King Crab Tail, and Halibut. They use only sustainable, wild Alaskan seafood and it is prepared with organic vinegar, cane sugar, and a blend of pickling spices. The end product is delicious, the fish still having a firm flesh and the light pickling enhances the taste. The salmon was my favorite though I enjoyed all of them.

Favorite Japanese Ingredients: At the International Boston Seafood Show, there was a Japanese pavilion, showcasing numerous food products. The Shinmarusyo Co. Ltd. produces dried bonito and also makes dashi, kind of a fish stock. Dashi is very important in Japanese cuisine, and is a common base for many dishes. Their dashi can be used to make a savory soup, which is rich in umami, that was subtle but complex flavors. In addition, they make a couple soy sauces, including the Shiro Dashi Soy Sauce, and Katuobushiya Dashi Soy Sauce. The Shiro is a light colored soy sauce with dashi and fermented seasonings. A nice depth of flavor and though like many other soy sauces in some respects, it also possessed its own exotic and unique nature. The Katuobushiya is made from dried bonito and Rishiri seaweed. It has a deeper flavor, more like regular soy sauce, but more intense and with a greater umami.

Favorite Mac n' Cheese: Though I had mixed feelings on some of their other dishes, I was impressed with the Mac & Five Cheese Gratin at GEM Restaurant & Lounge. Cooked perfectly, with a crispy top of buttered breadcrumbs and rich, cheesy noodles, this was the perfect comfort food, elevated to a high level. Nice levels of flavor, this bests many other mac n' cheese dishes you will find elsewhere. It is only a side dish, but you could easily make a meal out of it.

Favorite Frozen Food: Though it is generally best to get fresh baked goods, there are times a frozen product can satisfy your cravings. Gagne Foods, located in Maine, produces both fresh and frozen products, including sweet potato biscuits, cinnamon rolls, cream cheese biscuits and more. The sweet potato biscuits were fantastic and I enjoyed all of their products. The frozen biscuits are easy to cook and your guests might even believe they were fresh. Try the sweet potato biscuits and become a convert.

Favorite Local Ice Cream Shop: In West Concord, you will find Reasons To Be Cheerful, a dessert cafe that makes ice cream in small batches using a natural, hormone free, 14% butterfat ice cream mix from a local dairy. Their flavors vary from the common vanilla and chocolate chip to more unusual flavors like sweet azuki and ginger. They even make several ice creams using alcohol such as the Milk Chocolate Guinness and the Dark & Stormy. I found the various flavors to be rich, prominent, and well balanced so that you receive exactly the flavor you desired. The Dark & Stormy was one of my favorites.

Favorite Dessert Sauce: I have raved before about the goat's milk caramel sauces from Fat Toad Farm and this year I tasted a new flavor, their Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce. It lived up to my expectations, with a sweet, creamy flavor complemented by a salty element and the vanilla notes from the bourbon. Pure heaven. You must try their this sauce or any other of their caramel sauces.

Favorite Candy: Speaking of goat milk, Big Picture Farm is producing some compelling goat's milk caramels. I tasted two of their hand-made caramels, the Chai and Vanilla & Sea Salt. The Chai was spicy, with a nice cinnamon and nutmeg kick, and it was not overly sweet. My favorite though was the Vanilla & Sea Salt, just bursting with creamy flavor, prominent vanilla, that great salty contrast and just the right amount of sweetness. These are very addictive.

Favorite Fruit: Chef Jose Duarte of Taranta introduced me to a new fruit, lucuma. It is a Peruvian fruit which is also known as egg fruit because its flesh seems to resemble the texture of a hard boiled egg. Chef Duarte prepared a dessert using lucuma, a smooth and creamy pudding-like item that reminded me of a delicious butterscotch pudding. Peru is a country rich in exotic food products and I hope more of them make it to the U.S. if they all can be as delicious as lucuma.

Favorite Cupcakes: I am very picky about cupcakes, and am often disappointed by the myriad cupcake stores that have spread throughout the area. However, I found a bakery, Cakes For Occasions, which makes very satisfying cupcakes. Properly moist, the cupcakes are topped by a creamy and light frosting, and the flavors are compelling. These are cupcakes that have earned my recommendation. The bakery sells many other baked goods, such as delicious whoopie pies, cakes, cookies, pies and more. Check out the bakery, get some cupcakes and see what else tantalizes your taste buds.

Favorite Healthy Snack: Kind Healthy Snacks makes all natural whole nut & fruit bars, which have natural protein, fiber and 5 or less grams of sugar. They have plenty of different flavors, including a number with chocolate. My favorite was the Almond & Coconut, which contains almonds, dried coconut, honey, non-GMO glucose, puffed rice, chicory fiber, and soy lecithin. Plenty of delicious coconut flavor, a mild sweetness, nutty accents and a nice chewy texture. It didn't taste healthy and is going to please any dessert lover.

Favorite New Food Market: A short ride away, in Salem, New Hamphire, is the new Tuscan Market, a large artisanal market, which is a one-stop shopping spot for Italian food and ingredients, as well as other quality items. Many of the foods are prepared on premises while others are purchased locally or imported from Italy. Fresh baked breads, wines, cheese, produce, meats, seafood, desserts, prepared foods and much more. There is also a 65-seat café where you can grab a bite, from pizza to pasta. This is a compelling culinary destination and you should be shopping there.

Favorite Food Contest: My inner carnivore roared in approval at the East Cambridge Rib Fest, where over 20 restaurants prepared their own version of ribs. I was even more fortunate as I was one of the judges and got to taste nearly all of the various ribs. So many tasty dishes, including beef and pork ribs, both dry and wet, savory, sweet and spicy. There was live entertainment, local beers and the weather cooperated well. I can't wait to attend this event again next year and highly recommend everyone else go as well.

Favorite Food Controversy: Once again, one of the most important, and sometimes controversial, food issues I addressed this year was seafood sustainability. I have tried to cover a variety of issues, seeking to delve behind the science and rhetoric. The importance of this matter cannot be underestimated, but it is sometimes difficult to get to the truth behind the issues. Last year, the Legal Sea Foods blacklisted dinner made headlines but this year I followed up with Roger Berkowitz (see Part 1 and Part 2) to assess the dinner's impact and Legal's continued efforts. Some of my other posts addressing seafood sustainability include: Stop Eating Cod, Tuna & Salmon, A Sustainability Primer, Verlasso Farmed Salmon, State Of Fisheries Address, How A Restaurant Becomes Sustainable, Aquaculture & Cobia, Consumers Purchasing Sustainable Seafood, Can Bordeaux Save The Sharks?, Eat More Seafood Especially Local, and Bluefin Tuna Stocks Recovering?

My Biggest Personal Food Issue: Last January, I announced that I had been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, which required some adjustments to my lifestyle, including more exercise and watching my diet. I have fortunately been successful and brought my blood sugars back to normal levels, also losing a significant amount of weight. It is a health issue that will require ongoing attention but it can be managed. Thanks to everyone who supported me in my efforts and I will continue to make this a priority in my life.

My Food Prediction For 2013: A few restaurants have been experimenting with seafood charcuterie this past year and I predict that it will become an even more popular and prevalent dish in 2013. Charcuterie has been huge, with many restaurants making their own sausages, chorizo, pates and more from a variety of meats. As chefs are often looking to innovate, I feel they will move from pork, beef, poultry and other meats toward seafood. The few examples I have tasted this past year have been delicious and I think seafood charcuterie has great potential.

What were some of your favorite food-related items this year?

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2012: Favorite Wine Related Items

What were some of my favorite wine related items of the past year?

Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2012. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15 and Top Wines Over $50 lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Wine Related Items, which are not specific wine recommendations. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.

This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more wine related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

Favorite Discount Wine Stores: Once again, this past year has been an economic challenge and wine prices have been on everyone's mind. Consumers want bargains, excellent value wines which won't stretch their wallets. You can buy the cheap wines which can be found in almost any wine store or instead, you can seek out excellent, value wines which put to shame those cheap wines. Certain discount wine stores provide not only excellent prices but also an interesting selection and good service. I want to highlight two such stores which do an especially good job, places where I go to seek bargains: Bin Ends in Braintree and Wine Connextion in North Andover. These stores have remained consistent over time, offering diverse and interesting bargain wines and you won't go wrong checking either of them out.

Favorite Suburban Wine & Cheese Store: Though I have visited the Concord Cheese Shop in prior years, I hadn't been there for at least a year or so until visiting it a couple of times this past year. I was reminded once again why it is an excellent destination for wine, cheese and gourmet foods. The wine selection is diverse, prices are good and you will find some wines here that many other stores do not carry. And all of their cheeses, a myriad of dairy pleasures, will please everyone. This is another shop you should patronize.

Favorite Wine Stores: This is a list of nine wine stores which consistently impress me with their selection and service. Each shop is worthy of your patronage and wine lovers should make the effort to visit these places if you have not done so yet.
Lower Falls Wine Company in Newton Lower Falls.
Winestone in Chestnut Hill.
The Reserve Bin in Foxboro.
Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose.
Vintages: Adventures in Wine in Belmont.
Spirited Gourmet in Belmont.
Wine-Sense in Andover.
Wine Bottega in Boston's North End.
Central Bottle Wine & Provisions in Cambridge.

Favorite Wine Magazine: For the fourth year in a row, Decanter, a British wine magazine, continues to impress me with its extensive coverage, including many less common wine regions, often ignored or marginalized in other wine publications. Plus it has an amusing wine cartoon in every issue. This is a magazine that consistently delivers fascinating articles and I always look forward to each issue. If you are not reading it, you should be.

Favorite Wine Book: Last year, my Favorite Wine Book was the first volume of The Drops of God, a Japanese manga, a comic book, about wine. Besides entertaining, the book also educated people about wine, helping to reduce the intimidation factor. In addition, some of the language it uses, especially in describing wine is quite poetic. During the past year, three more volumes have been released and once again I have selected it as my Favorite Wine Book. Check out my reviews of Volume 2, Volume 3 and New World. Every wine lover should read this series. Unfortunately, more volumes may not be published unless the books start generating more sales. Give this book a chance and you won't regret it.

Runner-Up Favorite Wine Book: The New York Times Book Of Wine offers an excellent selection of over 125 articles, written by about 28 different authors. It is not a collection of boring tasting notes but rather many thoughtful pieces on a great range of wine topics such as Spanish Sherry, the Japanese Koshu grape, serving alcohol to your children, Txakolina, Madeira, and natural winemaking. These are articles that everyone can enjoy, from those new to wine to the knowledgeable wine geeks. These articles will educate and entertain, and may even getting you thinking about wine in different ways.

Favorite Introductory Wine Book: For someone new to wine, Kevin Zraly's Windows On The World Complete Wine Course is an excellent choice. It presents a nice overview of the world of wine without deluging a reader with too much technical information. Though I have some issues with the presentation of certain wine information, it is still one of the best introductory books available. It is a fine starting point for a wine education.

Favorite Wine Dinner, Domestic: Indigenous and uncommon grapes, compelling wines, superb food, and great people all combined to create an exceptional wine dinner. Legal Harborside hosted Alessio Planeta of Planeta Wines, which owns six wine estates on Sicily. From a Sparkling wine made from Carricante to a red made with Nerello Mascele, many of the wines were fascinating and delicious, while the food, such as Ricotta Gnocchi with truffles and the Lobster Soup were amazing. It was fun and informative, tasty and stimulating.

Favorite Wine Dinner, International: This was an easy choice for a meat lover such as I. While in Chianti Classico, I had the honor of dining at the Antica Macelleria Cecchini, the renowned restaurant of Dario Cecchini, the signing butcher of Panzano. Dario is an extraordinary butcher and offers a prix fixe dinner with five courses of beef, some of the best beef you may ever eat. The steak tartare was simply prepared yet was outstanding, showcasing the taste of the quality beef and not hiding it behind lots of other ingredients. Plus, Dario is a true showman and made it an enjoyable experience. I could have dined here every night while I was in Tuscany. If you visit Tuscany, you must dine here at least once.

Favorite Single Winery Tasting: For the second year in a row, the same winery is involved in this category, though the location was different. As I mentioned last year, the wines of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region can be amazing, and Chateau La Nerthe is a stellar producer from this area. Last year, I tasted the wines at a superb lunch at L'Espalier and this year the lunch was held at Bistro du Midi. From the compelling Tavel Rosé to the 2009 Chateau La Nerthe "Clos de Beauvenir" Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, the wines did not disappoint. They paired well with delicious dishes such as the Coral Infused Chitarra Pasta with Maine Lobster. These are wines worth a splurge.

Favorite High-End Wine Tasting: The Vintus Tour presented 26 wineries, from all over the world, showcasing many higher end wines that reflected terroir, many which are also sustainable, organic or biodynamic. This was a stellar collection of wines, presenting many unique wines which impressed me, and it was a pleasure to get to chat with many of the wine makers. As it was a portfolio tasting, closed to the public, it was not overly crowded so you had the opportunity to take your time with the wines and ask the wine makers questions. Several of these wines ended up on my Top Wine lists.

Favorite Private Wine Tasting: My friend Adam, of Wine Zag, hosts a monthly blind tasting event which is always fun and interesting. Recently, he held a fascinating blind tasting of 90+ Cellars wines against a group of wines he handpicked to compete against them. This was an intriguing challenge and the results were enlightening. Plenty of great people attended the tasting and everyone enjoyed themselves. Unpretentious and casual, it was the type of wine tasting which would appeal to wine lovers of any knowledge levels. I look forward to Adam's next blind tasting event in January.

Favorite Wine Trip, International: Though it was also my only international wine trip this year, my visit to the Chianti Classico region was excellent, with great food, wine, scenery, people and more. Compared to other wine trips I have taken, it was certainly one of my favorites. My trip generated a dozen blog posts and several of the wines I tasted ended up on my Top Wine lists this year. Tuscany is so beautiful and the people were extremely nice. The food was often simple yet made from high quality and delicious ingredients. And so many delicious wines, from traditional Chianti Classico to compelling Vin Santo. It is a region I highly recommend.

Favorite Winery Visit: While in Chianti Classico, I was fortunate to get to visit the Isole e Olena winery, owned by Paolo di Marchi, the Philosopher-Peasant of Chianti Classico. I have met Paolo before but this was my first visit to his winery and it lived up to my expectations. You can read my thoughts in a two-part post (Part 1 and Part 2), but in short, the wines were superb, Paolo was fascinating and I learned much about the winery and the Chianti Classico region in general. I could have easily spent the entire day with Paolo, soaking in his knowledge and experience, while enjoying his amazing Cepparello.

Favorite Mega-Wine Event: Due to their size, large wine exhibitions can have their issues, especially due to the great crowds they generate. My favorite this year of these mega-events was the Mohegan Sun Wine Fest. Besides wine, they also present spirits, beer, and cider as well as plenty of food. The aisles between the tables are wide, there are two floors in the Grand Tasting and they seem to accommodate the crowds better than other events. In addition, besides a Grand Tasting, the Wine Fest has other excellent events such as an Elite Cru Tasting and a Celebrity Chef Dine Around. Several wines from this event ended up on my Top Wine lists this year and I look forward to this event next year.

Favorite Local Wine Bloggers: Locally, there is only a small number of blogs dedicated 50% or more to wine, being far outweighed by hundreds of local food blogs, some which occasionally touch on wine. But of that small group, there are a number who deserve praise for their devotion to wine. I see many of these people at local wine events and they have become good friends too. Kudos to Adam of Wine Zag, Robert of The Wellesley Wine Press, Rob of Fringe Wine, Jason of Ancient Fire Beverage, Todd of Vermont Wine Media and Marie of The Life of Vines. Please check out their wine blogs.

Top Wine Controversy: During the past year, I have ranted, usually on Mondays, about a variety of wine issues. But one of the most popular rants addressed the question of why a number of restaurant reviewers ignore wine in their reviews? It befuddles me that a restaurant review, which should comprehensively address the offerings of a restaurant, would ignore an important element such as the alcohol program. In my rant, I used the Boston Globe to illustrate this issue, showing how their main reviewer often ignored or gave short shrift to the wine and alcohol programs of most of the restaurants reviewed during the summer. I never received any response but plenty of others voiced their agreement that reviewers did a disservice by ignoring restaurant beverage programs.

Favorite Wine History Post: History intrigues me and I very much enjoy researching and writing histories about wine, though I often try to reach quite far back into history, to see the true roots of a wine and its region. This year, I wrote a four part series on The Origins of Port, extending back to the Phoenicians and proceeding through the formation of the nation of Portugal. Many other histories of Port begin much later, like during the 17th century but I felt the true origins lay many centuries earlier. I learned much in my researches and hope my readers benefited from it too.

Favorite Local Wine News: In 2011, a new law allowed local wineries to sell their wines at farmers markets and festivals. I saw that as very positive for local wineries and a later study showed its success. In 2011, sales of Massachusetts wines increased by an amazing 66%, primarily due to their ability to sell wine at the markets and festivals. Great news for local businesses during these tough economic times. Let us hope their success continued into 2012.

Kudos For Sherry Love:  I love Spanish Sherry, from Fino to Oloroso, Manzanilla to Palo Cortado. Unfortunately, that places me in a tiny minority as Sherry, especially dry Sherry, is very much a niche beverage in the U.S. But locally, Sherry is gaining more love, especially by two restaurants, Tres Gatos and Taberna de Haro. Tres Gatos, in Jamaica Plain, now hosts Sherry Tuesdays, where you can sample sherries with pinchos. Taberna de Haro has recently expanded their restaurant and now carries 27 different Sherries, and will be adding more too. Both restaurants deserve big kudos for their passion and support of Sherry.

New Wine Job: Last February, I started a new endeavor, a part time job at the Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose. It has been fun and educational, helping customers select wines, providing recommendations and more. It provides an interesting glimpse into the mind of the wine consumer and has also fueled a number of blog posts. Stop by the store some time and let me help you choose some wines. Besides the wine, the store also stocks some delicious gourmet and artisan foods, so you have one stop shopping for a party.

What were some of your favorite wine related items this year?

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently. **********************************************************
1) Beginning Saturday, October 27, The Wine ConneXtion, in North Andover, will celebrate its 3rd Anniversary with the “Big Three” complimentary tasting series featuring the “Third Annual Fall Grand Tasting,” “Magnificent Meritages” and “90 Points and Above.”

On Saturday, October 27 from 12pm-5pm, the Wine ConneXtion will kick-off the series with its “Third Annual Fall Grand Tasting.” Guests are invited to taste a wide selection of new wines while perusing more than 50 exclusive, hand-selected bottles from all over the world as they enjoy culinary treats from Chama Grill.

Guests are then invited on Saturday, November 3, from 1pm-5pm, to expand their wine knowledge with a tasting dedicated to “Magnificent Meritages.” Guests will learn about the elusive category of exceptional American wines blended in the Bordeaux tradition. These wines go through a rigorous screening process just to be awarded the name Meritage and are a treat to taste.

Finally, on Saturday, November 10, from 1pm-5pm, guests are invited to a tasting worth the wait as they sip and sample some of the industry’s highest rated wines at “90 Points and Above.”

2) On November 14, at 6:30pm,  Legal Sea Foods will team up with Catena Zapata’s Export Director, Pablo Piccolo, to host a four-plus-course wine dinner at the Park Square location. Each course will feature Legal Sea Foods’ cuisine complemented by wines from this Argentinean vineyard. Guests will indulge in the following at Legal Sea Foods’ striking 10,000 bottle Park Square wine cellar:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Wild Salmon Napoleon,* Dill Crème Fraîche, Toast Points
Fresh Shucked Oysters,* Chimichurri Vinaigrette
Hickory Wood Grilled Provolone, Grilled Crostini
Alma Negra Rosé of Cabernet, Vista Flores, 2011
FIRST COURSE
Diver Scallops Carpaccio (Mixed Field Greens, Apple-Citrus Vinaigrette)
Tilia Torrontes, Cafayete, 2011
SECOND COURSE
Mezquite-Grilled King Salmon (Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto Cake, Béarnaise Butter Sauce) Catena Alta Chardonnay, Mendoza, 2010
THIRD COURSE
Braised Short Ribs (Black Truffle Mashed Potato, Braised Red Chard)
Catena Alta Malbec, Mendoza, 2009
Catena Zapata “Adrianna Vineyard,” Mendoza, 2007
CHEESE COURSE
Vermont Ayr, Great Hill Blue, Bijou (Mission Fig Compote, Wood Grilled Francese Bread)
Catena “Vista Flores” Malbec, Mendoza, 2010

Cost: $85 per person (excludes tax and gratuity)
Reservations required by calling: 617-530-9397

3)  Erich Schliebe, L’Espalier’s beverage director, is joined by the 12th generation of the famed Trimbach family, Jean Trimbach. For almost four centuries, the Trimbach Family has been promoting the region of Alsace and its history, focusing on its exceptional terroirs and fine wines, with their estate based in Ribeauvillé, Alsace, France. This iconic winery boasts superb vineyards and outstanding wines that are admired and enjoyed throughout the wine-drinking world.

On October 31, at 7pm, Instead of trick-or-treating this Halloween, L’Espalier offers guests a more refined option of tasting the night away at its Trimbach Wine Dinner. Join Erich Schliebe and Jean Trimbach for an elaborate Wine Dinner. Enjoy Chef Frank McClelland’s six-course French meal paired with wines from the Trimbach estate, including:

MENU (Subject to chance. Costumes are optional.)

First Course
2010 Trimbach Riesling
Fluke cru with citrus and soy
Second Course
2001 Trimbach "Cuvee Frederic Emile 375th Anniversary" Riesling
Butter poached Casco Bay lobster with sugar pumpkin mousse, Maine mussels, and red curry puree
Third Course
2005 Trimbach "Reserve Personnelle" Pinot Gris
Hudson Valley foie gras "royale" with caramelized native pear, quince gelee, and fruit and nut toast
Fourth Course
2005 Trimbach "Signeurs De Ribeaupierre" Gewurtztraminer
Pan roasted squab with Black Mission Fig, ASF Bacon, and Brussels Sprout Leaves
Grand Fromage
2000 Trimbach "Vendage Tardive" Pinot Gris
Grand Dessert Tasting
Coffee & Teas, Petits Fours

The event is $145 per person. Reservations are required. For reservations, please call L’Espalier at (617) 262- 3023.

4) Boston magazine’s 3rd Annual Taste event, held at the Mandarin Oriental, offers a spectacular evening of culinary assortments from 18 of the hottest restaurants in Boston and Cambridge. Taste attendees will have the chance to savor delectable bites from some of the city’s most esteemed chefs, sip creative cocktails from top mixologists and socialize among fellow foodies. A portion of the proceeds from the delicious dining event will benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Chefs from 18 participating restaurants, including: 80 Thoreau, Alma Nove, Artisan Bistro, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse, Ducali, il Casale Cucina Italiana, Journeyman, L’Espalier, Local 149, Mandarin Oriental, Neptune Oyster, Post 390, Sel de la Terre, Shanti, Smith & Wollensky, Trade, Tremont 647 and Tres Gatos. Additional participants include mixologists Chris Olds of Park and Josh Taylor of Westbridge.

When: Monday, November 12. VIP from 6pm-7pm, General Admission, 7pm–9pm

To purchase tickets visit, http://www.bostonmagazine.com/taste/index.html.

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
**********************************************************
1)  On Monday, May 21, CupcakeCamp Boston, a gathering of cupcake enthusiasts, is bringing sweet cupcake creations back to Somerville at Arts at the Amory for the 3rd Annual CupcakeCamp Boston to benefit Lovin’ Spoonfuls, a food rescue nonprofit dedicated to providing healthy, ready-to-eat food to those in need.

Each year CupcakeCamp gives professional bakers, bakeries and amateur bakers alike the opportunity to showcase their most delicious cupcake creations to hundreds of people. From 7pm-9pm, guests can indulge in a cupcake extravaganza featuring thousands of cupcakes for only $5. For those interested in skipping the line, CupcakeCamp Boston has created a new VIP hour held from 6pm-7pm which, for only $25 per ticket, will give guests early access to the confectionary creations and swag from Lovin’ Spoonfuls as well as a chance to win prizes from Whole Foods whose co-sponsorship and support along with Boston Cupcake Crawl run by Boston Chocolate Tours makes CupcakeCamp Boston possible.

Proceeds from CupcakeCamp Boston benefit Lovin’ Spoonfuls, a nonprofit organization that recovers and distributes perishable and un-served food to local crisis centers, soup kitchens and other social assistance entities. "CupcakeCamp has always been about food and fun, but also the spirit of giving back. Food access is a widespread problem and we're thrilled to be able to raise money to benefit local food rescue organization Lovin' Spoonfuls in their quest to eliminate hunger in the Boston area,” said Elizabeth Ginsburg, founder of CupcakeCamp Boston.

A limited number of tickets for the VIP hour will be pre-sold for $25 and will go on sale during the first week of May. General admission tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.

Participating Bakeries: Cakeology, Cakes by Erin, Cupcakes by Martha, JannaBee's, O'Sugar! Cakery, Sweet Creations by Gloria, Whole Foods Market and Wicked Good Cupcakes.

2)  Boston magazine is hosting a decadent evening to celebrate the talented pastry chefs that proudly stand behind Boston’s culinary scene. Boston magazine’s Top Desserts event is an evening to taste selections from numerous restaurants in the city. Part of the proceeds from the delicious dining event will benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Who: Ten chefs from sixteen participating restaurants including: · Chef Shane Gray of Mistral · Chef Charlene Smith of Sorellina · Chef Jiho Kim of L’Espalier · Chef Lauren Kroesser of Eastern Stand, Island Creek Oyster Bar and The Hawthorne · Chef Tiffani Faison of Sweet Cheeks · Chef Maura Kilpatrick of Oleana and Sofra · Chef Oliver Maillard of Deuxave · Chef David Nevins of Nix's Mate · Chef Katie Kimbal of Area Four · Chef Jessica Pelletier of Russell House Tavern, Temple Bar, Grafton Street, and PARK Restaurant & Bar

When: Thursday, May 24, 6pm–7pm VIP, 7pm–9pm General Admission
Where: Mandarin Oriental, 776 Boylston Street, Boston
For tickets, please visit: www.bostonmagazine.com/topdesserts

3)  Haru is adding another libation to their cocktail menu: the Geisha. This specialty liquid blend mixes up sweet nigori sake and lychee puree with muddled strawberries and lime and is then topped off with a splash of 7-Up. The Geisha is now available all day and night during the months of May and June for only $7.

For cocktail connoisseurs looking to recreate the magic at home, Haru shares its recipe for sweet success:

Ingredients:
2.5 oz nigori sake
2 oz lychee puree
Dash of simple syrup
Splash of 7-Up
2 strawberries
1 lime wedge
1 lychee

Method: Muddle the fresh lime and strawberries. Add a dash of simple syrup, the lychee puree and the nigori sake. Shake and pour into a pilsner glass. Top with ice and a splash of 7-Up. Garnish with a lychee.

4)  Chefs Chris Douglass and Nuno Alves source and cook as locally as possible, which includes using recipes from some of Boston’s top food writers. The two men have assembled a Who’s Who of the city’s most in-demand authors, and plan to create special, one-night menus to showcase their current cookbooks at Tavolo. Each event features a 3-course dinner based on recipes from the pages of the cookbook, a discussion with the author, and an autographed cookbook. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Cost is $45 per person and call 617-822-1918 for reservations.

June 7: Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, by Maria Speck 
A how-to guide for introducing healthy Old World staples like farro, barley and wheat berries into new American cooking. Speck was raised in Greece and Germany, but coming to the U.S. and becoming a journalist. She also teaches Mediterranean cooking in Cambridge. Notable Cookbook, New York Times 2011 Best 100 Cookbooks of Past 25 Years, Cooking Light Top Ten Cookbooks of 2011, Washington Post Julia Child Award 2012.

July 19: The Boston Homegrown Cookbook, by Leigh Belanger 
Profiles 28 Boston area restaurants that are working with local farmers to bring the freshest locally grown, sustainable foods to their menus. See Tavolo on the cover. Belanger manages programs for Chefs Collaborative and studies gastronomy at Boston University. “

August 2: Salads: Beyond the Bowl, by Mindy Fox 
A former Boston cook, and now editor of La Cucina Italiana magazine, Mindy has written for countless national publications, and has authored three well-reviewed previous cookbooks. 2010 Best Cookbooks of the Year, NY Times Best of the Best, Food & Wine.

September [TBD]: The Apple Lover’s Cookbook, by Amy Traverso
Amy’s been in the food world for years, as food editor of Boston Magazine, food & travel editor at Sunset before that, and now senior lifestyle editor at Yankee Magazine. Aa solid compendium that is as satisfying and reliable as its namesake fruit,” Publisher’s Weekly “… an excellent primer on apple varieties,” Bon Appetit.

October 11: The American Lighthouse Cookbook, by Becky Epstein and Ed Jackson
A unique book of regional recipes gathered from lighthouse towns on east and west coasts. Jackson is a chef; Epstein contributes wine, spirits, food and travel articles to Intermezzo and Palate Press. Best Regional Cookbook Award 2009, USABooksNews.com.

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