Malliouhana

One of THE super great, under the radar resort destinations based in Anguilla. I recommend it because I'm desperately feeling the need for a vacation, but with a baby girl coming this Fall...well, I'm not going anywhere. Probably the best high caliber food and wine destination I've been to in all of the Caribbean.


If you do ever make it here, make sure to have the lobster omelet with a bottle of Raveneau (multiple wines for amazingly only around $60+bt)!?

The Brilliance of Dried Oregano

I worked hard yesterday. Fully cleared out a third of my backyard. Laid seed and organic fertilizer. And where's the rain I was supposed to get? Ah well, the weather is funny. I was tired and I was very happy when after getting out of the shower my wife had takeout pizza ready to go for me.

As a traveling salesperson I eat a lot of pizza. In fact, I would go to say that the finest pizza connoisseurs in the world simply have to be traveling salespeople. It just makes sense. So, as a pizza connoisseur you become highly sensitive to the subtle taste of the sauce, the texture of the crust, the integration of the cheese, sauce, and crust. And salt- you can literally measure the salt of each component of the slice.

Last night's pizza? Pretty forgettable. But, as a sales person I also succumb to a lot of very forgettable pizza. My trick is to dress it up with dried oregano. It's amazing how a teaspoon of dried oregano can freshen up a pretty bad slice of pizza. Fresh oregano would have been even better. Ah, the incredibleness of fresh herbs.

I downed a couple glasses of white lambrusco. Dry. Very saline. Was excellent and pretty cool considering you never see this wine in the States. And all was right in the world...

Pain Grille

Go get a big 'ole hunk of Tuscan peasant bread. Slice into 1/2 inch slices. Open your outside grill and prep to high heat. Before putting each slice of bread down use a brush and lather thoroughly with olive oil- both sides!

Cook like you were cooking a piece of tuna fish. Watch for the lovely grill marks, and don't burn the sides too much. Immediatley after you pull the slices of bread from grill spirnkle with kosher salt and cracked pepper.

Serve along side salad and grilled meat.

Arguably one of the best accompaniments to any Summer dinner.

Shopping for Arabella

I'm very fortunate with my son, Charlie. Born in 2006. Think of all of the treasures that must be put away for him:

2006 Tuscany
2006 Burgundy
2006 Northern Rhones
2006 Barolo
actually pretty much 2006 anything Italian...

And now Arabella will come. Born in 2009. I still have to do my research but I'm hoping for a great Champagne year. And of course, as always, a great year in Burgundy...

Duryea's

It is arguably one of my top 5 restaurants on the planet. I've visited France extensively, Italy a couple of times, Ireland, Britain, the Virgin Islands, California a couple of times, Spain, and Japan...but this little seaside restaurant blows most of 'em out of the water.

It is an old (and still operational) lobster and seafood wholesaler- not a middle man mind you, but a direct from sea to market. The wholesale building actually sits on this North/Northwest facing bay and if you dine between 5pm and 7pm you catch a magnificent sunset right in the face. Plastic tables and chairs and a wood deck that is the beginnings of an old abandoned dock from the times when the boast would actually pull up to the wholesaler with their catch of the day (times have changed now and Duryea's has a number of vans to go purchase from the ships at their slips).

The menu is simple- clam chowder, steamed mussels with butter, salad, boiled lobster with baked potato and coleslaw, grilled fish with lemon. It sounds pretty boring written, but the freshness combined with the perfect setting for eating this seafood done in a no frills way makes these dishes to die for.

Duryea's is BYOB- and you know this speaks to me. Technically, you are not supposed to bring wine/beer as the SLA shut them down for not having some form of a BYOB permit(????) But, they turn a blind eye as you walk the 20 feet out to your car for some "adult apple juice" or "adult grape juice." In a fun way it makes you feel like you're 18 again.

And that's it. No waiters. Plastic forks/knives/paper napkins. Basically, it's all about the lobster, that setting, and a feeling that for an hour or so you're back deck overlooks this picturesque bay while you watch the sun drop in front of you while drinking adult apple juice.

Duryeas' is up off this semi-dirt road just North of Montauk town. I don't know the street name. It was discovered quite sometime ago so I assume google searches will be pretty fruitful. What hasn't been discovered is lunch at Duryea's which is still the deal of the century as far getting in and getting out quickly while eating fantastically. They take no reservations, so dinner can sometimes be a long wait if you hit them wrong.

Oh, prices...$34 I belive for the lobster and trimmings...$10 for some mussels to start with. Not super cheap...But, you factor in the beverage cost and it's a very good deal.

So, if in Montauk. Ask a local, "How do I get to Duryea's?" Get a chilled bottle of wine and an opener- they'll give you a cup. And make sure you're there to eat at 5pm for the sun.

If you want to truly understand Burgundy...

If you ever wanted to know what great Burgundy tastes like- listen to this in its entirety:

Neil Young Live at Massey Hall 1971

drink a bottle of something from Olivier Lamy or Fichet or Roulot if you do....

1985 Barca Velha

Monday night I was fortunate enough to taste these...

Breuer Berg Schlossberg 1994
Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Kabinett 2001
Coche Drury Bourgogne Rouge 1997
Barca Velha 1985
Azienda Agricola Sella Lessona 1979
Oddero Barolo 1967
Gouges Nuits St George Vaucrains 1er 1993
Chevillon Nuits St George Ronciers 1er 1999
Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Vendages Terdives 1990

A simply breathtaking lineup that even now leaves me speechless just writing it. All were amazing. The Germans were beautiful- tight, still tons of acid and an excellent starter.

The Coche...who knew Coche blows it out of the water in reds as well? The second greatest Bourgogne Rouge I've ever tasted (the first was the 2001 Jayer-Gilles Haute Cote de Nuits).

The Lessona...we didn't even know what Lessona was? We just knew this old very important importer had brought it in (TresBon) and it was amazing. Very Ferrando Caremma-like.

We initially thought the Oddero was slightly over the hill, but it came back to life and showed excellent once it got its legs underneath it. Very floral for such an old wine.

Both the Gouges and the Chevillon were freakin off the radar. These are what Burgundy is all about. Power. Depth. Tannin. Nuits has no Grand Crus in it primarily because Gouges helped build the Grand Cru system back in the late '30s and convinced many of his fellow growers that the system was good for all by placing no vineyards with Grand Crus status in his home town of Nuits. But, if Nuits were to have Grand Crus these (Vaucrains and Ronciers) would be up for consideration. Amazing Grand Cru level quality.

And a beautiful finish with the Freddy Emile.Again, like the Germans, still racy and incredibly young. Petrol honey everywhere........

But, the wine of the night was the '85 Barca Velha. Arguably one of the greatest red wines I have ever tasted in my life. Think Hermitage, crossed with old Tondonia from Lopez, crossed with Conterno Barolo. To try and describe it in writing would be impossible. If you can get your hands on any older Barca Velha- do so! And what a great example to prove to us all that singular age worthy wines don't always have to come from the classical regions. As it was said at the table- this Barca is deserving of being on the same table as top older Petrus, Chave Hermitage, and/or Montfortino. Simply put: a profound wine experience.