Wurst und Cheverny

Though I miss it already, it's amazing how much more time I have in the evenings now that the Tour has ended. Take last night. Cooked an impromptu dinner. Bockwurst from Birchrun Hills Farm — mild, delicately seasoned but deeply flavorful white sausages made from Birchrun's own veal and pork. Simmered 'em in Victory Prima Pils. Meanwhile, I crescent-sliced and sautéed a red onion 'til it softened, then threw in a coarsely chopped head of loose-leaf radicchio. Braised them both in a little more of the beer, tossed in a pinch of salt and a generous sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper, then added a dollop of German-style mustard.

The end result? Moist, juicy, tender sausages offset by a slightly sweet, slightly bitter, very flavorful onion and radicchio hash.

Dry German or Austrian Riesling, of course, would have been natural. But I had something waiting in the fridge. Something that'd been biding its time there, beckoning me since a hot night last week when I succumbed to the motif rather than the gut calling and drank classified-growth Bordeaux instead.

Cheverny "Frileuse," Clos du Tue-Boeuf 2007
$15. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Louis/Dressner, New York, NY.
When last I tasted this, it was at The Ten Bells, poured by Thierry Puzelat himself, at a L/D Loir et Cher tasting event. Back then, right around Halloween I believe it was, the wine was tight as a drum, nervy as all hell, and needed a ton of air to show its stuff. Thierry had carafed it, mentioning straight up that it needed the decant to throw off its "burnt rubber" aromas, its reduction.

There's none of that now. Instead, the wine's wide open, very forward and ever so slightly volatile on the nose. The nose suggests citrus and cream. Not at all cheesy. Just a little tangy and sweet, like an icy orange creamsicle. Take that and lace it with intense, broad minerality and the faintest onset of oxidative character. Then you'll have an idea of what I found in my glass last night.

Hard to resist. And damn, damn tasty with those Bockwurst.

Intro only...

Oakmont Farmers Market Update (August 2009)

Lore has it that year three is the make or break season for farmers markets, the year in which enthusiasm begins to wane or, conversely, the market reaches critical mass. My “local” – the Oakmont Farmers Market – is now in its third year and all signs look good. It’s not that attendance levels have expanded exponentially; they haven’t. Rather, attendance and business levels are consistently steady and robust and have been throughout the season, not just at the beginning of the market year when excitement for the “new” is always at its peak. In spite of the rough state of the economy, more and more people seem to have regularly committed to the little extra effort it takes to support their local farmers. And why not? There’s a great pay-off: fantastically fresh food, a diversity of seasonal fruit and vegetables that goes well beyond what you’ll find at the supermarket, supporting the economy of your own community, and a mighty small carbon footprint to boot.

The market’s gone officially non-profit this year, having filed for 501c3 status in the preseason. I’m a member of the all-volunteer Board of Directors for the market, so look at this post as a blatant shill if you will. But I shop at the market every week and just realized that I haven’t shared any photos or market news since last year. Here are some shots and a little info from yesterday’s market session.

Orchard fruit season is in full swing at North Star Orchard. Their seemingly endless varieties of plums have been fantastic the last few weeks, peaches are hitting full stride, and early season apples and pears have just entered the rotation.

Sue Miller of Birchrun Hills Farm brings her local cows’ milk cheeses to the market only once a month, as she rotates through a single vendor space along with two other producers. In addition to her staples, this week she was selling wedges of her once-a-year batch of Matilda’s Summer Tomme. Sue also brought a disc of her first run at making a washed-rind cheese. She’s calling it Red Cat (it’s based on the same recipe as her top selling cheese, Fat Cat) and the sample I tasted showed great promise. Right now, it’s being washed with a simple brine solution but Sue is talking with Bill Covaleski, co-founder of and master brewer at Victory Brewing Company, about going with a Victory beer wash. Now that sounds really promising…. Having tasted Sue’s cheese (and Bill’s beers), I’d say Victory Prima Pils should be just about perfect.

Just a few of the gorgeous, delicious varieties of tomatoes that the folks from Lime Valley Mill Farm (certified organic) bring to the market each week.

Sweet, bell and frying peppers, grown and harvested by Fruitwood Orchards Honey Farm in Monroeville, NJ.

Restaurateur Michael Hawthorne, chef and proprietor of Kaya’s Fusion Cuisine (it’s BYOB) in Havertown, PA, buys much of the produce he uses each week right here at the market. It may not be the most cost-effective approach for his bottom line but it’s a fantastic demonstration of his commitment to supporting both local agriculture and business in his own community.

Intro only...