Flour + Egg yolk + water + salt = Tajarin

After a short and very much needed break, following the Holiday season; Updates will continue at The V.I.P. Table this Friday.  Until then, please check out my most recent piece published at What's Cookin'.

Tajarin with Porcini Mushrooms 
A perfect pairing for Paumanok Chenin Blanc

I remember learning about beurre blanc, a classic French sauce made primarily from butter. As I tasted it, all of my senses swooned. How could something this good be so bad for you?

We are taught to stay away from many foods these days. Some I agree with, such as trans-fats and high fructose corn syrup. However, I think it's more important to practice the good things in life in moderation. A sauce made primarily of whole butter may not be something you should eat every day, but if you deny yourself the indulgence every few weeks or once a month, you simply aren't living.

This brings me to my recipe for Tajarin... Keep reading at What's Cookin'

And the wine:

2011 Paumanok Chenin Blanc - The nose shows lemon and light peach with slate, earth and minerals. On the palate, it is fresh and spritzy, with citrus and crushed stone. The finish is mouth watering, with salty minerals and lemony fruits. It is a highly enjoyable Chenin that was pleasing to both my American and French guests alike. (92 points)

Visit the Paumanok website.  Or find it with: Wine-Searcher!

Food, Wine, Restaurants--Oh My!

My take on Pizzoccheri Valtellinesi

The holidays are now in full swing and with it, comes all the work involved in the wine and food industry.  Today, I wanted to take a moment to post some links to my recent work off The V.I.P. Table, as well as a new page dedicated to Barolo, and a link to a new Blog that was created by a fellow Barolo lover who has great insights on some of the best Baroli coming out of Piedmont.

A Passion for the Valtellina
Passion is the key to great food. I don’t care whether you spent eight months in a diploma program or two years at the C.I.A., the best food comes from chefs who possess passion. I’ve worked alongside some highly trained individuals who will never do anything more than rehash the same repertoire throughout their entire careers. Why? Because they lack passion. A great chef is not built in school or the restaurant kitchen, he is made through decades of experiences... Keep reading at What's Cookin!

Masi Amarone and Risotto
I was recently on vacation with my wife. Together we sat under the stars, a small fire pit going in front of us and a glass of Amarone in hand. It was a wonderful moment in time that two working parents seldom get to enjoy. I spoke in utter contentment, “The stars are so beautiful.” My wife looked at me, and I looked at her, and she said, “I love… Amarone... Keep reading at Snooth!

Older Vintage Wine and Cellaring
I’m often asked, “Why should I cellar wine?” Now, we’re not talking about a well-stocked shelf of bottles to pull from or a Eurocave filled with your favorite juice. We’re talking about a wine cellar filled with vintages that are left to sit for years or decades in perfect, cool, moist, dark, vibration-free harmony. The answer is simple to me... Keep reading at Snooth!

The Barolo Pages
From the hills of the Langhe in Piedmont, Italy. Barolo truly is the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings. It is made from the Nebbiolo grape, which is also used to make Barbaresco, Gattinare and Ghemme in Piedmont, as well as in the Valtellina and Franciacorta regions of Lombardy. Often compared to red Burgundy and capable of aging for decades, its layered and deeply fragrant aromas make Barolo a wine that can be dwelled upon for hours... Keep reading at The Barolo Pages!

Nebbiolo Junkie
Nicolai Soegaard is a fellow Barolo enthusiast, whose insights and tastings, I've followed for many years now. Living in Copenhagen, Denmark and regularly traveling to Piedmont for tastings.  Whether it's food or wine, Nicolai constantly has something new and interesting to share with fellow Nebbiolo lovers. Hence his new blog... Nebbiolo Junkie

Food and Wine in Winter 2011

With a whirlwind of events, tastings and travels, I realized that it’s been quite some time since I sat down and thought about making mention of the food work I’ve had published and some of the killer wines that I’ve tasted in the last few months. February through April brought The V.I.P. Table a heavy workload and there’s much more to come. Also, I’d like to thank all of my readers who have allowed this small website to grow into a 3500+ monthly readership. I’m always open to comments and I welcome any opinions. So please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you love or hate about The V.I.P. Table.

So on to “Food and Wine in Winter 2011”

Pumpkin Risotto

Nostalgia is a powerful tool in the chef’s arsenal. It’s a direct line to the hearts and minds of your guests. It's that smell from mama’s kitchen. It's that flavor, which will always remind you of home. Or that memory of togetherness around a family table, the food you ate and the happy memories you shared. Would it surprise you to know that nostalgia is a topic taught in culinary school? Well it is, and for very good reason because with nostalgia you can create a dish that will not only taste divine, but also speaks to the diner’s soul. That’s how pumpkin risotto ended up on my menu.

Read the full article and recipe: What’s Cookin’

Braised Pork Shoulder in Chianti Sauce

Braised Pork Shoulder in Chianti Sauces is amazing dish that will thrill your guests. The sauce balances richness with complex woodsy notes and vibrant acidity. It is transcendent, yet elegant and light on its feet. It’s one of those sauces that you feel could be poured over anything and never get boring. The pork is succulent, falls apart on the fork and nearly melts in your mouth.

Read the full article and recipe: What’s Cookin’

Calamari in Zimino

It's amazing how different traditional Italian food is from what most Americans grew up to believe it to be. The Sunday sauces and everything parmigiana that we grew up with are a far stretch from what you find throughout the majority of Italy. From north to south, the cuisine of Italia changes just as much as its geography, traditions and wines.

However, for the most part, one thing remains the same throughout Italy: the cuisine is based on simple recipes made great through the quality of the ingredients and the deft, passionate hand of the person who is making the dish. Calamari in Zimino is a perfect example of this.

Read the full article and recipe: What’s Cookin’

As for the wines, I don’t remember the last time that I had so many fantastic wines to choose from when writing an overview piece such as this. The wines below run the gambit of top shelf crowd pleasers to affordable daily drinkers; from Italy, Chile and the United States. There’s seriously something for everyone.

2009 Casa Silva Carménère Reserva - On the nose, I found blackberry, chalk dust, green bell pepper and manure. On the palate, it was big yet balanced, showing wild berries, more green pepper leading to a cough syrup like finish. Looking back on my notes, I feel as if these descriptors fail to do this wine justice. The fact is, it was highly enjoyable in a gripping and earthy way and an amazing value. (92 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

2010 Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc Estate - The nose showed lemon with fresh cut grass, minerals and a bit of nuttiness. On the palate, this was mouth-filling with sour grapefruit, lime, minerals, and green apple. The finish was long with sour patch citrus fruits. Not only was this Sauvignon Blanc refreshing and full of varietal character, it is also an awesome value. (90 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

2008 Larkmead Vineyards Firebelle - The nose showed black currant, cherry liquor, spice, brown sugar and a hint of fresh-turned soil. On the palate, it was velvety smooth and luxuriant as it filled the senses with flavors of blackberry jam, cherry wood and spice. The finish was exceptionally long with blackberry and currant fruit, yet fresh and begging for another sip. Larkmead has quickly become one of my favorite producers from the Napa Valley and one sip from these luxurious, yet refined wines will make a believer out of anyone. (94 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

2000 Arnaldo-Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni - The nose showed black cherries with vanilla sugar, cola and Christmas spices. On the palate, it was massive, bold, yet vibrant--balanced with a flavor profile that I could only described as dark chocolate covered cherries in sweet cream, yet bone dry. This wine was luxurious and smooth all the way to the long palate-coating finish. (95 points) Fine it: Wine-Searcher!

2009 Schäfer-Fröhlich Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Großes Gewächs - The nose showed lemon, pear, spice and sage with hints of floral undergrowth. On the palate, this was beautifully balanced with piercing acidity, showing citrus, honey dew, minerals and stone. The finish was remarkably fresh with linger notes of grapefruit and herbs. (94 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

2006 Azienda Agricola Montevertine Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT - The nose showed dusty bright cherry, leather and cinnamon. On the palate, I found focused red fruit, floral notes and savory roasted meats with impeccable balance and a level of fresh acidity that invites you to take another sip. The finish was fresh and long with sour red fruits. At this time, the Le Pergole Torte remains restrained by its fine structure but should be a dream of a wine in five plus years. (93 points) Find it: Wine-Searcher!

What’s Cookin’ For the foodie in us all.

There’s a new home for the foodie in us all; What’s Cookin’.

What’s Cookin’ in a new website, from the people at Snooth, with weekly updates about anything food. From tips and tricks, to recipes, to restaurant reviews, What’s Cookin’ provides them all and the best part is that I’ve joined them in bring you lots of great new content. I’ve listed a few of my pieces that have already been published and I invite you to check them out and explore the new site. If you like what you see, then by all means, sign up for their e-mail list. Enjoy!

Eric Guido's Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

As a child, I never understood bitter vegetables. Maybe it has something to do with our developing taste buds, or maybe it’s that we’re simply not subjected to enough bitter flavors in our youth. Whatever the case may be, as a child, whenever my family would eat radicchio, escarole or broccoli rabe, I would cringe and turn up my nose. In fact, it wasn’t until I was working in a restaurant, in my late twenties, that I truly developed a taste for bitter greens -- and it was this dish, Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage, that turned my head... Read more at: What's Cookin'

Genevieve's Chocolate Chili

I have a friend who has an insatiable passion for chocolate. Being originally from Belgium, and having spent a lifetime learning about food, Geneviève now applies her knowledge to both food and the making of artisanal chocolates, which are sold at Coffee Bites in Brooklyn. She also hosts a very exclusive, annual party in New York City devoted to chocolate in all forms. Sweet, savory, and salty can all be found, and each year I look forward to her new creations with unbridled anticipation... Read more at What's Cookin'

Old World meets New York

German food is a cuisine that warms the soul. It reminds many of us of a time long gone, when mothers spent half the day in the kitchen preparing meals for the entire family. Dishes like Sauerbraten, Jügerschnitzel and Wiener Zwiebelrostbraten may sound alien to the passerby, but are truly stables of tradition in a world where we may have crossed a little too far into the lean and light fare of many trendy restaurants. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that when I go out to a restaurant, I want to eat real food... Read more at What's Cookin'

I Can't Cook Without My... Cast-iron Pan

If I could pick only one item from my kitchen, it would be the cast-iron pan.

I remember growing up in my grandmother’s kitchen. In that time she went through her share of pots, utensils, pasta rollers and mixers, but there’s one thing that she was using from when I was a baby to when I began working in kitchens myself: her cast-iron pan. To this day that pan remains part of her repertoire, something of a secret weapon from days past; a relic yet still a highly effective tool... Read more at: What's Cookin'