Category Archives: Food & Travel

What We Drinking With Dinner?

13 Tuesday May 2014

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A wine writer’s most-frequently asked question is ‘What’s for dinner?’

More specifically, the question would be what’s to drink with dinner?

Grape Sense LogoThe long-time wine snobbery of many has made the magic of food and wine pairing far more difficult than it needs to be. You can stick with the oldest rule of white with fish or chicken and red with red meat. Or, as many a comic puts it – it you eat it, drink white wine. If it could eat you, drink red!

Another rule is if you like wine A with protein B, forget all of the rules and do what you like.

With that said, we can be more specific. Most people think of summer’s lighter foods rightly but we also drag out the charcoal in summer and put a serious burn on some beast! One of the biggest delights of enjoying wine is getting it just right with the food.

Let’s look at the staples of summer dining:

Think BIG - Cabernet - for charred steak!

Think BIG – Cabernet – for charred steak!

Burgers – Everyone enjoys beer with a burger, right? Next time try a French Beaujolais Grand Cru. The Cru wines are priced in the mid-teens, light in body, and are incredible wines for the price. Another choice with a bit more body would be Spanish Tempranillo wines or maybe even a soft Merlot. If you want to stay closer to home with your wine pic choose an Indiana Chambourcin red.

BBQ – If you’re rubbing or lathering up some beef or pork think of that aforementioned Merlot, or if you like bigger wine a Syrah or Zinfandel. Go international and pair grilled BBQ with French Rhone wines, Malbec from Argentina, or even an Italian Super Tuscan (that’s a blend of Cabernet and the native Sangiovese).

Steak – The granddaddy of grilling, rib eye, strip or porterhouse, deserves nothing but the granddaddy of red wine – Cabernet Sauvignon. If Cabernet is too big for your palate then turn to Argentinian Malbec, Chile’s Carmenere’, Saint Emilion Bordeaux, or I enjoy a well-made Syrah.

Pinot Noir or a nice crisp/light Sauv Blanc for salmon.

Pinot Noir or a nice crisp/light Sauv Blanc for salmon.

White Fish – Lighter fish is where preparation means everything. Most grilled white fish will pair well with Sauvignon Blanc. But be adventurous and try a Midwestern Pinot Blanc or Vidal. The emerging stainless steel chardonnays are perfect for white fish. Be really crazy and try an Albarino from Spain or Portugal. Be the talk of the cookout and pop open a bottle of Italian Vermentino. All of these whites are easy to find in a good wine shop for under $20.

Salads – Summer salads can be delightful with floral wines. Try a domestic or French Viognier with your salad. If there is protein (chicken or shrimp) in your summer salad, seek out the Albarino mentioned above. A good dry Rose’ gives that salad lunch a real continental feel. The sales of Rose’ continue to explode each summer. Buy a French Provence Rose or a domestic Rose’ of Pinot Noir and you’ll see why they’re flying off shelves everywhere. The Sauv Blanc is always a solid fall-back position.

One of the key strategies in wine and food pairing is to not forget the sauces, rubs, and side dishes. Think of each entire dish when selecting your wine and you’ll have many enjoyable summer moments.

Rail Town’s Italian Spot Off Track

11 Sunday May 2014

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UPDATE: I got a very nice and apologetic note from Napoli Villa’s manager yesterday. He acknowledged several of the problems I noted in this review. He also assured me the wine mistake was a probably ‘lack of knowledge’ which I assumed. He offered a gift card, which I politely declined. I thanked him for his prompt attention and assured him I’d return to the restaurant. It was exactly the kind of response good restaurant owners should give when something goes awry!

BEECH GROVE, Indy – There is nothing more disappointing and frustrating than an old favorite restaurant losing its way.

Great ravioli, watered-down sauce.

Great ravioli, watered-down sauce.

Napoli Villa in Beech Grove, Indianapolis’ southside, has been a bedrock of traditional Italian cooking since the 1960s. I’ve gone there for the simple, sweet red sauce, crispy calamari, savory soups, and homemade pasta for several years.

During a Friday May 9 visit, the number of errors was really hard to overlook. I can forgive an untrained waitress or undercooked/overcooked food, thin sauce, or a lack of wine knowledge. But when you put all of that together, and a few other mistakes, the dinner experience was far below this charming little spot’s normal standards.

From the top, our pleasant young waitress was slow getting our calamari to the table but then delivered the soup before we had barely touched the appetizer. Okay, no big deal. Then while tasting the admittedly delicious-as-always appetizer and soups, my dinner companion and I realized we didn’t have the bread we always enjoy and promised on the menu. We had to ask. The nice young lady delivered the yummy homemade bread and we dig in. The bread turned out to be substantially underbaked – to the point you could see doughy chuncks on a few of the pieces.

Through the first half of our meal the young lady brought dishes on three occasions without clearing the dirty dishes away.

Reliable Ruffino, but not the Classico.

Reliable Ruffino, but not the Classico.

Our entree’s had issues. My friend usually has a veal/proscuitto dish while I enjoy Napoli Villa’s ravioli. My ravioli was perfectly cooked with tasty sausage inside. But the signature red sauce was watered down – literally tasted like it was thinned with water. The veal dish was disappointing with a poor quality cut of veal while the proscuitto was incredibly tough.

The coup de grace  actually happened early on. The wine list had a limited selection of Italian wines but a couple of different Chianti wines. I selected the widely-available Ruffino Chianti Classico. The waitress delivered the wine and it appeared to be a Chianti. Not the end of the world but not what I ordered. And as any wine enthusiast knows there is a price difference. The young waitress had no idea what I was talking about so I just accepted the wine.

But to add insult to injury, an older woman – part of the family which owns the restaurant, I believe – came and explained they don’t put “Classico” on the label anymore. I challenged that based on DOC-DOCG laws just to be difficult and she flew right by the facts and assured me it was a Classico. No rooster, no Classico, but I just took the wine because it was only $4 difference. (Which we deducted from the tip.)

I blurred face - eating at bar.

I blurred face – eating at bar.

The problems were widespread. First, I didn’t blame the young waitress for her errors – though some common sense appeared missing – I blame management for poorly training the wait staff. The young lady also appeared to have tables at each end of the sizable dining room. During our dinner a kitchen worker wandered behind the busy bar in our dining area and consumed a bowl of food.

We’ve had so many positive experiences at the Beech Grove icon we will go back. The restaurant was quite busy but they won’t be if these errors continue to occur. I’ve never been this disappointed with a favorite spot. The railroad town’s Italians have gone off track.

Back to Michigan This Weekend

09 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Food & Travel, Midwestern States

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A 2010 trip to Northern Michigan provided a personal taste that wine from the “other’ regions can, indeed, be world class.

An early July trip that year exposed me to wines from Southwest Michigan and the delightful Leelanau and Old Peninsula Bay wine regions. I found the whites up north to be dry, crisp, with beautiful fruit. Most had a delightful freshness from the unique cool-climate growing conditions. The reds were not on par with the great whites but showed promise. I tasted nice Cab Franc and promising Pinot Noir.

north loopI’m anxious this weekend to taste the wines with three more years on the vines and three more vintages under the winemakers’ belts.

I’m going to be attending the Northern Loop new vintage release weekend. I’ll take part in a private tasting on Friday from the Loop’s 10 wineries and then do visits throughout the weekend. Plan also call for return visits to a few of my favorites from 2010. If you want a last-minute road trip or plan to be near Traverse City, the Northern Wine Loops has a Facebook page with lots of info on this weekend’s events.

After the summer 2010 visit, I wrote a well-received piece for the national online wine magazine, Palate Press – Something is Going On in Michigan.

Here are some blog posts from my days in Michigan nearly four years ago:

Visiting an Iconic Name in Michigan Wine

First Taste of Michigan Wine Impressive

Two Lads, a Schoolhouse, and One Sharp Young Man

Friday Final Day of Michigan Wine Visit

I hope to do posts each evening but will definitely do some photos and Twitter updates – Follow me on Twitter at: @howardhewitt

 

Get White Right with Your Sauce

08 Saturday Mar 2014

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Everyone has heard the old wine/food pairing advice of red wine with red meat and white wine with fish or chicken.

Grape Sense LogoFor the most part, that’s not a bad guideline which will work more often than not. But as you really get into wine and start referring to yourself as a “foodie,’ the simplistic advice just won’t work.

From time to time in coming months Grape Sense will explore food and wine pairings with easy-to-make recipes. More on that in the future.

The first example is baked chicken and white wine. But what if your chicken dish has a rich and creamy sauce? That big oaky, buttery, California-style Chardonnay is probably not a great match.

An ideal pairing for such a dish is an unoaked Chardonnay or lightly oaked Chard. Think French Chablis or Oregon or even the inexpensive unoaked Chards from California and Washington state.

The unoaked Chardonnay will give you bright fruit with a fresh taste but a nice acidic and crisp finish. That finish is the perfect complement to the creamy sauce on a dish like Chicken Lyon.

LyonGood unoaked Chardonnay can be easily found in the $12-$20 range in any decent wine shop. Great Oregon unoaked or lightly oaked Chard runs $25-$50. French Chablis, arguably the world’s best white wine, starts in the teens and runs into the $100-range. Try a Chablis Premier Cru for around $30-$45 on a special occasion.

If you want to avoid a Chardonnay then go to many of the lighter white but zesty and crisp whites like Oregon Pinot Gris, Spanish Verdejo, Rhone or Languedoc whites, or even This recipe is a great test for your unoaked Chard. It’s not mine, it’s a compilation of Chicken Lyon recipes I have found and like.

Chicken Lyon

One Medium Chicken, cut up

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons of real butter

12 large garlic cloves, unpeeled

A bay leaf or two

1 cup of vinegar, I prefer red wine vinegar

2 cups chicken stock or broth

1/4 cup cream, half&half or creme fraiche

1. Preheat oven to 425. In deep skillet put olive oil and brown chicken skin side down. Add salt, pepper, a tablespoon of butter and brown the chicken. Flip the chicken and add all that garlic and bay leaf.

2. Remove the skillet and into the oven it goes for about 10 minutes (no longer). I make this dish in an iron skillet. Add the vinegar and cook 15 minutes or until you think the chicken is done. Remove from oven.

3. Now, take chicken from the skillet and set aside. Add the chicken stock, scrape up the tasty little bits left behind and let it reduce to a little more than a cup. That will probably take 5-10 minutes. Add your cream and remainder of the butter – whisk it all up. Return chicken to the pan and let it cook until the sauce begins to thicken. That will take about 5 minutes.

Serve it up. If you want a French country meal feel to your Chicken Lyon, roast some nice asparagus with garlic and butter.

Chablis is Long Way from California

10 Monday Feb 2014

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Chablis Rock

Social media is a powerful and interesting tool. We worship it, belittle it, ignore it and fuss over it. And that’s just Monday through Thursday!

For the most part social media is a wonderful way to stay in contact with friends near and far. It’s also a great tool to talk about common interests – like wine.

After a posting last night about enjoying a couple glasses of Chablis, I had a lot considerable chatter. Here’s the post:

“If you’re one of those people that just don’t care much for Chardonnay, you should try Chablis before writing it off. I am NOT a fan of California, oaked Chard – but really enjoy the minerality and crispness of the same grape grown in Chablis. Tonight’s Chablis is a simple one but quite tasty: Drouhin’s 2010 Vaudon Chablis. You can find it around $20 everywhere!”

Chablis, France

Chablis, France

It was rather surprising that many had not really tried real Chablis – grown at the north end of Burgundy. Several asked about the difference and why Chablis is special.

Not to start too much with French geeky wine talk, but it’s all about the terroir. Let’s start by mentioning the photo at the top of the post. I took that shot atop a cold Chablis hill in October 2012. Look closely at the floor of the vineyard and you will see beautiful fall leaves and stones – LOTS of stones.

Chablis’ Chardonnay is planted on the hillsides surround the beautiful tiny hamlet of Chablis with soil atop limestone. Those rocks seen above are seen in every vineyard in Chablis. The limestone gives Chablis its “flinty” or mineral flavor.

Additionally, Chablis is a cool climate area where Chardonnay grapes do not ripen like California. In the hot California sun Chardonnay becomes very ripe with higher alcohol levels from all that sun and hot air. Chablis’ Chardonnays are grown in cooler temperatures and produces lighter fruit and more acidity.

Chablis is largely fermented and aged in stainless steel. A new generation of Chablis winemakers are experimenting with oak but far less than you will find in a white Burgundy. From a visit with winemakers over three days, we heard often that only a portion of the final blend would be aged in oak. And often the oak is older wood without the impact of new oak – often reserved for red wines elsewhere in France.

Understanding really good wine is more often than not a lesson in geography, climate and soils. I’ve been lucky to visit wine regions around the world and the one consistent message from winemakers about great wine? Great wine is made in the vineyard.

A friend commented on the Facebook post that Chablis can be expensive – and he’s right. Those $15 bottles, are frankly, not going to give you a true representation of great Chablis. I do believe the Drouhin Vaudon Chabis is a good entry level bottle of wine. It can be found in the $18-$23 range in good wine shops.

Chablis has four levels – Petit Chablis, Chablis, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru. I’d strongly recommend trying at least the Premier Cru Chablis to get a great taste of French terroir.

Averages are always a so-so barometer but you can count on spending $35-$50 for a Premier Cru Chablis. The Grand Cru Chablis are most often those which will see some oak in the aging process and be the most pricey. But these are wines that are age-worthy! There are only 230 acres of Grand Cru vineyards so it’s truly a special wine. Grand Cru wines tend to start around $50 a bottle and go up!

Top end Chablis is delightful and as far from California’s oaky, buttery Chardonnay as a big red wine. Here are some names easy to find and great producers: Joseph Drouhin, Domaine Fevre, Jean-Marc Brocard, and my personal favorite Simon-Billaud. These four are all based on personal tastings.

I’m a bit prejudiced toward Simon-Billaud wines because we met in the old chateau with Bernard Billaud. Through a young translator he talked about his family’s years of winemaking. In my nearly seven years of wine-writing, he gave one of the great quotes you’ll ever hear. It’s not arrogance, it’s pride.

From a March blog post/newspaper column about the trip:

Bernard Billaud of Billaud-Simon

Bernard Billaud of Billaud-Simon

How does a little minerality and acid change a wine that everyone knows and everyone has probably tasted? It’s the magic of terrior. I remember the aggravated words of Bernard Billaud who said (and I paraphrase) …’if you are talking Chablis it has to be about the minerality and acidity, and if not …. you are just making Chardonnay.’

And you had to hear the derision in “just making Chardonnay” to appreciate the Frenchman’s dignity and pride. It was quite a moment.

If you visit that blog post you’ll find links to all my posts from Chablis and lots of photos.

I was joined on that Chablis trip by other U.S.-based wine writers. One of the writers I most enjoyed was Michael Apstein. Here is a very thorough piece he penned after the trip.

As promised on Facebook, the one region in the U.S. making great – and largely unoaked – Chardonnay is Oregon. Many Oregon Chards are the closest I’ve tasted to Chablis on this side of the big pond!

Join Me for Oregon Wine Trip

11 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by in Food & Travel, Oregon

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Don Lange talking Pinot

Don Lange talking Pinot

Leading wine trips has been in the back of my mind for the past couple of years. Six years of immersion into learning and appreciating wine has given me some knowledge, experience, and certain contacts in the wine industry.

I helped leading a group to France in June through my regular job. I was in charge of four days in Southern France visiting wine country. After that trip, and consulation with a few wine friends, I thought I could start doing one trip a year and then perhaps 2-3 annually in the future.

I’ve put together a trip to Oregon’s Willamette Valley, June 9-14. This will be a boutique type trip for people serious about wine. Frankly, this trip could be done a little less expensive but we’re going to eat well and stay in a really fabulous Bed and Breakfast when we’re in the Willamette.

Our lodging - Black Walnut Inn

Our lodging – Black Walnut Inn

Before I go any further, the brochure is linked in the left rail on this page and right here!

The trip does NOT include transportation to and from Portland. The trip beings Monday night, June 9 with a reservation in your name at the Hilton Doubletree Inn, downtown Portland. We’ll travel Tuesday morning out to the valley and begin with a tour, tasting and lunch at Lange Estate Winery. We hope to have Jesse or Don Lange join us to talk about Lange wines.

After lunch its the very nice, and very upscale, Alexana Winery which is nearby. Then we’ll check into the stunning Black Walnut Inn. That night we’ll head to McMinnville and dine at one of local winemakers favorites spots – Nick’s Italian Cafe.

drouhinWednesday’s action includes an Oregon Pinot/Burgundy side-by-side tasting at Domaine Drouhin. We’ll have lunch at a great boutique winery – Winderlea. And we’ll visit one of my personal favorites, Vidon in the afternoon. We might even squeeze in one more. Dinner that even will be more on the lighter side.

On Thursday we’ll break the routine and head out to take in the stunning Columbia River Gorge. It think it’s one of the prettiest areas in our country.

Columbia River Gorge

Columbia River Gorge

We’ll stop at Multnomah Falls and have lunch in Hood River.  That night we’ll have a grand dinner at the fabulous Recipe restaurant in Newberg.

Friday’s lineup includes tasting at another boutique winery, a visit to the great ladies at Republic of Jam, and lunch in Carlton. We’ll have an extra hour or so in Carlton to visit some of the great little shops on your own – or even visit a few of the tasting rooms in town.

Mid afternoon we’ll head back to Portland where a room at the Doubletree will be reserved in your name. The trip officially ends. You are on your own Saturday to head home or enjoy more of what Oregon has to offer.

That’s a quick overview. Check the brochure for more details and cost.

I wanted to get this post up to link up some blogs and photo albums from previous visits to the Willamette Valley.

July 29, 2011 newspaper column on Oregon Trip. Four photo albums from that trip here, here, here, and here.

Here are my blog posts from that trip: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4.

Cerulean Lives Up to Hype

24 Tuesday Dec 2013

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INDIANAPOLIS – Champagne, inventive dishes, and big-band jazz with comedy vocalists make for one heck of a holiday Saturday night.

lobster

Lobster pot pie – about the size of a baseball!

Cerulean restaurant, in Indy’s new downtown Alexander Hotel, has been one of the highlights of a stellar 2013 in capital city dining. It’s inventive and tasty. It’s also slightly pretentious and pricey but my dining experience proved well worth money.

Cerulean is a destination restaurant that has gotten largely positive reviews. The only negative comment on sites like Urban Spoon, Yelp, and Travel Advisor was portion size. My dinner companion and I didn’t have issues with the food presented during our dinner the Saturday before Christmas.

We started with a chicken appetizer, Mousseline, which was the evening special. Think of it as gourmet chicken nuggets and you’ll get the idea. The chicken was extremely tender and most with a nice crunchy breading. We both loved the mushroom ketchup! There were five nuggets –so good we cut the fifth into two pieces. $11.

porkCerulean does a small, medium, and large plate concept. We ordered the lobster pot pie as our medium dish which proved to be the only disappointment of the night. The pot pie gets lots of attention in reviews but we found it lacking flavor. The pastry was wonderful, the filling unremarkable. $8.

We also took our efficient waiter’s recommendation of drinking a little real champagne. The Mumm Brut was absolutely divine but pricey. But it’s the holidays so $20 a glass wasn’t a shock.

My friend had duck with cracklings over Carbonara. She loved the inventive pairing with perfectly cooked duck.

photoWe each had a glass of red wine from a rather quirky wine list. I chose a Washington state Merlot for her duck and I had a Barbera d’ Alba Ruvel with my pork porterhouse steak. The small (very small) glass of wine was $10 apiece.

My pork was incredible lying on a slice of zucchini bread in a root beer reduction sauce. It was cooked medium with a really yummy flavor from the grill marks. The porterhouse is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes at $28. The duck breast was similarly priced.

We went chocolate for dessert and enjoyed a plate of ganache with a spicy kick, some cocoa crumble, cashews, chocolate ribbons, and dreamy avocado ice cream. $10.

The place is beautiful with street-level views. It is divided into different dining areas to partially minimize the noise. As said previously, it’s a destination restaurant worth the effort if you are ready to pull out the MasterCard.

Dinner for two, with tip, was close to $200.

Leisure Kings at Indy’s Jazz Kitchen – Even though I do occasionally write about restaurants, I seldom tackle entertainment but just have to mention our outing after dinner. I had read a simple one-paragraph description of this unique Christmas show. It was described as irreverent and salty and it was hilariously accurate. The show wouldn’t be for any prude or those easily offended.

liesure kingsThe Leisure Kings, normally a duo, combine with a really great big band lineup of tremendous musicians for this annual holiday treat. It’s really hard to describe but one of the opening numbers was The Christmas Song sung to Billy Joel’s Just the Way You Are. Or a trio of songs about Jesus set to the music of The Carpenters – get it?

The two female backup singers were called the Christmas Hoes! The two-hour show featured some whacky give-a-ways and non-stop laughter.

How A New Restaurant Fails

19 Thursday Dec 2013

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Since I frequently write about restaurants during travel, it’s hard to ignore something new locally.

I’m cutting this one some slack – once – though. A new burger joint  where I live has only been open a couple of weeks. In a town of 16,000, a new restaurant is a big deal. Most of what we have is the usual chains with just a few originals. So news of a burger place on an island theme sounded intriguing.

Maybe not that tiny!!!

Maybe not that tiny!!!

As perhaps a disclaimer, I grew up in the fast food business. My parents owned a small burger joint. My travels have taken me to all sorts of restaurants around the country and world. It’s pretty much a given that a new place is going to struggle unless you really open with a killer concept, killer kitchen, and a wait staff really trained well and ready to pounce.

I talked to two different people who beat me to the new spot and both were negative. One had nothing good to say at all and the other was a bit more reserved. But both said the burgers were rather small.

So I reviewed the menu of the different type burgers and ordered a basic burger with the trimmings and hand cut fries. The fries were wonderful, crispy, delicious – and plentiful!

That menu said all burgers were 1/4 pound. Well, the thin beef on my bun would have made Ronald McDonald blush. (Home of the original quarter pounder – get it?)

burger2

… but tiny!

I decided after paying the bill I would tell the wait person the burger and fries were good but someone had warned me the pattie was small. She was a bit embarrassed and admitted other customers had said the same.

I grew up in the burger business. I cook. Heck, I even weigh meat at home when dieting to measure portions. The burger I had – and the one my dinner companion had was not a 1/4-pound of beef – not pre-cooked, not in wildest little burger dreams.

Do you want to fail? You can advertise one thing and deliver something far less. The 7.99 I paid for the burger would have been quite fair for what the menu said I was getting.

The wait staff was excellent – no complaints, despite what I had heard prior. A strategic error on the bar’s part is not serving draft beer. In a college town, college students want draft. The selection is good with plenty of small craft beers and fairly priced for a bottle at $4.

The wine selection was embarrassingly bad. Wait, bad just isn’t good enough – let’s make it awful, regrettable, silly, and dumb. They offered Indiana Oliver’s cheapest wines and Barefoot. That was it. That distributor must be chuckling somewhere.

Also, there were no prices on the entire drinks menu. Seriously? This ain’t no expensive joint that can say “If you have to ask you can’t afford it!”

I’ll return in another 30-60 days to see if they’ve listened to their customers. And either way – I’ll name the place. Locals have already figured it out!

The decor is cheesy island stuff but not so over the top it will spoil a good 1/4-pound burger, beer and fries. Now, they just have to start servicing one!

Edible Indy a Delicious Dish

27 Wednesday Nov 2013

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The latest two Edible Indy Magazines with a nice French Loaf from Amelia's Bakery.

The latest two Edible Indy Magazines with a nice French Loaf from Amelia’s Bakery.

WHITESTOWN, IN. – Just over a week ago Edible Indy owners and editor celebrated a relaunch of their foodie magazine.

The magazine is a free distribution publication, with paid circulation to homes, that really fills a niche’ in the Indianapolis food and beverage scene.

“This new issue is a facelift,” Managing Editor Heather Tallman said. “We’re taking the outdoors and bringing it in. We wrote about the culinary escapades of Jeff Saturday (former Indianapolis Colt lineman). Everyone knows Jeff as just a football player. He talked about his dramatic weight loss and his fit lifestyle with his family.

“We had some gluten-free recipes, some great cocktails, and a U-Relish farms story about a meatless recipe using a slow cooker.  We wrapped up this issue talking about the bounty of the hunt. For people who do hunt and like game, we have a recipe for medallions of venison.”

Edible Indy Managing Editor Heather Tallaman

Edible Indy Managing Editor Heather Tallman

The issue included information on edible gifts and lots of chocolate items. “Indiana has a bounty of food artisans and I feel they really need a little more attention,” Tallman said.

Tallman and new owners Jeff and Jennifer Rubenstein hope to target those who want to shop and eat locally.  “I hope it’s the beginning foodist, the people who are exceptional home cooks to people who are food collectors like myself,” Tallaman said of potential magazine readers. “I go to events like this (launch party) and I’m sampling candy to craft beers or wines.”

If you can’t find the magazine in Central Indiana, you can access the Edible Indy website and their Chew On It blog. You can also buy a subscription to be mailed to your home. All of the information is on their website.

The launch party at the Golf Club of Indiana near Whitestown was more than cocktails and a bite or two though. Various food artisans joined the fun to help show off what Edible Indy is all about.

Over the past 10 years the quality and sheer quantity of unique food artisans has exploded. I didn’t visit all of the booths, but in the best investigative journalistic principles did my best.

Here are a few I really enjoyed along with a comment or two on each.

Mile Square Coffee Roastery – I had a sip without my drop of cream and sweetner and thought the fresh-roasted brew was about as smooth as it gets. I loved the full flavor without the bitterness!

Killer Tofu – Yes, tofu. These folks are looking for an Indy location for a restaurant but the products are available in better Indy markets. I had this little salsa like thing with a rosemary biscuit – awesome!

Wilks & Wilson – Purveyors of fine elixirs is the subtitle of their business. They make stuff for drinks – is another way to look at it. They were debuting their orange elixir in a nice glass of Prosecco. Oh my!

Brozinni Pizzeria – Food truck and retail outlet, this was pretty darn good hand-made pizza with some unique combos.

Goodies from Smoking Goose

Goodies from Smoking Goose

Quaff On Brewing Company – This Brown County, Nashville, IN., brewery makes a darn fine wheat beer. Ok, I’m not much of a beer drinker but I like the lighter stuff. Their pulled pork sandwich was killer too!

Chocolate for the Spirit – Friend Julie Bolejack is still cranking out world-class chocolate in Shelbyville, Indiana. Her efforts have been honored across the country.

… and finally:

Smoking Goose Meatery & Goose The Market – If you haven’t come accross these fabulous meat products in Indy, you must be eating all of your meals at McDonalds. They are defining food artisan for many in Central Indiana. The products are fabulous.

Wine Glass Makes a Difference

25 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by in Food & Travel, Gizmos & Wine Gadgets

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A tasting event at Vine & Table, Carmel, was a near sell-out event!

A tasting event at Vine & Table, Carmel, was a near sell-out event!

CARMEL, IN. – Anyone serious about wine has probably learned the size of the glass can have an impact on the taste of the wine. You’ve probably seen all those different size and shaped Riedel crystal wine glasses in shops or advertisements and thought it was all silly.

Grape Sense LogoIt’s pretty easy to be skeptical when checking the prices on Riedel crystal. Still, there really isn’t anyone in the world doing what they do. Riedel has been creating grape varietal specific glasses for nearly 50 years.

Members of the Austrian Riedel family, and their sales staff, travel the country constantly putting on tasting seminars to sell their product. A recent event at Indianapolis’ Vine and Table Market provided convincing evidence the glass makes a bigger difference than most novice wine drinkers might think.

The seminar included three glasses made specifically for Oregon Pinot Noir, Syrah, and California Cabernet. The more than 40 participants poured each varietal into all three glasses then were led through a tasting. The difference on the nose and palate was striking.

Julio Ruiz, Riedel

Julio Ruiz, Riedel

“No one else out there does what we do which is create a glass specifically for a grape,” said Julio Ruiz, a Regional Sales Manager for Riedel.  “Through workshops, more or less like the consumer experience of a tasting like this one tonight, we create a new glass.

“We actually go to a region, for example Mendoza (Argentina) which is traditionally a Malbec region, and with the experts and the winemakers we sit them down and do what we did tonight. We throw 20 different glasses in front of them and eliminate one glass at a time until there is one remaining glass. Everybody has to agree upon one glass and then that is the perfect Riedel crystal glass for Malbec.”

That example was timely because one of Riedel’s latest creations is a Malbec glass created in a partnership with the Argentinian label Graffina.

Riedel is not the only company in the world making different sized glasses, by any means. But they take it to levels far beyond anyone else in the business. The company history is fascinating with the birth of Johann Christoph Riedel in 1678 and the family’s start with luxury glass goods. Maximilian Riedel is the 11th generation to head the company business in Kufstein, Austria.

An Oregon Pinot, Syrah, and Cabernet glass.

An Oregon Pinot, Syrah, and Cabernet glass.

Riedel crystal makes an outstanding wedding gift, holiday gift, or a special treat for your wine cabinet. Let’s be honest here – it’s not cheap. Most Riedel glasses start with the factory made crystal from Germany which runs in the $20-$30 a glass range. The hand-blown wine glasses from the historic Austrian plant produces stunning stemware that costs up to $159 a glass.

No one is going to rush out and purchases pairs of the 30-40 different wine glasses. Ruiz offered some advice for getting started.

“Depending on the grape you drink the most, that is the glass I would recommend,” he said. “For example, you drink Cabernet or Pinot Noir buy a Cab or Pinot glass. Don’t forget your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever but that’s where you start. Then as your palate progresses, you move on to the next one.”

Howard’s Pick: I’ve never recommended anyone go buy Riedel crystal and that’s not the point of this column. I think a nice smaller glass for whites and big-bowled glass for reds is a good place to start for most wine drinkers. For those more serious about their wine, the crystal wine glasses are worth the investment.