Eating up Dubai
Fateer, Feteer, Fetir - by any other name, it's still quite orgasmic.
Can somebody tell me why I never tried this in Egypt? Why I had to be introduced to this Egyptian staple by an Indian girl living in Dubai? Granted, she's no ordinary Indian girl living in Dubai - she's Arva Ahmed, of Frying Pan Tours, but still. This should be something that Cairo promote as Giza, the Khan el-Khalili Souk or the Coptic Quarter. It's a national treasure.
Wine
Martin Codax Albarino 2011
Warm straw coloured. Wow - smashing banana lollies on the nose, giving way to pineapple and herbs, very aromatic. Palate has citrus and apricot and some ever so-subtle lean grassiness. Finish is lemon pie and minerals. Slightly oily on the palate, in a good way - makes it very gluggable. Nice and dry, and an excellent alternative to give all my Sauvignon Blanc loving friends when I'm sick to death of New Zealand gooseberries and cats pee. Drink with grilled fish with a salty charcoal crust.
Wine
Veuve Cliquot Demi Sec NV
Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame 1998
From "Champagne in the Brain" a fizzy rundown of ranges of Veuve Cliquot, Joseph Perrier, Laurent Perrier, Taittinger and Bollinger, April 2013. Read more>>
Drink Now
18/20
1015AED + Tax
Veuve Cliquot Vintage Reserve 2004
The Vintage Brut resents dryer and crisper than the NV, with more bready character and a concerntration on mineral and savoury characters with some reserved green apple fruit. Slightly austere in flavours, but the body makes this wine more of a mouthful than other aperitif style Champagnes. Will probably age quite nicely too.From "Champagne in the Brain" a fizzy rundown of ranges of Veuve Cliquot, Joseph Perrier, Laurent Perrier, Taittinger and Bollinger, April 2013. Read more>>
Drink over 5 years
16.5/20
AED 375 + Tax
Veuve Cliquot Vintage Rosé 2004
From "Champagne in the Brain" a fizzy rundown of ranges of Veuve Cliquot, Joseph Perrier, Laurent Perrier, Taittinger and Bollinger, April 2013. Read more>>
Drink Now or over 3-4 years
15.5/20
450AED + Tax
Veuve Cliquot Rose NV
From "Champagne in the Brain" a fizzy rundown of ranges of Veuve Cliquot, Joseph Perrier, Laurent Perrier, Taittinger and Bollinger, April 2013. Read more>>
Drink now or over 2 years
17.5/20
345AED + Tax
Veuve Cliquot Brut NV (Yellow Label)
From "Champagne in the Brain" a fizzy rundown of ranges of Veuve Cliquot, Joseph Perrier, Laurent Perrier, Taittinger and Bollinger, April 2013. Read more>>
Drink Now
16.5/20
295AED + Tax
(buy it on special - the price varies greatly)
Champagne on the brain.
"It's HOW MUCH?" asked my reasonably affluent but slightly grumpy husband. 950 Dihams. That's about $300, for dinner. Each. Champagne is not cheap, despite it's ability to turn all ladies into cheap harlots when they have enough of it. I suppose that's why he finally caved, rather than my reasoning - "We love a glass of good wine, we know exactly how much a bottle costs, how much we will probably drink, and for goodness sake, we get to try the Grande Dame. And there was going to be food, lovely food from the blokes at Table 9"... No - he probably just realised it was a good opportunity to have me bubbly.
There will always be that price barrier with Champagne for him, and I suppose for me also. I've recently discovered a Cremant de Bourgogne (Pierre Janny) that sells for about 80AED, at least half what we buy a lower level Champagne for. And it's turned my head, I must say. But I just keep coming back to the real stuff. Janny is my cheap little mistress, but I'll never marry her. As soon as a lacklustre vintage ruins her sparkle, I'll dump her. I'll never leave my three genuine wives - Joseph Perrier, Pol Roger and Taittinger.
I've been lucky enough to taste through some entire ranges of Champagnes in single sittings recently, so let me take you through the goods.
At the dinner mentioned above at Table 9, where we were presented with Veuve Cliquot in all its glory, matched (very well in many cases) with a unique food menu. It's a hard task, matching Champagne to food, and one that cannot be undertaken without some very, very careful consideration. Firstly, it's acidic (not quite as sour as a lemon, but hovering around the level of a grapefruit) and very dry (I mean not sweet - we all know it's wet). Thirdly, it's flavours are subtle, delicate. Finally, it's choc-a-block full of carbon dioxide, which makes it taste drier than it actually is, and of course messes with texture pairing. The greatest matches on the night were a crab rillette in a cold melon soup with the NV Veuve, and a dessert of yellow peaches, raspberries and cream (with other gorgeous bits and pieces) with the Demi-Sec.
The hit:
The miss:
A few weeks ago, I had a look at the Joseph Perrier range at African and Eastern's trade tasting. Jean-Claude Fourmon himself (GM of Joseph Perrier) took us through his wines, including some stunning new releases in traditional bottles (the 2004 BdB and Rosé). It took me straight back to Chalons in 1995, where an aspiring sommelier knocked on the door with no appointment, and the man himself shared a bottle of his Champagne with her and her two ragamuffin friends in his classic office - he's quite the brand ambassador - Non?
The hits:
The miss:
Also tried at the A&E event, battling my way to the front of the table with so much resistance, I gave up before trying the vintage or Grand Siecle.
The hit:
The miss:
A slightly shambollic dinner at Desert Palm showcased Taittinger's range, and the kooky style of self-proclaimed "black sheep" of the Taittinger Family, Clovis Taittinger, who refused to smile for a photo, instead insisting on sticking his tongue out. I'm endeared. I also got to meet the effervescent Champagne Jayne, who has somehow managed to make a career out of a tipple and a giggle.
The hit:
The misses:
A few months back, was an evening with Bollinger and some marginally wanky behaviour at The One and Only on the Palm with Confrérie du Sabre d'Or. They're the blokes who dress up like Davinci Code cult leaders, enter to theme music from "The Mission" and swipe the tops off bottles with a whopping great sword. Unfortunately all the pomp and ceremony of the event sent me cringing, but I'll put up with anything to have a glass of Bolly in my hand. Luckily there was a sedate dinner at Voi later, where sadly they made a bit of a mess of the food matching. I think the Chef needs to be given some Bollinger freebies pre-event in order to get it right next time.
Beheading a bottle is easier than it looks, incidentally, and I would probably do it as a party trick if I could just get my hands on an appropriate sabre.
The hit:
The miss:
Now - I know I've made you all jealous. I'm a lucky girl to drink all that Champagne, aren't I? And there's a stack in there I haven't mentioned too. If you want to partake in some of these events in Dubai, this is what you have to do:
There will always be that price barrier with Champagne for him, and I suppose for me also. I've recently discovered a Cremant de Bourgogne (Pierre Janny) that sells for about 80AED, at least half what we buy a lower level Champagne for. And it's turned my head, I must say. But I just keep coming back to the real stuff. Janny is my cheap little mistress, but I'll never marry her. As soon as a lacklustre vintage ruins her sparkle, I'll dump her. I'll never leave my three genuine wives - Joseph Perrier, Pol Roger and Taittinger.
I've been lucky enough to taste through some entire ranges of Champagnes in single sittings recently, so let me take you through the goods.
Veuve Cliquot:
At the dinner mentioned above at Table 9, where we were presented with Veuve Cliquot in all its glory, matched (very well in many cases) with a unique food menu. It's a hard task, matching Champagne to food, and one that cannot be undertaken without some very, very careful consideration. Firstly, it's acidic (not quite as sour as a lemon, but hovering around the level of a grapefruit) and very dry (I mean not sweet - we all know it's wet). Thirdly, it's flavours are subtle, delicate. Finally, it's choc-a-block full of carbon dioxide, which makes it taste drier than it actually is, and of course messes with texture pairing. The greatest matches on the night were a crab rillette in a cold melon soup with the NV Veuve, and a dessert of yellow peaches, raspberries and cream (with other gorgeous bits and pieces) with the Demi-Sec.
Brut NV (Yellow label) - Current bottling seems a little lighter in character than some years. It can be a very broad and yeasty Champagne, but is very nicely balanced at present. Nutty, brioche, red apple. Not overly dry, and a good introduction to Champagne.- Rosé NV - Generous red fruit on the nose, voluptuous palate full of wild strawberries and biscuit. Lovely length. Slight sweetness (only marginal, it's still a dry wine) and very fine bead.
- Vintage Rosé 2004 - Similar fruit to the previous but more toasty and yeast dominated. There is a huge candy/vanilla mid-palate that some will love, and makes it a great Champagne for food - Christmas turkey would be perfect. Trophy winner Decanter World Wine Awards.
- Vintage Brut 2004 - Presents dryer and crisper than the NV, with more bready character and a concerntration on mineral and savoury characters with some reserved green apple fruit.
- La Grande Dame 1998 - big yeasty nose with a slap-in-the-face character of honey and butter on hot toast. Threads of hair-thin bead trail in the glass. Lovely mineral/autolytic palate with a finish of strawberries and rhubarb laced with malt and sherbet.
- Demi Sec NV - served out of decanter in this occasion to limit bead. Sweeter of course, lemon-puff and candied peel style with soft marshmallow and white peach middle. A little short on the finish, but that's pretty common with a dessert fizz.
The hit:
- The NV Rosé - explosive flavour, very good value.
- Grande Dame - for it's length, which just went on for minutes, and superb development.
The miss:
- The balance in the 2004 Rosé was a little off for me, but others loved that huge vanilla hit. A matter of personal taste, as can be seen by its trophy win.
Joseph Perrier
A few weeks ago, I had a look at the Joseph Perrier range at African and Eastern's trade tasting. Jean-Claude Fourmon himself (GM of Joseph Perrier) took us through his wines, including some stunning new releases in traditional bottles (the 2004 BdB and Rosé). It took me straight back to Chalons in 1995, where an aspiring sommelier knocked on the door with no appointment, and the man himself shared a bottle of his Champagne with her and her two ragamuffin friends in his classic office - he's quite the brand ambassador - Non?
Brut NV (Cuveé Royale) - My favourite NV at the moment. Intense nose of red apple, strawberry and croissants. Gorgeous autolysis character in the palate, very mouthfilling and creamy. Lip-smacking. - Rosé NV - toasty colour, but clean fruit character on the nose. Ripe red berry characters, vanilla and floral nuances. The toast comes through on the finish, which is surprisingly very dry.
- Blanc de Blancs 2004 - Lovely pale colour and very fine bead. Aromas of citrus, apple and brioche. Very elegant wine, bracing acid and some minerality. Great aperitif style.
- Rosé 2004 - Powerful rose and strawberry nose with cream and biscuit undertones. Substantial mousse. Tantalisingly sweet fruit on the front - red fruits and candy, with spice moving through the palate. Beautiful.
- Vintage Brut 1995 - Richly developed. Some citrus and pear fruit, but dominated by toast, caramel and tobacco. Bead very soft, but definitely still present.
The hits:
- The NV - it's (almost) always a great one, with so much more flavour than many other NV cuveés.
- The new 2004s were fab. I can't decide which is better. The Blanc was so clean, and the Rosé was super fresh - rare for a vintage rose. At this stage both are un-stocked in Dubai, but hopefully we'll see some soon.
The miss:
- The 1995. I drank quite a bit of this when it first came out, and it was one of the best 1995 Champagnes around, particularly for the price. Now, I find it's just leapt over the crevasse that separates perfectly-aged-wine and starting-to-wither. Some will still enjoy its very toasty characters, but I'd prefer to be drinking the 99 or 02 right now.
Laurent Perrier
Also tried at the A&E event, battling my way to the front of the table with so much resistance, I gave up before trying the vintage or Grand Siecle.
Brut NV - tighter than usual, and edging towards a Moet style. Tart pear and greengage plum fruit. Slightly bready, with a little less yeast flavour than last bottling I tried. Lean, aperitif style.
- Cuveé Rosé NV - Strawberries, peaches and cream. It's very dry but not too lean, nor is it too developed and toasty, but has gentle hints of honey and biscuit. Beautiful shade of salmon pink with a substantial fizz.
- Ultra Brut- Fabulous bubbles - very fine, persistant and prickly. Zero dosage means totally dry, so not for wimps. Green apple, sherbet, lemon peel. A little brioche, but without food, it's hard to see the flavours. Hand me some oysters please!
The hit:
- The Cuveé Rosé. It's just so girly - I love it. And totally sold by the pretty bottle.
The miss:
- The NV. It's a little leaner than the old style, which I thought was right on the money - many may prefer this though, it's totally a matter of opinion.
Taittinger
A slightly shambollic dinner at Desert Palm showcased Taittinger's range, and the kooky style of self-proclaimed "black sheep" of the Taittinger Family, Clovis Taittinger, who refused to smile for a photo, instead insisting on sticking his tongue out. I'm endeared. I also got to meet the effervescent Champagne Jayne, who has somehow managed to make a career out of a tipple and a giggle.
Brut NV - Always a favourite, and ever the crowd pleaser. Taittinger's NV is exactly in the middle of the flavour spectrums - dry and toasty, yet clean and fruity. The fruit profile is pear and orange peel, the development just right, a touch of mineral, and the bead exceptionally fine.- Rosé NV - , but heaps of berry fruit and cream up front - it almost smells like dessert, but is beautifully dry. On the palate it's very creamy with elements of stone fruit and stollen.
- Comtes de Champagne 2000 - Incredibly powerful wine. Mousse is delicate, but bead is persistant and very fine. Yeast and developed characters are foremost but do not dominate, and are accompanied by whisps of white flowers, nuts and crisp pear. Palate is quite explosive, intense and full, then tapers beautifully into a lean, long citrus and mineral finish.
- Demi Sec NV - floral and fun with peaches and clemantines, a little biscuit and caramel.
- Comtes de Champagne Rosé 2004 (tried separately) - A very savoury rosé. Salmon/peach in colour with stone fruit, saline and sourdough on the nose. Palate is complex and mineral, creamy and bone dry.
The hit:
- Comtes de Champagne 2000 - a blanc de blancs wine (100% Chardonnay) that spent 10 years on lees. Incredible. The best Champagne I've had in 10 years.
The misses:
- The Demi-sec is a little off the mark - a nice wine, but the sweetness covers any complexities that make it worth more than some great sweet Italian sparklers.
- The Comtes Rosé was also a marginal disappointment after the Blanc de Blanc Comtes. It is a wonderful wine, but a very savoury and secretive wine for a Rosé. I expect it needs more time in bottle as the structure is there, but as yet the flavours are a little hidden. I would like to see it develop some richer toast and honey characters before tasting again.
Bollinger
A few months back, was an evening with Bollinger and some marginally wanky behaviour at The One and Only on the Palm with Confrérie du Sabre d'Or. They're the blokes who dress up like Davinci Code cult leaders, enter to theme music from "The Mission" and swipe the tops off bottles with a whopping great sword. Unfortunately all the pomp and ceremony of the event sent me cringing, but I'll put up with anything to have a glass of Bolly in my hand. Luckily there was a sedate dinner at Voi later, where sadly they made a bit of a mess of the food matching. I think the Chef needs to be given some Bollinger freebies pre-event in order to get it right next time.
Beheading a bottle is easier than it looks, incidentally, and I would probably do it as a party trick if I could just get my hands on an appropriate sabre.
- Brut NV (Special Cuveé) - Known by many as the Champagne for blokes, it's exactly what you would hope. Big, bold, rich and meaty on the nose, but with some sneaky cooked apple and caramel flavours creeping into the palate. Plenty of body and a long dry finish.
- Rosé NV - Keeping in line with the Special Cuveé, it's a rich and meaty wine, but with the added bonus of redcurrant and cranberry, some strapping tannin and a little more spice. Good stuff.
- Grande Année 2002 - This wine has been on the market for a couple of years now (2004 in most stores now), but it's still very youthful. It's bracing and mineral, so those who love the NV style will have to wait a few years for age to bring the richer flavours. It's going to be great.
- Grande Année Rosé 2002 - That trademark Bolly grilled meat is on the nose, but partnered beautifully with red berries and rhubarb. The palate is still a little austere, and will take time to mellow. Another keeper.
The hit:
- The Grand Année 2002. Can't wait to see what this is going to turn into.
The miss:
- All great wines, so hard to find one. I just wish they had stocks to keep their Grand Année wines back a few more years like they used to. It's just so hard to watch a Champagne wait in the cellar.
-----------------------------------
Now - I know I've made you all jealous. I'm a lucky girl to drink all that Champagne, aren't I? And there's a stack in there I haven't mentioned too. If you want to partake in some of these events in Dubai, this is what you have to do:
- Get yourself involved with Lime and Tonic, a social concierge who constantly have lush events on the go. (I found out about the Taittinger and Bollinger events through them)
- Subscribe to The Juice, an independent and anonymous blog detailing Wine and Spirits events in Dubai.
- Follow MMI on Facebook, or subscribe to Grapevine here
- Have a look at African and Eastern's "What's On" page every now and then.
- And of course, follow me on Twitter or Facebook for updates from all the wonderful events that get plopped into my own inbox.
Good-for-you Creamy Curry
This is a healthy take. It's still incredibly decadent, creamy and rich, but has a fraction of the naughtiness you'd expect. The secret is all in making a puree from vegetables that are naturally creamy, sweet and nutty in flavour.
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized chicken breasts (about 750g), each cut into about 6 pieces
- 500g pumpkin, medium dice
- 2 small onions, diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds (bruised)
- 1-2 tsp good curry powder (depending on strength)
- 1/4 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 small tub low fat yoghurt (approx 170g)
- olive oil
- 1 cup frozen green peas (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC . Place the pumpkin in a roasting pan with a little olive oil and salt, and sprinkle with cumin seeds. Roast for about 20 minutes or until slightly browned and soft.
- While this is happening, add a little oil to a hot pan, then mustard seeds waiting for them to start to pop. Then add curry leaves, onion and garlic. Turn down the heat a little and brown onions, then add powdered spices. Finally stir in the cooked pumpkin and tomato paste.
- Place the onion/pumpkin mix with the stock cube and yoghurt into a blender and pulse until smooth. You may need to add a little water.
- Don't wash the pan - heat it up again, add a touch of oil if needed and brown off the chicken. Then add in the puree, turn down the heat and simmer slowly for a further 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. If adding peas, do so in the last five minutes.
Notes:
I've done a kilojoule count, and I believe this contains the following baddies:
170g low fat yoghurt - 410kj
500g pumpkin - 80kj (not really that bad...)
Comparing that to a gorgeous Chicken Korma recipe that I found on Fine Dining Lovers (tried and tested - it's the real deal), whose naughty ingredients include:
120g almonds - 800kj
75g full cream yoghurt - 380kj
150ml cream - 2150kj
The rest of the ingredients are fairly similar, and the taste is comparable (the roasted seeds and curry leaves help add a nutty character), and both serve 4. It's definitely worth a try, when you realise the kilojoule difference is probably around 2810 kilojoules, or about 670 calories. Holy cow!
Zenato Santa Cristina Vigneto Massoni Lugana 2011
It's so much richer and more vibrant than the slightly nutty but fairly neutral Trebbianos you might find elsewhere. Instead it's perfumed and slightly floral, and also a little like a vanilla tea cake. I'm not quite sure where this vanilla/cake flavour comes from though, because the wine is completely unoaked. The palate reveals a little sneaky citrus - almost like a clementine but so soft, and then bending into white peach and orange blossom. It finishes with just a touch of green almond.
Fantastic food wine, but keep the dishes fresh and simple - chicken caesar salad, grilled white fish, or for a contrast, a gentle triple brie with some herb crackers - you know the kind of thing. Lovely, lovely wine.
Drink now or for 1-2 years
60AED + tax
17/20
Jacobs Creek Reserve Riesling 2007
This time I hit the jackpot - kinda. It's a great example of what happens to Riesling when it ages - it's got that slightly resinous/waxy character that many call petrol - but it's not petrol at all. It's hard to describe. In fact, it would be better to compare it to the smell of lemon essential oil as compared to fresh lemon. Imagine that's what's happened to your fresh floral limey riesling. It's more savoury, more concentrated than the real thing, and sitting a little off-tangent. This oily texture and slightly lanolin nose is accompanied by a little toast (from age, definitely not oak).
Then we get into the fruit. It's still there in buckets - mainly lime of course, with the last lingering floral nuance, which will probably disappear over the next year and be replaced by a dried saffron and then hay character, which is already creeping in. Right before the finish you get a saline/mineral hit. The downer with this wine is that the end is a little short. The acid is still darling, but I was kind of hoping that I'd get a little honey and toast to finish me off. That doesn't really happen - heaps of limey essential oil and a whisper of marmalade.
Ah well, you can't have it all. This wine is very cheap for its quality, and I doubt you'll ever find another aged Aussie Riesling on a Dubai shelf. Get in quick - there's not much left (MMI).
Drink Now
AED 59 + tax
16/20
Raspberry and Rose Layer Cake
The best thing? It's a no-bake cake. The only thing you need to cook are the pancakes, and it's actually better if its made the day before serving.
Ingredients
For the pancakes (layers)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup self raising flour
- butter for greasing pan (If yours is not a non-stick one)
- 1 punnet raspberries (approx. 1 cup)
- 400ml whipping cream
- 2 tsp rose syrup (see note)
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
For the frosted rose petals
- Petals of 1 small rose (washed well and dried if store-bought)
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- caster sugar
- Icing sugar for dusting.
Instructions
- Beat together the ingredients for the pancake batter until very smooth.
- Lightly grease a pan (not too much – if it is completely non-stick, then the lack of friction will prevent you from smoothing into shape)
- Add a small amount of batter (approx. 3 tbsp) with a ladle, and smooth into a perfect circle with the back of the ladle.
- Cook until bubbles appear and the perimeter of the pancake is dry, then flip and cook for about 1 more minute (until golden)
- Continue to do this until the batter is all gone (approx. 8 pancakes), stacking with sheets of baking parchment between pancakes. Refrigerate until later.
- Beat together the cream, rose syrup and caster sugar until stiff.
- Layer the pancakes with approx. 1cm thick cream mix and scattered raspberries. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving (can be prepared the day before).
- Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of rose petals with egg white, then dip in the sugar. Can be frozen until serving time.
- To serve, dust well with icing sugar, then place a few raspberries and rose petals on the top.
notes:
- Rose syrup is sweetened and coloured - like a cordial. If you cannot find this, use 1 tsp rosewater, 1 tbsp sugar and a few drops of red food colouring.
- Metric measurements! conversion here
Why not mix it up a little - add vanilla to the cream instead and use cooked yellow peaches and slivered almonds? Or maybe cinnamon and pears? Or strawberries and white chocolate? Endless possibilities...
The Barossa - The Australian home of Shiraz and much more
The Barossa Valley was never my home - not at all... really. But it's funny - there is a feeling of homesickness being abated whenever I return. It's hard to figure out why - I'm from Melbourne - the city, in another state, and I've never lived in Adelaide, let alone the Barossa, and now I live in Dubai! But there are several other reasons for this feeling of warm nostalgia.Firstly is my schooling. I studied wine marketing through University of Adelaide, a course that came from the best wine college (owned by said university) of Australia at the time - Roseworthy. A poetic name for a school, no? It takes its name from the tiny village in the Barossa Valley that it comes from.
Secondly, it's my career. For some years I worked for Pernod Ricard, who own several vineyards, wineries and brands in the region - Richmond Grove and Jacobs Creek being the big guns. Although I worked in the neighbouring state of Victoria, trips over the border and crawls back again were not uncommon.
Thirdly, it's the wine itself. As soon as any self-respecting Australian takes a leap from cheap sweet swill to real wine, Barossa Shiraz is the first step to perfection. It's ripe and fruity, laced with sweet oak, coconut and chocolate flavours, rich, full bodied to the point of unctuous, and is approachable at a young age, yet ages very well. It's a no-fail stop on the wine trail that will send you in the right direction, and prevent you from ever drinking crap again.So when I step into the gentle folds of the valley floor, and look at the rise of the Eden Valley region beyond, the tank farms gleaming in the sun, the pretty German-inspired villages with their antique facades, when I smell the eucalypts, the iron in the soil, the raw sweetness of red being pumped over, the toasting of new oak barrels, the exhaust fumes from harvest trucks, when I hear the clatter of road trains, the thumping and clanging of tank-work, slurping of winery juice, and when I finally put the bundle of purple fruit that is Barossa Shiraz in my anticipatory mouth, I can't help but sigh, and think "There's no place like home".
The region is nearly all about Shiraz (Same grape as Syrah). Barossa Shiraz is popular the world over, because there's really nowhere else you can make a wine just like it. It's riper, sweeter, rounder than all others. Expect sweet dark cherries, blackberry and ripe plum primary fruit flavours, then a good lashing of oak - they love a bit of wood in this region. Both French and American, often new and highly toasted, add sweetness and spice. And then there's the chocolate. It's a bi-product of the fruit and the oak and a little time. It's most predominant in a wine less than 5 years old, and over time will mellow into mocha, coffee and liquorice bullets (another Aussie must). The most famous of all Shiraz from the Barossa is Penfolds Grange (they also make a decent cheapie called the Kalimna). But those who follow the region and are prepared to fork out similar dollars for some lesser known wines will tell you that the ones you should be looking for are Hobbs, Langmeil, Kaesler, Torbreck, Chris Ringland (three rivers), Greenock Creek, Two Hands, Rockford and more. But it's not just about the big guns. Expect to find plenty of fantastically drinkable $20 - $30 Shiraz around (Look to Teusner, Hently Farm, Elderton, Bethany, the Willows, Charles Cimicky) and even under that (Jacobs Creek reserves, Thorn-Clarke, St Hallet, and many love the syruppy Pepperjack).
But there's more to find - also look for Grenache, Riesling and fortifieds. Grenache is sweet and raspberry driven, and often very high in alcohol (some over 15%!). Some of the vines in the region are exceptionally old (Cirillo make a Grenache from 1850 vines), and many are grown as bush vines (meaning no trellis), making them a sight to behold, particularly as bare stumps in the winter. Often the varietal is blended with others, and the GSM (Grenache Shiraz Mouvedre) blend, made famous by Chateauneuf-du-Pape (but some would say, quite cheekily, perfected by those in the Barossa). Next, seek Riesling, which can be wonderful from the higher altitude rim of the Eden Valley. It's fresh and limey, often laced with floral hints, and backed up by some very good minerality. It ages perhaps better than any other Australian Rieslings. Labels to look for would include Mesh, Henscke, Steingarten, Heggies, Eden Springs, Pewsey Vale, Dandelion and Small Fry. Fortifieds are losing steam, but many of the older establishments still have ancient soleras chugging out divine nectar. Port styles everyone knows, but in Australia, you should always seek out Muscat and Tokay. You will NEVER EVER come across a sweet wine so good for the price again (varies from about $10 to $100 depending on the age).
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| from danmurphys.com.au |
The Barossa region actually includes both the Barossa Valley and Eden Valleys. The major towns are Lyndoch, Tanunda, Rowland Flat, Nuriootpa, Angaston, Kyneton and Eden Valley - basically key one of those into your GPS and then look for the signs to individual cellar doors. (Or take my pick of the wineries below)
What to do
Cycle - its a good way to work off all that wine and cheese, and takes the risk out of drink-driving. Although I have a friend who has been arrested for drink-riding. I suppose it's all a matter of degree.- check out the barossa museum or Train-spot along the Angaston line (much of it disused) or check out the Lutheran churches for some olde worlde charm
- visit the Kaiser Stuhl conservation park or maybe the Lyndoch Lavender farm or the Barossa Chateau Rose Garden if you want to see a bit of greenery.
- Cheese tasting is of vital importance (to line the stomach).
- Festivals - You've just missed the Barossa Vintage Festival (don't worry, there's one every year), but there's plenty more to come. The Barossa Gourmet Weekend is in August, and you can keep abreast of smaller happenings on the events page here.
- Farmers Markets at Gawler, Mt Pleasant and Angaston.
- Ballooning is also very popular in the area - despite the name, the area is remarkably flat, and it's quite a sight from above - clear Australian skies and patchwork fields reaching the horizon.
- But basically you're there to drink. If you don't want to do it by yourself, then try Barossa Taste Sensations, Barossa Tours. or Barossa Trike Tours as they have a very good track record - there are plenty in the region, so you may find something a little more tailored to your style just with a little research.
If you know how to use a spittoon, or are fortunate enough to have a designated driver, then you will be able to pick and choose from the multitude of winery options. My pick for a good cross-range would be:
- Jacobs Creek - besides my obvious bias derived from working for them and the 'wine allowance' they used to provide, it's a superb contemporary building (they also have a heritage centre complete with producing cork trees at another site), and they have a small vineyard of all their varietals that allow you to check out the differences, and in season, taste grapes fresh from the vine. There's so much more to this place than the cheap Chardonnay you've been drinking at barbecues for the last 20 years. They also have some cellar-door only wines, so you can surprise all your wine-snob friends with a limited release JC Fiano or the like.
- Bethany Wines is a much smaller outfit, but they still make a large range of wine styles. Their Shiraz is gorgeously plump and ripe whilst not being overtly expensive and is usually worth the detour. The cellar door is charming - It's one of the oldest established wineries in the region, and has quaint stone buildings. At present there is a small art exhibition also onsite.
- Seppeltsfield is about as big as Barossa wineries get, and also one of the oldest. They have extensive cellars and grounds, a string of heritage buildings, cooperage onsite, and a restaurant. It's also possible to grab a patch of grass under one of the 2000 palms and have a picnic or barbecue. There are some table wines available, but the focus here is on fortified wines - tawnies (ports that are not port because they are not made in Portugal) and some luscious Muscat and Tokay.
- Langmeil have a lovely selection of powerful reds, and a gorgeous sparkling Shiraz. Their family-run cellar door will enamor you. Another historic homestead, but not just that. Despite the enormous price of their reds, this group are very laid back and friendly to thirsty travelers.
- Kalleske have just recieved a crown for their 2011 GSM, which has been awarded the biodynamic wine of the year at the International Wine Challenge in London. Here, the novelty is in the vineyard. Organic/biodynamic production, and a unique presentation of the vines with cover crops makes for a nice set of photos. There is of course some smashing red here. You can read their blog to keep up with the process until you get there.
Rockford has to be visited. It's beautiful, but also their winemaking produces Shiraz with such a chocolatey flavour, it has to be tasted to be believed. - Henschke are one of the only Eden Valley wineries it's possible to visit without an appointment (much of the fruit from the rest of the region goes down to the Barossa floor for production). Lovely Riesling as well as Shiraz (of course).
- Mountadam is the other big Eden Valley producer, with one of the only consistently great Chardonnays to come out of the area (it's usually a big buttery one). It's the highest vineyard in the area too, so expect some lovely views.
- The little guy in the Eden is Small Fry wines, who taste at the Barossa Farmers market in Angaston, and then (usually) open up at the winery that afternoon. Otherwise appointment only. Nice Riesling.
- The Taste Eden Valley Regional Wine Room will allow you the opportunity to taste many wines from the region, many of which have no public cellar door to visit. Torzi-Matthews, Poonawatta, Radford, Eden Hall, Dandelion Vineyards, Henschke and more.
- Artisans of the Barossa have a similar setup, and have some superb boutique product for tasting. John Duval, Hobbs, Spinifex (a favourite of mine), Massena, Schwartz, Sons of Eden and Teusner. There's some great little tasting plates available. Tastings are paid however, so be prepared to shell out. It's worth it - you'll get the cream of the crop here.
- There are others if you get through these - Torbreck, Penfolds, Grant Burge, Schild and more - Barossa.com have a great site that will help send you in the right direction.
Where to Stay
Budget options include Barossa Backpackers in Tanunda, with beds starting just over $20, and single rooms from around $70. It's pretty basic, but has a lively atmosphere, bikes to hire, and a fairly good reputation. Second would be the Tanunda Hotel - a true country pub with clean neat accommodation and a classic dining room. $70 up to about $200 depending on season and room. Vine in Barossa is a good option if you like a round of golf as their price often includes one thrown in. Clean, well presented rooms, but nothing super flash from about $100 up- Middle of the road is mainly B & Bs, but if you prefer chains and the reliability they offer, there is always the Novotel Barossa, which is beautifully positioned to provide sunset views over vines and the tanks at Rowland flat. Rooms are reasonable for the price, which starts at about $200. Whistler Farm has only two rooms, but they are possibly the most respected in the area. Nicely furnished, beautiful gardens, lambs and roos on the property, a library, family run. Sweet suites from $195. Barossa House is also small, with quaint finishing and a family touch. They also have a chauffer-driven car onsite if you want to organise tours through them. From $175.
- Larger wallets will send you to Abbotsford Country House, multi-award winning, views, views, views, lucious breakfasts, silky linen, fancy toiletries and a coffee plunger rather than a sachet of Nescafe (yes, I appreciate the smaller things). Prices around $300 and up. Otherwise if you want to totally blow it, try the Jacobs Creek Retreat, which has a gorgeous pool, Original 1837 homestead, italianate topiary gardens and the Moorooroo Park Cellar Door onsite if you need a wee tipple after a hard day on the road. Starts at about $700. And finally, The Louise, where a room will set you back around $500 to $1000 a night for a more contemporary experience. All the luxuries you would expect at this price, but the added bonus of one of the best restaurants in the Barossa at your doorstep - Appellation (more below)
Where to eat
You can't go to the Barossa without seeing Maggie Beer - she's like mother to the region and to all of us who like good home-cooked food. Local, seasonal produce, many of which can be purchased in a jar to take home. Cooking demonstrations most days at 2pm.- Die Barossa Wurst Haus Bakery is fairly casual - bread of course, as you'd expect, but also a swathe of traditional German dishes, particularly wurst and sauerkraut (the region has a strong German heritage)
- More cafe atmosphere, and the best cuppa in the Barossa and a classic breakfast (cleverly served all the way through lunch) can be found at Blond coffee
- Winemakers favourite is Ferment. Modern South East Asian Cuisine (Vietnamese owner) with a fantastic wine list and a possibility of BYO (as long as your wine is as good as theirs!)
- 1918 is a Bistro in the old Wallent home on Murray St (Tanunda's main drag). They have a garden where it's possible to dine, but most of the food is served in the rooms of the near-100-year-old house. Food is full flavoured local produce with fresh salad flavours alongside.
- Appellation, as mentioned above prides itself on serving 85% of its menu within 30km of the point of harvest. Dishes are carefully put together to hit all senses well, with a concentration on texture and contrast of flavours. Modern Australian - interesting without being molecular or nouvelle.
- Hently Farm is the big one. This is where you go with all your hard-earned cash and spend $210 on a "discovery" wine and food degustation menu from the Barossa. It's amazing. You can opt for the cheaper 'de jour' option at $115, but... you only live once. There's also a cellar door for wine tasting.
Well, have fun folks, and please toast me when you're there xx
Flourless lime and coconut cake
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 3 Tahitian limes, zested and juiced (about 100ml liquid)
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 ¼ cup ground almonds (200g)
- 1 cup finely desiccated coconut
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
for the syrup
- ¼ cup grated jaggery (or raw sugar)
- ¼ cup water
- zest of one lime
- Preheat oven to 160°C.
- Beat eggs and sugar on a high speed until smooth and creamy, and then add lime juice and zest, salt and baking powder. Finally stir in almonds and coconut with a spoon.
- Pour into a lined tin (I used a 20cm one) and bake for 55 minutes or until a spike tests clean.
- Just before serving, place the syrup ingredients into a small pan and heat until dissolved nicely. Pour over cake (can be served warm or cold).
Note:
- Don't think you can do this without baking paper. It's a sticky cake, and a greased tin just won't cut it.
- Metric measurements - 1 cup = 250ml Conversion link here
Just give me kisses in the comments - you will totally want to marry me once you've made this...
Silvena Rowe - Can she shake up Dubai's Middle Eastern cuisine?
Before Silvena Rowe came to Dubai, she had believed it to be vulgar - a place of no substance. Why even bother? But since a pivotal return to her roots after the death of her food-loving father from Turkey, her connection to its cuisine has intensified. After food safaris and some self-teaching in Turkey and Syria, the writing of a book (Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume - with foreword by Heston Blumenthal) that details her findings, and the opening of Quince (modern, Ottoman inspired cuisine in Mayfair), she has realised that a move to the Middle East is vital to her progression. It would not be Damascus, her 'favourite city in the world', it needed to be stable, modern, livable, and essentially ready for her cuisine. Dubai called her, and dreading it, she arrived for the first time some months back. She stayed at Al Maha, avoiding the glitz of the city, saying to herself that she could just stay there. But business brought her out into our forest of tall towers eventually - and what did she find? It surprised her, smacked her in the face with its sophistication and style. There was more to Dubai than she had thought. This just might work.
Middle Eastern restaurants in Dubai all serve the same dishes - moutabel, tabouleh, kofta, shawarma, baklava and rich, fragrant rice dishes like maglouba and biryani. Sometimes that's a good thing. Rowe herself admits to a love of moutabel that borders on fetish. It's consistent. You know what you are getting. It makes it easy to measure the standard of the food - if they can't make a decent fattoush, then it's not a great restaurant. Like other world-wide stalwarts - things like Champagne, pizza, pho, Thai green curry - many MENA (Middle East North Africa) tastes that are more than something you put in your mouth - a brand, almost, that guarantees the same thing every time. But how boring would Champagne become if that's all you ever got to drink? And imagine how less crisp and clean it would be without modern techniques in the winery... This is the equivalent of what we've got happening here in Dubai with regional cuisine. The same old recipes - things that have not changed since the fall of the Ottoman empire. And as much as I know they're onto a good thing, I've pretty much had cardboard-flavoured humous up to the eyeballs, and I doubt I'm the only one.
Think about progress in the region since that Ottoman fall in 1914 - and how that has impacted the life and culture. Wealth, govenrment, globalisation and technology have affected most aspects of the lives of the people all over that empire, and further afield into my current home country, the UAE. In the most part, particularly so here, it has been embraced with a fervour that is all-consuming. Fast cars, spectacular architecture, haut couture, the world wide web. Emiratis are some of the most accepting citizens of modern culture in the world. And yet, the recipes of regional food have been largely ignored, left stagnating like a pond of sour water. It's lazy, and doesn't fit. Why is this? Sure, it's nice food, but it's not entirely appropriate to modern day Dubai life. All that sugar, ghee and starch is converting into obesity, diabetes and heart disease. We must also ask what picture it paints for visitors? It shows a nation that takes on other cultures but leaves its own to wither and date. Which does not fit the profile in aspects other than food.As a contrast, Rowe offers recipes that embrace tradition and modernity simultaneously. I can see an affinity with colour, aromatics and texture. Her fervent nature has convinced me to buy her book (130AED at Kinokinuya). Expect dishes like beetroot moutabel with tahini and toasted orange peel, wild greens and feta borek, kadafai schnitzel with pomegranate sauce, cumin and sumac-crusted barramundi with avocado hummus, pumpkin and za'atar hummus, yoghurt pannacotta with apricot mousse, pink peppercorn and cardamom meringues with mulberries and white chocolate. I seriously cannot wait until she arrives.
--------------------------------Silvena Rowe has registered the name 'Ottoman Cafe', which she hopes to open in Dubai before the end of this year. She also has high hopes of a retail offering similar to Carluccios or Dean and Deluca. Her plans are to live here - her first time as a resident in the Middle East, at least for 3 weeks out of every month (Ottoman Cafe will also open in London over coming months). She also has plans for bringing back the Levantine breakfast with a bang, so don't just expect something fine dining and inapproachable - she wants something for everyone.
If you would like to see Silvena Rowe in action, you can catch a glimpse on BBC2 here, or have a look at this manic montage
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Until she does arrive, there are a few fine dining Middle Eastern restaurants in Dubai that are worth a look at, although at this stage none really break out of the square. Great restaurants, even if their chefs (or concept providers) could possibly be accused of having a lack of imagination.
- Ottomans five-star Turkish at Grosvenor House, Time Out Dubai Award winner 2013
- Lalezar Sumptuous venue serving Turkish cuisine at Zabeel Saray
- Leventine Fun atmosphere on the terrace at Atlantis, the Palm
- Al Nafoorah Home-cooking style Lebanese option at both Emirates Towers and Zabeel Saray (second possibly the better option)
- Amaseena Ritz Carlton on the beach, a beautiful, tented village feel.
Abu Dhabi gets a little closer to modern Middle Eastern nosh with restaurants like award winning Li Berut, which offers Lebanese fusion at Etihad Towers. Another recent addition is Ornina, which offers dishes with more of a southern Mediterranean and North African vibe, which tends to be fused with expensive ingredients from Western Europe. Fabulous pod-style venue, but as yet receiving very mixed reviews.
I'd appreciate any other recommendations, and if anyone has an update on Greg Malouf's recent sniffing out of the city, I'd like to know about that too - there were rumours, but the trail seems to have gone cold...
I'd appreciate any other recommendations, and if anyone has an update on Greg Malouf's recent sniffing out of the city, I'd like to know about that too - there were rumours, but the trail seems to have gone cold...
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