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blog tour

It’s been an exciting few weeks! First, the Transcender Blog Tour and Giveaway was Awesome (with a capital A). Coordinated by my phenomenal friend, Christina Hickey at Ensconced in Lit, I had tons of fun and met some amazing bloggers. If you’re looking for great blogs like I always am, check out the blogs below for insightful reviews, thought-provoking posts, and lots of other fun and noteworthy content. I’m serious people—some of these sites are like works of art. What I’d give for the technical skills! And the Trilogy received some incredible reviews. Also, if you missed any of the tour—like the Dream Cast for the Transcender Movie or the interview with Ryder Blackthorn, you can find it all below! Congratulations to the winners of the Giveaway: Christine, Courtney, Kelly, and Lindsay, and a big Thanks to all who entered.

Gorgeous Transcender Charms from Julia at YA Book Nerd Reviews!

Gorgeous Transcender Charms from Julia at YA Book Nerd Reviews!

Ensconced in Lit – Review of  entire Trilogy plus Character interview with Jaden and some awesome fan art

Crystal in Bookland– Transcender Character Quiz (which character are you most like?)

Pandora’s Books– Transcender Movie Dream Cast w/ photos

YA Book Nerd Reviews – Review of Transcender: First-Timer

Wonderland of Reading – Review of Transcender: First-Timer

The Whimsical Mama – Guest Post

Fly to Fiction – Review of Transcender: First-Timer

Tea and Fangirling – Review

A Reading Nurse – Guest Post

I Heart YA Fiction – Review of entire Trilogy

Mary Had a Little Book Blog – Review of Transcender and Interview with Ryder Blackthorn

ILLUMINOSITY ThumbnialSecond, the ILLUMINOSITY book cover, designed by another extraordinary friend, Carrie Drazek, was chosen as a finalist in Sci-Fi for the Bookgoodies cover contest. I hope you will all take a few seconds to stop by the site and vote for the cover by leaving a comment, tweeting, and otherwise sharing the site. Each comment and share counts as a vote for the cover! Carrie did an outstanding job designing all three of the Transcender Trilogy covers and she deserves this honor! Vote for ILLUMINOSITY!

Finally, we have a number of fun things coming up in the near future, including a special $.99 promotion of the Transcender Trilogy Two Book Box Set featuring books one and two. The sale will run for no more than a week, after which this box set will be retired. I’m thrilled to announce that a Box Set featuring all three books will be released on Amazon sometime in the fall! More info on that to come.

Enjoy your last few weeks of summer, and check back often for more news and updates!

I’m the author of the Transcender Trilogy, TRANSCENDER: First-Timer, STREAMING STARS, and the upcoming ILLLUMINOSITY, which blends science-fiction, fantasy, and romance in an exciting cross-dimensional adventure.

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Tuesday, 7 August 2012

Buy Victoria Pendleton posing pictures

Pictures of Victoria Pendleton posing in cycling costume and in dresses are available to buy.

The prints are just £2 and will look great in the bedroom of any fan. To see more check out the shop on Amazon.

The pictures are all done by professional photographers and released for sale officially. These are two of that can be bought.

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Sanay namang sumuroy-suroy

I tagged along a fellow blogger-finalist in the PBA and a brod of mine in the Upsilon, Ivan, to one of his spontaneous trips to Intramuros and Binondo last Wednesday.

We first stopped by Bahay Tsinoy in Intramuros to meet up with Ivan’s friend in the heritage conservation circle, Ivan Man Dy. He toured us around the museum for free and gave me a brief lecture on the Chinese’ part in the shaping of the Philippines’ and the Filipinos’ identity, which I’m familiar with anyway ever since I wrote that term paper about the Mano Po “series”.

We then walked off to San Agustin church where both Ivans sat down with the head priest in the head priest’s office and talked about some restoration / renovation / reconstruction of some of the church’s parts. While they talked and debated about how our heritage sites should be properly restored and conserved, I wondered off to take pictures instead.

After that stop at San Agustin church, we wandered off in Intramuros for a bit until the Ivans, in a series of spontaneous decisions, decided for us to go to Binondo and shoot something along the Pasig River with the Post Office building as a backdrop. So we walked out of Intramuros, crossed the Pasig River through Jones Bridge, and then in yet another spur of the moment thinking, decided to hop on a Pasig River ferry.

I’ve never been on a Pasig River ferry. It was quite an experience. I wanted to take lots of pictures of sceneries along the banks of the River. The part of the river near Manila Bay is quite scenic but the ferry personnel and some military men in the boat forbid us from taking pictures until we’ve passed by Gloria Arroyo’s fortress.

The airconditioned ferry ride was quite comfortable and cheap. Apparently, only a few people take the ferry service now, which only goes upstream until Guadalupe, Makati. Once the system is fully operational, it will go up to Montalban in Rizal, if I’m not mistaken.

Anyway, we did not take the ferry all the way to Makati, because that would take almost two hours back and forth. We got off at Sta. Ana station. Since it was half an hour before the next ferry back to Escolta in Binondo, we went to Sta. Ana church and well, looked around. We got back to the ferry station in time, supposedly, for the next ferry. However, as what usually happens, the ferry was almost half an hour late.

We went back to Binondo and had dinner at some Chinese restaurant along Escolta. After dinner, we walked around Binondo and went to this small and unpretentious dumplings shop. The owners were even speaking in Chinese and the small eatery and the Chinese soap opera on television made me feel like I was in some Hong Kong canteen.

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Friday, September 14, 2012

Heart's Desire

After reading about Ellemeno on Maggie's blog, I went to check it out... and found several things I had to have.

The tops I will try later on today, but I want to show you the teal formal dress. The photo was taken at the Heart's Desire ballroom.

UPDATE: I had the good fortune to meet CarrieAnn Lemon. She's a wonderful lady, and I look forward to seeing what comes from Ellemeno in the future.

UPDATE: About those tops: they are the corset tops that Ellemeno sells. As I've said, I tend to push the limits on things like hair length, leg length, and breast size. The latter, when the breasts are (collectively!) sufficiently wider that the torso, can cause skin where the breasts rejoin the torso on either side to be exposed that should be covered with cloth. I've seen this on several outfits from various clothiers, and this proved to be the case for the corset tops. I suppose I should have pointed this out the first time it happened some time ago, but I never have--until, when Ms. Lemon struck up a conversation with me, I said something about it happening with the corset tops. I would have understood had she done nothing... but she asked for a photo. I sent one along to show the problem. Could I come wear a texture laid out with a grid and let her see? Sure!

Later that day (if I remember the time rightly) I was pointed at a texture by UUID; could I try it? (Actually, I couldn't, until I found out how you can see (modulo alpha issues) a texture via a URL that's a function of the UUID. Grab it, GIMP the transparency back into existence, and put it on...) I sent back with a shout of glee that it was wonderful--the corset top proper has a baked-in shadow along the sides, and the texture matched that at the edge, but I had the size cranked so that the darker color was covered, leading to a mismatch--I could live with that, and it would be perfect for the vast majority... and back came another texture. How about this, Ms. Lemon asked? Perfect! I replied. She said that once RL permitted, she'd send textures appropriate for the "chubby pack" I'd bought, and they were waiting for me before I was able to get back on the grid.

I apologize to other clothiers--I am at fault in not mentioning this issue to you right away when it has happened to me before, to give you the option of taking action. I promise to give you that option in the future. I mean no disparagement to anyone; I just want to say that Ms. Lemon, when I gave her that option, went above and beyond to be of help.

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text: This video highlights what the Lord is doing through the LCMS — through congregations, districts and the ministries headquartered at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis. The video spotlights ministry from the past 18 months — beginning when the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison was elected president of the Synod — told through the lens of the emphasis of the church, “Witness, Mercy, Life Together.” It is being shown at all 2012 district conventions.


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Video Game Walkthroughs

Most over-rated and disappointing games of 2011

Our friends at GameShark have provided our readers with that little bit of opinionated insight that makes reading here at GGD so worthwhile (why else do we have over 2k facebook friends right?)…  Well here’s the exceptional story as our last entry this year.  What’s the top over-rated and completely disappointing game titles of 2011?   Games that come to my mind would be:

Duke Nukem Forever

L.A. Noire

and GameGuideDog also throws Dungeon Siege III into that mix as well
(for being too simple and way too short)

Here’s what GameShark’s staff included on their list of overrated or disappointing:

Dragon Age II (cumbersome)

L.A. Noire (Just plain overrated)

Uncharted 3 (understandably short)

 RAGE (um, we said that too!)

…and several others, read the full story from ‘gameshark’ here:

We have to add here that they had to bash Skyrim and with good reason, here’s a quote:

Skyrim is fundamentally the same Elder Scrolls game that we’ve been playing at least since Daggerfall along with all of the negative elements lingering, ranging from horrid combat mechanics to recycled dialogue (and voice actors) to an overall lack of focus, direction, or urgency. The writing is atrocious, and the much-vaunted quest system is little more than a grocery list of fetching and killing to-do items. It gets to the point where the game has nothing left to offer you in terms of narrative or challenge and all that’s left is your will to drive on and mark off those lists. And I’m sorry, being able to pick up every cheese wheel and tin plate in the game doesn’t make it more immersive or deep.

There’s more on the ‘knowledgeable video game reviewer’ video game front than just GameGuideDog and GameShark of course.  Jennifer Amlie at gives a similar entry with her comments on “Disappointing Video Games of 2011” adding F.E.A.R. 3 on that list mentioning that it lacks anything scary and rightly so.  Included on her list we also find Brink, L.A. Noire and Duke Nukem which is to say that after 3 video game specialists all agree, it’s a solid ‘razzie’ for all the games mentioned in our article here.  Sorry 2011 developers, you might want to actually add more to your games than just great photo’s and exciting cinematic sequences to promote your games, instead including more engaging content/story writing and more than a handful of voice-actors to spice up the end products.

 Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

This Kulambhu i learnt from a TV show. it's one of my daughter's favourite. she loves to have this.

 Pearl Onion  1
 Tomato  1
 Broad beans (avarikai)  3 or 4
Drum Stick 1
Ladys finger - 3 or 4
Brinjal medium - 1
tamarind - one lemon size
sambhar powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
salt to taste
gingelly oil  1 tsp
curry leaves and coriander leaves
mustard seeds, fenugreek and cumin seeds for tempering

  • Extract tamarind pulp by soaking in warm water
  • chop the vegetables
  • In a pan pour oil and temper mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds.
  • Add onions and tomato, after a minute add all the vegetables.
  • when the vegetables are slightly cooked add the tamarind pulp.
  • Add sambhar powder and salt.
  • Close the vessel and let it boil for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.

My children loves to have this with curd rice.

Poornima Nair

Looks yumm!

looks yummy and delicious..

Slurp,fingerlicking kuzhambu, can have it even everyday.

Premalatha Aravindhan

Delicious n yummy pulikuzhambu vidhya...

lata raja

Lip smacking kuzhambu. Though I do not make pulikuzhambu often, I do relish it very much whenever i cook this.
Nice idea to add more vegetables in one dish that the children like!

curd rice with pulikuzhambu a tempting one vidhya

Sanjeeta kk

Love this authentic dish from south India!

Pranati Nath

wooww..looks yummm..Hi, First time to you blog and you have a very lovely space here...do visit my space when u find time... http://pran-oriya-recipies.blogspot.com/

veena krishnakumar

looks very inviting!!!!

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Saturday, October 24, 2009

Short Break

After a short flight(Jetstar) from Melbourne to Sydney, I realized that I had forgotten my Ipod on the plane. I couldn't get it back when I talked to the official at Sydney airport. I was a bit disappointed after calling them a few times and they kept telling me that they will call back but it never happened, which is pretty bad service. Anyway, as people say," Shit happens".

Freshly sucked oysters with soy and lemon shallot vinaigrette

However, we arrived in Melbourne and decided to take the skybus to the city then a train to my friend's house. It's unbelievable that the train system in Melbourne is so bad, with most of the trains running late and changes to the timetable without informing customers. We were waiting at Southern Cross station for a train which was delayed 10 to 15 mintues and when we got on the right one, after the first station, they announced that the train was going to a different destination. We had to get out to change trains with many other people and we were then late for my friend's birthday party. Most people seemed very upset about the hopeless system but what can we do?

Sumac rolled pork belly with roasted apple mash, onion proscuitto relish and jus

So we arrived at Sarah and Chris' birthday party 1 hour late. Anyway, their party was held at The Mill Bar and Restaurant which is located in the city centre. This is such a beautiful bar and they served delicious food. As it was quite busy after a big horse race, we had few drinks at the bar then went up to the second floor for dinner. Among other things, we ordered freshly shucked oysters with soy and lemon shallot vinaigrette, sumac rolled pork belly with roasted apple mash, onion proscuitto relish and jus, braised ham hock risotto with tomato, gruyere and parsley, Atlantic salmon fillet on steamed bok choi chilli and cumin pickled corrots, Black Angus eye fillet with horseradish mash, beetroot pickle and red wine jus and Roquette, roasted corn, grana padano and white balsamic vinaigrette for a side dish. For dessert, we had dark chocolate brownie with salted peanut caramel, hazelnut tuille and Swiss, orange and almond pudding with spiced syrup, vanilla anglaise and rhubarb ice cream. We had no complaints about food in this restaurant as it tasted so good, was beautifully presented and the staff made some great recommendations.

Chris, Sarah

Thanks to Sarah and Chris for inviting us to join their happy event and I look forward to many more events to come in the future. Happy belated birthday to you guys.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow, food photos looked amazing. Have a great time !


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Things that have taken down writing as a profession #ChallengerSeries

The Family of Writers

“Writers are stupid because they choose to write about life rather than choose to have a life.” Surprised to read this? Well, these thoughts didn’t come from my brain. It’s Matt Haig – a renowned author who says ‘Writers are… Continue Reading


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Thursday, August 31, 2006

Doodhi Thandai /Bottlegourd Frappe

Milk - 6 cups
Bottlegourd/Sorakaya/Doodhi - peeled and chopped into cubes - 2 cups
Sugar - 5 tspn
Cardamom powder - 8 no,crushed
Poppy seeds - 1 tspn
Saffron strands - 5 or 6

1.Boil 4 cups of milk in a wide sauce pan and add bottle gourd pieces and cook in low medium flame for 15 minutes by keeping lid until the bottlegourd leaves its raw smell and becomes tender.

2.Add Sugar,Poppy seeds, Cardamom powder and mix well.Once milk starts bubbling ,remove from fire and leave it to cool for room temperature.

3.Transfer this to a blender and add rest of the chilled milk and grind until it becomes smooth.

4.Pour into a pitcher and chill in fridge.Blend again on high speed for a while if you need before serving.Garnsin with any fresh fruit and start sipping in a handmade beaded jeweled glass. !!!

Monday, August 28, 2006

Sweet Potato Biscuits

All purpose flour - 1¼ cup
Sugar - 4 tspn
Baking powder - 4 TSPN
Sweet potato - 1 ,cooked and mashed
Butter - ¼ cup (½ stick)
Milk - 3 to 4 tspn ,chill
No - stick Cooking Spary for greasing - Pam Brand

1.Boil Sweet Potato in Pressure Cooker by putting lid.Once it is cool ,pare the skin and mash until smooth.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2.In a large bowl Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder.Take another bowl and melt the butter in microwave oven.Leave it to cool.

3.Mix the mashed Sweet potatoes into the butter.

4.Add the flour mixture to the Sweet Potato mixture and knead gently to make a soft dough by adding milk spoon by spoon.Place the dough onto a floured board and Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter.

5.Gather the edges of the dough and re-roll to make rest of the biscuits.

6.Place the biscuits on a greased pan and Bake them to golden brown color about 12 to 15 minutes, turning upside down once .

7.Check the biscuits in the middle to avoid browning.Serve warm Sweet Potato Biscuits with a cup of Coffee or Milk.

Recipe Source:Paula Deen from Food Network

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Vinayaka Chavithi

Happy Vinayaka Chavithi

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Dadhojanam(Curd Rice)

Temple Prasadam - "Dadhojanam"
Originated from "Sanskrit" Dadhi - ODanam means Boiled rice mixed with Yoghurt."Dadhi " is called "Yoghurt" in " Sanskrit" .
My family likes this food always.I don't feel a satisfied meal without having a large scoop of "Curd rice ".

Sona Masoori Rice - 2 cups ,boil in pressur cooker /rice cooker with 3 cups of water .
Curd - 4 cups
Green Chillies - 3no,chopped into small pieces
Ginger - 1" size,scrape into tiny pieces
Pepper - ¼ tspn, crushed
Salt to taste
Oil/Ghee for seasoning.
For Seasoning
Urad dal - 2tspn
Mustard Seeds - 2 tspn
Fenugreek Seeds - only 2 no
Asafoetida - ½ tspn
Curry Leaves - 6 or 7
Cashewnuts - 10 no

1.Spread Boiled Rice on a plate and allow it to cool at room temperature.

2.Beat the Curds and mix into the rice well.Add chopped Green Chilies,Chopped Ginger,Crushed Pepper,Curry Leaves to this and mix well.

3.Heat Ghee in Kadai, add Mustard seeds once they splutter add Uurad dal and fry for light golden brown color and add Ffengreek seeds once color change remove and add Cashewnuts,fry for light brown color,add Asafoetida and remove from fire and pour into the curd rice once it is cool.

4.Mix well and check for salt and Keep in fridge for 15 minutes before serving.

5.Keeping in fridge helps Yoghurt Rice into fine blending.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Majjiga Pulusu(Mor Kozhambu / Sour Youghurt Gravy)

This is one of my mom's signature dish.I was thinking to do this recipe once I recalled my memories in "Mom's Meme"."Majjiga Pulusu" is "Andhraite's " favourite food and it is also a favourite food in Tamilnadu known as "Mor Kozhambu" . I have another version of adding Vadai to "Mor Kozhambu " from my aunt's kitchen. I will try to post that recipe later.

Bottle gourd(Sorakaya/Kaddu) - 1 cup,diced into pieces
Sour Curd (Pullati Perugu ) - 2 cups
Chanadal (Senagapappu/Kadala parupu) - 3 tspn,soak in water for 45 minutes
Rice(Biyyam/Arisi)- 1tspn,Soak in water for 45 minutes
Coriander Seeds(Dhaniyalu/Dhaniya) - 2 tspn,
Cumin Seeds (Jeelakara.Jeeragam/Jeera) - 1½ tsp
Dried Coconut Scrapes - (Turimina Endu Kobbari) - 2 tspn
Green chillies (Pachchi Mirapakayalu/Pachai Mizhagai/Hari Mirchi) - 3 no
Fenugreek Seeds(Menthulu/Vendhiyam) - 4 no
Ginger - 1" size,piece
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
For Seasoning
Mustard Seeds (Aavalu /Kadugu) - 1tspn
Cumin Seeds (Jeelakarra/Jeeragam) - ½ tspn
Fenugreek Seeds - 4no
Red Chillies - 4 no
Asafoetida(Inguva/Perumgayam/Hing) - ½ tspn
Curry Leaves(Karivepaku/Kariveppilai) - 5 or 6 leaves
Ghee or Oil for seasoning.
Mustard Seeds,Rice,Coriander Seeds,fenugreek Seeds,Ginger,Coconut Scrapes,Chanadal,greenchilliesGround PasteRedchillies,SourCurd,Bottlegourd pieces,turmeric,mustard seeds,Menthi,Cumin Seeds,Asafoetida

1. Soak Chana dal,Rice for 45 minutes and jeera and dhaniya ,Fenugreek Seeds for 20 minutes and grind them along with Ginger,Dried Coconut scrapes,Green chillies by adding liitle amount of water to make a fine paste.

2. Cook chopped Sorakaya(Bottlegourd) pieces in a 2 cups of water in microwave for 4 or 5 minutes or until they become tender.Mix water into the sour curd and beat well.

3. Add the ground paste,Turmeric ,boiled bottlegourd pieces to Majjiga/Buttermilk and mix well.

4.Transfer buttermilk mixture into a deep saucepan/nonstick and cook on low flame for 12 minutes stirring in the middle to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pan.Once it starts slight bubbling ,remove from fire and keep it aside.Add salt and mix well.

5. Heat 1 or 1 ½ tspoon of Oil/ghee, add Mustard seeds,once they splutter add Cumin Seeds ,Fenugreek Seeds ,Red Chillies, Asafoetida ,Curry Leaves and remove from fire and pour into the majjiga pulusu.By this time your kitchen is filled with the aroma of asafoetida seasoning .Garnish with chopped Green chillies for more spicy taste.

6.Serve with Hot Rice,Appalam (Pappad) ,Gummadikaya Vadiyalu and it can be a tasty combo for Toor Dal / Moong Dal Rice.Here,i served with "Snakegourd Bajji".

1.Cooking buttermilk on highheat makes curdle.

2.Add a tspn of besan/Senagapindi if buttermilk is watery before keeping on stove.

3.Reheat in microwave but not on stove once "majjiga pulusu" is prepared.
4.Store Ground Paste in a plastic container in freezer.It makes quite easy of making "Majjiga Pulusu" next time.

Recipe Source:Amma

See for Asha's Majjige Saaru here.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Sri Krishnastami

Yesterday,we visited ISKCON Temple in LA on the occasion of "Krishnastami" and another reason was going to the temple is Yesterday was Gopi's birthday . We felt a great divine and spiritual experience at temple.Devotees are enchanting Bhajans and Kirthans and "Mangal Aarathi" has been performed for deities.See here for more information at ISKCON.Com
We have a tradition of performing "Gokulastami" in our house.We purchased Krishna Murthi's from temple Gift shop - "Govinda's Imports".Temple is having Govinda's Buffet with pure vegetarian food for diners.

ISKCON,3764,Watseka Ave,Los Angeles,California

Know more about Krishnastami

"Krishnastami" Rituals:
Little Krishna's foot steps are drawn with rice flour mixed with water from the entrance of the house to pooja room .It shows that Lord Krishna entered into the house.Decorating Lord Krishna Murthi and offering prasadam with Tulasi Dalam,Pushpam(Flowers),Dhoopam(Incense Sticks) ,Deepam,Panchagajjayam and chanting Lord Krishna asthotram ,Vishnu Sahsra Namam and doing mangal harathi in the evening and especially "Unjal seva" for little Krishna.

Lord Krishna - Krishnastami Pooja - Dhoopam ,Deepam ,Prasadam

Unjal Seva (Dolotsava) for Little Lord Krishna

Unjal Seva (Dolotsava) held last evening for Little Lord Krishna

Navaneetham(butter) mixed with milk and fruits for little Lord Krishna

Rava Ladoo

Rava/Semolina(Bombay rava) - 3cups
Milk - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Cardamom - 8 no,crushed
Cashewnuts - 15 no

1.Take a heavy saucepan/kadai ,add 1 tbspn of ghee and add rava to that and roast for light brown color stirring continuously with wooden spatula in low medium heat.If Sooji/Rava size is big I will grind along with sugar in blender for powder.

2.When Rava changes to light brown color add powdered sugar,caradamom pwd and mix well.When sugar melts into rava ,add ghee ,sprinkle milk slowly and mix well for 5 minutes until rava becomes wet.

3.Heat Ghee in a pan and first fry raisins,once they plump up remove from spatula and add cashewnuts and fry for brown color.

4.Add these into rava mixture and remove from stove.Wet hand with 1tbspn of chill milk and shape the rava mixture into small balls.Chill milk prevents your palms from burning.You can moisten with ghee /oil also instead of milk if rava mixture is luke warm.Shelf will more if you don't add milk to ladoos . Ladoos can be shaped into round balls if mixture is hot.

5.Allow to cool these Rava Ladoos and store in an airtight container.

Maida - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 3 tspn
Ajwain / Vamu /Omam seeds - 5 tspn
Asafoetida - a pinch
Red Chilli pwd - 3 tspn( it depends on how hot you like.)
Salt to taste
water (sufficient for making dough)
Oil for deep frying

1.Sieve the both flours and mix into a bowl.Add melted ghee ,warm water ,salt,red chilly pwd,ajwain seeds ,asfoetida and knead well for a fine dough.

2.Cover with a damp cloth and leave it for 15 minutes.

3.Take the dough into a small ball size and roll it like a long pencil by using your palms.

4.Cut this long dough string into 2 ½ " pieces and join the two ends to make a "Ring".Make rings in the same manner with the whole dough.

5.Heat Oil in a Kadai,if the oil is enough hot for deep frying slowly drop these chegodi's into hot oil.Fry into golden brown color and strain on tissue paper to remove excess oil. Once cool if it is a festival then offer to god as "Naivedhyam" and a Great evening snack with a cup of Hot Coffee.

6.Store in an airtight container and "CHEGODILU" lasts for 3 weeks.

Pistachio -Green Peas Doodh Peda

Friday, August 11, 2006

Tiranga Doodh Peda

Carrot Doodh Peda
Milk - 4 cups/1 litre
Grated Carrot - 2 Cups
Condensed Milk - 3 tbspn
Sugar - 3 tsp
cardamom - 4 no
Butter - 2 tbspn
Orange food color - 1 drop

1.Take a heavy bottomed sauce pan and boil milk in a low medium flame.

2.Grind grated carrot with little amount of milk into paste and keep it aside.

3.After milk starts bubbling add butter and Carrot paste ,cardamom pwd ,Condensed milk, a drop of Orange Food color and stir well for 30 - 40 minutes,continuously with wooden spatula to make fine thick paste.

4.Remove from fire and tranfer to a greased plate and allow it to cool.Make into small balls and flatten it and garnish with Cashewnuts.

Coconut Doodh Peda
Milk - 4 cups/1 litre
Dessicated Coconut - 2cups
Condensed milk - 3tbspn
Cardamom - 6 no
Sugar - 3tspn

1.Take a heavy bottomed sauce pan and boil milk in a medium flame and stir continuously .

2.Grind dessicated coconut with little amount of water and extract milk from that and keep the coconut scrape aside.

3.After milk starts bubbling add butter and extracted coconut milk and boil until it gets thicken ,stirring in the middle in low flame.

4.Now ,add leftover coconut paste , cardamom pwd ,Condensed milk and stir well.Boil for 30 - 40 minutes,by stirring continuously with wooden spatula to make fine thick paste and make sure it should be in the stage of soft lump .

5.Remove from fire and Transfer into a greased plate and leave it to cool.Cut into any shape and serve by garnishing with silver foil and pistachio.

Pistachio - Green Peas Doodh Peda

Milk - 4 cups/1 litre
Pistachio - 1/2 cup,soak in hot water to remove skin,
Frozen Peas - 1/2 cup,boiled 6 minutes in microwave oven,
Sugar - 3 tspn
Condensed milk - 3 tbspn
Cardamom - 6no
Green Food color - 2 drops

1.Take a heavy bottomed sauce pan and boil milk in medium flame and stir continuously .

2.Grind Pista ,Green Peas with little amount of milk into fine paste.After milk starts bubbling add butter and Pistachio - PEAS paste ,sugar and boil until it gets thicken ,stirring in the middle in low flame.

3.Now ,add cardamom pwd ,Condensed milk ,2 drops of Green Food color and stir well for 30 - 40 minutes,stir continuously with wooden spatula to make fine thick paste and it should be in the stage of soft lump .Remove from fire and allow it to cool.

4.Transfer into a greased plate and leave it cool.

5.Cut into diamond shape with knife and serve by garnishing with silver foil and shredded pistachio.

Making Tiranga (Indian Flag)

1.Make a small amount of carrot doodh peda and make it into a cylindrical shape and keep it on a plate.Make another two cylindrical logs with Coconut Doodh Peda, Pistachio - Green Peas Doodh Peda.

2.Join all these Orange ,White ,Green color pedas together and adjust edjes with knife.

3.For Ashok Chakram, Take Thin Semiya and touch it up with Blue food color and place in the middle of Coconut Peda .

That's it ,Tiranga Doodh Peda is ready .
This is my contribution to Dear Indira's Food Parade on Independence Day Celebrations.

Tuesday, August 8, 2006

Watermelon Waffle Sandwich

"Watermelon" is universal favourite fruit.It looks fat but really Fat Free.

Nutritional Facts of Watermelon
High in Vitamin A ,B6 and C
Contains Fiber and Potassium

Good for Sorbet,Slushes,Smoothies and juices." Charmagaz " is famous in India which is a mixture of dried Watermelon,Muskmelon,Pumpkin, Cucumber seeds in equal quantites.It is used in Sweets as a "Topping".Roasted and Seasoned seeds with Salt and Redchilli powder taken as a Snack at "Tea time".
Know more about watermelon here

Watermelon cut into circle - 2 no
Buttermilk Waffles (Eggo Brand) - 4 no,
Whipped Cream - 2tspn
Vanilla Frosting - 4 tspn
Vanilla - Pistachio Icecream(Hazen Dazes Brand) - 5 small scoops

1.Cut the Watermelon into circle shape by using any lid and store in refrigerator.

2.Preheat the oven to 375F.

3.Place Frozen Waffles on a waxpaper and bake for 2 minutes by turning both sides until crispy and hot .Waffles should be in light brown color(So,4 Minutes for baking both sides of waffle.)

Assembling Sandwich

1.Apply Vanilla frosting on the top of Waffle and place Watermelon circle on it and spread Icecream and place another Waffle and apply Whipped cream ,again Watermelon square and apply a scoop of icecream and cover with Waffle and press down gently the whole sandwich.

2.Decorate each sandwich with a small dollop of Vanilla-Pistachio Icecream and with watermelon florets.

3.Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Dear Stephanie invited for her" Blog Party #13" for the theme of "No Cooking"as a wonderful concept for this Summer and I am ready with cool... cool... Watermelon Waffle Sandwich .

See the recipe of vanilla waffle sundae .

Sunday, August 6, 2006

Food Blogging exposed in the newspaper...The HINDU - Business Line(August 4, 2006).

Nowadays Indian newspapers are in search of exposing all FOOD BLOGS. This is a very healthy sign for us - my dear Food Bloggers. August 4th 2006, Hindu Business line published an article on Food Bloggers highlighting the friendship, commitment and the pooling of cooking knowledge / recipes by the food bloggers...Thanks to the Media for spotlighting our culinary work. Thanks to all helpful hands for publishing the experiences and expectations of the Food Bloggers in the newspaper. Thanks to the author Sravanthi Challapalli.
Enjoy reading, August 04, 2006 Hindu Business Line article titled Hot off!

Friday, August 4, 2006

JFI News -" Semiya Payasam"

Hi Friends,
This is time to make anouncement for JFI and I am thanking to Dear Indira for starting this wonderful JFI event.
I have choosen " Milk and Milk Products " as an ingredient which includes whole milk, condensed milk, yoghurt, buttermilk, paneer, khoya, ghee / clarified butter.
Particpation Details:
1.All entries are due on September 1st and please mail me the link once you publish in your blogs.
2. If you have any doubts, feel free to mail me. You can send your entries with a picture 75X75 pixel size to mentioning the subject as “JFI#5" and also mention the milk derivative name used in the recipe.
Example :
If Recipe : Gulab jamun then milk product :Khoya
3.History, nostalgic tales, paintings, and drawings, your experiences anything related to Milk and Milk Products are welcome from all...If you don't have a blog I will publish for you with your name..just email me...
4.I will do a round up after receiving your entries.

Milk  and  Milk Products

JFI # 5 - Milk and Milk Products

Today is an auspicious day - "Varalakshmi Vratham" and all the Festivals follow from this day onwards throughout the year.I made "Semiya Payasam" ,"Pulihora" "Vada" as Prasadam for "Godess Lakshmi".
Here is the Recipe for Payasam:

Semiya Payasam:

Milk - 5 cups
Semiya - 2 cups
Cardammom - 7 ,crushed,
Cashewnuts - 10
Raisins - 8
Ghee - 2tbspn
Sugar - 1 cup
Saffron - 5 strands

Making :
Fry Semiya in ghee for light brown color and add milk and cook in low meidum flame for 15 minutes.Add Sugar and cardamom pwd,saffron mixed in milk and stir well .Cook until Semiya becomes soft and add fried cashewnuts and raisins.Serve warm or chill.

 Varalakshmi Vratham Prasadam

Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Matar Bhutte Ki Dhokla

"Dhokla" is a Traditional Gujarathi Dish taken as a snack at tea time or as a light meal.
I used to watch "Cook It Up with Tarla Dalal " known as "Queen of Indian Cookery " along with "Sudhanshu Pande" cooking series in "Sony" channel and "dhokla" is one of those recipes.This is my first attempt of making "Dhokla" and I added Peas to the original recipe. See here for Dhokla Maker.

Matar Bhutte Ki Dhokla with Parsley - Mint Chutney

Ingredents For Dhokla
Besan / Senaga Pindi /Kadalai Mavu /Bengal Gram Flour - 2 cups
Ginger paste -½ tsp
Green chilli paste - ½ tsp
Green Peas - 1cup
Fresh Corn seeds (Mokka jonna ginjalu/Bhutta) - 1 cup
Curd(Perugu/Dahi/Thayir) - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Asafoetida (Inguva/Perumgayam/Hing) - a pinch
Baking Soda - ½ tspn
For Seasoning
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
Sesame seeds - 1 tspn
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chillies - 1 ,finely chopped
Coriander leaves for garnishing - &frac 14 bunch / 6 sprigs
Grated Carrot - 3 tspn
Oil for cooking

1.Seive the Gram flour(Besan) and place in a bowl to mix the Green chilli-Ginger paste ,Salt,Turmeric,Asafoetida,Curd.Mix well without forming any lumps.

2.Add Baking soda and Frozen /Soaked Green Peas ,Frozen Corn seeds and mix well and cover with lid and keep the batter for 4 hours until you will see bubbles on top.

3.Transfer the mixture into a greased vessel and place the vessel in the pressure cooker without putting weight and steam for 25 minutes till done(Test by using toothpick if dhokla is cooked or not if tooth pick comes out clean then Dhokla is done.).

4.Remove from fire and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.For seasoning, heat the oil in a sauce pan and add Mustard seeds and Sesame seeds once seeds splutter add Asafoetida,Green chillies,Curry leaves.

5.Pour this seasoning over Dhoklas.Cut Dhokla into desired shape.
Garnish with the chopped Coriander leaves and grated Carrot / Coconut and serve warm Fluffy Matar Bhutte ki Dhokla's with Parsley Mint Chutney and with Tomato Chilly sauce.

Recipe Source:TarlaDalal's Makai ka Dhokla

Dhokla row

Parsley Mint Chutney:
This is the way i make quick green chutney with Coriander .I used "Parsley" for variation. Wash:
Parsley one bunch( Substitute Coriander )
Mint one bunch
Green Chillies - 4no
Ginger - 1" size,piece
Parsley Mint Chutney ,Tomato chilli sauce with Dhokla Squares
Fry above ingredients in 2 tspn of oil until color changes to dark green.
Grind in a blender into a fine paste by adding sufficient Water and Salt.
Do Seasoning with Mustard Seeds,Red chilly with 1tspn of oil .
Serve this chutney with any snack or breakfast.

This is my entry for the " jihva " event of JFI# 4 - "Flour" hosting by Dear Santhi of "Me and My Kitchen".

Thanks for giving a nice ingredient and going to see a big round up with loads of recipes. Happy Hosting ,Santhi.


text:
onsdag 12. desember 2012

Restaurant La Compagnia i Siena, lørdag 13. oktober 2012

Clos des Goisses 1990

Strågul med touch av brune epler og honning. Overraskende mye utviklet og flasken er nok ikke optimalt lagret. Moden, bitter og kraftfull. Mørk pinot-frukt, en vinøs rik og deilig champagne. Men overraskende mange 1990 champagner viser nå foruroligende mye modningsaromaer. 91-93 poeng.

Smaking co/ Gard Kverneland dN.no:
Vinmarken Clois des Goisses er på 5,5 hektar og ligger i Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Marken ligger i en bratt skråning med sydlig eksponering. Dette gir mye sol og god drenering, noe som sammen med gamle vinstokker og kalkholdig jord gir en Champagne som leverer årgang etter årgang. Produksjonen ligger vanligvis mellom 20 000 – 40 000 flasker.
2001 – overraskende mørk på farge, umiddelbart i glasset en litt uren nese med grønt gress og akasiehonning. I munnen mangler vinen fokus og grep, men fin syre og grei frukt konsentrasjon. Veldig bra for en 2001. Medium lengde. Ble bedre med luft. 91p.
2002 – Nesen er uhyre elegant og fokusert. Mineralsk og livlig, men dette er en vin som har mye å gå på. 2002 har mange elegante viner, og dette er et flott eksempel. Årgangens eleganse fortsetter i munnen. Den er også mineralsk, konsentrert og energisk. Flott mousse. Strålende balanse og mineralsk finish. 95-97p.
2002 Rosé – nydelig ren nese med nype og bringebærdrops. Ganske atypisk for en Rosé. Minner litt om en moden rødvin fra en topp flaske, hvor frukten fortsatt er ren og ungdommelig. I munnen har vinen nypete på smak, flott mousse og struktur. God lengde. En atypisk vin som det er vanskelig å helt forstå, og jeg er usikker på hva man skal gi noe slikt men magefølelsen landet på 92p.
2000 – på nesen hadde vinen årgangens klare kjennetegn med metan og bacon, men denne var friskere og mer livlig enn Cristal i samme årgang for ett år siden. I munnen var vinen som nesen overraskende frisk for årgangen. Igjen en nydelig mineralitet og bra syre grep. 94p.
2000 Rosé – nesen går i retning av rust, jern og jord. Ingen superelegant eller fruktdreven nese. Vinen er betydelig mer spennende i munnen. Flott struktur, intens og bra friskhet. Som for 02 går frukten i retning av nype, bare ikke like mye. 94p.
1999 – korket
1999 Rosé – ganske lukket nese med frukt som igjen går i retning av nype. I munnen har vinen fantastisk konsentrasjon og flott frukt med mer søtlige bær enn de øvrige Roséene. Hint av bringebær i finsihen, som for øvrig er svært lang. Veldig frisk og elegant. 95p.
1998 – masse sitrus og sitronzest på nesen. Hint av modningsaroma i retning av kaffe. Kompleks nese. En av de første champagnene som viser modning noe som gir en flott dybde og kompleksitet også i munnen. Veldig frisk med flott syre.96p, Her tror jeg at jeg var en del høyere en de andre. Snitt score på Cellartracker er 92,8p.
1997 – svært spesiell nese, hvor en av deltakerne var spot on med Lambic øl. Ikke en god flaske.
1996 – sitrusessens på nesen. Hint av sjø aromaer i retning østersskall og saltvann. Veldig fokusert og ren. I munnen en fantastisk energi, svært høy syre, men etter min mening frukt til å opprettholde balansen. Masse mineraler i den lange avslutningen. 98p.
1992 - på nesen har vinen rik gul frukt og aprikos. I munnen følger den samme rike og gule frukten. Flott kremete mousse, ganske rund og nesten litt oljete, medium syre. En fantastisk match til gresskarsuppe med Foie Gras mousse. 93p.
1991 - mineralsk nese i retning knust stein og knuste skjell. Frukten går mot appelsinzest. I munnen er også denne relativt fyldig. Fin frukt og umiddelbart en veldig flott Champagne. Faller imidlertid raskt sammen i glasset. Starter rundt 93p, men ender på 91p.
1990 - flott nese med presise dufter av knust skifer. Kompleks. i munnen er vinen konsentrert, men mangler både friskhet og dybde. Lav syre. Overraskende elegant til tross. Utviklet seg positivt med luft. 92p.
1989 - nesen viser sjampinjong, vanilje og tørket frukt. Flott ren og spennende lukt. På smak er det toner av toffee og smak som gir assosiasjoner til en høstskog. Jeg tror ikke vinen vil bli bedre med ytterligere lagring. 93p.
1988 - flott nese med modningsaromaer i retning av shitakesopp og tørket frukt. I munnen overgår vinen alt annet vi har hatt denne kvelden, en utrolig presis, lineær og vibrerende vin, som både har en kremete mousse og ettersmak av røyk. Utrolig kompleks og lang. Vanskelig å trekke noe på denne og utvilsomt kveldens vin. 99p.
1986 – nesen har kommet langt, og det er hovedsakelig mørke toner som mørk kaffe og mocca som dominerer nesen. I munnen har vinen smak av rabarbra og nedfallsepler. Litt slapp og en vin som bør drikkes nå. 91p.
1978 - en ungdommelig nese med ananas og røde bær selv om dette er klart en moden vin. Hint av modning i retning av kaffe. I munnen er vinen svært elegant, kompleks og livlig. 97p

Rosso di Montalcino 2007, Poggio di Sotto

Bløte rød bær. Lys lilla gjennomsiktig farge. Overraskende varme og senthøstede bær. Litt for søt munnfølelse og kanskje den dårligste Poggoi di Sotto`en på turen. 2008 var betydelig bedre på restaurant Lamole. 88 poeng.

Brunello di Montalcino "Soldera" 1999, Case Basse

Mørk og ung. Intens munnfølelse med barriquerte fattanniner i en dyp/lilla svart farge. Tørrer godt i munnen i en kjøttfull sur-søt stil. Syrlig og frisk. Kirsebær. En fantastisk vin som "svelger" eik på en fabelaktig måte. 92-95 poeng.

Brunello di Montalcino "Sugarille" 1995, Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja)

Vinen har et overraskende lilla skjær fremdeles.Samtidig en ganske moden nese og en veldig trå ettersmak av eik. En spiss og rå syre, noe naturvin over denne. Genuin og frisk vin. Veldig primær og forblir noe uharmonisk. 91 poeng.

Given Gaja’s legendary work with crus in Piemonte, it was only appropriate for him to make a contribution to the rare realm of single-vineyard Brunellos. The first official mention of the Sugarille site appears in a 1547 record documenting the estate of Pieve Santa Restituta’s inventory. In 1994, Gaja entered into a partnership with Roberto Bellini, who had purchased the historic Pieve Santa Restituta estate in 1972. Although Bellini retained creative authority for the first vintage of the collaboration, he stepped aside for Gaja in the very next vintage, conferring absolute authority on the one he had sought to realize the estate’s fullest potential.

Barbaresco Bricco Asili 1999, Ceretto

Mørk og heftig fremdeles. I motsetning til 1997 som er mild og bløt. Tørrer fælt i munnen og en overraskende streng Asili. Selvom Asili er en ganske feminin og imøtekommende vinmark, kan de noen ganger være tøffe og tørre i strukturen etter mange år. Blir bedre i glasset, men endel uenighet om denne. 88-93 poeng.

Riccardo Ceretto founded the Casa Vinicola Ceretto in the late thirties, setting the stage by raising his two sons in the wine business of Alba. The next generation saw the sorry state of winemaking, the squandered resources of their precious land – all the conditions of the sixties that pushed a small group of dedicated young men to rebuild the Langhe and prove to the world its merit as a great wine zone. Two of these men were Bruno and Marcello Ceretto, the “Barolo Brothers” who describe themselves as simili al punto che più diversi non potrebbero essere – so similar they could not be more different. While the reserved Marcello developed skills in enology and took control of production, dynamic big brother Bruno analyzed the business side of the wine world. It was Bruno’s innovative approach to marketing that brought attention to his sibling’s top-notch creations: a fresh new face for the bottlings caught the eyes of experts and wine lovers; highlighting Roero Arneis helped keep Piemonte on the map in the 80’s when whites were all the rage and Friuli had captivated the world; and the establishment of a distinguished literary prize for wine and food writing framed a grand image of Ceretto as a leader in, and guardian of, excellence in enogastronomy.

The Ceretto brothers have never tried to change their Barolo or Barbaresco – innovation is the exclusive realm of the marketing department – but rather strive to perfect what comes naturally from the earth. Their wine production covers seven separate estates, while an eighth (I Vignaioli di Santo Stefano) is co-owned along with two other growers. The first estate to be established was the Azienda Bricco Asili. These 8.5 hectares lie in the Barbaresco communes of Bricco Asili, Bernardot, and Faset, and a cru Barbaresco is produced from each of these three sites. The other principal estate is the Azienda Bricco Rocche, located in the heart of Barolo and comprising 11 hectares in La Morra, Serralunga, and Castiglione Falletto. Only Barolo is made here: Brunate and Prapò are made in most vintages (the vintners pass grapes from difficult vintages to the central estate, where the Zonchera is made) and exceptional harvests brew the Bricco Rocche.

In addition to the traditional Barolos Bricco Rocche and Prapò and the Barbaresco Bricco Asili for which they are renowned, Ceretto makes wines like Monsordo that blend international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Nero with the native Nebbiolo. Their purview of varied sites allows Ceretto to produce a wide range of wines that are distinct to the vineyard from which they are reaped, and with the help of consultant Donato Lanati (also of Schiopetto, Russiz Superiore, Colterenzio, and Isole e Olena) each bottling is of outstanding quality.

Barolo Cannubi Boschis 1998, Sandrone

Lakris, blåbær, litt oksidativ nese til å begynne med, flere trodde dette var feilvare. Blir bedre etterhvert i glasset. Mye smak av fattanniner. Roar synes denne var OK, jeg synes denne var fæl. 85-89 poeng

Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio delle Rose 1998, Castell`n Villa

Lett floral og bløt. God mørk frukt, frisk og en deilig vin. Jordbær, kjøttfull med snev av bål/kruttrøyk. 89-91 poeng
Vi drakk Poggio delle Rose 1996 dagen før på slottet

Fontalloro 1999, Felsina

Krydret, salvie, urter og noe Chinato over denne. Mørk og intens vin, den rare nesa blir borte etterhvert. Mangler endel eleganse, men vinen har holdt seg godt. 90 poeng

Fra winedoctor.com:
Felsina is an estate with ancient history, although it is only in the last few decades that it has morphed into a Chianti estate of the highest quality. This all began in 1961, when Domenico Poggiali acquired the buildings and 57 ha of vineyards that are now largely run by his son-in-law Guiseppe Mazzocolin, who married Gloria Poggiali. An examination of more ancient history, however, reveals Felsina's fascinating past. Already in existence by the 12th Century, this estate, or grancia, was once a roadside hospital manned by Benedictine monks, who tended to the needs of the sick and weary pilgrims that passed by on the Strata de Rancia. The monks worked in association with the staff at the nearby Santa Maria della Scala hospital in Siena, a huge complex of Medieval buildings opposite the Duomo, the town's cathedral, both of which I mentioned in my introduction to my Siena trip.

The estate is located in the most south-eastern part of the Chianti Classico zone, just up the road from Castelnuovo Berardenga, and just a stone's throw from Siena itself. The Medieval towers of the town are clearly visible from the Felsina vineyards, as shown on the left, the vineyards peaking with a sandstone outcrop at 420m. Other soils are typical of the Chianti region, being galestro (shale, a form of compacted clay) and albarese (a lime and clay soil with limestone rocks), although some vineyards include some heavier clay soils, lending more body to the final product. About 6 ha of the classic Chianti soils, cropped at 40-45 hl/ha, are the source of the estate's flagship wine, the Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia, rancia a derivative of grancia, above. The fruit sees temperature-controlled fermenttaion, before 12-18 months in small barrels, then a further 6 months in bottle prior to release. This is, in my opinion, not just the estate's leading wine, but also one of Tuscany's premier wines, challenging any Sangiovese, be it Chianti, Brunello or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, on a matter of quality.

Others would perhaps place the IGT Fontalloro over the Rancia; this is an impressive wine made from Sangiovese grown on the Fontalloro or Poggio al Sole vineyard, classic soils within the Classico zone, as well as the Casalino and Arcidossino vineyards in the Chianti Colli Senesi region, where the soils are much heavier clays. Once in the winery, the fruit is handled in much the same way as that of the Rancia Riserva. There is also a Chianti Classico Riserva, which is produced exclusively for the North American market, and a straight Chianti Classico. Felsina also maintain the production of a traditional Vin Santo, from Malvasia, Trebbiano and Sangiovese. The international varieties also have a presence, with a Cabernet Sauvignon from vines grafted onto old rootstock in 1984, Maestro Raro, and I Sistri, a Chardonnay.

Giuseppe Mazzocolin, aided by consultant Franco Bernabei, has enjoyed great success at Felsina, facilitating expansion by purchase of the neighbouring property, Pagliarese. This purchase allowed the replanting of Felsina, whilst the Pagliarese estate provided the fruit. The vineyards are managed by Agostino Buracchi, who has overseen new plantings at Felsina, at a density of 5400 vines/ha, more than that at the old Pagliarese estate (which will be replanted) where it is 3200 vines/ha. The vineyards are orintated south-southwest, Guyot trained, see summer-time canopy management in the form of leaf plucking, a green harvest in August if required, before hand harvesting when the fruit is ripe.

Barbaresco Asili 1995, Bruno Giacosa

Ren, rød og lys. Elegant Bruno-format. Finmasket, lang, snev av modne jordbær, deilig og smooth munnfølelse. Lang og krydret, "asian-spicy". Prime-time for denne nå. 92-94 poeng.

mandag 10. desember 2012

Lunch Canapaccia 13. oktober 2012

Lunch med forskjellige Brunelloer fra Canapaccia. Vi smakte 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 og 2007.

2006 viste seg igjen som en mørk, krydret og rik vin. Litt mekka frukt (88 poeng). 2004 var igjen den beste vinen med tydelig bitt og en mere frisk munnfølelse (89 poeng) 2007 lysere rødbærsfrukt, delikat og lettdrikkelig (85 poeng) 2003 varm og typisk, bløt og krydret (86 poeng)  2005 litt mere "stuffing" enn 2007 (86 poeng).

onsdag 5. desember 2012

Casanova di Neri 13. oktober 2012

Med "bodyguard".....

En dedikert vinmaker Giacomo Neri viste oss rundt og selv om vinene er relativt moderne, har de en vellykket saftighet som er innbydende og deilig opulente.

Se her en video fra omvisningen som bl.a. viser hvordan de "pumper over" Cabernet Sauvignon  fra bunn til topp av tank for å få mere ut av druene mht. farge, fylde og smak

Brunelloen får en litt mere varsom behandling:

                                          Montalcino i bakgrunnen

Rosso di Montalcino 2010, Casanova di Neri

Spicy, fragrant, lys og tiltalende. Fioler, sommerblomster, plomme med frisk frukt og en delikat vin. Neri mente 2010 er en fremragende årgang, har inntrykk av at vinmakere ofte sier det om siste årgang....85 poeng

Brunello di Montalcino 2007, Casanova di Neri

45 mnd på eik, snev av vanilje på nesen, tydelige tanniner med en mørk og solid kjernefrukt. Igjen denne florale og lette munnfølelsen. En elegant Brunello fra en "mellomårgang". 88 poeng.

Cerretalto 2006, Casanova di Neri

Giacomo ble begeistret da vi nevnte at Cerretalto 1999 ble kåret til  Red Wine of the Year i Vinklubben for noen år siden ! Han hadde en åpnet flaske 2006 under disken og denne skulle vi være så heldige å få smake :) Da vi noterte at denne var oksidert med rosin, blåbær og epler tok han opp en ny flaske ! Denne var adskillig friskere med kraftig bitt og tanniner. Krydret og rik, mørk og vinen bør lagres. Årgangen og stilen tilsier at dette blir en megavin om 10 år. 93-95 poeng.

Den første årgangen av Cerretalto var 1985

Kåringen Red Wine of the Year i Wine Spectator ble gjennombruddet til Casanova di Neri !

Cerretalto 2004, Casanova di Neri

Giacomo mente Cerretalto 2004 har mye likhetstrekk med Cerretalto 2006. Voldsom frisk og grove, store tanniner dominerer. Vinen virker trå og tørr og mangler den deilige saftigheten til 2006. For slank frukt til et lagringsprosjekt +10 år ? 90-94 poeng

Pietra Donice Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Casanova di Neri

Feminin blomsteraktig duft. Tørr i munnen med årgangens varme og tråe stil. Ubalansert. Tror ikke denne selges i Norge. 81 poeng.

                                                    Stilker ønsker de ikke

Se de lokale "gutta boys" henter "den nye vin"! De heller olje øverst på dunken slik at luft ikke kommer til.

Takk til Einar Fjoran og Knut for planleggingen !

søndag 2. desember 2012

Rødvinsflight nr. 2 vinmøte Øistein 1. november 2012

Hermitage 1996, Jean-Louis Chave

Mørk kjerne med lysere kant. Malo-melkeaktig, sursøt med grønske, litt tobakk, kork, kjeller og lakris. Ingen kosevin, men en korrekt sur og frisk vin fra nord-Rhone. Matvin. Are mente dette var en litt dårlig flaske. 90-94 poeng.

Fra winedoctor.com:

Chave Hermitage is one of the greatest wines of the appellation, and in the eyes of many I have no doubt that it is seen as the top wine. The family firm has been passed from father to son since its establishment in 1481, through numerous generations, and currently it is under the direction of University of California Davis graduate Jean Louis Chave, although his father Gerard is still on the scene.
Chave HermitageThe Chave family are based in a small village not far from Cornas, on the right bank of the Rhone. The heart of the operation, however, is across the river, on the hill of Hermitage. Here Chave owns vines in nine of the eighteen vineyards that cover the hill, the most significant of which is a 2 ha plot in Les Bessards, the large vineyard on the granite slopes at the western end. Jean Louis Chave, and his father from whom he is gradually taking control, believes that the rich variety of terroirs to be found on the hill are vital in blending a wine which has all of the features they desire, including finesse, structure and complexity. Those plots which do not meet the Chave requirements simply aren't used. One such plot is in Les Vercandières, a thin strip of vineyard at the base of Les Bessards, which they use as a vegetable patch!
Chave produces both a red and white Hermitage, as well as a red St Joseph 'Offerus'. The white Hermitage is 85% Marsanne and 15% Roussanne, made from the fruit of four vineyards:
  • Les Roucoles: a mid-slope site of clay and limestone, dominated by white grapes, as reds sourced from this site are often troubled by coarse tannins.
  • L'Hermite: a monopole - this site is owned entirely by the Chave family, following its purchase in 1984. Situated at the top of the slope, directly to the north is Crozes-Hermitage.
  • Peléat: another monopole, of stony, sandy soils, which lies adjacent to Rocoules.
  • Maison Blanche: a fairly large vineyard which lies above Rocoules, higher up the slope.
The grapes are harvested by hand, before a gentle bladder-pressing and temperature-controlled fermentation in a mix of casks and stainless steel. Afterwards the wine receives minimal racking and a careful application if other treatments - fining, sulphur - if required. The wine than goes into old oak or even stainless steel - oak is not a strong flavour component of Chave Hermitage. The end result is a fabulous wine which has both elegance and power, with the ability to age although they are also approachable young.
The red Hermitage is just as superb. The appellation regulations permit the inclusion of up to 15% of white grapes in the final blend, although those producers use less than this, if any at all. Chave have some white grapevines planted alongside their red in L'Hermite. The following vineyards provide the fruit:
  • Les Bessards: the backbone of the wine. Les Bessards is one of the greatest vineyards on the hill, a large site on granite soils at the western end.
  • Le Méal: another large site, next to Les Bessards, but with more chalky soils.
  • L'Hermite: a monopole, discussed above. There are 15% white grapevines planted with the red in this vineyard.
  • Les Roucoles: despite this site being favoured for white grapes, a small amount of red from this vineyard provides some tannic structure to the final blend.
  • Peléat: discussed above, another monopole.
The grapes are largely destemmed, depending on the vintage, before the produce of each vineyard is vinified in separate aliquots. This reflects Chave's belief in the importance ofterroir, and that each vineyard has a separate role to play in the blend. As mentioned, Les Roucoles provides tannin, whereas Les Bessards provides colour and intensity, Le Méal provides aromatic interest, L'Hermite a supple edge and Peléat more colour, tannin and characterful flavour. Chave blends the final wine following fermentation in both stainless steel and open wooden vats, allowing the temperature to rise a little to encourage extraction, and punching down the cap by foot. The wine sees some wood, but very little is new (if any at all) and some of the wine goes into 1300 l capacity casks.
There are a couple of other wines in the portfolio which deserve a mention. There is Cuvée Cathelin, named after the artist Bernard Cathelin, a friend of the Chave family who designed the label for this wine which was first released in 1990. This wine has a limited production, just over 100 cases in fact, and is essentially a super micro-cuvée. Chave is quick to explain, however, that it is Hermitage in a different style, rather than a wine that should detract from the main cuvée. A vin de paille has also been the subject of critical acclaim. Whatever the style, however, Jean Louis Chave is clearly keeping quality paramount. This remains a source of superb Hermitage, both red and white. (17/3/04)
Contact details:
Address: 37 avenue St-Joseph, 07300 Mauves
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 75 08 24 63
Fax: +33 (0) 4 75 07 14 21

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1986, Pauillac

Ullsokker, skrinn og sursøt. Mild, røykaktig med toner av karamell. En vanskelig Pichon Lalande, og bekrefter at Merlot ikke var like god som Cabernet Sauvignon dette året. 85-90 poeng.

Fra mywinesandmore

1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande:

Bottom neck fill. Ruby, garnet rim, tight and more closed than several bottles lately. Cassis, bell peppers, licorice. Towards high acidity, high level of ripe tannins, intense, young and rough. This bottle would have needed another fifteen years. 92

Cote Rotie 1999, Jamet

Lys med en fremdeles imponerende purpur tone. Frisk, syrlig, touch av cola, noe fat og sure Viognierbær. Fjell, vidde,mose, sursøt og den ultimate viltvin. 92-94 poeng

Fra Dn.no i 2002:

45679 Côte Rôtie 1999

Domaine Jamet, Rhône, Frankrike, NOK 399,60
Slippets isolert sett kanskje beste rødvin. Rett og slett en knallvin. Dessverre allerede utsolgt, da spesielt et par utsalg i Oslo fikk sopt med seg det som var. Så forhør deg på ditt lokale utsalg om de fikk skaffet noe til sine kunder. Superelegant. Mineralsk duft med et klart innslag av røk, bjørnebær og blåbær. Fin frukt. Stram, fin balanse mellom frukt og syre. Tett. Konsentrert og selvfølgelig med lang ettersmak. Vi våger oss utpå med 97 poeng? (Robert Parker har gitt 98)

Pesquera Reserva 1995, Ribera del Duero

Mørk vin, extreme nye og mye eikefat, en fæl og mekka vin. Mangler eleganse. Falt helt igjennom i dette selskapet. 82-86 poeng.

Fra Dn.no:
Han startet en vinrevolusjon i Spania i 1972. Da laget han vin i noe som knapt kan kalles en liten garasje, med svært enkelt utstyr i et vindistrikt hvor de fleste rykket opp vinplantene for å drive annet jordbruk. Han fikk sitt store gjennombrudd tidlig på 1980-tallet med svært mørke, rike, fruktige og tanninrike viner som tok vinjournalistene med storm. Vi har fremdeles sjokkopplevelsen vi fikk av hans 1982-, 1985- og 1986-årganger friskt i minne.
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SupervineneEn Pesquera Gran Reserva fra Fernández må virkelig prøves. Her skjer det noe spennende. Han lar være å avstilke 20-30 prosent av drueklasene, som gir en vin med mer struktur og friskhet. Vinen lagres i minimum 24 måneder på eik, noe som til tider har gitt for mye eikesmak for oss. Men i de siste ti årene har han lagt inn mer fransk eik, som gir en mer diskret eikekarakter. Vi foretrekker derfor klart dagens 1996 Gran Reserva fremfor den berømte 1990-årgangen.

Chateau Conseillante 1986, Pomerol

Mørk og moden Merlot. Frisk epleaktig med bløt munnfølelse og nesten Margauxaktig snill. Purpur pen farge fortsatt.1986 er jo ingen stor årgang på østside, men denne var bra. Mye cabernet franc ?  91-92 poeng.

Vi hadde denne på GF Bordeaux 1986 smaking 21.5.11; Korket, dyp mørk merlotfrukt. Snev av utedo. Ikke enighet om denne var dårlig. Soppaktig og ubestemmelig nese. Plommer og sjokolade. Broadbent har ingen omtale av denne vinen, noe som i utgangspunktet er bekymringsfult. 82-92 poeng.Og på vinmøte hos Øistein 11.11.10: Mørk mokka med sigarkasse. Overraskende Pauillac i karakter og de fleste var på vestside. Men samtidig lett og moden i munnen. Bløt vin med god intakt syre. Litt kaffe og plommepreg. Lynch Bages ? En deilig vin. Og bekrefter at Vinklubben fremdeles sliter med forskjellen mellom øst og vestside. Kjøpt av Øistein i St. Emilion. 92-94 poengFra winedoctor.com:Although the founder is known to us, the subsequent succession is not. By the end of the century the name of Conseillan is no longer associated with the estate, and by the 1840s it is in the hands of the Leperche-Princeteau family, who also owned property in Fronsac. Their tenure was not the lengthiest, however, as by 1871 the vineyard was in the possession of Louis Nicolas, and it is from this point that we may trace a direct line through to the owners of today. Under Nicolas, the vineyard's reputation was consolidated, the wine selling for a high price, allegedly matching some illustrious properties from the left bank. This enviable position was maintained despite the death of Louis Nicolas in 1880 and the arrival of phylloxera, which saw the next generation take up the battle against the vine louse in the vineyard. This generation was also named Louis Nicolas, and he was responsible for the creation of the Syndicat Viticole de Pomerol in 1900, and he held the office of president of the organisation for several years. Indeed, there then followed another two generations both also called Louis Nicolas, before the estate came into the ownership of Bernard Nicolas, who ran the business alongside his brother, Francis. He was responsible for an extensive refurbishment of the chai, having engaged the oenological services of Professor Emile Peynaud, who recommended disposing of the ancient wooden vats and replacing them with stainless steel. Today, however, we are one generation further on, in the shape of Bertrand Nicolas who has joined Marie-France Nicolas d'Arfeuille in the running of the estate, assisted by manager Jean-Michel Laporte. Under their direction, I think La Conseillante remains one of the leading estates in Pomerol.La Conseillante: Vineyards and WinesThe grand vin itself, when tasted, has done little other than impress this particular palate. One of my earliest experiences was with the 1982 vintage, which is naturally rarely a bad place to start. It was a delicious wine, and yet a number of more recent vintages match it for style and impact. My earliest tasting of the 2005 vintage, which was at two years of age, showed it had all the substance and balance required to make it a truly great wine, although curiously a couple of years later it showed less well, although I have come to realise that at an assessment of four years of age always throws up a few wines where the structure seems to have been lost, only for the wine to come good with time. The 2003 is also delicious, and other vintages such as the 2004 are not to be sneezed at, along with 2006 and even the Conseillante of 2007 has shown well. As always, the ability to turn out such an admirable wine in such a weak and wet vintage is the hallmark of a great estate. If there are any recent vintages that really show La Conseillante's hat being thrown into the ring, however, it was the 2008; it was a superb performance for the vintage, and one of the best wines from the commune I think. The main barrier to adding this wine to the cellar, however, is price; as we are approaching the top tier of the Pomerol appellation it is only to be expected, I suppose, that it should be high. But for those who have bitten the bullet, and who have had the wisdom and financial wherewithal to squirrel away recent vintages of this particular right banker, I should imagine there will be little disappointment in the future. (15/1/08, updated 17/3/10)
Like many estates of Bordeaux the exact history of this estate, the precise pathway of transition from one generation to the next as the years have progressed is not wholly complete. Nevertheless, at least with La Conseillante we have a good idea as to the beginning, which features none other than Catherine Conseillan, a metal dealer based in Libourne. Midway through the 18th century Conseillan, for reasons unbeknown to us today, seems to have established a vineyard close to the border between the communes of Pomerol and St Emilion. Although initially a share-cropping project, a system in which tenants worked the land in return for a proportion of the harvest, it evolved into the Conseillante estate that we know today. By 1756 there was certainly active viticulture here, and the wine produced was already christened La Conseillante. It was at about this point that Conseillan took full control of the estate, thus securing its future as one of Pomerol's most important viticultural properties. The chateau which now graces the vineyard dates from this era, and it is assumed, rightly so I expect, that it was Catherine Conseillan that was responsible for its construction.
The Conseillante vineyard lies on the very boundary between Pomerol and St Emilion, and one of its nearest neighbours is the St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé estate Cheval-Blanc, just across the road to the east. Indeed, although the nearest vineyards include Vieux Chateau Certan, Petrus and L'Evangile, all Pomerol thoroughbreds, a number of the Conseillante vines actually lie within the St Emilion commune. Underfoot, the soils are a mix of the types associated with the two communes; some clay, some sand, some gravel too. There are 12 hectares of vines all told, 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, planted in a single block, the characteristics of which have not changed since the acquisition of the estate by the Nicolas family. The vines, planted at a standard density of 6000 vines/ha, see controlled yields, as evinced by a figure of 38 hl/ha for the 2005 vintage, achieved through a rolling process of pruning and bud-thinning, with leaf-thinning to improve quality of ripening. The harvest is manual, with the fruit sorted by an arrangement of four sorting tables, and destemmed prior to a cold maceration and fermentation which is carried out according to plot of origin. The malolactic tends to begin in vat, prior to running off and then gentle pressing, before being finished off in barrels, between 80% and 100% new each vintage, where the wine will rest for up to eighteen months, with a racking every third month. There is an egg white fining prior to bottling, but filtration is avoided. Selection and blending occurs when the wine is still in barrel, with the best lots destined for the grand vin, Chateau La Conseillante, with lesser aliquots going into a second wine, newly created with the 2007 vintage, named Duo de Conseillante, which will see only 12 months ageing in wood, using older barrels. Total production at the estate amounts to about 5000 cases, with the second wine accounting for up to 20% of this figure.

Chateau Palmer 1986, Margaux

Holder seg veldig godt. Vital og harmonisk. Flere fasetter og pen dybde i vinen. Veldig fresh og god munnfølelse. Jon syntes denne var bedre enn Soldera`en. 92-93 poeng.

Fra mywinesandmore:

Bright ruby, garnet rim. Touch of volatile overtones, leather, blackcurrants, cedar, nuts, wet leaf, chocolate and anis. Somewhat more developed than other 86's lately. Almost crisp acidity, medium ripe tannins, very pronounced fruit, still elegant body, great balance, very elegant, long length. 93

Vi hadde denne på GF Bordeaux 1986 21.5.11;
Pen rød farge. Klar, frisk og floral. Typisk Palmer-lett i munnen, men korrekt nok til å betegnes som vellykket for årgangen. Kjølig, moden og elegant frukt. Stall, lær og sopp. Konsentrert med lang ettersmak. Bare 12% alkohol. Broadbent sier atypical 1986 ***. Av en eller annen grunn er Broadbent ikke så begeistret for årgangen 1986 i Bordeaux !
93 poeng

Fra winedoctor.com:
Palmer has 52 hectares of vines, with a larger proportion of Merlot than is usual for a left-bank estate. Typical make up of the grand vin is equal proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with 5% Petit Verdot, but this changes with each vintage. Alter Ego is an interesting and important concept for us’, says Bernard de Laage. ‘As with many growths we produced a second wine, but since 1998 we have made a second wine plus Alter Ego’. So it’s not a second wine as such, made from barrels that fail to make the cut. Rather, in the vineyards they make a decision about which grapes are growing where and then use different techniques, such as different extractions, specifically for this wine. As an example, Alter Ego is fermented at lower temperatures to preserve fruitiness. No specific blocks are dedicated to Alter Ego or Palmer: the selection is year by year. This means there is no difference in yield. In recent years the yield at Palmer has been 50 hl/hectare in 2004 (this is high), 32 hl/ha in 2005 (low) and 36 hl/ha in 2006. The target yield is 45 hl/ha.

Chateau Palmer
What is it about Chateau Palmer that foments such fervent admiration amongst British (and other) drinkers of Bordeaux? Is it the estate's peculiarly British history, the chateau and vineyards having been in the possession until 1843 of General Charles Palmer, who had previously served under Wellington in the English army? Or is it those dramatic labels, that intricate golden design on its bold and black background, perhaps the most distinctive and virile in all Bordeaux?

No, it is of course something much more obvious than that. It is the quality, the vigour, dare I say it the breed of the wines made at Palmer. Chateau Palmer is one of a large collection - ten in all - of third growth properties located in Margaux, and in terms of sheer quality Palmer has for many years led this pack by a length, producing wine of such a high standard that it has frequently wiped the floor with the Margaux second growths. But that is not all, for this admirable track record does not only concern just one or two recent vintages. If we look back a few decades we also see the wines challenging those of the somnolent Chateau Margaux for the best in the appellation. Indeed, were it not for the renaissance of Chateau Margaux following its purchase by the Mentzelopoulos family in 1977 Palmer may well have been the top wine of the appellation today.

This is why Palmer has such a following. And my most recent of tastings have done nothing to dissuade me that Palmer's place near the very top of the Margaux tree is anything other than well-deserved.

A Military History
The origins of Chateau Palmer lie in the Gascq estate, which predates it by several centuries. The Gascq family were an influential Bordeaux dynasty that not only held sway over an impressive estate, but were also active in the local parliament. Their landholdings were spread over much of the Médoc, and in 1748 they were augmented by the acquisition of some land near Margaux, following the dissolution of the Issan estate. Within a very short period of time, the wine of Chateau de Gascq was well established on the marketplace. This was the situation when, in 1814, the vineyard was purchased by a General Charles Palmer (1777-1851), who served under Wellington in the British army, and who had arrived in Bordeaux on his way back from the Battle of Toulouse that year. Travelling by stagecoach he met by chance Marie Brunet de Ferrière, the young widow of Blaise Jean Charles Alexandre de Gascq, who was heading for Paris to attend to the details of the sale of her inherited estate. But she had found her buyer, it transpired, as Palmer purchased the Gascq estate from for the sum of just 100,000 francs.

General Palmer was renowned not only for his military success but also for his amorous conquests, no doubt due to his inimitable charm although his allure may have been somewhat enhanced by his position as aide de camp to the Prince of Wales. His taste for high society and his political ambitions led not to his newly acquired estate, however, but to London, and so Palmer entrusted the running of his property and vineyard to a local wine merchant Paul Estenave and a manager Jean Lagunegrand. There was no shortage of interest or support from Palmer though, as during the early part of his tenure he authorised an ambitious program of investment and expansion, acquiring new land and planting more vineyards. Within two decades the estate covered 163 hectares of land, of which 82 hectares were planted to vines, as well as buildings in Issan, Cantenac and Margaux.

Back in England Palmer set about marketing his wine in London where it was apparently well received. Socially adept, politically determined and well-connected, Palmer used all his charm and influence to place his wines in gentlemen's clubs where it was known as Palmer's Claret, and the wine even graced the table of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV. Palmer poured money into his estate, old vines were uprooted and replaced with new, and his team experimented wildly with the planting of different varieties. Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, this had no effect other than the depletion of Palmer's finances, which rapidly went into freefall. His political career began to falter and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Atkins, left him. Eventually Palmer had no choice other than to sell off his assets, a process that culminated in the sale of what remained of the his Bordeaux estate to Françoise-Marie Bergerac in 1843. He remained in London until his death in 1851, his tenure of the estate a relatively short one at just 29 years, nevertheless he left his mark; the property, vineyards and wine remain Chateau Palmer to this day.

The Péreire Brothers
The estate soon changed hands again, coming into the ownership of the Caisse Hypothécaire de Paris, in 1844, before being purchased by the Péreire brothers in 1853. Émile and Isaac Péreire were bankers, their name one to rival Rothschild, and they paid a handsome 413,000 francs for the estate, more than for times what Palmer had handed over four decades earlier. Their wealth was rooted in France's regeneration, the two having built railways and assisted in the remodelling of Paris directed by Napoleon III, when the tired and dusty city was reworked into a modern metropolis of wide boulevards and fabulous squares. Close to Bordeaux, they had augmented their fortune with the development of Arcachon as a fashionable retreat for sufferers of tuberculosis. Today, this fashionable resort and nature reserve, complete with its sweeping sand dunes and expansive lagoon, is where all the Bordelais take their holidays, but in the mid-19th century it financed the acquisition and development of one of the region's best-known properties.

The brothers really missed out on the 1855 classification which of course came only two years after their purchase. Ranked as a troisième cru, who knows where the property and wine would have been placed if the new owners had been able to make their intended investments. Certainly, the wine's performance today viewed in the context of the other Margaux second and third growths suggests that this judgement failed to reflect the true potential of Chateau Palmer. Undeterred, however, Émile and Isaac made numerous significant improvements to the estate and in 1856 they commissioned Burguet to construct a chateau fitting for the estate. What resulted was a handsome turreted edifice (pictured above on a dreary winter's day in 2006, from the vineyards of Chateau Margaux), rather similar in style to Pichon-Baron, that stands today. As for the vineyards they built upon the expansions of Palmer, and by 1870 the estate covered 177 hectares, with 109 of these planted to vines.

Unfortunately for Émile and Isaac there was trouble ahead, during the latter years of the 19th century and the early years of the next there was another downturn; Palmer was not immune to the effects of the various vine diseases (mildew and phylloxera) that ravaged Bordeaux at this time, nor the war and economic depression that followed. As a consequence, the Péreire family were forced to sell, initially letting small portions of the estate go one at a time, in a piecemeal fashion. Finally in 1938 what remained of the estate was purchased by a syndicate of the Sichel, Ginestet, Miailhe and Mähler-Besse families, forming the Société Civile de Chateau Palmer in the process.

The Société Civile de Chateau Palmer
These four famous Bordeaux families set about restoring Palmer to greatness, and although along the way the Ginestet and Miailhe families have jumped ship, to this day the descendants of the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families run the estate. The property has indeed seen something of a new revitalisation in the latter half of the 20th century, without doubt due to the vigour and determination of the new owners, and this new vivacity is perhaps best embodied by their unparalleled success in the 1961 vintage, when it is widely acknowledged (no, I have not tasted it myself!) that Palmer produced one of the greatest wines ever made in Bordeaux.

The Mähler family originated from the Netherlands and were equally concerned in the businesses of wine and textiles. It was Frédérick Mähler (1868-1952) who cam to Bordeaux when he married Marguerite Besse, the daughter of a famous shipping family. With a keen interest in the wine trade, Mähler was on the hunt for an estate with vineyards, and he was eyeing up Gruaud-Larose when his peers Sichel, Ginestet and Miailhe encouraged him to join their consortium. Today his descendents continue at the helm; he was replaced by his son Henry, then grandson Franck, the latter running the business alongside the Sichel descendents from 1945, only yielding to his sister Stéphanie Faguer in 2007. As for the Sichel family, it was Allan Sichel (1900-1967) who joined the Société quartet representing Maison Sichel, the wine distribution business he created. He has since been succeeded by his own son Peter (1931-1998) and then grandchildren Allan, James, Charles and David.

From this formidable foursome of grand Bordeaux names it was Edouard Miailhe who managed the estate, a trying task during World War II and the German occupation. When normality had returned in was Frédérick Mähler's son-in-law, Jean Bouteiller (1913-1962) who took on this vital role assisted by the Chardon family (who remain heavily involved at the estate), and after him his own son, Bertrand, carried this mantle until 2004. At that time the Palmer shareholders elected to put a young oenologist in charge of managing the day-to-day affairs of the vineyards and winemaking. They choose a local, Thomas Duroux (shown here, during the 2009 primeurs tastings), who returned to the region full of experience from several stages abroad, including a stint in California and three years spent as winemaker at Ornellaia, in Tuscany. To this day, it is Duroux who directs operations especially winemaking, and it is often he who tastes with you when you visit, although occasionally it may be commercial director Bernard de Laage. Whoever it is, you can be sure that they have some very admirable wines to show you.

The Palmer Vineyards & Vinification
The 55 hectares of vineyards are located in Margaux and Cantenac, situated on crops of gravelly stone, guarded by the imposing chateau with its witches-hat turrets and fluttering flags, visible not only from the road but from all around, including the neighbouring vineyards of Chateau Margaux. These stones vary in type, including quartz and quartzite, chalcedony and lyddite, originating from the Quaternary era, much of it arriving in Bordeaux having been swept down from the Pyrenees by the Garonne. They form a fairly deep surface layer, up to four metres deep in places, over a hard bedrock. The planting density is high at 10000 vines per hectare, with an unusually high proportion (47%) of Merlot for the commune, with 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Merlot accounts for over 40% of the blend, and as much as 60% in some older vintages, and Petit Verdot is also a relatively significant component, always restricted to 35 hl/ha in order to maximise ripening, and it may account for up to 8% in some recent vintages. There are was also once some Cabernet Franc but this was grubbed up in 2004. The vines have an average age of 38 years and about 1 hectare of land is cleared and replanted each year. What happens in terms of viticulture is not biodynamic but much attention is paid to pest management using biological methods, although there is sometimes a need to spray to prevent disease.

The fruit is harvested by hand, the estate having a long-term contract with a group of Danish students who travel down each year to pick the grapes. Vinification is temperature-controlled in 42 cone-shaped stainless steel of varying capacity, in a vat-room refurbished as recently as 1995. The wine is pumped over the skins, which macerate for up to 20 days, and malolactic is encouraged before the wine goes into oak where it spends up 21 months, with regular topping up. It is racked four times in the first year cellar, and blending decisions are also made at this time. In the second year it receives an egg white fining before being bottled unfiltered. The grand vin is Chateau Palmer; this sees up to 21 months in oak of which 45% is new. There is a second wine now called Alter Ego de Palmer but before 1998 named Réserve de General; this sees up to 17 months in oak, of which between 25-40% is new. There are two more niche-interest wines, first up a white. Although it is possible to track down ancient vintages of Chateau Palmer Blanc, production appears to have fallen away and until recently it was accepted wisdom that Palmer's output was entirely red. This changed with the release of a new white wine with the 2007 vintage, produced in miniscule quantities amounting to about 75 cases. The wine, a vin de table comprising in the 2007 vintage 65% Muscadelle, 25% Sauvignon Gris, the remaining 10% a mix of Merlot Blanc and Lauzet, is destined for société shareholders though, so don't expect to find a bottle on the shelves of your local wine merchant. The second wine is also a vin de table, this one introduced with the 2004 vintage, and it is a blend which harks back to the 19th-century practise of blending Hermitage with the wines of Bordeaux. The wine wears a label just like the one above, although the image of the chateau is omitted, and the words Margaux - Chateau Palmer - Médoc replaced with Historical XIXth Century Wine. The source of the Hermitage is undisclosed, but the Syrah in question may account for up to 20% of the finished wine. The volume here is also tiny, the total output somewhere between 250 and 300 cases.

Palmer Opinion
Palmer has a keen following, and I have observed many flock to the wines at tastings. I agree that they are indeed very good, although as recently as the early years of the 21st century I was not so sure that the wines, in terms of intrinsic quality, were quite so distant from the rest of the Margaux pack. I thought this may reflected an overall improvement across the appellation, the result of new investment at many properties, such as Kirwan and Lascombes, to name just two.

More recent tastings, however, have driven home the fact that Palmer is, most certainly, the pretender to the crown of Margaux. This was most evident in the 2008 vintage, when I went straight from the UGC Margaux tasting at the primeurs - where I tasted the majority of the cru classé estates of the commune, including the likes of Rauzan-Ségla, Durfort-Vivens and Brane-Cantenac - to a tasting with Bernard de Laage at Palmer. The grand vin at Chateau Palmer wiped the floor with the other wines of the commune. In fact, no exaggeration, Alter Ego also did the same. In 2009, this time tasting with Thomas Duroux, the wines were again fabulous. Whereas many wines of the commune in that vintage went for the power approach, making full use of their turbo-charged harvest, at Palmer the wine was more restrained, more reminiscent of a super-second than a 'lowly' third. Still powerful of course, but that energy was hidden within a tight frame. Palmer does indeed make some magnificent wines, and I sense a new potency in the wines since the arrival of Duroux. The Palmer shareholders have made a very good decision here I think.

Looking back a little further there are some decent vintages from around the turn of the century, and the 1994 and 1996 were both very fine and both exhibited really excellent potential when I last tasted them. The 2001 was good, and certainly had potential. Mature vintages, however, have been wonderful, with the 1981, 1982 and 1989 all very fine examples. Only the 1975 disappointed, but taken with the context of my experience of that vintage - which is wholeheartedly disappointing - then that is not surprising. The same may be said for the 2007, which is a good enough wine that once again reflects the vintage. It would be a viable option for the cellar of course, if only the wines of this green and damp vintage has been released at sensible prices. As for the 2005? A magnificent libation, one to set the spine of any Palmer fan aquiver. Yes, there are some fine wines indeed here. (2/12/04, updated 27/4/07, 6/5/10)

Chianti Classico Riserva 1977, Castell`n Villa

Kjellerpreg, litt kork ? Kjøpt på slottet. Overraskende intens og frisk. 91 poeng


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Sunday, July 03, 2011

Fresh strawberry tart

Clearing out the fridge can yield so many desserts. I'm frankly amazed at how many stuff I've made in the past month before the move using stuff that I've already had stocked in the pantry on "one of my various groceries trips". And I'm sure I'm not alone in this whole my-pantry-is-already-jammed-packed with this little bag of this and that little can of that and whatnots AND yet when I spot something new, it ends up in where else but my grocery shopping cart.

Fresh strawberry tart

Leftover used for this entry was the previous strawberry tart crust used in the making of a Parisian Triple Strawberry Tart. I had some leftover dough and it rolled out just well enough to fit a roughly 6" tart tin.

Only attempt making the tart when strawberries are in season and they are at their juiciest and sweetest peak of their short lives. Or you'll regret it. Ask me how I know it. :(

I think, I'm actually a custard sorta girl. Yeps. Custard tart that is. I prefer my crisp tart shells to be filled with a rich pastry cream and then topped with the sweetest fruit of the season. I had another extra tart dough to make another tart (no photos! oh wait, I tweeted about it here), which I filled with sweet almond custard and topped with blackberries. I baked both tarts the same day as I had a friend over for dinner that night. And guess what - everyone universally picked the other (custard) tart over this strawberry one. Guess I'm not a lone sucker for custard!

Not to say this tart was bad, but it was just unfortunate that I had chosen a punnet of the un-sweetest strawberries ever and so the taste was of course, compromised. My bad. This teach me a lesson to not buy fruits when they are not in season yet even when I'm craving them. Tsk tsk.

Strawberry tart shell
Recipe here.

Filling (adapted from Nam at The Culinary Chronicles)
1/2 quart strawberries
3/8 cup water
1 tbsp strawberry gelatin
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 cup sugar (more if berries aren’t sweet enough)

Mix together the sugar, gelatin, and cornstarch. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Whisk in the dry ingredients and cook until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Hull and wash the strawberries and pat dry. Place the strawberries in a big clean bowl. Pour the cooled glaze over the strawberries and lightly toss to coat.  Transfer the strawberries on the the cooled tart shell. Chill the tart for at least 2 hours before serving.

  1. I adore custard, too, but this tart looks great and I would certainly try a slice given the choice 8)

  2. Hi there! I just got back from London (and I'm totally missing the English strawberries). Where can you get good, sweet strawberries in Singapore?

  3. hey i got sweet ones like two weeks back at cold storage. the big red juicy ones from US. (:

  4. Just discovered your awesome job after my boyfriend (he is a french pastry chef) mentioned it to me. you are added to my blogroll.

  5. hey thanks so much for the compliment. it made my day. (:

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Activator’s new video

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MySpace is premiering the new video for “Bedside Manor” by Activator. The track is the last single of the band’s debut album, which was released in September.

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# Throwing a Wreath

Pure Beauty in Berlin – Weekly Travel Photo

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One of my favorite things about Berlin is Museum Island. It embodies the type of cultural dedication to art and history that I wish all cities, cultures and nations shared and emulated. For those unfamiliar with it, it is essentially an island in the heart of Berlin which has a number of Berlin’s finest museums situated on ...


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Belly Dance Performance Class
Delilah Spins

Delilah Spins

Each class will have a theme. The class will do a movements together and then dancers will be called upon to do individual exersices. It’s fun and help everyone get over stage fright. Homework project will be you have to find music and weave a dance for week 6 . perform it for class as a rehearsal and then the next week infront of an audience.

Themes for each class
Class #1 Energy, eyes and hands; the implied line and dancer demeanor.
Class # 2 Body language, Floor design
Class #3 Air design, delayed line
Class #3 Message with in your dance.
Class # 4 Transitions and contrasts
Class #5 Drum Solo
Class #6 Perform your piece for class

Performance Night #7 invite an audience in!

Dates:  Feb 16, 23 March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 Performance Night
Time: 7:45pm – 9:00pm
Cost: $95, or $85 with 5 day advance registrationCash or Check
Pay online $95 Sorry No Refunds

Homework: Please read our Student Notebook before class.

How to register

Please download and print our registration form, fill it out and send it in with a check. We also have a mail slot at the Studio. Sorry, we do not take credit cards for classes.

Delilah Gold Photo by

Delilah Gold Photo by

Delilah is an internationally acclaimed belly dance performer and instructor. She was the first dancer to receive the Dancer of the Year Award from the International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance in Hollywood, California 1997. Delilah grew up in Southern California, learning the dance form as it was passed on and popularized in this country by first and second generation immigrants from Lebanon, Armenia, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Morocco and Greece. Her years of devoted study and practice have led her to become one of the foremost teachers and innovators in the field of bellydance today.  More >>

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Coley Brown, CEO and Ellen Weber ,COO

Coley Brown, CEO and Ellen Weber ,COO

VisionMine’s Open Innovation Management expertise grew from Ellen and Coley’s venture funding background and experience mentoring startup entrepreneurs. Ellen and Coley also have successful careers helping corporations discover effective ways to implement innovation and engage with early stage companies.

Ellen and Coley’s angel investing backgrounds, their histories mentoring startups, and successful careers working with large corporate clients have been instrumental in VisionMine’s rapid success. VisionMine’s Innovation Management software portal now includes global clients in the US, Europe and Asia. VisionMine is privately funded with a world class group of advisors from key areas including startup incubation, corporate executive management, university entrepreneur programs, and global marketing . The VisionMine Open Innovation mission and value proposition is based on the following premise:

“In todays disruptive business environment, corporations need to be innovative to remain competitive and survive. At the same time there is external open innovation originating at small unknown startups. Our mission is to give Chief Innovation Officers and their innovation teams effective ways to quickly discover, screen, and incubate the external innovations that exist at these early stage companies.”  Coley Brown at the 7th Annual Open Innovation Conference

VisionMine is not an “ideation” tool or an investment advisor to corporate venture groups. We believe that our customers have business challenges that need innovative solutions that can be implemented with real bottom line results. Where new technologies or startups are uncovered, VisionMine has the expertise and innovation management to document, evaluate, and pilot real solutions. This expertise is positioned after ideation programs and often before corporate venture investing:

The VisionMine Founder Backgrounds

Coley Brown

Co-Founder and CEO

Coley is the CEO of VisionMine and past President of CTB Consulting. At CTB Consulting Coley successfully drove innovation at global corporations that began in the early 1990’s helping Fortune 500 clients create mission critical client/server systems. CTB has evolved into facilitating the discovery and implementation of innovation found at startups. During his career Coley lead the innovation of; SEC financial reporting at The Dun and Bradstreet corporation, automated port operations at Sealand facilities around the world, integrated email communications at Phillip Morris, created a PC based global oil Trading systems at Exxon, developed a financial reporting platform at MetLife, and built an executive compensation forecasting system at Pepisco.

Coley’s early career included working at two IPOs: The Computer Factory, where he was Director of Corporate Sales, and 3Com, where he was the 50th employee and head of the OEM group that first marketing twisted pair ethernet. Coley later went on to start a payroll service bureau, a technology consulting firm, and a sailing charter management company. His background includes skills in information technology, software development, global financial systems, and sales management.

Coley has undergraduate degrees in Math and Economics with an MBA in Computer Applications and Information Systems. He completed post graduate studies at Les Haute Etudes Commercial in France.

Coley has been an active Angel investor with Robin Hood Ventures and is member of the Ben Franklin Technology Partners Information Technology Investment Advisory Committee. He is also a Board advisor to Belmay Inc., a global fragrance manufacturer headquartered in NY as well as an advisor to several startups including Vuzit, WizeHive, QR Pharma, and ListenLogic.

Ellen Weber

Co-Founder and COO

Ellen is the COO of VisionMine. She has been the Executive Director of Robin Hood Ventures, a leading angel investment group in the Mid-Atlantic region, since its founding in 1999. Robin Hood has invested over $14M in 45 companies in industries including software, medical devices, biotech, internet and financial technology.

Ellen had been Managing Director of Antiphony, a strategic consulting firm that helps companies create sustainable value through innovation. Ellen built a practice that helps teams to develop innovative ideas that produce bottom-line results, execute on their business model and create the right environment based on their business objectives. Focus areas include innovation and creativity, team building, culture development, change management, employee development and communication, organizational design, strategic and tactical planning, and facilitation.

Prior to joining Antiphony, Ellen was a Vice President at the Mayer Leadership Group, an executive coaching firm,
where she specialized in helping emerging growth companies develop leadership talent. Ellen was responsible for creating the Human Resources function at InvestorForce, an institutional information and investment technology company. Prior to that, Ellen spent twelve years at Shared Medical Systems (now Siemens Medical Systems) where she was responsible for initiatives encompassing innovation, change management, and corporate communications. She began her career as a senior consultant for Accenture.

Ellen graduated from The Wharton School with a B.S. in economics.

Ellen is the Angel in Residence at Temple’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institution, and has served on the board of the Alliance of Women Entrepreneurs. She is a frequent speaker on angel investing, entrepreneurship and innovation.