We interviewed the author of Great Bar Food at Home, Kate Heyhoe, and she described the recipe for these little munchers that go perfect with red wine. We got many requests to post the recipe, so here goes. Enjoy!
Because PROP is a prescription drug and there are ethical issues concerned with exposing the public to such a test and achieving their "informed consent," Bartoshuk has devised a simple way of measuring the density of your own taste buds. Her suggested method is to swab the front of your tongue with food coloring and then press a plastic (paper gets messy, apparently) ring-binder reinforcer on to it. If you can count more than 25 colored spots on the ring, you are a supertaster, apparently.
I was unexpectedly given a proper PROP test at the Institute of Masters of Wine Sixth Symposium held in Napa Valley last summer. The opening session was moderated by Tim Hanni, MW, a Californian musician and sometime employee of Beringer who has always been interested in questions of taste. It was he who first introduced many of us to the concept of umami, the fifth, monosodium glutamate-like taste we are now supposed to add to sweetness, sourness, saltiness and bitterness -- although I have to say that I very rarely find it in wine.
Hanni gave out little strips of paper that had apparently been impregnated with PROP. The 250-odd of us in the room were to put these on our tongues and record whether we tasted almost unbearable bitterness, mild bitterness or nothing at all. This supposedly indicates whether we are supertasters ("hypertaster" would be a more accurate and less emotive term), normal tasters or hypo (low) tasters. And duly, about a quarter fell into each of the extreme categories with about a half experiencing mild bitterness and therefore classified as normal tasters.
I would have been a bit upset to discover I was a non-taster, but I was also rather disappointed to find that my paper strip tasted horribly bitter, indicating that perhaps I was a hypertaster.
And apparently women are far more likely than men to be hypertasters: 35 percent of American Caucasian females tested by Bartoshuk as opposed to 15 percent of American Caucasian males qualified. There also seems to be a particularly high incidence of hypertasters among Asians.
In a brief report on the symposium that ran on my Web site jancisrobinson.com I mentioned all this en passant, thinking that readers deserved to know if my palate was deformed and in what direction. One reader contacted one of the symposium speakers, Michael O'Mahony, professor of food science and technology at UC Davis, for more information and he replied, "The test that Tim gave does not really diagnose tasters versus hypertasters. It is a lot more complicated than that and the test was completely biased. You can tell Jancis that she is probably a normal taster."
This was good news, and I reported it on my site, but too late it seems. Fellow wine writers were already reacting.
Mark Squires' bulletin board on www.erobertparker.com started a thread on whether biology determined tasting ability, initiated by someone who seemed to understand the issues and pointed out it was quite brave of me to admit to being anything other than normal. But that misleading prefix "super" does a lot of damage. Robert Parker himself jumped in early to declare that he couldn't abide spicy food in any form. (I like it, incidentally.) Then another American wine writer, my old friend Matt Kramer, who must have read this particular thread (though not my own account as he confidently reported that I had painted my tongue with blue coloring) dashed off a column for that well-known oenophiles' gazette, the New York Sun, making me the prime perpetrator of "an almost desperate attempt by some of today's wine tasting potentates to bolster their credibility by suggesting a physical superiority."
This was the last thing I was attempting. But on reflection I do think it is as well for those of us concerned with wine -- whether producing words about wine or wines themselves -- to realize that people taste things in very different ways. And it would probably be helpful for consumers if wine critics were to take the test and come clean about where they stand. Perhaps I am a hypertaster, and perhaps this explains much of what I don't like about particularly alcoholic wines. I would say I have a good tolerance of tannin and acidity, however -- I really enjoy young, tannic wines and, especially, acidity. So I'm not too sure where this leaves us. It could however explain my apparent distaste for the new genre of controversial wines from Chateau Pavie in St-Emilion, which are certainly chock-full of everything. I would describe them as uncomfortably exaggerated but they presumably taste just right to other palates.
Jamie Goode, in his extremely accessible book "Wine Science" (Mitchell Beazley, 2005), addresses some of these issues and asks Gary Pickering, a professor of oenology at Brock University in Canada, whether hypertasters are at an advantage when it comes to wine tasting. "I would speculate that supertasters probably enjoy wine less than the rest of us," the professor is reported as saying. "They experience astringency, acidity, bitterness, and heat (from alcohol) more intensely, and this combination may make wine -- or some wine styles -- relatively unappealing."
The full article, from which this post was excerpted, appeared on page G - 9 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Jancis Robinson is a London-based, internationally known wine journalist, book author and educator. Visit her Web site at jancisrobinson.com and e-mail her at wine@sfchronicle.com.
only $17 at Monterey St. Wine Co.
Today, loyal readers, we've found a (Knob- il- low) Nobilo 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. This winery was founded by a Croat immigrant, Nikola Nobilo, who settled in West Auckland which is situated on the North Island of New Zealand. He and his family started planting vines in 1943 and it all seems to have worked out nicely.
just the ticket for spicy cuisine like Mexican and Asian dishes.
Fifty Languedoc wine producers have now been chosen to supply wines, and Albert says he has a waiting list of about 200 others. "We chose the best wine in the area, but it must also be made in a sustainable way, using as many natural products as possible," he said.
The Wine Whisperer travels outside the Central Coast to find this Ursa major Merlot 2004, from El Dorado County.
ous on its own and yet complements lamb chops, grilled steak or a great hamburger. I spotted it at Spencer’s Markets for just $15.00. Here about it in the Wine Whisperer's own words just click on the radio or his portrait.
This week, dear listeners, I've discovered a great buy from Wolff Vineyards in the Edna Valley of San Luis Obispo, CA. This 2006 Chardonnay is grown on the oldest Chardonnay vines in this unique valley.
Check out what hot wine buy the Wine Whisperer is recommending for Valentine's Day. Always weird, but always tasty.
Check out this new record label called Harvest Road Music that is devoted to "the sounds of wine country." The first CD in the series is titled, "Uncorked." It's a compilation that contains national and local artists.
2. I call this one my "French Esprit d'Corps" knife. The French answer to the Swiss Army. Not only a corkscrew, knife, bottle opener, but the handle separates so you have a usable knife and fork set.
3. My belated high tech Christmas gift. This Oster rechargeable corkscrew works really well (it doesn't like plastic corks, but who does) and comes with a good foil cutter. You just set it atop a fine bottle of wine and push the "down" arrow. It whirls into action driving the auger into the cork, reversing direction and removing said cork. Task completed, you hit the "up" button and Mister Oster presents the cork to you like R2D2 with sommellier training. No, the foil cutter doesn't require recharging.Wine is known to protect against strokes, diabetes and dementia, so Corder, a professor of experimental therapeutics in London, performed tests to learn why. He found that procyanidins - protective anti-oxidants that improve blood-vessel function and prevent heart disease - are what makes red wine so healthy.
Roger Corder, author of the "The Red Wine Diet," found Madiran wines from the south of France to be the most beneficial to health because they contain the highest procyanidin levels.
Madiran, btw, is the name of the region or appellation in France (in the foothills of the Pyrenees) where these wines come from and the main varietal used to make these wines is called Tannat. Although this grape was originally native to the Basque region. It is also the prominent grape of Uruguay.
Luckily for those of us on the Central Coast, great examples of these super healthy wines are made ri
ght in Paso Robles by Tablas Creek and Lone Madrone.
The 2003 Tablas Creek Vineyard Tannat is Tablas Creek's second bottling of this traditional varietal from South-West France. The Tannat grape has intense fruit, spice, and tannins that produce wines capable of long aging, and it is traditionally blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc.
When Tablas Creek imported their Châteauneuf du Pape clones, the Perrins' French nurseryman included the Tannat because he believed it would thrive in the rocky limestone soils of Paso Robles. They planted just under an acre of Tannat, and it has indeed thrived.
And Lone Madrone, by winemaker Neil Collins, has a Tannat that you cannot resist. Listen to their tasting notes: "Oh so dark in the glass with a tight complex nose. Juicy red and dark fruit in the mouth, with beautiful structure and length. This finish shows firm yet not aggressive tannins."
Send us an email identifying which country boasts these most unusual vineyards and we'll send you a Peet's Coffee & Tea GiftCard. Send your answers to: kathy@grapevineradio.net or vine@hughes.net.
Out of choice or necessity, consumers asked more questions in 2007 about where their food was grown and manufactured.
High-profile recalls on numerous foods, a federal ban on some Chinese seafood and escalating concerns about the safety of the food supply caused many consumers to take a closer look at labels.
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| Friendly bacteria that promote digestive health is getting more popular. |
 John Spink/Staff |
| More and more people are questioning the environmental wisdom of bottled water. |
At the same time, books like Barbara Kingsolver's bestseller "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" helped boost the local foods movement, sending new converts to farmers markets for fresh fruits and vegetables, raw milk and pasture-raised chicken, pork and beef.
In the next year, food safety and the search for local, sustainable edibles will play major roles again. Throw in Georgia's new restaurant health code and expect an even greater focus on where food
was grown, how it was handled and what its true cost is. Here are more trends to expect on the table in 2008:
• Local and sustainable. Look for more food grown close to home in farmers' markets, supermarkets and on restaurant menus as consumer demand keeps booming (they've become "localvores").
With large institutions giving greater emphasis to local producers, the supply of farmers might grow, too.
• Celebrity chefs. Emeril's gets some competition in 2008, with high-profile restaurants coming from Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Spice Market, in Midtown), and Laurent Tourondel (BLT Steak downtown). And our local celebrities: Chef Rick, Orcutt, CA, Chef Evan Treadwell (Lido at Dolphin Bay, Pismo Beach) Also on tap: Bringing Paso back to the future, Chef Chris Kobayashi, Artisan in Paso Robles, CA.
• Food safety. Tainted pet food, salmonella-laced peanut butter, cans of chili sauce harboring the deadly bacteria that causes botulism — the list goes on for the food safety scares of 2007. With major food manufacturers, legislators and a federal scientists' panel joining the consumer advocates who have long called for tightening food safety systems, 2008 could be a year of change.
• Restaurant grades. More cities and states are passing legislation requiring restaurants to display letter and number grades on reports, which must be prominently posted near their entrances and on drive-through windows.
• Faster food. Serving a meal without cooking it will be easier than ever, with supermarkets expanding their prepared meal offerings, and more restaurants adding pickup lanes, cellphone ordering and swipe-and-go payment systems.
• Probiotics. Friendly bacteria that promote digestive health might sound like a tough sell, but they're popping up in scores of new products beyond the traditional yogurt. From Kashi Vive to Attune chocolate chip granola bars, the bacteria are colonizing all sorts of unexpected food items. Prebiotics, which contain fiber to feed the probiotic bacteria, are joining the trend in products such as Kraft's LiveActive cheeses. "Honey do you hear something moving around in the kitchen?"
• Small plates. Call them tapas or small plates, the downsized portions are still big with chefs. Tiny desserts, too.
• More nutritious food. Whether for weight loss or wellness, Americans have become more likely to pick up new products with health benefits than the indulgent best-sellers of past years. Among the top product introductions in 2007: Dannon's Activia yogurt, with probiotics. And in 2006, the Kraft South Beach line and lower-fat ice creams set the tone. For 2008, look for more products with whole grains, antioxidant-rich juices, teas and fruits and vegetables, and without as much sodium.
Nutrition labeling systems, to help consumers more easily sort out the best choice, are on the way. But with at least two competing systems in the works, expect some confusion at the store.
• Water guilt. Drinking water used to be so simple. Now bottled water is facing a backlash over the environmental toll of those billions of plastic bottles. And many restaurants aren't serving tap water except on customer request, because of the continuing drought. What's a conscious consumer to order? Judging by beverage trends, pinot noir. Yea for the Central Coast wine industry!
ese all by myself. This list is comprised of leads from award winning wine writer, Jennifer Rosen, "The Cork Jester," and that other costumed cork popper, "The Wine Whisperer."
ses can be used to serve hot or cold liquids.
Strange Carafes that Look Like Abstract Giraffes. If you want to give me something for Christmas here's my pick. Click the link or the photos to see one being filled.... it's a lot more interesting than you might think.
arkling wine or other beverage.
Link (via Oh Gizmo) (Image thumbnail taken from a larger picture on FirstScience, credited to Stephen Orlick and Homaro Cantu)Perhaps Cantu's greatest innovation at Moto is a modified Canon i560 inkjet printer (which he calls the "food replicator" in homage to Star Trek) that prints flavoured images onto edible paper. The print cartridges are filled with food-based "inks", including juiced carrots, tomatoes and purple potatoes, and the paper tray contains sheets of soybean and potato starch. The printouts are flavoured by dipping them in a powder of dehydrated soy sauce, squash, sugar, vegetables or sour cream, and then they are frozen, baked or fried.
The most common printed dish at Moto is the menu. It can literally whet your appetite by providing a taste test of what's on the menu: tear off and eat a picture of a cow and it will taste like filet mignon. Once you are done with your sampling, the menu can be torn up and thrown into a bowl of soup - but only once you've ordered your two-dimensional sushi which consists of photos of maki rolls sprinkled on the back with soy and seaweed flavouring.
See also: When the Sous-Chef Is an Inkjet (NYT)
Update: Joel sez, "Here is a photo-essay of a 17-course menu at Moto, from LTHForum, The Chicago Culinary Chat site."
