The Rest of Us

[Neocon maudit]

'Dust' . . . is that what my friends refer to as 'dirt' when drinking certain Italian wines, especially nebbiolos? Is this an Italian thing? I feel like I associate this with Italian wines but not with French [despite the cult of 'terroir'].

Your preference for keeping elegance out of Chianti makes me wonder how you feel about Chianti Classico or loftier sangiovese wines, eg Brunello.

[Sneakeater]

Let's just say that I generally think that Chianti Riservas are a waste of time.

[Sneakeater]

As for Brunello, why would you want to drink a pure Sangiovese (unless they're secretly adulterating it with Syrah -- a move that, if done with transparency, I'm all for) when you can drink a time-tested blend?

[Sneakeater]

Indeed, you fairly frequently see the wine I drank tonight characterized in ingorant wine writings as a "Baby Brunello".

As if there's no difference between Brunello di Mantalcino (all Sangiovese) (unless it's secretly cut with Syrah) and Vino Nobile de Montalcino (a local blend).

[Sneakeater]

SHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The most delicious of fish.

I came up with the idea of preparing the shad the way the Scots prepare its cousin herring:  fried with an oatmeal coating. I did a quick internet search to see if anyone else had thought of it, and found to my consternation that a small-town Massachusetts newspaper (Northampton:  some small town) did three years ago.

It's a great way to prepare shad, don't get me wrong.  (The newspaper's further idea of putting a sorrel sauce on top of the oatmeal coating strikes me as gilding the lily.) (Not that there's any sorrel around in JANUARY.)

The roe, cooked (with the shad) in bacon grease, topped with the bacon and some fried capers (also in the bacon grease).

A trad side of boiled potatoes slathered in butter.

A trad green to go with it would be some early Spring vegetable like fiddleheads.  But it ISN'T early Spring.  It's Winter:  it's almost freakish to have shad in January.  Not that I'm complaining.

So, a very January steamed cabbage and carrot, also slathered in butter.

A celebratory bottle.

2015 Anne-Sophie Dubois Fleurie "Les Cocottes"

Another wine that does what a Natural wine is supposed to:  the fruit just leaps out at you, with the Natural Funk acting as a setting for it.

I love wines that can maintain a light texture while still leaping out of the glass to say "Howdy!"

To tell you the truth, a Pinot Noir would probably have been a better pairing:  this might have been a shade to exuberant.

But a Pinot Noir wouldn't have been as much fun.

[Sneakeater]

19 minutes ago, Sneakeater said:

A trad side of boiled potatoes slathered in butter.

Of course, they should have been new potatoes.

But it's JANUARY.

[Sneakeater]

Don't even THINK of drinking this wine above cellar temp, BTW.

[Sneakeater]

Wait.  Why isn't shad and shad roe called Mother and Child Reunion?

[Sneakeater]

I guess for one thing, shad meat can be male.

[joethefoodie]

On 1/27/2023 at 11:10 PM, Sneakeater said:

Vino Nobile de Montalcino (a local blend).

Isn't it Vino Nobile di Montepulciano?

[Sneakeater]

That’s embarrassing!

[joethefoodie]

23 minutes ago, Sneakeater said:

That’s embarrassing!

Me? Or you?

[Sneakeater]

Me!!!!!

[joethefoodie]

WHEW!

Rosso!!

[Sneakeater]

Smoked Unagi no Tare-glazed eel, over rice.

Now this wasn't unagi:   unlike last night's shad, this actually came from Moriches Bay.  But we get what we can get.

Braised radish (the daikons were all way too big for a Pathetic Single Person, so this was a Chinese Qingluobo) on the side.

Unbelievably delicious (as it would have to be).  And after eating shad last night, the eel bones weren't even that annoying.

I wasn't feeling wine with this.  So I tried an improvement on my:

Andalusian Cat

Getting really good.  Wish I could tell you more.