A Taster's Journey is a newsletter on food, wine and travel. After 15 years of studying, tasting, teaching, and selling wine, I created this newsletter to not only share my passion about wine, but of food and travel as well. Each month I hope to share wines that I am drinking, food that is in season, restaurants that I have enjoyed, and places I have traveled. Enjoy!"

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Pork & Flying Pigs Farm

January 31st, 2010

I love pork. Whether it’s a chop, a rack of ribs, bacon, sausage, or lardo on my pizza…I eat it all. Last year I had my first taste of porchetta at a Slow Food event. The juicy meat was flavored with fennel pollen and encrusted in a crispy skin; it just melted in my mouth. This year I want to cook many other variations of pork that hopefully will be as tasty as that porchetta.

Since I have been unhappy with most of the pork available locally, I purchased several pork products from Flying Pigs Farm in Upstate New York. Flying Pigs breeds Large Black, Gloucestershire Old Spot, and Tamworth pigs. Their goal is raise heritage pigs the old fashion way resulting in a product that has more moisture and flavor. Although their pork is not cheap, I am very pleased with their quality.

I purchased bacon, sweet Italian sausage, pork chops and a loin roast. I liked the bacon but I don’t think it’s necessarily better than premium brands, like Niman Ranch, which is available locally. The sausage was great; I used it on pizza and in a tomato sauce. The sausage has a course texture and a ton of flavor. I think the sausage made both  the pizza and and the tomato sauce better.

Pork chops are the biggest test because I feel most chops lack fat, and are therefore tasteless and tough. Flying Pigs pork chops were about 3/4 inch thick and had a good amount of fat. My wife, Nora, saw a recipe in Martha Stewart that cooked pork chops in apples and onions, which I thought was a great combination. I didn’t like the recipe quantities or timing, but after several tries I was able modify the recipe to my liking. Below is my version…

The key to a good dish is good ingredients. Note the pork chops below are a healthy thickness and are not too lean. I actually trimmed a bit of the fat around the outside of the pork chop prior to cooking. 

Pork Chops

Pork Chops

Pork Chops with Apples & Onions

2 pork chops, 3/4 in.                                1 tbs. olive oil

2 tbs. butter                                                  1 small onion, sliced

2 apples, sliced                                             1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup apple juice                                     1 tsp dried sage

salt & pepper

Trim pork chops of excessive fat then season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat saute pan (stainless will work better than non-stick for browning) and add olive when hot. Add pork chops for 3 minutes per side, cooking on high heat to nicely brown the pork chops. Once browned, transfer to a plate.

Add butter to the pan then add onions and apples. Season with salt and pepper. Once the onions begin to turn translucent add the chicken broth, apple juice and the sage. Simmer for about 8 minutes and return the pork chops to the pan.  

Pork Chops with Apples & Onions

Pork Chops with Apples & Onions

Cook until the pork chops are tender, which should be about 10 minutes. Flip the pork after 5 minutes to ensure both sides cook evenly. Note that the pork is done when an instant read thermometer registers 145 to 150 degrees. I recommend testing the pork after 5 minutes to ensure that you don’t overcook. Once the desired internal temperature is reached, turn off the heat and let the chops rest in the pan for a minute or two while you plate your other vegetables. Then plate your chops and spoon the apples and onions over the pork. Enjoy!

A New Year Ahead

January 16th, 2010

This year I am looking to shake things up a bit. It’s easy to get stuck in a routine of cooking your favorite three recipes, serving the same bottle of wine, and travelling to the same places in your own backyard. Don’t get me wrong, a routine can be very comfortable. But diversity is the spice of life, and I am looking for new experiences in food, wine, and travel.

Food is all about great ingredients, and I have been disappointed with the pork I have been able to purchase locally. However, with the internet we are no longer limited to a few local suppliers. Yesterday I received my first shipment of Pork from Flying Pigs Farm http://www.flyingpigsfarm.com, a small producer of heritage pigs in New York. Tonight is the first test. I will make a pizza with their Italian sausage, tomatoes, and fontina cheese. I’ll keep you posted.

I am always seeking out new recipes, and I am determined to expand my repertoire this year. For starters, I received two new cookbooks for Christmas: ad hoc at home and Williams-Sonoma Essentials of French Cooking. I have already made Thomas Keller’s Leek Bread Pudding and it was spectacular. Friday I start a new series of cooking classes with super chef Michele Moloney; and I am anxious to try new recipes, cook with new ingredients, and master new techniques.

Tasting new wines, and visiting new wineries is easy, but identifying new favorites is a difficult feat. Many of you can probably suggest terrific wines that would blow my socks off ; but if they cost $100 per bottle is that really better in this economy? I say no. So finding a delicious $10 bottle would certainly be a home run; but how many cheap crappy wines do you need to sample to find that diamond in the rough? I don’t have the solution, but I have 12 months to figure it out. When I find a wine or producer that excites me, I will share it with you.

Last year I visited some great places in California: Mendocino, Half Moon Bay, Napa, Big Sur, and Palm Desert. This year I will look to expand my horizons beyond California. Paris is already on the schedule for  March, and although I have been there many times I have identified numerous new places that I must visit. The Northwest and new regions of Italy are also in the viewfinder. Perhaps Alaska, Patagonia, Spain, hmmm…so many places, so little time.

I’m excited, this year is already off to good start. Hopefully each month I’ll introduce you to something new on food, wine, or travel. Cheers!

Syrah from Santa Barbara

December 23rd, 2009

Syrah has been one of my favorite varietals ever since I was introduced to the wines of the Rhone Valley. So it is only logical that I became enamored with Syrah from Santa Barbara County once I moved here in 2008. Santa Barbara County has grown from a quaint wine region to a major player in California. This region now has over 100 wineries specializing in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. 

Over the last year and a half I have tried every Syrah I could get my hands on. Although I have not had every Syrah in town, I believe I have tasted almost all the better ones.  My two favorites are: Dierberg Syrah 2005 and Babcock Syrah Upper Crust 2007.  Both are full bodied, well balanced and cost about $30. I won’t bore you with all the flavor nuances, but I will say these wines won’t bore you.

A few other wineries that I have been impressed with are: Jaffurs, Melville, and Stolpman; but note that $30 plus is typical for these wines. A couple wineries that are more budget friendly are Beckmen and Consilience.

Each of these wines are delicious; I hope you get the opportunity to try a few. If you have a favorite Syrah that I didn’t mention, please feel free to share it with the group.

 Tis the season…so gulp a Syrah or two and have a Happy Holiday!

Tons of Potatoes

December 18th, 2009

A couple weeks ago I ran a marathon.  A friend asked me if I eat pasta the night before the big race to carbo-load.  Although I love pasta, I prefer a  baked potato for my pre-race meal because it’s easier for me to digest. Actually I ate a steak, carrots, and a huge baked potato the size of my shoe. As I ate it, it  reminded me of my youth because baked potatoes were a weekly staple in my house. Today I rarely eat a baked potato, but I consume other types of potatoes at least three times a week. I love potatoes.

My favorite potato is a fingerling (or yukon) roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary. So simple, but the essence of the potato screams deliciousness.

For special occasions I am torn between two more decadent potato dishes: scalloped potatoes (sometimes called potatoes gratin) and twice baked potatoes. My mother served scalloped potatoes for festive occasions. Although there are different variations, you basically bake sliced russet potatoes in milk and cream. I add sliced onions and some garlic between the potato slices, but it’s the cream that makes the dish so rich and tasty.

Have you ever made twice baked potatoes? After baking russet potatoes for an hour or so,  scoop the potato out of the skin and mix with butter and sour cream. Put the mixture back in the potato and top with grated parmigiano reggiano and bake for another half hour.

I am crazy about potatoes. I could eat them almost every day, except for boiled potatoes. Did you every eat a boiled potato? It has to be one of the most tasteless and boring dished ever invented.

So, if you had one last meal and it had to include a potato…what potato would you pick?