Como os anuncié, Recaredo presentó ayer en Barcelona por el chef Josep Roca del Celler de Can Roca, su cava TURÓ D'EN MOTA. Es un cava "de finca", procedente de unos viñedos plantados en los años 40. Nos podemos imaginar el rendimiento tan pequeño que se puede obtener. En concreto, sale al mercado la añada 1999, donde el rendimiento fue de 4200 Kg/ha, traduciéndose concretamente en 2965 botellas, tal y como me comentó Ton Mata Moliner, uno de los creadores de este cava.

A Ton le brillaban los ojos, y casi se le caía la baba, como si de un bebé fuera, cuando me comentaba el pasado martes las características del TURÓ D'EN MOTA. Es 100% Xarel-lo, variedad de la cual es un enamorado (..."es la parte estructural, espina dorsal, una variedad potente..."), 100% fermentado en barrica y 102 meses de crianza en botella.

Al precio al que sale al mercado es de unos 95 €.

Un Espumoso de Lujo...

Referencias:

www.abc.es
www.elperiodico.es

]]> http://theringpress.wordpress.com/?p=410 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:35:21 +0000 theringhotel http://theringpress.fr.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/quintesseantially-at-the-ring/ "On each morning of my stay I would leave my vast room to relax in the top floor spa (avoiding the all-too-well-appointed gym en-route. Instead I made a beeline for the turkish room - with cycling coloured led lights in the ceiling and essential oils in the steam or sauna rooms overlooking the Karlsplatz."

Quintessentially magazine´s visit to The Ring Hotel yields an explicit recommendation. Quintessentially is first and foremost a club, a club for those who believe that life is too short to waste time on the mundane or second-best.

and complete with it's own straws and animal print carry-all, move over sofia coppola in a can (although our heart still goes out to you...: ) because pommery pop! is the new spring look for the fashion wictim (thats wine+victim ;>...)

By

VIKRAM KARVE

When I was a small boy in the nineteen sixties Pune was a “Tea Town”. Everyone drank tea and all over the town there were chiefly two types of tea for the laidback discerning gourmet Punekar to relish – AMRUT TULYA CHAHA at the ubiquitous Amrut-tulya Tea Shops in every nook and corner of Pune, and the peerless IRANI CHAI served by the numerous Irani Restaurants all over Pune City and Camp like Café Naaz, Lucky, Good Luck, Volga etc.

Amrut means Nectar, and Tulya means Comparable, so “Amrut Tulya” means “Comparable to Nectar” and indeed, true to its name, Amrut-Tulya Tea is comparable to nectar –  sweet, ambrosial, like the elixir of life! Amrut Tulya Chaha is not brewed in the traditional Tea service style – the tea is “cooked” in front of you.

Come, my dear Tea Lover, let me tell you how to make Amrut Tulya Chaha - The Art of Tea – Pune Style.

Assemble the following Ingredients for Two cups of Amrut Tulya Tea “Special Chaha”

Assam CTC Tea or, if you live in Pune, get the famous CTC+OP “Family Mixture” Tea Powder from your favourite “Tea Depot” in the heart of Pune City.

[By the way, the acronyms are: CTC – Crush, Tear, Curl; OP – Orange Pekoe; BOP – Broken Orange Pekoe].

Full Cream Buffalo Milk [I like Chitale’s]

Fresh Water

Sugar

Fresh Ginger Crushed [Better still you can crush the juicy fresh ginger with the chimta directly in the water-milk concoction to let the ginger juices flow out and blend in smoothly]

Cardamom – peel, crush and powder the pods

[NB – Amrut Tulya Tea is not your traditional Masala Chai so please don’t add any Tea Masalas or spices like clove, cinnamon, black peppercorns or herbs like gavati chaha (lemon grass?), tulsi leaves etc. and neither is it the “khada chamach” or “cutting” Chai so please don’t boil away to glory – remember, you must achieve Amrut Tulya Chaha of just the right consistency!]

In a brass vessel [or stainless steel, if you can’t get a brass vessel] mix one cup of water and one cup of milk. Add four teaspoons of sugar. Put on the stove. Medium heat.

Squeeze in a bit of crushed ginger and add a pinch of cardamom powder and the peel.

Lightly stir, let it warm, and bring to a boil.

Smartly add two teaspoons of tea powder and keep stirring gently to ensure the boiling concoction does not spill over. Keep boiling till the tea attains beautiful bright golden-orange colour – the moment you see a reddish tinge, give the heavenly brew a loving last stir, twirl the vessel, and sieve the Amrut Tulya Tea Special Chaha directly into the cups.

Sip the delicious tea slowly and mindfully, roll it on your tongue, let it emulsify in your palate, close your eyes, absorb, discern the flavour, the rich taste, relish every sip lovingly.

Tell me, isn’t Amrut Tulya Chaha lip-smacking tasty and soul-refreshing? Blissful ambrosia, an experience of nectar, isn’t it?

Now you know why they call it Amrut Tulya – comparable to Nectar!

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2008

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

vikramkarve@sify.com

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

(静岡新聞)

藤枝市にある杉井酒造が新しい焼酎を造った！
長泉町で栽培されているヤマトイモを使用して”いもおとこ”という芋焼酎です！

１０月１０日から地元の長泉町内７件の酒店で販売される。

はじめに町内産のヤマトイモ約５１０キロを用い、７２０ｍｌ入りボトル６９０本を作った
アルコール分は２５・５度。
料金は一本二千二百円(税込み）。

早く味わいたいな！

-------------------------
英語を読めれば次のブログを是非ご覧になって下い！
Shizuoka Sake
Shizuoka Shochu
Shizuoka Sushi
Sizuoka Gourmet

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

----------------------------------------

(Shizuoka Shinbun)

Sugii Brewery/Distillery in Fujieda City has just produced a new shochu from tuber called Yamato Imo, a variety of Satsuma Imo grown in Nagaizumi-Cho in the Eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture.

It will be put on sale from the 10th of October at seven liquor shops in Nagaizumi-Cho
The name is "Imo Otoko".
The first batch of 690 bottles (720 ml) were distilled from 510 kg of tuber.
Alcohol contents are a standard 25.5 degrees.
Price: 2,200 yen a bottle.

Looking forward to tasting it!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

----------------------------------------
日本語のブログ
----------------------------------------

Today the Missus made good use of yesterday's leftovers and home-preserved vegetables.

There are always two or three boiled eggs in the fridge, so one of them found its way in today's lunch. The Missus had kept aside some of the edamame served last night for my evening drink, took them out of their pods and also kept them overnight in the fridge.
Yesterday my Monday's lunch consisted of deep-fried pork/tonkatsu muffin sandwiches. She seasoned the pork leftovers with home-made sweet pickled ginger and ponzu vinegar. The vegetables accompanying the meat in its little box are okura and aubergines/egg plants she had first fried, cooled down and then marinated overnight. The little tomato had been pickled/marinated separately.
The white-green thing in its foil paper is "wasabi zuke/wasabi stems and leaves pickled in sake white lees", a very Japanese condiment. Most of the total national production is made in Shizuoka Prefecture!
As for the rice, she steamed it with fresh mushrooms, soy sauce and I don't know what (she wouldn't tell me...). All I can is that I loved it!

For once she did not omit dessert as mini apple slices were included in the salad!

Yummy!

Lest you believe that economic hard times have befallen the Johnsons, fear not. There's a significant difference between being broke and being poor. I am in a perpetural state of broke-ness, but have not been reduced to hotdoggies as a regular feature of the dinner table. Rather, my suggestions for more conventional dinnerfare were met with shrugs and choruses of "whatever".

So "whatever" it is, and I get to retire early to some grading and reruns of Smallville.

By

VIKRAM KARVE

I love tea.

You too love tea but don’t know how to make a good cup?

Let me tell you how to make tea.

Get some good Assam CTC Tea [CTC is an acronym for Crush, Tear and Curl]. CTC teas have a granular appearance and the fact of the matter is that if you are really interested in a Stimulating, Refreshing and Invigorating cup of traditional Indian Tea, Orthodox Leaf Teas [the OPs, the BOPs, et al] just don’t fit the bill – you need CTC tea to brew your strong, bright and full-bodied cup of milky Chai which looks deliciously appetizing – a lively reddish orange colour, not the dull muddy brown colour you get when you add milk to tea made from leaf teas the orthodox “teapot” way.

Take two cups of fresh water [one for you and one for me!] in a stainless steel vessel. Add four teaspoons of sugar. Put on the stove, cover with a lid and boil. Once the water starts boiling, remove the lid and boil for one and a half minutes – yes, exactly one and a half minutes!

Now briskly add two teaspoons of CTC Tea leaves, one teaspoon for each cup – the boiling water will suddenly erupt, and surge up, like a volcano, so smartly switch off the flame before it spills over and quickly cover tightly with the lid. Brew for five minutes till the liquor is full-bodied and the infusion is complete.

Have ready some freshly boiled full cream buffalo milk – yes, fresh creamy buffalo milk is a must – in Pune, I prefer Chitale’s. First pour in some hot milk in the cup, and through a strainer, pour in the rich tea brew and till you get beautiful reddish orange colour. Remember – always pour tea into milk, never milk into tea. This is the secret of the appetizingly attractive bright lively carroty red colour as it facilitates the perfect blending of the strong rich full-bodied intense tea liquor tea brew with the creamy white milk without producing any bitterness.

Now, go ahead, relish every sip, and enjoy your cup of ambrosial divine rejuvenating tea.

And do tell us how you liked it.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2008

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

vikramkarve@sify.com

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

今年の(２１回）静岡県地酒まつりが浜松市のグランドホテル浜松で行った(来年沼津市で主催される）。

昨年と同じように自分が早く（まつりが６：３０に始まりましたが５：００に入りました）会場に来た。そのおかげで酒造の経営者や杜氏に会う時間がたっぷりできました。

メーンホールに入る前に”全国きき酒選手大会静岡県予選会をとっと覗いた。
自分がきき酒専門家にあまりなる気がありません。お酒が大好きですけれども評論家よりも愛好者ですから。蔵人に興味を持って歴史も知りたい。それに絶対酔っ払ってしまいますから。。。

グランドホテル浜松が古いホテルですが結構お大きくてメーンホールには４００人と酒造のスタンドは簡単に入りました。
（生意気に）お客さんが入る前にメーンホールの中に（無断で）はいていろいろな知り合いに挨拶して話を楽しました。

まもなく取材するつもり掛川市にある曾我鶴・萩の蔵や葵天下と土井酒造の新しいラベルの写真を撮った。

こいうイベントではお客さんがずっとテーブルに座ってすでに置いてある酒を飲みながら食事をするか酒造の各スタンドを訪れていろいろな地酒を味わって時々テーブルに戻って水を飲んで食事を少しずつ食べた。
自分がやっぱりそれぞれのスタンドに挨拶して地酒を味わって回った。何回も友達を連れて(引っ張って）又スタンドで地酒味わった。ホテルスタッフが大変だttと思います。ごめんなさいね！

食事は次のように：

前菜

造里

焼物

煮物

強つまみ

お食事

甘味：甘酒(花の舞酒造の酒粕使用）！

もちょっと説明べきかもしれないね。まあお腹が一杯で地酒にちょうどいい！
又来年ね！

-------------------------
英語を読めれば次のブログを是非ご覧になって下い！
Shizuoka Sake
Shizuoka Shochu
Shizuoka Sushi
Sizuoka Gourmet

The Japan Blog List

Please check Shizuoka Gourmet Blog for all the gastronomy in Shizuoka Prefecture!

--------------------------------------------------

The long-awaited Shizuoka Prefecture Sake Festival (official title) was held this year by the Shizuoka Sake Brewers Association in Hamamatsu City this as the rotation came to the West of our Prefecture (it will be held in Numazu City next year).

Like last last year in Shizuoka City I made a point to come early to be able to greet the many Master Brewers and owners I know and make personal acquaintance with the few I haven't had the pleasure to meet yet.

Before entering the Main Hall, I had a good look at some sake specialists blind-tasting brews as part of a national competition. For all my love of sake and probably because of it, I never felt becoming a recognized taster. I am more interested in the people who work so hard to produce those great nectars. In any case I vey much doubt I would have been able to come out sober at the end of the evening if I did any serious tasting before the actual event!

Although Grand Hotel Hamamatsu is a venerable institution, its main function hall is pretty big as it easily managed to cater for than 400 guests and all the Brewers' stands.
I did enter it long before the actual event to say hello and talk shop with the Brewers. A bit pert, I reckon, but I did work hard to make myself accepted in a very closed traditional world and this is one of the rare times when you can talk frankly in good humour with all and one!

I also took the opportunity to take pictures of new labels from Sogatsuru-Hagi no Kura, Aointenka and Doi Breweries I soon will visit in Kakegawa City.

The actual event lasted two hours while all guests either stayed at the tables and enjoyed the meal and sake selection already served on each table seating eight diners, or like myself went around the whole room tasting sake at the Brewers' stands and came back now and then for drink of water and some food served as soon as they were seated. A very practical system for the guests but extremely trying for the staff!

Set of three appetizers

Set of three sashimi

Set of fried vegetables

Cooked seafood plate

Chicken confit and mushrooms as meat plate

Seabream (snapper) rice, pickles and soup

Dessert: hot "Amazake", made from sake white lees (non-alcoholic)

Alright, I did not go into many details but I will be glad to answer requests for explanations! At least that should give a good idea of what to expect at such functions in Japan!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

----------------------------------------
日本語のブログ
----------------------------------------

I usually keep all Shizuoka Sake postings for Shizuoka Sake Blog, but I thought for once it might be of some interest to show what can one expect at a hotel fuction dinner in Japan and Shizuoka Prefecture.
The Festival which is held every year by the Shizuoka Sake Brewers Association took place in Hamamatsu City this year as the rotation came to the West of our Prefecture (it will be held in Numazu City next year).

I came early to be able to greet the many Master Brewers and owners I know and make personal acquaintance with the few I haven't had the pleasure to meet yet.

Before entering the Main Hall, I had a good look at some sake specialists blind-tasting brews as part of a national competition. For all my love of sake and probably because of it, I never felt becoming a recognized taster. I am more interested in the people who work so hard to produce those great nectars.

Although Grand Hotel Hamamatsu is a venerable institution, its main function hall is pretty big as it easily managed to cater for than 400 guests and all the Brewers' stands.
I did enter it long before the actual event to say hello and talk shop with the Brewers (a bit pert, I reckon, but I did work hard to make myself accepted in a very closed traditional world).

I also took the opportunity to take pictures of new labels from Sogatsuru-Hagi no Kura, Aointenka and Doi Breweries I soon will visit in Kakegawa City.

The actual event lasted two hours while all guests either stayed at the tables and enjoyed the meal and sake selection already served on each table seating eight diners, or like myself went around the whole room tasting sake at the Brewers' stands and came back now and then for drink of water and some food served as soon as they were seated. A very practical system for the guests but extremely trying for the staff!

Set of three appetizers

Set of three sashimi

Set of fried vegetables

Cooked seafood plate

Chicken confit and mushrooms as meat plate

Seabream (snapper) rice, pickles and soup

Dessert: hot "Amazake", made from sake white lees (non-alcoholic)

Alright, I did not go into many details but I will be glad to answer requests for explanations! At least that should give a good idea of what to expect at such functions in Japan!

Atractivo, Amplio, Aromático,

Encantador, Vigoroso, Vibrante

Afrutado, Delicioso, Atractivo

Vinoso, Fresco, de Terroir...

Este "quinteto", como si de un párrafo de un poema sacado fuera, es lo que los asistentes al Salón del Cava nos pudimos encontrar.

La Presentación de los Cava Reserva y Gran Reserva no defraudó. 40 firmas elaboradoras presentaron a modo de show room sus cavas especiales: Los Reserva, los cuales reposan un mínimo de 15 meses en la profundidad y la penumbra de silenciosas galerías subterráneas. Y los Gran Reserva, de más de 30 meses de meticulosa crianza en las cavas. Estos últimos, solamente cavas de tipo Brut, mostrando una gran personalidad, "la Esencia del Cava".

El Salón Plata se transformó por un día en Oro, se iluminó con toda la gama del amarillo, tonalidades desde el amarillo pálido o paja de los reserva, al dorado pálido de los "Grandes".

Estuvieron cavas, muy apreciados por mí como es la familia Recaredo : todavía mantengo en mi memoria la visita tan detallada, tan cuidada, que nos ofreció Ton Mata Moliner (nieto del fundador, Josep Mata Capellades). Desde la cepa hasta la copa, ese fue el recorrido que hicimos. Comprobamos in situ que utilizaban abono orgánico, que utilizan corcho natural para la crianza en las cavas y que realizan el Degüelle Manual. Otros Compromisos que conforman su filosofía son que los viñedos se cultivan sin herbicidas ni insecticidas; la uva se vendimia manualmente y con la madurez justa para cada una de las variedades y que el Removido se hace manualmente con los clásicos pupitres.

Exclusivamente elaboran cavas Brut Nature de añada y las Botellas son una muestra más de las características que reúne su Contenido: Elegancia, Distinción, Delicadeza y Artesanía, palabras clave para la familia.

De entre sus cavas, los que presentaron fueron el cava Brut de Brut (Gran Reserva Brut Nature 2001), 60% Macabeo Y 40% Xarel-lo. La variedad Xarel-lo ha sido fermentada en su totalidad en barricas de roble. 63 meses en crianza en botella.

Precio Aprox: 28 €.

Ya tienen distribución en Madrid, aunque con esto, se me acaba la excusa perfecta para mis viajes al Penedés.

Siempre encontraremos la variedad Xarel-lo en una gran proporción en sus vinos, ya que como dice Ton << la Xarel-lo es la parte estructural, la espina dorsal>>.

Tienen tal pasión y confianza hacia esa variedad que en breve nos deleitarán con una Primicia (un cava de finca, Xarel-lo, 100% fermentado en barrica, 102 meses en botella) que estoy segura que más de uno utilizará todas sus herramientas de búsqueda para conseguirla. Por el momento no puedo concretar más, es cuestión de una promesa que les hice, tendré que esperar hasta hoy por la tarde que es cuando expirará mi silencio y os podré decir el nombre. Haré una nota a la presentación oficial que tendrá lugar ese día en Barcelona.

Pero no hay nada que me guste más que el que me sorprendan, y eso es lo que consiguió Marcel Sabaté en su stand de CASTELLROIG Vins de Terrer, tuve la oportunidad de degustar los 3 Cavas de Terroir que presentaba:

Cava Brut Nature Reserva Añada 2005, coupage de las tres variedades emblemáticas del cava, Xarel-lo, Macabeo y Parellada. Crianza mínima de 30 meses en botella. Tonalidades amarillo pálido, límpio, brillante, con la burbuja muy fina. Los aromas característicos a pastelería. En boca, fresco, elegante,  muy integrado, afrutado.

Precio aprox: 11€.

Cava Brut Nature Gran Reserva cosecha 2004, coupage de Xarel-lo (aprox. 75%) y Macabeo (resto) y una crianza mínima de 36 meses. Tonalidad amarillo pálido, con la burbuja fina y muy bien integrada. Aromas donde se percibe la crianza, notas tostadas. Es una cava vinoso, fresco, estructurado, te invita a comer.

Precio aprox: 13 €.

Cava Brut Nature Reserva Familiar SABATÉ i COCA, es un cava con personalidad, muy especial. El coupage es de una mayoría de Xarel-lo de viñas de más de 70 años, con un poquito de Chardonnay (10%). Parte de la Xarel-lo es fermentada en barrica, y crianza mínima de 36 meses.

Es un cava con una muy fina burbuja, con aromas complejos, donde se percibe la crianza. Es un vino vivo, elegante, estructurado, es vinoso, muy equilibrado.

Precio aprox: 25-27€. Solamente hay unas 2500 botellas.

Por un momento, cada uno de los cavas me transportó a la "Esencia del Terroir", y es que para Marcel, la Esencia de la Tierra es lo que importa, de ahí que cada uno de los 15 terroirs que conforman las 24 has. de la finca Sabaté i Coca se trabajen de forma distinta: vendimias de forma manual terroir a terroir, que conllevan mini vinificaciones de cada terroir y cada variedad.

Un esfuerzo que se ve gratamente recompensado por el resultado de esta familia.

Y no solamente elaboran cavas, también tienen una línea de "Vinos de Terroir" entre los que destaca el Terrosa, un vino 100% Xarel-lo de cepas de 95 años con un terroir 10, 10% fermentado sobre sus lías durante 6 meses. No tiene barrica, y según el propio Marcel, le augura 10 años de vida.

El precio aprox: 16€ en bodega.

Sólo me queda darte las Gracias Marcel por resolver todas mis inquietudes. Has conseguido crear un duendecillo en mi consciencia que no parará hasta que no libre su curiosidad por tus vinos y cavas.

De momento me conformaré con hacer la cata detenidamente a estos tres magníficos cavas con mi grupo de gastronomía.

Quiero hacer una Mención Especial a RIMARTS CAVA, una bodega pequeña, familiar, donde la uva desde que entra en la bodega, es la protagonista principal de un Proceso Totalmente Artesanal, obteniéndose una gama de cavas, todos ellos, de calificación extraordinaria.

Asidua a degustar su Brut Nature y Gran Reserva, (pierdo la cuenta de las cajas que habré consumido en estos dos últimos años) en este Salón quedé francamente impresionada con su cava UVAE, un cava de Xarel-lo y Chardonnay, de 30 meses en barrica. Un cava de tonalidades amarillo dorado, con una burbuja muy fina y que permanecía en copa. Aromas a manzana, también destacaba de manera muy sutil los toques a crianza. En boca es fresco, muy equilibrado, estructurado y con una acidez no muy marcada. Un cava que invitaba a volar la imaginación hacia una ocasión especial.

La producción de Uvae es de unas 3000 botellas, y a un precio aprox. que considero bastante razonable, 27-29€.

Me presentaron a Ricard Martínez, y hablando con él entendí los comentarios que hacia esa bodega, en tantas ocasiones había escuchado por parte de personas muy allegadas a mí: "Pasión por el cava", "Artesanía, su filosofía", "Cuidado con esmero", "Sencillez", "Cercanía"... adjetivos y palabras, que describían a su padre y fundador, D. Ricard. Aprovecho para transmitir el más sincero pésame por la pérdida de tan maravillosa persona.

Solamente me queda decir que tengo aún más ganas de conocer la bodega y "empaparme" de sus cavas. Ricard, un día quedamos.

Fotografías: Arancha Merchán

]]> http://newcomms.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/gourmet-chocolate-shooters/ Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:37:53 +0000 grittonl http://ourblahg.com/2008/10/06/gourmet-chocolate-shooters/

Suite 88, Montreal's upscale chocolate lounge and boutique just introduced their Les Shooters. These  goodies are actually chocolate containers filled with 12 different kinds of fine liqueur. Just bite the tip, drink the shot, and chase it  down with chocolate deliciousness.