"They Call Me Tater Salad"

If you're not familiar with Ron White, the title of this post will make no sense to you. If you are, it will—and you'll laugh.

I’ve written previously about making coleslaw (see the bottom of this post). There are some dishes that—while a recipe can get you started—you really need to find the right combination of flavors to suit your tastes.

Potato salad is such a dish. I started with a Mark Bittman recipe, which uses mustard, vinegar and lots of chopped parsley. It’s very good and tangy, but I really like a creamy potato salad.

Mayonnaise can be good, but it’s easy to go overboard with mayo. Lately, I’ve decided that sour cream is the way to go.

Today I made a batch of potato salad that turned out pretty good. I’ll walk you through my process, but keep in mind that I don’t measure anything and this is just a guide. Taste as you go and adjust accordingly.

First off, I roasted a red pepper. I’ve been looking for a new addition, and I had a pepper that needed to be used. When the pepper was black, I let it steam while I started the water for the potatoes.

I use red potatoes, but use what suits you. Cut them in bite-size pieces and boil until tender but not mushy (10-15 minutes). I pulled this batch out of the water a little early, so I let them sit covered in the pot for five minutes or so to let them cook some more.

Meanwhile, I peeled, seeded and chopped the pepper; chopped some fresh basil; and mixed a combination of low-fat sour cream (about 1/3 cup), Dijon mustard (about 1 tablespoon), vinagre de Jerez (about 1 tablespoon), black pepper, shallot salt and a bit of sugar.

(On a side note, I usually avoid low-fat and non-fat products like the plague. However, since my cholesterol has been hovering around 220 for the last ten years, I’ve finally decided to become a tad more careful about fat in my cooking.)

I mixed the potatoes with half the sauce, the chopped pepper and the basil. Then I tasted and added sauce, salt and pepper until the flavors were right.

It’s all about balance.

You know if I’m cooking on a Sunday, there’s wine involved. I opened a bottle we got from Trader Joe’s. Their selection of good, inexpensive wines simply astounds me.

Wine Bottlers Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Vin-Koru 2008


There's no point in gushing about this wine. That would disrespect what it is. The world needs more delicious and affordable ($5.99) wines like this. If you want expensive wines to gush about, there are already plenty.

It was a perfect match for a late lunch of chicken wraps and roasted red pepper-basil potato salad.

(One final note: In the last six months, I've dropped my total cholesterol 40 freakin' points! A combination of diet modifications and exercise did it. When I told E, she said, "Well, we have been going through a lot less butter.")

Saturday Eats

Before:


After:


Wine: Pazo de Monterrey Monterrei 2005


Our local Publix has started carrying live hydroponic basil from Sweetwater Growers in Georgia. I've read about it before, but this is the first I've seen it here in Columbia. I just can't get enough fresh basil. The tomatoes are Eva Purple Balls from Rosewood Market.

I layered them with fresh mozzarella and basil over mixed greens with some red onion slivers. The dressing is the olive oil and vinegar I wrote about in my last post. What a great summer dish.

The wine came from Brawley's Beverage ($12.99). When I see a Spanish white from a region I've never heard of -- I'm on it. Here are some tasting notes from the 2006 vintage from Ryan and Gabriella from Catavino; they are much more eloquent then I could ever be.

The 2005 is very similar. It's got a very complex nose, but the flavor is a little more straightforward: lemony, creamy, and nutty with a pleasant twang at the end. It's a great food wine.

From Carolina To France

After 20 years of living in the South, just about the only native thing I haven’t grown to love is NASCAR.

Southern cooking, in particular, has earned a special place in my heart. So, it’s natural that at some point I had to start making my own barbecue (being a resident of the Carolinas, that means pulled pork).

Wednesday night after work, I fired up my ancient Weber grill and thoroughly seared a Boston butt pork roast. I wrote about using a slow cooker to finish the pork in this post. It's worth mentioning that if you partially cook it on the grill like I do (an hour or more), you won't need to drain off any liquid during cooking. Just drop the butt in your slow cooker with a beer and give it 18-24 hours on low or about eight hours on high.

The other thing I’ve been doing different lately is experimenting with spice rubs prior to searing. A mix of cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, black pepper and salt adds to the depth of flavor in the finished product.

Last night, it was time to enjoy it. I chopped up a batch of coleslaw (my philosophy on coleslaw is in this post) and made a simple salad of fresh tomatoes, julienne basil, and some crumbled Gorgonzola drizzled with really good olive oil and four-leaf Aceto Balsamico de Modena.

(Local note: The Gourmet Shop sells California-certified Arbequina extra virgin olive oil by West Coast Products. It's by far the best olive oil I have ever tasted.)

I spent my formative Southern years in Greenville, North Carolina, which means my reference point for barbecue is vinegar-based sauces. I’m proud to say I’ve had many a barbecue sandwich at B’s Barbecue. While I can’t match what they do, I’ve gotten pretty good at putting together my own sauce and creating my own version of barbecue sandwiches. The end result is pictured below.


The brown sugar in my sauce recipe (see below) is not quite traditional, depending on who you ask, of course. Barbecue sauce recipes are closely guarded. This is really just a guide. I always add one or two more ingredients in the spirit of adventure. However, this recipe works just fine as is.

Barbecue sandwiches can be a little tricky when it comes to wine pairing. You could, of course, enjoy them with beer (or sweet tea), but I just happened to have the perfect wine.

La Ferme Julien Rosé Côtes du Ventoux 2007


I’ve had La Ferme Julien Rouge in the past, and it’s a reliably good, easy-drinking French red. The rosé is also very nice and (better still) only $5.99 at Trader Joe’s. It was crisp and pleasantly fruity, reminiscent of strawberries, cherries and peach, framed with appropriate acidity. A cool glass of French rosé and a barbecue sandwich -- it's probably as close to heaven as I'll ever get.

Cheers, y’all.

Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce

3 cups cider vinegar
3 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine vinegar, red pepper, brown sugar and salt in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. You might want to do this in a well-ventilated kitchen or outside on the grill. If that's not possible, you'll at least have very clear sinuses.

Let sauce cool down a little and then add black pepper. Serve with pulled pork.

Road Trip!

Living in Columbia, South Carolina, has its ups and downs. I like lots of things about living in a big, small town (or small, big town, depending on how you look at it).

The downside is that there are certain things you just can't get here. So, every couple weeks, we need to make a run to the nearest "big city." Charlotte, North Carolina, is only about an hour away, and it offers most of what we can't acquire here.

First Stop: Durango Bagel

My wife is a Jewish girl, born in Queens, New York. This may explain her inability to live without decent bagels. Alas, there are no worthwhile bagels to be had in Columbia (at least that I know of).

There are only the usual-suspect chain bagel stores, frozen supermarket bagels and a local place that used to be good but is now overpriced and underwhelming. It’s completely unacceptable for a city of this size.

Bagels are a tricky item to bake – a round roll is not a bagel. Nothing tops New York bagels, but a plane ticket really adds to the cost per bagel.

Fortunately, we’ve discovered Durango Bagel in Rock Hill, South Carolina. These folks make some seriously good bagels. How good? Good enough to make the drive up there every couple weeks to get several dozen and freeze them.

Is it a perfect solution? No. But until someone realizes this glaring gap in the local food scene and decides to bake a decent bagel, it’s just what you do when you’re in love with a Jewish girl from Queens.

Next Stop: Trader Joe’s

I’ll admit that I didn’t understand for a long time what all the fuss was about Trader Joe’s. All I knew was that while working at Green’s, I was probably asked a couple thousand times if we carried Two-Buck Chuck/Charles Shaw.

Now, however, I get it.

Since Charlotte is quick trip from Rock Hill, it makes sense to continue on up to the Trader Joe’s on Rea Road. We stock up on an assortment of miscellaneous food and some wine. Their wine selection isn’t extensive, but they do have a nice selection of perfectly good $5.99 wines, as well as some decent prices on some other interesting wines.

Final Stop: Brawley’s Beverage


Since we’ve been going to Charlotte anyway, I’ve started poking around looking for other places to stock up on big city provisions. This is how I discovered Brawley’s Beverage. It’s a little place on Park Road not far from the intersection with Woodlawn.

The beer selection is pretty impressive and they have some things we can’t get in S.C., like Dogfish Head Brewery. They also have a small, yet eclectic selection of wines at decent prices, coffee from Counter Culture Coffee in Durham, N.C. and an old dog hanging around (which I believe every small business should have).

The guy working the store the day we stopped in was a little…brusque, shall we say. But, he was helpful when needed and even helped me carry some beer to the car.

All in all it was a successful trip. I'll be posting later about some of the stuff we bought.

A Very Good Year

photo by Graeme Fouste

It's been one year since E and I exchanged vows...one really wonderful year.

Yesterday was our anniversary. Although it didn't turn out quite like I hoped, we spent it together and that's what really matters. I had planned a special dinner, but the day just got away from us.

So, while we were happily eating a large cheese pizza for our "special" dinner, I reflected on how fortunate I am to be married to such an amazing...and very understanding woman.

We did, however, open the wine I had picked out earlier, Rotllan Torra Reserva Priorat 2001. There are so many words I could use to describe this wine: luscious, silky, deep, complex, musty and ripe. It's one of those wines that every sniff and sip reveals something new: black cherry, raspberry, milk chocolate, mint, vanilla and smoke -- just to name a few.

Since my plans fell flat yesterday, I had some serious recovering to do tonight. I cooked up two bacon-wrapped fillets from the Ole Timey Meat Market, made a batch of roasted garlic mashed sweet potatoes and whipped up a balsamic-red wine reduction. I crumbled Gorgonzola over the steaks and drizzled them with the reduction and served it all with a salad of mixed greens, Gala apple, red onion and red pepper with a balsamic-blueberry vinaigrette.

Not a bad meal, I must say.

Tonight's wine was Domaine du Crampilh Madiran l'Originel 2005. It's 100 percent tannat and probably could use a couple more (at least) years in the bottle. But, after decanting it showed very nicely with the rather rich food. The nose is pungent with anise, herbs and alcohol, and the flavors run towards plum, dried cherry and smoked meat with mouth-puckering tannins.

One of the things E and I bonded over was our mutual love of food and wine. Both are meant to be savored with loved ones. I count myself very lucky to have found someone like her to share my meals with.

Here's to us.

Saturday Shopping

Here are a couple notes from our Saturday errands. I promise I have no affiliation with Green's Beverages; that's just where I do most of my booze shopping. I'll be including more posts like this in the future for the benefit for anyone in Columbia. Hopefully, you out-of-town readers will be able to locate some of the same stuff.

Domaine de Saint-Antoine Rosé Vin de Pays d'Oc 2008 ($8.99, Greens)

I just can't get enough of rosé lately. It's hot outside, but a shady porch and a glass of cool rosé make it much more bearable. This is not meant to be complex wine. It's fresh and fruit-forward, but bone-dry with flavors of cherry, raspberry, melon and peach...a perfect match for porch sipping or a light summer meal. This is yet another Robert Kacher Selection.


Say What?

I have to mention this. Look closely.


That's right. The coupon is for $20 off (mail-in rebate) a 1.75 liter bottle of Tenure Vodka, which retails for $20.89. With the hefty Columbia sales tax, that's $2.45 for a rather large bottle of vodka. I'm admittedly not a vodka snob, but...$2.45? I had to give it a try.

I'll mix up a vodka martini later in the week and let you know.

White Italians: You Can Do Better

It's such a shame that pinot grigio has become the default Italian white wine. I once went into a (somewhat) nice Italian restaurant for lunch craving a glass of wine and was dismayed to find nine pinot grigios and a pinot grigio/chardonnay blend as my only white wine choices.

If I want cheap Italian white wine, I'd just as soon have Frascati or Orvieto. The truth is that Italy produces some interesting and very good white wines; it's just that restaraunts get lazy about writing their wine list or just stock what they know will sell.

After a long week at work, it was nice to come home to a glass of Torre Solaria Insolia Sicilia 2007 ($11.99, Green's Beverage Store). This is so much more interesting than the dreaded grigio. Crisp and dry with flavors of granny smith apple, lemon and wet rocks, it's a real mouthful of wine and lingers on your palate in a very pleasant way.

What a nice start to the weekend.

Wine? What Wine?

As I look back over my recent posts (amazingly, there have been some), there’s quite a variety of topics – but really not much about wine.

Now, Brim has always had a tendency to veer off into non-wine topics. If you’re looking for serious writing about wine, you’d be better off reading Good Wine Under $20, Brooklynguy, Joe's Wine or The Pour. If you’re one of the handful of people that still follow Brim, it’s probably because…well, I really don’t have any idea, other than you’ve developed a curious fascination with what might come next.

To tell you the truth, I really don’t know what's coming next anymore. I’m not much of a wine writer; I’m more of a writer that loves wine. Writing about just wine is way too constraining for my scattered mind. So, thanks for coming back for whatever it is that keeps you coming back.

That being said, now I’ll write about wine.

I really adore rosé wines, and we are smack dab in the midst of rosé season. It’s really a springtime wine, in my opinion, but my local stores don’t usually get their stock until mid-summer.

The other night we opened a bottle of Domaine des Cantarelles Vin de Pays du Gard Rosé de Fayel 2008. There’s a bit of confusion on the name here. Cantarelles is the name on the bottle, but it’s listed as Domaine des Sources on the Robert Kacher Web site. Either way, it’s produced by Jean-Francois Fayel.


Domaine des Cantarelles is located in Costèries de Nîmes, or as I like to say, right near Nîmes. I’m guessing the name confusion arises from Fayel sourcing some of the grapes for his rosé from neighboring vineyards that aren’t classified as Costéries de Nîmes.

Bobby Kacher really needs to have chat with someone, because his Web site doesn’t agree with the label on the blend either. I guess when you import as many wines as he does, it’s hard to keep them all straight. (It’s probably fair to mention that the French aren’t exactly famous for clear or accurate wine labels.)

In any case, the 2008 Fayel rosé is mostly cabernet franc (65-ish%), with syrah (30-ish%) and 5% grenache (they both agree on that). It’s fresh and crisp with notes of strawberry, cherry and melon–a perfect example of French rosé.

We enjoyed it with some pan seared mahi-mahi brushed in lemon-hot sauce and herbed potato salad. The fresh fruit and bright acidity went very well with the spicy fish and savory potato salad.

The lemon-hot sauce is another Mark Bittman concoction: fresh lemon juice, hot sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper mixed to your liking. Give it a try.

I've been using Valentina Salsa Picante quite a bit lately for my house hot sauce. It's not overly hot, but wonderfully flavored and spicey.

And to you–the few, the proud(?), the curious, the loyal readers–I raise my glass. Cheers.

Happy Dog-iversary

It’s been two years to the day since an old friend drove down from North Carolina with a 16-week-old puppy on board. I’ve blogged about Hogan before, and I’ve blogged about him being the reason I wasn’t blogging.

He’s grown up so much in the time we’ve had him. It’s one of the amazing things about dogs – they go from helpless little puppies to fully grown adults in a couple short years.

He’s still a very young dog, of course, and we still refer to him as “the puppy.” However, to someone who doesn’t know him, I’m sure he makes a very different impression.

When people ask what kind of dog he is, I usually tell them he’s a Belgian Shepherd. “Belgian Malinios” usually just draws a confused look or a “huh?” It’s a great breed of dog, though.

I think of a Malinios as a cross between a Border Collie and a German Shepherd. They have the smaller stature and more pronounced herding instincts of the BC, but they have the guard nature of a GSD. They don’t make particularly good herding dogs, because they tend to “grip” instead of “nip.”

Hogan is everything I love about a Malinios. He’s smart, fun, sweet, athletic, gentle, and tough when needed. Bringing him into our lives was a really good decision. Having a young dog has shaken all of us up in the best of ways.

Here’s a little video of our boy in action. Our other dog, Peanut, calmly looks on. She’s retired from such frivolous antics, but back in the day she was just as athletic. She's still pretty tough herself, for a dog that's going on 14.

In case you hadn't noticed, I love them both very much. I've said it before, but I just can't imagine my life without dogs.

Sunday Morning

I’ll never be accused of being an overachiever.

However, Sundays during the summer are usually a low point of ambition, even by my standards. This morning was fairly typical of what constitutes a good beginning for a summer Sunday in my mind.

We woke up a little late after being out a bit past our usual bedtime. E went off to get a New York Times while I tackled the disaster in the kitchen left from the night before. After some damage control, the kitchen was back in working condition.

Earlier this week we froze a loaf of bread that had sat out too long, designated for weekend French toast. We are devotees of Heather’s Artisan Bakery, a true godsend to Columbia. I don’t ever like to waste food, but tossing even a small hunk of her bread feels criminal.

I recently discovered a great recipe for Blueberry sauce. The fresh blueberries from my neighborhood farmer’s market go into a small saucepan. While the blueberries start to simmer. I heat some water for coffee, using the Larry’s Beans Woodstock Morning Blend we got yesterday at Rosewood Market.

With a cup of coffee in hand, I make up the egg wash for my French toast: two eggs from my friends' chickens, 1/3 cup milk, a splash of vanilla and a heavy dose of cinnamon from Penzeys Spices.

It’s not long before the French toast is nicely browned, the sauce is thick and hot, and the second cup of coffee is in my hand. The paper is spread across the table and Jack Johnson is on the stereo.

This is Sunday morning at our house. No chores. No to-do list. Just good food, coffee, music and The Times.

Here’s hoping your morning was somewhat similar.


Blueberry Sauce from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

2 cups blueberries, picked over and washed
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
½ cup water
½ sugar, or to taste
Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste

Combine the first four ingredients in a small-to-medium saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is thick and the blueberries are soft, about 10 minutes.

Taste and add lemon juice and more sugar if necessary. Thin with a little more water if necessary and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a week.

Age Like Wine*

A milestone birthday recently came and went without much recognition on my part. I neither wanted to celebrate nor mourn the passing of another decade. The changing of a number means little in the grand scheme of things.

However, as I glance in my rear view mirror of life, it’s still back there – wanting to be recognized and acknowledged. So, here goes.

I turned 40. Big deal, right?

I’m really comfortable being a middle-aged guy. I’ve thought of myself as such for several years. No use deluding myself with fantasies of youth. Age has brought me many gifts I would never trade for a return to youth.

Of course, there are many things I regret not accomplishing by age 40. Among them are: being a published author, making more money than a convenience store assistant manager and learning to play a musical instrument.

In my younger years, I hoped that if I hadn’t done those things by now, I would have at least been killed fighting for the resistance in a South American civil war. That probably comes from reading too much Hemingway in college.

The fact of the matter is that I have pretty great life. I’ve got a beautiful wife who I love very much, two crazy dogs, the best cat ever, a family that loves me (despite my quirks), a nice home, gainful employment, a fully stocked refrigerator and a couple cases of good wine. Who really needs more?

I've had more than my fair share of good living and try not to focus on the regrets. I hope there are many more accomplishments, good times, and glasses of wine in my future. But, life doesn't come with any guarantees. I've been reminded this week that our time in this world is precious.

An old friend used to say, “I’m like the state fair; I get bigger and better every year.” Well, I’m trying not to get bigger, but I do try to get better every year.

Just like fine wine.

* The title of this post is stolen from a Todd Snider song. It's the first track on the album East Nashville Skyline, one of many great albums by a great songwriter. Thanks, Todd.

Wine Lists and Hidden Gems

We dined out the other night with some friends. Having lived for more than a decade in a small town with limited dining options, I appreciate the diversity of good restaurants in Columbia.

I discovered an interesting bottle of red on the wine list. It’s funny how sometimes something just jumps out at you. I happen to know that the chef has an eye for unusual wines and tries to put some good buys on the list.

It reminded me of something I read on Serious Eats a while back. Deb Harkness (of Good Wine Under $20 fame) wrote about the mark-up on wine in restaurants and corkage fees. The comments reflected a wide range of feelings on the subject – some rather strong feelings I might say.

The more I considered it, I realized her feelings of being ripped off aren’t really justified. Everything has a different mark-up in the restaurant business. Your bottle of wine is a veritable bargain compared to the margin on a glass of ice tea or a cup of coffee. The difference with wine is that you frequently know exactly how much it costs retail.

I know all too well the slim margins most restaurants operate on. I can’t begrudge them making money where they can. I do chuckle at the whopping mark-ups on certain wines. How often have you seen a bottle of $4 white zinfandel for $20? Or better yet, the same $4 wine for $5 a glass? It gives me yet another reason I’m glad I don’t drink white zin.

I will admit that I look for bargains on wine lists. Sometimes you find a bottle that they haven’t marked-up very sharply. Or, I look for something I don’t see in retail stores. Restaurants get access to wines that wine shops don’t. It’s all about being a savvy wine drinker.

If you order a bottle of Cakebread, Silver Oak or Justin, you know you’re going to get your rear end burned on the price – likewise with the popular, low-end wines. It’s the off-beat, middle-range wines that are often the best deal.

Back to our lovely dinner at Motor Supply Company, I picked out a bottle of Tandem Peloton Red California 2006. One of my first rules for shopping a wine list is to go right for the “Other Reds” category.

This bottle was $38 and it retails for $25-ish (which I didn't know, by the way). Not bad, especially when you consider it’s probably difficult to find in my local retailers. It’s a eclectic blend of pinot noir, zinfandel, carignane, sangiovese, syrah, chardonnay, gewürztraminer and pinot meunier.

How's that for an “Other Red?”

The grapes are sourced from all over Sonoma and beyond, hence the California designation. It’s a prime example of what a careful hand can do with blending. It’s shows the delicate raspberry and strawberry of pinot noir, the earthy smoke of carignane, the spice of zin, and the complex undertones of the other players.

I was more than happy to hand over the $38, especially at a time when so many independent restaurants are struggling. Here’s to all the sommeliers, chefs and owners who put hidden gems on their lists for the more adventurous among us.

Cheers.

Trailer Park Wine Tie

Hi, my name is John, and I'm a wine geek.

It may be an indication that I've opened a few too many bottles in my day, but I've learned a thing or two about the nitty gritty of serving wine. One thing I've learned is that no matter how good one's pouring technique is, you're bound to drip wine on something you shouldn't.

I won't claim to have invented this, but it's a helpful trick -- even if it is a little trailer-esque.

Step one:

Start with a single sheet of choose-a-size paper towel. You can use a larger size, but it doesn't work as well.


Step two:

Fold lengthwise in thin (somewhat less then 1 inch) strips.


Step three:

Keep folding over until completely folded.


Step four:

Wrap around the neck of a wine bottle and tie it end-over-end. Slide down neck of bottle until snug.


Viola! You have some extra insurance against red wine stains on your white tablecloth.

Of course, if you love red wine, what in the world are you doing with a white tablecloth? Get a black one and be done with it.

Incidentally, this is absolutely Earth-friendly. The Trailer Park Wine Tie is easily re-used on another bottle. If it has a little wine on it, so what? It's not like you'll get cooties from it. Or, untie it, unfold it and use it to clean something. When you're done, toss it in the compost bucket.

The TPWT is suitable for use on everything from Screaming Eagle to Night Train Express.

Beer Weather

For anyone who hasn’t seen this post by Eric Asimov in The New York Times, it’s worth a look if you’re a beer lover. I can certainly relate to the experience of not finding a great beer selection and great food in the same establishment.

E and I enjoyed some NY style pizza the other night with a couple cold Newcastles – and while I love Newcastle – I would have enjoyed some more inspiring choices. The places that have really great beer selections tend to fall a little flat on the food. Not all, but most.

It’s summertime here in Columbia, S.C. and that means my red wine consumption plummets. I crave chilled beverages: chilly whites and rosés, icy cocktails and a nice cool beer.

As I’ve mentioned before, South Carolina recently took another small step out of the Dark Ages when they eliminated some restrictions on higher alcohol beers. It opened up a whole new world of choices in the beer aisle.

The brutally hot weather also reminds me that I should pair my cooking with beer more often. I’ll admit that I suffer the stereotypical wino’s tendency to think of wine as the beverage of choice for food pairing.

For anyone with the same affliction, I’d recommend picking up a copy of He Said Beer, She Said Wine: Impassioned Food Pairings to Debate and Enjoy -- From Burgers to Brie and Beyond. The authors are Sam Cagalione, the owner of Dogfish Head Brewery and Marnie Old, an experienced sommelier (and a real cutie).

Each author makes their case for pairing a variety of foods with their preferred beverage. While the debate occasionally sounds a little silly, it's a good read with interesting pairings and some recipes as well. It should make anyone who enjoys both beer and wine think twice about trying new pairings.

Lately I've been loving the beers from Smuttynose Brewery. I just picked up a six-pack of their Summer Weizen, which is super tasty: nice lemon and orange notes, light but not thin and judiciously hopped. It's perfect for a hot summer evening. Cheers, y'all.

Slow Blogging

A while back, I enjoyed reading this article in the NY Times about slow blogging, which is what I seem to be doing - intentionally or not.

For those of you who are still paying attention, I apologize for the scarcity of posts. There are always other matters to attend to, and the blog is one of the easier things in my life to neglect. It's a shame, because I do enjoy writing it.

When I look back at some of my recent posts, I'm not sure if I can still call Brim a wine blog. Wine has drifted into the background of my subject matter. I occasionally consider shutting this blog down and starting one with a broader theme.

Of course, I have no idea what that would be, and I still wouldn't have the time to write it.

As anyone who has read much of Brim can tell, I'm no wine expert. I love wine. I know a bit about wine. I can drone on endlessly about wine. But, there are lots of people who can write more authoritatively about wine.

I also have a terrible case of ADD and get bored writing about the same thing over and over. However, I just can't bring myself to kill off Brim - not just yet anyway. So, I'll keep churning out the occasional post about...something.

Thanks to everyone (and anyone) who is still reading. I appreciate it.

A Season of Change

A little over eight years ago, I made a rather hasty decision to move to Columbia, South Carolina. I found a house for rent in a downtown neighborhood on a street lined with towering old oak trees.

The house was old as well - not exactly a showplace, but it had a large, fenced back yard for my dogs, a porch swing and lots of character. It was the end of February when I moved in and the trees were leafless and the grass was brown.

I spent that first month or so getting settled, exploring the neighborhood and looking (unsuccessfully) for a job. Then, one day in late March or early April, it happened - spring arrived.

The dogwood tree that I had never noticed bloomed, as did the giant azalea next to the front porch. What had been a dreary looking street exploded with the whites, greens, pinks, reds and purples of spring. I fell in love with my new neighborhood.

I spent almost every evening that spring sitting on the porch swing with the dogs and a glass of white wine (mostly cheap pinot grigio, since I was unemployed). My hasty decision had been the right one.

Eventually, I moved into the house right next door and ended up buying it. My former residence was purchased by a callous idiot, who murdered that beautiful old azalea. To honor that wonderful memory, I planted an azalea of the same color next to my new front porch. There's no swing, but there's a comfortable chair where I can enjoy the blooms every spring.

For those of you who live in colder climes where spring has not yet arrived, take heart; it's not far away. Soon you'll be enjoying what I've been soaking in for the last week.

I hope the photo above helps hold you over. It's not a bad shot, but it can't begin to capture how it looks from my comfy chair. And, since I did eventually find a job, I can afford better wine now.

Your Wine Store, Your Wine Cellar

One of my great pleasures is discovering overlooked wines. Perhaps that speaks volumes about how boring my life is, but that's a subject for another day.

I was browsing the shelves at my go-to wine store the other day and noticed some wines that had been marked down. Among the close-outs was Falset-Marca "Etim" Montsant 2002. Montsant is around the corner from Priorat in Spain, and is a great source for bargain big reds. 

I vaguely remembered tasting that wine at some point in the past, but not being wowed by it. Since it was marked down from $12 to $8, I figured it was worth another look.

Damn right it was.

It's funny how sitting around  a warehouse in less than perfect conditions can do wonders for a wine. This blend of carignan, garnacha, tempranillo and syrah is drinking like a $20-$30 bottle of Priorat. It's big and rich, but not overdone with notes of blackberry, cherry, anise, leather and mint.

I happened to run across this older blog post about it. It confirmed what I already suspected; the first time I tasted it, it needed some more age. Luckily, no one bought it up in the meantime.

Their loss is my gain. 

My Wine Dog

She began her life with a questionable future.

The only intention of the idiot who bred her litter was making money selling “police dogs.” However, when the puppies have a dubious lineage (sorry, girl) – and the breeder is widely regarded as a fool – selling the puppies is a tad difficult.

So, she was shuffled off to a foster home, where her world was a 10 x 10 kennel in a trailer park. The foster mom did the best she could, but she had her hands full with over a dozen dogs. By the time I became aware of her plight, she was six months old.

The day I went to pick her up, I loaded her into the cab of my pick-up truck and she immediately wedged herself under the bench seat. After dragging her out for a visit to the vet, she re-entrenched herself under the seat for the ride home.

Her panic at being exposed to a new world quickly disappeared, however, when I took her out to the backyard to meet my two (male) German shepherds. She was instantly the belle of the ball.

The first time I tried to walk her around the block, she slunk close to ground and hugged my leg – terrified of cars, new sounds and just about everything else. Over the days and months to come, her confidence grew and grew. I was training dogs at the time and our kennel and training facility became her playground.

When I adopted her, she came with a name – Peanut. I was determined to change it, but nothing seemed to fit. She was just Peanut. Not the most regal name for a Belgian Malinois, but it stuck.

Peanut grew into an amazing dog (technically she’s a bitch, but it hurts her feelings when I call her that). In her prime, she learned everything from agility to tracking to protection to Frisbee catching. Her primary talent, however, was soaking up as much attention as one cared to lavish on her.

That scared little puppy of long ago was the inspiration for this post, which was selected to appear in "Wine Dogs USA 2" (Giant Dog, $39). The Wine Dogs series is the creation of Craig McGill and Susan Elliot. I owe both of them a long-overdue thank you for including my essay in this beautiful book of photographs and essays by other wine/dog people.

Best of all, I can now say that my writing has appeared in the same pages as Robert Parker, who penned the foreword. I’ll have to bust that out at a wine tasting one day.

These days Peanut is the grande dame of our animal kingdom. She spends her days taking leisurely walks, enjoying long naps and basking in the sun. Her most strenuous duty is schooling our young Malinois, Hogan. God knows, he’s in constant need of it.

My only regret is there isn’t a photo of Peanut to accompany her essay. Here’s one I took while she was on a well-deserved vacation at Edisto Beach, South Carolina.


I'm not sure which of us has been the luckier one.

A Moment in the Kitchen

I’ve spent the last several days fighting off some sort of illness. Yesterday was (hopefully) my breakthrough day, when I finally felt well enough to get back into familiar routines.

While puttering around the kitchen mixing up a batch of marinara sauce, I realized that I was really happy for the first time since I’d gotten sick. Since my marinara sauce requires a healthy dose of red wine, I was forced to sample a bit – just to make sure it was okay to cook with.

The moment really caught me off guard. After a few days of having no desire for a glass of wine and being more than happy to eat canned soup, it was so wonderful to be back in the kitchen and sipping a glass of simple Italian red.

For some reason it made me think of the people who mistake the love of wine for an affectation or a badge of snobbery – as well as the people who truly do use their wine knowledge as such. Both types of people are way off base.

Wine should be about enjoying food, friends, family, good times and good health. It’s just that simple.

Salud.

Hits and Misses

A friend at work was asking me about buying wine the other day. He’s just getting into wines and feels a little overwhelmed looking at all the different types of wine and different wineries.

I was telling him that the turning point for me in wine buying was when I stopped worrying about it. Basically, I decided to buy wines that looked interesting and give them a try. The more wines I tried, the more I came to realize that I liked more than I disliked.

Wineries don’t want to put out bad wine – most of them anyway. And, a wine you don’t like is a learning experience. Just like a dish you don’t care for is part of your cooking education.

I was reminded of this last night when my Valentine’s Day dinner fell short. The lamb steaks weren’t very good. I just can’t seem to get lamb to come out right. I’m really kicking myself because I ignored my own rule for holiday cooking – cook something you do well.

Luckily, the wine was a real hit. It was something that I knew nothing about when I bought it, other than it was a Napa merlot from a winery that I was vaguely familiar with and it was a good deal.

That wine was Havens Merlot Napa Valley 2004. A local wine shop had it reduced to $15, plus I got a 15 percent case discount. Napa merlot for $12.15? I’ll give that a try. I’ve found some really great deals in merlots lately. A quick peek around the Web shows the Havens for anywhere from $19 to $28.

It was supple, elegant, dark, sultry and a little spicy. How’s that for V-Day wine? I may not be much of a cook, but at least I still have a keen eye for wine.

Happy Valentine's Day

Here's hoping everyone is spending the day with a loved one. Or, if not, you're spending the day being kind to you. Holidays, meaningful or not, are a great excuse to be good to yourself.

Last night was not the time to be dining out, so we took a cue from Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20 and had a Friday Night IN. She recommends a wonderful pasta dish in the post.

Unless you're concerned about your LDL (like I should be), I suggest you give it a try. Hoo-wee...it's good.

Sparkling wine is definitely the right match. We paired it with Saint Hilaire Brut Blanquette de Limoux 2005, one of the greatest values going in non-Champagne French sparklers. It's crisp and tasty, with apple, lemon and pear flavors, plus a nice yeasty touch.

Cheers to everyone.

For the Love

I can count the things I’m good at on one hand – even with one or two fingers removed.

I’m a decent writer. I can teach a dog a thing or two. And, as they say down here in the South, I’m a fair-to-middlin’ cook. That’s where I start running out of talents.

My skills in the kitchen came from various sources: my mom, quite a few years spent working in restaurants and lots of trial and error (emphasis on error). I used to think I was quite the culinary man, but a recent stint in a real kitchen proved me otherwise. Even looking around the blogosphere has made me realize I’m a pretty average cook.

However, I love to cook and I’m getting better all the time. I’m also fortunate enough to share my life with someone who likes my cooking and doesn’t mind eating my more errant attempts.

As Valentine’s Day weekend approaches, I know lots of you are planning meals for your loved ones. I started the celebrating last night a little early with a dinner of crab cakes with lemon wasabi sauce and red cabbage slaw. My slaw philosophy is at the end of this post.

I opened another bottle of Torbreck Woodcutter’s Semillon to go along with our meal. It’s my new favorite white wine.

I’ll spare you my rant about the ridiculous consumerism that surrounds V-Day (here’s my rant from a while back). I’m guessing that if you’re reading this, you probably won’t be waiting two hours for a table or sitting down for a 10:30 reservation on Saturday night. I know one of my local eateries will be thrilled to have the business in a week or two.

Cooking for your sweetie is a much more romantic gesture anyway. Even if you’re a total novice, you can still follow a recipe and put together something simple. I’d rather have noodles with butter than fight the crowds on Valentine’s Day.

What will I be cooking Saturday night? I’m not sure.

I usually go for something pretty easy, so there’s not excessive clean-up. It’s also not the day to try something new and adventurous – I don’t want to be cranky if it doesn’t turn out right.

Whatever it is, it will be made with lots of love and care. Watching E enjoy my cooking makes me incredibly happy. It’s such a simple – yet rewarding – act of giving.

Beating the Heat

I’ve been experimenting with wine pairings for hot, spicy food. It’s one of the items on my 2009 checklist.

The first challenge was white bean chicken chili, a spicy broth-based stew with lots of cumin and cayenne pepper. The wine pairing was purely accidental. I happened to have an open bottle of Jean-Claude Bougrier Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Le Landreau 2006 ($7.99 at Total Wine & More).

This worked out better than I could have imagined. The wine was cold, crisp and zingy with acidity. It stood up perfectly to the chili, which is augmented (a little too) generously with Monterey Jack cheese and sour cream. It’s simple and inexpensive, so I didn’t worry about losing nuances amongst the spices.

Next up was black bean chicken chili. This is a tomato-based chili with lots of chili powder and heat – a little more daunting to match with wine. I picked two wines – Casa Lapostolle Merlot Rapel Valley, Chile 2006 and Stoneleigh Riesling Marlborough 2007. They finished neck-and-neck.

I was a little stunned by the performance of the merlot. Reds gets lost in spicy foods sometimes, but the fruit stood up to the spice and the noticeable tannins seemed to help too. The rielsing worked as expected; it was cold, off-dry and had plenty of fruit to balance the heat and spice.

Last night it was pork Vindaloo, a super spicy stew from the state of Goa in India. Depending on who you ask, this dish is made in a number of different ways. My iteration was hot – damn hot. It was the kind of hot that makes you want more even as your eyeballs are bursting into flames.

In keeping with my rather random wine selections, I choose a bottle of Chameleon Cellars Carignane 2005. It didn’t stand a chance.

The heat and spice beat the wine into submission. I gave up after a couple sips and enjoyed the rest of my glass after dinner.

Today, I had another bowl of the Vindaloo for lunch. This time I went for a sure-fire match – beer. Magic Hat’s HI.P.A., a seasonal offering from the Vermont Brewery, was the perfect match – hoppy, crisp and just fruity enough to punch through the heat.

So, what do you drink with your favorite hot/spicy dish?

Enjoy Yourself

One of the reasons I write this blog is to provide some representation for Southern wine lovers. There aren’t many Southern wine bloggers, and wine appreciation probably isn’t the first thing people associate with Southerners.

I’ve met some great wine people during my years in North Carolina and South Carolina, and not surprisingly they’ve been more than generous in sharing their stash.

That’s just one of the things that have captivated me about living here — the generosity of spirit and deed. People go out of their way to do kind things for you. I’m not saying that doesn’t happen everywhere, but it happens all the time here.

Along with that generous spirit is a keen appreciation of enjoying life. If you hang out with generous people who like to have fun, a good time is sure to follow.

Living in the South has certainly taught me to loosen up and enjoy life. My recreation mentors have been many, and the lessons are now fond memories.

A couple readers commented on this post, which included my recipe for a Carolina Liquor Drink (CLD). It’s simple: vodka, cranberry juice, lime and ice, but that’s not all it is. In some ways it represents certain things I love about the South: generosity, indulgence and unrestrained celebration.

I’m happy to share this simple concoction. Make sure you use good ingredients. And use lots of vodka – that’s the point of a cocktail, right?

To be honest, you can change the ingredients to suit your taste. What’s important is the big plastic cup, a heavy pour of liquor and having a giant cocktail when you probably shouldn’t be.

I recommend serving them at about 10 in the morning with the best of friends, while sitting around a smoking grill.

Have fun. You only get to go once.

A Big Day

I didn’t intend to get caught up in the inauguration hoopla, but I did. There have been so many down moments for our nation lately; it’s nice to savor a good moment.

I sheepishly admit to being politically apathetic. It’s not that I don’t care about the issues involved, because I do. It’s the nature of politics and (some) politicians that I detest. However, since no one has come up with a better system, it’s a necessary evil.

While our government has a tendency to muck things up and give us a bad name, we (the ordinary people who finance the muck-ups) are a pretty good bunch. I see the good and the bad of this country, but I still think there’s no better place to be.

So, today I raise my glass to my country and our new president – may both prosper in the years ahead.

I just happened to have the perfect bottle to toast with – Gruet Methode Champenoise Brut NV. Drinking an American wine seems essential, and I like that this one comes from an unlikely location – New Mexico. It’s also a bargain at $13 (more or less depending on where you find it), which is nice during lean times.

American sparkling wine made by a French family in New Mexico…yeah, it’s just right.

Sunday Cooking

It’s a typical winter day in South Carolina – mildly chilly and rainy. Just the kind of day that lends itself to nesting.

I’ve been parked in the kitchen, doing some foundation cooking to help keep us fed. The colder weather makes me want comfort food, so I’m straying from my efforts to lower my cholesterol.

E requested some pimento cheese, and I’ve found the best recipe in the Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook. It's an excellent reference guide to Southern cooking.

For lunch, we heated up some leftover barbecue (the noun, as opposed to the verb). Here's one of my 'cue recipes. Barbecue sandwiches require coleslaw, so I knocked out a batch of that as well.

We use a fair amount of pulled chicken, so I spiced a couple of bone-in breasts and popped them in the oven early today, along with the red bell pepper I needed for the pimento cheese. The hot oven warms up a chilly house nicely.

I’m really trying to diversify my wine selections, so I opened Chono Riesling Reserva Bio Bio Valley 2006 with lunch. Riesling from Chile? Oh, yes.

It makes a perfect match to ‘cue and slaw (which addresses another thing on the ’09 list). The Chono is dry and juicy, with melon, peach and petrol wrapped up in tight little mouthful of wine.

Tonight, E takes over the kitchen to make potato soup, in an effort to further increase said cholesterol.

No worries, though. I’ll be drinking some red wine to counterbalance things.


Pimento Cheese from Lee Bros. Southern Cooking

1 red bell pepper
8 ounces finely grated very sharp cheddar cheese
2 ounces cream cheese, softened in small pieces
3 tablespoons Duke’s or high-quality mayonnaise
1 teaspoon or more red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Roast red pepper and reserve any juices. Chop roasted pepper, and mix with juices and other ingredients. Enjoy.

Feel free to experiment with cheeses. I’ve had all sorts of variations; it’s all good.


The Tao of Coleslaw

Coleslaw isn’t about a recipe; it’s about harmony.

Vegetation
The heart of coleslaw is chopped cabbage. I like the purple, but use what works for you. Chop it rough or fine. Use a food processor, grater or big knife.

To add variety, I might use any or all of the following: red bell pepper, onion, carrot, and apple. Improvise as desired.

Zing
The zing is what brings it to life. Start with a healthy splash of your favorite vinegar and some citrus. Today I used Vinagre de Jerez and the juice of half a lime. Any vinegar works fine and ditto with lemon or orange juice, etc. I added a splash of soy sauce for some additional complexity. A dash of hot sauce is always an option.

Creaminess
This is the soul of your slaw. You can make it richer or thinner, depending on how you like it. I use Duke’s mayonnaise and good prepared mustard. Yogurt and sour cream also work.

Spices
Add spices last. Celery seed is a must. I’ve used all sorts of things, so feel free to experiment. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like to add a bit of dill relish as well.

Toss the veggies. Make your sauce by combining zing, creaminess and spices until it tastes the way you want it. Mix well. Enjoy it quickly.

Looking Back...and Forward

Today I received an e-mail telling me that Kevin Zraly is following me on Twitter. I don’t know Kevin, but I certainly know who he is.

Back in 1995, I took a job as the manager of a wine shop that was in the process of opening. The owner was in the jewelry business and decided to open a wine shop just for the heck of it.

Now, I’m not saying this guy didn’t know a whole lot about wine, but he was constantly asking me, “Merlot is basically a blend, right?”

He tapped me as his go-to guy for wine knowledge, even though I knew practically nothing. One of my greatest talents is creating the impression (illusion?) of knowing something useful.

I did, however, have a copy of Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, which had been a gift from one of my brothers. That book, along with Wine for Dummies, served as my guide to the very confusing world of wine for many years.

I’m sorry to say I lost that book along life’s path; I’m usually pretty obsessive about holding on to books. As someone who came of age pre-Internet, I’m accustomed to looking for information in books. Sometimes I actually forget that I can look something up online…sometimes I’d just rather not.

I was reminded of all this by seeing Kevin’s name pop up in my inbox. My mind wandered back to my experiences in the wine business. I’ve worked for two wine stores and have come close to taking several jobs in the distributing business.

So, why am I working in a fabric box doing corporate marketing, instead of selling wine?

The answer is complicated. Most importantly, I’m actually not much of a salesperson. I can do pretty well in retail sales, but I’d never cut it in outside sales.

I love wine, and I like to talk about wine, but that seems to be increasingly irrelevant in the distribution business. When I talk to my friends in the business, they seem unsure about what their future holds. Like so many businesses, selling wine frequently has little to do with the actual juice.

So, where does that leave someone like me, who would like to work in a business they’re passionate about, but isn’t sure where in that business they would fit?

I still harbor fantasies about opening a little wine shop somewhere, but in a world of Costco, Trader Joe’s and Total Wine & More that seems unlikely at best. And, short of a Powerball jackpot, I could never come up with the necessary capital.

I’ve considered moving somewhere wine is produced. The West Coast is out due to family and budget considerations, but there are more and more wineries opening in North Carolina and Virginia. I don’t know anything about making wine, but maybe there’s a living to be made helping those wineries market themselves.

(Yes, I still dream of being a winemaker, but that also falls in the not-unless-I-win-the-Powerball category.)

Writing about wine is, of course, something I consider, but writing about anything is a dicey way to pay the bills. Blogging is a way of dipping my toe in those waters. So far, the water is ice cold.

We’ll see what the future holds for me. In any case, thanks Kevin — for following me, for the knowledge you shared, for a trip down memory lane and for making me consider the future.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #53

It’s been a long time since I joined in Wine Blogging Wednesday. Leave it to Jeff Stai (aka El Jefe) from Twisted Oak Winery to come up with a theme that could draw me back in.

It’s Wine for Breakfast! Granted, when we drink wine for breakfast it’s usually bubbly, which was verboten (I always follow the rules). The other times we find ourselves craving something high-octane in the morning, we typically favor a Carolina Liquor Drink (CLD).

However, I had no problem picking a wine for this subject. One of my favorite dining experiences has been brunch at Motor Supply Company Bistro. Although we haven’t done it lately, I’m forever grateful to them for adding Torbreck Woodcutter's Semillon to their wine list.

It’s the perfect breakfast wine.

I enjoy traditional breakfast food as much as the next person, but I also love something a little more substantial.

So, to celebrate our breakfast wine, I made my crab cakes, and in place of hash browns, I made very simple roasted potatoes. To dress things up a bit, I added a roasted red pepper sauce, which was excellent with both the cakes and the taters.

The Torbreck Semillon is just the right thing with this meal. It’s busting with aromas of pineapple, lemon and melon. The flavors are more of the same with a hint of coriander and a nice touch of minerals, framed by bracing acidity.

In other words, it’s freakin’ good…breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Thanks to Jeff for being our host, and thanks to the founding father of WBW, Lenn.

Thanks also to Kat and Eli (from Green's Beverages), who procured this bottle just in time, and to Danielle, who works for Grassroots Wine Wholesalers - the fine folks who bring Torbreck into South Carolina.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #53 - Torbreck Woodcutter’s Semillon Barossa Valley 2007

Roasted red pepper sauce ala John:

1 roasted red pepper

1 clove of garlic
About ¼ cup plain yogurt
2-ish tablespoons olive oil
Healthy splash of sherry vinegar
Pinch of cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Blend. Heat gently. Consume.

Carolina Liquor Drink*:

Start with a Solo cup (16 oz.) filled with ice cubes. Add vodka to your heart’s content (about 1/3 cup). Top with good cranberry juice and a big, ole lime wedge.

*I don’t advise having more than one, although you may want to. If you’re so inclined, hide the car keys and enjoy your day! What you remember anyway….

A Wine (and Love) Story

Back in the days when I was selling wine, a friend of a friend came to see me about a wine tasting party for her boyfriend.

We decided to compare varietals from different parts of the world as a theme. For syrah, I picked out an Australian shiraz and a French syrah to match up. The Aussie was Piping Shrike Shiraz 2001 and the Frenchie was Mas de Aveylans Syrah VDP du Gard 2002.

Both good wines to be sure. The Aveylans, however, blew the Shrike away in terms of complexity – in my humble opinion. That particular vintage really sticks out in my mind…it was inky dark and layered with black fruit, tar, herbs and a hundred other aromas and flavors. Every sniff and sip was a new discovery.

But, to each their own, right?

The next time I saw her, she thanked me for my help and raved about the Aveylans. Her guests had preferred the Shrike, but she went for the more complex wine.

Fast-forward several months, and the boyfriend was gone. We ran into each other at our mutual friend’s house, and we found that we had lots in common, besides wine.

Fast-forward again several years, and that girl is now my wife. We were married over the summer (during my blogging hiatus), in the house that we now share. Our mutual friend performed the very private ceremony. (Thanks, P. We owe you so much.)

For those of you who have been following me, the girl of which I speak is, of course, the amazing E.

A picture is truly worth a thousand words.

(photo by Graeme Fouste)

Am I a Twit?

Don’t answer that.

However, you can now follow me on Twitter. Why would you? Good question.

I’ll try to keep my updates related to wine, at least as much as BTTD is about wine. I drink a ridiculous amount of good wines (apologies to my liver) and many of them never get blogged about. So, I’ll keep you abreast of what I’m up to on a daily basis, not just wine but good beers, great food and my increasingly diverse coffee selections.

One of the reasons I follow other bloggers is to look for suggestions on new wines, etc. If you’re one of the fine folks in my blog list, you can bet I rely on you for suggestions.

I have to laugh about the Twitter thing, because I’m not exactly on the cutting edge of things.

I came late to blogging. I don’t have a Facebook page. I never did MySpace. I don’t have a Blackberry or an iPhone. Hell, I don’t even text.

For the last three years, I haven’t had a television. Best decision I ever made.

So, why Twitter? Well, it’s partly to remind me to pay more attention to BTTD. It’s also another way to keep tabs on what other bloggers are up to.

We’ll see. Look to the left for the link and follow me. It just might give you the wine suggestion you desperately need.

The Much-Maligned Merlot

I delight in drinking what's not popular. I got the biggest kick out of running into a co-worker at a wine tasting who was scouting pinot noirs (at the height of the Sideways craze). She recoiled when I mentioned a great merlot I had just tasted.

I've done this rant before, but it's worth repeating.

The anti-merlot backlash has faded, but I think it still doesn't get its due. Sure, there are a lot of less than inspiring merlots out there, but the same can be said for any popular varietal. Syrah is probably on its way to over-saturation...if it isn't already there.

So, I look for merlot when I'm shopping, hoping to discover what others have overlooked. I've had an older vintage of Hope Estate Merlot that impressed me, so when I saw a bottle of the 2005 vintage, I grabbed it

What a great choice. This is serious merlot. It has wonderful depth with flavors of plum, cherry, chocolate and a nice bit of herb. Even though it's a warm-climate merlot, it's got amazing structure and a firm backbone of acidity. Well done.

I have to admit I've been off Aussie wines lately. There are so many over-done, fruit bombs crowding the market lately. This is not one.

Hope Estate produces some excellent wines in a more balanced style. Their verdelho is not to be missed.

2009 Checklist

As many of you are doing (or deliberately not doing, as the case may be), I'm thinking of what I hope to accomplish in 2009. 

So, here are my wine goals for '09:

Share the Bounty

I often wonder if some of our neighbors look at our recycling bin with envy. (I've actually done this myself with other people's bins.) We drink a ridiculous amount of good wine, and we should enjoy more of it with friends. Wine is such a social beverage. I'm not saying I'm going to start a wine group, but I need to cultivate some more people to share my wine stash with.

Break from the Pack

I enjoy being different. I like not drinking what everyone else is drinking. I never jumped on the pinot noir bandwagon, and I never dissed merlot. I'll admit that I drink my share of Parker-esque wines, but I'm always looking to go in new directions. I need to find a path less-traveled in the new year.

Find my Voice

2008 was a bleak year for Brim. I need to get back to writing and decide what this blog is all about -- 11 posts in a year is not acceptable.

Beat the Heat

The $75,000 question at my house is: what wine goes with Vindaloo? or garam masala? or my never-the-same-twice chili? I love spicy food, and finding the right wines to match up is quite a challenge. It's time for some research.

They may not be lofty goals, but they're mine. Thanks go to Dr. Debs and Sonadora for inspiring me to write them down. Feel free to add your own in the comments.

Notes on a Wine Shop

I stopped into a little wine shop today. Much like my father is unable to pass up a used bookstore, I am unable to pass by a wine shop without stopping to browse.

I’ve written previously about a somewhat recent trend in wine shops: smaller selection, wines arranged by style and a hand-sell approach to staffing. This place was called “Corked.”

That’s right – Corked.

Okay, so they chose the commonly used term for a bad bottle of wine as the name for a wine shop. Strike one.

It’s the same basic layout I’ve seen elsewhere, with wines lined up on opposite walls and not much of a selection. They had maybe 60 or so wines to choose from.

It’s not unusual to have a selection like that at our house. Strike two.

It was a good-looking store, and the prices certainly reflected the décor. Most of the wines were easily $3-$5 more than I would pay elsewhere, more in some cases. But, it’s catering to upscale clients. Fine.

I didn’t want to leave without buying something – the place was empty less than 10 days before Christmas. Not good. They happened to have one of my very favorite, inexpensive white Burgundies, Caves de Lugny Mâcon-Lugny “Les Charmes.” It wasn’t a terrible deal, so I grabbed a bottle.

The guy running the place looked at my selection and said, “Ah, you got the may-kin.”

You know, like the city in Georgia. Strike three.

All I could think was for the money they spent on that place I could have opened a great, cool wine shop with a larger, diverse, quirky selection. And my French pronunciations would be much better.

And if I can top you at that, you’re in bad shape.

Food Wimps

Kristian Niemi is a restaurateur and the proprietor of Gervais & Vine, a wine and tapas bar in Columbia, S.C. He's also a veritable reference guide to food, wine and common sense. Gervine, as it's fondly referred to, will always hold a special place in my culinary pantheon.

The following is an excerpt from one of Kristian's weekly Gervine e-mail updates. I hope this will be the first of many contributions from him.


A curious thing happened the other day. It’s happened before, but since this time triggered a childhood memory, I figured I’d get my thoughts on it out in the open.

When I was kid (I guess I kind of still am a kid…at heart, at least), my cousin Bill and I would raid our grandma’s fridge in a quest to put together the most bizarre combinations of food, then the other would have to eat it…and you couldn’t chicken out. Spaghetti noodles and blueberries? Not bad. Roast beef with strawberry jam? Also, not bad. Lemon meringue pie with chicken gravy? Not good. Not good at all.

However, no matter how bad it was, we tried it. It didn’t kill us and most of the time it taught us that sometimes the least likely combinations actually work quite well together. It also taught us that if something truly tastes bad, you can just spit it out.

What nudged this long-dormant memory to life? Well, I’m not going to name names, since I don’t know it anyway, but let’s just say we had a modern day John Wayne in here the other day and for all his roughness and toughness, the guy was a bit of a wussy when it came to food. His lady friend had ordered what I considered one of the best items on the menu and he simply refused to try it.

No matter HOW good she claimed it was AND that she knew he liked both of the ingredients, he simply wouldn’t even put any in his mouth. The logic of “you like this ingredient” and “you like that ingredient” didn’t even work. This was a guy who looked like he would rush into a burning building, reach into a badger hole or wrestle a bear---afraid of nothing…except food.

The food in question, by the way, was the utterly delicious Duck and Cherry Meatballs that Chef Jason made for the Rosso event the other night at Coplon’s. Ground duck meat, sage, garlic and seasonings studded with sun-dried cherries in a meatball? To me, that’s food nirvana. Like a Reese’s…two great tastes that go great together!

Why do I bring it up? I’m not really sure I have a deep, poignant answer to that question except that like the old adage goes, “life is short.” Experience everything you can at least once. If you don’t like it…fine…spit it out…in a napkin, please. But if you don’t try it, you may be missing out on something that could make your life so much richer, even if it’s something as small and inconsequential as a duck meatball.

Heck, a lot of my happily married friends will admit that they never thought they’d end up with their significant others, but since they took a chance and simply “tried them out” (not in the dirty way…gutter minds), their lives are much better. On the other hand, a lot of my friends have “spit out” their former spouses, so my analogy is pretty darn appropriate, eh?

Palate Fatigue

When it comes to red wine, my palate has been feeling a little weary. I drink a pretty wide variety of wine in general, and I enjoy them all for what they are. However, the red wines I've had lately seem to be merging towards one ideal: fat, plush, fruity...Parker wines.

I went to Total Wine and More the other day shopping for sparkling wines. While I was there, I went in search of something a little different – a red to snap me out of my routine. E was baking a goat cheese and prosciutto strata for dinner, and I wanted a red that wouldn’t overpower it.

I found it in Jean-Claude Bougrier Chinon Domaine De La Semellerie 2006.

This Chinon (cabernet franc is the grape) is bright and focused with lean cherry, herb and anise flavors with just a bit of earthy-ness. It was also well-balanced and very subdued, in the most pleasant of ways.

It was just what I needed. Enotheque has a very nice write up of the 2005 vintage, which is very enlightening.

Speaking of keeping one’s palate amused, I do tend to seek out bolder flavors in my food and drinks. I’ve satisfying my thirst for beer lately with Shiner Bohemian Black Lager, originally a limited release from the Texas brewery. It’s as dark as advertised with flavors of coffee and cocoa without getting overbearing and a nice nip of hops. I’m no beer connoisseur, but it’s pretty good in my book.

Our beers stores in South Carolina are loaded with new selections, as the local law keeping out craft brews has been changed. Old Brown Dog Ale from Smuttynose Brewing Company (New Hampshire) is another excellent brew I’ve been enjoying. I love brown ale and it’s nice to find something other then my usual English selections.

The Chinon was a great match for the strata, but I thought the other wine we sampled with our meal stole the show, Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé. The Bouillot absolutely sang with the strata and our apple-bleu cheese salads. It's light and elegant, with notes of cherry, strawberry and fresh bread. It reminded me to serve more sparkling wines with our meals.

It’s good to mix it up.

The Abandoned Blog

What happened?

There’s nothing so frustrating as a deserted blog. I watched it happen to some of my favorite blogs, and it always made me wonder what was going on with the writer and if they would be back. Now it’s my blog that’s abandoned.

The truth is that, besides being overwhelmed with other responsibilities, I suffered a crisis of confidence about writing Brim. The truth is that there are much more knowledgeable, interesting and prolific wine bloggers out there.

What makes Brim worth reading?

I really didn’t know what I was getting into when I started blogging. Like most of my endeavors, I made it up as I went along. I developed some wonderful and loyal readers (who I greatly appreciate), but my overall traffic was always pretty low.

After being silent for so long, I've been struggling with how to start over. I guess the only thing to do is just start writing again.

Happy Birthday

Our boy is one year old today.

It was an odd string of events that brought him to our home, and it’s been quite an adventure ever since. I had forgotten the energy a young dog can bring into your life. Having Hogan has shaken up our routine in some very good ways.

It’s also been a lot of work and more than once I’ve been ready to wring his furry little neck. He’s grown into a nice young dog, but he’s the canine version of a male teenager. Need I say more?

What he needs more than anything right now is my time—the same time I need to write this blog. In the contest of dog versus blog, the dog wins every time. I’m still writing posts in my head, but they rarely make it to the computer.

I could go on and on about everything my dogs bring to my life, but I’ll spare you. Instead, I’ll just ask those of you who share their life with a dog, cat, horse or other animal companion to give them some extra love today in honor of Hogan’s big day.

He'd like that.

An Educated Palate

It’s finally happened. I’ve become a coffee snob.

For a long time, I’ve avoided the worst of coffee: gas station sludge, office coffee and junk food java. But, beyond that, I was happy with most whole bean coffee, freshly ground and brewed in my French press.

Lately I’ve been very particular about my beans — to the point where I’ve tossed a couple of half-full bags because they didn’t measure up. Actually, they ended up in the compost pile; the worms aren’t picky.

It made me laugh when I realized it. I’ve gone the same route with wine and food. There was a day when a bottle of white zinfandel and store-bought spaghetti sauce was just fine. I’m not at the apex of food and wine appreciation, but I’m getting closer.

My palate seems to prefer big flavors: intense red wines, bold coffees and rich spices. I sometimes worry that I’m bludgeoning my taste buds. My cooking is not for the weak of heart—or anyone that doesn’t like garlic.

Although I definitely have my preferences, I enjoy tasting all sorts of things. Even if I don’t care for it, I want to know how it tastes. I think your palate needs to be stretched and exercised, just like your body and mind.

The artificial flavor of over-processed food and wine is what I really object to these days. I have a low tolerance for things that taste like they came from a factory. Not that I don’t get tempted by junk food and the like...I do.

But when I indulge, it’s never as good as I imagined. My memories of some old favorites don’t match the reality.

I’m experiencing the same thing with some inexpensive wines I used to like just fine. When I revisit them, I find myself wondering if there is something else I could open.

Although I’m aware that some people go through life liking the exact same things they’ve always liked, I’m glad my tastes have evolved over the years. I'm glad Captain Morgan and Coke isn’t my favorite drink anymore.

It does make life a little more expensive sometimes. I used to buy a bargain brand coffee that was (I thought) really good. This morning I ground up the rest of the bag and tossed it out for the worms.

I guess that’s what I get for educating my palate.