Slow Food in Indy

From Indyscene.com:

The second annual Slow Food chef-grower gathering, where Indy’s premier chefs and local producers and growers meet to establish relationships and plan for the coming year, will be held at Elements Restaurant, 425 North Alabama Street in Indianapolis, Monday, February 28th, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Chef Greg Hardesty is hosting the event and Slow Food Indy is the sponsor. Last years meeting was a great success with 25 chefs and 15 grower-producers in attendance.

OK, I admit it. I don't get it. I just don't understand the whole slow food concept. I say "concept" and not "movement" since it's debatable that slow food has or ever will have much of a following. Like the whole raw food idea, when you dig past the snappy concept name you find that there's nothing particularly new or notable about it. Slow food is just another flavor of organic. While I can see the appeal of organic farming and food for restaurants, what is the appeal of slow?

If you go to the website at Slow Food Indy, you'll find lots of text on "stewardship" of the land and food and "enjoyment", slowing down of the restaurant process to enjoy the meal. Last I checked, this quality is already the hall mark of a terrific restaurant. We used to call it "unhurried" instead of slow, slow service not usually being high on my list of requests. Does slow mean the chef gets to take their time? While that's fine, I think it's really up to the chef as to whether or not they want to slow down from 120 to 75 on a busy weekend night. As a customer, I want my food cooked properly, the dish executed to the chef's vision, garnished with sauces and flavors that the chef recommends I try to truly enjoy and understand the flavors he or she has composed. What I don't want is glop cooked in a crock pot or simmered for hours in a back kitchen stove and what I really don't want is "slow" to be an excuse for the chef to keep me waiting for hours while he "handcrafts" each dish with his personal artistry.

I guess what I'm missing is the connection between slow foods and organic. It's all well and good for the movement to want the term "slow" to communicate care of the land and growth of the produce from local small farms, but it's a marketing failure to connect those positive concepts to the negativity of slow. From the press release:

There is a growing awareness and demand from customers for quality food products whose origin is known to be safe and have the fresh flavor that can only come from local small farms. Elements, R Bistro, and the new Hilton 134 West Restaurant all have seasonal menus featuring local food. Buying local and preparing fresh establishes a cuisine as unique and helps the local farm economy to flourish and prosper.

I'm glad local chefs are looking at these options, but I think we may need to find something less trendy to call it. Slow food as a concept just doesn't work for me.

Riedel and the Big O

Everyone's talking about Riedel's "O" stemless glasses. Part of the new awareness was GM Patrick McGee's decision to put them in heavy rotation at the downtown Ruth's Chris. But lately, the big buzz I've been hearing about them by regular wine drinkers involves the ability to throw them in the dishwasher!

Certainly, there was never any question that the biggest hassle with Riedel's high end delicate crystal wine glasses was the breakage -- at bowl or stem. And other biggest hassle (usually leading to breakage by klutzes like me) came from having to hand washing them with every use. Even if I wanted to put my pinot noir "tankards" in the dishwasher, they won't fit. They're too tall!

While I still subscribe to the "never put crystal in the dishwasher" theory (something about minerals leaching out and making it more brittle), I do like the idea of an everyday wine glass I can throw in the top rack. (I have a couple of good sturdy crystal glasses I use for this very purpose but am mortified they're going to fail me.) With new advances in dishwashing detergent, any careful user should be able to prevent scoring (and even spots!) So, for the price, I'm going to give them a home test drive. At least for reds. (I'm not convinced about the stemless approach for whites yet.)

They're available just about everywhere locally, but Steinmart has sets of two for about $18.00 (regularly $24 or so.)

Hilbert Wine Reports

Reports are trickling in about the wine sale at the Hilbert auction last night. Jim Arnold from Kahn's Fine Wine has been prominently interviewed and estimates that many wines were going for as much as 70% over value last night. He says that wine at auction will typically go for 40% under their estimated sale prices.

As predicted, much of the high end wine went for wildly inflated prices. Apparently, much of the middle range wine went for more than expected as well. Today's Indianapolis Star carries some additional information as well as Jim Arnold's suspicion that the '82 Petrus Pomerol Grand Vin wasn't quite what it seemed. It sold for $1000 to an online bidder. (My biggest concern with bidding online for wine like this would be the provenance of the bottles. No assurances were offered, as far as I've heard, as to where most of this wine came from prior to Hilbert's possession of and how it was stored.)

Upcoming Events

Fri, Feb 25 -- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Wine Opener
@Indianapolis Children's Museum
202-9210 for tickets. $50 This event is sold out!

Fri, Feb 25 -- Wine portion of the Hilbert Auction
For registration and catalog (click on Archives Feb 2005 for info)
6:00 p.m., $25

Tues, March 1 -- OperaLite! (Not a specifically food event but I want to plug it anyway)
@Hollywood Bar and Filmworks, screening the film, The Crucible
5:30 p.m., $10 (includes 1 free drink), plan to order dinner

Weds, March 2 -- Tuscan Wine Tasting
@Dunaway's, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Free

Thurs, March 3 -- iMOCA launch party for Art Papers Magazine and opening reception for a solo project by Rashid Johnson
@iMOCA, 340 N. Senate Ave., 6:00-9:00 p.m., free

Fri, Mar 4 -- Beer for a Cure II benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association
@The Montage at Allison Point, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Catalog beer tasting, call MDA, 824-4800
$30 in advance, $35 at the door

Sun, Mar 20 -- Oakley's Bistro German Wine Dinner
@Oakley's Bistro, 6:00 reception
$95/person www.oakleysbistro.com

Thurs, April 28 -- Midwest Cabernet Experience
@Montage, a fundraiser for Riley Children's Hospital. (This is one of my favorite events of the year)
6:30-9:30 p.m., $75 in advance; $100 at the door
Tickets available at Kahn's Fine Wine or Riley Children's Hospital

Food Blogs Around the World!

Great article in Creative Loafing from the Boston Globe on food blogs including some of the most popular, awards and even the crazies who are writing them. Complete with a nice roundup of food blogs.

New York's Own Little Red Book

After all these years, Edouard Michelin is announcing tonight in New York that the company will publish a 2006 Michelin Guide for New York restaurants. Book is due to publish Nov 15 and will rate 500 restaurants and hotels in the city. It's expected to publish to mixed reviews (in a city that lives and dies by Zagat's) but I think it will catch on. For more information, check the food section in today's New York Times.

Tasting Updates

Sold Out! Like last year, the CF Wine Opener is sold out. For those who didn't get tickets, put this event on your list for next year!

Tuscan Roll-Out: From Brian Fowler at Olinger, we're invited to a tasting at Dunaway's, Weds, March 2 introducing a new line of Italian wines from producer Frank Grace. 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Another Great Meal

Another phenomenal meal at Oakley's last night. One of the things I love about this restaurant is how consistently they deliver terrific food. If you want to try everything, go with a table of sharers. Otherwise, there's plenty to choose from to eat on your own. Last night, we tried to order dishes we hadn't tasted before and were rewarded. My favorites of the evening were the risotto cakes with crab (OK, I cheated, I'd had that before but my dining companions hadn't -- it's my favorite Tuesday night takeout dish), the honey fois gras mousse (if my jaw is ever wired shut, just feed me this nectar through a straw), and the carrot-ginger risotto with the talapia (I could eat Steve's risotto until my heart clogged or I could no longer fit through the door, whichever came first.)

As always, the service was outstanding, and once again Lisa nailed the wine pairing for our dissimilar entrees with a Sonoma-valley MacMurray Pinot Noir. (I love their wine list -- not just the old standbys you see pushed at every other place in town, but some less common great wines at reasonable prices. I love to try new wines that aren't already familiar to me from the grocery store.) Excellence, value, and consistency. In my book, it's what will keep any restaurant at the top of my list.

Doldrums of Winter

If the endless cold is getting to you like it is me, here's a little summer wonder to tide you over. Pasta is always a good idea (and simple). Simple roasted tomatos -- from this month's Cook's Illustrated.

Heat oven to 350.

Slice 2 cloves of garlic very thin. Toss them in a small bowl with 1-2 pints of cherry tomatoes, 1/8 cup of olive oil, 1/8 cup of capers, 1/4 tsp. salt, a pinch of red pepper flakes, some black pepper, and about 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. of sugar, depending on how the tomatoes taste. Spread them in an even layer on a baking sheet (one with sides is best). Roast for 35-40 minutes until the tomato skins are a little shriveled.

While the tomatoes are roasting, boil a big pot of water and throw the pasta in just before you take the tomatos out. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the roasted tomatoes. Add 1/8 cup or a little more of chopped calamatas and a little chopped fresh oregano if you have some. Toss gently and serve, sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and a good amount of grated parmesan.

Dining au Naturel

What would you do if you were hosting guests for a nude dinner? First request from the diners: No hot soup.

An upscale Manhattan restaurant hosts a monthly dinner for about 30 members of a clothing optional group. The restaurant closes (and paper put on the windows for privacy) and as guests check hats and coats, they check their clothes as well.

Due to safety regulations, staff must remain clothed and guests must bring a towel or scarf to sit on. The restaurant turns up the heat to keep the room warm, although guests swear there's no erotic "heat" -- just people exercising their "freedom" in a post eatery instead of a wilderness location. Next month will be the Easter bonnet dinner, so one assumes clothing will be optional but hats will be required.

Tacky is as Tacky Does

In today's lesson on press spin (or maybe truth in reporting), we have the case of recently fired White House chef Walter Scheib. Brought in by then first lady Hilary Clinton, CIA-trained Scheib was hired to make White House cooking a little more upscale while still managing light and fresh foods for the family dinners (Bill's diet not-withstanding).

Sheib recently announced he's moving on but press reports soon came out that he'd been asked to leave (read "fired") by First Lady Laura Bush amid increasing tensions between the kitchen and Mrs. Bush's office. His first complaint was when Mrs. Bush asked for him to scale back the French cooking and focus on American dishes. He's made no secret of what he thinks of the President's "low brow" tastes, so this latest debacle was apparently the last straw. (Plus, I'm guessing his chile rellenos must not be that great, because no Texan would fire a chef who made great Mexican food.)

Scheib's assignment was to create inauguration menus from uniquely American products (and products, as it happens, from many donors to Bush's campaign.) Everyone's gotten caught up in the brand names, but honestly, turkey, canned pineapple, Krispy Kreme's, and Coke? It's not high brow cooking but it's not the end of the world. Apparently for Chef Scheib it was.

Is only using brands from donors tacky? A little. I expected a bit more from Laura, but it would have been a clever idea if the execution of the dishes had been better. (I mean, he didn't know what to do with Coke?! I can think of three or four cool ideas right off the top of my head and I'm not even a chef!) Where was his creativity? Chef Scheib's complaint on the wine? Hey, he's obviously never attended any Congressional receptions from your average senator or representative in DC. Before DC, I didn't know they had wine from Oklahoma. It's political business but can still be great cooking. And in my book, his worst transgression was making tacky comments about his boss' lack of pretention. Poor form, Chef.

For your lesson on the press, I love how the blog that carries this story paints an evenhanded picture, while the corresponding AP coverage is, well, I think a little bitter. Scheib didn't come off much better in the NY Times last week either. Hey, Chef, it could have been worse -- Kerry could have been elected and you would have had to deal with all that ketchup!

Back to my real question. How is it that he doesn't know how to cook with Coke? Has he been living in a box? He's right next door to Virginia! Every Southerner in the world knows you use it with ham!

Twinkie Sushi

There's so much to say, and yet so few words to use -- Twinkie Sushi. Must be seen to be believed.

Frozen versus Fresh

This week in the cooking conference on The WeLL, we've been having a lively conversation about fresh versus frozen vegetables. It's the kind of thing that always erupts a) during the depths of winter when fresh veggie varieties become scarce and b) California cooks interact with those of us who cook in the real world. (And I mean that in the nicest of ways.) Seriously, California has such a terrific growing season, they have a much wider range of fruits and vegetables available fresh to them year round. In the midwest, it's not even a matter of cost -- it's a matter of quality and price. Try finding a really good tomato in the Midwest in January. If you do, it's going to cost you. Home cooking purists always like to trash anything frozen, but once you dig a little deeper into your repertoire, you might find that frozen isn't so bad.

And wouldn't you know that Mark Bittman goes on at length about the benefits of frozen veggies in today's Minimalist column. Even he was surprised. So, for this winter, I'll just keep on going to Trader Joe's and haunting the frozen veggie section for cooking. And know that even Bittman says it's OK.

Wine...on the Side

Interesting small piece in today's NY Times food section on Drew Nieporent's latest project, Crush, a wine shop in New York. They're very busy touting the new bottle storage and display system that stores all bottles on their side, but lengthwise, with the lable facing out. In the world of restaurant design, a spiffy looking wine storage system has long been considered a way to showcase your cellar inventory while giving your customers something interesting to look at. But in some ways, like the new Museum Cafe at the new MoMA in the New York, the storage system all be eclipses the bottles of wine in it -- with the round circlular wall design, it looks like bottles were an afterthough. Only the top of the capsules can be seen from the front.

It's nice to see design and functionality converging -- functional storage systems that also serve as a design element. At Crush, it will interesting to see who the unique racks make a wine shop more appealing. Crush is due to open Monday, 2/21, at 153 E. 57th.

Upcoming Events

Weds, Feb 23 -- Bourbon: The Spirit of Kentucky
Broadripple Steakhouse, 6-7:30 p.m.
Call Mary Baltimore at Kahn's -- 251-9463 $25

Fri, Feb 25 -- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Wine Opener
@Indianapolis Children's Museum
202-9210 for tickets. $50 This event will sell out!

Fri, Feb 25 -- Wine portion of the Hilbert Auction
For registration and catalog (see posting/links below)
6:00 p.m., $25

Fri, Mar 4 -- Beer for a Cure II benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association
@The Montage at Allison Point, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Catalog beer tasting, call MDA, 824-4800
$30 in advance, $35 at the door

Sun, Mar 20 -- Oakley's Bistro German Wine Dinner
@Oakley's Bistro, 6:00 reception
$95/person www.oakleysbistro.com

Cereality!

I saw the first mention of Cereality (Cereal Bar and Cafe) while I was traveling a few weeks ago. Since then, I've seen several press reports, the latest in the weekend paper's USA Today Weekend supplement.

So the story goes at least one of the founders is an ex-Wall Streeter and he used to work with a guy who carried Cocoa Pebbles in his briefcase. And they figured, why not open a breakfast place for these people -- people who are closet cereal nuts, have their own blends, like fruit but find it doesn't travel well, etc. And, voila', Cereality.

With stores now open in Tempe, Philadelphia (and soon, Chicago!), this upstart little "breakfast bar" is looking like it's well on its way. Servers called "cerealogists" wear pajama tops and serve customers two scoops of cereal (and one scoop of topping) in Chinese takeout style containers that hold milk. Price? Abotu $2.50. They offer most all name brand cereals (like Captain Crunch and Fruity Pebbles), add-ins (Lucky Charm marshmallows or crunchberries, anyone?), fruit plus hot cereal and more. (Bananas are apparently the most popular breakfast cereal topping.)

I didn't see a menu on their web site but from news reports, the cereal combination I'd be most willing to try? The Devil Made Me Do It: 1 scoop Cocoa Puffs, 1 scoop Lucky Charms; chocolate milk flavored crystals topped with malted milk balls. Breakfast! Nutritious and delicious!

Wine Shipping Boxes

At the risk of this becoming just a catch-all for every stray food and wine thought that crosses my saran-wrapped little mind, I have to mention that I want to offload some boxes.

Seriously, I have two of those big shipping boxes, complete with stryofoam wine shipping inserts, good for shipping one case each of standard size wine bottles. If you've ever had to ship wine, these boxes and inserts are pretty expensive, so I hate to just throw them away. On the other hand, I never ship wine and I have no place to store them. So, they're free to the first person who posts below that they want them and provides me their email address. Otherwise, out they go.

A Bourbon Tasting

Finally, a Bourbon tasting! Received the flyer from Kahn's today.

Bourbon, The Spirit of Kentucky
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Weds, Feb 23
Broad Ripple Steakhouse

10 different Small Batch and Single Barrel Bourbons listed for tasting (from 80-126.9 proof) Looks like a decent selection. Light hors d'oeuvres. $23 for Klub members; $25 for non-members. Call Mary Baltimore at Kahn's on Keystone for reservations: 251-9463

Comment below if you want more info and I'll post more details and the tasting list.

Went to the WFYI catalog tasting last night. I didn't ante up for the Connoisseur's area, but found quite a few nice little wines on the main floor including a few new finds and some old favorites. And ran into some feedme/drinkme readers! My favorite wines of the evening:

'02 Seghesio Family Keyhole Ranch Pinot Noir ($26.95, a classic fave)
'01 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon ($59.95, crack in a bottle)
'01 Iron Horse T-Bar-T Cabernet Sauvignon ($36.95, very reliable)
'98 BV Ensemble (knock out for the price, $24.95)
'01 Sterling SVR Reserve ($39.95 -- also great for the money)
'01 Shingleback Shiraz "D-Block"($44.95 expensive, but very, very good)

I realize I have an annoying habit of always noting the price, and wine professionals will tell you it's better to disregard it. However, at these tastings, paying attention to price – for me – provides a better baseline for what I think of the value of a wine. Price gives me a frame of reference for what is more standard at that range and what I feel exceeds expectations. The BV and Sterling were both great wines for the money, in my opinion. Both were smooth, polished and very, very elegant. The Sterling would be a great cellar keeper, but the BV may be my case buy for spring. (Although, I'm OK on reds since I recently found an entire case of Chateau Potelle Cougar Pass that I bought in early December! I was like finding a $20 bill in a coat pocket!)

I was taking it easy only drinking reds so I'm sure there were some fantastic whites. Next catalog tasting will be the Cystic Fibrosis Wine Opener on 2/25. I hear there are only about 30 tickets left, so give the CF Foundation a call if you need tickets -- 202-9210.

Wine at the Hilbert Auction

Everyone's been talking about the 600 bottles of wine from Stephen Hilbert's wine cellar up for auction on Feb 25 and 26. After some sleuthing, I've found a few partial lists of the inventory. For more information, I supposed we'll all have to pay $25 for a catalog and entry like all the other curiosity seekers.

The wine is being held in a garage or shaded patio (from what I've heard) and will be the first lots to go at auction starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb 25th. So if you're looking for some potential deals or what to bid on a piece of Indianapolis history (or infamy, depending on how you look at it), here's the inventory list so far.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH BEGINNING AT 6:00 PM
Doors Open for Preview at 3:00 PM
Session I - Wine Collection Fabulous Wine Collection Consisting Of More Than (600) Bottles, Plus One Bottle Courvoisier Succession J.L., No. 358/595 in Presentation Box. Wine: (3) 1971 Petrus Pomerol Grand Vin; 1982, 86' Petrus Pomerol Grand Vin; 1995 Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac; 1986 Opus One; 3.0L; (2) 1982 Chateau Ausone Saint Emilion ler Grand Cru Classe; (6) 1986 Grand Vin de Chateau La Tour Pauillac; (16) 1985-1992 Assorted Dom Perignon; (5) 1986 Chateau Margaux Premier Grand Cru Classe Margaux; 1970 Chateau Haut Brion Premier Grand Cru Claiie, 1.5L; (4) Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac; (6) 1984 Chateau Haut Brion Graves. Plus More!

Below is the URL for the inventory on bidspotter.com which looks like it's handling the online bids for quite a few of the wine lots. As with anyone's cellar, the collection is a little hit or miss. (I'd think it would be a bit like someone going through your underwear drawer.) But there may be a few bargains. On the other hand, if it's like most other highly publicized "celebrity" auctions, the bargains will be outweighed by the bargain hunters and sell for more than you hope. (Don't forget the 10% addition for the auctioneer's commission.)

I did spot some fairly generic Napa Valley and Santa Barbara chardonnays, some grocery store wines (a 2001 Rosemont Shiraz), non-vintage champagnes, a host of late 90s Napa cabernets and zinfandels, and, of course, that very valuable 1996 Georges Duboeuf Beajolais Nouveau. It looks like some bottles are being offered individually but the rest are being sold as partial cases. If there are five bottles, you buy all five. If there's a case, it's one lot. Some of the higher end wines (a 1990 Opus One, and a bit of 1998 Stag's Leap Cab) will probably be overshawdowed by the few high profile stars (the 1994 Chateau Lafite Rotheschild, or the 1982 Chateau Lascombes Margaux .) More interesting to me, were a couple of bottles that just look like they'd be interesting to try like the 1979 Rutherford Hill Napa Valley Merlot or a 1992 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay.

Inventory list here:
http://www.bidspotter.com/forms/imagegallery.php?gallery=1992


Additionally, there are a few interesting tidbits for those who love kitchen appliances, professional and home level cooking supplies, dishes, glassware and bar accesories. (Imagine who Hilbert's had to his private bar for Scotch and cigars!)

Catering House:
(2) Traulsen stainless Double-Door Refrigerators; Vulcan FT8 Electric double Convection Oven; Vulcan VEX3 Two-Burner Surface Hot Plate; Cres-Cor Warming Cabinet; Scotsman Ice Maker; Marvel Refrigerator on Casters; Jackson JP-24 Commercial dishwasher; Mouran 8' SS Sink w/2 HP Disposal & Sprayer; Mouran 'L' Drink dispenser/Ice Bin; Lakeside SS Ice Bin on Casters; American Metal Ware 744 Coffee Maker; Large SS Work Island; Bobby-Built Cooler Wagon w/Canopy Top; Plus Several Kitchen Aid, Hobart, Williams Sonoma & Other Electric Appliances; (50+) Lots Chafing Dishes, Pots, Pans, Skillets, Copperware, Silver Plate Serving Pieces, folding Tables, SS Tables, Racks, Mosquito Nets + More.

Bar & Related Items:
(8) Antique Ceramic Liquor Dispensers, Marked, w/Spigot; Waterford & Tiffany Crystal Decanters; St. Louis crystal Tumblers; Humidor; Lalique Crystal Ash tray; (7) iron base Bar Stools; 1999 Pete Dye Cup Humidor; Fancy bar Glassware; Tavern Scene Wall Plaque; Fireman Helmet Lighter; sterling Silver & Leather Cigar Carrying Cases; display; Wine Bottle Openers; shakers, Blenders, etc.

To register, fill out the form from the auctioneer's site. They'll get you a catalog in advance or you can purchase as the door. $25.
http://www.njgallivan.com/auction_detail.php?user_id=44&auction_id=53766

Food question of the Week

Where is the best place to buy fresh fish in Indianapolis?


Where is the best place you've bought fresh fish in the US?

Also in today's Times!

Cover story of today's food section also includes a big shout-out to a one of my favorite cookbooks of last year, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cooking for Guys, by Tod Dimmick (2004 Alpha Books). Don't laugh, it's a fun and wonderful cookbook! Perfect for anyone who needs a little extra Valentine help.

Salt Crusted Whole Fish

I've been wanting to tinker with cooking whole fish in a salt crust and, voila!, there's a piece in today's New York Times food section. This may be my weekend project. If it works, I think it will make a great looking dish for a dinner party.

No link up yet, but there's a clippable recipe for Salt-Baked Snapper with Ice Wine Nage.

Am I Missing Something?

This from today's Publisher's Lunch, a daily book deal report:

Cooking Peabody Award-winning Kitchen Sisters (broadcast on NPR's Morning Edition) Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva's HIDDEN KITCHENS: Stories of Land, Kitchen and Community, chronicling stories of people and food from around the country dubbed "off the radar cooks," working in everything from makeshift kitchens outside a cab yard in San Francisco to a shipyard in Michigan where chicken is roasted in the same ovens where welding takes place, for publication in fall 2005, to tie in with a series of new radio broadcasts, to Leigh Haber at Rodale, by Lynn Nesbit at Janklow & Nesbit (world).

I heard this series on NPR's Morning Edition and maybe it just didn't translate to radio, but it was really awful. It was especially jarring after Bob Edwards' departure and replacement by two new and inept hosts. I just didn't find it interesting or funny. What is particularly fascinating about a cardboard box community where they cook hotdogs over a fire in a barrel? Or a guy who makes food for a fishing crew where they talk more about how good it used to be than how good it is now? It wasn't about the techniques or the food and while it tried to be about people cooking in situations that were odd, the "Kitchen Sisters" ended up not making it about anything in particular. Maybe it will work better in a book -- and it will certainly benefit from another run on the station. The hosts were clearly more enamored with it then the listeners. Good for them. Maybe they'll buy lots of copies of the book.

(I suspect that's a typo above and that it's coming in Fall 2006. The "world" denotes world rights were sold with the deal.)

Moroccan -- recipes and books

I recently had a Moroccan dinner party and several people have asked for recipes and information. Here's the scoop:

Books:
Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco, Paul Wolfert (for research) (reprint 2001 Quill) Modern Moroccan: Ancient Traditions Contemporary Cooking, Ghillie Basan (2002, 2004 AquaMarine) (both available at www.amazon.com)

Special needs:
*Le Creuset Tagine -- Sur La Table but I found my online
*Preserved Lemons -- I made my own but made the kind that take 30 days to finish. Packed them in rubber gasket and metal bale jars from Cost Plus. I found finished lemons at Sur La Table
*Harissa (the spicy Moroccan chili paste) -- Sur La Table
*Ras Al Hanout, Moroccan spice blend -- Blessac, though www.amazon.com

And funnily enough, there's an article in March Food & Wine chock full of Moroccan recipes -- some almost identical to what I used. If anyone's interested in recipes, menus or wine pairing, let me know and I'll share them with you. Most everything I made came from Modern Moroccan -- recommended by my WeLL friend Eric Gower, author The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen. We had fun pairing this one -- very challenging.

Welcome to Feed Me/Drink Me!

Welcome to my Indianapolis food and wine site. (I was going to call it "Eat Me/Drink Me" but that failed the test for a variety of reasons.)

Someone recently asked me what was out there for food and wine fans in the midwest. I was happy to share with them that there is a *lot* happening here. Some fantastic chefs, some incredibly smart and passionate wine people, and a lot of people who love to eat. So, I thought it was time to see if we can't get a few of us together. I hope to try to keep folks up-to-date and, of course, innudated with my opinions. Please post, link, and point folks here to your heart's content even if (especially if) it's to disagree. So, let me get you a cocktail...

Upcoming Indianapolis Food and Wine Events

A few things to look forward to:

Weds, Feb 9 -- Kahn's Heartland Cellars South African Dinner
@ the Montage. 6:30 Aperitif; 7:30 Dinner
Kahnoisseur's Klub Member: $50/Non-member $55
RSVP Mary Baltimore: 251-WINE

Fri, Feb 11 -- WFYI Indy Wine Fest catalog tasting
@ Indianapolis Roof Ballroom. 5:30-8:30 p.m.
$50 gen admission; $100 connoisseur's area
www.wfyi.org/winefest

Fri, Feb 25 -- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Wine Opener
@Indianapolis Children's Museum
202-9210 for tickets. This event will sell out!

Sun, Mar 20 -- Oakley's Bistro German Wine Dinner
@Oakley's Bistro, 6:00 reception
$95/person www.oakleysbistro.com

Food and Wine at Aspen in June

Who's in? Only an $850 registration prior to 3/15 gets into Food & Wine's Classic in Aspen. You'll be able to attend four days of parties, dinners, and food/wine seminars with most of America's top chefs and wine educators. It's a fantastic time for foodies! June 10-12, Aspen Colorado. See www.foodandwineclassic.com for details.