How do you celebrate....?

...Christmas Eve

My first ever Feast of Seven Fishes (and 7 beverages) is about to become my new tradition. I'm not Italian, but I love me some seafood, and any occasion to get creative, eat, and pop few bottles is welcome in my house.  

Oysters, crabcake, shrimp, Chilean sea bass, salmon, scallops and smelts make up the spread

A night of firsts, indeed, my first attempt at oyster shucking was a success.  No bloodshed.

Porterhouse Brewing's Oyster Stout is a fitting pair and a nod to my actual heritage.

Next up, simple salmon sashimi. Good wasabi and fresh ginger paste send a jolt of invigorating electricity to my skull.  Ahh, that's the stuff.

Konteki "Tears of Dawn" Daiginjo makes for silky, rich salvation from the head rush

Just getting warmed up now... 

as barbecue-marinaded sea scallops sidle up to curry-rubbed jumbo shrimp (jumbo shrimp??) A delicious double-bill.

Bee D'Vine's brut mead is a crisp, fragrant cut to the curry's kick while complimenting the maple-y bbq scallops

It wouldn't be a party without crab cake! 

Not a very fun one anyway.

It is all about the condiments. Matheny's Tartar Sauce by Everyday Gourmet is by far the best you will ever taste.  Hard to believe, but why would I lie? 

A perfect occasion to crack one of my favorite bottles!  Now nodding to this tradition's Italian roots, Proprieta Sperino's Nebbiolo blend, Uvaggio adds colorful pop to the creamy crab.  Fruity aroma and sophisticated body dot the i's

Oh boy, starting to slow down now... and there's still 2 more courses to go!

And press on, I do.  Next up, some salty smelts

Lightly panko-dusted, crispy little fish are balanced with a sweet balsamic reduction and a slightly sweet, aromatic Unibroue triple.

(Should probably hydrate...)

Last but not least, the sea bass seared with a touch of olive oil and roasted garlic. I'm beyond stuffed, yet it's just light enough. 

The Bas-Armagnac by Eric Artiguelongue cuts through the crowd to both add spark to the mild bass, and double as dessert.  Deserved, I dare say.

Maybe one more dessert...

A sip of sweet and viscous Battistella Amore amaretto from the Finger Lake's Six Mile Creek Vineyard is just the taste to seal the meal.  Amen.

One more first (well, first time in a LONG time), I culminate the tradition with a pilgrimage to Midnight Mass. 

 Thank you to the choir at St. Anthony of Padua, West Harrison for a truly beautiful performance.

A slam-dunk night.

Are you ready to see...

Franschhoek, South Africa  ?

I've been dying to share, and it's as beautiful as you imagined!  
I hope you've got a big monitor....

Cruising in from Cape Town to Paarl, let's start with, Babylonstoren, a historic Dutch farm with spectacular gardens and charming café.  Watch chefs harvest your lunch (or pick your own!) and enjoy with a refreshing glass of estate wine

Speaking of wine - you've come to the right place here in the Western Cape. Sip a little history from your glass at Meerlust, breathe in brilliant flavors and stunning views from your lake island perch at Stark-Condé. You'll feel right at home with a visit to Eikehof, then leave yourself some time to meander at La Motte, where you can hike a wilderness trail before your impressive estate tour and tasting.  Do not miss the valley's very best Pinot Noir at Chamonix where you can relax on the tree-entangled terrace of acclaimed chef Reuben Riffel's Racine.

And then there is Boekenhoutskloof! The namesake of Marc Kent's premier label, along with The Chocolate Block, The Wolftrap and Porcupine Ridge. Spectacularly perched in the Franschhoek hills, with a wooded river trail and sweeping vistas, it's a befok venue for a lekker braai.  

Check out Marc's awesome gathering of 10 Cape Winemakers (and their wines!) and Chef Reuben Riffel's bountiful braai 

(Wine Enthusiast July 2015) 

So, yeah, braai.... 
Woohoo! 
Fire, Food, Fun... Libation... Decoration

And spectacular scenery.

Yes, it's that awesome

OK, you weren't in attendance to that feast, but if you can score a coveted reservation at Foliage, take it!  Chef Chris Erasmus’s forage-inspired, rustic meets hip fare is literally mind-blowing!  #mouthgasm

With Franschhoek's gastronomic possibilities, you really can’t go wrong.  So gander your gut through the cool courtyards to explore gallery-boutiques like Ebony, African Moods, and Indian Summer. Then, beautify at the beautiful at Kymric Hall salon.

Maybe stop in at Reuben's for one last tipple

Hey, that's a pomegranate tree

So you're feed and watered.. now, where to stay in Franschhoek? Do it!- Stay at the best of the best- Le Quartier Francais, a darling boutique labyrinth of courtyard suites and poolside quarters.  Or..., (shhhhh!...) you can still treat yourself to their plush linens, peaceful grounds and yum, fantastic breakfast while on a budget at Delicious, LQF’s sister self-service property.  It’s the best deal in town, and smack in the heart of it. 

just some more typical gorgeousness 

Wondering how to get it all in? You can take the Wine Tram... or, just ring up Bradley at Unwind Franschhoek for a friendly, personalized lift from tarmac to town

My visit would not have been if not for these super stars 

Marc Kent, Boekenhoutskloof Winery; Reuben Riffel, chef, restaurateur, and author; Pieter Badenhorst, Fleur du Cap; Andries Burger, Paul Cluver Wines; Pieter “Bubbles” Ferreira, Graham Beck Wines; Lizelle Gerber, Boschendal; Rudiger Gretschel, Vinimark; Gavin Bruwer Slabbert, Raats Family Wines; Martin Smith, Vilafonté & Paserene Vineyards; Rebecca Tanner, Fable Mountain Vineyards; Debbie Thompson, Simonsig Wine Estate; Maree Louw, Natural Light Photography; Abigail Donnelly, Eat Out

THANK YOU!!

I can't wait to return!

In season...

Freshly brewed SAKÉ

Winter is the season for saké brewing and thanks to the kindly producers of Kiminoi and Ayamasamune, I got a firsthand look at the process, and a firsthand taste of the goods.

Unpolished brown rice will tumble in massive drums, exposing the goods. The dust heads out to pasture.

So where does is all start?  With the rice, of course.  In gigantic tumblers, the rice is polished down to remove the excess starches, leaving just the best stuff.  Common saké uses rice polished to about 60-70% while premium saké often use rice polished down to 30%.  The leftover powder is packaged and repurposed for things like feed and fertilizer.

Ayamasamune's mountain spring water flows beneath the brewery.

There is one thing as important (if not more) than the rice: the water.  In Myoko, Niigata, natural springs abound.  Sometimes they are hot (those were my favorite) but others are cold and refreshing.  
   

Did I mention that saké brewing is really complicated?  It is.

So, after some delicate tempering and the addition of koji to about 7% of the rice, booze making is underway.  Sort of.

There's your everyday saké, and then there's the good stuff.  Some rice is gets the special treatment.  Kinda smells like yogurt.  It will taste delicious soon enough.

Kiminoi's Toji (Master Brewer) Hiroshi Hayatsu works the unfiltered brew and modern technology finishes the chore.

The complicated process continues with a little more elbow grease.  Is it time to taste it yet?

I try my hand at yama-oroshi and at last we've got something potable.  Woooo... fire water!... but it will be diluted a bit before bottling.

Looked a little milky, right?  Well all of those solids get pressed out through this big, long filter thingamajiggy.  The juice goes to bottles and the caked rice meal... some of that came home with me.  Let me know if you want to try it.  Lowers cholesterol, they say.

Speaking of bottling, that's another fascinating story.  In Japan, recycling is a buttoned up operation.  Large format bottles are standard, even for soy sauce!, so crates of everyone's empties roll in and start their journey all over again.

Naked and sterile, conveyors whisk vessels up, over and around. Maybe this is pretty ordinary stuff, but it makes for some pretty cool visuals, no?

And there you have it.  Ready to enjoy.  So let's!

At Ayamasamune, the unfiltered nigori was a favorite, but the freshly bottled, unpasteurized namazake truly expressed the freshness of the natural spring waters.  I risked the short shelf life to bring a bottle home.  Talk about tasting terroir.  

It was tough to pick a favorite at Kiminoi.  All were beautifully smooth with excellent balance.  Do you prefer a fuller, richer mouthfeel or a light, crisp finish?  We liked them both, and the ones in between too.

Both family operations, the gentlemen at Kiminoi and Ayumasamune were outstandingly welcoming hosts. I'm sure they would be pleased to show you around too.  Thank you!

A very special thank you to Bill Ross (right) of Dancing Snow.