Quoth the Philosopher

"O happy Burgundy which merits being called the mother of men since she furnishes from her mammaries such a good milk" 

- Erasmus, 1522

Stout n Steak

My mate Sam and I have developed rather a stout bond.
We have been making music together for many years and recently started a new project as a duo.
Kind of a folky, Rufus Wainwright meets Peter Tosh type arrangement. (cross promotion anyone? Ok... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jean-Claude-Sam-Dan/213627035400324 )

During the process of weekly rehearsals, which of course involve drinks and food, we have discovered a mutual love of dark beer.
It has become ritual that each week, rehearsal takes place at alternate dwellings, and the guest brings the stout.
We have nodded along to Coopers Best Extra Stout

Our eyes have lolled over La Trappe Dubbel

Applauded the over-the-topness of Grand Ridge Moonshine

And generally felt very manly and self-congratulatory about our ever so adult pursuit of fine, traditional Ales.

But it wasn't enough.

We needed a big event, with more men and a roast beast.

We decided a Stout & Steak Night was the go and rounded up some other like-minded muso-mates.

We thought a nice casserole would do the trick, some crusty bread, a little mash and an assortment of powerful Ales. Welcome to flavour country.

I flicked on the slow-cooker first thing in the morning (well, first thing in MY morning) and got to work preparing a stout-inspired cass. I caramelised some onions in sugar and balsamic vinegar added a kilo of beef cheeks, assorted veggies, a cup of stout (in this case the above pictured Coopers B.E.S), some beef stock, seasoning and went about my day.

I returned from work around 6pm and threw some Dutch 'taters in the steamer, I had a pre-emptive slug of the remaining stout and once both those taters and I were feeling tender I added an obscene amount of butter, cream and salt to them and mashed up a soft, silky little tater-storm.

Once the guys arrived and we'd completed the obligatory round of high-fives, chest bumps and gutteral grunting, we hot-footed it over to the beer shop.

After a fairly unconvincing browse of the aisles which involved pointing out any labels showing boobs, we decided to ask the beer man if he could put together a mixed case for us and we were treated to the kind of man who asks all the right questions. It is one of life's minor satisfactions to interact with a shop keeper who gently probes your very soul to uncover what pleasures you desire, furnishes with life-changing elixirs and ushers you out the door, to a better life.

Our beveregian guide recommended, since there were four of us, that we choose 6 different beers. 4 bottles of each, genius, right? What a man.

The clincher for our man-crush on this Plato of Brewed Grain was that he made us a little hand written list of suggested serving order, from lightest to heaviest.

So armed with a shoulder load of heady brews we made our way, opening #1 as I doled out the tucker, now steaming and tender from a slow, 8 hour braise, rivulets of tawny 'jus' carving shallow chasms in the creamy mash...

** Quick side-note, whilst reminding myself of details for this list, I went and grabbed one of the left over Rasputin's, I'm drinking it as I write. I'm in Grog-Nerd heaven. Also, it's 9% ABV soooo.. **

The list was as follows:

1. Brew Boys 'Ace of Spades' Stout (Croydon Park, SA)  
2. North Coast Brewers 'Rasputin' Imperial Stout (Fort Bragg, California)  
3. Saint Ambroise Oatmeal Stout (Quebec, Canada) 
4. Mikkeller Milk Stout (Copenhagen Denmark) 
5. Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask Aged Stout (Edinburgh, Scotland)  
6. Moon Dog 'Black Lung II' Whiskey Barrel Aged Smokey Stout (Abbotsford Vic)

We indulged in rich booze, slurped down lashings of mash and consumed the cheeks of cows who had done much smiling, so tender were their jowls (oh and there's was an occasional and largely ignored vegetable) and (i'm speaking only for myself here) imagined we were knights of the realm, celebrating a bloody victory on the battle field with a mighty feast and a kingdom at our feet.

Now, I can't say that I can remember in great detail the characteristics of all these bad boys, but I can tell you 4 things that stood out loudly and proudly:

1. That Saint Ambroise Oatmeal Stout was the pick of the night. Brewed with oats to help balance the bitterness of roasted malt, it has a lovely soft, savoury quality that delivered its inherent coffee/malt characters in a gentle, even way.

2. It isn't possible, for even the most seasoned and stoic of grog bloggers to get through 6 premium stouts over the course of one dinner.

3. As a happy result of this, I have had the chance to re-visit (as well as the afore-mentioned and currently polished-off Rasputin) the Innis & Gunn Stout and it is sensational. There is a real, yet incorporated, sweet whiskey character on the finish of every moreish sip, and none of that over-blown, tannic element some cask aged beers can have.

4. Moon Dog 'Black Lung II' Whiskey Barrel Aged Smokey Stout is simply undrinkable. I hate to make basic, one dimensional descriptions of products, but this experience was almost identical to that of accidentally drinking an ale that a chain smoker had been using as an ashtray since they only half finished it 4 hours ago due to its undrinkablility.

yyyeuchk.

Let me recommend the Steak and Stout night strongly though. It's probably more a mid-winter affair but for a night of utter indulgence, let your local butcher recommend a cut and recipe, let your local independent grog shop choose some booze for you and invite some mates round. It's not Foie Gras and Yquem, but that's what I like about it.

What a Brut!

I feel guilty for not having made any blog entries for months.

The truth is, I've been getting my wine-and-food-nerd rocks off in a different way.

I know, I'm a dirty philanderer.

In May I started working for a fine wine distributor running a wine list and training service. I travel to restaurants all over Melbourne teaching the staff about their booze and how to sell it, design their wine lists and tasting notes and generally help to demystify the big wide world of wine as best I can, I also get to run trade events, tastings throughout retail stores and convention centres big and small.

You hate me don't you.

The upshot of all this is that I've had the privilege to work with some world-beating products very closely and have become quite enamored with a few.

Today, we talk Laurent Perrier.

*Sigh*

Laurent Perrier celebrates 200 years of Champagne production this year. A period which saw it survive 2 wars (just), a Champagne glut, innumerable Appellation Classifications and the new world's entry into Sparkling Wine production. Emerging at the end of it all as the 3rd most important producer in the world, behind Moet & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot.

What sets LP apart is that it is still a family owned business.
Probably the most beguiling tale in Laurent Perrier's history is that in which the son of the family witnessed Nazi troops removing tens of thousands of bottles from their underground cellars to fuel the regime. Ten years later, Bernard De Nonancourt lead the French army platoon which stormed the Eagle's Nest in Bavaria, retrieving that very same collection of stolen treasure, returning it to its rightful home in the caves beneath Champagne.

Another unique characteristic of LP is its actual recipe. LP was a trail blazer in concentrating on a higher proportion of high quality Chardonnay, preferring the fresh,dry, cleansing apéritif quality that comes from this technique than the traditional style, which is Pinot Noir dominant.

The flagship for LP is the Brut NV. It smells floral, like honeysuckle and scented lilies. There is a background of delicate yeast character, translating as an aroma of buttered bread, not an over the top 'toasted rye' type-thing, just a whiff. There isn't a hint of sharpness on the tongue, just an even, balanced cascade of fresh citrus character and a lovely cleansing finish, doing its job in preparing the palate and tummy for the food that should soon follow, preferably oysters or a soft cheese, perhaps some Crostini or fresh sour dough with good olive oil.

And in Champagne terms, it's pretty cheap. You'd pick it up at Uncle Dan's for $60 any day of the week and that, my friends, is a bargain.

www.laurent-perrier.com.au

Good Friday a Meal... Phở Real

The Missus and I were contemplating our next move on Friday, after a nice brekky and some shopping.
It's Good Friday, what's the plan?

A few options were floated; a picnic at the river on Richmond Landing *Romance,
hike the thousand steps in the Dandenongs *Activity,
go to the movies *Expensive,
or Phở *Vic Street.

I have it on good authority that it's pronounced more like Fur? as if you're asking the question, is that coat made of real fur?
The f.u.r concept of the pronunciation I'm down with but the inflection makes me feel, well, a bit silly. So, Pho, that's how I'm saying it.

What's Phở?

Phở is a Vietnamese rice noodle soup, usually Beef or Chicken (although authentic variations like giblets, liver and brisket abound) usually served with a side of Thai basil, bean shoots, fresh chili and lemon, with condiments like chili sauce and hoisin on the table, all of which can be added according to taste.

I first encountered this delight in Canberra at a restaurant called Tudo at the O'Connor shops. Tudo make particularly good Phở, it seems to be largely reliant, apart from quality fresh ingredients, on the power and flavour of the stock. There are rumours, which I'm yet to investigate, that some Phở stocks have been brewing away for years and years, simply being topped up, whereby leaving a modicum of the ancient original stock incorporated, much like a Louis XIII cognac, portions of which are over 100 years old.

We decided after little deliberation that Phở was the favourite idea, will it be open on Good Friday? the Mrs ruminated just as the memory of Australia day last year popped like a Phở  bubble in my mind: We had chanced that I Love Phở 264 might be open and just jumped in the car, rocking up for lunch, to arrive and find it brimming with custom. Enquiring delightedly if they were generally open on holidays our genial host replied, we haven't closed in 11 years. To which my response was Well, great for us, not so great for you?

This fact really does give me some kind of wonderful culinary solace though, knowing that Melbourne's best Phở restaurant is always open, 5 minutes around the corner and will only cost me $9. This is the golden triangle of dining for me; location, product and service (the price doesn't hurt either, so maybe a square?)

Now, I'm ASSuming here but I'm quite sure this is a family business, there are two guys working the floor who can only be brothers so similar are their looks, a lovely older lady with a smile as warm as soup serving behind the counter and, my favourite, a diminutive elderly lady who could be a hundred, pottering around behind the scenes, putting up posters, filling napkin holders and standing all of about 4 ft 7. If she was only there to lend an air of authenticity it would be worth her while, but I think she's Grandma.

The fifth corner of my golden triangle, which by now looks more like a Pentagon, is that Je ne sais quoi. Something you just can't quite put your finger on that makes you feel at home, even when you're somewhere quite foreign, an atmosphere of loving embrace that puts you at ease and keeps it at the front of your mind, inviting you back more often than you might need.

I Love Phở 264 has this in spades and is, essentially, just a rectangular room with chairs and tables and a bit of a funky mural. Funnily enough, the business recently moved from 3 doors down, where they embodied the same atmosphere of hospitality. They used to be called Phở Chu The and moved about a year ago. Weirdly, another business with the name Phở Chu The reopened on the same site (perhaps a sale of goodwill?) which just doesn't capture the same vibe, despite being essentially the same thing.

We had beef Phở this time, the soup comes out piping hot, rare (or even raw) beef strips having just been thrown in atop fat rice noodles, green onions, white onions, coriander accompanied by the aforementioned plate of accouterments (a hilarious reference to french colonial Vietnam..?)

And it's just delicious, my mouth simmers with flavour memories as I write, they have a sauce on the table which seems to be a chili paste with oil floating on top and it is decadent and sweet and very hot, I throw in some fresh chopped chillies with it as well as a hand full of the bean-shoots, basil and a squeeze of lemon, dropping the spent lemon quarter in before tucking in.

It's fresh, it's comforting, it's very filling and seems somehow medicinal, perhaps a take on your mum's old chicken noodle soup remedy.

I often find it better to drink beer, a lighter, sweeter lager style like Tsingtao, Heineken, Peroni or the free supply of green tea with Phở but on this particular occasion we had an inclination towards cold white wine. I dug a bottle of 2004 Mt Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon out of the Cupboard and it was magnificent.
This wine ages in such a fascinating way that almost changes it completely. Within 4 or 5 years it goes from fresh citrus and minerals to full bodied honeysuckle and oil cloth, but always with a fresh, lively finish, zingy enough to withstand any millenia-old soup broth.

Do yourself a favour, any proud Melburnian knows this little gem, and every visitor should add it to the itinerary. Follow it up with a pint at the Royston Hotel, just a few Ks down the road.
You know what, I think I'll blog that next.

Mmmmmmmmmmm Beeeeeer.....

I

LOVE 


Phở !

Location	264 Victoria Street, Richmond, VIC 3121
Food Styles	Vietnamese
Hours	Mon - Sun: 9:00 am - 10:00 pm
Specialties	Breakfast Lunch Dinner Coffee Drinks
Services	Takes Reservations Walk-Ins Welcome Good For Groups Good For Kids Take Out
Parking	Street
Public Transit	109 tram church st stop 72 tram Victoria st stop
Payment Options	Cash Only

Contact Info

Phone	94277749

Wine Bargain #2

A quick post following up a brief reference in my previous story.

Before Christmas last year I was perusing the aisles at the afore-mentioned independent wine purveyor, looking for a gift of Cru Beaujolais for a friend (this reference may generate another post soon too[!]) and having selected said Gamay filled bottle from the Burgundy out-skirts I noticed some wooden boxes at the registers with very nicely designed 'Europa Cellars' clean-skin labels on them. Now, I'm no fan of the cleanskin, I agree there are some gems out there and sometimes we can save money on something that was originally destined for a hifalutin label but I like to get a sense of narrative with my wine, a sense of place, a sense that somebody made it and is proud of it and will make it again. Clean-skins are home brand wines.

This aside my host assured me of its quality and bargain status so, at $12 a pop I scooped one up and days later was on a plane to the south coast of New South Wales, destined for sand, revelry and relaxation at Mum and Dad's.

On boxing day we had some friends over for lunch, visiting with their new born and, while the wives cooed and oozed baby noises on the carpet, we men pulled the cork out of this clean-skin, proclaiming 'We'll be the judges of this!'

Well, our first hint at this wines provenance (although more a conclusion than a hint) was when the cork revealed, emerging gradually from it's glass sheath, the letters

P
A C
S L
S O
I U
N D
G S

Now I happen to know that Passing Clouds, an eminent producer from Victoria's Macedon region make a very good and highly regarded Pinot for which the cheapest price I've seen is $27.99.

This excited us.

The Colour was as vibrant as one might expect given that this was a 2006 vintage Pinot, some dulling but certainly no brickiness or tawny hues.

But as soon as we smelt it we knew we had a bargain. Lifted cherry aromas enveloped in earthy notes and a hint of cedary oak.

All this promise was fulfilled in the mouth, a lovely juicy feel, meduim bodied and elegant with a delightful bit of texture on the finish, a carpet of loose-knit tannins just strong enough to ensure the next sip wasn't too far away.

Needless to say I bought more and last time I checked (last week) there was still some available, but don't buy it all before I get the chance at another bottle or two, K?

DB.