Mediterranean Flavors – The Basics

Hello Everyone!  As promised, we’ve been expanding our focus beyond wine, and to that end, we wanted to talk about one of our other biggest passions, food!   And one of our favorite styles of food comes from the Mediterranean region.   Mediterranean food received quite a bit of attention in the early ‘90s as part of the discussion around the “French Paradox”: the apparent ability of the French (and others who consume a similar diet) to eat cheese, butter, and other saturated fats, but still have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than in the US.  While the French – and others around the Mediterranean – may generally be healthier than those of us in the US (residents of the Italian island of Sardinia can boast one of the longest life expectancies in the world), it’s likely that there are a number of other factors that contribute to that long life span.  That being said, no one ever was considered less healthy due to a Mediterranean-style diet!

The Mediterranean style encompasses not just the more obvious countries in Europe, but also north Africa and the Middle East as well.  The foods from each of these regions have their own cultural identities and variations, but have several common themes. 

Much of the food in the Mediterranean arose from two basic concepts: locality and practicality.  People consumed what was local and readily available to them.   It was also important that the food was fresh, or could be stored without refrigeration.  Therefore, one common theme across the Mediterranean countries is the use of uses salt for curing (through a brine or dry cure), usually seasoned with a citrus and garlic.  Then the specific regional influences are layered in with herbs and spices.  The most common meats tend to be fish, chicken, lamb, and pork, depending on the specific culture.

Interestingly enough, many of these foods are considered "peasant foods" – because of the simplicity of the ingredients.  Inexpensive items such as polenta, rice, pasta, couscous, beans, or chickpeas are frequently added to the meal to provide bulk, giving enough energy to easily get one through the day.  A few country-specific variations, each making full use of that country’s natural resources, are described below.

In Spain, it is common to see extensive use of olives and lemons.  These are often combined with garlic, almonds, and eggs.  A common pairing is seafood (shrimp or scallops) with some form of cured pork, with sweet or smoked paprika as seasoning.  Spain is fairly famous for its pigs, and pork is served in many different ways, from roasted to a Spanish specialty, Serrano ham.

France uses the potato to add bulk to its foods, and bread is also a common staple.  There is a great deal of diversity to France and some of the influences include mustard and herbs of Provence, which contain lavender.  Olives, capers, and shallots figure prominently in French food.  Crème and crème fraiche are common in where dairy is used.

In Italy, the oranges which are commonly grown across the southern part of the country are used as well as lemon to contribute to the citrus flavors.  The combination of herbs such as basil and citrus create a great flavor profile.   Northern Italy, Tuscany, in particular, is known as the "Land of the Bean Eaters,” and legumes are a common addition.  Pasta is common but more often as a small side dish or appetizer, not as we typically see it in our Italian style restaurants in the US!  One of our favorite combinations is polenta with a sauce or melting cheese, and an additional garnish of herbs or nuts, such as pine nuts.  Fennel and other anise flavors appear in some dishes.

Moving further east towards Greece and the Middle East, things begin to change a little and you pick up more chickpeas and eggplant as the building blocks.  The “brown” spices such as cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice are more commonly used.  Fresh herbs are key, such as thyme, cilantro, and flat parsley, as well as oregano for earthy tones.  Yogurt figures in more prominently as the dairy component, rather than cream or milk.

Going into the North African region, we add a whole new dimension with harissa (a hot and spicy paste based on chili peppers) and preserved lemons, in addition to the Middle Eastern ingredients named above.  Preserved lemons are the ultimate combination of salt and citrus and it the rind that is more highly prized.  In addition, the flavors of tamarind and sumac are common, giving the dish a sometimes earthy, sometimes fruity flavor.  These ingredients were common prior to the later, more widespread use of citrus fruits in cooking.

We hope this gets you started in thinking about Mediterranean dishes.  Just remember, start with your choice of brine, citrus, and garlic and blend in the regional items.  And of course, don't forget to pick up your favorite wine to go along!

Whisky 101 - Uisge Beatha

Hello Everyone!  As we mentioned in our last post, we have decided to expand our writings beyond the world of wine.  During our time running Pangaea (which boasted one of the largest selections of single malt scotch in New England), and especially following a trip to Scotland in the summer of 2011, we have become very interested in whisky.  Whisky has a long and storied history from ancient times, and has come to be viewed as one of the symbols and in fact the soul of what many would call its spiritual home, Scotland.  In Scottish Gaelic, whisky is Uisge Beatha, or water of life, with varying forms in other languages, all originating from the Latin aqua vitae.

In many ways, whisk(e)y like wine, has a terroir.  Terroir is the French term that joins a wine to its location.  Before we get to a discussion of whisk(e)y terroir, let’s go over some basic concepts on whisk(e)y.  First we’ll clear up this pesky spelling – whisky is the Irish and Scottish spelling for the word, and whiskey is the American and Canadian spelling.  Around the rest of the world, either spelling may be used dependent on the influence.  As they were the inventors of the modern conception of whisky, we’ll stick with the Scottish/Irish spelling unless explicitly discussing American or Canadian types.

Whisky is first and foremost distilled beer without the hops.   For Scotch whisky, barley is the exclusive ingredient used to make the “beer” for the single malt.  A single malt whisky is made from malted barley; blended whiskies are made from a mix of malt and grain.  Irish whisky is typically made from wheat or barley.  In Canada, much of the whiskey is made from rye, and in the US (particularly bourbon and Tennessee whiskey) it may be a combination of corn, rye, and other grains.  Bourbon has to be at least 51% corn to be considered ourbon. 

After the “beer” is made, it is then distilled.  In general, Scotch whisky is distilled two times, Irish whisky three times, and American and Canadian whiskey are both often distilled three times.  As the distillation is performed, the distillate is “cut” into three portions:  the head, heart, tail - referring to the early, middle, and late points in the distillation process.  The heart, naturally, forms the basis of the whisky.

After distillation, the aging process begins, and which is where most of the distinctive flavors are imparted.  Bourbon and Tennessee whiskies are required by law to be aged in brand new oak casks that have a good char/toast.  Use of these new oak barrels gives Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey their characteristic vanilla oakiness.  Irish whisky is typically aged in used Bourbon casks – since American Bourbon must be aged in new oak barrels, most of the used Bourbon casks make their way around the world to be reused to age other whiskies. 

When it comes to single-malt Scotch, the aging process gets much more interesting.   Scotch is often first aged in either used Bourbon casks or Spanish sherry hogsheads.  Following the initial aging period, the whisky may be finished in a variety of options:  ex-Bourbon, rum, sherry, wine, or other oak casks.   The whisky is then aged for a variety of years, depending on the specific characteristics desired.  Since no aging will occur once the whisky is bottled, the final result is highly dependent on the decisions made by the master distiller during this process. 

So, this has been our first introduction to the world of whisky, and we’ll talk about more in future installments.   Most cultures have their own version of Water of Life, but whether your drink of choice is whisky or whiskey, many would argue that this is the true Uisge Beatha!

A New Outlook for 2013

Hello to all our Wine Spectre friends and Happy New Year!   We know that we’ve been neglecting our blog over the last few months primarily due to work, travel, etc., but in a way we feel that we’ve been rejuvenated as a result.  The last several months have taken us on a journey of experience to different places and different cultures, and not surprisingly, that journey has left us hungering (and thirsting!) for more.  

On these journeys, following on our experiences with our Pangaea Wine Bar, we’ve realized that our interest in wine really only touches on a single aspect of what makes a particular culture unique, and in fact is much broader than that.   It is also the land, the people, the food, and their experiences, because nothing can or should be viewed in a vacuum.  Just as we think about the concept of terroir as including the land, the air, the light of a particular place and the people in it, we should also consider our own experience as part of the mix, for surely all of these things contribute to the final product (for example, the glass of wine that seems to have tasted better in the Paris bistro or the café in Rome).   In the film “Sideways,” the character of Maya gives us one of the most evocative and memorable quotes about this more expansive view of terroir:

“I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing; how the sun was shining; if it rained. I like to think about all the people who tended and picked the grapes. And if it’s an old wine, how many of them must be dead by now. I like how wine continues to evolve, like if I opened a bottle of wine today it would taste different than if I’d opened it on any other day, because a bottle of wine is actually alive…”

This is the true concept of terroir, whether we’re speaking about wine, whisky, or other spirits, as well as the cuisine of a certain place.  In our lexicon, terroir will be used to represent not only the land, the air, the light, but also to refer more broadly to a true sense of place and time.

This is why you’ll start to see the Wine Spectre expand a bit outside the world of wine to both food and spirits.  We are both passionate cooks and for us, experimentation in different types of cuisine is one way to experience another place.  As well as food and other spirits, we will also begin to delve further into the world of whisky, particularly the malts of Scotland, as there is no greater expression of the terroir and sense of place than the connection you experience with the Scottish countryside.  A bit later we’ll discuss the idea of globalization, and how this presents ever more increasing risk to true terroir.

But for now, as we begin another happy weekend, we leave you with hopes that you will enjoy this evening with family and friends.  Maybe you will be inspired to do a little experimentation, or settle down with something warm and familiar.   In either case, as we always say, drink what you like, like what you drink!

Cheers,
Rachel & Bryan

Spanish wines from Jumilla are on the rise

Spanish red wines have long been favorites, but until recently, we limited our selections to wines from the fantastic Rioja region or to those of Ribera del Duero in north central Spain.  Having the chance to run Pangaea Wine Bar, we've had the opportunity to try wines from areas all around Spain.  While we love the powerful wines of Priorat in Catalonia, they tend to be a bit pricy for our by-the-glass list.  So for that reason, we were very happy to be introduced to the full-bodied red wines of Jumilla (who-MEE-uh).

Jumilla is a hot, arid region in the southeastern area of Spain.  The predominant grape of the region is Monastrell, or as it is commonly known in France and the US, Mourvedre.  Monastrell has typically been resistant to the phylloxera louse that decimated nearly all European grapevines through the late 19th century, and therefore many of the grapevines are very old - producing intensely concentrated wines.  The wines of Jumilla are still being introduced to the US market, but based on the flavor profiles, these wines should become hugely popular here.  Jumilla's climate, with its hot, dry summers and over 3000 hours of sunlight, produce smooth wines that are naturally high in alcohol, which we're finding is currently the taste of the American palate.

100+ year old Monastrell vine at Bodegas Olivares

Last year, we introduced the wine of Bodegas Juan Gil to our customers, and this monastrell was a huge hit at Pangaea.  In June, despite the popularity of Juan Gil, we decided to try a little something different and brought on the monastrell of Bodegas Olivares.  This wine is a bit unique even among Jumilla monastrell: Olivares' sandy soil drains very quickly, which makes it much more inhospitable to the phylloxera louse.  Therefore, Olivares has a large tract of ungrafted vines, some of them over 100 years old.  Vines as old as this tend to have a lower yield, producing fewer grapes, but the grapes they do produce have a greater depth and complexity than their younger counterparts.   In addition, the vineyards at Olivares are dry-farmed, with little to no irrigation.  This requires that the vines dig deeply to find nutrients, adding an additional layer of complexity.

We are finding that our Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell is an excellent wine and a big hit with our customers.  We encourage you to check it out - and don't be afraid to pick up some wines from areas that you're not familiar with.  You will likely be pleasantly surprised!

As always, drink what you like, and like what you drink!

Greek wines - It's Time to Discover Them

Greek wines have long held a sentimental place in our hearts.  On our honeymoon, we would finish each day relaxing on roof deck of our hotel with a view of the Acropolis lit against the night sky, enjoying crisp, minerally whites.  At our favorite restaurant Krasopoulio, we drank Rapsani, the Xinomavro based red wine that was rich and spicy.  We were grateful that our server brought out a ice bucket, which was necessary even for red wine when dining outside in the warmth of the late Greek summer.  We sampled the house rose at a taverna in Plaka, and we'll never forget our server who brought out the wine in a clay jug, poured us each a glass, and the clinked our glasses for us.  Nor will we forget buying our Greek rugs from Susie and Theo, where the deal was sealed with many glasses of Theo's homemade rose wine (Theo also nicely filled a 2-liter Fanta bottle with more of the rose for us to take with us).

Greek wines have progressed by leaps and bounds even since that experience almost 10 years ago.  We recently attended a Greek wine tasting, and were very impressed by the high quality of the wines.  We were also impressed by the passion of the winemakers who had travelled to Boston from Greece to share their wines with the world.

Recently, there have been increased marketing efforts to educate the world regarding Greek wines.  Saveur Magazine recently did an article highlighting the wines of Greece, and a group called the New Wines of Greece have also stepped up marketing efforts with a video on You Tube that makes you yearn to be magically transported to the Mediterranean Sea.

We spoke about Greek wines in a previous post, and they continue to be favorites.  We encourage you to discover them!

As always - drink what you like, like what you drink!