by Julian Schultz
julian@oxfordwineroom.com
Thankfully, blessedly, I was with food prepared Creole style at the Webster House restaurant, not with mosquitoes, swamps, and hot humidity of backwoods Louisiana.
In 1943, I suffered a brief assignment in a primitive forest some 35 miles from New Orleans among natives strange to me who lived uncustomary lifestyles. Although the military duty was brief -- some four months long - it was much too long for this city boy.
Saturday dinners in New Orleans were redeeming respite from boredom in the backwoods environment. I dined one time only on hot, spicy, peppery, supposedly Creole-style prepared food, always with plenty of shrimp, in a fine restaurant in this vibrant, exciting, wartime city.
Now, I am a shrimp aficionado, but this shrimp was so searing to the palate that its delicate shellfish flavors were obliterated. One of the officers in our party said there was a decided Cajun influence in the food.
After eating the hot, spicy, unfamiliarly seasoned food with shrimp, peppers, okra, rice and tomatoes in just about everything on my first Saturday night, I subsequently was able to alter the menus and maneuver the waiters and the chefs to prepare my food more conventionally, moderately, to my satisfaction.
The turnabout preparations I enjoyed were sweeter and tastier with pineapple rum, vanilla, banana, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, oven-dried boiled rice...and the inevitable shrimp was now refined, delicate and delicious. It was worth the generous tips it cost.
Fortunately, at the Webster House, chef Joan St. Denis Clarico and the trial dinner tasters who helped plan the Creole menu for the wine dinner showed restraint, albeit remaining honest to the unusual West Indian cooking style. The result: a resounding triumph.
Defining the Creole: a person of European descent born especially in the West Indies or Spanish America, or a person descended from early
French or Spanish settlers of the Gulf states and proudly preserving their speech, culture and inimitable culinary expression, or a person of mixed French or Spanish and Negro descent, speaking a dialect of French, Spanish and/or Haitian peculiar to their culture. So the style of food preparation at the other restaurants we visited varied with the cultural background of the management and kitchen staff, resulting in a culinary adventure.
Oohing and aahing behind me as we were enjoying the appetizer of oysters Bienville with Gentil wine from Hugel, Alsace 2001, $7.99, at the Webster House, I heard the voice of a member of the old Worcester Wine Society that I started 25 years ago. His unique apologetic whine was unmistakable. I turned. "Hi ya, Julian," he said, I expected to see you here. Remember me: Billy Fleagel?"
Did I remember him? Who could forget him! We called him "Flip Flop" Feagel. He justified his name. He would imperatively describe the wines he tasted; then consistently flip flop from his forcible convictions when they were inconsistent with consensus opinions. Amused, we would gently ridicule him about it.
"Calling me Flip Flop is an injustice," he would protest. "I reserve the right to change my mind, after listening to you guys. What you don't know - ha, ha! - is that after I dwell further on the matter, and am alone with my thoughts, and am absent your pompous judgments, I invariably return to my original evaluations.
"So my perceived flip-flopping, about which your so snidely belittle me, is merely temporary. I flip flop back."
I asked Billy for his take on the oysters and the Hugel Gentil wine match. "Plump oysters with sauce slightly peppery, accompanied with red and green salad leaves and turkey bacon. Wine light on the palate with fine fruit, forward and aromatic; easy to drink and perfect pairing with the oysters. At $7.99, at O'Hara's Discount Liquors after its 20 percent discount, is it a superb price/quality value."
What did I think, he asked, and did we agree? Yes and no, I answered: yes, about the oysters, of which I gladly accepted two more from the waitstaff; but no, not quite with the wine. I found the wine offered a fine apples nose; was dry and firm with a pleasing subtle acid sweet edged crisp fruit of apples and melon and remained long on the palate. The Hugel is a blend of Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner and Muscat. The grapes sweet flavors replicated the five varietal blend. I did agree on the $7.99 wine price/quality value. (All prices shown reflect O'Hara's 20-percent discount.)
"You echoed my words and repeated them fancy like!" Billy said, but that's OK. I'm not so glib as you. Our evaluations are the same." That was all right with me if it gave Billy satisfaction.
I remember Billy when he was at his indecisive best. It was at the International Wine & Food Society's first dinner of the new season at the Castle. He was swirling, sniffing and savoring the reception wine, gormandizing with the hors d'oeuvres of clams casino and grilled scallops with scallions.
Billy was expostulating on the wine's merits to a bored, glazed-eyed Lillian. I hurried to her rescued before she swooned.
"Dry, crisp, fruity, zesty acid sting; this is a Blanc de Blancs from Pelee Island Vineyards in Ontario," I heard him say.
I disagreed: "No Billy, it's got a decided sweet edge - not at all dry - is not particularly crisp and has just enough acid for balance, but at $5.50 it's a gangbuster bargain. Just perfect with the scallions seasoning on the scallops and lightly smoked, spicy clams casino."
Billy tasted again, his mien serious, probing, as Lillian and I slid away. A few minutes later, Billy was discussing the wine with Pam Mellor. He likes to talk wine with charming ladies.
I overheard him say, "Sweet-edged, a little crisp, zest of acidity just enough for balance; pure perfection with the scallioned scallops and spicy clams; a gangbuster bargain at $5.50." Billy's turn-around statement upheld his flip flop reputation.
Ceretto Arneis Blange 1993 accompanied grilled boneless pheasant leg with red and green salad leaves and tomato salsa. Prepared cutlet style, tender to the cut of the fork, delicately seasoned, the pheasant elicited approval.
Billy had seated himself beside me. He ostentatiously sighted, swirled, sniffed, savored, but remained...silent. Unusual. What did he think of the wine? I asked. "OK, I guess," he answered, "but dry and needs more fruit to balance the spice, salsa and grilling. The pheasant is great, just like chicken - only better. What do you think?"
"Yes, Billy, I agree with you about the pheasant; it is great," I answered. "But no, Billy, we don't agree on the wine. It has sweet, firm fruit, enough for balance with the salsa seasoning - but I wouldn't pay the $20 for it."
"See, we agree; that was my meaning," he said. Whaa! I asked Lillian - did I hear him right?
Jerko Johnson, the group's jester, came over: "Hi, Flip Flop - how 'ya reversing 'em tonight?" he asked with a smirk.
"Ha, ha! B...i...g...fun...ny!" Billy added sarcastically, "Your foolish facetiousness and asinine aspersions to my flip-flopping aside - if you had flip-flopped before you popped the question to Janice last year, you wouldn't be in alimony anguish now.
"At least when I change my mind, I change it before it is too late, before I make a reckless commitment that I later find it difficult - in your case, costly -- to reverse."
Jerko muttered he didn't understand that convoluted statement and sheepishly slunk away. Billy turned to Dr. Bob Ouellette for his assessment of the wine and pheasant.
He scribbled Bob's answer below his notes on the wine. "There you go - the three of us agree!" he announced triumphantly. I looked quizzically at Bob. He looked at Billy's notes, chuckled, and shook his head in amusement.
The Castle's crowning achievement on the wine menu: The great Beaune "Cent Vignes" '78, Ponelle: a tour de force selection by sommelier/maitre d' Jim Nicas.
After airing the wine five minutes in my glass, I described it as "expectedly complex, tasting of dusty cherries, soft aroma of roses; meaty/gamy complexity, toasty hazelnuts linger on the palate and in the aftertaste. Superb, but drink now!"
Billy was studying a plastic card he took from his wallet. "What gives?" I asked.
"Oh, just confirming my enthusiastic impression of the wine," he said airily. "The vintage is given a '7', the highest score on the International Wine & Food Society's rating scale, 'to be drunk now.' " We all agreed; Billy too. No flip-flopping here. Rare and expensive.
The Webster House waitstaff was pouring a Loire Vouvray from Mornay. Crab crepes and giant shrimp, sauced with cold piquant mayonnaise including mustard, gherkins, capers and mixed herbs soon followed.
I excused myself from Billy, saying that my niece and nephew needed my attention to have me explain the fascination of wine about which they are ignorant. I suggested that he exchange his wine and food perceptions with Dr. Bob and that certainly he would learn something.
My notes on the two rolled crab crepes with the giant shrimp: "exceptionally smooth, tender and tasty with the sweet meaty shrimp; should be on the everyday menu."
The accompanying Vouvray 2001, 100 percent Chenin Blanc, $10.99: "soft nose, sweet pineapple and melon on palate; decidedly sweet-edged, but perfectly compatible with the crab, shrimp and sauce; sophisticated pairing."
Entree #1: pecan crusted catfish fillet with lemon thyme sauce. Simply a magnificent blend of subtly flavored fish, pecan nuts and citrus spice. Comments of pleasure drifted from nearby tables. So generous was the portion that I had Sean Maynard, waiter, box half of it for me to take home and tomorrow's dinner.
Nice pairing with an Alsatian Tokay wine: Jean Babtisite Adam Pinot Gris Reserve 2002, $9.59. Its slightly smoky nose carried over to the palate and integrated with sweet-fruited wine flavors. Lots of wine for little price.
The white wines poured were prominently sweet-edged, and the Pinot Gris was positively sweet. The selection of these wines to match the flavors of the dishes was faultless, certainly expert if not inspirational.
Entrée #2: Traditional chicken Creole with tomato infused smoked turkey bacon was accompanied by Potel Aviron Cote de Brouilly Beaujolais 2001, $11.99. The tender white meat chicken and the faintly spicy Gamay grape Beaujolais flavors were perfection. Again, I had half of my large portion boxed for take home. Too much delicious food required all my will power of steel to refrain from eating to uncomfortable excess.
Entrée #3: Seared beef tenderloin with subdued cayenne butter, rice and red beans deservedly had two wine consorts: Domaine de L' Hortus Cote de Languedoc "Clos Prieur" 2000, $14.99, and Chateau Gallais Bellevue Medoc 2000, $14.39.
Although the cayenne butter was moderated, I wanted my palate unencumbered by the spicy cayenne, preferring to taste my wines uninfluenced, so I brushed off what little of it there was.
Looking at my notes later, I was surprised to read only "Tender!!!" "Flavor rich and juicy!!!" "Perfection plus!!!" for the tenderloin. And for the third time, I had half of the plentiful portion of the serving boxed for take home.
So far, chef John Hammerstrom, assisted by Alex Hill and Cindy Garvin, prepared a tour de force socko successful dinner that generated nothing but smiles of delight that wreathed the filled function and later a resounding extended applause for them.
The Languedoc consisted of 50 perecent Syrah, 40 Grenache and 10 Carignan. It married the tenderloin blissfully and had many vocal adherents. But the Medoc, comprising 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, was the majority favorite of a poll taken by Dr. Bob. The Medoc was my choice, also; but really not by very much.
It was obvious that considerable thought had been given to the selection of all six wines...none of which are in the mainstream of popularity. For price value, however, they are a connoisseur's delight and a penurious purse pincher's ecstasy. Kudos to M.S. Walker's Jeff Ghertler, distrubutor's rep, for supplying them and also for so enlighteningly discussing them; to Dr. Bob one of the trial dinner participants; to Jim Vasiiiadis of O'Hara's, wine shop rep; and to Webster House's Chris Liazos who orchestrated the dinner.
When I heard that wife-y Helena Liazos was preparing the dessert I resolved that neither rain, nor shine, nor gloom of night would prevent me for eating all of it, whatever it was! ...And whatever it was...was something spectacular!
I finished it all and would have managed more, sumptuous though the serving was, had seconds been offered....
Tra la! Bread pudding, moist and tender with tasty raisins, and Bourbon whiskey cream sauce, completed with a large fresh strawberry and whipped cream! Schultz's coveted Medal of Culinary Honor will be bestowed on Helena.
Waitstaff was Patricia Shaku and Sean Maynard, and as usual they poured the wine and served the food with speed, efficiency and always smiling good humor. Their efforts greatly contributed to our pleasure with the dinner.
Wine Pick: Tobin James "Legend" Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, $16.99. Packed with juicy currant, wild berry and cherry flavor with hints of herb and oak, it is another Paso Robles palate winner. A bona fide price value delight.
Wine Pick: Reynolds Chardonnay 2002, $15, from Australia. Green gold in color, the chard explodes with citrus, tropical fruit and crème brulée aromas. Rich, luscious and smooth, with butterscotch, vanilla, melon and lemon lime flavor, you'll refill and refill your glass.
Email Comments to Julian at:
julian@oxfordwineroom.com