As we gaily (or sometimes frantically) shop our way through the holiday season, it is sometimes difficult to determine what to get for the wine lover in your life. Sure, there is the obvious (wine). But there are only so many wine carriers, rabbit ear openers, decanters and wine stoppers that one person can accumulate. Here’s another idea: a book about wine or wine regions. One of the best that I have read is Natalie MacLean’s new book: Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines.
Natalie is a Canadian wine writer who embarked on a journey around the world to meet wine makers who make good, well-priced wines (wouldn’t you love her job)? Australia, South Africa, Sicily, Provence-she’s got them all covered. Her writing style provides a great sense of place for each of the locations she visited, and her lyrical descriptions of the wines she enjoyed made me want to run out and buy them (in other words, I’ll have what she’s having). At the same time, she is honest about some of the shortcomings exhibited by certain winemakers at various points in history (such as the poor quality of South African wines when trade sanctions were imposed during apartheid). She also talks about the great meals that she enjoyed in each location (did I mention that I want her job)? Best of all, she focuses on wines that are affordable and approachable.
Even after your favorite wine lover finishes the book, they can still use it as a wine and food resource. At the end of each chapter, Natalie gives a list of her favorite bargain priced wines from each region, a list of food and wine parings, an outline of books about the wines of that region, and a terrific “related reading” list of non-wine books about each area. There are also links on her website (http://www.nataliemaclean.com/) where you can find a treasure trove of wine suggestions and recipes (which sound delicious, although Americans will have to convert the recipes from Celsius to Fahrenheit). This is a dense yet enjoyable book that is meant to be slowly savored, like a good glass of wine. If you know someone who is an active (or armchair) traveler and wine lover, this would be a great gift!
Disclosure-I received a complimentary review copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
Beth Christian, Burlington County Regional Editor, subsisted primarily on cheeseburgers and liverwurst sandwiches during childhood and refused to try most new foods. Her culinary horizons were expanded during her college days in Schenectady, New York, where she learned the joys of trying slow-simmered Italian dishes, Szechuan cuisine, and everything in between. When not engaged in the practice of law in Monmouth County, Beth is busy scouting out interesting restaurants, farmer’s markets and food purveyors near her home in Burlington County. Beth’s primary dining sidekick is her husband John, but she also enjoys having her daughter Meghan, son Michael and her wonderful friends come along for the ride. Email Beth at [email protected]
People say “I love chocolate” all the time. I say (and demonstrate through worshipful consumption) how much I “love” chocolate all the time, practically defining my personality by it. There are cat people, there are electronic gadget people, there are craft people; I am a chocolate person. And so were the many hundreds of others who gathered at the Metropolitan Pavilion last month for the gorgeous, glorious, gastronomically glamorous 14th Annual New York Chocolate Show.
The key to navigating the Chocolate Show, I’ve found, is to seek out the passion. Everything tastes good, everything looks lovely, but when you find the exhibitor (whether the chocolatier him or herself or an enthusiastic brand ambassador) whose honest excitement about and true dedication to their product—their art—are as boldly on display as their edible wares, that’s where you strike gold.
Combine the chic of Neiman Marcus, the comfort of a bistro menu, the whimsy of an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and the magic of Willy Wonka and you have Sugar and Plumm, Purveyors of Yumm. The fantasy of kids with a sweet tooth and grown-ups who want well-priced, well-prepared food comes together to create a magical experience for diners. On multiple visits, my companions and I were consistently impressed with freshly baked classic French pastry (only the burger buns are baked off premise by Balthazar Bakery in Englewood), crispy, artistically plated salads, juicy burgers and hand-cut fries served in mini fryer baskets lined with red and white check paper and an exquisite crispy-skin salmon served with a lush lemon hollandaise and sautéed haricot vert. Bergen families searching for good food, well-priced, family friendly and dare we say, fun, may find the answer at this new Bergen Town Center café and retailer. Sugar and Plumm’s owner Lamia Jacobs, a former oil trader who grew up in Paris and mother of four, said fun was a big part of the equation when it came to creating the restaurant’s concept.
“In Paris, we can get a steak, omelet, crepe or salad any time of the day or night at bistros, but I wasn’t able to find that when we moved to the States,” said the Greenwich, CT resident. “I wanted a menu that was equally savory and sweet, offering sustainable and organic whenever possible and all about comfort. Chicken and waffles are one of our most popular items and people love our crepes, sundaes and hand-made chocolates, everything top quality.” Indeed, Mrs. Jacobs seems to have found the right blend of kid-friendly, yet sophisticated ambience to keep adults happy and a menu that emphasizes well-executed sweet and savory items and nostalgic, comfort foods.
Grandparents and grandchildren tucked away in booths are as common a sighting at Sugar and Plumm as are lunching ladies, teen girls, moms and toddlers, families and couples dating. The flexibility of the menu (organized into one side savory, one side sweet) makes the restaurant an easy choice for those looking for hearty breakfast fare (starting at $6) mid-morning or late afternoon, a savory sandwich (starting at $8), topped with a fried egg for $1 more. Pancakes are lightened with ricotta and served with berry compote and Vermont maple syrup ($9) and lemon curd and nutella are $2 additional. Savory buckwheat crepes are filled with everything from ham and swiss ($9) to smoked salmon, crème fraiche, onion, capers, market greens and lemon vinaigrette ($12). Stacked waffles start with smoked bacon, aged cheddar and fried egg ($8) and the popular crispy free-range chicken tenders, served with rich, creamy butter, Vermont maple syrup and house hot sauce ($12). The pulled pork stacked waffle ($12) is equally enticing with succulent maple BBQ pork, tangy pickled onion slaw, bibb lettuce and chipotle mayo. Soups are excellent and include classic chicken noodle ($4/cup), full of large pieces of pulled tender chicken in a rich broth and plenty of noodles and aromatic veggie chunks, and butternut squash ($4) which is topped with crunchy roasted butternut squash seeds and a drizzle of EV olive oil. (I wish the restaurant would omit the sage leaves served atop the chicken noodle soup as the taste of sage, in my view, is too assertive; it would work better on the butternut squash soup if fried briefly in butter to crisp it.)
Entrees, which number six and range from $10 for a squat cast iron pot filled with tangy, gooey Mac & Cheese to flat iron steak ($19), free range chicken breast ($17) served with lemon spinach and onion pan sauce to my favorite, the crispy skin salmon ($21). I want fully developed flavors in food and I love butter. I don’t like it when chefs are stingy with butter or tasty morsels that pack a lot of flavor, like sautéed shallots. So, let me say that I love the sautéed haricot vert, those elegant slender string beans, that accompany the crispy-skin salmon as much as I love the salmon itself. The ratio of butter and silky, caramelized shallots to string beans is perfect, making every bite rich and satisfying.
At the risk of sounding like I don’t get the point of Sugar and Plumm, I confess that I am more excited about the savory side of the menu than the sweet side. That is a personal “issue,” and while I do enjoy sweets, I care more about the before-dessert-fare. However, I would find no fault with anyone who said they visited Sugar and Plumm simply for its decadent molten chocolate cake plated dessert ($8) with oozing rich chocolate cake served with homemade vanilla ice cream. With desserts, Mrs. Jacobs’ influence can also be seen, as she loves sweets but thinks too much sweetness masks the true flavors of other ingredients. She’s spot on and this can be tasted in the restaurant’s ice creams, gelati, sorbets, tarts, compotes and even dessert drinks. Things are well-flavored, but never cloyingly sweet. This is a refreshing departure. The restaurant lovingly embellishes sundaes with all manner of candy, fruits, confections, house made sauces and crunchy nuts along with sophisticated meringue, sometimes served whole, as in the Bee hive ($8) which is piled high and filled with ice cream or crushed as a sweet path to drag your spoon along through a trio of sorbets. Flavors are fresh, fruits discernible in each bite.
This is food that is well thought out and flavorful. Sundaes start at $9 for the Yumm Drop which combines homemade brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and two more scoops of chocolate, covered with homemade fudge sauce, vanilla scented whipped cream and finished with a meringue baton. Peach melba ($9) is served with fresh raspberry coulis and finished with slivered almonds. Our neighbors feasted on Banana Split ($10) and an Over The Yumm ($40) which is a sundae on steroids and enough to feed one good sized family. Suffice it to say that sweet crepes and waffles, starting at $8, and delectable tarts of fruit, chocolate and peanut butter varieties, all $5 and available in mini flights ($7.50) are simply sublime. Hot chocolate ($3.50) is served in an over-sized cup and saucer with bobbing homemade marshmallows, whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Water is filtered onsite, an important and appreciated offering. The restaurant plans a winter and seasonal menu changes.
I recently received an e-mail that really touched me. It said this HOLIDAY SEASON we should support our country’s economy. I instantly thought, how is that possible with everything being mass produced for our consumption in other countries. Our family tried to build and furnish our new home a few years ago with “American Made” and found it to be almost impossible and cost prohibitive. How could I possibly do my holiday shopping and support our country as much as possible in the process? As I continued reading the e-mail the sender had made some great suggestions. They recommended buying restaurant, dinner theatre, concert, museum, salon and spa gift certificates, but the idea that grabbed my attention was go to local arts and craft fairs and help a “starving artist” this year. Aha! There were a few fairs in my area and I decided to check one of them out.
I love Arts and Crafts Fairs and got into the rhythm going up and down the aisles, scoping out the best route to cover all the booths, not wanting to miss a single thing. Jewelry, pottery, glass, textiles it was all there. But then I spotted it, Jersey Girl Wine Jelly. I haven’t had delicious wine jelly for years. An old family treat I had all but forgotten. I had to taste it! Michele Birtch and Stephanie Clineman, a mother and daughter team from Mays Landing and Galloway respectively are the creators of the company. What started out as a family favorite recipe for friends and family has become a full time business. The names of the all the varieties of Jelly I was told, are made up by the women as well. “How Merlot Can You Go?”, “It Should Be A Zin!”, “Chardonnay Moi?”, and “Que Shiraz Shiraz!”.
From Brie to Gouda to Manchego, it’s hard to find a food that’s as appreciated across the globe as cheese is. In the US, customers are slowly coming to the realization that there’s more to cheese platters than Munster, Swiss and Cheddar. There’s no better illustration of the nearly endless varieties of cheese than at
Maria Tisdall, the owner of Cheese…Please! came to her love of cheese accidentally when she was hired to run a supermarket artisanal cheese counter. Though she had trained as a chef, her knowledge of cheese was lacking and she began to immerse herself, learning as much as she could. As Maria’s knowledge grew, so did her love of cheese, and when the chance came to open her own business, Cheese…Please! was born.
