February 2012
2 posts
4 tags
Easy sous vide ginger-sage pork chop using...
One of the first meals that I made using my new Sous Vide Supreme Demi convinced me that my decision to buy this appliance was a good one. The pork chop could not have been easier to make, and I honestly think it turned out as one of the tastiest pork chops ever.
After posting on Twitter, several people asked if I would share the recipe. I am happy to do so, but I am almost embarassed at how few...
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Trying Sous Vide at Home - Good article from 2008... →
I have been fascinated by sous vide ever since having my first egg made this way at one of Thomas Keller’s restaurants. Now that I am playing with the technique in my own kitchen, I’m learning every day. Here is an article from the Wall Street Journal that explains a lot.
January 2012
5 posts
Wine:30 41 E 30th St, NYC
This is just a quick report based on one quick visit. This is a lively, almost cozy wine bar in the Murray Hill vicinity of midtown Manhattan.
The good: about 30 wines by the glass and 20 beers from around the world. Varied menu of both small plates and entrees, featuring what I would call global cuisine.
The not-so-good: wine that sells for $14 a glass at a wine bar deserves a higher...
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Good NYTimes #wine review: Ready or Not, 2008... →
The wine tasting panel took a closer look at Bordeaux, focusing on the wines of Médoc, the standard-bearer for elegant, age-worthy cabernet-based wines.
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Burgers can't get more decadent - or delicious -...
Perhaps I am teasing myself because these juicy burgers are definitely not on my eating plan post-New Year’s, but just looking at the pictures of Chef David Boulud’s Original DB Bistro Burger makes me salivate.
One of the first ultra-burgers publicized in the United States, Boulud’s burger is juicy sirloin with a center of braised short rib, foie gras and black truffle. Need I...
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Texas sprouts recall gets even bigger →
About a week ago, sprouts distributor Green Valley Food Corp., announced a recall of nearly 7,000 cases of sprouts distributed in Texas because of possible Salmonella contamination. (See my prior blog post.) Now, the recall has grown to 36,000 cases. That’s a lot of sprouts.
More details at the FDA website.
December 2011
6 posts
1 tag
Please give to help feed the hungry. →
Many of us are thinking about making a last-minute charitable donation for tax purposes. Please consider contributing to Feeding America so that others may share the bounty that so many of us take for granted.
Here is a link to my Virtual Food Drive: http://help.feedingamerica.org/goto/douglevy.
5 tags
Red wine enhances sex for women? Could be, study...
The “news cycle” in these days of the Internet and social media sometimes goes in circles, as it did today when someone, somewhere posted a link to a 2009 New York Daily News article that quoted a 2009 U.K. Daily Mail article that quoted a 2009 medical study about red wine and its affect on sex.
I must admit that the report is rather intriguing, even if it is more than a year...
6 tags
Look carefully: wheat additives pop up in...
I haven’t got a clue why it’s there, but right on the ingredients panel for this Swiss-made cherry preserves is wheat syrup. That’s a problem if you have a gluten intolerance. Worth noting is that this single-serve package accompanied my serving of gluten-free toast on a recent cruise. This is a perfect example of what happens when chefs, cooks and servers are not sufficiently...
6 tags
Another sprouts recall. Remember when we thought...
Look carefully if you see “Let’s Grow Healthy Together” alfalfa sprouts in your local store. Green Valley Food Corp. of Dallas is recalling 6,723 cases of the sprouts because Salmonella was found in a test sample. These were distributed in Texas. Details are available from the company via the FDA’s website.
Unfortunately, there have been way too many sprouts recalls in the...
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7 tags
Another big ground beef recall
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could somehow go back to the days when people would grind their own meat at home, or maybe at least get it ground to order at a local store? That certainly would avoid gigantic recalls like this latest one, involving 41,000 pounds of commercially processed and packaged by Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., of Dakota City, Nebraska, that federal inspectors suspect may be...
November 2011
5 posts
1 tag
Fast-foodery Chick-Fil-A thinks its customers... →
This is a legal case that should backfire against Chick-Fil-A. The Atlanta chain, known not only for its chicken sandwiches but also for its rigid adherence to Christian principles, has threatened a one-man Vermont T-shirt business over his use of the slogan “Eat More Kale.” According to Chick-Fil-A, consumers could confuse the vegetable-touting t-shirts with the chain’s chicken. I don’t think...
5 tags
Piper's Kilt: Warm blend of old and new in Inwood...
I am a skeptic about signs that claim “the best” anything, especially in New York City. But the combination of a sign and recommendations from neighbors was enough to make me investigate the Piper’s Kilt further.
Open since the 1980s, this pub has all of the requisite items: large TVs with American sporting events, a weekly trivia night, a wide selection of beers, and pub food...
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Los Angeles is enjoying a hot dog renaissance -... →
A couple of months ago I surprised myself by stopping at Pink’s in Los Angeles and thoroughly enjoyed an old-fashioned, real hot dog.
Now, it seems the hot dog is having a Renaissance. Read more in the Los Angeles Times.
7 tags
What's been in my glass lately
Here are some notes on a few wines that I have tasted recently.
2010 Canyon Road Pinot Noir - USA, California (11/12/2011) Although this wine doesn’t have much pinot character, it’s a good-drinking wine for the very low retail price (around $7.) Unlike other value wines, this has some real berry on the palate and a slightly tight, pleasant, lingering finish. Perfectly reasonable...
9 tags
October 2011
4 posts
1 tag
Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts >... →
The FDA announced Tuesday a recall of retail packages of masago, the orange fish eggs ubiquitous on sushi rolls, due to Listeria risk. The packages, sold by Yamaya USA, were sold in retail outlets in Atlanta, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and Mexico.
Cafe near CUMC cleans up - Doug's posterous →
Jou Jou Cafe was inspected by the Health Department on Monday and got its long-awaited “A.” Click on headline for more.
7 tags
Seattle's @zokacoffee disputes FDA letter, says...
Last week, this blog was among the first to report on a surprisingly stern warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to a small, artisan coffee roaster in Seattle, Zoka Coffee. The letter described hundreds of “rodent excretia pellets” and other signs of mice or rats in Zoka’s roasting plant, along with other unsanitary conditions....
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A Guide to Uptown's Favorite Chicken Joints -... →
Here’s a listing of Dominican chicken restaurants in Northern Manhattan on local news site, DNAInfo.com.
September 2011
11 posts
Cantaloupe Safety 101 - from FoodSafetyNews.com →
7 tags
FDA cites rats, insects at "artisan" Seattle...
When FDA inspectors visited Zoka Coffee Company’s roastery in April, they found a large number of what inspectors call “REPs” near coffee processing, including on the burlap bags holding raw beans. REP is an abbreviation for “rodent excreta pellets.” During one inspection visit, the FDA observed a live rat, and at another time, “an employee was observed sneezing...
4 tags
Washington Heights restaurant celebrates its "A"...
I stopped into Sushi Yu 2 on West 181st Street yesterday for the first time in many months, and for the first time since the restaurant earned an “A” from the New York City Health Department on September 1.
Because I was only getting a quick snack, this isn’t a full review, but I was interested at the staff member’s response when I congratulated her for the “A”...
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Read Tom Wark's tribute to wine importer Joe... →
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FDA warns consumers not to eat Rocky Ford... →
This is a large recall - 17 states - of a fruit that is delicious but unfortunately also associated with foodborne illness in too many cases.
Evicted for Manhattan Starbucks No. 188, but... →
The Bean, a coffee shop in the East Village, is moving a block down First Avenue to compete with Starbucks.
NYC Health inspections make a difference
Coming from San Francisco, where restaurants have been required to post their detailed health inspection reports for years, I was surprised to hear so much grumbling about New York’s letter grade system that went into effect in 2010. Restaurants are required to post their A, B, or C grade after each periodic inspection. Restaurants that get a B or C are allowed to post a “Grade Pending” sign while...
4 tags
Doug's guide to dining in Washington Heights
This is a work-in-progress but I decided it’s time to get this going seriously, so I’ve created a Google Map that combines both the general listings from Google and added my comments for the places that I have checked-out. I will keep updating this as I have time but I wanted to post this and get some reactions.
View Washington Heights Dining - Doug Levy’s WineAndFoodWorld.com Guide in a...
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Rising price for avocados stirs anti-American... →
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Fake Wine Follies | Mike Steinberger's Wine... →
Very intriguing take-down of Robert Parker and a recent tasting of suspected fake Bordeaux wines.
August 2011
2 posts
WatchNeighbors gathering over Hudson River as Irene leaves behind a windy, spectacular sunset. Another reason to love Washington Heights.
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Eco-labeled seafood is not always what it seems →
Shouldn’t it be easier to find and buy good, healthy, properly identified seafood? Here’s another study showing things may not be what they seem. Click on the headline to see the report from Clemson University.
July 2011
17 posts
2 tags
WatchDoug’s wrap-up of Day 1 of the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference #WBC11 from Monticello, VA.
2 tags
Speed-tasting #9 2008 Michael Shaps Virginia...
If this wine were sold for less than $32, I probably would like it. In Virginia, perhaps the selection of wines is more limited and a wine like this makes sense. Produced by Michael Shaps, one of the earlier entries into the Virginia wine industry, this is a wine that starts sweet, rolls nicely over the tongue and has a slightly tart, medium finish. A very good example of Viognier, and perhaps the...
2 tags
Speed-tasting #12: Maycas del Limari 2008...
This 2008 Maycas del Limari Chardonnay from Chile has a balance of complexity, minerality and fruit to make an interesting white wine worth lingering over. Generally a light texture, the flavors of pineapple, vanilla and butter combine well. Sells for around $18. I rate is 91 and recommend it for a seafood or chicken dinner.
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Speed-tasting #11: 2010 Sivas-Sonoma Sauvignon...
Sivas-Sonoma 2010 Sauvignon Blanc. The nose on this Sauvignon Blanc made me feel as if I was rolling in a field of fresh-cut grass. Its flavor is a complex blend of green pepper and sour apple. And it has a medium finish that leaves the apple flavor on the tongue. Sivas-Sonoma is the Sebastiani family’s re-entry into the wine business. I rate is 86. Sells for about $14.
2 tags
Speed-tasting #10 Jefferson Vineyards 2010 Pinot...
Jefferson Vineyards winemaker Andy Reagan says this has a “kitchen sink” blend to make this $19 pinot gris a summery white table wine. Has a touch of effervescence and noticeable minerality, with a very short finish making this one suitable for stand-up drinking on a hot day (like today!) I rate is 89.
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Speed-tasting #8: Tabarrini Adarmando 90/100...
Crisp, Italian white wine with really smooth texture and soft, lingering finish. Available around the country for around $20-$25 or $17 at http://Tabarrini.us. I rate is 90.
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Speed-tasting #7: Barboursville 2009 Viognier...
This Barboursville Virginia (http://www.barboursvillewine.com) Italian style 2009 Viognier is soft and refreshing, with a nice blend of tropical fruits and the more expected lemon-lime citrus flavor. The most elegant wine of our tasting so far. Not bad for around $20. I rate it 89.
“In Virginia, viognier is the best white grape that we have,” says winemaker Daniel Tessaro.
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Speed-tasting #6 @boxwoodwinery rose - good find...
Winery owner Rachel Martin says that Boxwood makes wines in the traditional Bordeaux style, with a team that includes a winemaking consultant whose other clients include Rubicon. This rose, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is fermented fully in steel tanks. It has an herbal nose and some butter and pepper on the palate. Very gentle finish. A very good wine for $14 per bottle.
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Speed-tasting #5: Chateau Morrisette rose #wbc11...
Chateau Morrisette 2010 Dry Rose Chambourcin - very light, refreshing rose with a hint of strawberry and a short finish. Tastes good served chilled. Sells for about $14 per bottle in Virginia, District of Columbia, Maryland, Tennessee, North Carolina and West Virginia. Good summer wine for the price. I rate is 87.
3 tags
Speed-tasting #4: From Texas: Viviana 2009...
This is a blend of Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Viognier and Muscat Canelli from Llano Estacado Winery in Lubbock, Texas. Sweet nose, long legs, and a sour taste. Although it would probably work well with an outdoor chicken barbecue on a hot summer day, there is a bit more complexity for me than I find enjoyable. Only sold in Texas for about $23 per bottle.
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Speed-tasting #3: Afton Mountain bubbly #wine...
My first impression of this wine comes from the big bubbles and yeast that hit me on the first sip. A traditional 50-50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend made in the traditional Methode Champagnoise, I will give Afton Mountain credit for effort but will not recommend this one at its current $30 per bottle price. I rate is 81. The winery is located near Charlottesville, Va.
3 tags
Speed-tasting #2: Decibel sauvignon blanc #wine...
Winemaker Daniel Brennan moved from Pennsylvania to New Zealand to make this super-clear, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc. Light floral nose and a slight hint of white pepper on the finish, works great chilled - an interesting wine. Currently distributed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York or direct from www.decibelwines.com for about $16 per bottle. I rate is 87.
4 tags
Speed tasting #1: Rodney Strong 2008 Reserve...
Grassy notes on the nose, tart apple on the tongue, crystal hue and tight short finish. A good wine but not sure I’d want to pay $35-$40 for it. Rating: 84.
2 tags
Tasting Foppiano 2010 Estate Rose @foppianowine...
This Foppiano rose is great for a hot day like today. A blend of petite sirah and Pinot noir, it has enough fruit for character but still has the simplicity of an easy-drinking light rose. View Foppiano’s data sheet for more details.
