SUMMER READING

Pairing wine with food and drinks with parties is an exercise in situational awareness. Who hasn't participated in the mental game of choosing the wine or drink for a dinner party, in a restaurant, a private dinner at home for two, or worse: a holiday. Chefs, professional and amateur do it. Sommeliers, professional and amateur do it. Moms, party planners, boy friends, girl friends, husbands, wives and bosses all attempt to marry a drink with an event. Does it complement the dish? Is it festive enough for (fill in the blank- name of party / holiday)? Too casual? Too formal? Last night, for instance, we paired a 2007 Ridge- Lytton Springs Zinfandel with a sage brined and roasted pork loin and polenta. It was great, a little tight but good fruit that will mature over the next few years. Drink is usually associated with food or events. How about books?

Summer is a time when the opportunity for pleasure reading increases. The beach / vacation book or that book you that you never finished because life got in the way is now a possibility. How about a drink with that read? Great authors pull us in with expert word-craft and tickle our sensory nodes. Not that much different than what a restaurant Chef or your mom at Thanksgiving does with food. Before we start, a disclaimer: having spent my undergraduate years on Tobacco Road with a Bourbon filled flask neatly tucked in my blue blazer on many a Saturday afternoon in Kenan Stadium, I can justify Bourbon and soda for most literary excursions.

A few pairings for your consideration.

I am well involved with two books right now. Desert by J.M.G Le Clezio. Water works well here. The Rector of Justin by Louis Auchincloss. Bourbon (see above) or Scotch (not a fan but respect it).

On our vacation to Block Island, RI. in a few weeks I will visit The Best of Plimpton by George Plimpton. I am thinking Gin and Tonic maybe.

Some ideas from the book case:

Churchill by Sir Martin Gilbert. Cognac

Post War- A History of Europe Since 1945 by Tony Judt. Espresso / Coffee

Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre. Everyday red wine

The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Rum & Coke or beer

Spying Blind by Amy Zegart. Coffee

The Stories of John Cheever. Coffee, Bourbon

Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller. Whiskey, beer, red wine, eau de vie, pastis...anything!

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Martinis , gin and tonic.

Training for Cycling. by Davis Phinney and Connie Carpenter. Water or any sport drink

Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins. Wines - red or white from cellar selections to everyday.

Anything by Richard Russo. Coffee, beer or Bourbon.

Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell. Everyday red wine / Bass Ale

The list is endless.

Happy reading.

I SHALL RETURN TO THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY...

ACTUALLY CUCUMBERS AND TOMATOES

Yes, I have a penchant for wearing khakis (Bills Khakis to be exact) and I do favor Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses, but I don't anticipate any wading ashore with a corn-cob pipe clinched in my teeth when we arrive in Israel early next week. But it should be interesting none the less. Now, I am told by a very influential person in the heady realm of Judaic Studies that the milk and honey reference is of a biblical nature. From my experience though: cucumbers and tomatoes seem to capture the essence of modern day Israel more accurately, being that they are served at every meal seven days a week.

I begin this journey with a slight feeling of trepidation. I will miss the witty sarcasm of the SDJA class of 2010, with whom we last visited Israel. There will be no battle cry for Shwarma, the Gyros like pita sandwich sold everywhere in the country, at any and all hours of the day and night. No SDJA athletes flirting (and of course failing miserably) with the young passport control officers at the Tel Aviv airport. I won't get to do my impersonation of a third base coach "sending in the sign" by touching my nose, pulling one ear lobe, taping both forearms, that really meant: "come on!, you're late, get on the bus we're leaving." Memories and smiles.

So, off we go to what promises to be a very interesting ten day conference dealing with Holocaust curriculum. The opportunity for a non-Ph.D holder to attend a conference at Yad Vashem (Israel's Holocaust museum) is an honor for me. Since I'm not a full time history teacher, I guess my work at UNC in Dr. Christopher Browning's class helped seal the deal with the director of the program. Where else but at a Jewish Day School could you be introduced to a visiting director from Yad Vashem while touring our gym, have a long conversation about the academic relevance of studying the systemic murder of six million people by a modern European country and end up being invited to a conference in Israel. Life is never dull.

COFFEE

For endurance athletes coffee is a food group. For college students, broker-dealers in the financial industry and sailors on the mid-watch: an energy source. But...for the gourmand, coffee is mystical beverage that offers a multitude of flavors and a medium that affords us the opportunity for introspection, creativity and social interaction. Life decisions, dreams concocted, romance and the art of "people watching" are all easily accomplished over a cup of this nectar.

It's time again for me to place an order for my coffee beans of choice. There are two excellent purveyors of quality beans that I favor. Intelligentsia Coffee, base in Chicago and Gimme! Coffee in New York City. Both offer a full line of perfectly roasted beans of global origins. Organic, Free Trade, single origin, blends: both companies have it all. Visit their websites and you'll understand the commonality of Intelligentsia and Gimme! Coffee is Passion. Both source, purchase and roast their own beans to the perfect point for maximum flavor extraction. It's a breath of fresh air to find companies that honor quality over convoluted business models that are interested only in accounting principles.

If ever in the NYC area, visit Gimme! Coffee in LOLITA (North of Little Italy) on Mott St. between Spring and Prince streets or out in Williamsburg between Powers and Grand. If you are a purist, it's a must visit. Perfect espresso and drip coffee. But don't go if you are a fan of "grande" mocha frappuccino half caf decaf soy foam blah blah blah. There are no seats, no WIFI...just outstanding pure coffee. Espresso, Caffe Americano's, Caffe Macchiato's etc. After a morning caffe at Gimme! your day will no doubt be off to a stupendous start. I miss New York at times like this.

Time to grind some beans and open a book.

Crepes, Heitz Cellars and Bocuse Revisited

After a solid three hour training session on the bike in perfect early summer weather, replete with tempo and short burst intervals on the hills, we visited our friends' new creperie in the South Park section of San Diego. Chef Patrick Ponstay has joined forces with Christine Perez and Jerome Gombert (owners of the neighborhood gem- Vagabon) to create Cafe Madeleine. Located in a perfect corner storefront at 30th and Juniper, the eye-catching red facade, Parisian cafe chairs and well executed sweet and savory crepes combines for a relaxing rendezvous. What better way to refuel than with a ham, Bechamel and cheese crepe or the stalwart chocolate and banana crepe. The restaurant has only been opened a few weeks, but I'm sure we have found another great venue for foodie afternoons.

Had a red meat craving this weekend. Never a bad thing I believe. So, off to Siesels Market. One of the few remaining butcher shops in the San Diego area. A place where the men behind the counter wear aprons, carry knives and there is no sign of plastic wrap or cell phones, just butcher paper. Crazy, I know. They had a great selection of prime and choice tenderloins, rib-eye and strip steaks: along with lamb, pork, veal and poultry. Decided on a Filet Mignon for a change. I'm mostly a rib-eye or onglet fan but a filet opens the door to my past. Sauces. The most challenging task on the line in fine dinning-rooms around the world is combining herbs, fat, stock and aromatics to create a sauce of balanced flavor to compliment a host of dishes. The fusion-confusion, stack the food, drown it with as many chilies as possible chefs frown on the nuanced touch of the saucier. No wonder it is a dying art: it takes time and skill. Steak Au Poivre, pommes sautees a cru, salad of endive and red bell pepper and Gruyere would be a perfect end to a great day. I pulled out a Paul Bocuse cookbook to view the master's rendition of Steak Au Poivre. He, of course, adds a slight twist to the traditional sauce accompanying the pepper crusted filet. Routinely, shallots are added to the saute pan after the steaks are cooked and deglazed with brandy. A spot of veal stock is added with cream and reduced to the correct consistency. Bocuse adds creme fraiche and Dijon mustard instead of stock and cream. Once again, leave it to a Michelin Three Star Chef to add a layered dimension to a classic dish. Perfect.

Well, we pulled the cork on our last bottle of Heitz Cellars - Bella Oaks Cabernet 2000. While visiting Napa Valley last December we stumbled upon a great opportunity at the Heitz Cellar's tasting room. The winery opened their cellar and made the 2000 Belle Oaks Cab available to vineyard visitors at a reduced price. Granted, the 2000 was nearing it's down turn in the flavor profile, but after some serious "tasting" we enjoyed the wine and made a purchase. Bordelais style, cherry, plum, terroir and mature tannins...why not. After many great dinners with Bella Oaks on the table we bid adieu. I feel a trip to Napa coming on.