dmwine

Roses can vary according to the grape, the amount of time the juice is left on the skins, and the amount of air the wine is exposed to, among other factors. Tavel is an appellation in the Rhone that is especially known for its roses. Darker color = more time on skins (could be just a day or even a few hours) = usually a fuller, fruitier style. I believe the lighter, drier style may be more traditional in France, especially in Provence; while the darker, fruitier style I suspect is in part an effort to appeal to the export (ie., US) market, though that could be oversimplifying. I'd suggest looking for other roses that show that deep color. Bobby Kacher imports a number of them each year that are of high quality, and the 2005s are now reaching market. The lighter ones tend to be less "fruit-forward," more acidic, and perhaps less appealing at first blush, pardon the pun. However, they often have a bit more food-friendliness. (Think salty - olives - and garlicky.) You might also look for some California roses - Bonny Doon's Le Cigare Gris and Big House Pink are quite nice. Sola Rosa is another good one, made from Sangiovese and Merlot. Also look for Spanish or Italian roses, though these might be more 2004 than '05 right now. The improbably named 1+1=3 Cabernet Sauvignon Rose from Penedes in Spain is awesome. There are also some good Cremant de Bourgogne sparkling roses from Burgundy .... I did a piece a few years back called "Real Men DO Drink Pink!" Edited to add shameless self-promotion

I doubt it; I think it's a Ritz-Carlton policy. Anyway, it changes fairly regularly. Call and ask to speak to Vincent - he's helpful and enthusiastic about his list. You can also trust him to pair wines to your menu, and he'll be able to go whichever direction you like if you speak to him in advance. BTW, if the Scottish langoustines are on the menu --- GO FOR IT!!!

Ditto.

Darn! I'm stuck on the wrong side of the river again! FWIW, the Maestro review Amanda mentioned is accessible here.

If I could be a cheese, please, I'd be ... ... an epaisse epoisse, fat and gooey ... a teleme what I'm doin' wrong, for goodness sake! ... a rumpled stilton ... ... a Velveeta -een rabbit ... (rarebit???) ... crying in my beer and morbid in my bier ... (ugh, that hurts even me!) ... a crotchety crottin ... a Medusa spy (Gorgon Zola) ... served always with a dark nut bread and a drizzle of acacia honey, or fig jam, and most likely a sweet wine. But most of all I'd be the ambrosial cheese I always look for when I gaze over the counter at the SS Whole Foods, that they had a year ago but never since ... Mt Tam. So when the hell is Cowgirl Creamery opening up???

Perhaps it's those same 20-somethings, now married with kids, back to reminisce about the old days.

Not to be too self-promotional, or anything but DC magazine (as opposed to DC Style) has much more extensive food coverage than either of the other two newcomers - including Amanda "Metrocurean" McClements for starpower wattage. AND they pay their freelancers.

Hmmm, sounds a bit queer to me. Wine is supposed to strip the enamel off your teeth, not pull out your fillings!

Oh yeah, and I've read tons of Bryson thanks for the clarification. I'll still read this book, though.

I used to love Granta! Did Buford write "Fat Girls in Des Moines"? I swore when I read that I'd read anything by this guy. Can't say I've lived up to that, however ...

I suggest browsing the thread here on San Vito Ristorante, which seems to have some fans of its carry out.

Which says something about Cathal and his sense of humor, and how that sometimes shows up in a dish ...

Merguez. And right you are about the dish.

"A" proper approach? Are there others? Guess I sounded defensive. I've had lunch now, and feel much better. Cheers,

Folks, please! I count myself among the "self-absorbed foodies" I wrote about in my review of Komi. My personal role model is Winnie the Pooh, following his stomach because it knows the way ... So I'm poking fun at myself, too. Calm down, have something to eat. You'll feel better. Okay, enough said. You've taken my mind off lunch! Dave McIntyre (Edited to delete self-important bloviation.)

FWIW, here's DC magazine's review of Komi.

Bruni seemed to credit Grammercy Tavern with starting this in the mid-90s, so unless we discount that, as someone did above, the trend may not be new. In Chicago, Rick Bayless' Topolobampo shares space, kitchen and restrooms with Frontera Grill. Jean-Louis had Palladin in the space that is now Acquarelle, or whatever it is now. Citronelle has a bar menu, does it not? When Peter Pastan first wanted to "go casual" he opened that Blue Whatchamacalit across the street from Obelisk where Johnny's is about to leave. In Paris, several 3-star chefs have opened "bistros" next door where they only charge an arm instead of an arm and a leg. While these are not necessarily "upstairs/downstairs" the concept is not much different. What we're seeing here now is the French chefs going country. Robuchon started this a few years back when he came out of retirement with L'Atelier and created the new (for the French!) idea of an open, arena-style kitchen. Brian McBride's Blue Duck Tavern seems to be taking a cue there. And Alain Senderens stripped off his Michelin stars and opened a "casual" restaurant - now we have Michel Richard and Robert Wiedmaier doing the same (although keeping their flagships). Gerard Pangaud seems to be trying to follow Senderens' example more closely.

The Italian griller sausages are killer - killer grillers. So's the smoked pork chop. Not too salty like a lot of places. Those fried chicken wings are worth lining up for. The poultry section also frequently has chicken backs/wings/detritus good for making stock. And fresh rabbit. Pastry = shoofly pie. But you MUST try the potato chips!

This thread is a great idea - but the problem is not usually the writers coming up with ideas; it's editors being willing to answer the pitch with anything other than, "Ohhh, I dunno ....... we did something like that six or seven years ago."

I know at least one writer for DC magazine does ... not to foreshadow anything.

Eve Zibart answers your query in today's Weekend section.

I'm not a big Caesar aficianado, but I love a good salade Nicoise, which REQUIRES anchovies. I love the sharp, almost overpowering saltiness when I get a bite of one, dressed with olive oil and mitigated somewhat by hard-cooked egg or lettuce or even olive .... Perhaps that's what appeals to anchovy lovers in Caesar. However, Caesar is a simpler salad than Nicoise, with fewer ingredients, so I can see a case for "hiding" the effect of the anchovies in the Worcestershire sauce. Hmm, perhaps I'm adding as little to this debate as a hidden ingredient adds to a salad ...

Iron Bridge Wine Co. in Columbia is a lot of fun, too - I think it's been mentioned on this board before. Lots of wines by the glass, good small-production selection, plus $5 corkage if you buy off the retail shelf and open it there for dinner.

Corks, in Baltimore. All-US, with 40+ available by the half-bottle. The by the glass program is done by half bottles (2 glasses per), so you don't need to worry about getting a glass from the bottom of the bottle. Article here.

Domaine de la Colline Chinon 2003 Loire reds have been consistently great in 2003 - while other areas were at risk of over-ripening, the Loire reds managed for once to reach their potential!!