Wine of the Moment, 2007 Foradori Granato

If obscure Italian grape varieties, produced organically by a superstar female winemaker, that combine elegance, finesse, power and purity, sound interesting to you, then I've got the perfect bottle.  The grape is Teroldego (ter-ROHL-dego) and the winemaker is Elizabetta Foradori. 

Located in the Dolomite mountains of Trentino, Foradori is single-handedly credited with restoring one of Italy's ancient treasures to its former glory, even surpassing it.  Through tireless dedication, skillful cultivation and back-breaking hard work she has brought Teroldego from obscurity to the lips of Sommeliers and wine-store owners across the globe.

 The grape is only grown in Trentino, and the best appellation is Campo Rotaliano, were Foradori's vineyards are located.  Genetically linked to Syrah and Lagrein, Teroldego can be easily overcropped to produce bright, fresh, balanced, fruity wines to be drunk young. But its personality is transformed if yield is restricted, when it offers lush, concentrated dark stone fruit and black cherry flavors and aromas offset by smoke, herb and bitter almond notes. It is marked by a particularly fine acidic balance and complexity, and restrained oak contact rounds out its structure.

I am so excited to not only have this wine in the shop, but to have it available in half bottles at the bar or to take home!  Come check it out as well as other great quality selections from our half bottle list.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 2007 Foradori Granato, 94 points:  "Ripe, silky tannins caress the palate as the 2007 Granato emerges from the glass. Crushed, flowers, raspberries and spices meld together beautifully in this mid-weight, gracious Granato. Today the aromas and flavors are quite primary, but the wine should harmonize to a greater extent with another year or two in bottle. Subtle notes of oak linger on the elegant, polished finish. This is another superb Granato from Elisabetta Foradori."

Palmento Event, Celebrating the Wine and Food of Sicilia

“I went to Sicily in the winter of 2008 to explore and write about an emerging wine scene. What I discovered in more than a year of travels to the island was more than a fascinating, teeming wine frontier; I found something close to my own heartbeat.” 
Robert Camuto


Most of you who read my blog or make regular visits to the shop know that I am enamored with the wine, food and culture of southern Italy and particularly that of the island of Sicily.  I've been writing about Sicily, especially the Mount Etna region for over 2 years now.  At the time there was not one wine from the Etna available in New Orleans.  But now through the help of a few daring wholesalers, especially Matt Lirette, I can pick and choose from many whites, reds and roses from an area that I feel is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions on the planet, period.

So you can imagine how excited I was when Robert Camuto, author of Palmento, a Sicilian Wine Odyssey, contacted me about making New Orleans part of his national book tour and if we would be interested in doing an event around his visit.  Knowing what a huge Sicilian population resides in our food and drink obsessed city, I told him we were very interested and that I thought he would be well received.  And then the wheels started turning, how could we present an event that best compliments the book?  Sure we could do a wine tasting and book signing at the shop, but we would be missing an extremely important element of Sicilian culture....here's how things have come together:

The star of the show, of course, will be Robert Camuto, who will do a short presentation on his book as well as sign copies that will be available for purchase that evening.  I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading Palmento and how it transported me back to that wonderful two weeks we spent visiting most of the producers that he speaks of in the book.  From the slopes of Mount Etna to the shores of Marsala and the island of Pantelleria, Robert takes you on a wonderful journey introducing you to the current players, some new and some whose families have been there for generations, but who all have important roles in this exciting, constantly evolving wine scene.  Robert is a writer who appreciates wine, not a critic, and his book explores the very human elements that effect what is your glass.  He shows you how family, relationships, food, history and wine are all intricately entwined in a uniquely Sicilian way, creating a culture that is unlike any other.

Kerry and me with Chiara Planeta

Now onto the rest of the event...So of course my first phone call was to chef Josh Smith at a Mano, because no Italian wine event is complete without regional foods to pair, and there is no better place in the city than a Mano to do something focused on southern Italy.  Josh too was very excited, and we decided we wanted to do something different the traditional sit down dinner approach.  We also wanted to make it affordable and expose as many people as we could to the amazing wines and foods of Sicilia, keep it fun and create many different pairing opportunities.  So we are presenting the event in more of a "walk about" style where you will move from station to station and sample a unique wine and food pairing at each one; twelve wines, twelve traditional Sicilian dishes from all over the island.

Tasting with Frank Cornelissen on the Etna

As in Robert's book, we wanted to represent the small artisan producers as well as the more internationally know icons of the industry.  So my next two phone calls were to the wholesalers in the area whose portfolios best suit those parameters, Antonio Molesini from Republic National Beverage and Matt Lirette of Lirette Selections.  When I told them the premise behind the event, both were excited to be involved and we began pouring over portfolios to select the best wines to represent the island of Sicily, and let me tell you that narrowing it down to 12 wines was a difficult task!

Tasting Marsala with Renato De Bartoli

But the list is now in chef Josh's hands and I am anxiously awaiting his menu ideas to pair with the wines.  Antonio and company will be representing the international stars of Planeta, Donnafugata and Feudo Maccari while Lirette Selections will focus on the small offerings from Frank Cornelissen, Occhipinti and Pietradolce.   I can't wait to see it all come together, and hope that you will consider joining us to meet Robert and celebrate the wine, food and culture of Sicilia!

Event details:

March 20th, 5-7pm
a Mano, 870 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
$35
Palmento will be available for purchase at the event.
Call 504.304.0635 for reservations, prepayment is required.

Meatballs, Mezzogiorno Style

I am a huge fan of the wine and food from Southern Italy, hence my love of a Mano in the warehouse district, and am always searching for new wines, cookbooks and recipes from the region.  One of the most complete books I have come upon that takes an in depth look at both the cucina povera (humble cooking) style of food and the wacky indigenous grape varieties is the A16 Food + Wine from one of San Francisco's most popular restaurants.  Former chef Nate Appleman and wine director Shelly Lindgren have put together a wonderful resource that is part cookbook and part textbook, beautifully written and with stunning photographs of Italy, the restaurant and some of the cooking methods.  I did a quick post on it last year when I first got the book, but this week I made one of the recipes that I've been eying since I bought it.

Meatballs anyone? How can you not love a meatball, the traditional start to the Sunday dinner in most Italian families?  However in Italy, meatballs are rarely served as we do atop a heaping pile of spaghetti covered in a rich tomato sauce.  Throughout most of Italy meatballs (polpette) are usually served as a second course without toppings or sauce, with the exception of southern Italy where a variation is prepared in tomato sauce but is a main course without pasta as in the recipe below.

 What intrigued me about the A16 description of their meatballs was the light texture due to the higher bread content that is prevalent in recipes from the Mezzogiorno (southern Italy).  More bread means less meat and less expense, hence cucina povera, and it the case of this recipes a deliciously light, airy meatball.  With the added bread they are a meal in themselves, but I have to say I deviated from the recipe in that I did serve them over a little angel hair pasta...

Besides the fact that my mouth watered every time I looked at the recipe, I also wanted to try out the meat grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aide mixer that I have to say performed beautifully.  But if you use a meat grinder be sure to read the instructions for your equipment on grinding meat and bread, as they will tell you the proper methods and speeds to get the best results.

I only deviated from the recipe once (besides the addition of pasta...) and that was in the amount of salt I used.  The pork fat I got was from Whole Foods and the label on the package saild "salt pork"  so I decreased the amount of salt to 2 tsp instead of a tablespoon and only added 1 tsp to the tomato mixture.  I'll note this in the ingredient list to remind you.  There will be a point in the recipe where you can adjust if you feel you need more salt.

The result was nothing short of fabulous! The texture was incredible and nothing like any meatballs I've ever had.  It does take some time though to grind every thing if you do as I did, but it was SO worth the effort!

I so wanted to drink the recommend wine, and Aglianico from Campagnia, but was too lazy to go to the shop and get a bottle.  So we settled for the most amazing bottle of the Conterno Fantino Mon Pra, a super Piemontese blend of Cabernet, Nebbiolo and Barbera that blew us away.  Not cheap, but definitely one of those bottles I'd like to have again and again...But we do have a wonderful Aglianico from Bisceglia in stock that would pair beautifully at $16.99.

Ok, so on to the recipe.  Take your time and have fun with this, you will thoroughly enjoy what comes out of the oven.  But don't cut corners with ingredients and sub low fat milk for whole milk or leave out the pork fat as one blogger did with not so good results!  It's a meatball!

A16's Monday Meatballs
Makes 28 to 30
-10 ounces boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1" cubes and ground in a meat grinder or finely chopped in a food processor.
-10 ounces beef chuck, cut into 1" cubes and ground in a meat grinder or finely chopped in a food processor.
-6 ounces day-old country bread, cut into 1" cubes and ground in a meat grinder or finely chopped in a food processor.
-2 ounces pork fat, cut into 1" cubes and ground in a meat grinder or finely chopped in a food processor.
-2 ounces prosciutto, chilled in the freezer for 15 minutes, cut into 1" cubes and ground in a meat grinder or finely chopped in a food processor.
-1 cup loosely packed, fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
-**1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided **(I used 2 teaspoons plus 1 teaspoon)
-2 teaspoons dried oregano
-1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
-1 teaspoon dried chile flakes
-2/3 cup fresh whole milk ricotta, drained if necessary (if sitting in whey, drain overnight in cheesecloth)
-3 eggs, lightly beaten
-1/4 cup whole milk
-1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes with juice
-Handful of fresh basil leaves
-Block of grana padana for grating
-Best-quality olive oil for finishing

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with olive oil. In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef, bread, pork fat, prosciutto, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, oregano, fennel seeds and chile flakes and mix with your hands just until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs and milk just enough to break up any large curds of ricotta. Add the ricotta mixture to the ground meat mixture and mix lightly with your hands just until incorporated. The mixture should feel wet and tacky. Pinch off a small piece, flatten it into a disk, and cook it in a small sauté pan. Taste and adjust the mixture’s seasoning with salt, if needed. Do this, it will help you determine the correct amount of salt

3. Form the mixture into 1 1/2 -inch balls, each weighing about 2 ounces, and place on the prepared baking sheets. You should have about 30 meatballs.

4. Bake, rotating the sheets once from front to back, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the meatballs are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees. (At this point you can continue with the recipe or after they've cooled, refrigerate meatballs for up to 2 days or freeze and thaw completely before starting the next step)

5. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the remaining salt, and then pass the tomatoes and their juices through a food mill fitted with the medium plate. Alternatively, put the entire can of tomatoes and salt in a large bowl, don an apron and squeeze the tomatoes into small pieces with your hands.

6. Pack the meatballs into 1 large roasting pan or 2 smaller roasting pans. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and braise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the meatballs are tender and have absorbed some of the tomato sauce.

7. Remove the pans from the oven and uncover. Distribute the basil leaves throughout the sauce.

8. For each serving, ladle the meatballs with some of the sauce into a warmed bowl. Grate the grana over the top, drizzle with olive oil to finish and serve immediately.

Buon Appetito!

Under the Radar Wines

Here's my latest on wines in the store right now that I think are really interesting, with distinct personalities that you should know about.  These aren't expensive, none of them are even rated by any of the industry mags, but just really good solid wines with a sense of place that deliver a lot for the money.

2009 Cuvelier Cuvee Maule - Hands down one of the most interesting, complex, unusual and absolutely tantalizing wines I've tasted in a while, and especially at this price point.  You find something different every time you put your nose in the glass and the palate just keeps you coming back for more and more...Made in Chile by Baptiste Cuvelier (whose family just happens to own Chateau Leoville Poyferre in Bordeaux...), one of many French winemakers enjoying the freedom that comes with making wine in South America.  The 2010 earthquake in Chile destroyed much of what was in barrels from the 2009 vintage, forcing Baptiste to make an unusual blend of the undamaged wine.  And what a blend it is!  Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Merlot, Carignan, Cinsault and Pais are all blended to create a pure, dense, rich and incredibly balanced wine with spicy red and black fruits, herbs and fresh mint.  All organic fruit and natural wine making techniques, this is a stellar wine at twice the price, but at $17.99 a bottle...what can I say.  I tasted this with Baptiste last month in the shop and was extremely impressed with all of the wines, but this was the standout and a new favorite!

2009 Taburno Falanghina - If I had to pick a white in the shop that I could drink over and over again and not get bored (which is difficult for me...) this would be the wine.  Made in Campagnia near the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, the mineral ridden volcanic soils at 1,000 foot elevation produce a delightful Falanghina.  This grape is native to southern Italy and provides the perfect accompaniment to light meals or just by the glass sitting on the porch! Crisp and fruity, this is an absolutely delicious wine! The falanghina grape can be tasted in perfect purity, with notes of almond blossom, lemon, and fresh nectarine. Refreshing, clean, perfect!  $17.50

2009 Delas Freres Cotes du Ventoux - One of my favorites on the cheap and tasty rack, this red has a level of intensity and richness well beyond what one can usually find at $10!  The Ventoux is a sub appellation of the Rhone and produces wines of the same varieties, this being 80% Grenach and 20% Syrah.  It's got loads of texture and density, red and black fruits, with a bit of an olivey note and soft, velvety tannins.  Great with cheeses, light meat dishes and would really shine with a grilled pork loin!

A Spirited Dinner in Celebration of Café Degas’ 25th Anniversary

 Join our friends at Cafe Degas in celebrating their 25th Anniversary with a food and specialty cocktails pairing menu featuring the fine spirits of Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Citadelle and Mathilde Liqueurs. Enjoy a 6 course dinner prepared by chef Laurent Rochereux assisted by sous-chef Joe Pedroza and hosted by Hugo Chambon Rothlisberger director of sales for Cognac Ferrand.  Hope we see you there!

Date: March 22, 2011
Location: Café Degas 3127 Esplanade Avenue
Time: 6:30 PM Promptly
RSVP: 504-945-5635 or www.cafedegas.com
Price: $75.00 all inclusive

 

Amuse
Oysters on the half shell served with aged whisky gelee 
Cocktail: French 75
Prepared with Citadelle, (a Botanical recipe dating back 450 years) Sparkling Wine, Lemon and Sugar

Appetizer
Terrine of Traditional Foie Gras served with Fleur de Sel and miniature Brioche
Cocktail: Pierre Ferrand Pineau des Charentes Aperitif

Seafood Course
Coquille St. Jacques; pan seared scallop,served in an artichoke heart with red curry & coconut sauce
Cocktail: Street Car
Prepared with Citadelle, Mathilde Pear Liqueur and Lemon Juice

Sorbet
Fennel and mint sorbet garnished with Citadelle

Entree
Roasted Duck, served with a braised celery gratin, fingerling potatoes, and a peach gastric
Cocktail: Vieux Carré
Prepared with Pierre Ferrand Ambre, Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Simple Syrup 

& Peychaud’s Bitters

Dessert
Baba au Rhum

Cocktail: Plantation Fish House Punch

Prepared with Plantation 5 year Grande Reserve Barbados Rum, Pierre Ferrand Ambre, Mathilde Peach, Lemon juice
   

Space is limited!!
All recipes for cocktails and special pricing on all ingredients will be available for purchase

Pinchitos, Spicy Grilled Pork Skewers

We've had so many things going on these past couple of months that there's been no time for intricate, complex dishes that take lots of time in the kitchen.  We've been focused on quick, healthy meals that don't take a lot of fuss or hard to find ingredients.  Kerry made us a pretty delicious dish this weekend that definitely fit the bill, a finger-licking-good spicy quick grilled pork skewers that I can't wait to have again!

Pinchos or pinchito, the diminutive, translates as “little thorn” or “little pointed stick,” so pincho moruno roughly means little mouthfuls impaled on a thorn or skewer.

Ingredients:

•    1/2 cup olive oil
•    2 Tbs. ground cumin
•    2 Tbs. ground coriander
•    1 Tbs. smoked paprika
•    1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
•    1 tsp. dried oregano
•    1 tsp garam masala or generous pinch of cinnamon
•    1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
•    1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
•    2 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
•    2 tbs honey
•    2 Tbs. minced garlic
•    1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
•    1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
•    Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions:
In a small fry pan, combine the olive oil, spices and salt. Place over low heat until warmed through and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place the pork pieces in a bowl pour spice mix over. Add the garlic, parsley, honey, and lemon juice and toss well. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Toss the mixture a few times during the marinating process.

Thread the meat onto skewers. Preheat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat, or prepare a hot fire in a grill. Grill, turning once until just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 8 as appetizer.

Savory Bites: Changes at Le Foret

...offering tidbits of information on interesting discoveries in the food and wine scene of New Orleans.

We celebrated Valentine's Day a day early with a lovely dinner at Le Foret with our friends Gwen and Mike.  Our friend Mimi Assad has been part of the kitchen staff since October, and she visited our table with some very exciting news.  Nola.com reported last week that chef Jimmy Corwell and Le Foret were parting ways and that has meant good things for Mimi as she has taken over the executive chef duties!  We couldn't be more proud of her and if last night's food was any indication of her "staying power" she should have no worries!

The dinner from start to finish was nothing less than amazing, with each dish's presentation, creativity and balance of flavors and textures receiving lots of ohhs and ahhs from around the table.  Everything dish was exquisite, but if I have to pick a few favorites...

Appetizers: Grilled Hudson Valley Foie Gras with chanterelle mushroom ragu, medjool dates, parmesan risotto and the Gravad Salmon with Corn Fritters with housemade crème fraiche and chives.
Salad: Butter Lettuce and Shaved Apple Salad, pecans, lemon ricotta, mustard lattice, honey apple dressing (I can't tell you how creamy and delicious this was...)
Entrees: Roasted Tenderloin of Nature-Fed Beef with organic Bloomsdale spinach, potato mille feuille cauliflower parmentier, wild mushroom-oxtail bolognese and this amazing lamb wrapped in kale that Kerry had that I forgot to write down...
Desserts: Caramelized Milk Souffle with Chocolate Sauce (I scraped every bit of this from the bowl...) and the Blackberry Doberge Cake.

Congratulations Mimi, we can't wait to come back!!

Blackberry Doberge Cake

Montsant and Priorat, The New Spain

Spain has a long history of producing great wines, particularly the red wines of Rioja.  However, this famous name is just one small region among many which produce incredible wines that are off the beaten path for most wine drinkers.  The exciting Spanish wine regions of Priorat and Montsant are nestled at the base of the Montsant mountain range, just an hour and a half’s drive south of Barcelona.  Priorato is known for it's somewhat expensive, powerful, rich reds while neighboring Montsant produces vlaue priced, elegant, complex wines.  Both regions share many similarities, there are distinct differences in the soils and terrior that set the wines apart.

Montsant
Among the lesser-known wine-growing regions of Spain, Montsant seems like a potential treasure trove of solid, yet not too expensive wines, often coming from undervalued old vines. Its soil has some similarities with next door Priorat, and so does the varietal selection, but without the high price tags of Priorat wines.

Wine experts and press consider it to be an up and coming region and industry rags have declared it to be “a great discovery”.  The quality of Montsant wines is key to their success, as too is their great quality-price ratio. The prestigious Spanish wine guide, “Guia Peñin” agrees that “the quality of Montsant wines and their great prices make this region an excellent alternative.”.

The D.O. Montsant (Designation of Origin or wine appellation) despite being a fairly new wine appellation has years of wine-making history behind it.The D.O. Montsant comprises approximately 4,700 acres of registered vineyards and, as it is larger than its interior neighbor (Priorat comprises less than 4,000 acres), both its landscape and terroir are much more diverse. Montsant’s soil is a combination of granitic sand and calcareous soil, including limestone, large pebbles, some clay and shards of slate – all of which can be found in varying amounts throughout the appellation. In addition, although the D.O. has a similar climate to that of Priorat, Montsant has two rivers that run through it and they, along with the daily sea breezes that come in off the Mediterranean, provide the appellation with an infinity of microclimates that gives its wines a unique character. Montsant on average also receives more annual sun exposure than Priorat and contains as many of the extremely low-producing, century-old vines that make up the succulent wines so highly sought after in both wine regions.

In terms of wine style, the wines from the D.O. Montsant are full of flavor and finesse. True to their terroir, the wines of Montsant reflect “the fragrance of their landscape,” and are ripe with aromas of Mediterranean herbs (including thyme, rosemary and native lavender), exotic spices and black fruit. On the palate the wines are fresh and stunning, with notes of violets, blackberries, red currants, dried figs, sweet spices, toasted wood and subtle minerality.  Within the DO, varieties in a red Montsant wine can include Garnacha, Mazuelo (a.k.a. Cariñena), Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Tempranillo, although only a very small amount of this last variety exists within the appellation.

Priorat
What immediately distinguishes Priorat from other grape-growing regions in the world is its soil type.  Many believe the secret to Priorat’s success lies in its amazing, granite-like soils, known to the Catalan people as llicorella and to the rest of Spain as pizarra.  The llicorella soil resembles slate or shale rock, intermixed with tiny bands of reddish-brown earth.  The name llicorella stems from the Catalan word for licorice, chosen to describe the black, somewhat shiny rocky substrate which is high in mineral content.Another important aspect of Priorat’s unique terroir is its climate.  The region is extremely arid and receives hardly any rain during the summer months.  Irrigation is rarely used as water is scarce, and is typically saved for the youngest vines and the hottest years.  Due to the steep slopes, rocky soil and little water, the annual production per acre in Priorat is extremely low.  A head-pruned, old vine in the region might yield only enough fruit for a half-bottle of wine.

This low production directly contributes to the characteristically concentrated wines of the region, which have great tannins, deep color and high alcohol content (13.5-15.5%).  The extremely harsh growing conditions and low-yielding vines also help explain the high cost of Priorat wines, which are justifiably more expensive than those of other high-volume wine regions of Spain.  The grape varieties in Priorato include Garnacha, Garnacha peluda and Cariñena with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah vines having been included in small areas.



We'll be tasting wines from both Priorat and Montsant on Tuesday, February 15 from 6:30 to 8pm so you can taste for yourself the similarities and differences between these two exciting regions!

A Toast to All Things French, Wine Education Seminar

Well, maybe not to "all things" but certainly to their grape juice!  France is responsible for setting many of the international standards for which wine is judged today; yet, reading a French wine label and finding regions/varieties that suit your palate can be intimidating.  What is the Roussillon?  What grapes can I expect to drink with a bottle of wine from St. Emillon or Chateauneuf du Pape?  Does it matter if a bottle of Burgundy says Premier or Grand Cru, and what does the term "first growth" mean?  Please join us once a week on Mondays at 6:00pm for six weeks as we "tour," taste and decode the major wine regions in France.  Here's the line-up:

February 21:  Rhone Valley

February 28:  Bordeaux

March 7 (LUNDI GRAS): no seminar

March 21:  The Midi

March 28:  Burgundy

April 4:  Alsace & Loire Valley

April 11:  Champagne

Your tour guide will be Michelle Gueydan, who has a broad range of travel and career experience in food and wine, particularly in France, where she barrel tasted the acclaimed 2005 Bordeaux vintage, and even rode on the back of someone's motorbike to the acclaimed Domaine Pegau in Chateauneuf du Pape.  For six years, Michelle traveled internationally with former employers, Joseph Robert of J.E. Robert Companies and acclaimed musician/composer Quincy Jones, planning and executing meetings, events, concerts and wine pairing dinners.  Her Sommelier career highlights include five-star Relais &Chateau property, The Inn at Little Washington in Virginia , as well as her most recent stint as Wine Director for John Besh Restaurant Group in New Orleans.  A native New Orleanian, Michelle returned home in 2009 and has re-instated her former Virginia-based LLC, VinoSolutions, in Louisiana to offer local retail and restaurant outlets a unique opportunity to hire a Sommelier as a “Consultant."  Michelle continues to support the importance of education towards an end result: Louisiana as a destination not only for food and spirits, but also for WINE.

Each class is $30/person, or buy the entire series for $150.  Sign up early, as space is limited to 20 people per class.  Call 504.304.0635, reservations and prepayment are required to attend.

Cafe Degas' Infamous La Gratinee d'Oignon

I've been wanting this recipe for a long time, but thinking that something tasting this good would not be easily had, I never asked.  However, as I browsed the newly released Cafe Degas Cookbook, quickly looking through the soup section, there it was, their infamous La Gratinee d'Oignon.  Many nights I've sat at the small bar feasting on this hearty rich soup, savoring those soft delicious onions, chewing on the stringy melted gruyere, never wanting to get to the bottom of the bowl....

And the cookbook itself is really wonderful.  Starting with some of their signature cocktails, to amuse bouche and entrees and dessert, you'll see your favorite recipes accompanied by great photos from Sara Essex Bradley that really capture the essence and character of the place.  The cookbooks are available at the restaurant and they are having a book signing party at Cafe Degas on Wednesday February 16th.  Call Cafe Degas for more details, but in the meantime, make yourself some delicious French Onion Soup!


La Gratinee d'Oignon
from The Cafe Degas Cookbook


2 slices bacon
1 T butter
2 cloves garlic
3 medium onions
1 cup white wine
1 small bouquet garni
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
1 T thyme
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t salt
Toasted baguette slices
Grated Gruyere cheese

In a large pot over low heat render bacon in butter allowing fat to coat the bottom of the pot.  Add garlic and simmer lightly.  Add 1/4 of the onions and cook stirring lightly until browned.  Deglaze with white wine. Add remaining onions, bouquet garni, bay leaf, stock and cook stirring occasionally for 1 hour. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 3 hours or until onions are very soft. To serve place one slice of toasted baguette on top of each bowl of soup and the drizzle a generous amount of cheese to cover. If desired broil for one minute to melt and brown cheese.

Cafe Degas

3127 Esplanade Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 945-5635  

www.cafedegas.com/