In a time when we are all facing the harsh realities of a declining global economy, one of the big food and wine trends for 2009 predicted by thefoodpeople, a British-based food trend consultancy, is a shift in drinking habits with more in-home drinking as well as a rise in the popularity of beer, cider and cocktails. Flavor & The Menu magazine, a publication specializing in trends and forecasts in the food industry, predicted that the top culinary trend of 2009 would be “Tapping Beer’s Potential,” writing ”now that beer is the new wine, thanks to a flood of new craft beer products and imports, chefs are creating menus that match beer lists in their complexity and casual-yet-sophisticated approcah to pub food.” Also, just this past Friday, Eric Asimov of the NYTimes ran a story on a $35 barrel-aged bottle of beer called Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien. He says that many luxury beers like this one go well with foods ranging from seafood and cheeses to chocolate. In what may be a sign of the times, or just sheer coincidence, Daniel Boulud’s NYC flagship restaurant Daniel just announced its first ever beer-pairing dinners set for January 27 and 28th. The email says that these luxury beer dinners are in anticipation of the Spring ‘09 opening of DBGB, Boulud’s more casual and hip ‘brasserie meets luxe diner’ in the Avalon Bowery Place apartment building. People had speculated that DBGB would be a burger place akin to BLT Burger. Boulud dispelled those rumors in this NYPost interview back in September. Find out more on the beer-pairing dinners and other food and drink trends for 2009 after the jump…

The beer tastings at Restaurant Daniel will feature Kasteel Cru’s Alsatian lager in addition to signature cocktails made with beer. The dinner opens with these beer-infused cocktails followed by a four-course dinner paired with luxury beers. The dinners are hosted by Samuel Merritt, President of the so-called ‘Civilization of Beer,‘ and go for $135 per person (not including tip or gratuity).

Oh yeah, in case you were wondering what some of the other predicted food trends are for 2009, click here and here.

We would like to wish you all a very happy new year. 

May 2009 bring health, happiness, and lots of great wining and dining to you all!

Cheers,

Andy & Jill

First of all, unlike some boozy brunch destinations, Roberto Passon lets you switch between cocktails so you can try them all out if you would like.  Second of all, unlike some Italian restaurants that do brunch, Roberto Passon had an extensive selection of traditional brunch items.  You can select from breakfast items such as french toast, pancakes, eggs benedict and omelets, in addition to the expected paninis, salads, pastas, and meat and fish choices.  And the prices are ridiculous- the most expensive item being the grilled salmon with spinach at $12 (seriously).

Andy had the fusilli with chicken, tomato and bacon for $9 and it was delicious.  It was flavorful, spicy, creamy, and the fusilli was perfectly al dente.  I was in the mood for something relatively light so I had the Caesar salad with grilled shrimp for $9.  The salad was crisp and the Caesar dressing authentic.  I also found the grilled shrimp to be seasoned well.  It went very well with the massive glasses of bubbly that were poured generously and refilled constantly.

Once my first large wine glass of champagne was poured, I was instantly reminded of Il Bastardo, another favorite all you can drink brunch spot in Chelsea.  I checked out the Roberto Passon website and I learned that Roberto Passon is owned by the New York City Restaurant Group (NYCRG). The NYCRG owns three (now four) all you can drink brunch spots that I’ve been to countless times- Nero in Meatpacking, Il Bastardo in Chelsea, and Arte Cafe on the UWS.  They also own Bar Baresco, Bocca Bacco, Gallo Nero, Zucchero e Pomodori, Cara Mia, Intermezzo, Maria Pia, film center cafe, Scarlatto, and Puttanesca.  Their aim is to “provide delicious food at inexpensive prices” and boy do they succeed at boozy brunches.  Cheers to NYCRG- keep up the great work!

While most college students spend their free time drinking beer, a group of students at Rice University are experimenting with it. They’re using genetic engineering to create beer, aptly named “BioBeer,” that contains resveratrol, a chemical in red wine that’s been shown to reduce cancer and heart disease in lab animals. Resveratrol, found in the skin of red grapes, has been linked with the so-called ‘French Paradox’, a phrase used to describe the low incidence of heart disease and obesity among the French, despite their relatively high-fat diet and levels of wine consumption. More on BioBeer and even more reason to drink IPAs after the jump…To create their BioBeer, the students are attempting to genetically alter a strain of yeast so that it produces resveratrol while also fermenting beer. Ironically, most of the team’s undergrad members aren’t even old enough to legally drink beer. The team at Rice is currently working with Texas-based Saint Arnold Brewing Company to synthesize the antioxidant from the amino acid tyrosine. They do not expect the resveratrol to affect the taste of the beer since the chemical is tasteless and odorless. Resveratrol is already found in low levels in hops, the raw ingredient of beer. So while we wait for BioBeer to hit the shelves, we recommend drinking IPAs, the hoppiest of beers, to get your resveratrol. Here are some of our faves: Bear Republic Racer 5, Stone Ruination, Southern Tier Unearthly, Lagunitas Maximus, Dogfish Head 90 Minute, Green Flash West Coast and Great Divide Hercules.

I was looking back at some of my old receipts from WTSO this morning, and these stuck out as ridic deals:

3 bottles of Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2000 for $33.99/bottle — currently retails for anywhere b/t $50-80. Oh yeah, and the 2001 vintage was Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year for 2006.

3 bottles of Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 2004 for $29.99/bottle – currently retails for $45.99/bottle at Sherry-Lehmann

6 bottles of Caliterra Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2005 for $7.99/bottle – currently retails for anywhere b/t $11-13. This is a great Chilean value wine.

JUST TODAY WE PURCHASED 2 BOTTLES OF DOMAINE HUMBERT FRERES GEVREY-CHEVERTIN 2005 BURGANDY FOR $39.99/bottle — currently retails for anywhere b/t $55-75.

Over the past week, WTSO has been offering one of our favorite wine producers, Mollydooker, at great price-points.

Also, be sure on the lookout for WTSO Marathons — days when WTSO sells a variety of wines (24-80 different wines, depending on the type of marathon) from midnight to midnight. You receive an email notice of the marathon about a week before it runs with a short description of the products being featured. You also receive an email at the start of the marathon.

1. Rolf’s French Bavarian Brasserie:  It does not get more festive than this German (now French Bavarian) eatery located in Gramercy on 21st and 3rd Ave.  Picture yourself dining or drinking inside a giant Christmas tree.  They were nevery really known for their food, but with a new chef (Adalbert Rasemborg) it may be worth a try. Find four more festive faves after the jump…

2. Waterfront Ale House: I know you must be wondering how Waterfront Ale managed to get on this list, but we have to include the birth place of our favorite egg nog ever!  Head to 30th and 2nd Ave  for Sam’s Serious Egg Nog (made with 3 rums + bourbon)- it is by far the most serious egg nog in town  AND you can share this holiday treat, because they serve this magic by the bottle.  Also be sure to try the Anchor Christmas on-tap. Here’s the full beer list from BeerMenus. Bottoms up…  

 3. Pulse at Rockefeller Center:  Now, there is nothing more festive that checking out the tree and skating rink at Rockefeller Center, but who wants to spend exorbitant amounts of money on mediocre food at the tourist trap restaurants surrounding all that holiday goodness?  New York Magazine’s Holiday Guide recommends the “semi-secret restaurant at Sports Club/LA” for a “bird’s eye view of the tree and an Asian accented menu.”  If you gotta do it, check it out at 45 Rockefeller Plaza and 50th Street.

4. Zum Schneider:  People have a tendency to break out in Christmas song at one of our favorite Biergartens on Avenue C and 7th Street.  Maybe that’s because they host a carolling every year, with song book and back up music (Check It Out Here).  Even if you miss the official carolling, Zum Schneider is a fun festive place to knock back some serious steins of German brews and to perform your own drunken rendition of Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.

5. Celsius @ Bryant Park: In case you haven’t noticed, there is a giant glass-enclosed two-story, 7,000 foot structure sitting beside the ice-skating rink at Bryant Park, including a huge balcony with outdoor heat lamps. The Buddha Bar team has crafted a “Canadian-themed” comfort food menu replete with menu items such as chili, mac n’ cheese, sliders, “chilly” dogs, fish and chips and more. What holiday would be complete without a lawsuit? Apparently, Bryant Park Grill was none too pleased with the added competition for customers in this economy (here’s more on the “food fight” that erupted in Bryant Park). Don’t worry…Wined & Dined is staying out of this one.

The $35 Menu:

Wasabi Nuts - Grilled Edamame - Madai Usuzukuri with Soy Wasabi - Black Cod with Miso OR 4 Pieces of Sushi - Chicken Meatballs - Kamoseiro Duck Soup with Soba Noodles - Vanilla Caramel Pudding (Plus Homemade Soft Tofu that we ordered a la carte for $8).

The Verdict:

Overall we were very happy with our gift from Jean-Georges.  It is quite a deal after all and we also found a reasonably priced bottle of Gewurtz that we thoroughly enjoyed. Pretty amazing any time you can get out of a JG restaurant under $150 (including tip) for dinner for 2 and a bottle of wine. It was definitely a small bite tasting menu and the courses did not come separately.  We received our wasabi nuts, grilled edamame, and madai usuzukuri while we were still enjoying our fresh soft tofu (excellent, by the way).  Andy’s 4 pieces of sushi came at the same time as his chicken meatballs and my black cod with miso arrived after all my little chicken meatballs were gone.  We could not believe we were finished with a full 6 courses (7 if you add in our tofu) in about an hour!  AND Andy was still hungry for more after our last course.  Despite a quick moving and haphazard serving style, we really did enjoy the food and for $35 it is a steal.  I include a list of our favorites below.  Thanks Jean-Georges and if you’re still feeling generous, we’re ready for some more presents!

Favorites:

- The Madai Usuzukuri with Soy Wasabi (sashimi style red snapper)

- Chicken Meatballs (delicious and not what I was expecting at all- they burst with flavor)

- Kamoseiro Duck Soup with Soba Noodles (and we received a little lesson on how to dip our cold soba noodles in the steaming tasty duck broth- very tasty…it was also a nice surprise when the broth in which the noodles cooked was added at the end of the meal to our remaining duck broth so we did not miss out on any of the soba nutrients)

Tip:  I would recommend the Miso Cod over the traditional 4 pieces of sushi.  Andy couldn’t help his wandering chopsticks from crossing the table for my cod.

Kamoseiro Duck Soup with Soba Noodles

Black Cod with Miso

Andy and I think that the North Fork of Long Island is the perfect weekend getaway from NYC.  It has everything- the beach, the wineries, the marinas, the great local restaurants, and it still has the rustic, country feel (that the Hamptons is certainly missing)- so we were excited to share our favorite weekend away destination with Andy’s parents, Donna and Charles, my Mom, Barbara, and  Jacquie and Gary. 

Day 1, Friday:  We left the city early to avoid all the weekend traffic and were in the NOFO in a couple of quick hours.   First stop on our gourmet tour of the North Fork was Love Lane Kitchenin Mattituck.   Lunch was excellent.  I had the butternut squash soup and then Donna and I split a lobster roll and grilled vegggie and goat cheese panini.  Andy and Charles split a grilled swordfish sandwich and an amazing-looking french dip. We also shared an order of sweet potato fries and garlic and rosemary fries for the table and washed it all down with some Circus Boy drafts.  Delicious!

 Next it was time to explore the area a bit before checking in to The North Fork Table & Inn.  We drove around Southold, Greenport, and Orient and watched the sun set over the water.  Once it got dark, it was time to check into the Inn and pop open some wine. 

We had all four of The North Fork Table & Inn’s rooms reserved, and it was great to have the whole place to ourselves.  When we arrived, we walked right into the restaurant as the chef was going over the menu with all the staff and they were tasting all the evening’s specials.  It looked great, but we would have to wait for our NFT&I feast until Saturday night.  My Mom,  Jacquie, and Gary arrived and we all caught up in one of the rooms over a couple of glasses of wine (the only problem with the NFT&I is that there is no Inn common area- the living room is actually the restaurant!).  Then we were off to Greenport for dinner at the Frisky Oyster.

We arrived a 1/2 hour early to the restaurant, but we were able to snag a big lounge table in the front of the restaurant by the bar.  We ordered some local bottles of red and white (including a Shinn Estate “First Fruit” White 2007 that we all agreed exemplifies the great 2007 growing season in Long Island) and and were seated in no time.  Dinner was superb.  The oysters “friskafella” were amazing- by far my favorite starter.  Fresh oysters with spinach, parmesan, garlic, and chipotle… mmmmm…. The steamed P.E.I. mussels with chardonnay cream were also excellent.  For my entree, I was very pleased with the crescent duck breast with “hash” of baby fennel, shiitake, and duck leg confit, although I do have to admit that Andy won with his braised short ribs.  We got to meet sommelier, Eileen Duffy, who recommended a 2005 Paumanok Cabernet Franc (Donna’s favorite of the weekend), and we also decided to go with another bottle of the Shinn Estate White. After some great food, great local wine, we decided to hit up the local bar across the street.  We enjoyed a few games of pool, a couple rounds of darts, and some ice cold brews before we retired to the Inn.

Day 2, Saturday: Can it get any better than waking up on a sunny crisp winter day and coming downstairs to the dining room to be greeted by Claudia Fleming (formerly of Gramercy Tavern and the winner of the James Beard Pastry Chef of the Year) with a piping hot dish of gruyere, vegetable, and bacon frittata?  Nope, it cannot. 

 The freshly baked assorted scones and muffins, the homemade granola, the fresh fruit, and the local goat’s milk yogurt were all lovely additions to the morning spread.  We all feasted on breakfast, sipped on our freshly squeezed juices and coffee, purused the morning paper, and then we were off to start our day of wine tasting.

After another leisurely drive along the water and some house hunting adventures, we were ready for our first winery. 

Stop 1:  Bedell Cellers in Cutchogue, New York. 

Andy and I loved coming to Bedell in the warmer months to enjoy their beautiful deck and outdoor tasting bar while listening to live music and making new friends.  At this time of the year, it was certainly too chilly for the outdoor tasting bar, but we still enjoyed the modern tasting room that was renovated in 2001 and that looks more like a gallery than a winery.  We did leave with a couple of bottles of wine, but Bedell is certainly on the more pricey side of NOFO wine, so we decided to save our case purchases for later in the day.

Stop 2:  Croteaux Vineyards in Southold, New York. 

Croteaux was truly a delight!  I had never been to this winery before, and boy was I in for a treat.  The tasting room is tiny and overwhelmingly charming.  There was barely enough room for us all to sit around the bar and start tasting.  Croteaux makes only rosés and I LOVE nothing more than a great rosé on a summer day (or in this case a freezing winter day).  They make their rosés in the same style as those made in the South of France and all have a nice dry balance of fruit and acidity.  All three rosés that we tasted were made from 100% merlot and my favorite (that I took home a few bottles of) was the 2007 Croteaux Merlot 181 Rosé- very light and delicate.  I envisioned myself overlooking the beaches of Nice or Cannes with a glass of this in hand.  The 2007 Croteaux Merlot 314 Rosé and the 2007 Croteaux Merlot 3 Rosé were also lovely and Donna, Charles, Jacquie, Gary, and Barbara all took home cases or bottles of all three.   Paula Croteau, who owns Croteaux Vineyard with her husband, was so friendly and knowledgeable as she lead us through our tasting.  She also told us all about her cooking school and offered us some delicious homemade white chocolate almond bark along with our wines.  They also discount the cost of the tasting to the purchase of any wine, so we tasted for free and she was happy to pour seconds and thirds as we decided on our favorites.

 Stop 3: Shinn Estate Vineyards in Mattituch, New York.

Andy and I have stayed at the Shinn Estate Farmhouse, the four bedroom inn on the vineyard property.  Unfortunately, it was not available for our weekend away this time, but we would definitely recommend it.  We were able, though, to make it to the Shinn Estate Vineyard for a great wine tasting.  We sat in the tasting room in their renovated barn at a big table and began tasting away.  We really enjoy these wines and took home a mixed case of red and whites.  We coincidentally had a couple bottles of the 2007 ”First Fruit” Sauvignon Blanc Semillon the night before at the Frisky Oyster and we LOVE the “Wild Boar Doe” (I mean come on- how cute).  Andy was also big fan of the 2005 Nine Barrel Reserve Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon recently reviewed by the Wine Spectator.

Next Stop: Greenport.  We got a little hungry and decided to head to Greenport for a little shopping and some snacks.  We stopped in for some sandwiches and hot soup and chili at the local cafe, picked up some more bottles of wine for relaxing at the Inn, did a little bit of shopping and then it was already time to spend some lounging time together and to get ready for dinner.

Back at the Inn, we tried some local cheeses and stuffed olives with some wines while playing Taboo.  Janeczkos vs. Freedmans, Ladies vs. Men, and it got pretty competitive.  Jacquie opened up all of her birthday presents while we had some more great wine and then got ready for the dinner we had all been waiting for.

The two dinners I have had at the North Fork Table & Innreally are up there with some of the best meals I have had in my life.  I am amazed by what incredible and inventive things they are doing out there- and they focus on local, fresh, seasonal ingredients.  I started with the pasta- a housemade ricotta cavatelli & porcini mushrooms with parmigiano reggiano, wild arugula, crosnes, and sage. 

For my entree, I had the Meyers naturally-raised grass-fed N.Y. strip steak medium rare with local yukon gold potato puree, swiss chard, baby carrots, and red wine-horseradish jus.  Just typing it now makes my mouth water.  I am not normally a dessert fan (opting for an after dinner drink or cheese plate instead), but we went all out on the desserts at this festive feast, and I do have to say that the coffee-toffee ice cream sandwich with roasted bananas and salty peanuts was heavenly.  There was also a spicy pumpkin cheesecake that blew my mind.  The service could not have been better with all of our meals presented in unison by a well-trained staff.  Our waiter was from Morocco and guided us to an amazing Moroccan red wine that I would have never though of ordering on my own.  By the time the last bite of warm sugar & spice doughnut was snatched up, we were the last people in the restaurant.  Thank goodness we were at our home away from home, because I don’t think we could have all squeezed back in our coats after such an indulgent meal. Here are some pics from our phenomenal meal at the Inn.

 Day 3, Sunday:  After so much food and wine, how could I even think of breakfast?  The steaming hot biscuits topped with a scramble of egg, cheddar cheese, onion and herbs changed my mind.  We popped open a bottle of bubbly to make some mimosas and to toast our fabulous weekend away.  After we packed up and checked out there were still  a couple stops to make…

Stop 1: Vineyard 48 in Cutchogue, New York.  Gary had a friend whose brother made wine at Vineyard 48, so we decided to stop by as soon as it opened for our first tasting of the day. 

We enjoyed the sauvignon blanc and took home a bottle, but Charles and Gary were more interested in the collection of Chess sets and challenged each other to a game while Andy, Jacquie, and I tasted.

Stop 2: Peconic Bay Winery in Cutchogue, New York.  Peconic Bay was our last winery stop of the weekend and it was the perfect choice.  We wanted to hit up a couple more wineries, but Donna and Charles had a flight back Atlanta so we had to make it to LaGuardia in time.  We were shocked by the renovation of the tasting room, but were so pleasantly surprised to see that our favorite wine tasting guide was still there with his famous pretzels and dipping mustard to go along with the Riesling.  The tasting bar was renovated into a long, roomy bar with wine barrel bar stools.  It was still cozy and quaint.  Boy were we surprised to see Pascal who we had met and spent time with over a year ago when he worked at Shinn.  Pascal was a delight and got us caught up on all the changes at Peconic Bay.  Everybody LOVED these wines, especially the Riesling and the late harvest Polaris.  The 2001 Merlot Oregon Hills Reserve was also a real treat.  Peconic now offers three tasting options, a Reserve Tasting, or Flight 1 or 2.  We mixed it up a bit, so we could all try each others favorites off the different flights.  After our tastings and purchases, Barbara, Jacquie, and Gary parted ways to try to find some local produce and to head back to Westchester and Connecticut.  We were headed to find our Christmas Tree, then for a last stop at Love Lane Kitchen before ending up at LaGuardia.  After an amazing weekend of the best wine, food, and company we could hope for, it was very sad to say goodbye, but we know we will all be back.  We already started to plan our next weekend getaway in the spring and to all our NOFO friends, we say cheers and happy holidays!