“Soup is cuisine’s kindest course. It breathes reassurance; it steams consolation; after a weary day it promotes sociability, as the five o’clock cup of tea or the cocktail hour.” — From “The Soup Book” (1949) by Louis P. De Gouy
Many folks enjoy recipes. Being able to duplicate a dish correctly makes them happy.
I am not one of those cooks.
CHEESE CONNOISSUER Reader: I’ve been reading a lot about ice wines, and I’m curious about what they are and when is a good time to order one. The other night I was eating in a very nice restaurant, and noticed the wine list included an ice wine. At $150 a bottle, I was very uncertain. I didn’t mind the price as much as I was hesitant to try such an expensive wine without knowing anything about it.
While a number of food stores are closing up shop, one East Coast chain has successfully paired gourmet food with exceptional customer service to withstand the test of time and a troubled economy.
At Di Bruno Bros. specialty food shops in Philadelphia you’ll find all things Italian, from the finest prosciutto to authentic imported cheese. Here, they have it all, so it’s no wonder they are nationally known as one of the best specialty stores in the country.
I should have taken up yoga. Isn’t that what a good mother does these days? Prance around in tight, velvet pants, sipping kombucha and discussing terrifying things like the “downward dog?” That would have been the trendy thing to do. But due to my passion for cheese, I could never pull off those tight, velvet pants. So for my mid-life hobby, I bypassed the yoga. Instead, I became Slave to the Curd.
My husband Peter and I live in New Zealand, a land where top-quality milk is abundant but good imported cheese is not. It is possible to buy French Camembert at our local grocery store, but the price — once it has passed through the hands of several importers — is tragically prohibitive. For awhile we made do by purchasing “expired” cheese, because a Stilton that is rotten by New Zealand standards comes close to approximating a stinky Roquefort. But in the end, these were pale substitutions, and I never could scratch my cheese-loving itch. Continue reading →
Ever since chefs ascended to rock star status the rest of us mere mortals have reveled in their creativity and clamored for just one more taste of their heavenly creations. In case you’re wondering who and where these chefs turn for their inspiration — look no further. Meet Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Despite all appearances, and unlike most chefs, Vongerichten goes well beyond merely tasting the food he serves at his restaurants. Instead, the svelte, attractive Frenchman really devours entire dishes from his 27 restaurants in eight countries including the flagship, Jean-Georges in New York City.
Celebrated Wine expert Ron Kapon, who is known in wine circles as the Peripatetic Oenophile —the traveling wine expert — answers your questions.
CHEESE CONNOISSEUR reader There seems to be so much controversy about wine corks these days. Some people tell me great winemakers only use real corks and other people tell me that screw tops are now being used for great wine. Why are winemakers using cork anyway?
When we think of specialty cheese, we think of its accompaniments—wine, beer, fruit, jam and perhaps a platter of charcuterie—but the cheese itself is generally always served fresh and in its original form, served pure and simple.
It’s like the world hit the refresh button. Everything is coming alive, babies are being born, daffodils and spring onions are peeping up through the soil that has been opened due to the freezing and thawing of winter months.