>THE RIESLINGS OF THE WORLD>>

So last night I was back at Wine Class after a rather lengthy hiatus.

The session was The Great Rieslings of the World, but it was not quite as great as I had anticipated.

(but I did pick up, as I had previously hoped, a few nuggets of wisdom)

Now as most of you probably already know (I did not), Riesling originated in Germany. (the Riesling varietal is actually a hybrid of a grape most likely introduced by the Romans, crossed with another, German grape)

German wine labels can be a bit tricky to read (however, more concise than most, thanks to strict German labeling laws), but by memorizing a few of these useful references, you'll be able to easily make a prudent decision when buying German wines.

First and foremost, never buy anything labeled as Tafelwein, meaning Table Wine.

(you should never buy Table Wine anyway, no matter what the country!)

The next, riper grade, above Tafelwein is Qualitätswein (Quality Wine) or QbA.

These will be your leaner wines with, more likely than not, sugar added (due to low ripeness) in order to boost its alcohol content.

Yep, you guessed it: Qualitätswein is not so qualititious after all.

Next is Kabinett.

Kabinett wine is not so bad--it's wine that you keep in your cabinet.

(that's all I have to say about that one)

Next, Spätlese (shpet-layzeuh).

Spätlese wines are made from grapes which have remained on the vine longer, resulting in riper grapes.

Auslese - selected.

Above Auslese, BA or Beerenauslese - berry selected.

Getting even riper now, TBA or Trockenbeerenauslese - dry berry selection.

In these three final grades are instances where the the grapes have been left on the vine longer, sometimes even unto the point of moldiness and/or raisin-like shriveling, hence, giving you a much fruitier and heavier wine.

Then there's also Eiswein (Ice Wine) - the process of squeezing frozen grapes, where the water remains frozen in the grape, hence giving a very rich, nectar-like substance.

(BA's and TBA's are usually only sold in half bottles and can be quite expensive)

All ripenesses from Spätlese up to TBA fall under the category of Qualitätswein mit Prädikat, meaning quality wine with an attribute. (think A.O.C.) And BA's and TBA's will be your dessert wines (TBA also being Eiswein).

But, if pressed, and had to pick a favorite from this class, I'd go with the Columbia Valley, Riesling, 'Eroica,' Dr. Loosen, Château Ste. Michelle 2008.

(actually, I wouldn't have to be pressed; I liked this one)

This particular Riesling comes from Washington state, but don't let that deduce your opinion of its quality; nowadays, good Rieslings can be found from places all around the world from New Zealand to Chile to Canada (Canada makes some nice Ice Wines as well). Additionally, Château Ste. Michelle is a well known maker of elegant, quality wines.

Château's Riesling is definitely one of your sweeter Rieslings--but not cloyingly sweet, and yet, pleasantly lean. There's even a slight touch of effervescence and some acid to it.

At first taste, I thought I'd enjoy it better chilled, as an apéritif, but after tasting it again, with some goat cheese, I found its temperature perfectly suitable and it really opened up the fruitiness. At a mere $22, not bad at all. A nice start to a light summer meal, I'd say.

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>WHAT I'VE LEARNED THIS PAST WEEK>>

It's been a busy 2 weeks and I haven't had a chance to sit down and write a blog... I guess I also haven't had any truly exciting culinary experiences to blog about either (although I did go to Motorino last week and it wasn't that bad).

I did learn though that the cough which I've had for nearly 3 months now is from allergies; I was convinced I had become allergic to my job because I only coughed when I was at work, but it must have been because the maître d's podium is right below an open and dusty stairwell...

In addition to the previous tidbits of wisdom I've picked up along the way are a few more that I've recently discovered. Here they are, in order of happenstance:

>$50 for 2 pizzas and 1 cup of wine at Motorino was not really worth it

>The Slipper Room can be fun and so was Home Sweet Home

>Campari & Ginger is as good a drink as I'd remembered

>I can make a pretty good rehearsal dinner seating chart

>I like collard greens more than I'd realized

>Park Slope is further than I'd realized

>I really, really like cucumber sandwiches

>The Blue Ribbon in Brooklyn is really, really big

>Union Hall (in Park Slope) has bocce ball lanes

>Corn dogs and champagne... pair just fine

>I should smoke cigars instead of cigarettes since I don't inhale them anyway

Hopefully, I'll pick up some more nuggets of wisdom this week as well; I'm planning for another French lesson with Vilmarie and tonight I'm back to wine class with: The Great Rieslings of the World! Then, break again until June 1st when Advanced Wine Essentials begins, for 4 weeks, and then just 2 more elective classes until I am certificated!

I'm also pondering taking the Culinary Management course the school offers, in the fall. [Restaurant Management]'ll be my backup plan until I publish my collection of short stories--and make it big.

Until then, I've decided to study for at least a year by reading Truman Capote's La Côte Basque 50 times, to start.

(Why am I always setting such impractical reading goals for myself?) > >

>HOUSE WINE, HEAD CHEESE & SNOOTY SERVERS>>

Thursday afternoon I met up with Cynthia in Washington Square Park where we had a short stroll before heading east for B Bar & Grill (a.k.a. Bowery Bar) for some lunch. I'd like to say that it was all good, but in fact, it was all bad...

Nothing was quite catching my eye (or Cynthia's for that matter) from the menu, so I inquired of our server about specials. (Shouldn't he have told us already?) He pulled out his pad and read the specials, line-by-line from the cardboard side of his pad, without any eye contact with Cynthia or myself. One of the specials was a zucchini asparagus soup. I asked how it was prepared: "Are the vegetables puréed? like in a cream-based soup?"

"No."

"Too bad," I thought, "I would have liked that."

At a loss, I ordered the Home Made Tortilla Chips with Salsa and the Pork Chop Special (and I also ordered a glass of their Pol Deau, sparkling Blanc de Blanc).

Turning to Cynthia: "I asked him about the specials because they usually have some good ones on their specials chalkboard."

With our food order in, I left Cynthia for a moment to wash up for lunch. On my way back, I noticed on the specials chalkboard (which was out of viewing range from our table), Fish & Chips--which our server did not mention to us.

"I knew there had to be other specials on that chalkboard--they're serving Fish & Chips! That would have been perfect!"

"Our server sucks."

"Ouiais..."

A few minutes later, a food runner came out with Cynthia's zucchini asparagus soup and my non-exciting chips & salsa. Cynthia's soup was, in fact, puréed--exactly what I had been craving. And my chips, which according to the menu were "home made," were less than thrilling (they weren't even appetizing).

But here comes the real kicker: After I finished my first glass of Blanc de Blanc, our server asked me, "Would you like to upgrade to a Moët or Veuve, or just stick to the house white?"

Was he kidding??

"No thanks, I'll just stick to the low-end stuff."

Next, on our thus far unpleasant luncheon, came the main course, my Pork Chop Special.

It was o.k. The potatoes, stuffed with bacon and rosemary, were not bad, but I wish there were more than just two smallish ones.

And my server never even brought me a steak knife.

I had previously told Cynthia I'd share half of my pork chop with her, but I shamefully dispatched every last bite... I was desperately seeking solace.

As my cleared plate laid before me, untouched, our server asked as he was passing by, "Can I get you anything else?"

You mean aside from clearing my plate away?

He never did and I finally just moved it to the side.

"We should have just went to Blue Ribbon. Every time we try to stray, something goes wrong."

"Agreed."

After a stroll eastward, into Alphabet City and making a pit stop at The Summit Bar to visit some friends, Cynthia and I headed west for Blue Ribbon.

I told Cynthia that the night before I was at Blue Ribbon and had their Smoked Trout appetizer, which I've oft been curious about, and it was wonderful! I was also craving the Salt and Pepper Shrimp because in a recent conversation about shrimp-eating-etiquette with one of their servers, I was told the tail is the best part. (I always eat the skin, but I'd never eaten the tail. Was it possible for the Salt & Pepper Shrimp to get even better??)

Cynthia and I saddled ourselves up at the bar while bartender James poured a cava for myself and fixed a St. Germain Elderflower Martini for Cynthia (she let me pick out her drink). While we waited for our dishes to arrive, Cynthia and I noticed behind the bar, the newly released Blue Ribbon Cookbook. James handed it over to us and we flipped through until we found the recipe for Beef Marrow and Oxtail Marmelade (serves 6-8). Cynthia and I are making it this summer.

Our Smoked Trout came out first and was, as it was the night before, wonderful. It came with a side of fresh tartar sauce and a few slices of (lightly pickled?) beets.

An understated, yet brilliant dish.

(I know, not very good-looking here--I always forget to take the picture before I start eating.)

Next was the Salt and Pepper Shrimp. (Oh, how I missed that smell!)

I cut into my first morsel, exposing the shrimp's thick, white meat (they're amazingly big!) and after the first two cuts, reached the tail end. I asked Cynthia why the tail was the best part and she explained to me: "It's not that it's the best part, but it's not to be wasted."

Along with the last bit of meat of my first shrimp, I gobbled up the tail whole.

Cynthia was right, the tail is not to be wasted...

Saturday, I stopped in for some lunch/brunch at Bar Boulud, near 63rd Street.

I had some shopping to do for a bridal shower I was going to the following afternoon and beginning at Card-O-Mat at 112th Street, I walked all the way down to Kate's Paperie on 57th. Before I arrived at my final shopping destination, I became a little peckish and decided to pop into Bar Boulud for a quick charcuterie platter.

I decided on the Fromage De Tête Gilles Verot (head cheese terrine) and a glass of their Gonzalez Byass Nectar, Pedro Ximenez.

"You know that's not cheese."

"Ouiais."

May I upgrade my server, please?? > >

>WRITING, WHELKS + TRUMAN CAPOTE>>

So, Thursday was a bit of a depressing day for me--at least it started that way. For some reason to which I don't know the answer, I started the day without my usual black cup of coffee which threw everything off.

Nearly my first full hour of being awake was spent "checking Facebook." Then I tried to do some reading, but was too unmotivated. I decided I'd do some writing instead.

... I've been feeling the itch to write more too (and more than just on my blog).

But I think there's a fear of failure keeping me from doing so. I want the very first thing I write (and publish) to be as good as Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. I also think the other problem is, that although I know I enjoy writing, I have yet to find my writing niche.

My "book," or "novel," which I began work on over a year ago, has gone nowhere. I've more or less given up on it even though I keep telling everyone that I just "have it on the back burner." From my book, I came away with just 1 piece that I was completely happy with and I submitted it to New York Times Magazine's "Lives" column, but it was rejected. That really put a damper in my spirit.

I actually had plans to go to a wine tasting at Cipriani that afternoon, but all my (decent) clothing was at the dry cleaners and I 1. didn't think that they'd be ready for pick up yet and 2. if they were, I'd have $20 less for my dinner date with Cynthia later that night.

Later, during lunch, I asked David why artists were at their best when they were in pain.

"That's not neccesarily the case... Are you talking about Lady Gaga?"

I went on to tell him that I felt like I was up against a wall with my writing. His answer to my unspoken prayer? Answered Prayers by Truman Capote.

I've always been a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. And reflecting upon what I'd written just that morning, David's reading suggestion, which he placed on the kitchen table before me, seemed to be an affirmation of my belief loud and clear...

I returned to bed and began to read the Editor's Note and it did, even if just a little, renew my inspiration.

3:30. I had to get ready to meet Cynthia at Lure.

I tried on nearly a dozen different outfits before finally settling on an unordinarily casual look.

I arrived at Lure later than we had originally planned on and it was jam-packed. I texted Cynthia and told her to meet me at Woo Lae Oak instead.

I recommended that we go somewhere totally different for dinner; we always ended up at our same old haunts. But by the time we finished our first drink at Woo, I was already feeling hungry and decided we scrap the idea of strolling about the city until we found something that struck our fancy.

"Let's just go to Blue Ribbon."

Even though it was only 7 o'clock, on a Thursday, there was a 45 minute wait for a table. But Cynthia and I were having a casual afternoon and didn't mind waiting...

At the bar, Cynthia and I each ordered a glass of cava and before we had even finished our first glass, our table was ready.

Our server, Ben, informed us of the evening's specials; they were serving Whelks again.

The first time I'd heard of them there, my server gently nudged me towards not ordering them.

"They're pretty intense..."

But hey, Cynthia and I are pretty intense too.

Cynthia: "We'll take 6."

Me: "And the Pork Chop special."

(The girl sitting next to us at the bar was having it and it looked delightful!)

The Whelks arrived, surprisingly large. I picked up my first shell and pierced my fork deep into the dark and cavernous opening. Out came a large, curled hunk of meat.

Intense.

I drizzled a little lemon onto it and touched it down upon the mayonnaise dressing. After a deep breath, I placed the aquatic creature in my mouth.

"I don't like it...

But, I'm going to eat them anyway."

It definitely took some courage to eat my share of the 6 Whelks, but I've eaten some pretty courageous dishes before--this should be cake. I think what bothered me most about the Whelks was that the outer part of the Whelk was rubbery while the inner part was mushy. And they were just so big! Cynthia also mentioned that she thought she'd like them better if they weren't served cold, to which I agreed...

I finished my last meaty morsel with the only solace of knowing that a good-old-fashioned pork chop was about to arrive.

Even though I didn't find the dish as delicious tasting as it looked, nonetheless, it was still quite good. It came with a nice side of mashed potatoes (with a touch of lumpiness) and some fresh, sautéed spinach--a perfect contrast to the dish.

At the end, Cynthia and I used the delicious warm bread to sop up the remaining dressing.

Later, Ben came over to our table and said, "Now that's the kind of meal I like: Whelks and Pork Chops!"

> > > >

Trying to keep my wallet as full as my appetite, I opted against ordering dessert and Cynthia and I left Blue Ribbon in search of some dive bars to finish our night off with...

We headed west and stopped at Sway (façade: McGovern's Bar) on Spring Street. The venue had a heavy Moroccan vibe (thanks to curved archways and mosaic-tiled cocktail tables) and expensive drinks.

"I'll just take your house vodka this time."

"$16."

"You mean it's only a dollar more for top shelf??"

The DJ was pretty great (at times) and Cynthia was pretty impressed that he was spinning vinyl.

Much later that night (and after Cynthia found out some good news from her cousin in San Diego), we both found ourselves feeling a little peckish and ended up back at Blue Ribbon.

"We're celebrating--dinner's on me!"

We hopped into a cab and headed west for B.R.

It was nearly empty (and 3:16 a.m.) and the maître d' sat us right away.

"We'll have the Endive Salad and the Duck Club."

(I couldn't believe we were there twice in one night.)

Cynthia and I hit that club like hungry wolves and somehow, the cavas kept on coming...

We shut Blue Ribbon down.

> >