11 posts tagged “stacie hunt”

What is liquid meat?  Food Network's Alton Brown explains.  Food writer Jonathan Gold is a pie-lover.  He shares some stories of what pie means to him.  A tour of the Los Angeles Times' test kitchen.   Ching Ching Ni tells us about a culture clash involving rice noodles.  A delicatessen serves ethnic food of a different sort.  David Sax explains how the deli is endangered.  Timothy Childs works for NASA and makes chocolate.  Find out what those two things have in common.  Mark Peel has us over for a family dinner.  And Stacie Hunt takes us wine tasting in Croatia.  It's the story of wines after war.  And Laura Avery takes a trip to the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

Organic produce isn’t always better, argues the Los Angeles Times’ Russ Parsons.  The organic versus conventional debate is more complex than it seems.  Eugenia Bone teaches us about canning and preserving food in small batches.  Plus, sommelier Stacie Hunt tells us about new wines from some very interesting producers.  The wines are included in two wine flights Stacie put together for Good Food subscribers.  And Amelia Saltsman shares a recipe for Eggplant Caviar.

What role should the FDA have in regulating the safety of our food supply?  Dr. David Kessler, the former head of the FDA shares his thoughts.  Plus, Jonathan Gold stops by with a restaurant suggestion.  This time it’s molecular gastronomy served at a bakery.  And, enjoy some of our incredible premiums while supporting KCRW and Good Food.  Sommelier Stacie Hunt designed two special wine flights of hard-to-come-by bottles for KCRW subscribers.  She has the details.  And, Laura Avery tells us whats fresh at the Farmers Market.

A listener named James asked whether it was okay to freeze leftover wine to use for cooking.  I asked Stacie Hunt of Du Vin what she thought.  Here's what she wrote:

"Freezing wine is a perfect thing to do with any leftover wine.  You can pour the wine into ice cube trays, freeze and then put the cubes into baggies.  You'll have perfect beginnings for sauces, soups and marinades.  Frozen wine cubes can stay indefinitely.

Guest Blogger Stacie Hunt is an AIS certified Sommelier and occasional wine judge.  She has some things to say about a recent LA Times article, which disclosed the results of a study where only 10 percent of California State Fair wine judges were able to consistently give the same rating to the same wine sampled multiple times.  Below are her thoughts.

Red Wine

Only 10% in a four-year study of California State Fair judging were able to consistently give the same rating, or something close, to the same wine sampled multiple times in a large blind tasting.

Recently, the LAT ran an article “exposing” that wine judges at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, held annually at the LA County Fairgrounds (one of the largest wine competitions in the state), judged the same wine three times, three different ways.  Mon Dieu!

Sparkling Wine

Exactly what was the “call to action” in releasing the results of this blind taste test? To instill confidence in consumers regarding the wines that are awarded medals?  To boost the trust factor that a medal bestows?  To encourage winemakers, worldwide, to enter more competitions?  I think none of the above, but rather to create a tabloid style headline that with all its sound and fury, harrumphs around and then is heard no more.

Judges who participate in wine competitions (and both the author of the blind test and the LAT writer have judged at the competition in question) come from many rows of wine life.  There are journalists to be sure, winemakers, growers, educators, Sommeliers, Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, mixologists, bon vivants, merchants, sales, public relations and advertising executives, professional spokespersons and other job descriptions within or aligned with the industry.  Sounds kind of similar to what you find in any awards judging group.  Think of the upcoming Academy Awards nominations, for their version of a Gold Medal product.  The “judges” are actors, directors, producers.  You may see a film once and not be moved at all, seeing the same film a second time; you suddenly find nuances and scenes that change your mind.  You get the picture.  

Not all of the judges are rigorously trained to taste all of the nuances in a blind tasting. Nor should they be.  The variety of judges is there to offer an educated “field blend” of opinions to help us consumers toward a taste and value experience.

Each judge comes to a particular glass of wine with a discipline and sometimes an axe. They may be looking for specific character of a particular grape; whether or not they actually even like this grape; an old world or new world style; or a glass that will sell for $6.00 in their establishment, a bottle that will fetch attention on their “shelf talker,” and so on.  In addition to this, what did the judges have for breakfast?  Or, do they have an allergy/nasal condition as they taste; or perhaps in a grumpy or happy mood and what about the state of their emotional relationships?

Some have said that the reason the blind wine was judged differently is due to the fatigue that is inherent in a large wine competition, or to the panel or committee style of judging.  If we are to suspect “taste fatigue” from a panel of judges then what can we think about the singular sensation of Robert M. Parker, Jr’s palate, who purportedly has tasted many hundreds of wines in a day.

White WIne

For full disclosure, I have judged for four years at the Los Angeles Wine & Spirits Competition, as well as others.  In my experience, judges take their job seriously, sometimes becoming passionately gruff with each other when arguing for/against points.

Many of us have had the experience of tasting a wine while on holiday and having our senses go through the roof.  We buy that same bottle, bring it home and open it…..and it just isn’t the same.  Or, we buy several bottles and wonder why they don’t all taste the same.  We have the right to have a different opinion from one bottle to the next. 

Variations are inherent in any human endeavor. And, perhaps there are methodologies to tighten up the judging process.  But, unless we want computers to determine medal winners for taste, any product being judged for an award is subject to the “subjective.”

In the words of Paul McCartney, “Let it Be.”

A listener recently wrote to us asking about books on making wine.  We asked our wine expert and guest blogger, Stacie Hunt:

From Vines to Wines

"Once you start enjoying the pleasures of wine, a new passion begins to form, way back in your head.  It starts as a little thought, "Maybe I might like  to  make my own wine..."

That thought takes root, so to speak, and sprouts to, "Maybe I'd even like to try my hand at growing grapes..."  It's not long before you notice a patch in your yard, or even a large, 30+" diameter pot and you inch closer to seeing vines in your future.  Well, you're not alone!  Take a look at some of my favorite books on the subject, ranked by my priority:
 
From Vines to Wines: The Complete Guide to Growing Grapes and Making Your Own Wine, by Jeff Cox
This book isn't intimidating; it's easy to understand, especially on the second reading

Vines, Grapes & Wines:  The Wine Drinker's guide to Grape Varieties, by Jancis Robinson
A great book that identifies grape varieties and helps you select types that you can grow, plus it offers great history on each variety.

The Home Winemaker's Companion:  Secrets, Recipes and Know-How for Making 115 Great Tasting Wines, by Gene Spaziani
Easy to read and follow instructions, plus a few secret short-cuts.

First Steps in Winemaking:  A Complete Month-By-Month Guide to Winemaking, Cyril J.J. Berry
Steps for each month from the ground to the glass.

The Grape Grower:  A Guide to Organic Viticulture, Lon Rombough, Roger Swain
For the organic composter.

There's also a great online resource, courtesy of UC Davis called, "Making Table Wine At Home."

And, while you're waiting for bud break, which is scheduled for around April 1st, pull the cork on a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Temecula Valley and give Patrick Bartlett a call at: 951.699.8896, or email him.  He's started a facility where you can have a secured space for processing your own grapes and produce your wines under his and winemaker, Tim Kramer's careful eyes.  He'll even help you with marketing of your wines and is planning a restaurant placement program for his members' releases.  

Sparkling Wine

Here are Stacie Hunt's Recession-Proof Sparkling Wine suggestions for your Inauguration party - or any celebration:

Drusian Prosecco ($16.99)
Duveau Accordance, Crémant De Loire ($12.99)
Bernard Rondeau, Bugey-Cerdon ($19.99)
Louis Bouillot, Rose Crémant  ($16 .99)
Tenuta Pederzana, Lambrusco ($19.99)
Veuve Ambel, Elysee Peche ($18.99)
Saracco, Moscato d'Asti ($18.99)

Guest blogger and wine expert Stacie Hunt breaks down your bubbly needs for tomorrow's celebration:

"This IS IT.  Tomorrow is INAUGURATION DAY!  Even if it is a recession, it's time to raise a glass and toast the new era, with an early morning eye-opener (if you're in the West); an afternoon delight (if in the Central Time Zone) or an evening soireé (if on Eastern Standard Time).  Wonder what the new President will be toasting with?  Well, in style with keeping your wallet in tact, the new Mr. President is toasting the future of America with (gasp!) Korbel Champagne from Napa Valley, California!  That's right, President Barack Obama will toast with a "recession proof" bubbly!  Korbel rings in at about $10.99 a bottle.  
 
"Let's raise our glasses and energies to 2009 and the new deal. Here's a little inspiration for Recession-Proof Sparklers. There's a whole new wave of FIZZ. It seems we have discovered, here in America, what other parts of the world have been experiencing. There's a fizz for every personality and for every mood. So, let's look at the definitions and see which one fits our mood.

Fizz – Winespeak for effervescent wines that make a "hissing" sound and bubble their way down, tickling your throat and your fancy.

Sparkling – A term used to describe wine that contains bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. There are generally four methods to infuse wine with gas. Méthode Champenoise is the traditional method used in France's Champagne region and other countries that make fine sparkling wine. With this method, a second fermentation takes place in the bottle, thereby creating carbon dioxide that permeates the wine.

Crémant – French for "creaming," which in Champagne describes wines that are moderately sparkling. This means that they've been made with slightly more than half the pressure of champagne or Mousseux-style sparkling wines, but more pressure than wines described as Frizzante, or Crackling.  Now, having said that, there are three areas in France: Appellation D'Origine Contrôlées (Crémant D'Alsace, Crémant De Bourgogne and Crémant De Loire), that use the descriptive adjective "cremant," but are fully sparkling. The sparkling wines from these three areas are made by the Méthode Champenoise and have strict regulations regarding their production.

Méthode Champenoise – The traditional method of making sparkling wine developed in France's Champagne region. This process consists of taking various still wines and blending them to make a cuvée that represents the style of a winery or champagne house. A complex cuvée can consist of as many as 30 to 40 different wines. Once the various wines are blended in large blending vats, a bottling dosage, a syrupy mixture of sugar and wine (and sometimes brandy and/or citric acid), is added along with special yeasts. The cuvée is then immediately bottled and corked. The sugar (in the bottling dosage) and the yeast cells cause a secondary fermentation to take place in the bottle. And the magic begins..."
 

Red Wine

"Wine nourishes, refreshes, and cheers. Wherever wine is lacking, medicines become necessary." --The Talmud

The season for celebrating Hanukkah is now.  Traditionally, a spotlight is put onto kosher wines.  When first hearing the words: Kosher Wines, thought goes immediately to the sweet, syrupy, grapey wines that are associated with this type of wine.  The next reaction is often: Ugh.  But, man-oh-man, those days are over!  Times have changed and the contemporary kosher wines win international awards and rival wine made from standard methods.

Today, the major areas of kosher wine production are: Israel, France and California.
One of the most recognized labels, Baron Herzog, produces a Merlot in the Central Coast not to be missed. Weinstock Cellars was the first into the kosher winery business in Sonoma. Started in Geyserville, by Rob Weinstock in 1984, he produces Chardonnay and White Zinfandel.

In Napa, Hagafen (which means vine) produces wonderful Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.

From France, no less than the Rothschild family weighs in with a rich wine from Bordeaux.