Matters of Taste

Savoring the Seabourn Spirit......Again

The sad, and unbelievable, tale of the cruise ship Costa Concordia just won't go away.  More than a dozen passengers are still unaccounted for. The captain, a stereotypical “how-cool-am-I?" dude if ever there was one, keeps popping up on the evening news. And the expression “Get back on the boat, dammit,” barked by an Italian coast guard officer at the dithering captain, is destined to live on in infamy. (Loosely translated, it will forever mean “Quit whining and do your job, jackass.” )

Analysts claim the incident could impact the cruise industry's ability to attract passengers for 2012 cruises, saying that, in particular, first-time cruisers are re-thinking their plans.

But the whole kerfuffle has had the opposite effect on me, bringing back memories of the amazing  Seabourn Spirit cruise I took two years ago, and inspiring me to sign up for another.

For decades I had avoided cruises. I get seasick. I don’t like crowds. I’m terrified in water that’s over my head. But, we hadn’t even cleared the waters of Venice and I was already a convert.

For starters, there was the captain….Magnus Bengtsson, a huge Scandinavian bear of a man, handsome, erect, an imposing presence, friendly but with a no-nonsense reserve. This guy inspired confidence, big time. No one is ever going to bark “Get back on the boat, dammit” to Captain Bengtsson.

The accommodations were wonderful, about 100 spacious suites (meaning no more than about 200 people on a cruise) with sitting areas, huge windows, well-stocked bars and fresh fruit and flowers. (Other Seabourn ships are larger; some offer terraces off the rooms.)

The itinerary was great, too. Hvar, Croatia; Puglia, Taormina, Lipari Island, Sorrento and Rome, Italy. 

And the food?  Awesome. Every night I was blown away by the elegance of the cooking, the fresh, bold flavors, the stylish presentations. I marveled that Chef Bjoern Wassmuth could pull this off in the middle of the Mediterranean when most restaurant chefs can’t get it together on land, with dozens of purveyors at their beck and call.  

Among the highlights of our dinners: Chilled Corn & Lemongrass Soup (flecked with lobster salad and spicy shrimp oil) that tasted as if the corn had been snatched from the field moments before; grilled filet mignon with fresh chanterelles and a parmesan flan that practically floated off the plate; Crispy Corn Crusted Prawn with fennel slaw and romesco sauce; Jumbo Scallops on Potato Shallot Cake, with granny smith apple slivers, pistachios and a lemony vinaigrette; meringues, tarts and sublime homemade ice creams like those pictured here.

Among my favorite desserts were the "parade” of crème brulees – basil, white chocolate pistachio, and orange blossom; and a Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombe with Toasted Marsmallow and Honey Caramel Sauce that is reason enough to book another Seabourn cruise.

In addition to the ship’s dining room, the Spirit features the outdoor Veranda Café where top-notch breakfasts are served each morning and a “theme” restaurant is staged each night as an alternative to

the main dining room; and a top-deck Sky Grill for burgers and other grilled specialties. Seabourn prices, which the Website today says start at about $2,000 per person, are all-inclusive. That means all food and beverages, 24/7, and all activities, save for select shore excursions. One afternoon while we were anchored in the Gulf of Squillace,  Chef Bjoern offered a cooking class for guests. Aided by a wise-cracking crew member, the affable German-born chef  whipped up al dente porcini risotto, flecked with bits of dried truffles that had been plumped in Port wine; and an ethereal lemon mousse made with yogurt, orange zest and Grand Marnier.

Here’s the recipe for the mousse,  adapted slightly (food editors simply can’t leave anything alone) and converted from Chef Bjoern’s metric measurements.

SEABOURN SPIRIT YOGURT LEMON MOUSSE with ALMOND BRITTLE & CRUSHED RASPBERRIES

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

3 egg yolks

2/3  cup sugar

1 sheet gelatin, softened

1 teaspoon orange zest (the grated, colored part of an orange)

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

1 ½ cups plain yogurt

Almond brittle, for garnish

Crushed fresh raspberries, for garnish

In a heavy saucepan, heat the cream and milk together slowly, being careful it does not come to a boil. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer until pale  and fluffy. Pour 1/3 of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture and whisk constantly until incorporated. Pour the egg mixture into the remaining cream/milk in the pan and stir over very low heat until it starts to thicken. Add orange zest and Grand Marnier, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat.  Add the softened gelatin to the hot mixture and stir until completely blended.

Strain mixture through a fine sieve, then cool mixture on a bowl of ice cubes and water. Add the yogurt and whisk until completely blended. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Serve in tall parfait glasses or form into “egg” shapes and set on dessert plates. Garnish with crushed almond brittle and crushed raspberries.

Serves 4-6.

 

 

Best Cookbook of 2011

Well, technically, “Radically Simple” was released in 2010. But it wasn’t until January of 2011 – when judges in the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious cookbook competition received finalist cookbooks for evaluation– that I became acquainted with this brilliant volume.

And it was in 2011 that I looked like a genius in the kitchen, thanks to chef/author Rozanne Gold, whose wildly flavorful dinners usually were done in about the time I needed to me to open the mail and feed the dog.

I was hooked on "Radically SImple" from the very first dish – Chicken with Prosciutto, Tomatoes & White Wine.

A procession of equally successful creations followed. Cardamom Chicken with Chickpeas & Orange Couscous; Braised Black Sea Bass on Pancetta-Studded Cabbage; Chicken “Nuggets” with Sherry Vinegar & A Handful of Herbs; Bombay Turkey Sliders, Hurry-Curry Sauce; Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Medjool Dates; Chilean Sea Bass with Pistachio-Pesto Crust and Green Bean "Fries" (pictured here, photo by Quentin Bacon); and more. Not a dud among them.

I found Gold’s ideas inspiring. Her instructions, precise and easy to follow.  Her techniques, simple and highly effective

For example, who ever heard of baking panko-crusted cod on top of a bunch of peas, straight from the freezer?  Who knew that a slight pat of ground cumin and ground coriander would give tuna filets an irresistible “crust” with no fat, no salt and no effort?  Who would have thought to pair that tuna with a “sauce” of tahini, garlic and lemon juice, and spring greens dotted with pomegranate seeds. And, how about this one: Pasta Cooked in a Bottle of Wine that calls for 1 bottle dry white wine, 1 pound penne, ½ cup olive oil, ½ cup grated parmesan and some slices of prosciutto. Now that’s what I call thinking outside the box.

Subtitled “Brilliant Flavors with Breathtaking Ease,” the book’s 325 recipes also include imaginative salads – Fig, Fennel & Endive with Pistachio Vinaigrette is one of my favorites; hearty meat entrees such as Reddened Rib Eye with Pimiento Cheese;  and fanciful desserts that I couldn’t come up with in my wildest dreams. (Watermelon “Carpaccio,” drizzled with creme de cassis and dotted with shaved white chocolate and lime zest is a tasty case in point.)  In 28 years as Food Editor and Columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune, I perused more than 400 cookbooks every year. Rarely did I find a book  that offered the unique combo of elegance and ease that this book exhibits. That’s why I gave it to each of my sons for Christmas this year.

Well, all this is making me hungry. I think I’ll go whip up Manchego Chicken with Prosciutto, Arugula & Pumpkin Seeds for dinner.  I think you should go on-line at Amazon.com and get the book for yourself.

Falling in Love with Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

About that wine I dangled in front of you yesterday. The one that totally blew me away on one of the first evenings of the New Year. The one I fear I cannot live without, now that I’ve made its acquaintance. The one that will put me in the poorhouse if I don’t get over it, fast.

My discovery of Caymus “Special Selection” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 was a doubly delicious surprise, given the fact that I am not a huge Cab fan and, in fact, probably don’t drink a dozen bottles of the varietal in a year. (I do, on the other hand, make a serious dent in the world’s production of Pinot Noir.) I was agog from the very first sip. The luscious fruit; the smoothness; the lively, concentrated,  come-hither aroma. I sensed the great character, elegance and all the other serious things, like body and acidity, that important wines are supposed to have. But all I really wanted to focus on was the delicious flavor.

The next day I did a little research and learned that Caymus winemaker Chuck Wagner believes that blending creates a ”friendly character in the bottle.”  This particular Napa Valley Cab is a blend of mountain fruit which lends structure and “enriches the sweet fruit of the Valley floor.” I also learned that the Wagner family, in Napa Valley since 1906 and making wine since 1972, also makes Meiomi Pinot Noir which fifth-generation winemaker Joseph J. Wagner calls a “pure-bred enjoyment wine” and which I call my house wine (I buy  it by the case at Costco for about $17).

The Wine Spectator had this to say about Caymus "Special Selection:" "Firm, intense and well-structured,  with a mix of spicy oak, red and black currant, mineral, sage and dusty berry. Turns elegant and refined, yet shows a sturdy backbone on the finish."

And Robert Parker weighed in: "A barrel sample of the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection offers terrific fruit intensity and purity, a more laid-back style, a meaty, chewy texture, and impressive opulence as well as length. It should evolve for 10-15 years." (For folks who care about the numbers, it gets 94 points from Wine Spectator; 92-94 from Parker.)

So now I know --- I’m a sucker for “laid-back” Cabs.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely I’ll get to enjoy my new true love again soon, if ever. According to Web wine merchant K&L, a bottle costs $169.99. I was lucky enough to have a generous neighbor who brought the bottle to dinner at our house last week.

Alas, as the old saying goes: “Better to have drunk and lost than never to have drunk at all.”

 

 

 

 

Best of 2011 – Bites, Bottles, Books, Burgers, Boites & More

The year is just 10 days old and I’ve already discovered a wine I can’t live without, and a butternut squash bread pudding, served as an entrée, that is sure to be one of my go-to dinners of 2012.

More about them below.

But before we get any further into the New Year, it’s time to share the best of 2011, a remarkable food year that included everything from the Poquito Picante cocktail (at NYC’s Yerba Buena) and the Pepe Bianco (white clam pizza with bacon and onions at Boston’s Coppa) to shrimp ‘n grits in Charleston and a whopping cut of meat called Stinco de Vitello, enjoyed at a mountain hut high in the Dolomites.

Starting next week, I’ll highlight the most delicious meals I lucked into while traveling in 2011, as well as my favorite restaurants, most memorable hotel experiences, dynamite destinations, captivating cocktails and best new cookbooks of the year. Please come back and  check it out.

OK. Back to the bread pudding. Or, to be more precise, the Pumpkin Panade. That’s what Miami chef Michael Schwartz called it when he shared the recipe with the Wall Street Journal a couple of weeks ago. “Panade is just a fancy name for stuffing,” Schwartz was quoted as saying in the paper’s Slow Food Fast column. It’s a rustic French dish that involves stale bread, stewed onion, broth and shredded cheese.

I made it last night and served it as entrée alongside a large green salad dotted with goat cheese and toasted hazelnuts. But the beauty of this thing is that you can serve it as accompaniment to meat (it’d be great with braised pork loin, grilled chicken breasts or even the Thanksgiving turkey) or jazz it up with slivers of prosciutto or chunks of Applegate Fire-Roasted Red Pepper Chicken & Turkey Sausage (a staple in my kitchen; available at Whole Foods) and let it shine as entrée. (The photo is by Justin Walker for The Wall Street Journal.)

It's easy.  Saute sliced onion, toss in crushed garlic and cubed pumpkin or butternut squash and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the fragrant mix to chunks of stale bread, fresh herbs and grated Fontina cheese. Moisten it all with hot chicken broth and a bit of heavy cream, then pack it into a gratin dish, top with grated Pecorino or Parmesan and bake ‘til bubbly.

Here’s the recipe from The Wall Street Journal.