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2B ♦ WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2006 The noble grape Ifyou read about Burgundy even a little, you are sure to hear about it being the most exciting, most roman tic, and sexiest of all wines. You will also hear that the Pinot Noir, the grape of red Burgundy, is fickle and fin icky and is very difficult to coax great wine out of year after year. Real Burgundy is not a color, but a wine ■PRIIHRt w that comes Brian Goodall from The Wine Guy Morris News Service France, is made of Pinot Noir, and will say Bourgogne on the label. It is not made by Carlo Rossi and you can’t get it for five bucks a bottle. The Burgundy region of France contains sub regions which produce wines of a somewhat differ ent style even thought they are from the same grape. Cote de Nuits selections tend to be deep, full bodied wines that match up well with lamb and prime rib. The Cote de Beaune style is lighter, and often more appropriate with poultry or ham. Since most of the world’s wine exporting nations are growing varietals that have their roots in France, com parisons are naturally going to be made. Pinot Noirs from around the world continue to be held up against Burgundies and judged accordingly. The good news is, most varietally labeled Pinot Noir is far less expensive than Burgundy, and more and more of it is very good. The days of Pinot being an afterthought are gone, and as growers adjust to its wants and needs in the vine yard, the wine keeps getting better and better. Many of the more Burgundian style Pinots made in the US come from Oregon where the cooler cli mate and long growing sea son allow the grape to devel op its character more fully. Washington State and parts of California are also making noteworthy Pinot Noir in a wide range of styles. Unfortunately, the same phenomenon that swept over domestic wineries when Merlot became the darling of the American public now threatens the integrity of Pinot Noir as the rush to make a quick buck is on. The market is already being flooded with hastily produced wines that bear lit tle or no resemblance either to Burgundy or even vari etally correct Pinot Noir. Of course the consumer is king, so if these wines sell, one can hardly fault the makers, but I fear the good reputation this grape deserves may be tarnished as first time buyers pick up wines that truly do not reflect what Pinot Noir is supposed to be. You certainly don’t have to spend thirty dollars a bot tle, but you probably need to shell out more than six or eight to get something appreciable. Next week, I will be review ing Burgundies and Pinots from a variety of countries and regions. These will also reflect a wide range of price points, so there should be something for everyone. To share your thoughts, wine experiences, or to ask a question, write me at goodellwineguy@sbcglobal. net From sea to shining sea Beignets, dirty rice and gumbo “It had a French face, a Spanish soul and African hands. Soon it would get an Italian heart and a Cajun smile.” Tom Fitzmorris, on the history of New Orleans food By CHARLOTTE PERKINS Journal Lifestyle Editor “On August 29, 2005, one of the most vital and impor tant capitals of the culinary world came to a complete and abrupt halt Hurricane Katrina, the most destruc tive storm in the history of the United states, shut down all of the restaurants in New Orleans and those within a hundred miles in every direction.” Those words were written by Tom Fitzmorris, noted New Orleans restaurant critic and radio personal ity, just three weeks after the hurricane hit, when he had set his mind to writing a cookbook, with a portion of the funds to donated to Habitat for Humanity. The resulting cookbook, named simply “New Orleans Food,” has an introduction by Emeril, and a wealth, of entertaining comments and background informa tion along with some very tempting recipes. The recipes, apparent ly influenced as much by Fitzmorris’ mother’s home cooking as by the great meals he has enjoyed in New Orleans restaurants, cover a lot of territory. The recipes range from a simple dish of field peas and rice to a New Orleans* Bouillabaisse that begins with making a stock of the bones, heads and scraps from a 5-8 lb. whitefish with the livers and gills removed. You’ll find the jambalayas and gumbos in this book, but also a good many sim pler dishes, and it includes a couple of pages on that end lessly debated New Orleans culinary task, the making of roux. Here are some recipes to try, and don’t be put off by the length of the instruc tions. Fitzmorris apparently believes in giving his read ers the kind of step-by-step guidance that can be a help in cooking any dish for the first time. “New Orleans Food,” pub lished by Stewart, Tabori & Chang at a cost of $19.95, is available at area bookstores or from major on-line book sellers. Beignets This is the traditional New Orleans breakfast pastry, a deep-fried square of dough, dredged in confectioners’ sugar and served with case au lait. Fitzmorris’ home recipe bypasses the use of yeast. 2 cups self-rising flour 3 tablespoons Crisco 1 tablespoon sugar Vegetable oil for fry ing 1 cup confectioners’ Angelina’s Italian Garden Cafe’ is introducing a BRAND NEW dinner menu. Look for our new evening Featured Specials including our NEW desserts. We have a new varied wine selection! Reservations Available 1 , 981-9494 J*,-?/** sugar, sifted 1. Combine the flour and Crisco in a bowl with a wire whisk until the mix ture resembles course corn meal, with perhaps a few lumps here and there. 2. Warm % cup of water in the microwave oven until barely warm to the touch. Pour the water into a large bowl, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the flour mixture and blend it with a kitchen fork. Work the dough as little as pos sible. 3. Turn the dough out on a deem counter and dust with a little flour. Roll it out to a uniform thickness of about V* inch. Cut into rect angles about 2x4 inches. Let sit for a couple of min utes while you heat the oil. 4. Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch in a large, deep skillet and heat to about 325 degrees. When the beig net dough squares have softened and puffed up a little, drop 4-6 at a time into the hot oil and fry until light brown. Turn once and fry the other side. Drain on paper towels. It’s all right to fry the misshapen dough pieces from the edge of the dough sheet. 5. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve hot. Dirty Rice Va lb. chicken giblets (hearts removed) 1 large yellow onion, quar tered 1 green bell pepper, stemmed and seeded 1 rib celery halved Vs lb. ground port 2 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons salt-free Creole seasoning 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Vx teaspoon crushed red pepper Vi teaspoon marjoram 2 Vi cups chicken stock 1 Vi cups Uncle Ben’s or other parboiled rice Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Working in 2- 3 batches, finely chop the giblets, onion, bell pepper and celery in a food pro cessor. Set aside. Saute the ground pork in a skillet until all the pink is gone. Drain the excess fat and 1500 Sam Nunn Blvd. Exit 136 (Sat in Quality I an) FOOD n ***** m Sep The spirit of New Orleans is represented by this landmark statue of Andrew Jackson. set aside. Tom . Titzmorrub Orleans to Cook at Home X vvvl ffijjg sos- ~ p£ « {gyß *^ >r ? Wf *BL f F&rwd h Smertl 2. Melt the butter I a large, heavy saucepan. Add the giblet-vegetable mixture and saute until the onion is clear. Add the Creole sea soning, the 2 teaspoons of salt, Worcestershire sauce, crushed red pepper and marjoram, and stir to com bine. Cover the pot, lower the heat, and let simmer while you prepare the rice. 3. Put the stock, rice and salt to taste in another saucepan. Bring the stock W v>* I 1 L jm per. •PLUMS •SHILLED PEAS 3801 HWY 41 N. Byron, GA 31008 478-953-3820 ... loaded m 922 Carroll Street • Perry, Georgia 31069 478-987-1866 www.frontporchtea.com HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook 25 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. 4. 4. When the rice is cooked, fluff it with a kitchen fork and add it to the pan with the chicken vegetable mixture. Add the ground pork and stir to distrib ute all the ingre dients. Season to taste with salt and pep- <s>* sn ©/> Experience warm Southern hospitality while dining with family andfriends. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am-5:00 pm for lunch, specialty desserts and afternoon tea neworleans.oom 5. Plase the rice loose ly in a casserole dish and bake for 5 minutes or longer if the rice is very damp. It should be a little dry but not hard. ms | Only in the i Clamped Section !| I Stems for sale must bcf | ! under IW, I tuns ) days on 3 iinei lyouradis^l^^ |^B7-1823, •SHELLED ] HIITTER BEAHS •SEASOHAL VEGETABLES Owners: Burl Sasnett lo Sasnett 00036662 00036398