El Bulli, The Kitchen in Action June 2008

ME AND THE LEGEND, FERAN ADRIA IN THE KITCHEN AT EL BULLI
Here's a sneak peek of the kitchen of Feran Adria in action, at the #1 Restaurant in the world, the mecca of Molecular Gastronomy, just north of Barcelona, in the village of Roses, right on the Mediterranean coast...

notice how many people are hovered over one plate..

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy # 28 - Benziger On Location

..we're on location with ATWG at Benziger up in Glen Ellen, in Sonoma..great place to visit, they have one of the best tours around..check em out anytime of year, and they will show you what biodynamic farming is all about..sorry bout the sound on this video was a bit loud in the background..

Zippy wine the Benziger 2007, Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy # 27 - Diamond Oaks

..decent inexpensive Pinot Noir's are pretty hard to come by..they either are a bit thin, or super fruity..and to find one on the cheap is pretty hard, knowing how fickle that grape varietal can be.. a couple of reasons pinot seems to be bit more expensive are that 1. the grape is difficult to grow, it requires ideal conditions, which include soil as well..and Carneros is one of those great pinot places.. 2. the big wine movie few years ago, put the prices for pinot noir into a tailspin, (which by the way, also, had huge effects in the slump in merlot sales),and all of the sudden everyone wants to be drinking pinot noir living out their wine fantasies..pinot is always a crowd pleaser, and appeals to a wide range of palates..for the novice, it is usually not to aggressive, and makes for an approachable point in which to enter the wild world of red wine..and for the expert, nothing like the ever-unfolding french varieties, from burgandy, with complexity that is unparalleled..and, its soo food friendly, you can even pair it up with that thanksgiving feast..and in my opionion a fantastic match with salmon..had any good recent pinot experiences??

Bang for the Buck, Diamond Oaks, 2006, Carneros, Piont Noir

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy # 24 - Mona Vie

...allright so, ATWG's jumping off the edge here w/ something new..and yep, its not wine..its this new juice that is sweeping the nation like a new craze!! you've heard of it, seen it in pics w/ celebrities, and i figured it was about time to see what this stuff was all about..made from the acai berry and other natural juices, i was turned onto it from a friend of mine who is a doctor of acupuncture..it is supposed to be the highest anti-oxidant availale w/ tons of other health benefits..and if she says its good for you...id believe her..for more info you can check out her website at www.monavie.com/christinamartin ..and im sure she can answer any questions you may have..

Mona Vie

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy # 22 - Indaba

Steen, Steen, Steen...hmmm, what the heck is a Steen, sounds like a guys last name who i went to high school or camp with when i was a kid or something..but really, its another name for Chenin Blanc..that wonderfully ripe and refreshing wine that you usually see from the Loire, but in S. Africa they are making wines that are really world class, i think they are doing their best jobs on Pinotage, and the Steen..its not soo well known, but, they have been making wine in S.Africa for centuries..this country is located about what was once 1/2 around the world before the Panama Canal, so all the sailors had to pass around the tip to S.Africa to continue the journey..it was here the Dutch settled, and while there they planted some of the first grapes in the southern hemisphere..so, the tradition is rich, figure they have a few hundred years of practice..

way south of the border with the Indaba, Steen, 2006

visiting dom. des karantes

so this is in the tasting room of domaine karantes in the south of france in the languedoc region, in the very little know appelation of karantes..right near the mediterranian..its situation is one of the most spectacular of any winery i have ever visited..you can see all the way from spain up the coast of france..there are even old german gun implacements from ww2..super friendly people there Nicolas the winemaker was a great guide..also, they accept vistors, so if your ever down there, or planning a trip they have great guest accomidations, really close to the sea, with neat little restaurants lining the beach this is a great place to spend some time..


tasting the domaine karantes rose


in the vineyard at domaine karantes with winemaker Nicolas Laverny, sorry bout the sound, it was really windy up there

On Steakhouses..

..so when did it become cool anyhow for this new wave of steakhouses to charge over 40 bucks for a piece of meat on a platter with nothing else on the plate, im serious, not even a garnish..i'm not sure if its just me, but, when i was a kid, we'd go out to eat, if you ordered a steak it came with a side of potatoes, and a vegetable right on the plate..and if i remember correctly, it usually came with a salad also, pretty much iceberg lettuce, im originally from the midewest and that was before arrugula became all the rage, but a salad anyhow..and im not talking about a sizzler here..nice upscale places, and now, its like 14 bucks for a side of potatoes, which could feed a family for a week, and 12 more for a bucket of veggies..and the iceberg tossed salad, is now served as a classic "iceberg wedge" with bacon and a vinagrette, and its only another 12 bucks..is it me, or do i just not get it?..does this make me just old fashioned or nostalgic? by the way, the 96 Masi Amarone I brought along was drinking beautifully..