By Kathryn Matthews
Surprise parties? Cringe. Surprise visits (as in “I’m downstairs in the lobby!”)? Uh-uh. Don’t you dare. Surprise gifts? Unless you know my taste and size—I’d rather you didn’t…
Obviously, I’m not big on surprises—unless they’re delicious.
Our recent visit to Another Fork in the Road was just that kind of surprise…
By Christopher Matthews
In step with spring’s early arrival, I find myself gravitating towards Sauvignon Blanc.
It’s not everybody’s cup of tea, often likened to cat’s pee in its natural, sometimes “wild” (sauvage) pungency. But when not over-cropped, over-oaked or over-ripe, Sauvignon Blanc’s unmistakable aromatics, racy acidity and raucous fruit flavors are refreshing, fun and redolent of spring. On the nose and palate you can get herbs, grass, asparagus and stones, along with a vibrant arc of fruit — from green apples and gooseberries, to grapefruit and guava.
If you are a Sauvignon Blanc fan, the scenario is rosy: good versions come from all corners of the globe, in various styles and price points, from the Loire Valley in France, to New Zealand, South Africa and Chile. But for time-tested excellence — and value — closer to home, Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Creek Vineyard (DCV), located in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, CA, is a can’t-miss proposition. Continue reading
By Kathryn Matthews
…and we’re in it!
Our photographs of harvesting and preparing ramps at our upstate farmhouse (taken by Christopher) and glimpses of his secret backwoods foraging spot (pages 2-3); and, my ramps recipe, Wok-Braised Ramps, (pages 26-27), are featured in the first-ever ramps cookbook, from St. Lynn’s Press: Ramps: Cooking with the Best Keep Secret of the Appalachian Trail. We’re in mixed ramps-loving, recipe-sharing company — including chefs like Mario Batali, Timothy Wastell and Chris Perkey, foragers and bloggers from around the country. Its pocketbook-size and slimness makes it entirely totable — one you can slip into a backpack or garden bag. Or, easily prop up in the kitchen for a ramps-inspired meal.
Happy eating!
By Christopher Matthews
First ramps of the season
On St. Patrick’s Day, tender, emerald green ramp shoots finally peeked out of my special upstate patch, a happy harbinger of spring — and good eating to come.
I’ll check back in a couple of weeks to monitor their progress. Maybe some will be large enough to harvest, but, more likely, I’ll have the first good take three weeks from now. Continue reading
By Kathryn Matthews
Winter 2012 is going out with a whimper—actually, with this week’s temperatures hitting the lows 70s—more like a whisper… But, hey, all the more reason to step out during Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, which spans seven New York counties, and lasts two full weeks, from March 18th to 31st.
Now in its sixth year, participating restaurants pay tribute to local, seasonal bounty. You’ll have a chance to eat local, drink local and make merry at any one of 200 participating restaurants… On offer: $20.95 three-course lunches and $29.95 three-course prix fixe dinners. For more details, see my Red Hook Observer article: Eat Local: It’s Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.
Happy eating!
By Christopher Matthews
It’s hard to find a decent wine with some character for under $10…but not impossible.
Across a couple of vintages, I have discovered that the Chapelle-St-Arnoux Ventoux is a consistent, tasty quaff, and a gem of a value wine.
2009 Chapelle-St-Arnoux Ventoux
By Christopher Matthews
Few places in the wine world are as exciting as Sicily.
An island of vines since antiquity, and a vintner’s sun-drenched terroir dream, it has experienced a remarkable revolution toward quality wines in recent years, leaving behind the reputation of cheap bulk wines that once defined Sicily’s copious production.
Of the many favorable spots to grow grapes on Sicily, the most compelling district for me is the Etna DOC, in the shadow of Europe’s tallest — and very active — volcano. Endowed with rich volcanic soils, intense sunlight and cooling sea breezes and altitudes, the cinematic foothills of Etna produce some stunningly good wines from mostly local varieties, namely Nerello Mascalese (red) and Carricante (white).
Mt. Etna in the distance
Being a true Etna fan, when I received a recent invitation to the US debut of Cantine Valenti’s wines, a relatively new winery from that region, I was all in.
By Christopher Matthews
Ace baker Mike Gonella, owner and quarterback of Tivoli Bread and Baking, our go-to bakery upstate, got into the spirit of Super Bowl Sunday today, fashioning his famous multigrain bread into a carb-based football likeness.
By Christopher Matthews
At its traditional January Bordeaux lunch last week, the Wine Media Guild (WMG) of 
New York sampled multiple vintages from two estimable Margaux chateaux, Chateau Rauzan-Ségla and Chateau d’Issan, (second and third growths, respectively, in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification).
The lunch, organized by WMG member Mark Golodetz, stimulated discussion on Bordeaux’s (threatened) status as the wine world’s premier benchmark, while making a great case for the region through the exceptional quality of the assembled wines. Continue reading
By Christopher Matthews
Sharing a name with a media celebrity can, well, suck.
The Other Chris Matthews
And ever since Chris Matthews, the political pundit, author, journalist and one-time staffer for Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, hit the air waves with his political talk show,”Hardball”, in 1997, I’ve had to put up with the references. Repeatedly. And especially, as I’ve been involved with media myself. “You look very different off camera” (yuck, yuck, yuck), or “What happened to your accent?”, are but a few of the quips I’ve heard.
Over the holidays, my serial gift-giving sister-in-law got in on the act, at least indirectly, when she sent me the latest book by, you guessed it — Chris Matthews. And while I’m sure the name gag wasn’t lost on her, his new book, Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero, is certainly no joke. In fact, it’s a highly readable, illuminating biography (in a crowded field) that really delves into the question that Jack Kennedy, biography and history buff himself, liked to ask: “What was he like?” Continue reading
Upstate-Downtown 