This year's New Year's resolution: drink Champagne!

What bubbly are you drinking when the ball drops this year? Champagne, perhaps?

Most people would say yes, but while they probably are drinking a sparkling wine, they may not actually drinking Champagne.

So what's the difference? You may be expecting a bunch of wine lingo here, but the distinction is actually very simple: all Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne. Sparkling wine is exactly what it sounds like: wine with bubbles. Champagne, on the other hand, is a geographic region in France, more or less due east of Paris, famous for making sparkling wines (a small amount of still wine is made there, too, but we'll ignore that for now).

But sparkling wine is made all over the world--in just about every country where wine is made--and a lot of it can be very good. What's more, it is often much less expensive than real Champagne. (One of the unfortunate side-effects of Champagne's world renown has been its frequently inflated prices.)

I get plenty of requests in the store for "Champagne," and most of the time, the person is really just looking for an inexpensive sparkling wine. A lot of people make this mistake, and you shouldn't be embarrassed if you have yourself. It's a common misunderstanding (and pretty trivial, really), and we're used to it in the wine business. But this NYE, sneak a peak at the label of whatever bottle your friends pop open--it may be the most delicious sparkler you've ever had, but if it's not from France and doesn't say "Champagne" on the label, it isn't Champagne.

So you've just bought some caviar--now what?

Buying caviar can be intimidating, and not just because of the price. Not many people eat it with any kind of frequency, and so the question we often get is, "How do I serve it?" Here are a few suggestions we have for you:

• Serving it: Keep it in the coldest part of the fridge (never in the freezer, though) until about 15 minutes before serving it, and don't open the container until you're ready to eat. Serve it in the container it comes in or on a small plate or bowl. It's best to keep it chilled on a bed of ice, to keep it fresher longer.
• Eating it: The classic way to eat caviar is on a blini (basically a small crepe). Thin slices of a baguette, lightly toasted will work, too--just make sure it doesn't get crunchy. Add a dab of butter or creme fraiche, and a small spoonful of caviar on top and that's all you need. You can also include diced red onion, capers, and even smoked salmon, if you like. A touch of caviar can work well over a baked potato, too, with mascarpone and chive, or over hard-boiled eggs. I wouldn't waste good caviar on recipes like that, though. Top-shelf caviar in particular, like Beluga or Osetra, has such a fine texture and flavor that too many flavors can often just get in the way. My recommendation: keep it simple. Why complicate things when you're indulging yourself?
• Drinking with it: Of course, keeping it simple doesn't mean you shouldn't have a drink with your caviar, right? There are two classic options in this department: you could do a glass of ice-cold vodka, straight up (just be sure you serve a good vodka--low quality vodka served straight up can be harsh!) Your other option, of course, is Champagne. It can make for a truly elegant experience (and is a bit more user-friendly than vodka). They can get pretty pricey, but if you're feeling tapped out by the caviar purchase, not to worry! There are plenty of great sparkling wines in the $20 range that will match up with it beautifully. Just ask one of our wine guys to help you out with your selection!

Thanksgiving Wines Made Easy

It's not easy picking out wines for a Thanksgiving meal--even for us wine pros it can be a challenge! One wine may go well with the turkey, but does it mesh with the sweet potatoes and the brussels sprouts? Another may be great with the first course, but will you still want to be drinking it by the time the dishes have been cleared and dessert is on its way? There's a lot to consider when pairing wine with a complete Thanksgiving dinner. A good rule of thumb is to have lots of different wines around--that way there's something for everyone (and isn't variety more fun, anyway?) Here's what we're drinking for the holiday this year:

Hugel Gentil: A longtime Shubie's favorite, this soft, dry and delightfully aromatic Alsatian white has the flavor to stand up to all the fixings on your plate. We always recommend having at least one Alsatian/German wine on the Thanksgiving table--they have the flavors, aroma, and structure to stand up to almost any food. The only trouble with this one is that you may drink it all before dinner!

Raymond Chardonnay, R Series: If you're having a crowd over for dinner, it's almost inevitable that someone will want a Chardonnay. This is a great pick: smooth, dry California Chardonnay, with just the slightest hint of oak. It's got great balance, and has quickly become one of our most popular whites. 

Ranga Ranga Sauvignon Blanc: With all the full, rich flavors of a Thanksgiving meal, people usually need something a little refreshing by the end of it, and nothing says "refreshing" like a glass of cold New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and citrusy, don't be afraid to serve this wine at the end of the meal, when palates are getting a little exhausted. Another reason to like the wine: the winery is owned by Marblehead resident Ed Barker, and his winemaker brother Simon. Hooray for local business!

Shoo Fly Shiraz: the sweet potato solution

Ninety Plus Cellars French Fusion: Tons of flavor, not too heavy. Just what you need in a red for Thanksgiving. This one is a delicious blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre from the south of France. Its bright fruit makes it perfect both before and during the meal. 

Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir: No Thanksgiving meal is complete without a Pinot Noir. With its relatively high acidity and undertones of cinnamon and other fall spices, this grape is ideally suited for Turkey Day. This is one of our best selling California Pinots: medium bodied, with bright cherry flavors, it's a bargain for any Pinot lover. 

Shoo Fly Shiraz: Wines greatest nemesis on the Thanksgiving table: sweet potatoes. Their sweet flavor coats the palate, making almost anything you drink afterward taste just a little bit wrong. The solution: Shoo Fly Shiraz. A rich juicy Aussie red, it's always a crowd-pleaser, and can stand up to anything. Even sweet potatoes!

Plate It Up!

Putting together a cheese platter always seems to be the cause of some anxiety with our customers. But with Thanksgiving and the holiday season upon us, a lot of us will have to do it in the coming weeks. Here are a few pointers to help you arrange a cheese board that looks great and tastes delicious:

1. Know your audience. How many cheeses should you get? And how much will you need? That all depends on what the occasion is and who's coming. If the cheese is just an appetizer at a cocktail or dinner party, you should figure on about one ounce per person, and two to four cheeses will do the trick. If you're serving the cheese as a dinner course, two to three ounces, and three to five cheeses will work. If the cheese is the main event, four to six ounces per person is reasonable; in this case, you probably want to serve at least five different kinds of cheese, but don't let that limit you! A cheese dinner with up to 8-12 cheeses can be a memorable evening for a group of cheese lovers.

2. Mix it up. You want to have variety on a cheese platter. Start with something that you like, and go from there. If your first inclination is to pick up a cow's milk cheese, then complement it with a goat's or sheep's milk. Contrast something hard with something soft, something mild with something strong, and so on. Be sure to get cheeses you like, but be adventurous, too. Remember, you're feeding a crowd, and everyone has different tastes. A diverse group of cheeses can be a great conversation starter! Also, don't forget: you want your cheese platter to look good, too. Cheeses come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, textures and colors, and four similarly shaped wedges, no matter how delicious, look boring.

3. The great debate: Bread or crackers. Some people prefer crackers with their cheese. For others, only bread will do. (I'm in the bread camp, but the explanation will have to wait for another post.) There are two easy solutions: a) get whichever you prefer; b) do both! The main thing to remember here is that the cheese is the main attraction, so avoid anything with lots of extra flavors.

4. Fruit and other asides. I know it's cliche, but I love some red grapes on a cheese plate--they're sweet and a little tangy, making them a great foil for just about any cheese, and they add some color to the plate, too. But there's a whole treasure trove of other goodies to add into the mix: apples, pears, and berries; nuts; cured meats like prosciutto and salami; olives and pickled vegetables; or even jams, chutneys or mustard. Every cheese pairs well with some things and not so well with others--feel free to experiment, or ask your cheesemonger for some tips.

5. Looks matter! As I said before, you want the cheese plate to taste good, but you also want it to look good. Grab a nice platter, a wood cutting board, or a slab of marble or slate if you have one, and do it up! The only prerequisite is that there's enough room for all the cheeses to be cut. Chef Lynne is a master at making a plate look beautiful (one of her cheese plates is pictured here, using some fresh herbs as garnish). The rule here is just to be creative and have fun with it! There's no right or wrong--if it looks good to you, then you've probably done it right.

The People Have Spoken (and they like our wines)

Whew! It's been a busy couple of weeks getting ready for our annual Fall Food and Wine Festival (so busy the blog had to take a back seat). We had a great time, as always, as did our many fans. And while we didn't hold any official vote that day, we figured that with the national election season coming to an end, we'd do our best to tally up "the will of the people." And what better way to gauge the people's will than by looking at what they actually bought? Here's a little bit about our top selling red and white from the tasting, unofficially voted number one at this year's tasting:

BZ working the crowd at the Fall Festival

Red: Nero Negroamaro, from Puglia Italy

If I had been asked to predict the top-selling red at the beginning of the day, I almost certainly would not have guessed this southern Italian gem. Something more recognizable, like a Malbec, maybe, or a Cabernet, but Negroamaro? I love the wine, but you probably could have counted on one hand the number of people who walked into the store that day and knew anything about the grape. And yet we sold several cases of it that day.

Why did this obscure red beat out some more obviously popular choices at the tasting? First and foremost, it's delicious: dark and fruity, with notes of roasted plums, prunes, and mocha, it is incredibly well-balanced--not too fruity, but not too dry. Easy to drink on its own, but an obvious match for cold-weather fare like roast meats, lasagna, and other pasta dishes. I think the price had something to do with it, too--at just $10 a bottle, it's an incredible value. Kudos to our savvy customers for picking this one out!

White: Frisk "Prickly" Riesling, from Victoria, Australia

If I was surprised by the people's choice of red, I was blown away by the choice of white. I love good Riesling. LOVE it. Sweet or dry, doesn't matter--if it's well made, I'll have some. But a lot of people shy away from this great white these days. I think the reason goes back to the 70s, when German wine makers would mass-produce low-quality sweet Riesling (stuff the Germans themselves would never drink) and sold it in the US market. Fast-forward to 2010 and a much more sophisticated American consumer, and the bad taste left in our mouths from a few years of bad wine in the 70s still affects our palates: Americans don't want sweet Riesling. (Historical note: hundreds of years ago, before the French were even growing grapes in Bordeaux, the world's most acclaimed and coveted wines were German Rieslings.)

Friends of Shubie's enjoying the tasting

Which is why I was so shocked to find that this was the top-selling white. It's a great wine, with lemon and white flower aromas, and an incredibly fresh, crisp, "prickly" feel on the tongue (there's just the slightest hint of fizz in there). But it's also a touch sweet, a deal-breaker for sure, I thought. Wrong again! While the wine is sweet, it's just barely sweet ("off-dry" is a better term), and the crisp acidity and "prickliness" balance the sweetness perfectly, keeping it feeling light and refreshing. People loved it, and I'm crossing my fingers that this indicates a more widespread trend that Riesling is in again!

A Cut Above the Rest

We feature our fantastic knife selection a lot in our emails, but I find that some people don't really appreciate how great it is to have a few high-quality knives in the kitchen. Is there really that big a difference between the knives that we carry and the low-quality ones you get at the big box stores?

Wusthof Santoku Knife

We have a couple pros at Shubie's to answer this question: Executive Chef Lynne Aronson, and owner Carol Shube, who does the buying for our housewares. Here are some of their comments on the importance of good knives:

• They come in all shapes and sizes. Find the ones that you like. The question isn't, "What's the best knife?" but "What's the best knife for me?" Knife makers design their knives in all kinds of different ways. A good knife vendor (like Shubie's, of course!) will let you pick them up and try them out to see how they feel in your hand. Some people like a heavier knife, some like a lighter one. Maybe you prefer the way the handle of a Wusthof knife sits in your hand compared to Messermeister. Maybe you prefer a shorter carving knife to a longer one, or a santoku to a traditional chef's knife.
• A few will do. Chef's knives, carving knives, santoku, bread knives, high-carbon steel, ceramic, single-blunt forged--there are so many knives to choose from, and you certainly don't need them all in your kitchen. If you're just getting started, a chefs knife, a serrated knife, and a pairing knife will take care of a lot of your needs. The more you cook, the better you'll get to know your cooking habits; and once you know that, you'll have no trouble figuring out what knives are missing from your collection. (For example, I love to roast whole chickens, so for me, a long carving knife and poultry shears are a must!)
• Durability. Good knives cut better and stay sharp longer. All knives wear out eventually, but if you take care of your knives, sharpen the blades periodically at home, and have them professionally sharpened on occasion, there's no reason why our knives won't last you 15 years or more. They may cost a bit more now, but in the long run, you'll be saving yourself the cost of frequently replacing dull knives (not to mention the aggravation of cutting with them, too!)
• Knives are fun! Ultimately, you buy good knives to make cooking more enjoyable for yourself. I love to cook, but a bad set of knives slows me down and makes the meal preparation tedious and unpleasant. We've found some wonderfully stylish knives out there, too, such as the Kyocera ceramic knives and Kuhn Rikon's colorful chef's knives, so you can even find a knife to match the colors in your kitchen. Knives are practical, but they should be fun, too!

Things you always wanted to know about Port but were afraid to ask...

The cellars at Graham's Port

A lot of people coming into the store saying, "I want to buy a gift for a friend. I know they drink Port. I don't know anything about it, but do you have any?" It seems that a lot of people have friends who drink Port, but are too shy to ask about it (or maybe their friends aren't offering a taste!) With Rupert Symington, a member of the family that owns Graham's Port, coming to the store next week, we thought this would be a good opportunity to catch up on some Port basics. Here are some of the most common questions people ask:

What exactly is Port?

In wine terms, Port is a fortified wine. That's just a hoity-toity way of saying that extra alcohol (usually a fairly flavorless brandy) is added to the wine during the fermentation process. Generally, they add enough to put the wine at about 20% alcohol by volume. This stops the fermentation by killing off the yeasts before they have been able to consume all of the grape sugars, and what's left is a sweet wine with a relatively high alcohol content. And that's Port!

I've seen lots of different kinds of Ports out there. What's the difference?

There are a lot of different types of Port out there. But there are two broad categories that they all fall into: Ruby and Tawny (there are also White Ports, but they're pretty unusual, so I won't go into them here). Ruby Ports look like any other dark red wine (hence the name "ruby"), and their flavors are pretty familiar, as well. Think of a rich California Cabernet with lots of dark berry and spice flavors--then add a little sweetness and some extra alcohol to balance it.

Tawny Ports are a bit different. They're made by aging the wine for several years in enormous oak vats (like the ones in the picture) that are open on top. This exposes the wine to oxygen, which gives it different flavors and, yes, a tawny complexion. These wines are lighter bodied than ruby Ports, and typically have nutty aromas, with hints of oranges and honey.

I'm afraid the details of all the different types of Ports will have to wait for another post, but the best way to learn about the differences between ruby and tawny Ports is to taste them!

How do you serve Port?

Port falls squarely into the after-dinner category, either on their own, or with cheese or dessert. You may have heard of the classic Port with Stilton cheese pairing, and I absolutely endorse it--both Ports pair wonderfully with a wide variety of cheeses, especially blue cheese. Both are great with sweets, as well. Ruby Port, with its wonderful richness, is one of the few wines that I would ever serve with chocolate. Tawnies are a bit lighter, and so they're not as good a match with something as mouth-coating as chocolate, but they do great with other desserts, especially ones with some citrus or nuts. Serve ruby Ports at room temperature. Tawnies work well at room temp, too, but are great with a slight chill.

Once I open a bottle, how long does it last?

One of the great things about opening a bottle of Port is that, unlike a bottle of table wine, it won't go bad if you leave it open for more than a couple days! With the exception of vintage Ports (the really expensive ones!) Ports usually last a couple of weeks at least. Tawnies are already oxidized, and so will last even longer. Best way to know if the bottle is still good: taste it! If it still tastes good, drink up. If not, oh well--buy another bottle!

If we didn't answer your most pressing Port questions, post a comment here and we'll answer them!

Veni Vidi Veneto

Nadia Zenato’s upcoming visit to Shubie’s reminded me of a couple things:

• I love Zenato’s wines. 



The best radicchio I have ever tasted!

• I love the Veneto region of Italy, where the wines come from. 

I was lucky enough to spend a 6 or 7 days in the region once, and they were some of the best days I ever spent in Italy. The weather was perfect—despite the fact that it was the middle of January. The landscape was picturesque everywhere I went. The food was, of course, fantastic—I still think longingly of the loose-leaf Radicchio di Treviso that they grow there (yes, after five years, I still think about the radicchio—it was that good!) And I got to visit Zenato’s estate.

Conditions were perfect for tasting their amazing wines, but even now, on a dreary New England day in October, without a Roman ruin or piece of radicchio in sight, I still love to drink them. Here are some of the highlights: 

Grapes drying to make Amarone

1. Zenato Lugana: Zenato’s winery is located on the southern end of Lake Garda. Aside from being one of the most picturesque places in all of Italy, this is a perfect place for growing the local Trebbiano di Lugana grape, which is what they use to make the local Lugana wine. It's a wonderfully fresh, soft, floral white, and Zenato has done a lot to bring it out of the depths of obscurity. Pinot grigio fans beware—this could be a new favorite.
   
2. Zenato Valpolicella (pronounced “val-po-lee-chel-a”): Made from indigenous grapes grown in the Valoplicella region, a little bit east of Lake Garda, this light red is a classic from the Veneto. With notes of cherries, violets, and even almonds, it’s great with chicken and polenta. Actually, it's good for just about any occasion--a perfect "house red" for anyone tired of pouring cabernet or pinot noir.
3. Zenato Amarone: The granddaddy of wines from the Valopolicella, made by drying the grapes out for four months or so before crushing them. This yields an incredibly rich, powerful wine, with dense dark fruit flavors, and notes of dried fruit, smoke and spices. These are amazing wines that can be cellared for many years (if you have the patience). 

Because so much of the the grape is lost to evaporation in the process, though, Amarones are pretty expensive wines. If you want to get a feel for what Amarone is all about without spending the big bucks, you can try Zenato’s Ripassa. To make this, they take the regular Valpolicella and add the left over pommace from the Amarone, giving the wine an Amarone-like character, without an Amarone-like price!

Lake Garda

Shubie's Global Community of Flavors

Chef Lynne's latest addition to the FoodBar menu, the Marblehead Muffuletta sandwich, got us thinking about how incredibly global our selection is. At any given time throughout the year, you could order Middle Eastern Falafel, an array of Asian Noodle Soups, a classic New York Reuben, Bahn Mi (a Vietnamese-style sandwich), a bowl of gazpacho, and even our own Local Cobb Salad Wrap, stuffed with a slew of locally grown veggies. It's a truly global community of flavors and recipes, right here in Marblehead!

And now joining that community is Chef's own take on the Sicilian-inspired sandwich from the Central Grocery in New Orleans.

For those of you not lucky enough to have tried one, a Muffuletta sandwich is typically made with an array of Italian cold cuts, sliced Provolone, and the key ingredient: a chopped olive salad, with cauliflower, celery and carrots, all steeped in olive oil and some vinegar. Put it all between two slices of muffuletta bread (a hearty Sicilian sesame bread that gives the sandwich its name), and you've got yourself a sandwich big enough to keep you fed all week!

As I said, the sandwich originated in the early 1900s at New Orleans' famous Central Grocery, a market in the French Quarter. As the story goes, Sicilian immigrant farmers selling their produce in the city would come to Central Grocery for lunch. They'd buy muffuletta bread, some cold cuts, cheese, and an olive salad, and then eat everything separately, balancing their small plates precariously on their knees while they sat. The store's owner, Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant himself, noticed this and thought it might be easier for them if they sliced the bread and put all the fixings in between. He started making the sandwich, and pretty soon, everyone simply asked for "the Muffuletta."

The Muffuletta is now a staple in New Orleans, a must for all visiting tourists. Unfortunately, it's always been hard to find a good Muffuletta here in the Northeast--until now! Chef Lynne has put her own twist on this classic, and it's too good!

She starts with her one-of-a-kind olive salad, made in-house with her own special blend of herbs and olive oil, carrots, celery, and curried cauliflower (yes, curried--the sandwich now spans three continents!) Add this to a ciabatta stuffed full of sliced  prosciutto, salami, mortadella, provolone and a few leaves of radicchio (no muffuletta bread--those sesame seeds make such a mess!) and you've got another irresistible addition to our global community of flavors at the FoodBar.

Music for Your Mouth

If you read DeMorgenzon's website, the first thing that will probably jump out at you is the fact that they play Baroque music to their vines and wine. Yes, that's right: every bottle of DeMorgenzon's wine has been "listening" to Bach, Haydn, Mozart, and many others from vine to bottle. They cite a number of studies that draw positive connections between music and plant growth.

It's a fun story--and certainly a memorable tidbit that will be fun to bust out at cocktail parties--but there's another method of winemaking that they talk about that really caught my attention. The vineyards are right in the middle of one of South Africa's greatest ecosystems, and they are actively encouraging this ecosystem to flourish within the vineyards (they've also set aside 10% of the estate to a nature conservancy, to preserve this biodiversity). This is where DeMorgenzon's real virtuosity lies.

Modern agriculture is all about growing only the crop you're trying to grow, and basically eliminating the rest. This is where we get all those pesticides, weed-killers, and other chemicals that are starting to sound so scary. The idea was to make it easier to grow the crops without all that other stuff getting in the way.

Of course, we're starting to learn that there are some consequences to these methods, and so a lot of winemakers have turned to biodynamics as an alternative to these farming techniques. I won't bore you with the details of biodynamics, but the principle behind is pretty fascinating: it treats farmland, including the land's natural habitat, as a living organism, and so everything that's a part of this land must be encouraged to flourish in harmony. So if you kill off all the beetles, or wipe out all the weeds, it's like cutting off an arm or a leg--the land will survive, but it will be crippled.

Winemakers who have turned from chemical treatments to biodynamics report amazing changes. The vineyards "come back to life," they say. The vines become healthier as other plants and animals return to replenish the soil with lost nutrients--in essence, the vineyard becomes an ecosystem again. The upshot is that healthier vines produce better wines! It's no surprise that many of our favorite wines at Shubie's are made by producers that employee biodynamic practices.

I should make it clear that DeMorgenzon doesn't claim to be a biodynamic producer. There's a lot that goes into biodynamics (including some practices that seem a little hocus-pocus, like harvesting according to moon cycles), and it may simply be that they don't want to employ all of tenets of biodynamics (I haven't had a chance to ask them about this myself). However, their main goal is essentially the same: encourage biodiversity within the vineyard. It's a wonderful philosophy, and there's a vibrancy to their wines that I like to think comes from the health and vitality of their vineyards. And I bet the music helps, too!

Go to their website to read more about their farming practices, and the amazing things they're doing to preserve what sounds like a truly remarkable ecosystem (after reading it, I certainly want to visit!)

The Oscars of American Cheese

Imagine a room full of over 1400 different cheeses--and you can eat as much as you want. It may sound like a version of heaven to some of you, but this cheesy paradise is a reality once a year at the annual American Cheese Society Conference and Competition.

Every year, hundreds of artisan cheesemakers from across the North American continent bring their cheeses to the competition, where they are judged by a panel, and the best cheeses from a variety of categories are selected (yes, it is someone's job to taste these cheeses, and yes, I wish I had that job!)

We don't go to the conference every year, but we always look forward to the results--invariably, we hear about some new cheese that we end up falling in love with; and invariably, some cheeses that we are already in love with are recognized for being the great cheeses we always knew they were. Here are a few of our favorite selections from the winners this year: 

Vermont Butter and Cheese Coupole

Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor, 2nd Place, soft-ripened, flavor added category: From the makers of Humboldt Fog, this is a pasteurized goat cheese with a think, bloomy white coat that creates a foggy gray rind.  Made with black truffles, a wedge looks like a slice of moist layer cake, and the full tangy flavor of its crumbly, smooth paste is sheer perfection.

Roth Kase Gran Queso, 1st Place, ripened Hispanic and Portuguese style category: Slightly sweet, but with an extra-sharp tang, this cow's milk cheese is great for cooking. It melts and blends well, and is perfect on top of some pasta or in a quesadilla. Or munch on it after dinner with a glass of Port!

Vermont Butter & Cheese Coupole, 2nd Place, original goat milk recipe category: This distinctive goat cheese is molded by hand, and has a smooth and creamy texture with aromas of fresh flowers, citrus and hazelnuts.  It is perfect for a cheese board with its mild, fresh milk flavor. (Incidentally, their products won several awards this year, and we have most of them in stock!)

Nettle Meadow Farm Kunik, 1st Place, triple creme category:Creamy and delicate, this decadent triple-cream cheese is made from a combination of goat's milk and Jersey cow cream. This unique blend gives Kunik a rich, tangy and buttery flavor, making it a perfect match with a glass of champagne.

A Local Favorite: Westfield Farm's Blue Log

Westfield Farm Blue Log, 1st Place, external blue cheese category: A unique twist on blue cheese, the blue mold in Blue Log grows only on the outside of the cheese. One of the few external blue chevres made in the world, it has a fresh, clean, creamy flavor. Made locally in Hubbardston, MA!

Go here for a list of all of this year's winners!

Pairing Cheese with Wine: The Acid Test

“What wine would go well with this cheese?”

We get this question a lot. Everyone loves the classic combo of wine and cheese, and serving the two together is pretty much a no-brainer. But picking out which wine goes with which cheese is much more challenging. There are so many cheeses and wines to choose from, how can you tell if the ones you’ve picked out are meant to be together?
 
And make no mistake—there are a lot of unhappy cheese and wine couples out there. Sometimes the cheese is the culprit: some cheeses are so flavorful that they overpower most wines. Epoisses, a great French stinker, is traditionally paired with red Burgundy (always made from Pinot Noir), but I’ve never been able to make the pair work. The Epoisses always overpowers these delicate Pinots, and I’m left tasting nothing but cheese the whole way through. Frankly, I think the best wine to go with this cheese is probably beer! A nice, full-bodied ale, such as Ommegang Abbey Ale, would probably do the trick.
 
Sometimes the culprit is the wine: some wines just aren’t very cheese-friendly. I have a hard time finding a match for some California Cabernet, the real fruity, oaky ones. In wine-speak, I would say that they lack some of the structural elements necessary to pair well with cheese. In normal-person-speak, I’d say that they just don’t play well with others, and I end up with an exhausting mish-mash of cheese and wine flavors in my mouth.
 
So what’s the key to a happy cheese and wine marriage? There are no hard and fast rules, and trial and error plays a big part, but with our many years of hard work and research (read: drinking lots of wine and eating lots of cheese!) we have some suggestions to help you along. I’ll be sure to post more later on, but here’s one to start you off: high acid wines tend to be cheese-friendly.
 
You know that tingling you get on the side of your tongue when you drink some wines? That’s the wine’s acidity, and it helps a wine from being overpowered by a cheese. We often pair lighter, high acid whites (like Picpoul de Pinet) with rich and moderately flavorful cheeses (like Moses Sleeper)—the acidity cuts through the milk fat and cleanses the palate, and the richness of the cheese actually adds a little extra body to the wine. The two complement each other well.
 
More on wine and cheese pairings to come later. There are so many great combinations out there, so be sure to experiment, and let us know what works for you!

The Magic of Landaff

A few of the Erbs' Holsteins out to pasture

The first time I heard that we brought in a new cheese called Landaff, I did a double take:

"You mean like the wizard from Lord of the Rings?"

No, that's Gandalf. My bad.

As it turns out, there's no wizardry involved in making Landaff, but there is lots of good cheesemaking practices. Cheesemakers Doug and Debby Erb use only raw milk from their own herd of Holstein cows, and make the cheese themselves on the farm. This keeps the milk incredibly fresh--it goes straight from the cows to the creamery, where the cheese is made the same day.

The cows are fed a diet of mostly corn and grasses, all grown on their property. Right now, you can taste the rich flavors of the luscious summer grasses the cows have been munching on. As the seasons change, the cows' diet will change too, and the milk they produce will reflect that change. This is the first time we've carried Landaff, so we're really looking forward to seeing what autumn and winter Landaff tastes like!

Given that the Erbs do pretty much everything on the farm themselves, it may come as a surprise that they send their cheeses off to be aged in Vermont, at The Cellars at Jasper Hill. Trust me, though, this is a good thing, and actually a very traditional practice in Europe.

Aging cheese can be a significant undertaking. Every cheese has its own regimen of care--most need to be turned at least once a day. Some need to be brushed down periodically or washed with salt water, wine, beer, or some other liquid. All need to be kept in a cool, moist environment to age properly. It can be a complicated and time-consuming process that small farmers like the Erbs would rather not deal with (their cheese requires about 2 months of aging).

The Cellars at Jasper Hill: Cheese Heaven

I'll be sure to write a more detailed post about Jasper Hill Farm and Cellars, but for now, all you need to know is that they have a large cheese cellar built just for the purpose of aging great American cheeses like Landaff. They have done many wonderful things for American cheesemaking. The partnership between the Erbs and Jasper Hill is a perfect example: it allows the Erbs to focus on what they do best--make great cheese--and allows us to eat some incredibly good local cheese.

Not All Mozzarellas Are Created Equal

Anyone who has been to Italy, particularly Naples, knows that there's something special about the mozzarella di bufala made there. But what exactly is the difference? What's so special about Italian mozzarella?

The most important factor is the milk source: as the name suggests, mozzarella di bufala is made from the milk of water buffalo. This milk is rich in protein, calcium and milk fat, much more so than cows milk. This is extremely important to mozzarella, because it is a fresh cheese, meaning it is not aged like most cheeses you're familiar with (cheddar, brie, taleggio, etc). Aging is a big part of where a cheese's flavor comes from--so with an un-aged cheese like mozzarella, the milk has to do all the talking!

The other major factor involved in mozzarella is the freshness. In Naples, where mozzarella has its origins, they've been raising water buffalo for their milk for hundreds of years, and if you buy a piece of mozzarella there, chances are it was made that same day. With fresh mozz, the fresher the better.

That said, obviously, there aren't any water buffalo farms near Marblehead, and unless anyone plans on pasturing some on Gatchell's Green, we don't expect to find any nearby any time soon. So to get authentic buffalo mozzarella, we have to go outside of Massachusetts. Most buffalo mozzarella in the US is flown in from Italy, and can be had at just a few days old.

The other option is locally made cows milk mozzarella. Cows milk doesn't provide the same rich, sweet flavors of buffalo milk, and so sometimes the cheese can be somewhat bland. However, it is often (though not always!) fresher, since it spends less time in transit than the Italian one, and there are some good producers out there who make some delicious cheeses. We've been carrying Maple Brook Farms mozzarella lately and have absolutely loved their cheeses. They don't have quite the flavor of the buffalo milk cheeses, but they come awfully close!

I visited a mozzarella maker in Naples a few years ago and got to watch them make a batch of buffalo mozzarella. Here's the process.

Start out with fresh curds in a traditional wooden barrel.

Add hot water. This causes the proteins in the curds to link together, making the curds combine into a thick, doughy mass. The Italians will actually refer to it as "dough."

They knead it a bit for consistency. Yes, this is basically a giant ball of mozzarella here.

They tear off a small pieces of the "dough" and rip them up into small balls of mozzarella. The word for tear in Italian is mozzare, which is where the cheese gets its name.

Finished mozzarella.

An American Pig

Pig is big. Whether you like it or not, it is hard to open up a menu at any restaurant and not see pork chops, pork belly or Chef Lynne’s favorite—bacon! But this is not a blog about bacon, this is about proscuitto.

Iberico ham in salt cure

First, some ground rules. Dry-cured ham legs tend to all be labeled with the Italian word for it, prosciutto. The most famous example, of course, is Italy’s Parma Prosciutto, but it doesn’t have to come from Parma, or even from Italy, to be absolutely delicious. There is Speck, Italy’s smoked version; and Spain’s versions, Jamon Serrano and Jamon Iberico (a.k.a. the $100/lb prosciutto, pictured here in various stages of curing). These dry-cured prosciuttos have long histories and complex flavor profiles that come from the meticulous aging process.

Iberico ham shortly after salt cure

Then there’s La Querica Farms of Norwalk, Iowa, who introduced their Prosciutto Americano in September 2005. The response was incredible, with many claiming it to be the best prosciutto…ever! In 2006, La Quercia added another winner to their repertoire: La Quercia Rossa—the first and only single-breed, dry cured ham made in the USA.

Perhaps like many of you, I did not quite realize the importance of breeding until tasting La Quercia Rossa. Breeding plays a key role in dry cured ham quality because it actually influences muscle structure, muscle fiber, water holding capacity, fat quality and internal meat characteristics. Since prosciutto flavor develops from the inside, these factors are especially important. La Quercia Rossa is truly an experience.

Like Spain’s Jamon Iberico, La Quercia uses only the finest pork breeds (Berkshire or Kurobuta pork), which are known for the color, flavor and tenderness. For those of you who splurged and tried Jamon Iberico when we had it for sale when it first came out, do you remember the sweet, nutty and not too salty flavor? And how about the way the fat melted on your tongue? Well, here at Shubie’s, we loved the experience so much, but were not always so crazy about the price. So imagine how excited we were we tried La Quercia Rossa and were absolutely blown away! It melts in your mouth, has an incredible nutty flavor, but with a beautiful subtlety and none of that oiliness or heaviness. And the best part, it’s priced more like the prosciutto di Parma than the Iberico at only $24.99/lb.

There’s a world of prosciutto beyond Italy, and now even we in the US have a prosciutto of amazing quality to brag about. Give this amazing domestic prosciutto a taste—I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do.

La Quercia uses sustainable farming techniques, and only sources its pigs from farms that raise their pigs humanely on open pastures. Read more here!

Iberico ham, later curing stage

This Cheese Stinks!

Young Epoisses, about 10 days old

We've all had that experience at some point: you open up a piece of cheese from its package, and your nose is immediately overwhelmed by the smell of a "stinky cheese." Love it or hate, it's a fact of life: sometimes, cheese stinks!

So what makes a cheese smell that way? The answer, in short: cheese is ALIVE! (The more sqeamish among you may not want to read further; those of you who enjoy knowing the origins of what you eat--this is for you.) In very brief terms, cheese is made by inoculating milk with cultures and then coagulating it. Basically, you add mold to milk and then separate the milk solids from the milk liquids (the curds from the whey--yes, Miss Muffet was basically eating fresh cheese, something akin to cottage cheese). You then gather up the solids and wait.

"Middle aged" Epoisses, about 3 weeks old

As you wait, the mold slowly eats the curds, and turns them into cheese. The process is basically the controlled spoilage of milk. That white fluffy stuff you see on the surface of your Brie or Camembert--that's mold, and it gives the cheese much of its flavor and character.

But wait, you say, Camembert and Brie aren't stinky cheeses. What does this have to do with stinky cheese?

There's another way to ripen cheese. Instead of letting the mold continue to grow on the cheese's surface, certain cheeses are "washed" in a brine solution, usually salt water, though sometimes wine, an eau-de-vie, or even beer will be used, as well. This prevents the mold from growing, and instead (squeamish people should really stop reading here!) encourages the growth of certain bacteria on the surface of the cheese. Obviously, the bacteria is harmless to humans, and it is this bacteria that gives a cheese its "stink" (so you could make the claim that the bacteria is even beneficial, especially to lovers of smelly cheeses).

Almost Ripe Epoisses, about 6 weeks old

I got to visit a cheesemaker in France who makes Epoisses (pronounced "ay-pwahs"), France's most famous stinky cheese, and have posted some photos here of the cheese at different points in the aging process. You can see in the young version how there's still plenty of white mold growing on it, and the bacteria hasn't really started growing yet. But by the end, its a beautiful, stinky orange, with almost no signs of white mold (other than the smell, you can always recognize these washed-rind cheeses by their yellow or orange rind).

Portugal: It's not all about Port!

When people think about Portuguese wines (I'm sure you've all spent many sleepless nights pondering this subject), they usually think about Port, the famous fortified dessert wine made in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal. While Port can be absolutely delicious,  it tends to overshadow the many wonderful dry table wines that Portugal produces. It's unfortunate, but if it's not Port, people just tend to forget about Portuguese wine.

That's why we were so thrilled when we found Casa Antiga. It's just a textbook example of everything we love about Portuguese wines:

• First of all, there's the "geek factor." Portugal is known for growing all kinds of indigenous, nearly unheard-of wine grapes--and we wine geeks love weird grapes! Casa Antiga is chock full of them: Bical, Cerceal-Branco, Malvasia-Fina, and Encruzado make up the blend. Dont worry if you've never heard of them--we hadn't either!

Vineyards in the Douro Valley

• Portugal also has a number of wine regions that are absolutely ideal for making wine. The Douro Valley (pictured above) is the most famous, with its picturesque sloping vineyards, but there are plenty of other fascinating places that make some wonderful wines. The Dao Valley (pronounced "dow"), where Casa Antiga is made, is one of the best. Surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges, with soils rich in schist and granite, the terrain is ideal for making wines with finesse and elegance. Casa Antiga is a great example, with a wonderful balance between fruit and acidity, and a stunning dose of earthy minerals that you don't usually find in wines at this price
• Lastly, Portuguese wines are often very inexpensive. Vineyard land is still pretty cheap over there, and since Portuguese wines are so obscure, the demand isn't terribly high, keeping prices low on these high-quality wines, and providing great bang-for-your-buck! 

Pastures overlooking the Serra da Estrella mountain range, one of the ranges that encloses the Dao

Tequila: Beyond Margaritas

Doug and I have recently made it our mission to bring some new and unusual tequilas in to the store, so we went into Boston a few days ago to taste a few. Life can be so hard sometimes!

We tasted seven tequilas in total. Seven may sound like a lot for tequila, but please bear in mind a) they were all small pours; b) we were taking public transportation. Our focus was on reposados and anejos, the two "rested" versions of of tequila. "Rested" just means that they've been aged in oak barrels for a certain amount of time, reposados from 2 to 11 months, anejos a year or more. This mellows the tequila out and makes it easier to sip without the strong "burn" silver tequilas can have.

Here are some of our discoveries from the tasting:

• The best tequila of the night: Corralejo Reposado. I didn't know tequila could be so good! It was delicate, seamless and complex. Creamy, with a touch of sweetness, it has aromas of white flowers, cracked pepper, and butterscotch, and goes down extremely easily. Our first case just came in. It's a tacky bottle (pictured here), but it's what's inside that counts! An interesting side note: they apparently use three different types of oak to age their tequilas: American, French, and White oak. It's an unorthodox approach, but they seem to be on to something.
• Overall, there was a surprising range of flavors, textures and styles, especially given how small a tasting it was. I always thought that all tequilas taste pretty much the same--shame on me! Floral, peppery, creamy, butterscotch, orange peel, and wild herbs are just a few highlights from our tasting notes that evening.
• While anejos are typically more prestigious, since they've been aged longer, we actually enjoyed the reposados more as a group. They were mellow enough to sip on, but still retained that unmistakable pepper-and-herbs tequila flavor, while the anejos in some cases tasted more like oak barrels than tequila. (As a bonus, they also tend to be cheaper!)

The tasting really opened our eyes--these tequilas are meant to be sipped and savored. If you've ever thought that tequila was just for margaritas and shots (and until this tasting, I would have included myself in that category), think again!

Why don't people drink more Chablis?

A couple of us from Shubie’s went to a seminar on Chablis a few days ago, and an interesting question was raised that no one had a very good answer for: “Why don’t people drink more Chablis?”

A number of reasons were suggested, but I think we missed the most important one, which is this: people like me have been remiss in recommending Chablis. So here it is: You should drink more Chablis!

Why? Because good Chablis is exactly what Chardonnay ought to be but rarely is: fresh and clean, with zesty notes of lemons, limes, green apples, and even sea salt and minerals. It’s absolutely perfect with seafood (and we New Englanders love our seafood!) but can also be served with many cheeses, chicken dishes (especially those with a little bit of butter or cream), and makes a great aperitif.

I’m a huge fan of Chablis (in case you hadn’t already guessed), but I think it suffers from a couple of misconceptions that have prevented more people from trying it. Hopefully I can clear that up here:

• Real Chablis is always Chardonnay, always from France (I've posted a couple pictures of the town and vineyards here). Chablis is not one of those California jug wines from Almaden or Gallo that you used to see in the 70s and 80s. Wipe those wine-in-a-box laden memories from your mind.

• Chablis is never “oaky.” A lot of people seem to be tiring of that heavy, oaky style of Chardonnay that used to be very popular. Those of you who are will love Chablis. Most Chablis sees no time in oak barrels at all (the best wines of the region spend time in used oak barrels, which impart little or no flavors to the wine). So it stays crisp, bone dry, refreshing, and never heavy.

Finally, the wine geek in me needs to explain one more aspect about Chablis—the thing that makes these wines so incredibly unique. And that is: dirt.

Seriously, Chablis’ soil famously contains significant deposits of limestone and fossilized oyster shells. I’m not making this up! It sounds crazy, but some of that calcium makes its way into the grapes, giving the wines that sea-salty minerality I mentioned earlier.

Taste it for yourself—we have a great selection of Chablis in the store now, and I’m happy to guide you through it. Ask for me next time you’re in, and say: “I want to drink more Chablis!”

Bill Shube

9 Things You Should know about Butternut Squash Seed Oil

Carol had been so excited about the arrival of Stony Brook Butternut Squash Seed Oil, that when if finally arrived, I just had to find out more about it. I spoke to Greg Woodworth yesterday about what makes it so special, and did a taste test earlier in the week. Here are some of the key points:

1. It’s made from the seeds of squash that are cut up to be sent to supermarkets, which previously were just being thrown out. Now they get turned into oil. Hooray for sustainability!
2. The squash is all grown in upstate New York. Isn’t it great to have a locally-made alternative to olive oil?
3. It’s great for dunking breads, especially whole grain loaves.
4. Ditto for raw veggies—I had it with some snow peas, and it was fantastic.
5. It’s probably the only butternut squash seed oil in existence.
6. While they intend it as a finishing oil, it has a high burn point, so it’s totally suitable for cooking with.
7. Drizzle it over just about anything off the grill: chicken, asparagus, beef, tomatoes, onions. (My next experiment with it: grilled scallops, sea salt, a shpritz of lime, and a drizzle of oil. Can’t wait!)
8. As far as oils go, it’s very healthy. Check out their website for more details on that.
9. Drizzle a little bit of it over watermelon. Seriously, just do it. Trust me.

 
Bill Shube
Shubie’s Food and Wine Guy