Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode 4: Tuesday, August 19 2008- The Wine News Show Inaugural Episode!

Still working out sound with the new microphone and did this show solo (no cameraman!), but here’s the first episode of the Monday (a day late) Wine News Show! If you have news worthy you’d like to see broadcast, please send to Michael@foodandwineblog.com.

Enjoy

Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode 3- Food, wine, culture TV- Wine News Show! This first episode features Michael Mohammadi of foodandwineblog.com giving an overview of many of the top headlines in the wine world over the last week. Unedited and unscripted, the once-per-week show will take on issues from wine politics and wine region weather to new restaurants and wine gossip. Tune in to this first (rough!) episode and please come back for more! Read more

Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode 3- Scallops, Pork, Wine and Beer- Cooking and wine pairing!

Foodandwineblog.com’s Food, wine, culture TV Show! In this third episode, I make two simple yet delicious dishes (one is noblepig.com inspired!) and try a few different beverage pairings in our recently (and ongoing) renovated kitchen. Carlos L is back on guitar, the dogs are wandering around and dinner turned out great. So grab a glass of wine and join me for a night of cooking and wine!
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Beers of the Weekend (and the week, so far)

By: Greg B As you all might have guessed by now, I am a lover of many things, beer being one of them.  Since I’ve basically devoted the past 5 days to food and beer, I figured I should share with you the many bears beers of the world I’ve recently consumed, and something about them.

Starting on last Wednesday, My roommate and I went to Riptide, a new bar in Fells for a few beers.  I had a taste of some god-awful martini that was brightly colored (I was trying to talk with the girl who ordered the martini, but, after tasting it, I dont think I’d want to be associated with someone who drinks that junk.  It tasted like cotton candy).  My roommate and I ordered Dos Equis lager from the tap, which is always better than the bottle in this case.  The lager is not quite as good as the amber, but it’s a nice refreshing beer, with real mild hops. Afterwards, we wandered over to the 2nd floor of Slainte (pronounced slan-cha)                                        http://www.slainteirishpub.com/.

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NINJA! of New York

By: Greg B.

The Ninja. The name conjures up images of a remote island nation, people living in feudal society with warring samurai lords, engaged in constant battle for both supremacy and honor, but all the while, being assassinated in the dark by mysterious martial arts masters, cloaked in black. The Ninja. Master of Ninja physics, can do the Ninja double jump, a jump in the air, then, at the apex of height, perform another jump and propel himself forward. Running on water, scaling vertical walls seemingly with just their hands. The Ninja.

Now, in our time, Ninja are relegated to such things as Halloween costumes, bad movies involving pirates (I swear to you, in college we watched a movie that was Ninjas vs pirates.) and characters in video games. However, there is a restaurant in Tokyo called Ninja, a recreation of a feudal Japanese ninja castle, with excellent food and ninjas appearing from no where. The idea was to build a replica in NY city. The idea anyway. I expected Ninjas to fall from the ceiling, tumble through the hallways, surprise people from cracks in the wall, assassinate you while using the urinoirs, throw ninjas stars just past you head when you didn’t pay enough tip. Unfortunately, these were the crushed hopes and dreams of a man.

Ninja of New York (http://www.ninjanewyork.com/) was an attempt to both entertain people and bring them some high class, Japanese food. I have to say now, that despite Ninja having no Japanese Ninjas (unless maybe the cook who lit me lamb on fire was one?) the food was pretty good. There were six of us, Jessica, Asa, myself and three of Asa’s friends, Matt, Mike and Maria. We were seated in the dungeon area, no doubt to keep us away from the children and other, more civilized individuals. Upon sitting, we ordered a round of beer (Which I think was Asahi) and three large bottles of Sake (believe it was a Junmai, Hanzo, something apparently produced by NINJA). The beer was good and refreshing, as per usual for Japanese beers and the sake was plentiful.

For appetizers, we ordered for the table. Jessica ordered the Batto Jutsu, a very delicious sweet pepper, orangy duck combo, which came served on top of a yellow pepper with a short Katana through it. Upon removing the Katana, dry ice fell into the water on the bottom of the pepper, giving off vapor. Lots of dry ice was used on the dishes, no doubt to give everything a mysterious Ninja feeling. We also ordered the Floating Sashimi, sashimi suspended over a mixture of, dry ice and water. The presentation was very beautiful of all of these dishes and the taste was pretty good too. I ordered a Jalapeno star, sushi presented like a Ninja star. It was not as spicy as I had hoped….. or, perhaps all the sake was numbing me by this point, but it definitely tasted delicious and the fish was very fresh. There was one more appetizer, but I don’tsee it on the online menu. It was a very delicious beef, wrapped in rice just like a sushi roll. Very large too, each section should probably be split with another individual. Just as we were finishing up our appetizers, the main courses arrived.

I had ordered the Ninja Bonfire, which was a herb encrusted lamb. It was excellent, and when they served it, they put the ribs together, lit them on fire after chanting a Ninja saying and informing us that these were in fact, the bones of the Ninja server’s enemies. Little known fact is that Ninja hate Lamb. Matt and Mike split the Smokin Fluke, two large rolls of cabbage, fluke and other assorted goodies, which came under a thin glass cover, into which they had pumped smoke, so as to litterally smoke the food. Jessica and Asa ordered a series of sushi, which came beautifully arranged and once again, was very delicious (though, honestly, I still think Yamato sushi was the best. you were right, Mike!).

After dinner, I ordered the lone dessert to share with the table. Most people were pretty full by this point. I ordered the Ninja star, which the menu reads “the NINJA ultimate weapon”. It was indeed, pretty ultimate. a chocolate, almost tiramisu style cake with thin black chocolate ninja star shaped wafers on top. It was very delicious.

Before receiving the check, a ‘Ninja’ came downstairs to perform card and magic tricks, involving the “pick a card, any card” and handed people at the table and had them pick out page numbers and he would tell us what was on the page and page next to it. He performed a longer trick with me, continuously calling me “Craig”, where I cut a deck, picked up 9 cards (he said between 5 and 15) and he would tell me which cards I had. It was rather ‘impressive’. The check arrived next, and I have to take this point to thank Asa again, as he paid for myself and Jessica, both knowing that we make little income, and also knowing that the following day we were helping him move his lead weight collection down 5 flights of NYC loft stairs. Ninja, it turns out, also has take out. Whether actual Ninjas scale your building and surprise you in your home with your food, is unknown to me, I like to imagine they do. But it was a good deal, and I would recommend Ninja of New York to anyone who has a bunch of cool friends and is looking for a good time one night in NYC. However, you probably should be embarrassed if you’re a regular.

Food, Wine, Culture TV- Episode 2: WineBloggingWednesday 48 - Back to my wine “roots” in Detroit!

Today is WineBloggingWednesday (which I talk about in the video) and the theme is taking it back to you roots. My wine “roots” began in Detroit with some cheap “wine” and slowly progressed to high end California Cabernet. Join me (and special guest Carlos L) for a tasting, beginning where I began and ending where I was 5 years ago- Drinking big Cali Cabernet and Bordeaux Blends. (Links pertaining to this episode and truncated tasting notes are below the video)
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Food, Wine, Culture TV! - Episode 1: A cheap Malbec on the beaches of Block Island, RI

Well here it is, my journey into the world of video blogging. This first episode is a basic introduction into where I’d like to take the show and features a Malbec that’s perfect for the beach. My plan is to put out 2-3 shows per week as time permits. I’m going to do some cooking, food and wine pairings, use my science/research background to address issues pertaining to wine and health, and of course, I’ll be tasting a good amount of wine.  Another aspect of the show I’m excited for involves shooting “on location” at restaurants, wine bars and shops around Baltimore and around the world !
The resolution and sound in this episode aren’t great, yet, but I’m learning how to use the new software and hope to have the bugs worked out in a few weeks. Without further ado: Read more

Wine Tasting Etiquette

The following list is intended to be a guide those who are new to the world of wine and wine tastings. The guide is based on free wine tastings, which are common at local area wine shops and restaurants. This list is an excerpt from a full article I wrote which can be found at the online University of Maryland independent student newspaper. I’m most likely forgetting some important points and will update this if anything comes to me!

Tasting Etiquette

1. A 1 oz pour is traditional at these events, and is the state law maximum at free tastings. The premium tastings are usually more generous with pour volume.

2. You may ask to re-taste a wine, but don’t ask to try them all again, and again, and again! Also, only re-taste if you are serious about buying.
3. Keep in mind that the free tasting is designed to expose the customers to new wines with the hope they will purchase something. If you try a wine you really like, and it’s priced affordable, then support the tasting and buy a bottle. This way you’re getting a wine you know you like and the store has incentive for having more tastings.
4. A rinse in between pours is not necessary. Unless you are going from a red wine to a white wine or a red dinner wine to a dessert wine, there is no need to rinse your glass.
5. Ask questions. The person pouring the wine should know a lot about the particular wines on hand. If you like a wine, but it’s expensive, ask the staff to recommend something similar that is in a specific price range.

Where to practice your newly learned skills:

Calvert Wine and Spirits (www.calvertwine.com) – check website for details.
The Wine Source (www.the-wine-source.com) - Every Friday night, 4:30- 7:30 PM
Mt. Washington Wine Company - (www.mtwashingtonwine.com ) - Last Thursday of the month

Local Premium (not free!) Wine Tastings
Bin 604 (www.bin604.com), $29 for 8 wines, schedule varies
Chesapeake Wine Company (www.chesapeakewine.com), $25 every Tuesday 6:00 PM

A short hiatus: I direct your attention to these outstanding wine blogs and websites!

Things have been busy in Baltimore lately as I’m working on a publication in lab, traveling quite a bit, and trying to work things out for my new internet show. That said, my writing has suffered the most as I have very little free time to sit down and fire away at the keyboard. Though I have many articles planned, it’s going to be a week or so before I get anything published.

Therefore, I’d like to suggest a few wine blogs to check out in the meantime:

My affiliate site:
http://wineinterview.com/

Wine Cellar Tracking Software (free and amazing!):
http://www.cellartracker.com

Baltimore/Local:
http://www.diningdish.blogspot.com/
http://thebaltimorebabe.blogspot.com/
http://www.howchow.blogspot.com/
http://www.vinotrip.com/

Wine and Culture/Politics:
http://www.drvino.com/
http://www.fermentation.typepad.com/
http://thepour.blogs.nytimes.com/
http://www.vinography.com/
http://lennthompson.typepad.com/
http://www.israeli-wine.org/
http://germanwines.us/

Wine Reviews:
http://tv.winelibrary.com/
http://goodwineunder20.blogspot.com/
http://www.redwinebuzz.com/
http://www.wannabewino.com/

Recipes, Wines, Anything Else:
http://www.catavino.net/
http://noblepig.com/
http://www.figandcherry.com/
http://chefforfeng.wordpress.com/

Literature/Music:
http://apointofnoreturn.com/
My first video/podcast is expected to go up next weekend. Details on the show are to follow. I hope everyone is enjoying good health and sharing great food and wine with family and friends!

Quick tips for ordering wine in a restaurant

Baltimore’s Summer 2008 Restaurant Week is in full force and among the many restaurants participating this year there are endless types of cuisine and culinary treats to be devoured. But with a variety of restaurants, comes a variety of wine lists. For the casual diner who doesn’t want to go broke on a (bad) bottle of wine, here are some tips to ensure your next journey through a restaurant wine list ends with happy palates and a bank accounts. Read more

Good wine tastes even better when made by great people: An interview with Paul Romero of Stefania Wine

One of life’s simplest pleasures is a well made glass of wine. A single glass of wine exemplifies the hard work put into the vineyard and winery, as well as the personality and passion of its winemaker. When it comes to making good wines that express love and appreciation of both the vineyard and the wine, not many folks do it as good as Paul (and Stefani) Romero of Stefania Wine. Read more

Tasting Report: 7 Wines of the Loire Valley paired with Sushi

What wines go well with $360 worth of sushi? Well, for the 9 of us in attendance on Sunday at the Wine Club gathering (at Yamato Sushi- review to come), I think we’d agree that something from the Loire Valley (France)would work quite nicely.

Overall we had a great time working through the 7 wines (tough work but someone has to do it!). The only sparkling wine in the group came from Louis de Grenelle, a large estate in Saumur (home of some great red wines). We worked through 4 Vouvray’s and two other Loire whites, ending with my favorite wine from the Loire Valley, a red wine from Chinon (100% Cabernet Franc). There wasn’t a bad wine in the bunch, with two being great (89 pts!) and all being wines I’d gladly drink again. Read more

Should Wine Come With A Warranty?

I recently purchased an HD Camcorder that I am going to use to do some video features for foodandwineblog.com (more to come!). I bought the camera from an online store and a few days after it arrived, I received an e-mail from the retailer offering an extended warranty plan at about 1/5 of the cost of the camera. After weighing in the cost of the coverage, the chance of the camera breaking, and the price of replacing this exact camera in 3 years, I decided to pass on the warranty. Read more

Monday Wine Headlines: Great sushi tasting and homemade blends, Foodandwineblog to go digital, Great Grapes in Annapolis this coming weekend.

Sunday July 20, 2008 - Sushi and Wine Tasting: Yesterday’s sushi and wine tasting was more of a sushi and wine “filling.” Our group of 9 overtook a portion of Yamato Sushi in Timonium (review coming soon) for 3 hours of drinking, eating and story telling. We begin as a quiet group, with edamame, seaweed salad and a bottle of Sparkling wine from the Loire. We finished as a more vocal crowd, having devoured platters of raw fish, 9 bottles of wine from the Loire Valley (some very good wines), including a few homemade blends at the end of the night (which were surprisingly good) - pics can be found here. If you missed out on this month’s tasting, no worries, I’m already planning August. Look for something the week of August 18-25, involving grilled steaks and maybe, just maybe at our house again!

HD Camcorder Has Arrived!: Filming has begun for a new feature on this website to include wine tastings, food and wine pairings, restaurant reviews, winemaker and chef interviews, and more. Guest stars will include many familiar faces, winemakers, and more. Stay tuned over the next few weeks for the first release (once I figure out how to get my computer to recognize the camera!).

Great Grapes in Annapolis: As “Shar” pointed out in our forums, this coming weekend is the “Great Grapes” festival in Annapolis, MD. Hundreds of amazing wines will be poured over the two day event and many local and national winemakers and distributors will be on hand. For more information see the Great Grapes website.

RedWineBuzz wine Survey: To help out a good friend in the wine industry, please check out and complete this survey.

Korean food: Jong Kak and Wong Gal Bi

by Greg B.

If anyone is ever in the mood to go stuff themselves silly on good food with a bunch of friends, Korean restaurants are the place to go. I had never had Korean food until this past winter, but since then it has become at least a monthly event. And, if you have never eaten it, it certainly is an event. I listed two restaurants because these are the only two I have been to, and both are excellent. Read more

A Few Recipes From Around The Blogosphere: With wine pairings!

I read a lot of food blogs and am always impressed with the number of great home chefs (and pro chefs) out there! Since I love food and wine, and enjoy coming up with interesting wine pairings for any dish, I decided to feature a few recipes from around the internet each week and offer my wine pairing advice.

From FigandCherry.Com: Red wine lamb shanks with herb mash

If this dish doesn’t look or sound amazing to you, then I’m guessing your a vegetarian! With a nice red wine sauce, the obvious pairing here would be a medium to big bodied red with good structure and dark fruits- I’d look to the left bank of the Gironde river in Bordeaux to the Cabernet-heavy blends.

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Free Advice To Restaurants: How to sell more wine and keep your customers coming back for more.

Two months back I was asked by a friend and restaurant manager who I’ve known for years for advice on her wine list. She asked how her restaurant (a mid-range restaurant in a nice area of suburban Detroit) could increase their wine sales and revenue since it had slowly been decreasing as the economy worsened. This was a great question and one that I feel is relevant for many fine dining restaurants in Baltimore and elsewhere in the US. In a time when the economy has many people eating at home and spending less on food and wine, how does a middle to high class restaurant survive? Here I offer advice some pretty simple advice for restaurants that either do not have a dedicated wine manager, or who could use a few ideas on how to sell more wine and make more money. Read more

Best places on the internet for (free) wine information.

Here are some of my favorite online wine resources- from videos to forums to wine blogs and more. I’m compiling a list of my favorite “Lesser Known” wine blogs and websites as well and hope to publish these in the next week. I have no competing interests in any of the sites, except for www.wineinterview.com, where my blog is also published. That said, my only compensation is link-backs, so there is no financial motive for me to put them here! If you have suggestions on other great websites, let me know! (image from dreamstime.com) Read more

Monday, 7/14/08: Chefs and Wine Recap, Wines for Bastille Day, A few spots left for this weeks tasting!

Baltimore Chef and Wine Experience a Success: The 2008 Baltimore Chef and Wine Experience has come and passed. Dozens of food, wine and other related exhibits were on display for eating, tasting, reading and learning. Both national and local celebrities and chefs were on hand, as well as a couple Master Sommeliers, all sharing their recipes and experiences with those in attendance. The packed event was highlighted by talks given by television star and food writer and critic Ted Allen (my new close friend, see above!). I had a chance to meet Ted during the “VIP” tasting (which was crowded!)- a very down-to-earth, nice guy who definitely loves good food and wine. More on this event in the next few days while I recover my notes (from a husky mishap!) and put the pictures and film together.

What are you drinking this Bastille Day? French toast for breakfast with a French Roast coffee. French fries for lunch. Ladies walking around with French twists in there hair…what’s going on here? Ah! Today is Fête Nationale (”National Celebration”), the day on which the French celebrate the storming of the Bastille which took place on July 14, 1789. I hear it has something to do with the French independence or revolution or something. Whatever it is, it’s a great reason to open a French wine! So join me tonight in drinking a nice Bordeaux as we salute the republic of France!

A few spots left for this Sunday’s Wine Club Tasting- Sushi and Wine! So what are you waiting for? Go here to RSVP!

Restaurant Review: Mannequin Pis Restaurant (Olney, MD) -A night of Belgian respect with Chris and Dana

Outstanding Belgian food, bier and hospitality! Read more

Baltimore Food and Wine Events: Chef-Wine Experience, Restaurant Week, Dining Deals Website

Now is an exciting time to live in Baltimore if you’re a food and wine enthusiast! This Sunday will be the Baltimore Chef’s and Wine Experience (at which I’ll be attending!), July 26- August 3rd is Baltimore’s Restaurant Week, and through outstanding chef and author Dara Bunjon’s “Dining Dish” blog, I have found a great Baltimore dining site that offers gift certificates for half-price to many of Baltimore’s best restaurants. Information on these events can be found below. Also, check back soon for my “Best Bets for Restuarnat Week” where I’ll give recommendations for the best bang-for-your-buck restaurants that are participating this time around!

• Baltimore Dining Deals- Eating great for half the price!
• Chef’s and Wine Experience - At the Tremant Grand, Sunday July 13, 2008
• Baltimore Restaurant Week- Make your reservations soon!
• Dara Bunjon’s Dining Dish Blog - Great writing, lots of Baltimore information, recipes and more!
  

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