Guest Blog

Haven’t you always wanted to know what inspires chefs to write cookbooks? What are the challenges to succeed in an upscale restaurant in New York City? What is the difference between Cabernet & Merlot? Find out those answers & more. Our surprise Guest Blog we will feature exclusive articles & interviews from some of the movers and shakers of today’s Kosher culinary world. Be sure to check back often to find out who’s posting next.

Milk Street Cafe Giving Us Options

Monday, August 29th, 2011

Milk Street Cafe @ Wall StreetThe most precious and costly commodity in Manhattan is space. Because of this spacial deficiency, even some of the cities finest restaurants are no more then a glorified nooks. The expense is simply too great for most establishments to maintain, especially in certain neighborhoods or streets that cause the cost of space to borderline on the ridiculously excessive. So when I say to you that the Milk Street Cafe, the new kosher restaurant located at 40 Wall Street, takes up no less then twenty three thousand square feet, it should tell you in no uncertain terms how seriously owner Marc Epstein takes the business of building a successful restaurant. Embodying the “Go big or go home” ethos, The Milk Street Cafe opens up to a spacious front end ornamented tastefully with modern sensibilities. The stone floor is intricately decorated and stretches out into eight thousand square feet of equally well decorated prep stations. These stations offer a vast, almost mind boggling variety of foods, that run the gamut of Cafe style items. Diners can customize pasta, salads, and sandwiches on top of being able to get sushi, bakery, soups, and prepared grill items. What makes The Milk Street Cafe truly unique though is not that they offer so many items, it’s that they offer them in both dairy and meat.

Whereas most restaurants need to restrict their menus to either of the two options, The Milk Street Cafe has found a way to merge the two modalities of kosher restaurantism with an elegant, if not grandiose solution that is their prep kitchens.

Stretching out behind Milk Streets front end, are several kitchens, who’s space equals triple that of the main dining area. These kitchens are separated by corridors, and each kitchen is distinctly marked by it’s different color floor tile, which signifies if it is the dairy, meat or parve kitchen. When working in these kitchens, the culinary staff wear an apron and hat that is specific to each kitchen. The kitchens themselves are glorious monuments to modern day culinary production. Every bell, whistle, and kitchen appliance you could possibly need is neatly squared away at it’s corresponding prep station. This allows The Milk Street Cafe to do far more then act as a breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot, but also as a catering company, capable of servicing large corporate events or meetings.

Milk Street Cafe @ Wall StreetWhat I really liked about the Milk Street Cafe, outside of it’s many dining options, it’s innovative structure, it’s willingness to push the envelope and it’s very affable owner, is the food. The food is very good. I ate mostly the meat options as meat is my preference. I highly recommend the Peppercorn rubbed roast beef with red peppers and horseradish sauce, and the Smoked Turkey Salad with sun dried tomatoes.  Both these sandwiches are served on wonderfully fresh bread, that has a nice crunch crust with a soft interior. To me that is paramount for a good sandwich, and so the combination of the excellent flavors of the meat and the texture of the fresh bread make for one of the better sandwiches available in New York. A friend of mine chose to go the milchig route, and had the fettuccine with wild mushrooms in a light cream sauce. He said that he found it to be “very tasty and very filling”. I also recommend trying an offering from the Milk Street Cafe’s rotisserie. In particular their KC BBQ brisket, which is smoky, sweet, and cooked to a melt in your mouth perfection.

As I sat sampling my sandwiches, I realized that The Milk Street Cafe caters to all walks of life. A non-kosher eater could easily walk into the restaurant and never know they were at a kosher establishment. It so flawlessly integrates the different cuisines in such a graceful and well thought out way. that the effect is seamless. Owner Marc Epstein says that he is “Living the dream” in that he has his successful restaurant in Boston that he has now brought to New York as well. But what I don’t think he realizes is that he is actualizing the dream of a number of kosher consumers as well, by providing a kosher environment that feels like dining in a high end cafe that just so happens to be kosher. It’s just one more large step towards the main-streaming of kosher food. Personally, I can’t wait to go back and continue to work my way through their extensive menu

Milk Street Cafe
40 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005



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Kosher Wine 101 – What makes a wine kosher or What is kosher wine?

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

Written by David Raccah – Kosher Wine Musings

A friend of mine recently asked me to write or cobble together a quick and concise piece on what makes a wine Kosher? Having written about kosher wine and food on my blog, one would think that it should be pretty easy. Truth be told, I have wanted to write this article for some time and have always stopped myself for one reason or the other. However, all those reasons receded into a pitch-black corner of my mind when a colleague of mine at work asked me the very same question that hundreds before him have asked, and the topic for today’s subject matter; namely, what makes a wine Kosher? In hindsight this article is being written purely for self-preservation. You see, if I have to hear another person ask me that question, I may well hang myself – so here is my best attempt to quench the thirst of all who crave to understand the insanity of the kosher wine world.

A quick heads up, I am an Orthodox Sabbath observant Jew, who is also an oenophile and a wannabe foodie, who consumes solely kosher wine and has never tasted from the forbidden fruit (or its juice). Now that we have dispensed with the formalities and introductions, let’s get down to business. The answer is capable of being dispensed in a single sentence. Kosher wine is wine that has been produced, handled, and supervised from the beginning by Orthodox Sabbath Observant Jews and contains only kosher ingredients – PERIOD! For a wine to be certified as kosher by anyone of the kosher supervisory agencies, the individual who handles the wine has to be Jewish and observant. The level of observance that is required by the kosher certifying agencies includes; keeping kosher, observance of the Sabbath, etc.

So yes, the famous Château Lafite Rothschild or the famous Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) could be manufactured in a kosher manner, but it is just not in the cards for a multitude of reasons, many of which we will get to in the post. Finally, if anyone screams out – what about mevushal – I will personally drop kick him or her! Seriously guys, wine does not need to be boiled to make it Kosher – again PERIOD! Please stay tuned for more on the fascinating topic of mevushal.

There you go, sweet and simple, please drive home safely, and thanks for attending the lecture. What is that you say? You need another 500+ words more to make this a worthy post, OOPS! My bad please come and hang on to your seats, because this is about to become very long AND bumpy! Funny thing though, is that the rule from above will never change, it will just grow to encompass more and more facts than you can ever imagine, but heck you asked for it :-)

A slight disclaimer, I am an Orthodox Sabbath observant Jew but not a Rabbi. This is my understanding of the laws of kosher wine based upon my own knowledge, research, and information gleaned from wine makers and Rabbis. The facts that I express here are part based on what most of the leading kosher supervision organizations practice, and part based on the practices of mainstream Orthodox Jewish communities around the world.

To truly get this all to work we need to start at the beginning – what is wine and where does it come from? You see the kosher rules start as far back as the vineyard. So if you were to ask the simple question what is entailed in making wine, the answer would be:

  1. Grapes and the vineyard
  2. The ingredients one adds to wine, other than the grapes
  3. The process of making the wine, from the picking of the grapes all the way to the bottling

Jewish Vineyard Laws

Orlah

The law of Orlah pertains to the land of Israel and the Diaspora, and simply put means that after planting the vine (or any other fruit bearing tree), you are not allowed to make use of the fruit that grows for the first three years. A partial value of the fruit from the fourth year is redeemed unto a coin, like that of Masaser and Terumah explained below, and then the fruit is fine to consume. The fruit of the fifth year and on is free of any issues, other than the issues listed below, Shmita, Termuah, and Maaser. On an aside, this is a practice that is followed for non-ritual reasons by many quality vineyards where the producers simply understand that immature grapevines don’t make the best wine.

Shmita

The law of Shmita is rather complex and thankfully only pertains to the land of Israel. However, being that Israel is either the largest or close to the largest producer of Kosher Wine in the world, it causes an issue every seven years. You see, the law of Shmita states that every 7th year, you will not sow or help grow anything in the land of Israel. Being that Israel has been a land of Agriculture since its upbringing, that pretty much means that Jews in Israel are at a competitive disadvantage every 7 years to the rest of the agricultural world. Imagine trying to keep a long-term agriculture contract with a McDonald or Kraft food knowing that every 7 years they will need to go find another supplier! Still God put it as one of the essential laws of the land of Israel, and one that Jews have been trying to work around since its very initiation.

Kosher wine from Israel is an exploding business, and a large part of that business is selling the wine to the Diaspora – up to 25% for some wineries, and for other wineries that number is even higher. The problem is that the American Kosher supervisory organizations, such as theOK, OU, and Star K, do not approve of kosher wines from Israel produced during a shmita year. So that means that the importers of these wines have two choices, either skip the 2001 and 2008 vintages (the past two Shmita years) or import the wine without any visible kosher symbol that an American Jew would understand. There are of course Israeli kosher supervisory organizations on the bottle/label, but not ones that anyone in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, or Chicago would know. On an aside, and a clear proof that God has a great sense of humor, the 2001 and 2008 vintages are two of the best vintages to come out of Israel in its nascent wine history!

Recently, we have seen many wines from Israel’s 2008 vintage hitting our shores, how can they sell them here? That goes to the matter of the two loopholes that are being used in Israel to manufacture Shmita wines, and any fruit for that matter. There is the simple and direct –Heter Mechira, translated to permissible selling. Put simply, the winery sells the vineyard or orchard to a non-Jew and buys the fruit back from him/her, and then at the end of the year, buys the orchard or vineyard back. Yes, a clear loophole around the ancient law, but one that was done for a multitude of reasons. Still, many in the Orthodox communities of Israel do not make use of this loophole. For those of you at home who are counting; the esteemed Yoda would respond, “No, there is another”, it is called Otzar Beit Din, loosely translated asTreasure/Auspices of a rabbinical court. It is the system of record for the majority of Orthodox Jews in Israel, and has been in use dating as far back as the Talmudic times (some 2000+ years ago). Under an Otzar Beit Din, a community rabbinical court supervises harvesting by hiring workers to harvest, store, and distribute food to the community. Members of the community pay the rabbinical court, but this payment represents only a contribution for services, and not a purchase or sale of the food. Still, while the Jews in Israel accept it, the OK, OU and other in the Diaspora do not.

A logical question that one may ask is; why would an Israeli Orthodox supervisory organization accept Otzar Beit Din but not an American kosher supervisory organization? The answer is far too complex to fit in this article, but suffice it to say that without accepting this loophole the almost 1 million orthodox Jews in Israel would be without fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Sure one could buy all the fruits and vegetables from Israel’s non-Jewish neighbors and the rest of the world, but that would cause huge spikes in the cost of food and just add to the tension in the area. This is NOT a concern here in the Diaspora, as stated previously, so the loophole is not as accepted here in America. In no way is this quick answer a slight to the shmita law, again, the subject matter it is far more complex than what could fit in this post or this entire web site. Rather, it is a boiled down reality of our times and nothing more than that.

What we are left with is wines being produced in Israel during the Shmita years using either Heter Mechira or Otzar Beit Din, all of them without an American known supervision, and yet they are making their way to the Diaspora shores. I have been to kosher stores all around America, and barring a few, none of them call out the fact that the wine has NO American supervision on them. Some wine stores are better than others, but the vast majority of them state nothing, and when I bring up the issue, they are shocked themselves!

To be fair the importers find themselves in a unique situation. Wine shops and kosher supermarkets want kosher wine, and the 2008 vintage happens to be a very good one. Royal Wines, owner of Herzog Cellars, and largest importer of Israeli wine, does not import ANY wines from the 2008 vintage. Instead they focus on filling the Diaspora’s need with the 2007 and 2009 vintages.

The aspect of this conundrum that is a real concern is the label. The bottles have no American kosher supervision and the yet the bottle labels have not been updated to notify the American kosher consumer of this potential issue. If the consumer wants to buy a bottle of imported Shmita wine, they get no technical cue from the label. It is the same label they have seen gracing the wine they like for years.

In the end it is up to the consumer to decide whether or not they think the existing supervision is sufficient, yet, on the average, the label, bottle, store, or importer is not notifying them. Personally, I drink Shmita wine that is produced under the auspices of Otzar Beit Din, such as wines from Yarden and Dalton, while some of my friends and acquaintances do not. Yet others drink any Shmita wine. I recommend that you ask your local area Rabbi for the correct direction that you and your family should be taking.

Maaser and Terumah

If we have not lost you all yet, I am sure this one will do the trick! Maaser and Terumah, during ancient times, were systems of tithing, charity, and giving to the poor, all baked into an agricultural economic system. Now a days, it is handled by the kosher authorities and is nothing more than a formality that needs to be done, but does not affect the vineyard or the wineries in any way. The fruit that would have gone to the poor, Levites, or Priests (Cohen), are transferred to a separate financial instrument, coin in our times, and the fruit is free to be used. This transfer mechanism is cited in the Torah and the Talmud, and was used by large industrial companies, or by landowners with too much fruit to transfer by hand or in-person.

Wine Ingredients

If you have not heard of Alice Feiring, look her up, or Google her, as she is a fascinating person. She is an acclaimed wine critic, wine writer, a woman with a crazy good palate, and the present day Joan of Arc on the crusade for all things natural in wine. To her everything that a wine maker adds to wine, other than grapes, is a sacrilege, and is punishable by her pen. However, the real world of wine making, good or bad, uses at least some, more, or all of these ingredients to stave off nasty bacteria, stabilize wine, and/or preserve it:

  1. Sodium or (Potassium) Metabisulfite (no issues)
    • Potassium Metabisulfite
    • Campden Tablets
  2. Yeast and Yeast Nutrients (very serious Passover issues)
  3. Acid blends (serious kosher and Passover issues)
  4. Sugar (available in kosher)
  5. Water (no issues)
  6. Tannin (available in kosher)
  7. Fining agents(some of these have serious kosher issues)
    • Bentonite (available in kosher)
    • Casein (which is derived from dairy products – not good for kosher wine)
    • Kieselsol and Chitosan (Sold as a pair both positive/negative charged Chitosan is fish based)
    • Isinglass (Extracted from swim bladders of Sturgeon, though some say it is still kosher)
    • Gelatin (again questionably kosher)
    • Egg Whites (kosher)

Most of the issues revolving around wine additives lead to the religious address known as Passover, with a couple leading to far more murky and scary locales! Wine can be Kosher to drink while still not being Kosher for Passover. The inverse is impossible, as Kosher for Passover wines are innately kosher all year round.

Passover is a more complex Jewish problem because of two reasons. The first one is that on Passover Jews cannot “own” leavened products, or leavening agents that are sourced from the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, rye, and oat). This may seem unimportant to many of us, but as we will see soon, it matters greatly to the kosher wine makers.

The second problem is far more encompassing and the one that I believe garners it the bogeyman award – Kitniyos. This law states that food substances that look like the five grains and from which leavening can occur think rice, corn, lentils, beans, and such, are not to be consumed on Passover. Again, many would not even give more than a moment’s thought on this subject, but they would be deadly wrong, as they have forgotten about the all mighty maize (aka corn). You see corn and corn syrup has become the new legal crack of our generation. It has been dumped into anything and everything that needs a flavor or sweetness boost. Why? What was so wrong with sugar? The answer is the other crack that drives our country, the all mighty dollar (though not so mighty now a days). For now corn syrup continues to be less expensive than sugar, and so it continues to drive the food business. Except that the vast majority of Jews in America do not eat corn for eight days each year, while theSephardic Jews bask in the light of rice, corn, and quinoa, as they never took on this stringency.

Armed with this information, one can quickly deduce that if they want to make a wine that is consumable for all Jews all year round, they need to do a bit more work to get around the extra Passover laws. Do not forget that the majority of ALL kosher wine sold in this country happens before the Jewish New Year and Passover. This is why most kosher wine happens to also be kosher for Passover.

Of all the ingredients listed above, the one that should leap out at you is – yeast, as it is the definition of a leavening agent. To fix this problem people created Kosher for Passover yeasts and yeast nutrients (sourced from the yeast walls); they just cost more, like all Passover products.

The next problematic ingredient is the Acid Blends. They are most often a combination of Tartaric Acid, Citric Acid, and Malic Acid. Until recently it was hard to get kosher Tartaric acid given the way it is produced, but that seems to be easier now. Citric acid has Passover issues, given that it can be extracted from corn. Finally, Malic acid seems to be available. Sugar is OK if you use sugar! Liquid tannin turns out to be easy to get in kosher format as well. Finally, the fining agents are a serious kosher problem! Bentonite and egg whites are the simplest way to go for kosher wines, while also being a fine pairing, as they are polar opposites. All the other options are either not kosher or questionably kosher because of the manner they are produced.

NOTE: There are a few wines that add in corn syrup and the like, and are of course NOT Kosher for Passover. For example a few of the Manischewitz wines are not kosher for Passover, along with a few other wineries. So please CHECK the bottle for an OU-P or an OK-P before you use it on Passover. Come on, did you really think you would make it through a Kosher wine article without bringing up the proverbial Manischewitz wine company?

The Wine Process

Ask most people about kosher wine and this is what they will always come back to – the wine making process. So what are the issues involved in wine making? Essentially everything. Wine making is a science for sure, but it is just as much part art. From the moment the grapes are brought to the winery’s premises, only Orthodox Sabbath observant Jews can touch the must, juice, wine, barrels, open bottles, etc. This can get complicated and can be painful, especially when the wine maker or owners are not Jewish or Orthodox Jews. However, invariably, throughout my travels to kosher wineries around the world, I hear the same story to a tee. The Rabbis and Orthodox supervisors are an integral part of the winery. They clean the vats, they crush the grapes, they press the must, they stabilize the wine, they pump it into vats or into barrels, they rack the wine, they do everything that involves wine – period! Essentially, they are the winery, so what is the problem with that? Some non-kosher wineries in Israel explain that they need to be able to touch the wine, feel it, and taste it, so that they can make the best wine possible. The funny thing is that there are MANY wonderful kosher wineries where the wine maker is not only not Orthodox, they are not even Jewish, and yet the winery continues to pump out world-class wine. Victor Schoenfeld is a world-class wine maker for the best kosher winery in Israel; Yarden Winery, and yet he does not touch the wine. How can that be? Simple, when he wants to taste some wine from a barrel, he asks themashgiach (Orthodox supervisory personnel) to get him some. This is not a complex issue. The personnel that interacts with the wine are Orthodox Jews, and are always around to get some wine from a barrel or vat, and setup the tastings for the wine makers.

To be fair, a second work hand that is also Orthodox comes at an expense for a sole proprietor (boutique) winery. It is for this reason that small wineries in Israel with a single proprietor / wine maker / cellar rat, who is not Orthodox, will not make kosher wine. As the winery grows and adds more hands to handle the larger bottle production, it has a decision to make. Should the Israeli winery add a kosher supervision or not? The numbers of hands, above the owner or proprietor, do not change; they just get exchanged with Orthodox workers. What does change is the extra cost of the kosher supervision. Do not think for a moment that kosher supervision of ANY sort is free. In the end if a winery anywhere in the world becomes kosher, it is a business decision, unless the proprietor is already and Orthodox Jew himself, and even then there is still the cost of the oversight from the supervisory organization.

So where does this thing called Mevushal come from? Loosely translated, it means boiled. Simply put, it allows anyone to touch the wine after it has been boiled or flash pasteurized.However, it is NOT required to make a wine Kosher and it CANNOT make a non-Kosher wine Kosher. So what can it do? It can allow the non-Jewish wine maker to enter the barrel room, open a barrel, and get a sample of wine out for a tasting, after it has gone through the mevushal process. It can also allow the non Sabbath Observant person to pour the wine and touch the wine, which cannot be done with non-mevushal wine.

The other question I get often get when discussing mevushal is, does the process ruin the wine? Well based upon anecdotal data many believe that the correct answer is – it depends upon who does the process and when they do it. Herzog Winery and Hagafen Wine Cellarshave a long track record of successfully creating wine that can last for years even after having been mevushaled. The rest seem to fail because they mevushal the wine at bottling time, which is pure suicide. The safest time to do the mevushal process is while it is still wine must.Many wineries in France “boil” their must, as it supposedly removes unwanted green flavors that come from the French terroir.

With all that said and done, I use a simple rule of thumb that Dr. Daniel Rogov advises (the leading wine critic of Israel and kosher wine as well) drink mevushal wine 6-12 months from the time of bottling . After that, red wines start showing pronounced cooked fruit flavors; while white wines just go belly up. Again, Herzog, Hagafen, and some Welner wines last longer than 12 months, but for all other mevushal wines, please follow the 6-12 month rule.

Beyond the human interaction, kosher wine producers must be wary of the compound used to seal a barrel and the glue used in composite corks. Further a kosher winery must carefully clean down a bottling line before they can use it to bottle their wines. Finally there is the extra concern around the labeling; including the need to make sure the proper supervisory organization symbols are correctly printed!

Kosher Wine is a pain in the behind to make and keep Kosher, but that does not stop wineries from making some exquisite wines that just happen to be Kosher!

Kosher Wine bottle edict

If you have kept with me this far I think it is only fair to bring this whole subject back full circle. If the wine is mevushal, there are no problems, anyone can open the bottle, pour it, or touch the opened bottle. Also, anyone can touch a person’s glass with the mevushal wine in it.

A bottle of non-mevushal kosher wine that is corked and sealed with a closure, yes those annoying little dollops of wax on top of the cork also act as a closure, stays kosher. The state of kosher for a bottle of wine does not change as long as it stays sealed the way you bought it. Once it is opened, the game is afoot! and the open bottle and wine can only be handled by a Sabbath observant Jew.

Some say that information is king but in the end it is all about the scores and the wines. So to fill that need, I have compiled a list of mevushal and non-mevushal wines that I have tasted these past few years. You can always fine more wines on my blog or on Daniel’s wine forum:

Mevushal Wines

2006 Herzog Merlot, Special Reserve, Alexander Valley (Mevushal) – Score B++ to A-
The nose on this dark garnet to purple colored wine is packed with black fruit, blackberry, raspberry, currant, oak, cherry, chocolate, and tobacco. The mouth on this full bodied wine is soft, rich, and mouth coating from lovely integrated tannin, along with blackberry, currant, and cherry. The mid palate is balanced with acid, rich oak, lovely tannin, and tobacco. The finish is long and spicy with black fruit, raspberry, oak, and tobacco. Drink up.

2006 Hagafen Merlot, Napa Valley (Mevushal) – Score: A-
I remember loving it that night for its classic Hagafen soft yet layered mouth feel, along with rich and ripe black fruit and chocolate.

N.V. Sara Bee Moscato ((Italy, Puglia) (Mevushal) – Score: B++

2010 Terrenal Chardonnay (Chile, Central Valley, Curico Valley) (Mevushal) – Score: B

N.V. Banero Prosecco (Mevushal) – Score: B+

2007 Prix Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Moskowite Ranch: Block 53, Napa Valley (Mevushal) – Score: A-
The nose on this light gold colored wine is popping with honeysuckle, papaya, grapefruit, and pineapple.  The mouth on this medium bodied wine has fresh papaya, pineapple, and honeysuckle.  The mid palate has bright acidity, oak, and cut grass.  The finish is long and layered with bright fruit, oak, and cut grass.

2008 Don Ernesto Vin Gris Rose, Napa Valley (Mevushal) – Score: B+
The nose on this intense rose colored wine, is bright with raspberry, cherry, delightful fresh strawberry aromas, and a bit of floral notes to boot.  The mouth on this light to medium bodied wine is refreshing with rich cherry, strawberry, and raspberry.  The mid palate is acidic, with a touch of spice.  The finish is long and lovely with concentrated red fruit and a touch of tart cherries.

2008 Hagafen Pinot Noir, Napa Valley (Mevushal) – Score: B+ – A-
The nose on this dark ruby colored wine is hopping with cherry, raspberry, kirsch, violet, oak, and smoke.  The mouth on this medium bodied wine is filled with raspberry, strawberry, and soft tannins.  The mid palate is acidic with oak and light tannins.  The finish is long with integrated tannins, acid, spice, pepper, and oak.  A nice Pinot Noir that will pair well with lamb and roasted fowl.

2007 Hagafen Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley (96% Cab Franc, 4% Merlot) (Mevushal) – Score: A-
This is Hagafen’s second release of a single varietal Cabernet Franc, the other one being the 1996 vintage.  We really loved the 1996 vintage, but this one was even better, though it has been around 10 years since we last tasted it.  The nose on this dark garnet to black colored wine showed a bit of floral notes, along with a bunch of rich and ripe raspberry, black cherry, plum, and spicy oak.  The mouth on this full bodied wine is filled with plum, raspberry, and black cherry in a concentrated package that keeps coming at you.  The mid palate is packed with balancing acidity, tobacco, spicy oak, and nice tannins.  The finish is long with chocolate, fig, vanilla, rich ripe fruit, spicy oak, and pepper.  Quite a lovely Cabernet Franc that will age well for at least a few more years.

2005 Hagafen Prix Mélange, Napa Valley (Mevushal) - Score: A  TOP SCORING Mevushal Wine
This is one of those classical WOW wines, a wine that keeps coming at you from the time that you smell it, through the time that you  fully consume it, quite a monster and a joy.  The nose on this black colored wine is packed with rich and ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum, cranberry, smoke, bacon, and rich chocolate, an aromatic vapor filled bottle of joy.  The mouth on this massive full bodied wine is crammed with layers upon layers of concentrated and rich blackberry, cassis, along with big tannins.  The mid palate flows off the mouth and carries the rich and concentrated black fruit, along with an acidic backbone, chocolate, more tannins, and leather.  The finish is long with rich fruit, chocolate, leather, and a shake or two of pepper and spice.

Non- Mevushal Wines

2003 Chateau Pontet Canet, Pauillac – Score: A-
The nose on this vibrant dark garnet colored wine is packed with dirty mineral aromas, oak, smoky notes, fig, spice, anise, and red fruit. The mouth on this full bodied wine is full in the mouth with lovely tannin, layers of fruit, crazy extraction, and oak. The mid palate flows off the mouth with oak, crazy nice tannin, lovely extraction, and chocolate. The finish is crazy long with mounds of chocolate, layers of red fruit, and more crazy nice tannin.

2002 Chateau Leoville Poyferre Saint Julien – Score: A-
The nose on this dark garnet colored wine is screaming with sweet oak, candied cherry, ripe raspberry, coffee, dark chocolate. The mouth on this full bodied wine is ripe and full in the mouth with ripe raspberry, cherry, and layered with oak, and more red fruit. The mid palate is balanced with sweet oak, spice, and coffee. The finish is super long with oak, red fruit, chocolate, and ripe raspberry.

2003 Sarget de Gruaud Larose, Saint Julien – Score: B++
The nose on this garnet colored wine is hopping and concentrated with rich mineral, black currant, raspberry, cherry, and oak. The mouth on this medium to full bodied wine follows the nose with concentrated with layers of cherry, black currant, and raspberry. The mid palate flows off the mouth and is balanced with coffee, chocolate, acid, and oak. The finish is long with cherry, chocolate, coffee, and red fruit.

2006 Herzog Generation VIII Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, To-Kalon Vineyards - Score: A
We tasted this blockbuster last year, and to be honest, it will probably be the only time we will ever taste this wine.  Why? Because it costs around 180 dollars! That said, the wine is well worth it, if you have that kind of cash. Last year’s tasting notes mimic this year’s note – which makes me feel good, but, there is a TON of chocolate on the nose this year.  It may have been there last year, but we missed it, if it was.

The nose on this black colored wine is screaming with rich oak, chocolate, black cherry, blackberry, cassis, and rich spice.  The mouth on this massive full bodied wine is rich, layered, and mouth coating with tight tannins, chocolate, oak, blackberry, and cassis.  The fruit on the mouth is rich and ripe while not being overly ripe to the point of tasting cooked.  The mid palate is balanced and flows from the mouth with still bracing tannins, nice acidity, oak, and chocolate.  The finish is crazy long with chocolate, rich oak, blackberry, and rich ripe fruit.  This is a crazy winner that will be around for at least another 8 years.  I hope to have the opportunity to taste it again and again in the coming years at the Herzog Wine Festival.

2008 Covenant Lavan Chardonnay, Napa Valley – Score: A- to A (exactly like in Oxnard)
The nose on this vibrant yellow colored wine is screaming with lychee, green apple, guava, peach, oak, and almonds.  The mouth on this full bodied wine is creamy and hopping with butterscotch, apple, peach, and oak.  The mid palate is balanced and structured with bracing acidity, spicy oak, oak tannins, and mineral.  The finish is long and creamy, with more butterscotch, almonds, oak, peach, and lychee.

2005 Four Gates Chardonnay – Score: A-
We last tasted this wine during a winery visit in 2009 and we loved it even more now. The nose on this gold colored wine is screaming with caramel, butterscotch, butter, straw, apple, peach, apricot, cut grass, lemon, and smoky toasty oak. The mouth on this full bodied wine is rich and concentrated with toasty oak, rich full summer fruit, butterscotch, lemon, and peach. The mid palate is balanced and bracing with acid, butter, toasty oak, butterscotch, caramel, and peach. The finish is super long and rich with toasty oak, summer fruit, smoky notes, caramel, nice butterscotch, with a touch and finish of cut grass and hay.

2006 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon (Israel, Galilee, Golan Heights) -Score: Almost A
This wine is not going to sneak up on you – it is more like a combination of a sledge hammer and a two-by-four hitting you right between your eyes. The nose on this massive, complex, and sledge hammer styled wine explodes with super ripe blackberry, raspberry, chocolate, herbs, rich oak, licorice, plum, tobacco, and sweet cedar. The mouth on this massive full bodied wine is now showing softly integrating tannins that give the wine a super lovely mouth feel. Please do not let the lovely mouth feel fool your perception of this wine, it is massive, aggressive, and heavily layered wine with rich ripe blackberry, plum, cassis, and dates. The mid palate is inky black fruit, massive sweet oak, dates, and balancing acid. The finish is super long and spicy, with nice spice, cassis, date, oak, chocolate, tobacco, and still gripping tannins.

2005 Yatir Forest (77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petite Verdot, and 10% Merlot) – Score: A
The nose on this dark garnet to black colored wine is another massive and explosive success by the Yatir Winery. This wine does not have an oak abuse problem, instead it has a rather elegant nose with Blackberry, lovely oak, black plum, ripe fruit, and raspberry. The mouth on this full bodied wine is mouth coating with layers upon layers of blackberry, cranberry, cassis, and candied raspberry. The mid palate flows off the mouth with lovely tannin, oak, and bracing acid. The finish is long with rich black fruit, chocolate, licorice, anise, smoke, and tobacco.

2007 Carmel Mediterranean (37% Carignan, 26% Shiraz , 20% Petit Verdot and 15% Petite Sirah and 2% Viogner) – Score: A-
The nose on this garnet colored wine is filled with plum, cassis, tobacco, sweet oak, chocolate, and vanilla. The mouth on this medium to full bodied wine is rich with raspberry, cassis, plum, and lovely mouth coating tannins. The mid palate is balanced with good acid and soft almost integrated tannin. The finish is long and lovely with plum, cassis, raspberry, sweet oak, tobacco, and soft tannins.

2007 Capcanes Peraj Ha’abib, Flor de Primavera – Score: A-
The nose on this purple colored wine is exploding with rich black plum, cassis, mocha, sweet oak, and raspberry. The mouth on this full bodied wine is exploding with lovely rich and concentrated fruit, cassis, plum, raspberry, and oak. The mid palate is balanced and flows off the mouth with good acid, oak, tannin, and chocolate. The finish is long and luscious with not yet integrated tannin, black plum, cassis, and chocolate finish. This wine overshadowed its older brother (the 2006) but was much closer to its even older 2005 sibling.

N.V. Four Gates Soirée – Score: A-
This is another wine from Four Gates that needs abundant amounts of air to see its true potential come out to play. This wine starts off with, a Four Gates and Santa Cruz flavor, chicken cherry cola, raspberry, sweet oak, prune/plum, herbaceous, mint, and vanilla. With time, this wine comes out to play with a more expressive nose with deep floral and mineral notes. The mouth of this medium to full bodied wine has spicy and rich oak, chicken cherry cola, plum, raspberry, layered and structured with red fruit dominating. The mid palate is acid packed with more playful tannins. The finish is super long and layered with oak, coffee, plum, and vanilla. With more time the mouth fills out as the tannins calm down and round out the mouth, along with rich oak, black cherry, raspberry, plum, dates, and herbs. The finish is super long with more plum, spice, rich oak, and coffee. This wine starts off quiet and builds with time, until it hits its stride with ripe red fruit, structure, mouth feel, lovely tannins, and bracing acid that keeps the wine balanced yet striking. This is a wine that needs time. Open it and taste, then let it sit for two hours and taste again, and then try it another three hours later and see what you get.

2006 Four Gates Frere Robaire – Score: A- to A
This wine is still young and needs time, but one worth the effort. To start the wine has black notes of blackberry, dark plum, rich oak, chocolate, with hints of orange and vanilla. The nose is subtle yet rich. The mouth of this full bodied wine is a tight wine to start with dark plum, not yet integrated tannins, oak, and cherry. The mid palate is bracing with with acid, oak, and chocolate. The finish is super long and lingering with tannin, chocolate, cherry, and plum. After more time the wine wakes up and explodes with heavy tannin and more bright red fruit, over time the wine returns to its roots with a super rich mouth feel, chocolate, and ripe red and black fruit.



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The Little Prince – My Top-Ten Cabernet Franc Wines

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Top Ten Cabernet Franc Wines

You can read Yossie’s regular blog about kosher wine at www.yossiescorkboard.com

Notwithstanding its classification as one of the Noble Grapes, for the longest time Cabernet Franc has been content to sit in the shadow of its more famous big brother – Cabernet Sauvignon, allowing it to collect many accolades, at least some of which should have been directed in its direction.  Historically Cabernet Franc’s primary utilization has been as a blending agent, lending its irresistible charms to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot primary-based based wines.  While very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, there are some distinctive differences between the two grapes, with Cabernet Franc being lighter in color and producing a milder wine with less tannins and lower in acidity creating a smoother and rounder drinking experience and a mellower wine.  As a side note, irrespective of Mile’s professed love and adoration for the Pinot Noir grape, it is Cabernet Franc that is the primary grape in his treasured Cheval Blanc 61’ you see him gulping greedily at the end of the film Sideways (ironically the other component of the wine was his much maligned Merlot).

In recent years there has been an explosion of interest in the grape, especially in Israel, leading to a proliferation of wines based solely on Cabernet Franc.  Cabernet Franc also appears as the dominant grape in many of Israel’s successful Rosé wines, including my all-time favorite – the Tabor Charsit Rosé.  These wines differentiate from Cabernet Sauvignon based wines by being more aromatic, redolent of cedar and flowers including lavender and violets; and, on the palate, presenting a delightful herbaceousness and hints of green.  Other typical Cabernet Franc notes include pepper, fresh cherries, plums, raspberry, cassis, bell peppers and tobacco.  The peppers and other vegetal notes are the same hints of green about which many wine critics complain when describing Israeli wines but, as long as we are taking about quality wine making, I love the results and think that the greenness inherent in many Israeli wines is one of the reasons that the Prince has taken so nicely to Israeli terrior.

Cabernet Franc wines are also significantly more food-friendly wine than Cabernet Sauvignon wines and match brilliantly with stews and other slow braised foods that are perfect for the rapidly approaching fall weather.  I have included ten of my favorite Cabernet Franc wines which are currently available on the market so next time you are in the mood for something a little different, crack open one of these bottles and enjoy a new and exciting varietal.

Best,
Yossie Horwitz (www.yossiescorkboard.com)

Gush Etzion, Cabernet Franc, 2005:  A deep garnet colored and medium bodied wine has finally come together is a beautifully and well coordinated symphony of aromas and flavors with each part lending exactly the right level of participation.  Soft and well integrated tannins meld with notes of blackberries, gooseberries and currants, along with the more traditional notes of lead pencil, dark chocolate and asphalt.  A pleasant spiciness is evident throughout, with hints of eucalyptus and mint on the medium to long finish.

Tanya, Halal Reserve, Cabernet Frank, 2006:  Made from 100% Cabernet Franc (and intentionally misspelled), this beautifully purple, medium to full bodied wine has alluring hints of black pepper and espresso along with blackcurrants, blackberries and plums it is not your typical Israeli Cabernet Franc.  Tinged with strong, dark chocolate notes and freshly paved road, this is very well made, delicious and interesting wine.

Recanati, Reserve, Cabernet Franc, 2006:  A medium to full bodied wine with lots of berry flavors and aromas along with the traditional notes of herbs, bell peppers and green olives.  Not as fresh as some other Cabernet Franc wines but still an interesting “take” on the varietal.

Tishbi, Estate, Cabernet Franc, 2006:  Full bodied and still benefits from a bit of breathing time, this wine is big, powerful and very interesting.  Once you get past the muscular tannins, the robust black forest fruit, lead pencil shavings and Mediterranean spices are available for your enjoyment together with robust but not overpowering wood.  Unusual for lower tiered series, this one could probably cellar and even improve in your cellar over the next 3-4 years.

Four Gates, Cabernet Franc, Santa Cruz Mountains, 2006:  Lots of green notes including green pepper and eucalyptus on the nose together with tobacco, cherries and raspberries on both the nose and palate with nice herbaceous note together with bittersweet chocolate, cedar wood with a long velvety caressing finish leaving you longing for another bottle.  Very enjoyable with food.

Hagafen, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley, 2007: Violets and juicy plums and raspberries on the nose accompanied by spicy wood, cherries and cassis make this a rich and concentrated powerhouse of a wine just soft enough to avoid overwhelming you.  An interesting and long finish packed with chocolate and vanilla, more spices and strong notes of pepper round out this great wine.  One of the best wines in Hagafen’s “regular” repertoire (I am of course biased toward the varietal so take my “best” comment with a grain of salt).

Gvaot, Gofna Reserve, Cabernet Franc, 2007:  As A full bodied wine in which its muscular tannins have slightly receded and allowed the fruits and other potential to fully bloom.  Lots of blackberries and plums to go along with the wood and spice all wrapped in an elegant and layered structure that is great right now.

Carmel, Appellation, Cabernet Franc, Upper Galilee, 2007:  Together with the Appellation Carignan, this represents my favorite wine in Carmel’s delightful Appellation Series.  A smooth and well integrated full-bodied wine with some Petit Verdot and Malbec blended in.  Lots of raspberry, cassis and cherries on both the nose and palate, accompanied by some spicy wood and freshly baked cake.  Supple and round, the wine is more similar to a Cabernet Sauvignon than I would have liked with more forest and espresso than the traditional green notes but still a delicious wine.

Psagot, Cabernet Franc, 2007:  With a heady nose of spicy oak, asphalt, lead pencil and herbaceousness that reaches out and grabs your attention right away.  A full-bodied wine with good structure with blackberries and currants matched with the oak.  A lingering finish rounds out this delight which recently scored an 86 from the Wine Advocate but deserved much more.

Ella Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, 2007.  Classic aromas of blackberries, raspberries, tobacco leaf and those lovely green vegetal notes so characteristic with a palate packed with juicy fresh blackberries and tangy raspberries.  The fruit is nicely tempered by velvety tannins and accompanied by slightly smoky wood all leading into a long and mouth filling finish loaded with more fruit, anise, slightly pungent forest floor and espresso.



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Wine Tasting

Monday, April 4th, 2011

There’s a right way and a wrong way to go to a wine tasting. The wrong way would be to show up on an empty stomach, grab a glass, sample every wine at every table without using the buckets provided, and bypass the cheese table. This method will have you slung over one of City Winery’s many cellar barrels within an hour, singing show tunes and crying bitter tears about your lost youth.

Thankfully, at the Jewish Week’s Grand Wine Tasting this last week, all 400 attendees did it right. They took their time and schmoozed it up. A happy raucous could be heard above the clink of glasses and wine bottles. People learned about wines and their origins, expanded the horizons of their palates, and played Jewish geography. The tasting featured over eight dozen wines from around the world. With stats like that, you’re bound to know at least one of them. The point was, however to taste something new, specifically to feature a new (bottled) guest at the Seder table.

Those wishing to fill Eliyahu’s cup with something neither syrupy sweet nor found in a half gallon jug would have found Sunday’s event to be the adventure of a lifetime. Whether looking to fill the four cups with four different drinkable vintages, or just seeking something dry and sippable, this was the place to be. Dry wines, sweet wines, reds, whites and rose’s from Israel, California, South America, Europe, and even New York were showcased.

At the first table, City Winery offered their own label, bottled on premises. (It should be noted that City Winery’s wines are Non-Mevushal.) The most notable of their offerings was their Pinot Noir; rich and full bodied with a hint of sweetness. City Winery’s Pinot Noir (Oregon 2009) would be a great Seder wine if you’re planning to serve a roast for the main course.

Next to City Winery, Hagafen Cellars had a lovely selection of very easy to drink wines from California. Their Don Ernesto Crescendo Napa Valley Red Table Wine (2008) was a smooth, simple mix of sweet and dry. For a white wine with a hint of sparkle, try Hagafen’s White Riesling (2010). The Israeli wines also offered a satisfying White Riesling in Gamla’s 2009.

Israel’s wine country never fails to disappoint and this tasting was no exception. Gamla’s Sauvignon Blanc (2009) was smooth, if a little dry. Bridging the gap between red and white, Recanati’s Rose was simple and versatile. It’s great wine to have on hand because it can go with anything. Herzog is also a Jewish table staple, with its variety of pleasant, accessible flavors. The Russian River Chardonnay Reserve, however, is worth going out of your way to serve. Herzog really defined the meaning of “Reserve,” with their Russian River Chardonnay Reserve (2007). Never again will I ask “What’s the difference between regular and reserve?” I would pair this with nearly anything, but would be very happy drinking it alone. The rich, caramel flavor and smooth finish makes this an absolute pleasure to drink.

The Holy Land produces a multitude of exciting wines from across the spectrum. Red blends made a very impressive showing. Binyamina’s “The Cave” (2006) is an oak-aged 60/40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The result is a rich, but uncomplicated red that would make a great table wine. Castel also offers a blend in its Petite Castel (2007). Petite Castel is a more complex blend; it features Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot like The Cave, but also smaller quantities of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and a little Malbec. The result is a surprisingly calm flavor with a fruity nose and dry finish. This would be great for sipping. Gedeon’s Petite Syrah was one sample that did not get sipped and spilled in the bucket. In fact, I asked for seconds. My first reaction to this Israeli red was, “Wow! There’s so much happening on my palate right now!” A little dry, a little sweet, fruity, spicy, with a bit of vanilla aroma. A glass of this Petite Syrah is the only companion you need for a great date, but if you insist on company, it can be paired with just about anything from dark soups to pasta to beef.

While Israel can be counted on for great wine, they don’t hold a monopoly on good foreign wine. From Europe, Gabriel’s Italian Pinot Grigio (2010) is light and simple. It would make a great spring or summer wine and would pair nicely with salads, chicken or fish. Argentina’s Tekiah vineyards also had a great white wine. Their Chardonnay is crisp and fruity. Tekiah also offered an impressive red in their Petite Syrah. It was smooth and rich without being overcomplicated. Both of Tekiah’s offerings were very easy to drink.

This is not your Bubbe’s bottle of wine. Kosher vineyards the world over shattered the Manischewitz stereotype and proved they have an exciting spectrum of flavors to offer the kosher consumer. Reds, whites and roses offer enough options for perfect pairings for everything from matzo ball soup to Beef Bourguignon to mango mousse or macaroons. Kosher vintners are in lockstep with kosher gastronomy as it expands to run the gamut of cuisines, kosher wines will be there to give them the perfect finish.



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Challah and Candle Lighting – the fragrance of matches, yeast, and a grandmother’s love…

Friday, December 31st, 2010

As a professional baker and cookbook author of a Jewish holiday baking book, it’s not surprising I receive alot of mail regarding making quintessential challah. I am honoured that people often seek my guidance, for what is more core in Jewish baking, that this queenly bread? There are so many challah recipes one could do; I confess: I create a new one on the drop of a hat but as is often the case, the best challah to me, is the one of my memory. It is a challah I shared with my maternal grandmother, eons ago and it has as much to do with challah as it does with something challah-related: Shabbat candle lighting.

Like most kids, I adored my grandmother who came to visit us most weekends, staying over from Friday to Sunday nights. Then my Uncle Harry, my mother’s brother, would come take her and she would return to live with him, my Aunt and their son, my first cousin.

But one day, as I arrived home from school, there was a surprise. I discovered that my grandmother had come came to live with us permanently. No more extended visits or weekends, this time, she was staying for good. There was more – she was sharing my room. That was no problem – in fact – it was a good thing. As the youngest child in a house that for many reasons contained more than its share of neglect, chaos and some frankly scary family dynamics, her coming to visit was, to me, more than welcome news.

Like most grandmothers, mine was equally warm and comforting, and this was a tonic in and of itself. Getting used to sharing my room with her was also just fine by me. I was just young enough to still be delighted to have a room-mate and one who never tired of my after school chatter at that.

However, there was one difference between her and other grandmothers: my grandmother was blind – and had been so most of her life – certainly by the time she was 20 or so and newly married. She could barely remember seeing – could not recall what my mother (or any of us) looked like, or the colour of grass or the red wine of a new bottle of Manischewitz Concord Grape wine. As her sighted family, we were all schooled in her blindness and took special care.
Gates were installed in the house, we had extra housekeepers and her radio – was her constant, audio companion. I got used to hearing the hockey game and operatic radio specials played extra loud.

When you live alongside someone who is blind, you learn, like a sighted shadow, to anticipate them and their movements. Unconsciously, you become a perceptive guide, coming forward and offering help or retiring as they manage themselves. You learn to never to force anything but wait until they ask for assistance . Or you simply offer an arm and wait. You never drag or lead or pull a bind person. This attentiveness becomes an innate physical skill – one that is tethered to an organic sense of another person’s needs.

More traditional than anyone I had ever experienced, and truly spiritual, my grandmother, blindness notwithstanding, was a strong influence in my life in subtle ways that in the end, were not so subtle – and certainly enduring. It was counterpointed with the fact that she was a most undemanding, self-effacing woman. A peaceful sort, she only had one insistence. This was that each Friday, regardless of season, that I light her Sabbath candles, a poignant request between a blind Bubbie and a reluctant granddaughter. Why reluctant? We had no traditions in our home – indeed, we rarely ate as a family at the table – and kashruth? That was something out of books or synagogue –something other people did and knew about. Not us. Suffice to say – lighting candles struck me as unduly religious and I balked – with sullen looks, impatience, titching tongue and an overall lack of haste in getting the matches. Nevertheless, I did as I was asked – setting up the candles, lighting them, extinguishing the match oh-so-carefully and then would wait. I watched as her hands, like the wings of a dove, made the ancient motion over the candles, and then she would, in as fine an operatic voice as I have ever heard since, sing the Sabbath prayer. She did not close her eyes, as I do now, when I light candles. Instead, she looked directly forward, towards the flames, her see-nothing and yet see-everything eyes gazing into time itself. Sometimes, she faltered and then she would simply ask, “Marcy, please point me toward the light”. I obliged, gently holding her shoulders and pivoting her slowly to face the solid brass candlesticks where the twin flames burned like beacons of faith – even in such darkness of a lost sense (her sight) and lost awareness (an untutored 7 year old).

My grandmother and I were alone in those Sabbath moments - no other adult to even ask why I was allowed to light matches – totally unsupervised although no doubt, divinely blessed. My grandmother sang the blessing in her pure, rich, perfect pitch voice while I stood by her side, twitchy, fascinated, respectful, and impatient. All of it. I remember the scent of the candles, the slight sulphur of the matches knowing full well I probably should not been using them and coveting the illicitness of those stolen moments. I had no idea what my grandmother sang – although now I know the prayers in my sleep. But is spite of that, I found her mystic; in spite of her blindness, I knew she had a unique vision, but one I was not yet ready to share. Sometimes, my grandmother said, despite her blindness, she could just barely make out two pin points of light, the flicker of the two candles as they glowed. To this day, I wonder if she spoke the truth of fibbed to comfort me and make my efforts a bit more worthwhile.

My grandmother has been gone some time and it seems a lifetime ago since I was someone’s granddaughter. In fact, my own mother is now my grandmother’s age (which means I too, have travelled on). But the intervening years had an effect – proof that time is not just quantitative. If I could, I would let my grandmother know, in some way, her customs and subsequent requests of me were not for naught. But I have no doubt she somehow knows that I have come to see the merits of ritual, if not of religion. Now a parent of my own three sons, I chose to offer a crafted, cobbled together but definitely traditional sphere of Jewish life. I suppose mine, like many of my peers, is a strange salad of the usual, the diverse and the exotic, all brought to the table, in my life, my work. How I turned out, and what my choices are, are in the very way I knead the challah dough, my preference for fresh yeast, and my hankering to change it all with a hint of vanilla or unseemly penchant for coca cola in the honey cake or just as often, to partake of the bread that is from the table of another. I love customs, traditions and ritual; I am just a little less sure about what happens when it goes from feeling special and grounded to feeling divisive and insular.

As life evolves and it swirls sometimes, in a prism of past, present and future, I often think of my grandmother and my days as her resistant lighter of the Sabbath tapers. How I wish my grandmother could but have a peek at me now – how she would adore my boys and they her. In fact, they have gone from little grandsons –the age I was when my grandmother came to live with me, to young men. One even makes his own challah, albeit with a bread machine head start. And today’s grandmothers are another vintage altogether. Here I am, almost one myself and I am still racing of to tango class (leaving challah doing a long, leisurely cold rise).

This all said, I have a hunch my grandmother would be gratified to know I am a part of a whole tapestry she helped weave. But I am sure the scent of the fresh baked challah finds it way to paradise. Some Fridays, especially on a cold, mid-winter night, it seems the candles glow extra bright. And in those moment, with that special perfume of sulphured matches, yeast and too-sweet wine, I am certain, wherever my grandmother is, I would no longer have to turn her toward the light.

On that note, I am delighted to share a quarter of my own favorite challah recipes – for your Friday night or anytime for challah is always (except on Passover!), welcome.

Classic Friday Night Challah
Bread Machine Challah

Classic Friday Night Challah
This is the quintessential, traditional challah: feathery, moist, light, golden - almost velvety but with that grew ‘chew’ factor that you want in any bread. A great starter recipe and the one I come back to over and over again.

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons instant yeast
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
6-8 cups bread flour

Egg wash
1 egg
1 yolk
Sesame seeds for sprinkling

Line a doubled up baking sheet with parchment paper. If using a loaf pan, use two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans or one 10 by 5 inch pan, and generously spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir yeast and water together and let stand a few minutes. Then add in a cup of the flour and stir. Then add in remaining ingredients, holding back about one third of the flour so that you mix everything well. Then, using dough hook, knead on slow speed, add in more flour as required, to make a soft dough, knead 8-10 minutes, until dough is soft but elastic. Gather dough together in mixer and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Cover entire mixer with a huge plastic bag and let dough rise 45-60 minutes or until almost doubled in size. (A cool rise is fine too).

Gently deflate dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide in three portions. Let rest 10 minutes and then form into three balls that you put in the loaf pan or, roll portions into three ropes and braided, as for a braided loaf. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Spray the loaf with non-stick cooking spray and cover loosely with a large plastic bag. Let rise until almost doubled and then glaze with egg wash.

Sprinkle on sesame seeds.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place in oven, reducing temperature to 350 F. Bake until done, about 35-50 minutes.

Cool well before serving.

BreadMachine Challah
Bread machine dough – Oven baking – what could be more simple . Do not bake this recipe in the machine – it is too large. It is a recipe that uses the bread machine as your little helper for dough mixing and rising. But the oven ensures you have a traditional, fragrant loaf. The recipe is for 1 1/2 pound capacity machines. This is a terrific starter challah for newbies and it is still, in its own right, a superb challah even if you make it by hand or with a mixer and dough hook.

Dough
1 cup warm water (approx. 100 F.)
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 1/4 to 5 1/5 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast

Egg wash
1 egg
1 yolk

sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

Place water, salt, sugar, eggs and oil and all but 1/2 cup of the flour into machine pan in the order prescribed by the manufacturer.

Process on “dough” cycle.

Dust in additional flour as dough forms into a ball and seems wet enough to receive remaining flour. Usually, it takes all the flour, but holding some back as the dough matures through kneading results in a better mixture. You will also notice that on humid days, the recipe will absorb a larger amount of flour. This is normal.

Divide dough into three sections and braid into a loaf.

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Place bread on sheet. Generously brush bread with egg wash. Sprinkle on sesame seeds. Place whole baking sheet into a large plastic bag (this is your proofer tent).

Allow bread to rise 30 to 40 minutes (until almost doubled). Brush again with egg wash.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Place bread in oven, reduce heat to 350 F. and bake 30-35 minutes.

Marcy Goldman is a professional pastry chef, and author of several baking books, including The 10th Anniversary Edition of A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking (Whitecap Books) and the upcoming The Baker’s Four Seasons (Harper Collins 2011). She also has a kosher cuisine column at www.Clabbergirl.com and hosts the long-standing baking site, www.BetterBaking.com



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Picking & Choosing (Guide to a Kosher Restaurant Wine List)

Thursday, December 9th, 2010

A significant part of an oenophile’s enjoyment of wine is in acquiring and cellaring special bottles for years, thus allowing them to reach the perfect maturity before enjoying them at a special occasion (or a random Wednesday evening). As a general rule, instant gratification is not a trait associated with the serious or even hobbyist, wine collector. However, there is one occasion when instant gratification is exactly what is sought, and that is purchasing a bottle of wine in a restaurant. If you are successful in your selection, you get to enjoy a great bottle right away that hopefully pairs beautifully with your food selection. On the flip side, a poor choice will significantly taint the entire experience, all of which makes the choice of wine of the utmost importance. Fortunately, the art (and believe me, it is most definitely an art) of navigating a restaurant’s wine list is attainable by anyone and, like many things in life, only requires a few key tips and some practice. In this post I hope to provide some tips to help you achieve this and then you can enjoy accumulating the experience.

Before we get into specifics, there are a few general points worth mentioning. While kosher dining and wine drinking have certainly improved exponentially over the last two decades, the wine lists in kosher establishments still tend to be mediocre at best, and are often downright miserable and comprised of the same dreck in every establishment. Additionally, with a few rare exceptions, kosher restaurants in the United States do not allow you to bring your own carefully selected and cellared wine to a meal – a common practice among better establishments (including kosher restaurants in Israel), thus depriving the oenophile the pleasure of a gourmet meal paired with a treasured bottle of his own wine.

While this is partially a result of the lack of importance wine still carries with the average kosher restaurant patron, it is primarily due to the unfortunate requirement of kosher restaurants in the United States to only carry mevushal wines which, with a few notable exceptions, are not usually that great and provide a restaurant owner with few appealing options. Dining out at any good kosher (non-Glatt) restaurant will provide you with an incredibly pleasurable and different wine and dining experience, as the selection on some carefully curated lists allow you to explore new and exciting wines together with your lovingly prepared smoked Mullard breast or pan-seared Foie Gras.

Unfortunately, for the uninitiated a wine list can be an infuriating and ego-deflating experience – exactly the opposite what you’d like when plunking down some hard-earned Lirot. One common pitfall involves spending 20 minutes carefully going over the list and making an educated selection only to be told that the wine you have chosen is not available, or being subjected to the undisguised disdain or pushiness of an unfriendly sommelier.

Another common pitfall is being rushed into making a decision (a common occurrence at many restaurants, kosher or not). However, this practice is far more offensive in kosher establishments where there is rarely a true sommelier or even someone knowledgeable about wine. If you dare to ask for assistance, the server will usually suggest the most expensive wine on the list (typically an over-the-hill kosher Bordeaux wine), or some horrendous (but seemingly exotic) offering from Argentina or Chile. If you find yourself in this situation, firmly tell the sommelier or server that you needs more time – never allow yourself be bullied into ordering a wine you are not comfortable with.

As a general rule of thumb, there are four categories of wine available at a restaurant (although not all four are available at every restaurant).

First there is the house wine which, except in rare occurrences, consists of the cheapest wine the proprietor could find, sold solely by volume (this wine, not coincidentally, generates the most profit for the proprietor). This wine is inevitably selected by customers not comfortable enough to give the wine list a shot, and is almost always a mistake (which you will realize the second the wine hits your lips, if not earlier).

The second category is wines offered by the glass. This is a good option for situations in which only one or two of the diners are drinking wine and only a glass or two at that, but is otherwise a very expensive proposition (unless you are at a wine bar or intend to try many different wines with a multi-course meal). A bottle will typically cost the same as three to five glasses and will usually provide far better value and selection. Unfortunately, the number of places providing a good selection by the glass is extremely limited. If you do order by the glass, insist that the wine be poured from a fresh bottle or one opened that day.

The most common method of selling wine at restaurants (and the third and fourth categories on our list) is by the bottle; either from the standard wine list or from the restaurant’s special or premium list, which usually includes aged, rare, cult or otherwise noteworthy wines. The premium wine list is primarily for status conscious snobs or very serious wine connoisseurs – unless you are in either of these categories avoid this list, which will be prohibitively expensive and probably not worth your money. That said, if you are trying to impress someone or want to try the list out – ask the sommelier for advice as a misstep could be extremely costly!

If you are dining in a kosher establishment in the United States, in order to comply with the mevushal requirement and to give the appearance of a well stocked list, the owner will list as many mevushal wines as can be found and, as you already know, the majority of these are nasty beverages, barely fit for human consumption. While one of the pleasurable things about dining out is discovering new wines, this experience is not easily achieved at kosher establishments – there you are inevitably better off with the tried and true. On rare occasions you might find something you have not tried before and enjoy, but you are far more likely to be sold something that will bring you no pleasure.

In most cases, and assuming they are available in your price point, I recommend choosing either a wine you recognize and have enjoyed in the past, or anything from Hagafen or the Herzog Special Reserve. These wines will undoubtedly be on the list and represent “Safe Bet Wines” – one you can order blindly, knowing they will always be good. A slightly more affordable option would be the Goose Bay wines from the New Zealand winery Spencer Hill, with their Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc in particular being good choices. As with purchasing wines from a store, avoid any white wine more than two years old and check the vintage you are served to make sure it matches the one you ordered (too often mistakes are made and the wrong bottle or vintage is passed off on the unsuspecting diners).

Another tip for successful wine pairing is picking a “softer” wine to match a wide variety of food. For example, a Pinot Noir will be a better match for a variety of dishes your party orders than a robust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which, while it might pair nicely with your bloody steak might not pair as well with your companion’s Chilean sea bass.

Top Ten Tips to Navigating a Restaurant Wine List:

1. The first tip actually starts before you even leave the house. Many restaurants will have their menu and wine list available on their website. While you may not want to decide on your meal ahead of time, scoping out the available wines and learning something about them beforehand can make the process significantly less nerve-wracking.

2. As soon as your server comes to the table, ask to see the wine list. This not only lets the server know you are comfortable with and interested in wine, it allows you extra time to study the list and come to your decision. It also allows you to order your wine at the same time you order your first course. Beware though, the restaurant’s highest profit margins are on wine, and the server is incentivised to bring your wine to the table before the food is served (thereby increasing the odds that you will need to order additional wine once your appetizer makes an appearance). If that happens, ask the server to wait to open your wine until your first course is served.

3. A couple of helpful face-saving tips – if you are unsure how to pronounce the wine’s name, point to it or give the server its number from the menu. Try to indicate two or three wines you are considering and ask what he thinks of them (this will also silently convey your price range in the event discretion is desired such as a business dinner or date). It is sometimes helpful to give an indication of the types of food being considered which will give the server (or if you are lucky, the sommelier) an idea of what wines would be a good match to your meal. All this assumes a knowledgeable person is assisting with the wine selection. If someone suggests Bartanura’s blue-bottled ridiculous excuse for a Moscato D’Asti – that is the best indication you are dealing with an idiot.

4. In general, I am not a fan of half bottles – they are far more expensive per ounce than regular bottles and they do not age well. That said, at a restaurant they have a significant advantage. As with wines by the glass, half bottles allow you to try more wines or match wines to the various courses, and also allows you to order the “right” amount of wine if only one or two people are intending to drink it.

5. Avoid the least expensive wine(s) on the list. As with the house wines, these wines provide the owner with the highest mark up, will typically be very low quality wines and almost never provide a decent quality-to-price ratio. Even on the rare occasion that they are actually quality wines, they are the farthest thing from good value on the list.

6. In the same vein, avoid the most expensive wine(s) on the list. Every wine list showcases at least a couple of premier, hard to come by, über expensive wines. Typically a French Bordeaux, like the Château Smith-Haute-Lafitte retailing for approximately $150 or the Château de Valandraud which retails for $300 – neither of which are worth the money. Another favorite is a kosher cult wine like Herzog’s Chalk Hill. These wines remain on the list to keep the heavy-hitting showy clients that covet a flashy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or snazzy French Bordeaux satisfied. Unless you are positive that you and your fellow diners will appreciate the wine enough to merit the bill, skip it.

7. In the event that you are lucky enough to be at a restaurant with an actual sommelier – exploit his knowledge mercilessly, and ask a ton of questions. In addition to having tasted and sometimes selected the wines on the restaurant’s list, a good sommelier will know a significant amount about the regions, varietals, producers and vintages of the wines on the list. Some good questions to ask include “What wine will pair best with this dish?” and “What wines are your favorites?”. Another good idea in the event you haven’t yet ordered or decided what you will be eating, is to try and give the sommelier an idea of the types of wines that suit your tastes. A simple “I like very fruity wines” or “big, full-bodied, rich wines” should be enough to give the sommelier a sense of your general tastes and suggest a good match.

8. Once you have made your decision and ordered the wine, a little drama still awaits. The sommelier will bring the wine to your table and “present” it to you with a little ritual – only a few elements of which are of nay real importance. First you will be presented with the wine for inspection. This step is actually important as almost a third of the time you will have received a different bottle than the one you ordered (the most common change is being served a vintage other than the one you requested – the server will likely try to convince you that this is a “better” vintage). I also suggest feeling the bottle and confirming it is the “right” temperature for you. Then the cork is pulled and presented to you to smell and check whether the wine is “corked”. I recommend skipping this step as its pretty tough to identify a lightly corked wine – even from drinking it. After you acknowledge your satisfaction with the wine’s appearance, the sommelier will pour a small amount into your glass to taste. After smelling and tasting the wine, if you approve, wine will be poured for the rest of the table (if not, be prepared to explain to the sommelier what you don’t like about the wine so it can be replaced).

9. One trick less scrupulous restaurateurs have up their sleeves when dealing with larger parties, is to pour so liberally so that not enough wine remains in the bottle to fill all the diners glasses, which will necessitate purchasing a second bottle (as they finish pouring the server will ask if he should bring another bottle and the natural tendency will be to say yes, to avoid looking stingy and so that all the diners can enjoy some of the wine you have so carefully selected). You are entitled to expect the server to pour an equal amount into all the glasses with enough to satisfy all the diners (unless you have ordered one bottle for 20 drinkers).

10. One final suggestion, which doesn’t relate to ordering the wine. If the food and/or service is especially good or I have engaged in a wine-related discussion with the chef or sommelier, to the extent I am drinking a good bottle of wine, I will always send a glass of wine back to the kitchen for the chef and offer one to the sommelier or server. It is good manners and common sense – and it is remembered and appreciated.

Yossie Horowitz

Yossie Horwitz, a card-carrying oenophile for over 20 years, has been writing a weekly newsletter - Yossie’s Wine Recommendations – on kosher wines, wineries and other wine-related topics for five years.

Growing up in Israel, Yossie was first introduced to quality kosher wine as a teenager by a family-friend who brought a French Bordeaux to his family’s Seder.  After moving to New York from Israel about six years ago, Yossie began receiving many requests from friends and family for wine recommendations and five years ago decided to launch Yossie’s Wine Recommendations.  Yossie currently lives in Manhattan with his wife and three young children where he practices corporate law at a major international firm.

Sign up for his free weekly newsletter at www.yossiescorkboard.com and follow Yossie on Twitter @yossieuncorked, where he dispenses daily wine recommendations and tips as well as other oenophilic tidbits.  Yossie and his newsletter were recently mentioned in the New York Times, the Jewish Week and the Canadian Jewish News



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Deprived of Pie

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

Blame my mother. Growing up, she didn’t serve us any food that she did not eat herself. It took me years to catch up on a childhood of missed olives, curry, spinach, roasted peppers, artichokes, beans (something other than Heinz baked) and any pie other than apple. Actually, apple pie was a stretch for her because she remains personally offended by any dessert that isn’t chocolate.

Unlike my grandmother’s enormous, homemade, flakey apple pie that fed a crowd, my mom’s pie arrived from the local kosher bakery, wrapped in plastic as if it needed to hide, I did not even meet my first pumpkin or pecan pies until well into my twenties, when I finally hosted my own Thanksgiving meal. My husband and I were posted in Geneva, Switzerland during our second year of marriage, and with no family nearby, we invited several Americans friends and I figured that my non-Jewish guests would be expecting traditional pies for dessert.

I went in search of the key ingredients for my dinner. The menu had no cranberry sauce because I could not find any cranberries in Geneva, but I did find lovely orange-skinned sweet potatoes in the store that were white when peeled. Pumpkin was very popular in Switzerland and canned puree was easy to find. I was even surprised to find pecans, which always seemed so American to me. The hardest element to secure was a whole kosher turkey, in a country where people only eat turkey in parts. Apparently, for $140, you too can have a whole kosher turkey for your next kosher Thanksgiving feast in Switzerland.

This pie (recipe below) has a ready-made crust, which is perfectly acceptable to use when there are so many other parts of the meal to prepare. My daughter makes it without the orange zest so it tastes more chocolatey, clearly channeling her grandmother, the chocoholic.

For parve corn bread, fruit pies, French-style tarts and more to enhance your Thanksgiving table, check out The Kosher Baker: 160 dairy-free desserts from traditional to trendy, available in bookstores and on-line. It is the most comprehensive parve dessert cookbook ever published and includes sugar free, gluten-free, and vegan desserts, Passover sweets, and a Challah chapter. The book is organized according to time and degree of difficulty so it has something for every kind of baker, no matter what your schedule may be.

Paula Shoyer
Paula Shoyer

Paula Shoyer is a French-trained pastry chef who owns the Paula’s Parisian Pastries cooking school based out of Chevy Chase, Maryland. She teaches kosher cooking and baking classes both locally and all over the US. The Kosher Baker is her first cookbook.  You can find her at www.paulaspastry.com and she blogs at www.kosherbaker.blogspot.com.




Orange Mocha Pecan Pie – Serves 8

1 frozen parve 9-inch deep-dish pie shell
2 tablespoons parve margarine
3 tablespoons parve unsweetened cocoa
1 ½ tablespoons finely ground coffee or instant coffee granules
3 tablespoons parve plain soy milk
1 teaspoon orange zest (grated outer peel) (from 1 orange)
1 teaspoon fresh orange juice (from zested orange)
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups pecan halves, chopped or crushed into 1/2 inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Remove the pie shell from freezer and let thaw 10 minutes. Place on a jelly roll pan. Prick with a fork. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the margarine in the microwave for 45 seconds or until melted. Whisk in the cocoa, ground coffee, and soy milk. Add the orange zest and juice, corn syrup, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until well blended. Stir in the pecans.

Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake until puffed and set, about 1 hour. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Store covered in plastic at room temperature for up to four days or freeze up to three months.

copyright The Kosher Baker

Buy Paula’s book here: The Kosher Baker: Over 160 Dairy-free Recipes from Traditional to Trendy



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