EatWellsLiveWells

The other night we went to Pylos, a popular Greek restaurant in the East Village. We should have known what sort of attitude you might find from the first page of the menu where consulting chef Diane Kochilas is described as the world’s foremost authority on greek cuisine. Not a bad distinction for a New Yorker of Greek descent who has lived in Greece since the all the way back to the early 1990’s.

Despite not having a reservation, we were able to get a table but only if we finished by 9pm. This sort of agreement is never a great way to start a meal but we took the table anyway. And I’m glad we did.The food was excellent.

We ordered a bottle of 2006 Zoe Skouras, a rose from the Peloponnesos region in Greece and made from the agiogitiko (also known as St. George) grape. Full disclosure – this was the first Greek rose I have ordered. We told our waiter we would start with a few mezethes (appetizers) and he quickly took away all but one our menus. We had Greek giant beans baked in a honey-scented tomato-dill sauce, poikila – a trio of tzatsiki (yogurt dip) , taramosalata (fish roe dip) and melitzanosalata (eggplant dip); horiatiki (classic greek salad) and saganaki – three greek cheeses melted in a clay pot. We ate these with freshly grilled pita bread. With our 9pm deadline approaching, we decided to have have just a few more appetizers – spanakorizo (spinach-rice pilar served with feta, lemon and cracked black pepper; htapothi (grilled octopus with a balsamic sauce and capers) and keftedakia (light-as-air meatballs, pan fried in olive oil). With just a few minutes before the hour, we asked if they any small sweets like Greek cookies. Our waiter told us “no we don’t have any Greek cookies” in a not-so-nice way (think Mike Mulligan). Much to our surprise, the deadline was pushed back for a bit allowing us to have two desserts – galaktobourekakia (phyllo triangles filled with Greek custard and drizzled with honey) and yaourti straggismeno (drained Greek yogurt served with sour cherry, Greek honey and walnuts.

Everything was excellent. Its just too bad the service didn’t match the comfort food.

I celebrated Bastille Day yesterday at my office with a French lunch. We had goose liver pate, cornichons, olives, saucisson, “French style” jambon from Niman Ranch of California, Lescure salted butter and four cheeses:

Chabichou du Poitou (won name-protection (AOC), guaranteeing the authenticity of its origin. It is made in the very small geographic area above the chalky soils of the threshold of Poitou, halfway between Paris and Bordeaux.); Camembert Chatelain (Camembert is an AOC cow’s milk cheese from the Normandy region in northern France) ; Delice de Bourgogne (a triple-cream from Burgundy) and finally a blue Fourme d’Ambert (Legend says it was already made at the time of the Druids and the Gauls; one of the oldest cheeses in France along with Roquefort. Made in the Monts de Forez of Auvergne. Since 2002it has had an AOC grade). We of course had a few baguettes. All this was paired with 2005 Domaine Jaume Côtes du Rhône Villages Vinsobres Altitude 420 (Vinsobres AOC was created only in 2005 , made Grenache (obligatory) and a blend of Syrah and/or Mourvedre). Finally for dessert we had a chocolate moose cake. I’m not sure we could have stormed the Bastille after that lunch.

From EatWellsLiveWells Senior Correspondent Guillaume –
un vrai vétéran de fonds d’extraordinaires

Reviews of the Wines of EatWells LiveWells – we had some wonderful stuff on the oval that evening!

Henri Boillet 2003 Batard Rich aromas of yellow plums and apricots are found in the nose. concentrated, plush, dense, packed w,sweet, pulp-laden white fruits. plump, soft, suave, generous; exhibits a long fruit-filled finish.

Gunderloch 2004 Nackenheim Roth enberg Riesling Spätlese Wine Spectator 94 Intense aromas and flavors of pineapple, apricot, wet earth and stone are exuberant and beautifully integrated with the silky texture and vibrant structure. There’s fine depth and a lingering intensity. You can almost smell a spring rain rising from the warm slate. Drink now through 2022. 400 cases imported. –BS

1997 Chateau Montelena Estate Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 95 points Wine Spectator: “This California Cab serves up lots of ripe, supple black cherry, currant and plum-laced flavors, as well as pretty touches of earth, anise and mineral. Turns smooth and supple, finishing with polished tannins. Best from 2001 through 2015.” (10/2000) 94 points Robert Parker: “There is no doubting the potential of the 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. Even by Montelena’s standards, this is a powerful wine (in excess of 14% alcohol). There is a spicy, pungent, earthy character dominated by creme de cassis and mineral notions. Full-bodied, stunningly concentrated, and pure, but in need of 4-5 years of bottle age, this blockbuster, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon should evolve for 25-30 years … at the minimum.” (01/2000)

Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 1997 Domaine Dujac – Very distinctive. Once you adapt to the truffle, sous-bois (wet forest floor), mature Pinot aromas and focus on the lovely, pure, ripe red berry flavors, there’s plenty to enjoy in this medium-bodied, rather racy, traditional red Burgundy. Drink now through 2005. –PM Wine Spectator 91

If you’re looking for something other than cheese and bread for your picnic, Mark Bittman, the Minimalist of The New York Times , posted a list of 101 suggestions.

Last Friday, we had another picnic on the oval. It was a hot, early summer night. We sat on grass, yes, real green grass, under some big oak trees. School was finally over. So was soccer and little league. It felt like a perfect time to celebrate. Our friend said he would bring some wines so we we brought the food. I wanted to bring something that would be easy to eat and go well with the wines. I decided on rotisserie chicken and a selection of cheeses. My brother made roasted potato salad with sugar snap peas and our other friend brought a tortellini dish.

Now to the wine…..we started with a Gunderloch 2004 Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese, followed by Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2003 Henri Boillot. Next we had Chateau Montelana Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 1997 and finally a Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 1997 Domaine Dujac.

For cheese we had Istara (in the photo), a sheeps milk cheese from the Pyrenees in France’s Basque region, Bucheron, a partially dry goat’s milk cheese from the Loire Valley; Le Chevrot, an aged French goat cheese from the Charentes-Poitou region. I made sure there was something for the Burgundy, so I brought a perfectly ripened Epoisse de Bourgogne. This well-known, yet somewhat smelly cheese is made from cow’s milk and washed in Marc de Bourgogne, a local alcohol, which gives it an orange color on the outside. The inside is a creamy, pungent cheese that spreads easily onto baguettes.

For desert (not that we needed it) , I got some big cookies from the Green Bakery – chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chip and coconut. It was a pefect way to end the picnic and a great start to beginning of summer. A good time was had by all.

I meant to write about The Frontera Grill a while ago but never got around to it. Last year when I was in Chicago, I decided to try it for lunch. I liked it so much I went back the next day. Frontera is owned by chef and cookbook author Rick Bayless and is next door to his high-end restaurant Topolobampo. I remember I had great guacamole, cerviche, queso fundido clasico and huevos rancheros verdes. This is definitely worth a try or two.

We went to Bogota Latin Bistro in Brooklyn last Sunday for Father’s Day. Located in Park Slope on 5th Avenue, its well worth a visit.

Last week I was lucky enough to have been invited to a luncheon at Daniel, the New York restaurant of award-winning chef Daniel Boulud. The lunch started with a few glasses of Champagne Paul Goerg 1er Cru, blank de Blancs, vintage 2002. The menu followed with pea soup “A La Française” paired with Meursault-Perrieres, Domaine Drouhin, Burgundy 2003. This soup had bright green peas with a little crisp; not the mushy, dull green ones you’re thinking of. Next, we had roasted black sea bass paired with Volnay, Domaine Drouhin, Burgundy 2003. Finally, chef Boulud’s team prepared bittersweet chocolate-praliné cremeux for dessert. Just in case that wasn’t enough, we had chocolates, madeleines and petits fours with espresso. Not bad for a Friday lunch.

Today I celebrated my 13th wedding anniversary at La Grenouille, the venerable New York French restaurant, with my wonderful wife. We had a Kir Royale as an apéritif. For the first course, I had Les Asperges Tièdes à l’Oeuf Poché (Warm Asparagus with Poached Egg) and my wife had two small, lightly fried, soft-shell crabs. For the second course we had Le Cabillaud aux Pommes de Terre et Anchois (Cod with Anchovies, Olives, Capers, Shallot Crust with Lemon Zest) and the La Sole Grillée, Sauce Moutarde (Grilled Dover Sole, Mustard Sauce). Finally we had La Tourte Chaude au Chocolat Amer (Warm Bitter Chocolate Tort) and a warm apple tart. The restaurant offered us a glass of Crémant, the sparkling Alsace wine of France, to enjoy with the desserts.
It started to rain lightly just as we arrived but by the time our lunch was over, a steady rain was falling, looking a lot like this illustration. It might have been a bit dreary outside, but inside, there was a special celebration, so fitting for the person sitting next to me. Je t’aime.

Maybe because its Passover and I have bread on my mind (well flat, rather tasteless sheets of water and flour really) that I’ve been craving another of City Bakery’s Pretzel Croissant.
I usually get them at City Bakery’s 1st Avenue outpost the Green Bakery . The last one I had, right before Passover started, was just out of the oven. Pretzel Croissants are a salty version of the classic French puff-pastry. The City Bakery one is topped with sesame seeds. Add a cup of their organic coffee and its tough combo to beat.