Who's Afraid of Virginia?

Sausage Party!

2012-01-21T08:22:00.000-08:00

If you could of been here to feel the weight.

Duck, Duck, Pasta!

2012-01-04T10:36:00.001-08:00

Makin Country Style Pate!

2011-12-12T08:35:00.001-08:00

Devil Moon is Makin the Geese Invade Our Yard!

2011-12-11T18:52:00.001-08:00

Check out this sky!

2011-11-30T14:07:00.001-08:00

Sunday Supper

2011-11-21T08:37:00.001-08:00

Down! Down! Where Did They Go?

2011-11-14T17:44:00.001-08:00

Spbloop..!.. Dive! Dive!

2011-11-13T19:34:00.001-08:00

Foggy Morning

2011-11-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

Best Outdoor Seating

2011-11-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

The Citizen downtown. Prettiest courtyard in the city. Not really their seating but there are tables outside for public use.

He had Pulled pork and special house-made cabbage relish on a pressed bolillo roll with a side of lentils. She had something called a salad. All served on paper plates. They recycle. In the cup is a lovely little white Languedoc wine from Laurent Miquel ($8.95 at J. Emerson) which was smuggled within a sparkling water bottle, don't want any unnecessary attention from the fuzz.

The Citizen is underground in a secret location (909 E. Main St, Richmond, VA 23219). There are always tables open. It's cheap too.

Coolest building to view.

Spatchcocking!

2011-10-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

2 Years Now Sky

2011-08-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

Invasion

2011-07-10T07:38:00.001-07:00

Lovely Richmond

2011-06-09T08:25:00.001-07:00

Springy Time!

2011-04-05T15:04:00.001-07:00

Makes You Want to Puke

2011-04-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

Watching Butts Shake in Avignon

2011-03-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

Drinking in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

2011-03-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

Eating and Drinking in St. Remy

2011-03-22T08:41:00.001-07:00

Eating and Drinking in Nice

2011-03-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

Eating and Drinking in Avignon

2011-03-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

Castell'Arquato

2011-03-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

Eating and Drinking in Parma

2011-03-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

Eating and Drinking in Cremona

2011-03-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Eating and Drinking in Brescia

2011-03-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

Eating and Drinking in Alba

2011-03-22T07:40:00.001-07:00

Monumental Snow Storm

2011-01-27T07:48:00.000-08:00

Reign in Richmond

2011-01-26T11:33:00.000-08:00

The Adventures of Red Face and Lefty

2011-01-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

Rain Drop Richmond

2011-01-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

Back Yard Visitor

2011-01-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

Couldn't Imagine a Better View

2011-01-02T12:47:00.002-08:00

Pear s

2011-01-02T12:47:00.001-08:00

What Lurks in the Deep

2011-01-02T12:45:00.001-08:00

Sunsets Almost Everyday

2011-01-02T12:43:00.000-08:00

Main Course

2011-01-02T12:42:00.000-08:00

Winter's Goose

2010-12-14T13:26:00.001-08:00

Time For Night

2010-11-08T06:39:00.000-08:00

Truffle Time, Time for Truffles

2010-11-04T07:40:00.001-07:00

Trees Please

2010-11-04T07:39:00.001-07:00

Byrd Park Sunset

2010-11-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

Espresso Pursuit

2010-10-29T10:48:00.001-07:00

Old school Moka pots have been retired. We now use the Class from Bialetti.
Start with the correct grind from a good, fresh espresso blend. We use Counter Culture's "Toscano" Blend.
The right dosage. In the reservoir there holds only enough water for a 1.5 ounce shot.
I like to boil a touch of water and "season" the grinds, to prime them for better extraction.

Lowest heat possible. Slow, even pressure. Patience.
Rich, oily shot. No bitterness. Essence of the beans. Taste exactly like the aroma. Delicious. No crema though for that extra treat. Need a commercial machine.

Goose, Goose, Duck.

2010-10-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

New Neighborhood

2010-10-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

Downtown Desolate Sunday

2010-10-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

Neighbors

2010-09-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

That is hair in the yard. Been there for days. That is shitty beer as well. Been there for days. I am a little old to be living in the dorms.

Skirt Steak Night

2010-09-16T07:42:00.001-07:00

Bandol Pork Chop Fly

2010-09-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

Pork chops provencal-ish.

Best Friends Day Forever!

2010-08-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

Who Loves You? Pino Does!

2010-08-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

An Angel to Watch Over Us

2010-08-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

Nobodies Pfalz But Your Porks

2010-08-18T10:16:00.001-07:00

Weegmuller's Mussbacher Eselshaut Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken and pork loin roast with homemade apricot preserves. Candle wax accompaniment.

And the Best Steak Wine is...

2010-07-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

Inconclusive...........

No, that is not dog or cat steak.

Perfect Meal For a One Hundred Degree Day

2010-06-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

Delicate sausage, light and airy Burrata cheese, pillow like pasta, complimented by a refreshing and uplifting 2005 Fratelli Urciuolo Taurasi from Campania.

Guess The Exotic European Location!

2010-06-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

If you said France, Austria, Italy or even Germany you are wrong! Trick question, it's Richmond, VA.

Downtown Lunch Time and A Capital Building Visit

2010-05-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

Louis/Dressner Tasting in New York

2010-04-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

We sat in the airport terminal, reluctantly eating a greasy, overly-processed breakfast from one of the vendors. Suffering through a soggy "panino," I knew I'd soon redeem my crappy meal by tasting a portfolio of all natural, honest expressions of earth. I work a few shifts a week and hang-out part time at J. Emerson Fine Wine down in Richmond, Virginia. On April 22nd my manager and I joined forces with the natural wine guys from Williams Corner to take a quick day trip up to New York for the Louis/Dressner tasting. Though excited to taste some of my hero's wines I wondered how bittersweet the visit would be for me, having just left New York after living there for 10 years. I got over any sentimentality after sitting in traffic for an hour on the Williamsburg bridge.

We were greeted by a geeky sign coded for those in the wine business. Out of 29 vignerons, only 16 could escape the erruption of the un-pronounceable Eyjafjallajokull that interrupted European air travel. Along with rain, sleet, snow and drought, the volcano was just another element that the winemakers had to deal with and made for some fun conversations.
Lost between three distributers, the wines of Roagna got their own sealed off Luca Lounge. Polaner will still handle the wines in New York and New Jersey and not be a part of the move to David Bowler. Nationally they will sell through Louis/Dressner, or something like that. Anyway, the whole lineup was there from the 05 Bianca Solea, little Dolcetto and Barbera, the 03 Lange Rosso, the 'what's in it?' Opera Prima XVII and bottlings from both Barbaresco and Barolo.

A man on a mission. Franck Peillot of Franck Peillot raced to escape the volcanic cloud by driving 800 miles from Bugey to Madrid to catch a flight to get to New York. His non-vintage Montagnieu Brut was bottled, bubbly herbs that can take on anything from Champagne. The 08 Rousette de Bugey Altese tart and nutty, and the 08 Mondeuse was like warm wool in the mouth. What's not to love?

Manuela & Francois Chidaine of Vouvray and the stones throw Montloius had maybe the prettiest wines on the table. Maybe a little riper than other current releases from that part of the Loire, easily enjoyable in their youth.

The wines of Clos du Tue-Boeuf are always a favorite. From the lean, crystal scented Le P'tit Blanc, the wonderfully raspy 09 La Butte, to the mysterious cloudy colored, crushed violet scented 09 Cheverny Rouge.

Pierrot Bonhomme, Thierry's business partner has vines of his own. His unfortunately named 08 Touraine Rouge "KO In Cot We Trust" was a show stopper, proving that Malbec is just a grape, not a flavor in its self but more a communication device to show off some really distinct dirt. I could have this on the dinner table everynight.

Cascina degli Ulivi was one of the volcano victims. Alessandra Bera of Bera Vittorio & Figli was around to see us all marvel at their 09 Moscato d'Asti.

Here's Scott Bridi overseeing animals in all forms. He runs the charcuterie program at Marlowe & Daughters. Before that he headed the kitchen at the rustic Lot 2 in Brooklyn and also did meat at the famous Gramercy Tavern for 2 years. We were in good hands.

My biggest surprise of the day were the wines of Radikon. I was prepared to dislike these mythical monstrosities, thinking they were unobtainable, super sexed up oxidized trophies. I was so wrong, they were super cool. Maybe it was the context with all the other wines of the day but they were so bizzare, so different, lush and vibrant with bulletproof zip.

Sasa Radikon was on hand to explain the farming, vinification and their approach to bottling. The farming like most of the other vignerons on hand is biodynamic and natural, hand harvested, low yields all that. What is interesting is the 90 days of skin maceration and the 3 years in large Slavonian oak that make them somewhat indestructible. The 500 ml bottles are used to house the skinny little corks they have specially made which they feel ages the wine at just the right pace.

These beautiful cider and tea colored wines can justify the high prices.

Natural wine enthusiast Alice Feiring chatting up Olivier Riviere about his un-Rioja like wines. The 09 Rayos Uva and the 07-08 Ganko and the 08 Gabacho had a bright red freshness that contrasted the oaky, roasted norm.

The man himself keeping everything under control.

The crew from Williams Corner Wine getting the V.I.P. treatment with Luca Roagna.

Even with all the spitting, trying to taste one hundred wines can take a toll on ones constitution. I made a turbo escape for Gimme! Coffee down in Soho. One of the things I miss about New York is good espresso, though outstanding coffee didn't exsist in New York untill 2001. I'm hoping it is just a matter of time before it trickles down to Richmond. Gimme! does it right.

The crime scene that was Mathieu Baudry. Les Grange was delicious in its youth, the 08 Clos Guillot and the 08 Croix Boisee were like buried treasure.

Francesca Padovani of Campi di Fonterenza was on hand with pink wine, a vertical of little Sangiovese, up through the 07 Rosso di Montalcino and a surprisingly elegant and restrained but mouth drying 04 Brunello. I had to run back to the meat table in between pours.

Also on hand was Jean-Paul Brun of Terre Dorees in Beaujolais. I was to intimidated to take his picture. It was a pleasure though shaking his meaty farmer hand. His wines might of been the days winner. The place was nuts over superstar Eric Texier, he was pouring flavors from Cote-Rotie and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and of course his greatest discovery of Brezeme.

Our last stop before flying home was Peking Duck House Midtown. We were able to sneak in a bunch of Dressner wines to see how they could handle two whole ducks.

Afterwards our palates were beat, we finished off the night with a $9 Peroni at the airport. Thank you Louis/Dressner for doing what you do.

And the Best Coffee in Richmond is...

2010-04-17T20:41:00.000-07:00

Petersburg? Yeah, 20 miles away Petersburg. A little jewel of a small town really. One thing we do miss about NYC is the good espresso which didn't exist there until 2001 when "9th Street Espresso" came along. Then about the same time "Joe", "Cafe Grumpy" opened up. Followed by "Gimmee Coffee", "Redhorse Cafe", that Swedish place, "Southside Coffee" then the "Stumptown" invasion. A handful of others. Maybe Richmond will see a coffee Renaissance someday soon. It really doesn't take much longer to get to Petersburg than it did to get to "9th Street" which was a 45 minute subway/walk from our place in Brooklyn. The new joint there is called "Demolition Coffee". It is in a cool old warehouse with exposed wood beams and brick. Even the bathroom is cool with tin walls and a photo of a hairy muscleman. They have a top notch machine and serve Counter Culture coffee, soon to start using Intellegentsia. Many coffee shops in Richmond serve Counter Culture but they screw it up big time. These guys at "Demolition Coffee" are pulling lovely ristretto shots and stretching some silky milk. Hurray! Our only worry is that they serve sandwiches and other food stuff, we hope the quality doesn't suffer.

The James River is a Body of Water

2010-04-15T21:36:00.001-07:00

A half ass attempt at Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia (spaghetti with squid and squid ink), chickpeas with figs, cardamom, cumin and a little cinnamon. Side of vegetables. Oh but the wine... a refreshing little number from the seaside gem Cassis (never been). Probably just as pretty as Richmond.

Byrd Theater!

2010-04-04T20:01:00.001-07:00

French film festival pics, line around the block, timeless place. Usually they show second run movies for $1.99.

Country Time Dognuts

2010-04-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

Old School. Probably whipped pig lard involved.

Sicilian Party!

2010-03-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

Anchovies! Eggplant Caponata! Simple pasta with cauliflower and garlic toasted breadcrumbs! Chicken breast in saffron! Insolia from Sicily,
Gaglioppo rosso from Calabria, Vermentino from Sardinia!

Springs uh Comin

2010-03-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

Rowhomes

2010-03-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

Like you took a shrink ray to Park Slope.

Many Wires Around Here

2010-03-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

Time to Get Serious About Pizza

2010-03-04T08:34:00.000-08:00

Been a lot of talk in this town about who makes the best pizza. Follow the steps, no shortcuts, use the right ingredients, no frozen dough. Balance is key. Drink the proper wine.

Gnocchi alla Romana

2010-02-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

Eatin Lazio, drinkin Friuli.

J. Emerson Fine Wine

2010-02-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

The best wine shop in Richmond. They have Arbois and Apremont.

3 P's and it "Cooks Faster When You Chop It Up First"

2010-02-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

Pasta, Parmasan, Peas best thing in the world. Chopped up chicken. Jean Paul Brun (delicious, zippy and lean, but not quite fat enough for the bird, be better with little sea critters).

Whatever is Left in the Fridge

2010-02-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Risotto, carrots, broccoli, winter squash, Clos du Tue-Boeuf and a fat cat.

Really, More Snow?

2010-02-06T11:46:00.000-08:00

What the hell?

Porch Visit

2010-02-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

Someone needs to give these nice kitties a nice home.

Wife Has a Night Out

2010-02-06T11:42:00.001-08:00

Left me home all alone.

Date Night

2010-01-29T08:35:00.000-08:00

bubbles.

cornas-domaine du tunnel

shaved fennel, ewe cheese, roasted chestnut, pomegranate vinaigrette

Sautéed veal sweetbreads, shallot, ginger,thyme, verjus demi

sauteed calf liver, seasonal squash, shallot sherry vinegar demi

roast squab with braised cabbage

some kind of chocolate thing

glad places like this exist down here.

Comfort Food

2010-01-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

La Tache

2010-01-24T18:10:00.000-08:00

Check out the Mussels on that Muscadet!

2010-01-13T19:18:00.000-08:00

One of Our Favorite Places

2010-01-01T16:03:00.000-08:00

Bistro Bouchon: bubbles, Croze-Hermitage, charcuterie, truffled noodles and cheese, haricots verts, roasted squash. Sit at the bar, can put our hands on each others knees.

Random Food Stuff

2010-01-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

Territory

2010-01-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

Sunday Suppah

2010-01-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

Eating White Snow

2009-12-23T19:56:00.001-08:00

Hurray Anne Gros!

2009-12-23T19:52:00.001-08:00

And roast chicken.

Dog Versus Wood

2009-12-19T16:12:00.000-08:00

It was To My understanding That It Is Not Supposed To Snow Like This In The South

2009-12-19T15:37:00.000-08:00

Foggy Morning

2009-12-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

After the Rain

2009-12-14T16:33:00.001-08:00

Late Night Grillin

2009-12-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

A Walk Home

2009-11-18T10:43:00.000-08:00

New paint job for SynergyGeo.

Red leaves still clinging.

College kids and their doggies.

Back yard needs another raking.

Pizza Party!

2009-11-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

Perimeter Kill

2009-11-08T21:24:00.000-08:00

The Devil Comes Down Our Street

2009-11-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

Fall Colors

2009-10-29T21:20:00.001-07:00

Our Poor Attempt at a First Flower Garden

2009-10-16T09:06:00.001-07:00

We still love it though.

Hanger Steak Time on the Grill!

2009-10-16T09:04:00.001-07:00

Our Own Private Promenade

2009-10-16T09:03:00.001-07:00

All is Quiet on This Night

2009-10-16T09:02:00.001-07:00

Whole Chicken!

2009-10-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

And the wines we sampled with.

Come On Over For Dinner

2009-09-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

More roasted chicken legs with yellow squash from the farmers market, we have an abundance of squashes, having more tonight! Slugged down a bottle of 05 Bourgogne Rouge "Les Perriere" from Domaine Maurice Ecard. The legs were just an excuse to drink this lovely little wine: light, bright, fresh, sturdy and earthy.

More Pasta inspired by the north: buckwheat noodles with red cabbage, carrot in a walnut cream sauce. Drank it with a bottle from way south, keep going, all the way to Sicily. 06 Cerasuolo di Vittoria from Valle Dell'Acate, a little rustic, a little exotic, plenty of ramble and round tannin to cut a cream sauce.

You Will Never, Never Breach These Walls!

2009-09-24T17:29:00.000-07:00