If Flamenco is the soul of traditional Andalucia, and bullfighting its heart then, undoubtedly, manzanilla sherry is the blood that courses through its veins. And if you've never had manzanilla from the barrel, you've never REALLY had manzanilla. That's why, even after more than three months have passed, I feel compelled to write about our visit to manzanilla country, or rather city: Sanlucar de Barrameda.
Flor in your wine?
(with a nod to Safiya Henderson-Holmes, whose work I much enjoyed in another lifetime)
An article in the New York Times today gave me reason to cheer. With all the craziness of astronomical fuel prices and food shortages in the air, it's heartening to see that community/urban gardening is starting to show some legs. It may not be the complete answer to the food crisis, but it's a positive piece of the puzzle.
Happy Wednesday!
The last time I came to Paris I was making $8.50 per hour, had bleached blond hair, and was content to eat crepes and bad Brie. I've changed. Now when I come to Europe I seek out dining experiences that will inspire, excite, and enthrall. Not having been to Paris in seven years, I emailed a group of industry contacts that travel to Paris often and asked for their suggestions. I was greeted with excel spreadsheets, vast email lists, and word documents. I also purchased Pudlo Paris 2007 - 2008 by Gilles Pudlowski, a highly regarded Paris restaurant guide, to cross reference the suggestions my colleagues sent me. Of all the restaurants that were recommended, one always was at the top of the list: L'Ambroisie.
(ed. ~ Shauna, guest restaurant reviewer, chimes in under Jeff's name. Going forward, she'll be posting under her own. Welcome, Shosho!)
We ended up going to Hier et Aujourd’hui twice in four days (actually, we went three times in five days, but I’ll get to that later). Pudlo Paris gave the restaurant “This year’s value for money award” and after being denied entrance on Monday night (full, or we got there too late…that whole language barrier thing), we couldn’t wait to go back Tuesday, this time with a reservation.
After a lovely stay in Paris, Shauna and I have been in Puglia for the past 4 days and have finally made the transition from French to Italian. We now have a connection to the Internet so we will be able to share our Paris experience and our current adventures in Italy. Here are the coming highlights:
1. 3 trips and 2 dinners at Hier et Aujourd'hui
2. The best meal ever: L'Ambroisie
3. The never ending travel day to Trani
4. Driving in Italy
5. Walking a lot and still gaining weight
So please stay tuned and we will post some stories very soon!
Ciao!
Shauna and I have arrived, and my surprise worked! Instead of going straight to Italy, I surprised her this morning and we are staying in Paris for the week. I strung her along all the way to us looking at the departures monitor for a flight to Milan that did not exist. When I asked her if she want to stay in Paris for a week she did not believe me and was a bit dumbstruck. I have been planning this for almost 9 months with my father and it has been so tough keeping it a secret from Shauna but I am glad we did. To see her smile made it worth it.
After 8 months of marital bliss, Shauna and I are off on our honeymoon. After a seemingly never-ending month of working weekends and late into the evening, we packed our bags, turned off our phones, and hit the skies. Last night we completed our first leg, San Francisco to Dallas. After a lovely flight on the new and improved MD-80 of American Airlines, we were greeted by my Dad and stepmother, Karen. They took us to our hotel and watched us eat dinner. My family gets face time whenever they can and it is always a pleasure to see them and set foot in BIG-D!
Do you genuflect to the coffee gods every morning? Are you a different person before you have that first cup of "joe"? I am and I also thought I knew how coffee was harvested and made, but I was wrong. I recently returned from one of the most amazing experiences I have had in my professional life. On March 27th, 2008 I flew off to Puetro Vallarta to meet up with Tony's Coffees and Teas.
If you haven't been following the haps over at Wet Laundry, you've probably wondered where I've fallen off to. Many thanks to Jeff for keeping the flame going strong. (Please, no protests! We want a free Tibet, too!) I'm not going to bore you with excuses, but rather intrigue you with hints of upcoming posts and happenings.
My friend Thomas and I are always asking each other, "Have you eaten anywhere good?" and we generally have but each experience is never note-worthy or singular. The foods are fresh, clean, well prepared but rarely are they riveting or classic. We both dine often (Thomas is out almost 4 nights a week!) and have had many good meals but we are always looking for that definitive meal. It is not about money, famous chefs, or ratings from critics. It is about the food, the flavor and the experience. Well...a new place has been found.
To most most Americans Greek wine is relegated into two categories: wines that are drunk while on vacation in Greece or “Ewh, Greece makes Retsina.” Well both can be true but what one drinks while in Greece and Retsina just skim the surface of what wine is in Greece. Though wine was not first made in Greece it can be said that Greece is the home to wine culture. Records show that wine production and consumption was in full swing by the 7th century B.C. and a fixture in all of Greece. Some archeological finds suggest that wine was a staple of the Minoan diet and other ancient civilizations as early as 3rd millennium B.C. So to say that Retsina is the “alpha – omega” of Greek wine would be a sad misnomer.
