Episode-9: The Wines of Henry’s Drive

Food, Wine, Culture TV- Episode 9: I recently had a chance to have dinner with the very talented wine maker Renae Hirsch- the newest wine maker at well known producer Henry’s Drive in the Padthaway region of Southeast Australia. I was very impressed with Renae’s passion and love of wine and good food, and look forward to watching her integrate her style, personality into the wines of Henry’s Drive. Today I have chosen three of my favorites to talk about. So please join me as I taste through the wines of Henry’s Drive and tell the story of where the vineyard gets its name!
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Food, Wine, Culture TV - Episode 8: Two easy seafood dishes and Italian White Wines

Food, Wine, Culture TV- The Real Episode 8: Today we’re making fried calamari and lobster which I pair with a couple white wines from Soave (Veneto, Italy) that I tasted in Episode 7 (here). Join me for a 12 minute journey into some great seafood and good wines!

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Food, Wine, Culture TV- Episode 6: Cooking show- Mike’s Mama’s Schnitzel & Rieslings!

Wow…already at episode 6! If you missed the first five, click on the FWB-TV link above (or here!). Today we’re back in our “still being renovated” kitchen where I prepare my Mama’s schnitzel with pommes frites and a few Rieslings. Carlos L. is back this time with his electric guitar to provide music and expert food tasting skills. The schnitzel turned out great, the wines are good and Carlos keeps the music rocking. (Main image credit: wikipedia.com)

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Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode 5: German (and one Austrian) wines under $12 with Carlos L!

Food, wine, culture - TV: Episode 5: German Riesling! Michael Mohammadi of Foodandwineblog.com gives an overview of German wines and tastes a few Rieslings. An Austrian red wine is slipped into the mix to please the palate of guitarist and friend of foodandwineblog.com Carlos L. In this 5th episode, 2 of the Rieslings are good values, one is an OK value and the Zweigelt is a big pass. This show sets the stage for Episode 6 which features Michael’s mamas recipe for Schnitzel mit Pommes Frites and a pairing with German bier and wine!

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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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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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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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Recipes for the 4th of July…with a few wine pairing ideas!

Here are some recipe and wine ideas for this fourth of July that are certain to make your celebration a delicious success. Many of these come from Cathy at the Noble Pig website, which is my favorite food blog and overall just an outstanding website with great pictures, stories and more! I highly recommend you check out her website and sign up for her feeds!!!

As for the dishes below, most are simple, all are delicious and are complete with wine pairing ideas.

Appetizers:

Cinghale Shrimp on Greens: Wine Pairing: I like the fruit, acidity and complexity of a nice Spatlese Riesling. My pick: 2002 J.J. Prum Riesling Himmelreich (Spatlese) ($30)

Blue Sky Potatoes: Wine Pairing: The slight oakiness of a good Chardonnay would go well with the bacon and creamy potatoes. My pick: 2006 Wente Chardonnay Arroyo Seco Riva Ranch ($13)

Shrimp Rockefeller Stuffed Mushrooms: Wine Pairing: This is a tougher dish to pair, there are a lot of big flavors and a variety of textures. I think a safe bet would be a crisp Sauvignon Blanc such as 2006 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand ($16). Read more

Recipe: Old Ebbitt Grill Crab Cakes courtesy of Ali Ehrlich!

This past weekend Kim, the dogs and I spent three days kayaking, fishing, swimming and relaxing at our friends Shenandoah River house. The company included our friends Dave and Ali (Ali is pictured here on the left, with Kim and Raja), who we met through the weekends host a few months ago. Great food was eaten, great wines were drank, and great stories were both told and written.

Ali and I got to talking about her website “Life as an E” (Ehrlich) in which she gives fun and well written commentary on her life since marrying her husband David Ehrlich (the “E”!). The blog covers much more than just what they did last Tuesday or who called them last night. In fact, it is a good source for random travel, food and wine information including tasting notes and recipes! After picking her brain a bit and going through her website, I’ve asked her to share some of her recipes with us since many of them sounded very good.

Below is recipe for “Old Ebbitt Grill Crab Cakes” which I’m going to give a shot as soon at the kitchen is finished!!! Don’t forget to check out her site which features more recipes and great food and wine ramblings!

From “Life as an “E” by Ali Ehrlich:

Old Ebbitt is a DC institution, and while this is about 99% their recipe, we have made it at home a few times and tweaked it a bit for our tastes. These are authentic Maryland style crab cakes -all lump meat with almost no filler added and tastes incredible! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

First, you will need:

1 large work bowl
1 small/ medium work bowl
a baking sheet
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (such as Old Bay)
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
4 Saltine or Ritz crackers (or ¼ cup of breadcrumbs)
1 lemon (optional)

Got everything? Now, you:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet

Pick the crabmeat over to remove excess shells and cartilage.

Combine the mayonnaise, crab seasoning, parsley, mustard, and water in the medium bowl and mix until smooth. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the crabmeat and mix, being careful not to break up the lumps of crabmeat.

With your hands, break up the saltines into crumbs and mix into the crab mixture.

Form into patties and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn the crab cakes over, and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until nicely browned.

Plate and garnish with any extra fresh flat leaf parsley and lemon wedge, serve with tarter sauce on the side. Enjoy!

We usually get our crab and fresh seafood and fish from Cameron’s Seafood Market in Rockville. They have lots of locations in the DC area, and have daily and weekly specials available online.

Recipe: The most simple grilled rainbow trout…EVER!

Another simple recipe, this time using Rainbow trout that was on sale for $7.99 / lb at Whole Foods! This went great with zucchini and asparagus. The other items on the plate are chicken breast and spicy chicken burgers. I know the plate looks messy and crowded…but when you don’t have a kitchen (STILL!) it’s nice to use less dishes so you are able to cook at home sometimes!

Grilled Rainbow Trout

Ingredients:

• Whole rainbow trout, cleaned and gutted with head intact.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Ground Sea Salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1/2 lime, cut into wedges

Necessary tools:

• Grill (or broiler)
• Metal skewer (or wood skewer soaked in water for 30 mins)

1. Rinse trout in cool water.
2. Rub inside and out with olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Place lime wedges inside trout and use metal skewers to enclose the cavity of the fish.
4. Grill over medium heat, 6-8 minutes per side until skin is crispy. Flip only once and use great caution not to let the fish fall apart.
5. Serve!

Restaurant Review: The Woodberry Kitchen - Baltimore (Clipper Mill area)

Overview
Ambiance: Business casual attire, rustic yet upscale decor, upbeat music playing in the background - think Pazo but a little more rustic and relaxed.
Food: Local produce and meat, organic- very fresh ingredients from vegetarian to seafood- Mediterranean influence
Service: Knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating
Wine List: Good diversity of local wines as well as biodynamic and organic wines from all over the world. Moderate pricing.
Corkage: N/A
Attire: Business casual seems to be the theme
Overall rating: Highly recommended.  Very good food, good service, diverse wine list, good desserts/coffee, complimentary valet service.
Location/Contact Info: http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/
2010 Clipper Park Road, No. 126
Baltimore, MD 21211
Phone: 410-464-8000 (reservations highly suggested)

Review: When was the last time you had an upscale meal in Clipper Mill? I’ll make this easier, when was the last time you were in Clipper Mill? How about, have you heard of Clipper Mill? I’m guessing at least some of you answered “no” to all three! That’s OK though, this up and coming area near Hampden in Baltimore’s north side seems to be doing great as is. At least that is my conclusion after a packed house on a Monday night. A stones throw away from the Woodberry light rail stop (in the heart of the historic Clipper Mill renovation) sits a beautifully restored warehouse that is home to art gallery’s, business offices and a great all-organic restaurant. Opened in late 2007, the Woodberry Kitchen already seems to have figured out a plan for success.
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The Wine Spectator - Reasons to join their forums

The Wine Spectator is one of the top wine magazines in the world and an excellent resource for wine news, vintage quality, new producers, wine travel and overall anything to do with wine. The articles by Matt Kramer are outstanding and I’m a big fan of James Suckling (although I don’t always agree with his tasting notes) as he reviews Bordeaux and all of Italy - two wine areas I love.

The printed magazine aside, their website is an excellent resource for wine ratings, expert blogs (Suckling is very active and always has great topics, Maynard from Tool has a blog about his wine pursuits) as well as restaurant reviews and travel resources. But these features are all “premium” requiring an online subscription. There is another part of the Wine Spectators website that is free which serves as an outstanidng food, wine and travel resource, and can lead to good online and offline friendships. It’s filled with a wide range of people from the articulate to the…well, not so articulate, the expert to the beginner. The area I’m talking about is the Wine Spectator Discussion Forums.
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Wine Club Meet-up Tonight! Blues, Jazz, Great Food and Zinfandel

Just a reminder that tonight is the wine club meetup. We’re at full capacity for the event. I recommend car pooling if you can and as always, a cab is a great way to go- especially when we’re tasting 15 or so wines!

I look forward to seeing some of you tonight at 7:00 PM and the Darker Than Blue Cafe! If you need directions or have any questions, give me a call!

For those of you who aren’t joining us, there is a great Loire Valley tasting at the Chesapeake Wine Company tonight.  The tasting begins at 7:00 PM and costs $25.  The lineup for tonight:

1. de Grenelle Chenin Blanc Brut NV - Saumur
2. Yves Lambert Cabernet Franc/Sauvignon Cremant Brut Rose - Loire
3. Dorices Muscadet ‘06 - Muscadet de Sevre et Maine
4. Boulay Sauvignon Blanc ‘06 Clos de Beaujeu - Sancerre
5. Boulay Sauvignon Blanc ‘06 Reserve de Comtesse - Sancerre
6. Pinon Chenin Blanc ‘06 - Vouvray
7. Pascal Lambert Cabernet Franc ‘05 Tradition Graves - Chinon
8. Joguet Cabernet Franc ‘05 Les Varennes du Grand Clos - Chinon

Today Begins the St. Michael’s Food and Wine Festival

Some great wines being poured this weekend and daily tickets are only $45! Definitely worth checking out. Thanks Donna for reminding me

The 2008 St. Michaels Maryland Food and Wine Festival

The 2007 St. Michaels Food & Wine Festival, held on the beautiful grounds of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, drew several thousand people, from April 26 - April 29, 2007. Attendees were entertained with great jazz, guest chefs, recipe demonstrations, wine seminars, wine tastings, and food and wine related exhibitions. One-of-a-kind wine dinners were prepared at fine restaurants throughout the area.

St. Michael’s Food and Wine Festival

A Visit to Six of Baltimore’s Wine Bars

Cold weather, freezing rain, and snow have arrived in Baltimore. What better way to warm up, hang out with friends and meet new people than to grab a glass of wine at one of Baltimore’s many wine bars? Below is a list of some of the better wine bars in town, complete with contact information and a short review. Each of these establishments offers weekly specials, entertainment, and/or wine tasting events. See their respective websites for details.

Chesapeake Wine Company - Canton: www.chesapeakewine.com
2400 Boston St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410)-522-4556

With a giant wine bar situated right in the middle of the wine shop, Chesapeake wins the award for best layout of those listed below. It may well perhaps be the best overall wine bar in town. At Chesapeake, you can expect a well thought-out and reasonably priced wine selection and great customer service. You won’t find the traditional big-name California Cabernets or first growth Bordeaux’s, but what you will find is wine from small producers all over the world. Owner Mitchell Pressman does an excellent job of keeping a diverse portfolio on hand and is constantly updating their stock, always bringing in new and exciting boutique wines. The bar generally offers 15-20 wines by the glass on any given night with a few additional sparkling and dessert wines. The food menu is simple, but offers many tasty treats that go great with a glass of wine such as a cheese and olive plate or a thin-crust veggie pizza.

I’d recommend getting on their mailing list (see the website for details) as they have weekly tastings which usually run $25 as well as other great events. Try to attend one of the monthly performances by the “House Band” (typically on a Friday night) to check out owner Mitchell on bass. If you’re looking for an upbeat wine bar with great appetizers, selection and service, head over to Chesapeake!

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar- Inner Harbor: www.flemingssteakhouse.com
720 Aliceanna St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 332-1666

This premier steakhouse in the Harbor East area doubles as a wine bar. The food aside, this is the best place in town to find a glass of wine that will fit everyone’s unique tastes with 100 wines by the glass every night. The wine list and reserve wine list are both quite impressive, but don’t expect to find very many boutique wines and expect to pay premium pricing for many of their selections.

General Manager/Wine Manager Scott O’Dell is a great resource for wine recommendations to fit any palate or food pairing. If he’s not around the guys behind the bar are just as willing and able to help out. The appetizers are excellent (try the Chef’s Artisan Cheese and Charcuterie) and the Filet Mignon sandwich is the best in town. The most expensive wine bar on this list, Fleming’s is in a category of its own. Expect to rub shoulders with many affluent men and women, including many of Baltimore’s up-and-coming business professionals, as well as a few Orioles or Ravens.

Grand Cru - Belvedere Square: www.grandcrubaltimore.com/
527 E. Belvedere Ave
Baltimore, MD 21212
(410) 464-1944

Situated comfortably in the Belvedere Square shopping area, Grand Cru doubles as a wine bar and wine shop. Overall there are only around 300 wines, but the selections are well thought-out and generally boast great values from all over the world. If the good values and great service aren’t enough to get you to stop by for a glass of wine, then consider this: Grand Cru is a part of a group of shops and markets in the square which feature outstanding sushi, great artisanal breads and meats, sandwiches, fresh fruit and even a coffee shop with great pastries. You can pick up a sandwich from the deli and take it with you to Grand Cru to enjoy it with a glass of wine! Check Grand Cru out on a Friday night in the summer when there’s live music and a party going on in the parking lot of the square or for a free tasting between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM on a Saturday.

Metropolitan Coffee House and Wine Bar: www.metrobalto.com
902 South Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 576-8692

The Metropolitan has a good feel to it. Opened in 2004, this coffee house, wine bar, and full restaurant has enough food and drink choices to keep you coming back at all hours of the day or night. Great breakfasts, good espresso and coffee, and one of the best Bloody Maries in town, make the Metropolitan a great place for a Sunday brunch. As a wine bar, the Metropolitan is good, but not great. The wine list would benefit from more diversity and on two recent visits, wines ordered from the menu were not in stock. You can expect to meet many interesting people at the small (12 person) bar downstairs, or the very spacious bar upstairs which is well laid out and a great place to unwind after a long day.

As a restaurant, the Metropolitan offers an extensive menu with a lot of typical dishes (crab cakes, steaks, etc.) and some great homemade classics. You can’t go wrong with the meatloaf, but on two occasions steaks that were ordered medium-rare came out more than well. A great option for a bite to eat with your wine may be one of the many sandwiches on the menu which have always been very good. Service has always been friendly but don’t expect expert food and wine pairing advice. Check their website for details on food and drink specials, as well as events (such as Thursday night beer tastings or info on their New Years Celebration).

The Wine Market - Locust Point: www.the-wine-market.com
921 East Fort Ave
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 244-6166

Entering The Wine Market from the main parking area, you walk in to a small but well-organized wine shop. A few coolers on the right offer the usual suspects of beer, sparkling wines and a few cheese selections. As you move to the middle of the store you’ll find a shelf of bargain wines where it’s possible to find a very good wine for under $12. On the main rack in the middle of the shop are selections from around the world while the US inventory and spirits are on the wall to your left. Overall there is a good diversity in selections of wine, but as one might expect with the premier wine shop located near the luxe Federal Hill neighborhood, many of the selections are well overpriced.

Moving through the shop, you’ll find your way to the wine bar and restaurant area. Between 5-7 PM Monday through Thursday the bar will be crowded with young professionals taking advantage of one of Baltimore’s best “Happy Hours,” which features $3 wine, sangria, and appetizers all being served by Kelly, one of the best bartenders in town. Overall the service at the bar and restaurant is among the best in town, which cannot be said for the service in their wine shop (don’t expect a “hello” or “goodbye” when coming or going!). On the weekends the restaurant is filled with people excited to taste the outstanding creations of executive chef Christitan de Lutis: a few of my favorites are the Mac and Aged Cheddar Cheese (creamy and delicious), the Lamb Burger (perfectly seasoned), and the Braised Bison Ribs (tender is an understatement). Selections by the glass are generally between $4 and $10, with the option of a flight of 3 wines (3 oz pours) as well. You can grab a bottle from the shop and have it at the bar for a small corkage fee, or, after a few drinks at the bar, take a bottle home with you at 15% off.

Ze Mean Bean Café www.zemeanbean.com
1739 Fleet Street
Fells Point, MD 21231
(410) 675-5999

Opened in July of 1995, this “Eastern European Café” doubles as a full service restaurant. Ze Mean Bean, located in Fells Point, offers a good place to meet up with friends and have a glass (or two) of wine. The selection is good, with about 100 wines by the bottle and 6 white and 6 red wines by the glass, all offered at a generally fair price. Overall the servers and staff are very friendly and quick to refill your water and bring out your drinks, but don’t expect to get a great wine recommendation or to find out much about what you’re drinking.
As far as eats go, there are a lot of many interesting appetizers (try the “Slavic Sampler” to get the best of all worlds and pair it with a Riesling or Chardonnay) as well as quite an eclectic dinner menu. For a main entree, try the Hungarian Goulash or Pierogies for a quick warm-up on a cold winter’s night. Expect to spend about $25 a person for a glass of wine and a bite to eat. Check their website out (www.zemeanbean.com) for a calendar of live jazz music and other special events. The menu is seasonal and new specials are constantly being created, so you’re sure to find something new and exciting each time you visit.