A denouncement of The Best

I finally have taken my first week off in over a year. Feel's good. A little weird I must admit to downshift, but good. The reason was the birth of my daughter Arabella. A miracle and an absolute gift. You can tell I'm smitten and in love, can't you...:)

Two things caught my eye this week that I wanted to share though...

The first was the 2009 Winter Holiday Season Catalog from Patagonia. Normally clothes catalogs are nice to flip through for about 30 seconds but that's it for me. This one is widely different and I think Yves Choinard and Patagonia have created the perfect business meets life trip/story I've ever seen. The catalog is featured around the release of the Malloy movie 180 South and is a re-creation of the original trip done by pals Yves Choinard and Doug Tompkins traveling from California to Chile, and finishing in Patagonia. The trip is re-created by surfer/adventurer/mountain climber Jeff Johnson. I've yet to see the film but it looks amazing. A complete purist view of the world venturing to one of the purest places in the world...for no reason other than to do a trip.

And my magazine trolling also saw me looking at a lot of, well, magazines. And I began to notice something. The word, or better yet, the expression- "the best" is used way too much in our society. The Best. What does that mean?

If I write and tell you that a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is "the best" does that mean that every other Napa Cab pails in comparison?

If you read a restaurant review and the writer says that a restaurant makes "the best" butternut squash soup does that mean that every time you go to another restaurant and order butternut squash soup you know you are ordering a second rate soup?

I am red handed in this. For years I've used this phrase to sell a lot of wine. My daily emailed offering constantly included the phrase "the best". The Best Chianti for Under $15. The Best 10 Wines for the Holidays. The Best White Burgundy Value. What does the phrase do- it certainly catches your attention which is why it's used so much. It's why I used it. But is it honest? Even after honestly extolling the virtues of what may be an absolutely excellent choice White Burgundy-one that may be at a quality much higher than most of its peers- is it right or correct to say that that wine is "The Best" White Burgundy?

No. It is not.

The Culture of the Table is about the complete embrace of life and relationships centering around what happens at the table. Each experience table side is different, carrying its own background and context, and for that reason there never is any best. There are fantastic moments, great highs, unbelievable treasured meals, and magnificent wines...But without the people with you at the place in time, with the back drop of the setting, and the circumstances of the day...nothing tastes and feels as good. In essence, embracing The Culture of the Table is embracing a living terroir very much like Jeff Johnson embraced life by traveling down to Patagonia.

So, why the big diatribe and all of that about this phrase that basically means nothing but sells a ridiculous amount of product? It is because from this point on I have decided to never use that phrase again. It's not honest. It carries no integrity. It does not tell the story of the table. And it explains nothing of a living terroir.

Embrace your relationships and the moment- cherish them. They are the foundation of the Table.

Happy Thanksgiving. All my best to your family.

Christian

Embrace poverty!

Maybe it's Winter, but I find myself moving more and more into my Lyonnais hole. As all know, Lyon is the Gastronomic center of France- many regard it as the food capital of the Western world. It's famous for its famous chefs- Paul Bocuse, Jacques Pepin, and Daniel Boulod amongst countless others. But, it's not the haute cuisine that inspires me. It's the brasseries, the bistros, and cafes. Dishes involving pork, braised "off" cuts of meat, and the baguette as the spoon of choice. Mustard is more important than salt and pepper- table side.

The recession is over I guess, but times are still tough. Me? I'm celebrating the times. I'm re-discovering pork. I made my first mornay sauce last week and yes, I need some work, but I found it amazing that a little flour, butter, cream, eggs, and cheese could elevate broccoli in such a way.

Lentils have become fashionable in my household.

And in wine, I find myself enamored with the Grand Crus of Lyon- Les Crus de Beaujolais. These are the best of the best, finest wines produced by artisanal growers working traditionally. And many blow the pants off of Burgundies from the North costing 3, 4, 5x as much.

Marcel LaPierre's Morgon 2007 is one of my favorites...Arguably one of the finest red wines that can be drunk table side- and a legend within its own appellation. Under $25bt retail. Earth. Minerals. Reduced black cherry. Yet, fresh and with an acidity that penetrates fat like a knife through warm butter.

Embrace poverty. Slow down. For me, with such humble ingredients, my table is more rich than its ever been.

Cru Beaujolais producers to search out:

LaPierre
Desvignes
Jean Paul Brun
Trenel
Clos de Roilette
Tete
Christian Bernard
Chignard
Chauvet
Michaud
Descombes
Diochon
Guy Breton

If you don't feel like cooking- no worries. Get a fantastic, classic french styled baguette, some cornichons, some saussicon, some marinated olives, some comte cheese, some pate, a head of Boston lettuce. Make a vinaigrette from a shaken mixture of a dollop of dijon mustard, salt and pepper, 1 part red wine vinegar, 3 parts vegetable oil. Pour over lettuce head. Serve with other ingredients and a bottle of one of the above.

Finish bottle!

I'm Back!!!

You may have noticed a hiatus in the posts. My apologies.

A fantastic chicken curry and beer last night.

Will post more soon.