I’ve blogged about my ongoing experiences with Rouxbe before and a few others are starting to catch on. I’m half way through all available lessons (currently riding an 88% average – way better than high school!)

One lesson sticks out like a sore thumb. The one on wheat kicked my ass! All the lessons are about the same level. A dedicated watch through the video and the test is usually a breeze but the one on wheat left me with marks I’m more familiar with. (C+’s and B’s). I’ve made good use of the Pasta, Pan Frying Sauces lessons and am looking forward to checking out salads/cold sauces and beef.

A few highlights…

Favourite recipes:

• Lemon Potatoes
• Tapas-Style Pork Tenderloin
• Chicken Saltimbocca
• Butternut Squash Soup (On Foodists)

Upcoming lessons catching my eye:

• Homemade Potato Gnocchi
• Stocks

Ongoing challenges include finding an endless supply of Fresh Herbs. Expensive to buy, fresh ones don’t keep for very long and they make everything better. Fellow Foodist Jer just put up a good article on this very topic on Foodists.

Future Projects:

Find more uses for my Mortar and pestle.
Venturing into baking for the first time in almost 10 years.
Cooking for more than one!

My only real complaint about Rouxbe is that I’ve seen most of the recipes more than once! Gotta get some more variety up there! Can’t wait to see more from their team.

I had been saving this bottle of Warre’s Otima 20-year-old port for a special occasion, and what could be more special than two feet of snow in Vancouver and a serious urge to hibernate? It’s rich and perfectly – but not cloyingly – sweet, with a walnut aftertaste. And I’m not just being a pretentious snob when I say that, because it really does taste like walnuts.

It’s perfect with blue cheese or chocolate, but probably not both at the same time. You can get the 10-year-old vintage at BC Liquor Stores, but the 20-year-old vintage is harder to find. Some higher-end restaurants have it on their dessert wine list. Both ports are multiple award winners, so it’s definitely worth the effort to track one down.

A few years ago, I drove down the coast from Vancouver to San Francisco, winding through Washington State, Oregon and California on the way to a too-short stay in Shaky Town. The drive is a beer-lovers treasure hunt, with countless breweries to stop at on the way. There were plenty of memorable moments along the drive – like being trusted to tend bar at the Hopland Brew Pub while the bartender skipped out for lunch – and there were too many beers to remember. I do however remember my favourite pour of the trip: North Coast Brewery’s Red Seal Ale.

When we arrived in San Francisco, I was pleased to find out that Red Seal was available in bottles, but disappointed to find that the packaged product didn’t stand up to what I had on tap. What struck me most was the colour – a deep red that reminded me of the horse chestnuts that litter the road in front of my house in the fall. While the bottled version was still red, it was missing the brilliance that the tap-pour had, both in colour and flavour.

Imagine my surprise, then, to find Red Seal Ale on tap at the Alibi Room, as one of their features. Here, again, was the beer I remembered. The perfect level of hops, the floral nose, and yes – the perfect red colour.

I’m a frequent visitor to the Alibi, with its 19 taps and very knowledgeable servers. New father Nigel Springthorpe has been bringing a lot of great beer into his bar over the last year – great news for beer lovers. What isn’t great news is that Red Seal Ale won’t be there for long – so head down for a pint right away.

Alibi Room is located 157 Alexander Street. Vancouver, BC in Gastown; (604) 623-3383, www.alibiroom.com

I’ll spare myself the trouble of typing out the whole Dine Out menu in respect of saving words to describe what I saw at that moment, my jaw dropped and I read on. After a tough decision, I found myself settling on the Flying Tiger Samosas & Pakoras for starters, the Pulled Duck Confit Crepe Entree, and the Coconut Cassava Cake to finish. I have to admit, my choices were influenced by the fact that I would more than likely steal a few bites of the dynamite combo Steph went with; Toro Tuna Sushi Tempura, Vietnamese ‘Nuoc Cham’ Smoked Sablefish, and Deep-fried Chocolate Bananas.

Now would be a great time to mention the Executive Chef Tina Fineza; where our seating came in handy was the chance to hear her describe the execution of these dishes and why she made the choices she had. About the time the starters came our way, we were feeling pretty good about the fact that we never had reservations. Standalone the Samosas & Pakoras were great, but coupled with a subtle coconut & tamarind chutney it became certain I had made the right choice. Looking over at Steph unable to contain my excitement I blurted, “You have to try this!” Stopping me mid sentence, she whispers “No, you have to try this!” The Tuna Belly tempura rolls, accompanied by bonito aioli, seaweed caviar, and the most unforgettable grilled oyster mushrooms were breathtakingly delicious, she was right.

The mains showed up and digging right in, I almost cried a little, words can’t describe the taste in my mouth at that moment, I can only say that you should stop what you are doing right now and go try the Pulled Duck Confit Crepes! Again, sitting back with a gargantuan smile, I couldn’t help but notice Steph doing the same. Before I knew it she was slicing off a piece of Sablefish and pushing it in my direction, so again we swapped; at that moment time stopped, my mind went back to my parents farm where Dad was pulling freshly cooked fish out of the smoker in our backyard, the most incredibly clean taste enveloped my tastebuds, it was good.

So there we sat, relishing the memory of the meal we had just consumed, had it ended right then and there, it would have hands down been in the top three meals I’ve eaten in this city, but in that very same moment Tina slid our final courses out and time stopped again. Listening to the mouthwatering words that described the preparation of the lovely dish levitating in front of me, I wanted nothing more than to jump up and high five the hands that created that piece of art, I contained myself and shortly thereafter took my first bite. I went through the roof, honestly, I was done. One bite topped off an evening of great food, one bite wrapped it up poetically, in an unbelievable, unimaginable way. As again I offered Steph a bite, I couldn’t help but notice the ear-to-ear grin she had dawned, I guess I wasn’t done yet. We again reached over, swapping in what had become a familiar fashion; as I broke through the banana and it Warm Callebaut chocolate leaked out, I heard the word, “Orgasmic” whispered beside me, Steph quietly says, “Try mine, then yours,” again, she was right.

An afternoon later, I’m still reeling from the tastes I had the pleasure of enjoying last night. Absolutely everything went right, from service, ambiance, presentation, and taste; it all worked extraordinarily well, everyone went out of their way to create a great experience and I will definitely return for an encore, with a friend… and intentions of trying their meal.

Flying Tiger is located 2958 W 4th Avenue in Vancouver, BC; (604) 737-7529, www.theflyingtiger.ca

The brainchild of Todd Wong aka Toddish McWong, this event has been growing every year for the last ten years. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve never gone despite the appeal.

The event combines entertainment with a fusion of Scottish fare, specifically Haggis, with traditional Chinese cuisine. Although at first description haggis may not sound all that appealing, and I’m sure there’s bad and good, the haggis I’ve had has been delicious. For those not in the know, haggis is a combination of sheeps innards, oatmeal and spices cooked in the sheep’s stomach. Yeah, I know, I know.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy is this coming Saturday, January 28th. Check out the menu and get tickets here. IF you do get a chance to go, please give us your impression of the event.

Taste of Winterlude starts January 19 and runs until February 1, 2007 as a precursor to Ottawa’s Winterlude celebrations. If you’ve never been in Ottawa for Winterlude it’s a great time to visit, skate the canal (which I’m told will be open and frozen early February) and enjoy the cold. This year it’s running Feb.2 – 18th.

But if you’re like me, you’d rather enjoy the cold with a fully tummy, so if you’re headed to Ottawa check out Taste of Winterlude.

Reservations open on January 11th and are highly recommended. Check out the list of restaurants offering Winterlicious menus now so you don’t miss out.

Reds:

Cape Mentelle – Cab Merlot – Margaret River – Australia – 2003 – SKU 452508 ($29.88): thick, youthful Australian red, with pronounced mint and chocolate notes on the nose, rich fruit, ripe tannins, and a broad, alcoholic finish. Ready, but can age up to five years.

Columbia Crest “Grand Estates” – Merlot – Columbia Valley – Washington State – 2002 – SKU 263418 – ($21.99): developing nose of sweet cherry fruit, cedar and vanilla, with soft, medium tannins, and a glossy, smooth texture. Textbook merlot from this area. Ready now. Could age it a bit, but why?

Ogier – “Les Brunelles” – Crozes Hermitage – France – 2003 – SKU 485250 ($25.14): gamey, woodsy, red cherry and white pepper notes are followed by a firm, dry palate. Tannins are fine grained, and a nice peppery spice note lingers on the finish. Ready, but can age 2-3 years.

Cosme Palacio y Hermanos – Rioja – Spain 2004 – SKU 268482 ($23.99): clean, youthful aromas of tar, red and black fruits, and earth. Medium plus intensity of flavour, with nice sweet fruit on the palate and aromatic spice and chocolatey American oak. Very good. Ready, but can age a few years.

Whites:

Seven Hills – Viognier – Columbia Valley – 2004 – SKU 342725 ($28.99): bright lemon colour, with greenish cast. The nose has youthful aromas of cantaloupe, tangerine, lilies and subdued vanilla oak. It is dry, with relatively low acidity, full body and very good intense, tropical fruit flavours. A little hot, but nicely done for a new world viognier. Drink now.

Ayler Kupp – Riesling – Spatlese – Mosel/Saar/Ruwer – Germany – 2004 – SKU 619262 ($28.85): bright, intense aromas of ripe apples, white flowers, and minerals. Off-dry, with light body and good intensity, the wine has a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. Ready to drink, but can age 2-4 years.

Allan Scott – Sauvignon Blanc – Marlborough – NZ – 2005 – SKU 922740 ($22.99): clean, intense aromas of elderflowers and freshly mown grass. It’s dry, of course, with high acidity, medium alcohol, and lots of citrus, grapefruit in particular, on the medium plus finish. Good quality. Drink now.

Sweet stuff:

Beni di Batasiolo – Moscato d’Asti – Italy – 2005 – SKU 288449 (20.04): clear, pale lemon colour with lots of petillance. Pronounced aromas of ginger and orange blossom. Medium sweetness, with very low alcohol (5.5%) and light body. Soooo yummy. Drink now, as often as possible.

A quick and very simplified chemistry lesson is in order. The cream-culture bacteria in the sour cream (species of Lactococcus and Leuconstoc) convert the lactose in the cream into lactic acid. At the same time the lactic acid helps our friends crowd out their less desirable competition, it also creates the characteristic tang and thick, rich texture of crème fraîche for us by unraveling protein bundles and redistributing them throughout the solution. Woohoo!

Pair generous dollops of homemade crème fraîche with fish, fresh fruit, and caviar, daaahhling. It’s all super-easy, so now I’ll never look like a crème fraîche-free chump again! And neither will you.

• French Rabbit Cabernet Sauvignon, France, 1L, $12.95 (yes, it’s the tetra-pak wine)
• Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon, South Africa, $13.99
• Finca Los Primos Malbec, Argentina, $9.95
• J. Lohr Painters Bridge Zinfandel, USA, $13.99
• Trivento Reserve Syrah, Argentina, $14.25
• The Stump Jump Red, Australia, $14.99
• de Bortoli Petite Sirah, Australia, $11.99

Have your own recommendations to add? Please tell us about your favorite wine “best buys.”

My first experience with Beaujolois Nouveau came in Geneva, Switzerland. I was visiting a friend who was interning at the UN, and the week before he had popped across the border into France to buy two cases of Beaujolais just after it’s release. We spent three days drinking it like juice, and then about a week recovering. Somehow, though, I still find the young fruity red palatable. Along with wine fanciers across the world, I’ll be enjoying a few glasses of it today to celebrate perhaps the only official wine day of the year.

Beaujolais Nouveau is traditionally released on midnight of the third Thursday of November. Cases are loaded onto planes and delivered to wine stores across the world. A quick search for ‘beaujolais’ on Google News shows stories from Japan, Australia, Paris and Des Moines. More than 60 million bottles will be sold and consumed world-wide.

Still, Beaujolais Nouveau sales have dropped by more than 50% in the last 10 years and the release doesn’t generate the headlines that it once did. In the 70′s and 80′s, the third Thursday would see press coverage of cars, boats and balloons, all racing to get the first shipments of young wine to drinkers across the channel, or across the sea. Today, this press has slowed to a trickle – outside of Europe, at least.

Beaujolais Nouveau has proved very popular in Japan and China, where sales have increased by 60% since last year. In the United States, where people are slowly forgiving and forgetting the anti-France stance of past years, the wine is also selling very well this year. I’m not sure about sales statistics in Canada, but I know for sure that I’ll be picking up a bottle or two.

How does it taste? I haven’t had the chance yet to try this year’s offering (it’s 9:30am, after all), but tasters around the world have been giving it good reviews. “Jammy and very fruity”, with a “much longer finish”, it sounds like it will be as thirst-quenching as ever. BC Liquor stores will be carrying two nouveaux, pricing in at $13.49 and $14.49 respectively.

Get them while they last.

Dethroner has a great looking recipe for Beer Bratwurst that I’m just going to have to try. The author swears everything hinges on a bottle of Portland, Oregon-based brewer’s Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar, but if that’s not available, there’s no shortage of micro-brew options I’m sure.

If you’re impatient and just have to have a sausage right now, go check out Falconetti’s on Commercial Drive (sorry, only in Vancouver).

UPDATE: For those lucky enough to live here in Vancouver, BC, Chef Bourdain will be autographing books after the taping of CBC Radio‘s next episode of Studio One Book Club at the historic Yale Hotel on Granville this coming Sunday, June 11th, 2006. The event, co-sponsored by CBC Radio One, The Georgia Straight, The Vancouver Writers Festival, and Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks is sold out, but check the website for upcoming events.

UPDATE: I wrote a follow up review of the event.