Women and wine (part one) – what to drink in 2013
If your perception of a typical wine professional is a red-nosed, toffee-nosed, corduroy-jacketed man, think again. The wine industry, once almost exclusively a male preserve, has in the last couple of decades woken up to the fact that women are major buyers of wine, may be better at tasting than men (women have more tastebuds, a keen sense of smell and a higher proportion of supertasters) and like to drink the stuff too (and that’s not just maiden aunts quaffing sweet sherry).
The United Arab Emirates is often a bit behind the times, but it catches up with gusto. I’ve been meeting more and more women in working in the wine industry and hosting wine events here recently (more of this in part two) – and took my next tiny step in the world of wine myself with my WSET exams in 2012.
For a small place in the middle of the Persian Gulf, we have quite a good choice of wine available here in Dubai in the scheme of things – although tax and import duty has an effect on the prices. I’ll be very glad to see the back of the local obsession with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio and just hope this happens in 2013. I’m looking for some more interesting wine producers, wine styles and grape varieties this year and asked four of my favourite female wine writers and experts (two based here in Dubai) what they are going to be drinking in 2013. They’ve come up with some informed, vibrant and eclectic recommendations that I’ve squirrelled away in my iphone for referral already.
What we’ll be drinking in 2013
Kat Wiggins – Marketing Manager at Lay & Wheeler, Master of Wine student, twitter addict and blogger at The Wine Kat (where she writes about wine and shoes)
I think in 2013, I will be continuing my love affair with new world Chardonnay. At the fine wine end of the spectrum, there is extraordinary quality to be found in USA, Australia, NZ and South Africa. Current examples I have tucked away include Neudorf, Kumeu River, Ten Minutes by Tractor, Au Bon Climat and Chamonix. I am sure I will add to them – although I won’t be able to resist them for long either!
Julia Harding – is a Master of Wine, award-winning wine writer, lecturer and wine mentor. She has been a wine buyer for the highly respected Waitrose wine-buying department, before becoming Jancis Robinson’s full-time researcher, co-ordinator and associate palate in 2005. She has contributed to the most recent editions of The Oxford Companion to Wine and The World Atlas of Wine, and has just finished researching and writing, with Jancis and with Dr José Vouillamoz, Wine Grapes: a complete guide to 1,380 varieties including their origins and flavours (Allen Lane/Ecco, Oct 2012) as well as playing a major role in maintaining the award-winning www.JancisRobinson.com.
What will I be drinking in 2013? Working on our recently published Wine Grapes (see www.winegrapes.org) over the last four years has constantly stimulated my thirst for wines from rare grape varieties, so I will continue to keep my eyes and ears open for those.
This week, for example, in preparation for a VinCE masterclass in Budapest in March, I retasted a varietal Shavkapito produced by Pheasant’s Tears in Georgia (probably about 10 ha in existence) and Walter Massa’s Timorasso (c 20 ha) from Tortona in north-west Italy. But that doesen’t mean that I will be giving up on fine German Riesling, most often off-dry and dry. There are many producers I admire but two of my favourites (if you judge by what is my mini cellar, ex coal hole under the stairs) are Klaus Peter Keller from Rheinhessen and Dönnhof from the Nahe (I could name others but they spring to mind first). Over the last couple of years I have also bought a small amount of St-Aubin from Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey – wonderfully precise wines.
Not that I only ever drink white wine, though on balance I probably drink more white than red. I hope I get a chance to drink some older red Burgundy and Bordeaux this year but also a peppering of Cabernet Franc, one of my favourite red varieties. On the whole, I like reds that are fresh and have a bit of a bite to them, like Frappato from Sicily or Vinhão from Vinho Verde country in northern Portugal or high-quality Valpolicella from the Veneto. I almost forgot to mention the northern Rhône, and Nebbiolo from Piemonte – it is just impossible to narrow it down!
My recent foray into Portugal for my top 50 has also inspired me about wines, especially white, from that country.I cannot leave out sherry and madeira, both of which I relish on the right occasion. I buy as much sherry from the Equipo Navazos as I can afford and reasonably drink and Barbeito is probably one of my favourite madeira producers right now. Port is less common for me but I hope I get a chance to drink more of Dirk Niepoort‘s fabulous colheitas and tawnies.To be completely honest though, most of what I will be drinking in 2013 is currently unknown to me, and I am very happy about that. I love trying wines I have never come across before – new producers, new regions, new grape varieties – for me that is part of the endless fascination and pleasure of wine.
Sarah Walton – food, wine and travel blogger at The Hedonsita who, in her wine-related past, has studied wine in Australia, been a sommelier, written a wine magazine, been a wine sales rep and had a wine website with cellar management and online sales. Her frank and open approach to wine banishes mystery and wine snobbery.
First, I’m going to drink a selection of 2010 white burgundies and Chablis. I’m going to stick to Rullys in the main, because I can afford them better than the Meursaults. I’ll have the odd stab at some 2010 Chablis, but these will probably be better in the long term rather than the short, and there’s no point in keeping anything for more than a few months in this climate unless you’ve got a serious wine storage facility. I’ve already had some pearlers from the Mâconnais, despite reports that they are variable because of some summer hail. Red Burgundies are also going to be great from 2010, better probably than the white, but like the Chablis, they are probably going to be better in a couple of years.
Next, I am going to attack a whole stack of 2010 Mornington Peninsular Chardonnays (Australia) with gusto. Pretty good year despite a bit of humidity, and drinking beautifully right now. Of course, practically nothing from the region is available in Dubai, so I’m going to have to bring some treasures back from Australia each time I visit.
Next, I’m going to throw myself towards Spain. Not for any particular vintage (although 2010 seems to be a good one to stick with again), but for the region, because I’m going to be in Cataluña later this year, and I want to be informed when I jump in the car to cellar door hopping. I’m going to veer towards Priorat reds (2009 or 2005 they say) and Rias Baixas for the whites because I adore Albariño, and maybe some Godello from Valdeorras because I hear it’s very nice. Have no idea if I can find it locally though. And then, of course, Cava. Bubbles always require further examination.
St. Emilion, France Chateau La Clotte the day before 2012 fall harvest
Catherine Watkins - is a Certified Sommelier with The Court of Master Sommeliers in London, a member of the Guild of Sommeliers in Napa, California and gained her WSET Advanced Award (with distinction) to name a few. She co-hosts both the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Wine Club monthly wine tastings in addition to serving as the Sommelier to the International Wine & Food Society of Dubai. Sommelier services available upon request.
Here’s what I’m drinking now and looking forward to enjoying in the months to come:
Budget-savvy white wine for now is Gazela 2011 Vinho Verde from Portugal. Delicious, crisp and slightly petulant in the glass. Good with light salads or seafood.
Budget Go-To red currently is from Catena in Argentina. With Nicolas Catena recently awarded wine maker of the year in 2012 by Wine Spectator his brand is getting it’s “due” and for good reason. The 2010 Alamos Cabernet Sauvignon is rich, fruit laden and perfect on a cool winter evening with red meats. At under 40AED ( from A+E) a bottle it’s a steal.
A mid-priced red I’m still loving, that has recently gotten high praise in the wine press, is the Clos de L’Oratoire des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010 (from MMI). A good match with lamb or charcuterie or hard salty cheeses.Looking forward to seeing the 2013 southern hemisphere harvest results and what delicious wines they produce from the non-aged category of Sauvignon Blanc and other light whites.
I recommend anyone holding and aging their ’05, ’09 & ’10 Bordeaux to be patient and let them develop-10 years time is the best to begin the drinking window. By all means enjoy your ’00’s now and into the future. Many will drink well 30+ years on.
The cocktail scene is lightening up as well with bartenders beginning to branch out from their recent crush on “Brown” spirits (Rye, and blended whisky) in cocktails. Look for creativity with eau de vie, liqueurs and unusual blends with fruit juices and aromatic spices. Not sure we’ll be ordering these anywhere except the top bars with the best mixologists in town but keep your eyes and taste buds open for something fresh in the spring as this trend makes it’s way around the globe.
Massive thanks to my generous contributors. I’ve discovered some wonderful wines in the company of Sarah and Catherine here in Dubai and have a few bottles of some rather nice wine tucked away in the UK due to the help of Kat and the team from Lay & Wheeler. Thanks to Julia for taking time away from Jancis Robinson’s purple pages which I subscribe to and provides some of the most intelligent wine writing available. Wine Grapes should be on the wish list of anyone who wants to know about wine (it’s on mine).
In 2013 I’ll be trying to stem the tide of astringent Sauvignon Blanc by serving Riesling, Grüner Veltliner (particularly Charming) and Torrentes at home. There are some particularly nice examples of the latter around, many produced sustainably or even organically. I’m also planning to take in some wine on my travels – with Georgia and Portugal both on my radar. Hoping that 2013 will be a better year for English winemakers too. Sharpham deserves another visit and I plan to sample Camel Valley wines in situ, with a short detour to some West Country cider makers.
A few tasting highlights from 2012
Wine blogs I like, written by women (in no particular order):
The Wine Detective – Sarah Ahmed; independent, award-winning wine writer and communicator
The Wine Kat – Musings on fine wine, fine food and, occasionally, fine shoes
The Wine Sleuth – A Californian in London; wine, food and travel
Wine and the City – The Drinks Business Magazine journalist with a passion for wine, food and travel
Wine blog – juicy tales by Joan Diaz
Sip Swoosh Spit – a passion for wine from how it’s made to how it tastes
Miss Bouquet – nose good wine
Wine Passionista – your enthusiastic guide to helping you choose, discover and enjoy every glass
Matching food and wine – Fiona Beckett: food and wine pairing made easy
What are you planning to drink in 2013? Please share your recommendations in the comments.
Rosemary and date syrup bread – a clean slate
“There’s absolutely no food in this house.” This statement, usually delivered with a dramatic sweep of the arm and a pointed stare at me, is uttered now and again by my teens. This is despite rather strong evidence to the contrary (full cupboards, a packed fridge). What they mean is that there is no food in the house that they’d like to eat right at this particular moment. After weeks with the house full of visitors, we are out of routine so when this was last uttered I directed them to a notepad and pen so they could add their essential staples to the shopping list. But bread was one item that I refused to buy. New year, clean slate time – it’s back to home-made.
The silence of the kitchen when everyone is out at school and work; the joy of working from home so I can pop down from my office after each stage of proving; the pleasure of welcoming the teens home after a hard day with a loaf still warm from the oven. Oh bread-making how I’ve missed you.
Whole wheat would wait for another day, but the astringency of rosemary is completely in tune with a simpler diet after the excess of the last few weeks.
I piled flour and salt on the counter, mixed yeast and date syrup into water barely warm from the kettle and poured it into the mound to make a mini-lake. Drawing the flour from the edges little by little with a fork to form a thick swamp, I then swapped to my dough scraper to fold in the edges to make a shaggy pile. Plastic scrapers are all the rage but I love the smooth, wooden handle of mine. Finely chopped rosemary was added as I stretched and folded with rhythmic kneading, the silky dough becoming speckled and smooth. After proving, shaping and rising again, I slashed the top, lay a branch of rosemary on one loaf and slid them into the oven. Several squirts from my water spray into the heat pierced the calm with intense hissing.
The teens ate slices spread with butter. Inspired by the Grana Padano pairing with honey at Cucina Caldesi I added a slice of Parmesan and more date syrup (a good quality one from Baker and Spice). Anything makes a great sandwich with this bread but you could use Brie and grapes, cold lamb and redcurrant jelly, chicken with salad in a lemon oil dressing or thinly sliced smoked pork with slices of apple.
I’m joining in with the Twelve Loaves theme of a clean slate this month. Cake Duchess has the details and lots of other bread baking inspiration. Go on, join us – make a loaf today.
Rosemary and date syrup bread
Ingredients (I doubled this and made two loaves)
- 10g active dried yeast
- 15g date (or maple) syrup
- just over 300ml water, heated until tepid or blood temperature
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 12g sea salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) finely chopped fresh rosemary
- Put the flour and salt in a pile on the work surface (clean with enough room to move) and make a very large flat well in the centre, keeping a wall of flour round the edge.
- Dissolve the yeast with the date syrup in the tepid water, mix with a fork and pour the liquid into the well.
- Use the fork to incorporate some flour from the edges of the well, a little at a time.
- When the consistency of the liquid centre is quite thick (i.e. won’t run all over the surface) switch to a dough scraper and fold the outside edges into the middle. Keep doing this until you have a shaggy pile of mixture in the middle. If the dough is too dry add a little more water. Do not use more flour though – it shouldn’t stick and you can scrape everything up with the dough scraper.
- Make a dip in the top of the dough and add the chopped rosemary. Fold the dough over it and start to knead gently; continue for about 10 minutes until a smooth, elastic ball of dough is formed.
- Put the dough in a large bowl covered with cling film or a cloth and leave to double in size (about an hour).
- If you have made double the amount this is the time to cut the dough in half. Shape your loaf by flattening it gently into a round (like a thick pizza) then rolling it up. Place it on an upside down baking tray lined with baking paper, seam side down. Leave to rise again so it doubles in size (45 minutes to 1 hour). Meanwhile heat the oven to 200 C with a baking tray or baking stone inside.
- Slide the loaf gently onto the heated baking tray or stone – I keep it on the baking paper and find this helps. Give several vigorous squirts from a water bottle into the oven and shut the door. Turn the heat down to 180 C. Repeat the squirting after 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven after about 25 minutes, when golden with a crisp crust. Cool on a rack.
What are you are going to make (or eat) as part of a clean slate at the start of the year?
Taste the difference: black and white truffles
There’s no love lost between the English and the French…but this rivalry doesn’t seem to extend to food. Perhaps English food is beneath the gaze of the Gallic nation; and the British attitude to food tends to be as an adjunct to our lives rather than an all-encompassing central focus.
However antipathy between the French and the Italians comes to head when food is on the agenda. Ask a countryman of either nation about a shared ingredient or classic dish of the other and the reaction will usually be something along the line of ‘what do they know’ accompanied by the throwing up of hands or the shrugging of shoulders. With many prized ingredients and dishes in common (e.g. minestrone topped with pesto, soup a la pistou) and a passion for tradition and authenticity perhaps the similarities are just too close for comfort.
Truffles are a prime example. The Italians head out into the forests during October and November with dogs to seek out the white truffle (Tuber magnatum) and truffle fairs are held where prices for this knobbly fungi are legendary. The French use pigs to root up black truffles (Tuber melanosporum) the best specimens are reputedly from the Perigord (not to be confused with the summer or burgundy truffle - Tuber aestivum/uncinatum). Do the English have truffles? Yes, they grow on our Isles but only the most dedicated forager ever samples their delights.
Chef Cyril talks about black truffles from the Perigord at Rostang; white truffles at Ronda Locatelli
I’ll admit to a strong bias, having sampled the new season truffle menu many times at Ronda Locatelli at Atlantis, I had been totally seduced by the simple dishes (from risotto to pasta) which showcase the musky attractions of the white truffle. I was interested to step across the corridor into Rostang for a chance to try new season French black truffles flown in from the Perigord.
Michel Rostang gained fame and his first Michelin partly due to his creation of the black truffle sandwich. This was the first thing we tried at a dinner held to showcase a special new season truffle menu. Chef Cyril Jeannot brought round the sandwich wrapped in cling film in its raw state. For the flavour of the filling to permeate the butter and bread, it is kept in the fridge for three days. It amused me to see us all sniffing a sandwich, like a bizarre dining ritual.
A black truffle was also passed around. At first I was surprised at how weak the scent was compared to fresh white truffles. But after holding for a few moments I suddenly smelled a strong but elusive porcine aroma giving way to a much more complex layer of scents. It was like the forest floor with hints of green herbs, moss and earth.
Simple carbohydrates and fats are the perfect foil for truffle flavours; would anything on this menu live up to Giorgio Locatelli’s truffle risotto or raviolo uovo with a shaving of truffle? The butter from the sandwich had melted into the toasted bread, it was like elements of a luxurious fried breakfast. I tried to be restrained but finished the lot.
Sandwich a la truffe fraiche par Michel Rostang and a foie gras and leek terrine with truffle
Next was la terrine de foie gras, poireaux truffes; You’d expect the foie gras to be the star wouldn’t you, but it was the soft, buttery leeks that won the day. A puree of artichoke was lovely although it revealed why French cuisine is often not vegetarian-friendly – there was foie gras in the purée! They were lovely flavours but quite rich and salty after the other things we’d tasted. Finally we had a choice of chicken roasted with black truffles under the skin or sea bass. Although the chicken choosers raved about the sauce (which was really good) I was delighted with my fish dish as it was the closest to that ambrosial carbo-truffle combination that takes you away from the table and off into heavenly clouds of sensory enjoyment. The beautifully cooked sea bass fillet was accompanied by a little mound of creamy, buttery mashed potato flecked with black truffle.
Dessert and truffles are a bit contrived to me, I’d rather have a savoury dish however glorious Locatelli’s truffle zabaglioni is. A simple baked apple with almonds and black truffle was an unexpected treat. The apple, an old, traditional, French variety called Reinette Clochard (I refuse to use the word heirloom here), quite similar to a Russet in taste and texture, a drop of creme fraiche or cream would have been my only addition.
So I’ll get off the fence now. In the black versus white truffle head to head which was my favourite? Whether it’s the Italian seduction technique or the indefinable muskiness of the taste and scent of the white truffle, the tartufo bianco remains in pole position for me.
Sea bass and gorgeous mashed potatoes with truffle. The apples before they were baked.
A fresh, white truffle has a compelling aroma that makes you want to inhale deeply, somewhere between a chamois leather and the rind of a ripe brie but with the delicacy of a spring flower. The flavours give a nod to the mushroom but in umami-ness, earthy and nuttiness. The appeal is so irresistible that a friend of mine was compelled to eat dirt when in Piedmont (completely understandable). However the black truffle had different qualities which make it a very special gastronomic experience. With the Italian season over, I’m quite happy to move over the border.
You can taste this menu yourself as part of Truffes Janvier 2013 at Rostang from Thursday 17th – Sunday 20th January, 2013. On Friday 18th January, 2013 Celebrity chef Michel Rostang himself will host a special dinner where every dish features the tasty truffle. Diners will be offered a rare chance to mingle with the culinary star. More info here
So to borrow a line from Michael Jackson, ‘It don’t matter if you’re black or white”…unless you’re a truffle.
What’s your experience of truffles? Love them, hate them or think they are over-rated? Have you tried (or foraged for) an English truffle? Or in other parts of the world? Or never tried them (truffle oil which generally contains no truffle at all does not count!)?
Related articles
- French truffle thieves face military threat (guardian.co.uk)
- Precious White Truffles (edinburghfoody.com)
- IHT Rendezvous: The Trouble With Truffles (rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com)
- English truffles; where to find them (guardian.co.uk)
- Eating white truffle with Giorgio Locatelli (mycustardpie.com)
- Truffle, risotto and the perfect pasta from Giorgio Locatelli (mycustardpie.com)
- On moderation and militants (mycustardpie.com)
- The truffle hunter and his dog (lifeinthefoodlane.com)
French oysters; a quick guide to choosing, shucking and eating
Oysters can be scary. Their appearance for a start; like a fossil on the outside and something prehistoric on the inside. That’s supposing you can get into them without slicing your finger off in the process. You have to loosen them from the shell and tip the lot into your mouth, without showering yourself, and then eat something that’s still alive. And then there’s the risk or food poisoning isn’t there? And shouldn’t you eat them at certain times of the year?
So why do we bother? The French poet Leon-Paul Fargue said eating one was ‘like kissing the sea on the lips’ and I agree. It was in Hyde Park at a small food fair that I had my first opportunity to try one. Freshly shucked oysters lay on crushed ice, on sale for 50p each. I bought one, dressed it with a little lemon juice and then turned my back on the stall holder so he wouldn’t guess that I didn’t know what to do next and that I was slightly terrified. Edging away in readiness for a quick getaway if I had the urge to spit it out, I took the plunge. Some taste memories stay with you for decades and this was one of them. The salty, sour liquid cooled and enlivened my tongue at the same time. The silky meatiness of the mollusc as it slid down my throat was pure pleasure. I’d started a love affair for life, although in the speed-dating world of oyster-eating you sometimes get to kiss a few frogs when searching for your prince.
Strangely, I’ve eaten more oysters here in Dubai than at any other time in my life; flown in, wrested from their beds, they feature in the more luxurious buffets and many menus. The French claim to have the best oysters in the world. They’ve had a passion for them since Roman times; so passionate in fact that over-harvesting decimated stocks of their native breeds and most varieties produced there now were sourced originally from Japan. But where better to expand my rather sketchy knowledge of oysters than Rostang, which bears the name of a famous two-Michelin-starred, French chef, under the guidance of the heavily accented Breton called Cyril.
Stepping across the threshold of Rostang is like leaving Dubai for Paris; a shine of dark wood, glow of art deco lamps, dusky chalk boards and the glimmer of patinaed mirrors. We sat at the bar while Chef Cyril guided us through the four varieties of French oysters that are flown in twice a week from Cancale in Brittany.
Oyster history
The French coast has always been a prime spot for oyster beds and the French cottoned on first to cultivating oysters in large numbers. Once home to the European (or native) oyster (Ostrea edulis), over-harvesting and then devastating oyster diseases reduced its numbers meaning that the French looked elsewhere for faster-growing and hardier varieties. These were initially from Portugal but then Pacific (or Rock) oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from Japan thrived and now dominate the market.
One in 100,000 oysters of these edible varieties contains a pearl.
Oyster varieties we tasted
Fine de Claire – These were the smallest and the saltiest (probably as they are fattened in salt marshes). They are very commonly served oysters from France with a good juicy texture and balance of slightly nutty, meaty flesh. If oysters can be compared to wine, I thought that these were the least complex in flavour and without much length.
Tsarskaya – A Pacific oyster variety developed for and grown solely in Cancale, named in honour of the prodigious appetite that the Tsars had for French oysters. This was my ideal oyster, with just a small squeeze of lemon, it had a clean taste that I absolutely adored. An iodine hit, the right amount of saltiness and a fresh pure acidity which meant I kept going back for more, (where the others were too rich to have more than a couple). It tasted like the very essence of the sea – ‘oh, those Russians’ (name that tune!)
Müirgan – In Gaelic means ‘born from the sea’ and originates in Ireland. Quite a delicate taste but sweeter than the first two, fleshier and larger in size. My neighbour from The Journal was in raptures about them.
Belon – The only European (native) oysters that were served. These were much flatter in shape they were the sweetest and meatiest (and the rarest and probably the costliest). Nice but my heart had been stolen already.
Also discussed was a native oyster called Pied de Cheval (horse’s hoof) which can weigh up to 3kg and live up to 20 years old. These are prized in France but I’m not sure I fancy them much. Sounds like far too much of a good thing.
Oysters and wine matching
The classic wine pairing for oysters is Muscadet and Manager Slyvan from Nantes looked with regret at the Petit Chablis being served, although Chablis is an excellent match. A young, unoaked, crisp white with good acidity is the ideal partner meaning you can enjoy the oysters without the need for other accompaniments (shallots, vinegar, lemon etc.). Non-vintage Perrier-Jouët Gran Brut Champagne was my choice; dry with citrus notes and a delicate mousse, which was versatile enough to match all the oyster styles and flavours. As this during the early days of January, I abstemiously avoided icy cold vodka which was also offered and could have been perfect with the Tsarskaya oysters.
Sizes, storing and serving
Fresh oysters have a nine day shelf life from harvest if kept refrigerated, but for eating the fresher the better. Cyril advised that they should be served on ice to keep them fresh but not cold. Never put them in ice or they will freeze (and die). When just opened, if you touch the oyster with the tip of a knife it will move; this means it’s alive (and edible). As for eating only when there was an ‘r’ in the month, they are not as dangerous as they were during summer in France and England before refrigeration was available, but the warmer weather does have a slightly detrimental effect on the taste. Do make sure you eat them from a reputable supplier or restaurant though.
Pacific oysters and native oysters have different measurement systems in France. Pacific oysters are graded from 5 to 0 (the latter the largest, weighing over 150g) and native from small (petit) to very large (très grande – over 100g).
Muirgen oyster – this is a size 1
Shucking or opening oysters
Every year Rostang holds an oyster opening competition among their guests, where the one who opens the fastest wins special prizes. Use a short bladed oyster knife and follow the instructions from Chef Cyril below:
Eating oysters in Dubai
It is reputed that Henri IV, Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette and Napoléon all insisted on oysters only from Cancale, refusing any other type. The raw bar at Rostang has featured produce from Parcs Saint Kerber, oyster producers from Cancale in Northwest France throughout January but this ended today. However oysters are usually on the menu at Rostang and there are plans to have a year-round oyster and Champagne bar, launching soon.
My recommendations for other good places to eat oysters in Dubai (and the UAE) include Rivington Grill (theirs are Scottish) and The Beach Bar and Grill at the One & Only. Independent restaurant reviewer Foodiva gave me her recommendations too:
Fire & Ice at Raffles – I had some size 4s there recently, or maybe they were 5s?!…
Tomo at Raffles has deep fried, tempura style ones on their menu
Vu’s at Jumeirah Emirates Towers
Pier Chic at Al Qasr
Wheeler’s by Marco Pierre White at DIFC
Scott’s at Jumeirah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi
The last word must go to Ernest Hemingway from his novel ‘A Moveable Feast’
“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”
So if you were scared of oysters before, have I convinced you to be braver now? Are you ready for the full-on French kiss or just a peck on the cheek? Have you always been seduced by their silky, saline charm? Do you remember your first oyster? And what and where were the best oysters you’ve even eaten?
Some other related articles worth reading
- The delights of the oyster (telegraph.co.uk)
- Oyster hunting break in Cornwall (bedruthan.com)
- Best matches with Oysters (matchingfoodandwine.com)
- A tasting tour at Atlantis (mycustardpie.com)
- Oysters: kissing the sea on its lips (blogs.vancouversun.com)
- The Only 7 Things You Need To Know About Oysters (buzzfeed.com)
Culinary bucket list 2013
Are you a list person? I am. It helps me feel in control of things and a great sense of satisfaction when I’ve ticked items off. I use a lovely online device called Workflowy. Shamelessly stealing this idea from Charmian Christie, I’m making a list of culinary stuff that I’d like to do this year. Inspired by Amanda of Glamorous Glutton and Tracy of Shutterbean I’m going to keep a beautiful notebook too; here’s how (will appeal to the neat freak).
Places I’d like to visit:
- There’s a fish restaurant in Sharjah where they only serve the best of the catch of the day, grilled on charcoal. I think it’s called Sanobar.
- I’m hankering after another food tour of old Dubai from Frying Pan Adventures. Ready for another taste bud awakening.
- And on that note, I need to visit the momo place in Bur Dubai so I can compare to the ones I ate in Kathmandu.
- Georgia – the one where Tbilisi is the capital (rather than the Atlanta one). See why here and here.
Things to learn/blog more about:
- Finding out exactly what my Vitamix can do.
- Custard. Yes, the quest for custard perfection continues.
- Emirati cuisine. I’ve got a great book to help me do it and a lovely friend who I hope will give me advice when I need it.
- My most visited post of 2012 was one I wrote in 2011 A jar of sunshine – home-made lemon curd which includes 10 uses for the yellow stuff. I’m planning more of this kind of thing.
- Bread. My baking journey of the last few years continues. I hope you’ll join me.
- Sour dough – long-term readers may notice that this resolution is not a new one.
- Perfecting pastry is another long-term goal. This is a great place to start.
- Sri-Lankan food. I had a great lesson in 2012 (to be written about) and it would make KP so happy.
- Wine. Any excuse to taste different wines to stop my WSET knowledge from fading. It’s a challenging but inexhaustible topic to write about.
- My new iphone – for learning about, not blogging about, that is. Already loving Snapseed app for images. Thanks to David Griffen’s tips. Plus do you want to know some secrets?
Ingredients to use more often:
- Sumac – this lemony, bright red spice shouldn’t just be reserved for fattoush
- Fish – my teens won’t eat it so I cook it less often than I’d like. Learning about the different fish available here in the UAE is an ongoing voyage of discovery.
- Bzar – Emirati spice mix (the garam masala of the Gulf)
- Pomegranate molasses – the new ‘in’ ingredient that people are scouring London for since publication of the latest Ottolenghi book (see below). In every supermarket here and infinitely versatile. I might even try making my own.
- Vegetables – ok, I know…but with food bills going up all the time, and meat increasingly expensive it makes sense to focus on the leafy stuff. Plus with a teen who has been vegetarian since the age of 7 it means I only have to cook once.
Recipes to try:
- Bourbon pear bread and butter pudding – swoon
- Sweet potato and pomegranate salad
- Autumn risotto – in fact make more risotto full stop
- Polish apple cake – to remind me of my Auntie Eva’s cooking
- Parsnip and apple breakfast cake – a different variation from a beautiful blog (and lovely blogger)
- Sausages – with some help from Francine please
- Baked beans with rum – oh yes! (found this meatball recipe there too)
- Slow roast shoulder of lamb with pomegranate molasses
- Pistachio torrone
Cookbook and culinary reading list:
Books on my shelf that I’m going to explore in more detail in 2013:
- Jerusalem – Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi; The first two Ottolenghi books are some of the most well-used books on my shelf but I haven’t explored this one properly yet (except the hummus recipe which, combined with my Vitamix, is the best ever).
- Sherbert and Spice – Mary Isin; I’ve been sent this Complete Story of Turkish Sweets and Desserts to review. It’s going to take some concentrated reading.
- Sugar Salt Smoke – Diana Henry; I’ve pots, jars and bottles all over my kitchen due to this book. Much more to explore in 2013.
- Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking: Traditional and Modern Recipes to Savor and Share – Paula Wolfert; 2013 is the year I brave Satwa and find some clay pots
- Short and Sweet – Dan Lepard; my ‘go to’ baking tome with get more use this year. The bread recipes alone are sublime.
Blogs to visit:
- The blogs listed to the right in the side bar are just some that I visit regularly and there are so many talented bloggers out there. I’m going to make sure I visit the ones that make me smile (or laugh out loud) a bit more in 2013:
- Dinner in 1972 – a new discovery recommended by….
- …Jen of Silver Screen Suppers who cooks from old film star’s recipes. Vincent Price’s goulash anyone?
- Shabby chic – based in the Cotswolds (where I’m from)…sigh
- Glamorous Glutton – written by Amanda of the oh so stylish notebook fame (see above)
And some personal ones:
- Hoard cheerful things for black dog days
- Resist the urge of the inbox (love this infographic)
- Banish fear of failing demons for greater productivity
Would love to know what you’ll be cooking up this year….
Some other related blog articles you might find interesting
- A Culinary Bucket List for 2013 (my-imperfect-kitchen.com)
- Resolution (ablognamedscout.com)
- Reasons to be cheerful 2013 (guardian.co.uk)
- New Year Goals (simplemom.net)
Goodbye, hello
January I woke up on 1st January 2012 on a beach and swam in the sea. I hate cold water but it was just perfect – blood temperature and the sea looked serene. There were jellyfish apparently, but I didn’t get stung.
The new year brought new adventures in cooking…I made bread with the tangzhong method and cooked salmon in a sink. Goulash soup soothed battered feelings.
February My sister brought joy to keep me strong while other family members were still in pain. We scampered through the lanes of Bur Dubai our senses awakened by extraordinary foods; and sipped Champagne in unparalleled luxury. I was courted with coffee. I fell asleep in the taxi after a ridiculously, blingy night out.
March Brought exquisite morsels, the veil lifting on Iranian food (and its hot and cold foods) and whole weekend dedicated to food. I met someone who actually drives an electric car here in Dubai in line with his organic principles. I finally mastered croissants.
April I made a really good friend…actually several. Lemon mousse fitted the mood.
May I learned to make coffee…really well. Pencils were sharpened, paints unearthed for a fresh look (at life) on my pie. Middle Eastern treasure was unearthed in Yemen via Dubai. I ate momos in Kathmandu.
June Jubilee fever stretched across the continents. I joined in mourning for Syria…how unbearably sad that this has not ended. My teeth and tongue were stained purple.
July I listened to Debussy. Rain chased me from England to the banks of Lake Geneva.
August I walked and walked and walked. I discovered the best of British food through country houses and Cotswold pubs.
September A weekend in London brought many new friends and old with jam on it. I ate tripe for the first time.
October Veg boxes were back in my life and not one but two amazing Italians. Plus some lovely friends.
November I ate one of the best meals of the year and a lot of pies.
December Floated by on Champagne with good friends and family.
I saw in the New Year sitting round a camp fire once again.
Thank you for all your visits, likes and comments over 2012; life’s is busy so I really appreciate you taking the time to read My Custard Pie. Wishing you a Happy New Year.
What were the highlights of 2012 for you?
Some other reviews of 2012 you might like
- 2012 A Year in Food (gourmand in the kitchen)
- Happy New Year – 2012 to 2013 gracefully (life’s a feast)
- Here we go with another Goodbye (ritzyfoto.wordpress.com)
- Goodbye 2012… Happy New Year 2013! (breakfastwiththebeatles.wordpress.com)
What’s your desert island dish?
Desert Island Discs. If that phrase does not immediately conjure up whimsical music backed by the sound of breaking waves and seagulls, let me explain… The eponymous series on BBC Radio 4 has been running for 70 years in 2012. Guests are interviewed and asked to choose the eight ‘discs’ that they would take with them if stranded on a desert island.
The selection of music and sounds that mean most to the guests is revealing and seems to act as a launch pad for many probing questions and exposés of character. A recent episode with the sprinter Michael Johnson showed a strength of character and focus of almost super-human proportions; I was close to tears listening to Emma Thompson recount the emotional struggle of getting through her divorce, describing her Father in such tender words and playing a piece that had been composed specially for their house in Scotland. The programme does not just focus on traditional ‘celebrities’ either. From scientists, to charity activists, playwrights, entrepreneurs to politicians – there is rarely a disappointing interview.
The atrocious circumstances of the flight from Nazi Germany gave a clue to the dark nature of Jan Pienowski‘s illustrations, while Dawn French went from tears (reminiscing about her Mother’s death) to laughter (her choice of Patrick MacNee and Honor Blackman’s Kinky Boots). Names associated with food and drink range from Nico Landenis, to Clement Freud, Fay Maschler and Anna del Conte. The latter spoke of serving up horse meat to unsuspecting house guests during the war. In line with her belief that her countrymen eschew novelty, ‘Italians want the same food made only better and better’, her desert island dish would be pasta with a good tomato sauce. Clarissa Dickson-Wright had no doubt that she would eat well on her island as she would hunt wild pig for making into wontons and forage for wild raspberries.
Over the last year and a bit I have asked some interesting people in the food world, including food bloggers, writers, authors and chefs, the following: “If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one three course meal (plus a bottle of something if desired), what would it be? “ It would be a sort of last meal on earth before a diet of coconuts and fish for ever more (or until you were rescued).
In no particular order, here are the replies:
Caroline Mili Artiss – successful video food blogger and TV chef (she also says she’s a custard fanatic too).
For my starters it would have to be scallops.. any which way really. I just LOVE scallops, I could eat ten in one go. Pan seared and wrapped in prosciutto.
Main course – A Chinese meal that I couldn’t bear to live without. It consists of three different types of meat (this is possibly the reason I chose it) and it is something that you can order from any good Chinese restaurant, the ones with the rows of duck and other meats hanging in the windows. This dish is almost like a staple Chinese meal and one that I have grown up on. It’s simplicity is what I love most about it as it let’s the flavors speak for themselves. It’s a plate with a big heap of plain steamed rice, topped with a few slices of roast duck, Char sui pork which is slowly cooked with a sweet marinade normally using five spice and honey, and siu youk pork. Siu Youk uses the belly of pork and it’s roasted until it is very crispy on the top with plenty of salt. There is also some plain steamed green vegetables like kai lan, a crunchy chinese broccoli and all this is topped with a drizzle of sweet soy sauce.
Dessert has to be a lemon meringue pie. To die for. Must be my ultimate favorite sweet treat. The tangy lemons with sweet meringues and crumbly pastry crust, who could resist?
I think from my selection you can tell I’m East meets West not only in the kitchen but in my DNA too.
Vanessa Kimbell – who runs a cookery school in Northampton, author of the cook book Prepped who describes herself as a food loving, sour dough adoring, baking mad foodie.
Starters Chinese Duck Canapes, Pork balls with caraway and Cardamon and basil ice-cream for pudding
Chinese Duck Canapes, Pork balls with caraway and Cardamon and basil ice-cream – image by Vanessa Kimbell
Jeanne Horak-Druiff – award-winning food, wine & travel blogger of Cook Sister
A starter of either seared foie gras and apple chutney; or MOUNDS of Jamon Iberico de Bellota; a main of a giant Caesar salad topped with the best quality salmon fillet available, very lightly seared; and for dessert, cherries Jubilee. To wash it all down? A bottle of pink Champagne like Graham Beck Brut Rose
Antonio Carluccio – Italian cookery writer and chef
Deeba Rajpal – Passionate About Baking food blogger is an understatement; she also write an online baking blog for the Times of India, one of India’s largest newspapers
My choice of desert island dishes would be:
Indian Chicken Mince Kebabs & Ricotta & Cream Cheese Chili Poppers
Chicken & Roasted Bell Pepper Juliennes {pot pies}, Sauteed French Beans, Potato-Mushroom Crouquttes … served with a cold pasta salad
Stone Fruit Crumbles with unsweetened low fat cream …. plus a bottle of Chardonnay { or maybe chilled beer}
Stone fruit crumbles from Passionate about Baking
Helen Graves – of Food Stories who blogs mainly about food and drink in Peckham, London (and a lot of pork recipes), sent me an email full of laughter, literally….
I think for my starter I would have an absolutely MASSIVE plate of Jamon Iberico, the best money can buy and a glass of Manzanilla. No a bottle actually. Then I think I might have pulled pork with Boston baked beans as that’s my favourite meal in recent memory. I am tempted to say a MASSIVE bowl of pasta though because I do love it. I would have anchovy, chilli, brocolli and garlic pasta with plenty of white wine and parsley. Breadcrumbs for the top please, fried in the oil from the anchovy jar.
For dessert…it would have to be ice cream as I’m a serious addict. Salted caramel perhaps. Can I have some cheese too? I want some cheese. A trolley of cheese actually and some bread and crackers to go with it. And some grapes.
Then I would like a double fernet branca.
I think that’s it. I better stop before I change my mind!
P.S. Actually no forget the pasta. I want the pulled pork and baked beans! Ha ha ha ha.
Porridge lady eating a pear
Anna Louise Batchelor aka Porridge Lady – Food Writer, blogger for the Soil Association, sustainable food advisor, radio reporter & presenter, cook and freestyle Porridge Maker who has been an award winner at the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Awards.
Whilst away I have been thinking on this and below is my ‘Desert Island Dish’. It is a very autumnal menu but I guess my fave dishes are real hearty comfort foods. After the harvest the foods in the South East of England are bountiful and delicious and it’s a great time to be hungry!
Starters; I don’t tend to eat a lot of starters but I would choose a little wholemeal sour dough bread lightly toasted with walnuts from my neighbour’s garden. Served with slices of with apples and pears from my local orchard – Cross Lanes Fruit Farm.
Main course – Toad in the hole with peas and home-made ketchup. I make my own sausages from meats reared on a local biodynamic farm and recently the lamb has been superb making very tasty sausages.
Pudding – Oatmeal spotted dick with home-made custard. This is the dish that I won the speciality section of the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships with and so it’s a dish close to my heart.
To drink – I drink very little alcohol but when I do I love perry which I buy from Olivers Cider and Perry company one of the few real Perry makers left in the country.
Oatmeal Spotted Dick – image by Porridge Lady
Claire Sutton – Who makes me homesick and hungry at the same time on Things We Make where she and her husband Ed blog and photograph (beautifully) the…things they make. Lots of common ground between her choices and mine.
Griddled Chicken Skewers with peanut satay sauce
Local Roast Rib of beef, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, horseradish sauce, proper gravy and fresh perfectly cooked vegetables
Raspberry Pavlova with extra thick cream
A bottle of Fleurie (I don’t know much about wine, but I know I have had this and it was nice!)
Claire’s Desert Island Dinner – image copyright Things We Make
Joan Nova - of Foodalogue who is a food blogger, recipe developer, cooking challenge enthusiast, wine imbiber, casual communicator, social media dabbler, photography enthusiast, tireless traveller.
Soooo hard to choose. I wanted to honor comfort foods from my Spanish-Italian heritage plus what I’ve learned from my travels and my penchant for things Latin American and Asian…not to mention recent discoveries as a blogger which have taught me to appreciate farm-to-table, clean, unprocessed, uncomplicated food preparations.
It was very hard to leave a seafood salad (Italian or ceviche) or some other fish dish behind. Wish it was 4 courses!!
The only thing I was totally sure about was the wine!!
First Course: Caponata Pasta (anchovy-based with eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, herbs, nuts, raisins, garlic, nuts and chili flakes) tossed with pasta and fresh boccocini.
Entrée: Grilled chorizo, broccoli rabe (rapini) and toasted ciabatta bread with a savory white bean spread.
Dessert: I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth, so I’d opt for twice-baked Italian biscotti with nuts and fruit. I find them irresistible. Maybe I’d take a scoop of deep chocolate gelato or Italian lemon ice or a Vin Santo to dunk that cookie!
Wine: Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. No question.
asparagus and goats’ cheese pasta from Ren Behan of Fabulicious Food
Ren Behan – freelance writer and blogger behind Fabulicious Food who likes to cook using fresh, seasonal ingredients, enjoys baking and is often influenced by the hearty, Eastern European food of her childhood.
For a starter I would go for Baked Aubergine/Eggplant ‘Iman Bayaldi’ topped with yoghurt, fresh herbs and diced, grilled halloumi cheese. A Turkish recipe I believe, where the eggplant is baked and with onion, garlic and tomatoes. I haven’t made it yet but once ate it at my favourite restaurant so I can’t wait to give it a go.
For a main course I would have to go with home made pasta, kept really simple. I love seasonal food and local produce so my recipe with asparagus and goats’ cheese would do nicely!
For dessert it would have to be a hot chocolate fondant pudding with a gooey centre and a scoop of Cornish clotted cream.
Wine – my favourite is the Viognier grape.
Diana Henry – award-winning food writer, author, cook and presenter
…and if you listened to the end of the recording, the answer was ‘bread and cheese’.
Clovis Taittinger – fourth-generation scion of the Taittinger dynasty and export director for the Champagne house.
For this meal I would come back to my roots. First a Camembert to remember good times when I was young; then a simple plate of pasta to give me more energy to face destiny, one with butter and ham; then traditional apple pie with vanilla ice cream. I’d have a last cigarette, if my pack was not wet, with an espresso …with Champagne.
Samantha Wood aka Foodiva – who writes impartial, intelligent restaurant reviews and foodie features about the U.A.E. and other countries.
OK here are mine. Must admit I struggled with the starter, there are so many for me. Yours is a great one too, I can eat pretty much anything with a runny egg, and I do love asparagus.
Starter; Pan-fried foie gras served with toasted brioche
Main course; Fillet steak cooked rare topped with Cafe De Paris butter, mustard mash potato and green beans with garlic
Dessert; Tarte Tatin served straight out of the pan (has to be the original dish with apple) with vanilla or clotted cream ice-cream – followed by a cheese platter with most definitely Stilton included!
Tipple; Dom Perignon rosé for all courses
Giorgio Locatelli – Award-winning Italian chef with restaurants in London and Dubai
Sheila Dillon from the BBC Food Programme mentioned taking watercress sandwiches which made me wish for a stream on the island where I could harvest some wild watercress.
And what would I choose?
I’d start with local asparagus, in season, from the Vale of Evesham with a poached egg on top (maybe Hollandaise too) and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Roast organic free-range pork would be my main course, with crispy roast potatoes, roast parsnips, Savoy cabbage, runner beans, apple sauce, gravy and lots of crackling. I’d be on my own on the desert island so no-one could complain about the crunching. Pudding would be blackberry and apple pie (the blackberries picked from the hedgerows) with home-made custard. Not the best food match, but I’d sip and savour a bottle of 1996 Chateau Palmer bringing back memories of friends who I drank this with.
Thank you to everyone who has participated. There are so many people left to include so I love to hear your choices in the comments section. This could be part one….who would you like to ask about their desert island dish?
As to why it’s taken me so long to write up, this post is something I’m printing out as my New Year’s resolution! Strike a chord? Happy New Year everyone – and a massive thanks to everyone who stopped by in 2012.
