Vermouth

Here I go again, extolling the virtues of what I feel is an under-appreciated wine.  Yes, vermouth is a type of wine!  In fact, it's a fortified wine.  That means that at some point either during or after the fermentation of the grapes, alcohol is added to increase its shelf-life.  What makes vermouth unique amongst fortified wines is that it is also flavored with herbs, spices, and other botanicals.  All of those layers of flavor make it great for a really interesting cocktail, an aperitif, or for cooking.

It has become fashionable to order a martini without vermouth now that there are so many top quality vodkas and gins available to us.  Back in the day when there was a dearth of understanding for fermentation technology and the intricacies of distillation, spirits were bit more rough and primitive.  The vermouth was often added to mask the undesirable flavors and to "smooth" out the spirit that it was blended with.  In the case of a Martini or a Manhattan, it also brings the overall alcohol level of the drink down, making it possible to have more than one over the course of a night.  Believe it or not, both of these used to be two ounce drinks and were never intended to fill the huge seven or eight glasses that are commonly used in restaurants or bars now.  If you are ordering a vodka with no vermouth, you are drinking three to four shots of vodka!  I don't know how people manage to drink two or more in an hour's time and are still able to taste food, let alone stand.

Fabulously Fierce Friends, Dot

Like many retired folks, I found myself with lots of free unplanned time in the fall of 2005. Since that time I have declared a love of travel, cooking and reading. I even learned to knit to pass the time. Also, I found a world of volunteerism out there. I spend a few hours a week volunteering at a local hospital. I also love to play duplicate bridge (a passion) and have joined a book club of like-minded women. I hope to share travel, books and cooking ideas on my blog. Hope you will enjoy my ramblings.

The Spaulding Collection, MFA

One of the most fun parts about my membership at the MFA is that I have discovered so many new parts of the museum from just wandering around that were previously unknown to me.  Yesterday, after seeing the wonderful Melendez show, I poked around in the Asian wing.  Tucked away in a small corner I found a sampling of Japanese prints from the Spaulding Collection.  This huge collection of original Japanese block prints was donated to the MFA by the brothers Spaulding with a unique stipulation.  Due to the fact that these prints tend to fade quickly in sunlight, the brothers asked that the collection not be shown to the public.  With the invention of UV protecting glass, however, the museum is now able to show some of these stunning graphic works which are now on display.

Here a couple of my favorites that I'd like to share with you.  There are quite a few more to see. You can view low-res scans of these prints online at the MFA's website by clicking here.

Fabulously Fierce Friend, Sonja

To a certain degree, your friends define who you are.  You identify with them and admire them for their best traits and often take on the characteristics that you admire in them.  This series will profile some of the amazing people that I have met over my years in music and the food service industry.  I'd like to share with you how fantastic they are. Starting on the first Friday in February, I will publish a different Fabulously Fierce Friend's answers to a standardized list of questions along with a little of their backgrounds.  I think you will enjoy reading their responses as much as I have, and maybe even learn a little something along the way too.

Sonja writes: Sonja Tonnesen aka Mistress Botrytis was born and raised in New York, where she currently resides and serves as Director of Food and Beverage of the Millenium Hilton Hotel. 90 percent of her calories come from raw seafood and champagne. Sonja loves the Yankees, the novels of Tom Robbins, red and white Burgundy, and her 2 year old niece. Her ambition is to be Food and Beverage Director of the Universe, when along with Citrus Quark will spend the days educating people on the proper wine pairings for Everything Tuna with Cucumber Sauce and putting repeat offenders of the Never Order Fish and Chips policy to violent ends.

Luis Melendez at the MFA

I stopped off at the MFA yesterday to see the Luis Melendez exhibition that just opened.  I didn't know a thing about the artist until I first read about him in the morning before heading out of the door.  From my research, I learned that he is highly regarded for his still life paintings.  What drew me to the show in the first place were the pictures the MFA advertised of his food paintings.  I figured that any artist who is as obsessed with food and wine as me would be someone whose works I would like to know more about.

The show was a real treat.  It started at the National Gallery in DC, and is on display here in Boston for a few months.  Melendez aspired to be a court artist for the Spanish royalty in the 18th century, but instead was recognized by the Prince for his skill in rendering food and culinary implements.  He painted the same objects and foods over and over again, and as you can imagine, became very good at it.  You can even see some of the original implements on display at the MFA.  The prince commissioned him to paint a series of the indigenous foods of Spain, which in turn defined Melendez's output from that point on.  There were even a few still-lifes that had been painted over portraits that he never managed to sell.

Shrimp Pasta a la Diable

Driven by my success with the pork loin "a la diable" last week, I continued to experiment with Turmeric and it's subtle floral notes and beautiful golden color.  As part of my weekly shopping and menu planning, I picked up some raw peel-and-eat shrimp for a good price.  They come with the shells on but veined.  I poached the shrimp and reduced the cooking liquid to get it ready for a sauce.  I held the shrimp in the poaching liquid to intensify the flavor overnight in the fridge. All I had to do tonight was make the sauce and cook the pasta. I gave the whole thing a little dash of spice with some Tabasco sauce and a tang with mustard in the "diable" style.  The results were delicious and we ate up every bite!

Mushroom Flatbreads with Prosciutto

I was in the mood for pizza last night, but I didn't want the usual take out that always leave me with heartburn.  I think the acid in all of that tomato sauce plus the cheese they use does a double whammy on my tummy.  Though delicious, my resolve to avoid fast food steered me away from the commercial route.  My work week is also gearing up today, so I wanted to have some things in the fridge that I could go to during when I get home to warm up.  As usual I ventured up a few blocks to my local market and picked up some things to cook.

I was inspired by some nice looking Portabella mushrooms and prosciutto, so I picked up some frozen pizza dough and decided to have a go at it.  The results were pretty tasty.  I put a lot of love into the mushrooms and used Gruyere cheese instead of the usual Italian mix.  There was no sauce per se, but I rubbed the dough with olive oil for flavor and so it would crisp up nicely in the oven.  I put the prosciutto on last because I don't really like the way it tastes when it's cooked and it sorts of melts over the hot flatbread anyway.  You could also easily make this vegetarian by omitting the prosciutto altogether and it would be delicious.  Portabellas have such a rich flavor that they are quite satisfying on their own even for a meat eater.  Here's the recipe:

Book Recommendation: Cheesemonger by Gordon Edgar

One of the reasons traveling by plane is so great is that you get to catch up on all the reading you’ve been meaning to do. For me, that usually means books about restaurants, food, and wine. On my recent trip to Louisiana to visit family, I brought along a book that I discovered on Jeanne Carpenter's Cheese Underground. The book is called Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge by Gordon Edgar, which chronicles the life of Edgar as it pertains to his personal experiences with cheese and cheese-makers.

I admire Edgar because he started with basically no cheese knowledge, fudging his way through his initial interview. He was a punk rocker in his youth going from job to job when the opportunity arose at Rainbow where he eventually rose to the position of buyer. He managed to get out a few buzz words that made the folks hiring him think that he knew a little something about cheese like “rennet” and “raw.” The rest is history.

Krewe of Jupiter Mardi Gras Parade

My parents joined Krewe of Jupiter a few years ago with my aunt. A Mardi Gras Krewe is a social organization that revolves around the planning of a parade. Krewe of Jupiter puts on the first major parade in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, my hometown. They hold a series of parties, barbeques, and outreach programs over the course of the year in preparation for the culminating event of the parade. These Krewes in some cases have existed for decades and are responsible for strong community ties in all parts of Louisiana.

Roasted Chicken with Tomato and Mushroom Ragout

On my last night with my family in Louisiana, we spent the evening at home and with each other on a cold and wet Louisiana winter night. My Aunt Donna and my sister came over and mom again let me take over her kitchen. I cooked up a feast solo this time as friends, Chris and Melissa, left that morning to return to Boston a day ahead of me. I rolled out my specialty, roasted chicken, and made a beautiful ragout of mushrooms and tomatoes for my dad, who loves tomato sauce.

Tour of LSU's Campus

Louisiana State University has one of the most beautiful campuses I think I have ever seen.  It is a land grant college that has a history that dates back to the early 19th century.  We used to live about a mile south of it, so I spent quite a bit of my time growing up on campus.  Some of my earliest memories of attending concerts are in the Recital Hall at the school of music and in the Student Union Theater where I saw my very first opera, Tales of Hoffman with my dad.

Fabulously Fierce Friends on Friday, A New Series on CQ

To a certain degree, your friends define who you are.  You identify with them and admire them for their best traits and often take on the characteristics that you admire in them.  This series will profile some of the amazing people that I have met over my years in music and the food service industry.  I'd like to share with you how fantastic they are. Starting on the first Friday in February, I will publish a different Fabulously Fierce Friend's answers to a standardized list of questions along with a little of their backgrounds.  I think you will enjoy reading their responses as much as I have, and maybe even learn a little something along the way too.

Lüke, New Orleans

We serendipitously stumbled on Lüke today at the end of our little afternoon excursion to New Orleans.  It's John Besh's little gem of a brasserie located withing walking distance of the French Quarter and on the St. Charles street car line.  We discovered on our walk up to Herbsaint only to find that it was closed on Sunday.  It was our second restaurant strike out of the day after Central Grocery.  Thank goodness Lüke saved the day for us.  Actually, it turned out to be the culinary highlight of our afternoon.

Lunch at The Chimes

One of my all time favorite places to eat in Baton Rouge is The Chimes.  I first fell in love with it during the year that I spent at LSU as a college student.  It became a go to place for pub fare and Louisiana classics that I frequented with friends.  I almost always ordered their shrimp Remoulade salad because of their fantastic Remoulade sauce, and many meals concluded with their massive brownie sundae shared among whoever was eating.  Even for four or five people there seemed to be plenty to go around with that dessert.

The Quest for Muffalettas

We just got back from a fun day in New Orleans that was full of surprises and adventure.  Mom, Chris, Melissa, and I all drove down for the day with the intention of checking out Central Grocery in the French Quarter.  We drove the two hours to sample one of their famous Muffalettas.  If you haven't had one, a Muffaletta is a traditional Italian style sandwich that originated in New Orleans made with a huge loaf of bread, Italian deli meats, pickled vegetables, and cheese.  They are absurdly scrumptious, and I was jonesin' for one big time since I got back home.

King Cake for Breakfast

King Cake is a staple of Louisiana Mardi Gras culinary fare that we look forward to every year.  They are made from a basic yeast dough and rolled up and filled with anything from cinnamon to lemon cream.  My favorites are usually filled with cream cheese.  There is always stiff competition among bakeries competing for the best king cake every season.