Fork and Gobble It: Getting' Piggy With It

Bacon. Just to say it is enough. It is the King Midas of foods. Awesome on its own, but behold... anything it touches turns to gold! Cheeseburgers, omelettes, sandwiches, vegetable dishes, soups, stews, all enhanced by the most wonderful of all meats. I am of course referring to American bacon, the cured and hickory smoked belly of the noble pig. Oh sure, the French have their lardon, the Italians pancetta, Asian cultures prepare pork belly in a myriad of ways, but do they evoke the primal emotion that comes from the simple smell that wafts from the breakfast skillet? Do I even have to answer that?!

There is not one but numerous Bacon of the Month Clubs. Bacon has been dipped in chocolate, battered and deep fried, candied, and even infused into vodka. It is safe to say that it is even more American than apple pie.


If this doesn't make your mouth start to water, check your pulse... you just might be dead.

There is always some good quality slab bacon in my freezer. There is no greater comfort food I know of than a well executed BLT. This reminds me of a scene in a restaurant I used to work in, where a waiter and waitress were ordering their own lunch from the General Manager. She found him particularly annoying, and when he asked for a BLT, she quipped, "Well at least he didn't ask how to spell it." But I digress...

It is the most simple of sandwiches. Toasted white bread, good mayonaise, crisp iceberg lettuce, thick slices of ripe tomato, and crisp bacon, all add up to a whole much greater than the sum of it's parts.

So easy to prepare but such an amazing result. I chose to riff on that theme one day as I had no white bread or iceberg lettuce. I substituted a multi-grain bread and radicchio for their more humble cousins. It is true. There is no need to guild the lily.


I am so fond of using it as a supporting character as well. Try laying a few strips of bacon across a whole chicken as it roasts. Or, as I did, take a boneless pork loin and wrap it in strips of bacon to baste it in it's own porky goodness as it roasts.


To further enhance the smokey character of the bacon, I seasoned the pork loin with ground chipotle chili pepper.


This might seem like a cardiologist's nightmare, but the real reasoning behind it is that pork loin is actually pretty lean and tends dry out when roasting. This technique, called barding, is insurance for a juicy roast.


It also left some great fat in the pan to roast potatoes in while the meat rested.

There are certain wines that possess the aromas of smoke and bacon fat. Usually they are Syrahs, but not exclusively. I have experienced this with some of the Syrahs of the Northern Rhone like Cote-Rotie and St. Joseph. I don't know how or why this aroma occurs but it makes for an interesting match with it's meaty counterpart. This particular evening I opened another Northern Rhone Syrah, a 2003 old vines Cornas from Alain Voge. It is permissible in Cornas to add a small percentage of a white wine, Viognier, to the Syrah to add complexity. The match was superb.


Typically, I end these blogs with a pun of some sort, but since the subject matter has been so completely covered, I will refrain as that would seem... piggy.

Wine 101: She's got Legs

Before my current position as Professional Winer, I didn't give too much thought to the wine I consumed. If it tasted good, I drank it. I had a friend that was very into his wine, and he attempted to "teach" me things, here and there. Once, when we were enjoying what I now know is a middle-of-the-road quality Zinfandel, he remarked on the wine's "legs."

"That's how you know it's a good wine. It's got nice legs."

As I continued to drink wine, and when I eventually got my position here at Joe Canal's, I heard the term "legs" referred to fairly often, but the reasons for the legs varied from "alcohol content" to "viscosity" to "sugar content." I even got one explanation, something to the effect that the legs had nothing to do with the wine itself at all, but rather the glassware the wine was in.

The most plausible reason I can find does, indeed relate to the alcohol content. When wine is swirled, it coats the inside of the glass. Alcohol evaporates faster than water does and has a lower surface tension. As the alcohol evaporates from the side of the glass, the water concentration increases, causing the wine to pull together and run down the glass in droplets, or "legs."

Whatever the explanation truly is, there's one thing for sure that the presence of legs isn't: an indicator of quality. We swirl wine not to observe its legs, but to increase the surface area of the wine to increase oxygenation, affecting aromas and flavors.

Joe Canal's Presents Trader Vic's Liqueurs!

Joe Canal's is excited to announce the arrival of Trader Vic Liqueur!

Victor J. "Trader Vic" Bergeron packed more excitement, enjoyment, and exotica into his life than any other man. He grew up loving the food business—his father, Victor Sr., was a waiter at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel and also owned a grocery store in Oakland. Vic would help out in the store, and when a childhood accident cost him a leg, his penchant for telling colorful stories was born.

In 1932, armed with a potbelly stove and $700, he opened a cozy pub across the street from the store and called it Hinky Dink's. His pungent vocabulary and ribald air made him a popular host, as did his tropical cocktails and his delicious interpretation of Polynesian food.

In 1936, when writer Herb Caen wrote that the best restaurant in San Francisco was in Oakland, Vic had become "The Trader," and Hinky Dink's had become "Trader Vic's."

We're pleased to carry three of Trader Vic's new liqueurs: Macadamia Nut, Kona Coffee and Chocolate! Pick some up and try these amazing drinks:

Cafe Joy
-1 oz. Trader Vic's Macadamia Nut
-1 oz. crème de cacao
-Milk
Shake with ice until foamy.

Afternoon Delight
-1 oz. Trader Vic's Kona Coffee
-1 oz. Trader Vic's Macadamia Nut
-1 oz. Irish cream
-Coffee
-Cream
Stir together and serve warm.

Ubiquitous Chocolate Martini
-2 oz. vodka
-1/2 oz. Trader Vic's Chocolate Liqueur
Shake with ice, strain and garnish with chocolate shavings.

ALL VARIETIES:
Regular Price $18.99
BottleClub Price $16.99

Mixology Mondays: Classic Cocktails - Rusty Nail

Pity the poor Rusty Nail, a noble drink that seldom gets the respect it deserves. Contemporary aficionados dismiss it as a concoction of the 1950s, and scoff at the notion that a true Scot would tolerate the blending of scotch and Drambuie. Like Formica and the shopping mall, it is seen as an unfortunate token of postwar American excess.

A little research shows that the Rusty nail is far older than generally asserted. A recipe appeasrs as early as 1930, in The Savoy Cocktail Book. Their recipe is as follows:


-1 1/2 oz. scotch
- 1 tbsp. Drambuie

Place several ice cubes in an old fashioned glass. Pour scotch over the ice, then float the Drambuie on top. Do not stir, but let the ingredients mingle at their own rate.

The Rusty Nail is a more elaborate version of the equally elegant Scotch Mist. No mixing is needed for a Scotch Mist, and the drink's success hinges on having a quantity of shaved ice on hand. To create, fill an old fashioned glass with shaved ice, pour your favorite scotch over the ice, and add a twist of lemon peel. A slightly lighter scotch classic is the post-WWII Stone Fence, not to be confused with the prewar drink of the same name, which was made with cider and whiskey or apple brandy. The Stone Fence of the 1950s begins with several cubes of ice in a tall glass. Pour 1 1/2 oz. scotch over the ice, add a dash of Angostura bitters, and fill to the top with club soda.

Fork and Gobble It: Going with the Grain

I remember when the risotto craze hit Stateside in the mid 80s. Everybody was putting some kind of risotto dish on their menu. Risotto saw more improvisation and crazy presentations than Ceasar Salad, if that's possible. I know, I was caught up in it making my own wild recipes including a "My Bloody Valentine's Day" risotto finished with roasted red beets which gave the dish an unsual magenta hue. When the dust settled and I got over the novelty of the dish, I actually took the time to learn about it, and more importantly, how to prepare it properly.

Risotto is a very specific rice dish made with a special type of rice and prepared in a specific way. The presentations can change but the preparation can't or it won't be risotto. The grains of rice themselves are different from say, long grain rice in that they are composed of two different types of starch. Amylose is the soft starch that forms the outside of the rice kernel. Amylopectin is the hard starch that resists breaking down during cooking and is the heart of the rice kernel. The three most common types of rice, and they are all Italian, are: Arborio, Carnaroli, and Vialone Nano. Arborio is probably the easiest to find but it is the lowest in Amylopectin and so requires the most vigilant preparation so that it is not overcooked and mushy.

The technique involved is as important as the type of rice used. Most importantly, the rice must be stirred constantly while being cooked and hot/nearly boiling liquid added to it in increments. This guarantees the soft starch will be worn away and give the dish its wonderful creamy consistency without the addition of cream or other dairy products. I have seen countless recipes claim the dish can be prepared by steaming the rice, using a pressure cooker, even (GASP!) a microwave. Tin fiddles and snake oil I say, those short cuts can't yield the same dish.

Now let me get off my soap box and share one of my favorite risotto presentations.

Risotto with Shrimp, Leeks, Tomato, and Saffron

Most risotto dishes begin with a base of sauteed aromatics, i.e. onion, garlic, in this case leeks, etc.. This is called a soffrito.

-½ cup EVOO
-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
-2 whole leeks trimmed, halved, washed, and sliced very thin


Saute the garlic and leeks in the EVOO, slowly in a covered 5qt heavy bottomed pot with a little pinch of sea salt. Cook those until they are translucent and tender.

Next you need to start heating your cooking liquid.

Steep 10 threads of good quality saffron in 1 cup of white wine for 15 mins and strain out the threads.

For your cooking liquid you can use:

-water (easy but not recommended. I would put a bouillon cube in plain water before using plain water.)
-diluted chicken stock
-shrimp stock (really easy to make ~ boil shrimp shells in water for 10 mins. Strain)

For this recipe you should have about 2 quarts of cooking liquid. If you use stock and run short at the end of the cooking process, just add water to the hot liquid. You'll get enough flavor from the 2 quarts of stock if you choose to start with that. Heat the liquid to a near boil and keep it there.

Add 2 cups of one of the above mentioned rice varieties to the pot and raise the heat slightly. Stir the rice and saute it just long enough to toast the grains. Add in the saffron infused wine and stir constantly until the liquid is almost completely absorbed. When the wine is almost gone, ladle in about 2 ounces of the hot cooking liquid and again stir until almost gone. Continue this process until half the liquid is gone.

Add in a drained 14 ounce can of diced plum tomato and stir that in. Continue the stir/add liquid process until the stock is almost gone. Check the rice for doneness by biting a kernel. It should be soft with a little firm resistance at the center. Check the seasoning also and adjust with a little sea salt if necessary.


Add in about a pound of small peeled and deveined shrimp (21/25 count). Add in another ladle of the cooking liquid, stir, and cover the pot to let the shrimp cook just done! Serve immediately so the shrimp and rice don't overcook.


Garnish with a good finishing quality EVOO. Dairy and seafood is usually an Italian no no, so forego the cheese for this dish unless you just don't care.

That my children, is risotto.

There are many options for the wine choice here. The obvious would seem to be a white like maybe a Vernaccia like the Mormoraia Vernaccia di San Gimignano. You would be looking to match the acidity of the tomatoes and aromatic qualities of the saffron, but not overwhelm the shrimp. Besides you used white wine in the dish, so there is a valid logic to drinking a white. I, on the otherhand, don't like to go with convention so I would probably choose a medium to light bodied red like a Bourgogne Rouge, lighter styled Pinot Noir, or Dolcetto. The ultimate compromise?.....rose! Parusso Nebbiolo Langhe Rosato 2010 meets all the requirements from above and is a truly cool wine being made from 100% Nebbiolo. It has the stuffing to assert itself and yet does so in a way that really compliments this dish.

So you see, sometimes there is no valid shortcut. You can't achieve the desired results by cheating on the method. Resistance is futile. You just have to go with the grain.

Wine 101: Meritage

Instituted in 1989, the term Meritage is a certification mark registered with the US Department of Trademarks and Patents. It was coined in 1988 by a group of vintners who sought to establish standards of identification for a category of American blended wines made with traditional bordeaux grape varieties.

The name Meritage is a compound of the words "merit" and "heritage," and is actually pronounced to rhyme with "heritage." It was chosen from over 6,000 entries in an international contest held by these vintners. The purpose of the Meritage Association is to help identify quality American wine blends that, because they're not made with at least 75% of a single variety, can't use the variety name on the label. This forced many producers of excellent wines to either use generic names like "Red Table Wine" or proprietary names, like "insignia," from Joseph Phelps.

To be designated as a Meritage, a wine must meet the following standards:

1.) It must be a blend of two or more Bordeaux grape varieties.
2.) It must be the winery's best wine of its type
3.) It must be produced and bottled by a US winery from grapes that carry a US appellation (a designated place where the grapes are grown)
4.) Its production is limited to a maximum of 25,000 cases per vintage.

Wineries that are approved for the Meritage designation may use it in various ways on the label. They may simply use the word Meritage, or use it in conjunction with their proprietary name.

Joe Canal's Presents Primal Roots Red!

Joe Canal's is excited to announce the arrival of Primal Roots Red!

The true essence of Primal Roots begins with the raw qualities of Merlot, Syrah, and Zinfandel that are artfully blended to create a smooth, full-bodied, sensual wine. The Merlot provides aromas of raspberry, red currants, and mocha along with fine-grained tannins that create a soft, luxurious texture. Merlot is the varietal that keeps this wine grounded. Syrah lends a deep purple color, silky texture, and balanced structure to the wine. Aromas of violets, black currants and a gentle earthiness are accentuated by flavors of dried cherry, dark chocolate, and vanilla spice. Zinfandel is concentrated and rich, yet soft on the palate and loaded with black cherry, clove, and wild blackberry. Known for its spicy characters, the Zinfandel rounds out the wine by adding a touch of warm spice.

In 2010, 90% of the fruit came from the North Valley, which had an incredibly mild growing season, giving the fruit ample time to develop deep, concentrated color, flavor, and aroma. No one expected this to be one of the greatest vintages in recent memory, but as the fruit came off of the vine, it became evident that this was a very special year in terms of quality.

The 2010 Red Blend has aromas of mocha, vanilla, and spice that give way to a silky texture along with rich flavors of raspberries and chocolate that are truly uninhibited.

Regular Price $10.49
BottleClub Price $8.99

Fork and Gobble It: Bittersweet Green

Did you ever have one of those experiences when you've been telling someone you know about this food you really love to eat and they keep making that face like you were advocating devouring old tires? Then when you finally get them to try what you were talking about their face lights up and they get what you were talking about all along. My not so adventurous wife and her foodie freak husband experience this scenario at regular intervals in time and it was just such a food epiphany that might have set us on the course to matrimony.

A pizza was the vehicle, and the food item in question was broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe or Brassica Rapa a member of the Brassicaceae tribe of vegetables, relative to mustard, turnip, broccoli, and cabbage, is a bitter green vegetable that requires a little skill to tame. Back in the early dating days of our relationship, we would have a weekly "pizza night" dinner together. I showed up with a pie topped with broccoli rabe and I remember the look on her face like... "What's that and do you expect me to eat it?" It took just that one pie to make it her favorite pizza topping and vegetable.

Luckily for us it is a vegetable that has three peak seasons, early spring, fall, and winter. It is also a vegetable that is perfect for this time of year as it lends itself very well to soul warming comfort foods.

By itself, it is fairly simple to prepare. It requires a few other ingredients to bring out the tastier side of it's bitter nature.

For one bunch of broccoli rabe you'll also need:

-Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
-Kosher or fine sea salt
-Crushed red pepper flakes

Trim the hard and split ends from the stalks and cut them into 2” pieces. Soak them in clean, cold water to remove any dirt or foreign matter. Drain well in a colander. Meanwhile heat 3 ounces of EVOO in a deep saute pan (preferably one with a lid), add the sliced garlic, a pinch of salt, and a healthy pinch of pepper flakes. Saute' the garlic over a low heat until it turns golden and add the broccoli rabe. Cover the pan and turn the flame up to high. Shake or stir the vegetable occassionaly and continue to cook until the pieces of stalk are very tender. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. You should just taste all the components: EVOO, garlic, pepper, and salt. It is this harmony that makes the bitterness of the broccoli rabe delicious. It also makes it the ultimate companion for the rich meatiness of sausage.

I prepare this pasta dish many times throughout the colder months. It is a composition of gemelli pasta, sausage, white kidney beans, and broccoli rabe. Although the beans with the pasta may seem redundant, it adds another element of texture and flavor to the dish.

Gemelli Pasta with Sausage, Canellini, and Broccoli Rabe

-1 lb of pork or chicken rope
-EVOO

Cook the sausage in a covered deep saute pan with a little EVOO until done and well browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Prepare 1 bunch of broccoli rabe as directed above in the same pan the sausage cooked in. Meanwhile, bring 4 qts of salted water to a boil in a separate pot. When the water boils, cook 1 lb of gemelli pasta al dente, approximately 6 mins, reserve 2 cups of pasta water, and drain.

Cut the sausage into 1” pieces and add them to the pan.

Open a can of canellini beans, rinse them and drain well. Add them to the pan. Add the drained pasta. Add half of the reserved pasta water.

Bring the pan to a simmer and reduce the sauce until it begins to thicken slightly. Check for seasoning adding salt or more olive oil if necessary. Serve with grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese.



My knee jerk reaction wine choice here would be Chianti, but after a little thought and a desire for something a little off the beaten path I chose a red from the Lazio region in central Italy. Cantine Volpetti Campo Alle Rose Cesanese Del Piglio 2008 is as big a mouthful of wine, as it is to say. It melds medium acidity, bright red fruit, and soft tannins to compliment this dish so fine.

If all this seems too much work and you're not even sure you'd like broccoli rabe, do what I did... order a pizza!

Joe Canal's Staff Members Visit California Wine Country - Part 3

All of our managers and wine staff travel at least once a year to a wine-growing region somewhere throughout the world. Traveling is one of the many aspects of Joe Canal’s that sets us apart from other wine shops. We know that by meeting the winemakers, walking the vineyards and tasting new wine from the barrel, we can see first-hand the passion that goes into each bottle. We can then convey this commitment to quality to our customers. Rather than having you just looking at a label and a score, we believe it is our responsibility to bring you closer to how the wine was made and the people who made it. We'll be sharing their trip reports with you here on the BottleBlog.

In June 2011, members of our staff including Jerry Baker from our Lawrenceville store, had the privilege of traveling to California wine country! Here is the 3rd and final installment of their trip.

Caymus Vineyards

After we shook off the cobwebs of a relatively late night, we began our third and final day at Caymus Vineyards. Caymus, a staple of Napa Valley, receives thousands of visitors each year. We were treated to a tasting in their private tasting room including a few wines that they only sell at the winery. The Cabernets exhibited the deep mocha, cocoa that is the Caymus “house style” that is so palate pleasing and the other two wines were interesting and small production. The Sauvignon Blanc had tones of orange peel while the Zinfandel with its rustic qualities was reminiscent of Primitivo. After the tasting completed, we head back to the barrel room where we took pictures of an oversized bottle of Caymus, which stood over 6 ft. tall.


Wines Tasted: Caymus Sauvignon Blanc, Caymus Zinfandel, Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Caymus Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon

The next stop was Duckhorn at their Paraduxx facility. Paraduxx is the epitome of Napa Valley – a beautiful tasting room open to the public, undulating grounds, pristine production facilities and spectacular wines. We toured the barrel room and had a nice lunch out in the vineyard. We tasted over 10 different wines at lunch. After lunch we headed up the mountain on a one way dirt road to the tippy top (1700 ft above the Napa valley floor). This is their Candlestick vineyard and offered terrific views of Napa and beyond! We spent almost an hour up there sucking up the fresh mountain air. It made me miss the good old pollution in NJ.

Next we headed downtown for some dinner in Napa. After some grub, we stopped at the Brew Pub for some well needed beer, after all that wine. We spent a few hours putting back some suds and reflecting on a great trip.

Joe Canal's Staff Members Visit California Wine Country - Part 2

All of our managers and wine staff travel at least once a year to a wine-growing region somewhere throughout the world. Traveling is one of the many aspects of Joe Canal’s that sets us apart from other wine shops. We know that by meeting the winemakers, walking the vineyards and tasting new wine from the barrel, we can see first-hand the passion that goes into each bottle. We can then convey this commitment to quality to our customers. Rather than having you just looking at a label and a score, we believe it is our responsibility to bring you closer to how the wine was made and the people who made it. We'll be sharing their trip reports with you here on the BottleBlog.

In June 2011, members of our staff including Jerry Baker from our Lawrenceville store, had the privilege of traveling to California wine country! Here is the 2st installment of their trip.

Shafer Vineyards

We were up early the next morning and on our way to Napa for the remainder of the trip. Our second day consisted of stops at three different wineries, the first being Shafer. Our time at Shafer was spent with Director of Sales, Andrew Wesson. The tour started outside where we were shown the different vineyards on the property including the Sunspot Vineyard, where their Auction Napa Valley wine has come from the past couple of years. We then headed inside the winery where all was not quiet in the beginning of June. Their barrels were being cleaned by a few of the year-round employees in preparation for them to be sold to other wineries for use in the upcoming harvest. After a couple more stops, we had the privilege of tasting some of their wines in their corporate meeting room. This space, on the second floor, is where the wineries meetings and tastings are held. It was a large room with plenty of natural light that was filled with pictures and memorabilia that the Shafer family holds close to their hearts. Among them was a guitar made by a man from Europe that was crafted from the wood case that Shafer Hillside Select is shipped in. It was a gift to the Shafer family in appreciation for producing such great wines. We finished the tasting with a major highlight of the trip. We were one of the first people outside the winery to taste their 2007 vintage Hillside Select Cabernet. Although this won’t be released for a few months it was amazing already. It had great fruit, structure and tannins but remained perfectly balanced. Before we ventured on to our next stop we talked about the Auction Napa Valley, which had taken place the weekend before our arrival, where Shafer had a 25-year vertical of their Hillside Select (representing the entire history of the wine) auctioned off for $160,000 for charity. Rather impressive.


Wines Tasted: Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay 2009, Napa Valley Merlot 2008, One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Relentless Syrah 2007, Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Cade Winery

Whoever we visited after Shafer had a tough act to follow, but relative newcomer Cade Winery was up to the challenge. Cade is a project owned by billionaire oil heir Gordon Getty and current Lt. Governor of California and former Mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom. They are also the owners of Plumpjack in Napa Valley. Cade Winery is located on Howell Mountain and was completed in 2006. This was the most awe-inspiring winery on our trip. Located on Howell Mountain the view of the Valley was over an artificial spillway was spectacular.



The facility is not only very beautiful to look at but it is also state-of-the-art, awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. They are also Napa Valley's first organically farmed, LEED Gold Certified Winery. We grabbed a glass of Cade Sauvignon Blanc while we were on the patio overlooking Napa and headed into the winery. There, we met up with winemaker Tony Biagi who was doing some end of the week clean up. He took us in the cellar, which was dug into the side of the mountain which naturally creates conditions perfect for aging wine. We tried a couple of barrel samples of Cade Estate while talking about a variety of topics including the 2010 Bordeaux futures pricing that were just being released. We left the cellar and headed back to the scenic patio off the Visitor’s Center to taste through the rest of their wines.

Wines Tasted: Cade Sauvignon Blanc, Cade Napa Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, Cade Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, Cade Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, Plumpjack Chardonnay, Plumpjack Merlot, Plumpjack Syrah

Frog’s Leap Winery

Our last stop for the day was a tour and dinner at Frog’s Leap Winery. We were greeted upon our arrival by owner John Williams, who is one of the most influential and recognizable people in Napa Valley. John gave us a full tour of his property which includes much more than vineyards. He grows other fruits, vegetables and plant life and also has typical farm animals living on the property. He is a big proponent of sustainable farming as well as dry farming. Dry farming is when you don’t use irrigation methods to water the vines. He believes that there is enough moisture below the surface in which the roots can reach on their own, making them more hearty in turn producing better fruit. He is very passionate on this subject and gives countless lectures across the country trying to educate the masses. At the conclusion of the tour, we headed into the winery and tried a few of his wines.


After the tasting, we were treated to dinner at the winery with some other special guests. Representatives from Rombauer (including K.R. Rombauer), Duckhorn, Miner and Cain also attended. Wine was plentiful and was accompanied by a great meal prepared by Chef Seamus Feeley of Farmstead Restaurant. After dinner, we raided John’s personal wine cellar and grabbed some grappa from 1961 to finish off our meal.

Wines Tasted: Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc, Frog’s Leap Chardonnay, Frog’s Leap Merlot, Frog’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, Frog’s Leap Zinfandel, Frog’s Leap Petite Syrah

Fork and Gobble It: Fall Wine

It is clear to me from the feel of the air, and not from the calendar alone, that Summer is passed and Fall is upon us. The nights are cooler and the days albeit still very warm (and humid, don't forget humid!) won't close in on 90 degrees anymore and will soon struggle to reach 80. My head is already swimming with ideas about Autumn meals and wines to go with them. It is a gradual transition. I don't abruptly jump off into heavy soups, stews, or roasts, nor do I long for Chateauneuf du Pape or other full bodied red wines. I start looking for slightly more substantial foods and wines that seem appropriate for taking the damp chill off a September evening.

Some of my favorite wines for this time of year come from Beaujolais. Any wine consumer has heard of this region, but how many really know it? Say Beaujolais and images of the ubiquitous bottles of Beaujolais Villages from Louis Jadot or Georges Duboeuf fill everyone's mind. Yet Beaujolais is far more than that. The region is made up of ten villages or Crus that each produce wines made from the Gamay grape. Each has their own style and they range from light and breezy to almost full bodied and austere. Typically they are inexpensive, usually costing less than $20.00, but can range as high as $30.00 or more.

Because of this, exploring Beaujolais can be fairly easily done and the rewards are great. These Cru wines offer some of the best quality to price (or QPR as the cool kids say) ratios in the world of wine. These are the ten Crus or villages listed (relatively) from heaviest/most full bodied to lightest.

Morgon
Moulin-a-Vent
Julienas
St. Amour
Re'gnie'
Chenas
Cote de Brouilly
Chiroubles
Brouilly
Fleurie

Georges Duboeuf produces many versions of each of these Cru wines, but finding small artisanal producers can be much more satisfying especially to a wine geek like myself. One of the easier ones to locate and try out is the Burgundy producer Nicolas Potel. I am a huge fan of his old vines Julienas. It is easily found for under $15.00 on the shelf and is an easy wine to cuddle up to with its rich, ripe, red currant fruit, soft tannins, and undertone of mineral.

On a damp, rainy evening three night ago, I put together a quick peasant meal of pasta y fagiole.

This was a large recipe meant to produce leftovers as this dish is as we frequently say, better on the second night.

1 lb of dried beans such as canellini, red kidney, or as I used, pinto soaked briefly and simmered gently until done, about an hour or two cans of good quality beans.

I cooked the beans in the afternoon and let them cool in the water I cooked them in. This liquid goes into the recipe later.

-1 medium onion diced small
-3 ribs of celery diced small
-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
-1 cup of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Saute the vegetable gently in the EVOO with a pinch of kosher or sea salt and crushed red pepper, until they are translucent and fragrant.

Add in a pinch of dried oregano.

While the vegetables are sauteeing, bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil and cook 1lb of ditalini pasta al dente about 7 minutes.

*If you are using canned beans reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water before draining.

Drain the pasta, add the beans to the vegetables, add in about 8 oz of the bean/pasta water, and add in the pasta. The mixture should be wet enough to continue cooking the pasta for another 3 minutes or so. Add in a couple of ounces of EVOO and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

I prefer this to be served a little on the soupy side, but my Mom used to make it drier and more compact.

Once served, top with grated Reggiano Parmigiano and a finishing quality EVOO.


The wine paired very well with this matching the earthiness of the vegetables and beans and the sharp tang of the cheese.

Although Beaujolais purists criticize Potel's style as too much Burgundy not enough Beaujolais, I still really like this wine. As I frequently do, I cellar bottles of certain vintages to watch their evolution. They certainly have aging potential as do most good quality Beaujolais, and it's cheap and cheery fun.

Joe Canal's Staff Members Visit California Wine Country - Part 1

All of our managers and wine staff travel at least once a year to a wine-growing region somewhere throughout the world. Traveling is one of the many aspects of Joe Canal’s that sets us apart from other wine shops. We know that by meeting the winemakers, walking the vineyards and tasting new wine from the barrel, we can see first-hand the passion that goes into each bottle. We can then convey this commitment to quality to our customers. Rather than having you just looking at a label and a score, we believe it is our responsibility to bring you closer to how the wine was made and the people who made it. We'll be sharing their trip reports with you here on the BottleBlog.

In June 2011, members of our staff including Jerry Baker from our Lawrenceville store, had the privilege of traveling to California wine country! Here is the 1st installment of their trip.


Our first stop of the trip and our only stop in Sonoma County was Seghesio Family Vineyards in Healdsburg. The drive from San Francisco to Sonoma took about two hours. On the way, we stopped for a quick lunch at the always delicious In & Out Burger. It was even better since we didn’t have any food served on our flight. The original plan for our Seghesio visit was a tour followed by a tasting and dinner at the winery, but that plan changed earlier in the week of our trip. That Monday, the Seghesio family agreed to sell their winery to the Crimson Wine Group. Needless to say, it was a little hectic for all at the winery that week. We actually arrived the same day as representatives from the Crimson Group, who were getting their first in depth look at the facility.


First we toured the barrel room and learned the history of the winery. We were pleasantly surprised to be treated to estate made charcuterie while we tasted the wines. As befits the Italian family background the Sangiovese was first up, followed by Sonoma Zinfandel, Home Ranch, Cortina, Old Vines and lastly the winery’s flagship Omaggio, a blend of Cabernet and Sangiovese. It was quite an interesting lesson in California terroir and winemaking style. Sampling the wines side by side allowed the differences to become very evident – the Home Ranch with its black fruit and approachability was my favorite to quaff while the Cortina with a bit more backbone and redder fruit would be my choice with food.

Wines Tasted: Pinot Grigio, Sonoma Zinfandel, Home Ranch Zinfandel, Rockpile Zinfandel, Cortina Zinfandel, San Lorenzo


As we were leaving the property, Pete Seghesio was able to break away from his meetings with the Crimson representatives to come out and talk to us for a couple minutes about everything that had been going on. We exchanged pleasantries and he gave some insight into his feelings on the entire situation and what his future holds. Next, we headed off to local bar in Healdsberg square for a few beers and a game of shuffle bowling. Bear Republic Racer #5 filled our blood now. After about 2 hours there we headed to our hotel to check in, and to have dinner in town at a local restaurant.

Joe Canal's Presents Three New Pinnacle Vodka Flavors... Coming Soon!

Joe Canal's is excited to announce the arrival of three new Pinnacle Vodka flavors!!

Joe Canal's has expanded our lineup of Pinnacle Vodka flavors with the addition of three great new flavors: Apple, Coconut and Marshmallow!

Pinnacle is the ideal French vodka – clean, smooth and extremely mixable. Every sip of Pinnacle is inspired by a time honored recipe handed down from generation to generation. Made with a traditional and ancestral recipe, Pinnacle is produced with modern equipment in the Distillerie de la Tour, ensuring the highest quality. Handcrafted in small batches and quadruple distilled with the spring water from the northern region of France, this unique spirit has a smooth, balanced finish that will please any connoisseur.

Use Pinnacle Apple in your next Appletini, add a marshmallow flair to a White Russian, or mix Pinnacle Coconut with Pinnacle Cake for a Coconut Cream Pie! With Pinnacle's fun flavor profile, the possibilities are endless!

Fork and Gobble It: Not the Same Old Grind

Kitchen gadgets and appliances are often an obsession for the cooking enthusiast. How many wanna-be Top Chefs drool over Home Shopping Network offers of never dull knives, perfect chicken roasters, pots and pans that never burn food and practically clean themselves? Fortunes have been made by hawking these types of goods that once purchased languish in countless kitchen drawers and closets. I have remained immune to the desire to buy every item pitched at me by Williams Sonoma and company. My favorite tools are the timeless ones that never wear out or fade into obsolescence. Box graters, carbon steel knives, cast iron pots, pans, and griddles all live and work together in my kitchen and will continue to do so for as long as I am able to use them. Then hopefully, they will find themselves busy in my daughter's kitchen and if not her, then someone else who can apply their magic like Harry Potter and his wand.

One of my favorite and most recent additions to the team is one I should have picked up a long time ago. A close friend handed me a boxed gift telling me it was something he knew I would use and to his knowledge I didn't already own. He was so right. Inside the heavy package was a mortar and pestle or more specifically, a molcajete. An indispensable object in the Mexican kitchen, this original food processor is hewn from lava rock. It has pores in its bowl which are very effective at quickly grinding almost anything into a range of textures from a coarse salsa to a smooth puree. I have used it for everything from Guacamole to spice rubs made from whole seed spice which, when toasted quickly in a toaster oven or saute pan and then ground, explode in flavor that jarred pre-ground spices just can't match. Best of all it doesn't have to be plugged in, and it is practically impossible to break. (Actually, I think it is impossible to break.)

This was one of my favorite recent creations that this appliance played a part in:

Grilled Lamb loins with Middle Eastern Spice Rub

-3 cloves garlic peeled
-¼ cup loose fresh thyme leaves
-2 Tbsp whole cumin seed ~ toasted
-2 Tbsp whole fennel seed ~ toasted
-2 tsp coarse sea salt

Put all above into the molcajete and grind into a coarse paste.



Add in:
-¼ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-3 Tbsp of Chili/Garlic paste (Hoy Fong)


Rub this mixture all over the lamb loins and allow to marinate for at least an hour but ideally overnight. Grill the loins over a hot fire 2 – 3 minutes per side for medium rare.

Toasting and grinding the spices this way releases flavors with surprising potency. The molcajete also gives you more control over how much you process something. If you've ever hit the pulse button on the food processor or blender one too many times you can appreciate this.

One benefit I had not considered, but recently discovered, was that in a power outage, this thing still works. Last weekends storm took out the electricity, but since the stovetop is gas, I was able to use it and anything else that was not dependent on PSE&G. We dined by candlelight and soothed our concerns over the storm with a lovely Puligny-Montrachet from Pierre Yves Colin-Morey. I was able to cook a chicken in a covered skillet on the gas burner. I raised my glass to three things that made my night and will never become obsolete in my kitchen... cast iron skillets, my molcajete and white burgundy.

Labor Day Weekend at Joe Canal's!

Here's what we've got going on this weekend at Joe Canal's in Woodbridge and Lawrenceville!

In Lawrenceville, tonight from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, we'll be pouring free samples of Brewery Ommegang beers! Ommegang's Belgian-style ales are functional art, crafted to make your dining and drinking experience something to behold.

In Woodbridge, tonight from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm, we'll be sampling the new Smirnoff Malt Beverages! Available to taste will be: Blueberry Lemonade, Cranberry Lime, and Lemonade. These classic malt drinks are inspired by freshly made mixed drinks from your favorite bar. Using natural flavors and triple filtered malt, these delicious drinks are perfect for any occasion.

This weekend at both our Woodbridge and Lawrenceville locations, we'll be marking the unofficial end to the Summer season by offering complimentary soft pretzels to our customers! The giveaway starts at 12:00 noon and will end when supplies run out! These pretzels are delicious and will go quickly, so make sure you stop in early to stock up on your Labor Day BBQ beverages, and don't miss out on your pretzel!