Montaluce Wine and Food Conclave

Sliding southward out of the mountains, the big V-8 was sucking in sleet and freezing rain faster that gas. Turning off onto an unmarked side road, the sleet finally gave way to snow. The Benz had all it needed – a tank of high-test and cold, dense air. We, on the other hand, were hurting. We needed something to take the edge off – fat. Preferably something super-trans-modified and searingly hot…

So why were we now sitting in the snow, moaning over McDonalds? We were at our edge. The long day behind us had left us reeling. Because after six hours of refined food and more wine than I will typically see in 4 months (I lost count after 16), we needed something to remind us how special what we had experienced was.

Rob and Brent Beecham had graciously invited local food bloggers to a Food and Wine Conclave at their Montaluce Winery, hidden away somewhere outside of Dahlonega – hidden in the sense that I couldn’t find it. Which given that I was pretty sure I was mistakenly invited, I’m thinking the hidden part was intentional…

The stumbling for words began almost as soon as we turned onto the property – as in how the hell am I, who most definitely is not a wine guy, supposed to write about this? Well – I’ll keep it simple. The property, even covered in ice and fog – is beautiful. The winery, a massive Tuscan-style building that also holds Ristorante La Vigne, is impressive, inviting and best of all – comfortable. The people – friendly, warm (and I never use that word) and just truly nice – it’s not often that you meet people that really, sincerely seem happy with what they are doing. The food and wine speak for themselves.

The menu

Chicken Liver Mousse with house made pickles and lavosh

Smoked steelhead trout, boiled peanuts, fennel, Meyer lemon, sweet tea froth

Montaluce Risata, sangiovese rose

Coppa di testa, apple mostarda, cider braise cabbage, apple

Chicken thigh terrine, chicken oyster, cipollini onions, baby carrot, celery leaf

Butternut cup custard, maple gel, oat crumble, buttermilk espuma

Executive Chef Steven Hartman

Chicken livers

Tamis

Too many cameras

Ristorante La Vigne

Wine Bar

Charcuterie leads to celebrity

Winemaker Oliver Asberger

Winery

Montaluce Winery & Estates
501 Hightower Church Road
Dahlonega, GA 30533

Pork – The Cuddly White Meat

So many people have asked me what the hell my header image and Twitter avatar was, I finally decided I should post a bigger version. It’s a pig. A tasty, tasty pig. A pig the size of a Volkswagen.

The last time I saw him, he was living on a goat farm in SC. More like sleeping. Which he did not stop doing for the 4 hours I was there – even after I patted his jowl (needed to be make sure it was tender – that’s a honkin’ guanciale just waiting to happen…).

Mystery solved.

Butabara Kushiyaki

Everything tastes better when it’s on a stick… And nothing tastes better on a stick than pork belly (butabara). You may be more familiar with the Japanese term yakitori (grilled chicken) – kushiyaki (skewered grilling) is a broader term, covering everything.

Best Dishes of Buford Highway 2009

Pork noodles with pickled vegetable – Northern China Eatery

Niu ruo mein – Ocean Garden, Chinatown Food Court

Sliced fish in chili oil – Delicious Kabob

Torta al Pastor – El Pastor

Deli Manjoo – Buford Highway Farmers Market

Galbi & Mandoo – Cho Sun Ok

Pollo a la brasa – Pollo el Rey

Cha chiang mien – Manchunhong

2010: Two Years Old!

Happy 2010, everyone and thanks for all of the support! Stay tuned for exciting new things (and more substantive posts) soon!

Abattoir – again

Rabbit Galantine

I’ve posted about Abattoir already. After hearing me blather on endlessly about it, HX decided it would be a good destination for his 8th birthday. And indeed, he was right. As with last time, pictures are more powerful than my drivel.

Duck Meatballs in Brodo

Pork Trio

Abattoir
1170 Howell Mill Road
Atlanta, GA 30318-8636

Cooking with: Galangal

What is it?

Galangal is one of those things that causes a quite a bit of confusion whenever someone encounters it for the first time. So much so that it’s what inspired me to begin writing this series of posts. Galangal or “Blue Ginger” is related to, and often confused with ginger.

Woo Nam Jeong Stone Bowl House

More cold, rainy weather in Atlanta means more comfort food. And nothing spells comfort like a 6 million degree stone bowl with a side of chili paste. Dolsot bibimbap (mixed rice in a stone bowl) was a distant memory that I needed to refresh.

Atlanta Food Bloggers – Chinatown Food Court

Obnoxious and inflammatory invective, embarrassing and awkward displays, generally rude and unacceptable behaviour, fist fights – all of the wonderful things I had hoped for – failed to materialize…

Cooking with: Dofu ru

So what can I tell you about dofu ru? How about, don’t forget to refrigerate it after you open the jar? This would seem to be common sense to someone that knows what it is. I do know what it is, however – I just forgot to put it away. For a week. Now my kitchen is awash in a miasma of oily, yeasty funk.