L.M. Archer

Archive for the ‘Foodie’ Category

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Upcoming Wine Events: February 2013

In California Wineries, Foodie, Paso Robles Wineries, Paso Robles, CA., Wine Tasting on January 26, 2013 at 10:16 pm

Welcome to binNotes, the blog for ‘those who consider wine an art, not just a beverage.’

Thanks for your understanding during the month of January as binNotes veered ‘offline’ to work on some pending projects.

One of these projects involves Paso Robles Wine Country. Please look for my upcoming feature in Palate Press on February 14th.

BONUS:
Here’s a sneak preview of upcoming February 2013 Paso Robles wine events:

Image:Garagiste Festival

The Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure: SYV (Santa Ynez Valley)
Saturday, February 16th
All Events at Solvang Veterans’ Memorial Hall
1745 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93463
SEMINAR – 11:ooam-Noon
Media & Trade Tasting Noon – 2 pm
Grand Tasting 2-5 pm
Learn more here.

Image: Paso Robles Rhone Rangers

2013 Paso Robles Rhone Rangers Experience
Broken Earth Winery
Sunday, February 17th, 2013
Seminar and Luncheon 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Grand Tasting and Silent Auction 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Learn more here.

Cheers!

Copyrighted 2013. All rights reserved.

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Upcoming Wine Events

In Awards, Foodie, Oregon Coast, Oregon Wines, Restaurant, Washington State Wineries, Washington Wines, Wine Tasting on January 14, 2013 at 6:01 pm

For Your Information:

13950_WSWC LOGO

2013_WashWineRestAwards

January 14, 2013: Washington State Wine Awards 2013
3-7 PM – McCaw Hall at Seattle Center
Recognizing Washington State wine industry leaders for their professionalism and support.
Sponsored by Washington State Wine Association.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS*:

Walter Clore Honorarium: Doug Charles (Anacortes)
The Walter Clore Honorarium recognizes an individual who has demonstrated dedication to the advancement of the Washington wine industry. Charles owns Compass Wines store, and dedicates more than 75 percent of store inventory to Washington State wines. His label ded.reckoning is made by some of the top producers in the state.

Restaurant of the Year: Visconti’s of Wenatchee

Sommelier of the Year: Thomas Price of Metropolitan Grill (Seattle)

Best Event Featuring Washington Wine: Urbane (Seattle)

Independent Restaurant of the Year: Copperleaf Restaurant at the Cedarbrook Lodge (SeaTac)

Best Restaurant Group: Mackay Restaurant Group, El Gaucho restaurants (Western Washington)

Tourism Champion of the Year: Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau

Tourism Concierge of the Year: Anne Peavey, of Seattle’s Convention and Bureau Visitor

Hotel of the Year: Hotel Vintage Park (Seattle)

Retailer of the Year: Metropolitan Market (Seattle, Kirkland)

Retailer Group of the Year: Yoke’s Fresh Markets (Eastern Washington)

Independent Retailer of the Year: Wine World and Spirits (Seattle)

Retail Steward of the Year: Doug King of Metropolitan Market

Distributor of the Year: Young’s Market Company (Western United States)

Distributor Salesperson of the Year: Kris Patten of Young’s Market Company (Seattle)

*Award information graciously provided by Washington State Wine Commission.

swfe

Seattle Food and Wine Experience 2013
12 noon – 5 pm
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
Presented by Snoqualmie Casino.
Benefitting The Giving Grapes Foundation and Big Table.
Purchase tickets here.

savorcb2013
Savor Cannon Beach
Thursday March 7 – Sunday March 10, 2013
OR vs. WA wine throw-downs, wine tastings, wine walks, and more.
Purchase tickets here.

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Copyrighted 2013. All Rights Reserved.

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#Restaurant Intervention: @RioneXIII

In Foodie, Prosecco, Restaurant, Restaurant Review on December 20, 2012 at 7:00 am
Image: eatsinseattle.com
Image: eatsinseattle.com

No intervention needed here.  Rione XIII functions just fine, thank you, offering uncluttered Roman-inspired Italian cuisine in rain-strewn Seattle.

Rione XIII takes its name from the ancient Jewish section of Rome. The art of this eatery lies in its masterful pairing of old standards with new riffs and exotic sidenotes. It’s got the local hangout vibe handled, plus the ‘people are talking about’ it hum thrumming through the chill decor. Wait and kitchen staff share a stealth-like ‘on-it’  demeanor.

Our party of four skipped the appetizers (such as pork & duck terrine), mozzarella (house made), and Roman Street Pizzas (worth a return trip to try), opting instead to savor small plates: their signature savory Carciofi alla Giudia (fried artichoke with breadcrumbs and aioli), spicy Puntarelle alla Romana (winter greens with anchovy, chili, garlic and parmesan), and super-succulent Ruby Beets with satsuma, fennel and hazelnuts. Also on the menu: freshly prepared pasta, including indulgent Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe (long pasta noodles en brodo with Pecorino and pepper) and sanguine Bucatini Amatriciano (pasta in red sauce), plus meat-eaters’ delight Oxtails alla Vaccinara (Oxtail with polenta.)

A dessert list appeared at some point after plate clearing, which we waved away…espressos and sweets taunting us to crash against the rocks of self-indulgence…or at least to revisit their tasty shores another time.

Rione XIII graciously allows a $20 corkage fee for guests bringing personal cellar picks, but also offers an impressive wine list, including both dry and perfumed prosecco by the glass.  Aahh...La Dolce Vita, live from Capitol Hill. Ciao!

Rione XIII on Urbanspoon

Note: binNotes is on holiday through the New Year.

Copyrighted 2012. All Rights Reserved.

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#Restaurant Intervention: @Canlis

In Foodie, Restaurant, Restaurant Review on December 6, 2012 at 7:00 am

Image: canlis.com

Here’s a thought: A restaurant that strives to exceeds expectations.  Like Seattle standard, Canlis. Their ‘recipe’ for success? Here’s a few guesses gleaned from a recent visit:

  • (4) Generations of owners who care - about guests and staff.
  • (1) Timeless venue with jaw-dropping views
  • (1) Class-act piano bar
  • (1) Hefty wine list honed by award-winning sommeliers
  • (1) Impeccably-trained culinary and wait staff
  • (1) ‘Magic’ valet station (Guest cars waiting upon departure.)
  • (1) Extraordinary philosophy of  hospitality the ‘Canlis Way’: “The act of moving aside to make room for another.“

Blend together lightly and enjoy. It doesn’t get any better. Bon Appétit!

Canlis on Urbanspoon

Check out other binNotes’ Restaurant Interventions here:

Villa Creek – Paso Robles, CA

McMenamins Hotel Oregon Pub

Copyrighted 2012. All Rights Reserved.

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WITWW binNotes? Kirkland Summerfest 2012!

In Foodie, France, French Wine, French Wineries, Provence, Restaurant, Rhone, Rosé, S. Rhone, SW France on August 12, 2012 at 8:53 pm

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 Views from the deck of  The Grape Choice during Kirkland’s Summerfest this weekend …binNotes and friends takin’ one for Team Francophile yet again…SO much fun in the sun! Santé!

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Terroirist Tuesday

In Foodie, France, French Wine, Wine Tasting on July 31, 2012 at 7:00 am

Join binNotes this August for its newest feature: Terroirist Tuesday©.

Each Tuesday, binNotes spotlights a wine from a specific region, particularly France, focusing on terroir.

Learn more about the concept of terroir in this mini-Master Class with sommelier Richard Betts:

Image: Plum Productions

Have a particular region of France you’d like highlighted? Email binNotes@gmail or leave a comment below. Cheers!

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Cuisine Française: L’Auberge Edge of Seattle Inn

In Foodie, France, Wine Tasting on July 28, 2012 at 8:47 pm

Chef Marty Grasa
Image: L.M. Archer – binNotes©

Scanning the menu for the Classical French Cuisine Cooking Course at L’Auberge Edge of Seattle Inn, things do not bode well for this lactose-intolerant vegetarian/pescetarian:

Menu for L’Auberge Edge of Seattle Inn Cooking Class - July 27, 2012:

L’hors D’oeuvers:
Carrot Salad with fresh Lemon Dressing
Fresh farm stand carrots tossed in a lemon herb dressing.

Entrée:
Pork Chop Dijonaise
Pan seared pork chops with a light Dijon mustard cream sauce. Served with wild rice and fresh cauliflower Dubarry.

Dessert:
Champagne Poached Pears
Fresh poached pears served with a vanilla champagne syrup and whip cream.

However, Proprietress Nancy Gates-Douglas and Chef Marty Grasa make it work for the classically non-compliant among us. (Veggies instead of pork chops and no creams. Easy.) Or, rather, makes US work – 6 couples total,  ’uncoupled’ into pairs to create each course.

During preparation, Chef Marty showcases his prodigious culinary craft wrought from a restraurateur family, culinary school, and dues-paying gigs like Place Pigalle in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Guests discover clever clues like how to calibrate a cooking thermometer (boiling water and the thermometer’s calibration sleeve), how to core cauliflower (carefully), and how to prevent cutting boards from slipping (a wet paper towel under the board.) The evening unfolds with hilarious, congenial commingling of wines and participants, resulting in a surprisingly toque-worthy spread by duly-lubricated neophytes under adult supervision while wielding sharp objects.

In addition to cooking skills, Proprietress Nancy Gates-Douglas hopes to instill guests with a  greater understanding of one of UNESCO’s World Intangible Cultural Heritage List Items: ‘The gastronomic meal of the French“, defined as “a festive meal bringing people together for an occasion to enjoy the art of good eating and drinking.”  To that end, guests follow a formal dress code  - no jeans or shorts. Moreover, L’Auberge Edge of Seattle Inn advises guests to bring two (2) bottles of wine per couple to share with others. (Lack of a liquor license precludes L’Auberge from selling liquor with meals.) Dinner service ends sin the French-inspired Manor Room, replete with Limoges china, silver, stemware, and  table linens.

Clearly, L’Auberge Edge of Seattle Inn proves the easy accessibility of French Classical Cooking to those willing to venture into  its kitchen  - even  the lactose-intolerant and vegetarian among us.  Saluté!

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WITWI binNotes?

In Foodie, France, French Wine, Seattle, Wine Tasting on July 14, 2012 at 2:02 am

Image: metislinens-blogspot-com.

Bastille Day in Seattle! Vive liberté, égalité, fraternité… more later…cheers!

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#Summer Sippin’ in #Seattle

In Bistro, Bistrot, Foodie, French Wine, wine bar, Wine Tasting on July 11, 2012 at 12:47 am

Ahh…bubbles, bouillabaisse and a sailboat load of sun…nothing like summer sippin’ at Place Pigalle in Pike Place Market… Cheers!

View from Place Pigalle – Pike Place Market
Image: binNotes©

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Buying Rioja Wine

In Foodie, Spain, Tempranillo, Travel, Wine Tasting on June 27, 2012 at 7:59 pm

Image: tersinawinejournal.blogspot.com

Since returning from Spain recently, many readers have asked binNotes about Spanish wines. Specifically, many of you want to buy a Spanish wine, but have no idea how to decipher the myriad of choices available. Don’t despair! Spain’s Rioja region wine labels ease the process by including the following two (2) markers:

  • The DOCa” (Denominación de Origen Calificada) seal, which verifies that the wine meets the stringent qualification necessary to be labeled an authentic Rioja wine.
  • The Rioja Classification label, four (4) different colored labels describing the expected level and method of aging in barrels/bottles:
    • Joven or Cosecha (Green Label): Typically young wines 1-2 years old, focused on freshness and fruitiness. Also occasionally used to describe wines outside the other three wine categories. Easy-drinking, informal food pairing wines. (Think Beaujolais Nouveau.)
    • Crianza (Red Label): Wines ~3 years old. Red Crianza: Min. 1 year cask-aging plus several months bottle aging. White Crianza: Min. 6 mos.cask-aging. Popular, ‘go-to’, versatile daily wine that pairs well with most foods.
    • Reserva (Burgundy Label):  Aged a minimum of 3 years. Reds require at least 1 year in cask, whites 2 years min. aging  w/ 6 mos. in cask. Carefully selected, complex wines chosen for their aging potential.
    • Gran Reserva (Blue Label) Exceptional wines w/ min. 2 years oak-cask aging and 3 year bottle aging. White Gran Reserva wines require min. 4 years aging w/ at least 1 year cask-aging. Wines of depth, intensity and richness.
Hope this helps you enjoy with greater confidence those affable, affordable, accessible Spanish wines~Salud!
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