How wonderful it was to take the collective magic carpet ride that is Lulu & Co.  I am speaking both specifically about the super fun book signing we hosted featuring Lulu’s new book, FOOD to FLOWERS, at currentVintage, and what it’s like to be around the Powers girls, in general.  Wherever Lulu goes, there is a flurry of  energy, ideas and yes, magic.  Her particular combo of culinary chemistry and personal charisma has taken her from apprentice in the kitchen of Sarah Leah Chase on Nantucket to titillating the tastebuds of Madonna, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, Arianna Huffington and Bill Clinton in LA.  In addition to great talent and entertaining savvy, Lulu has excellent taste and style, as evidenced by her preference for vintage clothing and the fabulous pieces that she has collected from currentVintage.

“If a dinner party is like a relationship, then a cocktail party is like a fling–all the fun and none of the commitment.”–Lulu Powers in  Food to Flowers

The book is a lovely lesson in simple but thoughtful and chic entertaining–who couldn’t use a lesson in that?–beautifully photographed by Lulu’s husband, Stephen Danelian.  Below are a couple of the simply delightful recipes included in Food to Flowers.  To purchase the book, visit currentVintage (for a signed copy), your local bookstore or http://www.lulupowers.com

EDAMAME BRUSCHETTA

Edamame:
2½ cups, plus ½ cup shelled edamame, at room temperature
1 cup fresh mint leaves
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
salt and pepper
½ cup olive oil

In food processor, blend 2½ cups edamame, mint, parsley, salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Add oil and remaining ½ cup edamame, and blend until mixture is slightly chunky.

To Serve:
2 packages rice crackers, about 30 crackers
4 strips bacon, cooked until crispy and broken into small pieces
½ cup finely grated Gruyère cheese

Place dollop of edamame mixture on rice crackers. Top with bacon and garnish with Gruyère.

MILLION DOLLAR BARS

“Taste just one of these treats and you’ll understand the name. My mom’s English friend, Mrs. Kennedy, introduced the Powers clan to Million-Dollar Bars. She wouldn’t part with the recipe, so my sister Sarah and I came up with one ourselves. The problem is that you can’t eat just one.”–Lulu

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter

(1 stick at room temperature & 2 sticks chilled and cut into pieces)

½ cup packed brown sugar

Two 14-ounce cans unsweetened condensed milk

¼ cup heavy cream

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Makes 35 bars

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Sift the flour into the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar and the chilled butter and pulse until the mixture resembles crumbs.

3. Press the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch pan sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until light golden. Let cool in the pan.

4. In a medium saucepan, melt the brown sugar and the remaining stick of butter. Add the condensed milk and stir constantly over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens slightly and becomes light golden in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the caramel from the heat and pour evenly over the cooled cookie mixture. Let cool slightly.

5. In the meantime, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water and gradually whisk in the heavy cream until smooth.

6. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the caramel and spread it evenly with a small offset spatula or by tapping the bottom of the pan on a hard surface.

7. Cool the bars in the refrigerator until set and cut into squares. If the chocolate hardens, let the bars stand for at least 1 hour at room temperature before cutting. They will keep for 1 week on the counter and 2 weeks in the freezer.

The Nantucket Film Festival celebrated it’s 15^th birthday this year.  Wow.  15.  I say wow, NOT just because I was a Co-Producer of a Festival film, but because A.  I was at Opening Night in 1996 (and have been ever since) and B.  Because it was the Best Ever!

From the Opening night film, The Extra Man, to the unbelievably fascinating docs on Bill Cunningham and Ron Galella to the Brian Williams monologue at the Screenwriter’s Tribute to Chris Matthews’ interview with Barry Levinson, it was amazing.  I am still running into like-minded Film enthusiasts on the street, exclaiming how extraordinary one film or another was this past week…Nevermind the thrill of seeing my name on the big screen in a producing credit for Mister Rogers & Me!  (When independent film makers need cash, those credits can go pretty cheap.)

Truthfully, I regularly think the festival is ‘the best ever’.  Losing Chase was the 1996 inaugural film and also Kevin Bacon’s directorial debut.  I was so enthused by the experience that I returned to Provisions, my sandwich shop on Straight Wharf, and re-named our BLT as “Kevin Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato” on the blackboard, provoking confusion and the occasional smile for years to come.

There have been many inspiring opening films (14, to be exact), including “The Full Monty”, “American Splendor” and “Trans-Siberian”, but it is the rest of the festival slate that delights me most.  There are always quiet gems that may never see the green light of distribution and the only opportunity to see them (for me) rests with the fest.  And so, I venture forth with the zeal of an ingénue, in an effort to take in the best the fest has to offer…

“Morning Coffee with a Writer”, film, work, film, snack, film, change of outfit, Evening Event (Party/Storytelling/Tribute), After-Party…popping my Wellness Formula vitamins and ignoring my employees’ pleas for communication day after day.

Here are some of the highlights…

“Literally, you just turn on your camera and beautiful stuff gets inside  it”—Lynn True on filming Summer Pasture in remote Eastern-Tibet

‘Deep & simple is better than shallow & complex any day’—Fred Rogers (as told to Benjamin Wagner, co-creator of Mister Rogers & Me)

“We worked out the licensing last night.”—Benjamin Wagner re the process of trust and determination in making Mister Rogers & Me.

Q:  “How will the Lady Gaga generation receive the message of Mr. Rogers?”—audience member at “Morning Coffee”
A.  “Twinkies have their short-term value, but in the end everyone needs a  slice of whole wheat.”—Benjamin Wagner, Mister Rogers & Me

“I was trying to capture the beauty/horror/absurdity of family.”—Festival honoree Michael Arndt on the writing of Little Miss Sunshine

“Families are inherently funny in that you have a group of people with nothing in common except the fact they are related.”– Michael Arndt on the writing of Little Miss Sunshine

“I wanted to start a riot of happiness.”– Michael Arndt on the ending of Little Miss Sunshine

Must-See Films 2010:

Bill Cunningham New York—A documentary on the charming, elegant 80-year-old New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham. With the singular goal of capturing the beauty that crosses his path, Cunningham has created a poignant and ongoing chronicle of the intersection of fashion and society in New York for over 50 years—in effect, a portrait of New York City itself—while living in a tiny studio apartment above Carnegie Hall and riding a bike.

Smash His Camera—A fascinating look at the surprisingly endearing Ron Galella—the original despised Paparazzo for whom Jackie Onassis obtained a restraining order.  His archives are an exhausting journey through pop culture over the last 40+ years, from Pia Zadora & John Gotti to Jacki O & Liz Taylor.

Cairo Time—A beautiful, seductive story set in exotic Cairo, starring the always-magnificent Patricia Clarkson and sexy, sexy Alexander Siddig

Winter’s Bone—A riveting tale of a 17-yr old the lawless Ozarks, caring for her little brother and sister, while trying to find her crack-dealing Father who put up their home for his bail bond and disappeared. 

The Concert & Freedom Writers—Definitely two of the most-talked about films at the fest

Mister Rogers & Me—A lovely portrait of Nantucket summer resident and pioneering children’s television host Fred Rogers.  Created by the Wagner brothers through a long, meaningful journey of their own.

Nowhere Boy—A darling film about the teenage John Lennon and the heartbreak and angst that shaped his life and music (by Sam Taylor-Wood).

The Extra Man—A story of friendship between an older New York gentleman (Kevin Kline) and a young man (Paul Dano) with a a few sexual identity issues.  Written by (and based on) the brilliant Jonathan Ames.

This article ran in The Daily Beast last August and is required reading for anyone shopping in the “2 for $10″ bins.  Most of us can occasionally indulge in a hot dog and conveniently compartmentalize the knowledge that they are made of all sorts of mystery meats and fillers long enough to enjoy a few bites.  Well, you may also be able to do that quaffing the cheap wines, but somewhere in your brain, you should have the facts on what’s really going down the hatch…

Do you know what you were really drinking last night?

The dirty secret about wine is that it frequently contains wood chips, chemicals, and something called Mega Purple…

Most wine bought in the United States cost less than $10 a bottle. Of that price, the winery makes less than $2. A large chunk of that goes to pay for the glass, the labels, and the corks. Another chunk goes to paying for the winery staff, another goes toward taxes… you get the idea. To make any sort of profit, the winemaker has to buy low-quality grapes in bulk and mass-produce the stuff.

Beware what’s in your glass…

If you don’t have time to read the whole article by writer Keith Wallace, founder of the Wine School of Philadelphia,  the moral of the story is this:  If you want to stay away from overly manipulated wine, you may have to change your buying habits.

First, keep your hands out of the bargain bins: Those bottles are there for a reason.

Second, start buying more European wines. Despite the few horror stories, Europeans have much stricter regulations on wine additives than the U.S. or Australia.

Ironically, some of the best retail wine bargains are from France and Italy.  The standards of agriculture, quality of viticulture and generations of experience often yield a superior product at a given price point than their international counterparts.  Not insignificantly, many old producers farm organically and biodynamically.  Do you want mystery meat or a grass-fed all-beef frank?  Do you want a $10 bottle of organic Pecorino or a $5 wood-chip flavored chardonnay?  You decide.

Veuve Clicquot was on island in force last week, celebrating the the 200^th anniversary of the release of the first Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (VCP) vintage champagne at the 14^th annual Nantucket Wine Festival.

Dominique Demarville, the charismatic and handsome Chef-du-Cave or Cellar Master, was the guest of honor at numerous fetes, large and small, and never failed to dazzle all in attendance.  At barely 40 years old and only the tenth Cellar Master in over 230 years, Dominique is most likely at the beginning of a long reign at the illustrious, iconic label.

Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, aka “The Widow Clicquot”, was nothing short of a visionary, in that she released the first “vintage” champagne, changed the way champagne was made by developing the riddling rack to remove sediment, and created an international market for VCP by sending 10,000 bottles to Russia post-Napoleon.  Her  motto, “one quality only, the finest”, and entrepreneurial skills have been inspirational for generations—read all about her in the book, “The Widow Clicquot” by Tilar J. Mazzeo. It has been called “…an intoxicating business biography.” by Julia Flynn Siler of The Wall Street Journal.  Pun intended?

Not surprisingly, the plethora of events and opportunities to rub shoulders and clink glasses with Dominique left us at a loss for words, and so, we send him these love letters…and lift a glass to Madame Clicquot and her empire of bubbles.

Cher Dominique,

I so enjoyed your company throughout the Nantucket Wine Festival this past week.  The “Women of Nantucket in Wine” garden luncheon was a glorious treat—the elegant wines, the decadent meal, the spectacular setting and the powerful company combined with your charm and knowledge for a most memorable day.  Not to mention, the unforgettable 1985 Rare Vintage rosé with herbed lamb chops—sensationnel.

We were delighted to host you at currentVintage and appreciated you signing bottle after bottle for so many Veuve admirers.  The energy was contagious and the photos are a testament to how much fun we had!

The clambake was a lovely, casual way to wind-down-while-continuing-to-celebrate the week of wine. Lobster and La Grande Dame 1998?  Magnifique–I hope to repeat that one again soon!

Please know how much we admire your effort for artistry and quality on such a grand scale.  We look forward to the release of the Vintage 2007!

Avec toute mon affection,

Elisabeth

Dear Dominique,
May I offer that Champagne Veuve Clicquot was precisely the fitting way to celebrate and savor the finale of 14th annual Nantucket Wine Festival Great Wines in Grand Houses events?

The memory of the wines savored during yesterday’s brunch will bring pleasure to our guests (and me!) for a long time to come. Your passion and absolute dedication to both the House and your craft made each and every detail that you shared with us come to life!  The whole seemed to be coming straight from your heart, as you lead your guests to better understand and appreciate the subtleties of the superbly crafted wines being poured. I know we all will envision you, Chef du Cave going about your work, when next we uncork a bottle!
Thank you very sincerely for a truly unforgettable morning!
Best wishes for a delightful reunion with your family upon your return home.  I will hope to see you here on Nantucket again next year!

Adieu!

Lynn

Nantucket Wine Festival Great Wines in Grand Houses

May 23, 2010

Champagne Veuve Clicquot

Presented by Dominique Demarville, Cellar Master

Chef E. J. Harvey

The Seagrille, Nantucket

Dorothy Slover and Doug Kenward, Hosts

Reception

Island Creek Oysters, La Petite Pearle Caviar

Alaska Dungeness crab salad, pâte á choux

Beet and horseradish cured smoked salmon, cucumber crème fraîche, sesame cone

Nantucket egg scramble, asparagus, black truffle hollandaise

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label

1^st Course

Seared diver scallop

orange and carrot juice gastrique, pancetta, parmesan crisp

La Grande Dame 1998

2^nd course

Lobster, asparagus, Vermont goat cheese timbale

thyme and chive butter

Veuve Clicquot Vintage 2002 Rose

3^rd course

Seared veal tenderloin

Vermont morels, fiddleheads, roasted tomato cream

Grainy mustard späetzle

Veuve Clicquot Rare Vintage 1988 Blanc

Dessert course

Petite Pavlova

lemon curd crème fraîche, fresh berries, mint

Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec

When traveling, it’s not unusual to wonder what it would be like to live somewhere else, especially if that place is particularly horrible or desirable.  Not surprisingly, when I’m in wine country (which is decidedly desirable), I often wonder what it would be like to live there and I savor any glimpse into the Napa lifestyle.

In the wine trade, a visit to wine country can be punishing, ie  six tasting appointments a day.  Beginning with barrel tasting at 9am (followed by a tour of the vineyard, the tank room, the cave, the tasting room, repeat) and culminating in a lavish dinner of too much food and wine–the day is long.  Multiply that times 7 and you get serious fatigue and more than a few pounds in the course of a week.  My Napa Valley lifestyle would definitely not include six wine appointments a day and would only involve barrel tasting once I had my own winery.  What it would include is some of the amazing food that we have had and which contributes greatly to the quality of life there, as well as weekly mud baths and lots of time hanging with friends and friends’ dogs.

I would base myself in Yountville, central to Napa town and Calistoga, for easy access to restaurants and shops.  Imagine arising every morning and heading to  Thomas (French Laundry) Keller’s  Bouchon Bakery in Yountville for a pistachio brioche…Shopping every day at the Sunshine Foods market in St. Helena—choosing which loaf of fresh baked bread and selecting a local olive oil to go with.  For lunch, I would have a BLT from Oakville Grocery every other day, because on the even days, I would be at Taylor’s Refresher for shrimp tacos or a tex-mex burger.  That is, except for Fridays, where I might join the boys—Ray Coursen, John Arns, Herb Lamb—for a bite & bottle at Mustard’s or Redd.  I might even have to have that BLT for breakfast occasionally, in order to fit in all these good places to eat.

More often than not, nights would be spent at Bottega (in Yountville), rather than the French Laundry.  Not because it’s the best food, but because it’s the most comfortable—and I might not be alone in that assessment, because the place is always packed.  Not, however, in an elbow to elbow way, but in an every-table-is-full way that lets you know Michael Chiarello has hit upon the perfect formula of good food and cozy atmosphere—and on a grand scale, which is hard to pull off in such a big place.  Another indication of Chiarello’s brilliance is that he only marks up the wines the slightest bit and charges a nominal corkage.  Genious!  One can enjoy top Napa wines for not much over retail, or, if you’re a winemaker, bring your own to share with friends.

Lunching, spa-ing, sharing wine with friends–that is my idea of Napa: Unplugged.  As we move into our busy season on Nantucket, doesn’t that sound appealing?!

For inspirational images of the characters that make up the real Napa Valley, check out Bill Tucker’s book, NAPA:  Behind the Bottle.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/42404405@N06/

The Nantucket Wine Festival Who’s Who:  Alex Gambal, Bertrand Ambroise, Michel Anglada, John Arns, Alis Arrowood, Beaux Freres, Jack Bittner of Cliff Lede and Franz Hill, Chateau d’Esclans, Donelan, Ray Coursen of Elyse, Kristine Ashe Vineyards, Sean Larkin of Larkin, Jack Larkin & Tinknocker, Hall, Hirsch, Hourglass, Jordan, Justin Baldwin of Justin, Carissa Mondavi, Miner Family, Eric Munson of Dancing Bear Cellars, Jorge Ordonez of Fine Estates from Spain, Damaris Colhoun of Landmark, Martin Estate, Michael & Fiona Ragg of Mischief and Mayhem, Pride Mountain, Regan Wines, Comte Philippe & Beatrice Senard, Robert Sinskey, Bill ‘DANCING BEAR’ Bishop of Steele & Shooting Star, Tariquet, Dominique Demarville of Veuve Clicquot, Villa Sparina, Wishing Tree…

These are but a few of the all-star cast that is the 2010 Nantucket Wine Festival, but they, in particular, are near and dear to our hearts.  Some of them you hear about a lot, others fly under the radar.  Most, we sell their wines;  some, we just admire.  All will contribute to a stellar 4-day wine experience–I know, because I’ve spent time with almost all of them!

Just this winter, I was in Sonoma, lunching with David Hirsch and his daughter, Jasmine, at their new home on the rugged Sonoma Coast.  It is a 2+ hour drive from Sonoma, over hill and dale, and thus, we named it “Outward Bound” day.  It was a treat hanging with David, a pioneer of this appellation.  Hirsch makes pure, Burgundian-style Pinot Noir and sells his grapes to others such as Littorai, Failla and Siduri.  His Saturday seminar on “The True Sonoma Coast” will be very worthwhile.

We (meaning Denis Toner of the Nantucket Wine Festival, our friend David Kuhn, Mark Donato and I) also lunched with Alis & Dick Arrowood of Arrowood and Amapola Creek in Glen Ellen.  The Arrowoods are a true wine country success story, in that they built up their label Arrowood, sold to Kendall Jackson (who retained Dick as winemaker), and now they’ve started a boutique label, Amapola Creek.

We had dinner with Ray Coursen (Elyse) at Michael Chiarello’s Bottega in Yountville and again enjoyed his company at a winter feast in his home with veteran winemakers Sandy Belcher and John Arns, plus newbie Kristine Ashe.  On other nights, we dined with the Donelan Family team at Cyrus in Healdsburg and had a glass of wine with Carissa Mondavi of Continuum.

I’ve visited many beautiful properties, large and small, and having some of these wineries come to Nantucket brings back wonderful memories.  The vineyards and state–of-the-art caves at Hourglass and Hall are stunning and Justin is by far the most luxurious winery to spend the night in (except for, perhaps, Jordan!).  Pride Mountain is also a special property–Its high elevation, straddling Napa and Sonoma Counties offers terrific views and yields tremendous wines.  And in November, we’ll be back in Beaune to see old friends like Alex Gambal, Michel Anglada and the Senards.

Several luminaries I have had the pleasure of hosting at currentVintage.  Eric Munson, Jorge Ordonez and Robert Sinskey have all done store tastings in the past, and this year, we welcome Michael & Fiona Ragg of Mischief & Mayhem and Dominique Demarville, Cellarmaster of Veuve Clicquot.  The Raggs have the distinction of being British winemakers in Burgundy and Demarville made history as the youngest champagne Cellarmaster ever at age 36.

I am such a fan of Bertrand Ambroise and Jack Bittner that I selected the Ambroise Cremant and a Zinfandel from Franz Hill for a spring dinner pairing in a recent issue of Nantucket Today.  Jack is the General Manager of Cliff Lede (where all the parcels are named after rock bands and albums, eg Dark Side of the Moon) and Franz Hill is his own project.  Wines from Shooting Star, Wishing Tree and Domaine de Tariquet are among the value gems of the currentVintage wine collection.

Yes, it’s an all-star cast–Don’t miss these wineries and winemakers at the NWF next week…!

Alex Gambal is a festival favorite–As an American in Burgundy, he seems sort of like a hometown hero, even though he’s from D.C.  Here is a bit on Alex from a previous cV Lifestyle post:

http://currentvintage.com/blog/2009/09/27/alex-elyse-a-love-story/

Ray Coursen of Elyse Winery is another NWF regular and was also featured in the above post.  Ray was deservingly honored as NWF Luminary of the Year in 2009.  I had a couple of excellent dinners with Ray in Yountville this winter, including this fun evening with fellow winemakers Kristine Ashe, maker of Entre Nous and John Arns, maker of outstanding cabs from Arns Winery .

http://currentvintage.com/blog/2009/09/17/ode-to-jorge/

http://currentvintage.com/blog/2009/05/27/six-degrees-to-sean-larkin/

Nantucket’s Daffodil Weekend is here!

Yes, our home-grown, self-induced yellow fever that feasts on friends, fun and familiarity.  The basic themes include Antique cars, tailgate picnics, Daffy hats and all things yellow, but every family and group has their own traditions and Daffodil style.  From breaking out the vintage Lilly to stirring festive libations to that secret recipe for egg salad, there are many signatures for Daffodil weekend.  We gather on Main St in town and Main St in Sconset to celebrate the new season.

And thus we begin our springtime ritual of greeting one another, whom we may not have seen in many months, and asking “How was your winter?”.  It’s a wonderful exchange;  some folks have been South, some busy with school and family, others in hibernation.  Some, like me, used nearly every single second of the winter months to travel…

San Francisco*Yountville*Healdsburg*Sonoma

Carmel*Santa Barbara*Ventura*Malibu

Santa Monica*LA*Boston*Providence*Charlotte

New York*New York*New York

I think I hit more cities than the American Idols Tour.  Wining, dining, visiting friends and shopping for vintage faster than the speed of light.

Because:

A.  It takes a lot of time to discover the wines and unearth all the treasures that fill our shop every year

B.  Life is short and I doubt I’ll be going anywhere else until October!

To be continued, in this space, with stories from Napa, Sonoma & beyond.   Hope you had a good winter!

To Every wine I’ve loved before…

I remember that 1990 Nuits St George at Jean George so long ago.  And there was the Corton Charlemagne in the 18^th century caves of Latour. Aged and amber white burgundies at Jadot.  A thimbleful of 1964 Lafite-Rothschild (it was a half bottle shared among 8).

While these were great vintages, it’s the circumstance I remember so vividly, because what makes a wine truly memorable is usually the setting in which it’s enjoyed…the pleasure of the table.  While I’m a little spoiled in the fine wine department, it doesn’t have to be all pomp–a backyard BBQ makes me so happy in summer.  Friends and food—they can make a good wine unforgettable.  Of course, it doesn’t hurt when the wines are from Burgundy, but the point is that wines do not always need a white tablecloth to shine.

On a wine trip last year, I had an impromptu 2004 Dierberg chardonnay with Jim Dierberg in his majestic home in Happy Canyon, outside Santa Barbara.  We thought that we would be guided around the spectacular Neverland-scale property by a winery rep, but Jim showed up, himself, and after a tour over hill and dale in his Range Rover, he invited us in to share a glass–such an unexpected treat!  We learned so much about the man, the wine, the land;  a brief, but lovely visit and memory.

Wine and food.  The exponential pleasure derived from the combo still leaves me giddy.  Just last spring, a bottle of the unusual, distinctive (and inexpensive) 07 Conti di Buscareto Lacrima di Morro d’Alba at the Little Owl in the West Village made a phenomenal meal even more so.  I bought it for the store and when I opened a bottle, it was so…different.  The wine had been but one part of the perfect tsunami that was a super-memorable evening.  It’s still interesting and intriguing, but at the Little Owl, it was sublime.  A 2003 Sea Smoke “Southing” had the same effect at Blackeyed Susan’s:  good food became outrageously so.  I’m still dreaming of the Guy Charlemagne cuvee our hosts popped for us just last month in Ireland–a perfectly lavish wine that reflected the warmth and generosity of our friends.

A 1969 Remoriquet, a Kistler chardonnay, some Puligny-Montrachet…the wines of 2009 could be the start of a great musical, or at least a nice haiku.

Top 5 Wines I’d like to find under the tree:

07 Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc, $60 (sale $48 at currentVintage)

Lush, round and mouthfilling decadence.  They sell this by the ($24) glass at the Waverly Inn in NYC, a restaurant known for it’s extravagances, ie $55 truffle mac-n-cheese, no telephone reservations, larger-than-life clientele, that mural of who’s whos…The food is good, but not great, and the attitude borders on Theatre of the Absurd, but somehow the experience always exceeds the sum of its parts–and a glass of this wine plays a big part!

07 Radio-Coteau “Savoy” Chardonnay, $56 (sale $45)

This wine stood out in a line-up of standouts at my birthday dinner.   Even after magnums of Pax rosé and Bouchard Batard-Montrachet and others were served, this elegant Sonoma Coast chardonnay, with hint of pear and lots of finesse, provoked head-turning, label studying reactions from most.  This also reminds me of the Radio-Coteau “Las Colinas” syrah we had at American Seasons, which reminds me of another night at AS with a Loring pinot noir…

02 Bouchard Pere et Fils “Clos St Marc”, Nuits St Georges, $90 (sale $72)

What we love about Burgundy—nuance.  Lip-smacking, yet layered with a long and lovely finish. A  savory and sophisticated pinot that is ready to drink.  A favorite of my Mark—we savored it with burgers on a warm summer night.

05 Larkin Cabernet Franc, $72 (sale $58)

Sexy & voluptuous.  It was love at first sip with this one.  Reminds me of the old Secret commercial:  Strong enough for a man, yet made for a woman!  I don’t know if this is intentional, but I can just imagine charismatic Sean Larkin crafting wines with women in mind.  A Nantucket Wine Festival favorite, check out the cute photo of Sean in our previous post on him in the May 2009 archive (above right).

98 Billecart Salmon “Cuvee Elisabeth”, $175 (sale $140)

Another birthday treat, this champagne is pure beauty:  Stunning bottle, gorgeous pink-amber color, lovely to savor.

While most NV champagnes are carefully calibrated to maintain a consistent “House style”, a vintage champagne offers a snapshot of a particular vineyard in a spectacular year.  The house of Billecart-Salmon, established in 1818, is known for their rosés, with the “Cuveé Elisabeth” being the pinnacle.  This sophisticated, velvety and complex champagne fascinates.  I am thrilled that a champagne of this beauty and style has my name on it:  Elisabeth!

All I want for Christmas is…any of these wines that remind me of some really wonderful times in 2009.

In the last post, I left off with Dingle, the charming town ¾ of the way to the end of the Dingle Peninsula.  Having made our way from Dublin to Dingle over the course of a week, we had stayed in many nice places, eaten out 2-3 meals a day and were basically spoiled in the scenic sights department.

On a trip of this sort, things have to get progressively more interesting or the destinations at the start of the trip have an unfair advantage of being new and first, and therefore, remembered most fondly.  Well, Dingle did not disappoint.  The town is cute as it can be, even with nearly every single restaurant closed on a Thursday night.  We dined at the most beautiful restaurant, The Old Stone Bar & Grill, which I would recommend for drinks ONLY.  We ordered the mussels and some other small plates…not long after, we noticed a kitchen employee put his coat on and head out into the night.  When our mussels were served a bit later, they did not come with the usual homemade Irish soda bread.  No, we got a toasted hamburger bun.  It had pesto slathered on it, but it was still a boring white bun!

The cliffs at Slea Head and the rugged coast are breathtaking and the drive the next day, over the Connor Pass and to the flat sand beach on the northside of the peninsula was awesome.  The tide goes out nearly as far as you can see, so the beaches at lo-tide are fantastic.

While it was hard to depart the beauty of picture-perfect Dingle, the comforts of Dromoland Castle awaited.

Dingle to Dromoland:

We raced from Dingle to Dromoland, with barely a stop, in hopes of arriving in time for an afternoon walk with the hounds and some time at the spa.

En Route:

Visit the tiny village of Adare, home to a row of charming, if touristy,  thatch-roof cottages housing several boutiques.  The town was given it’s award-winning makeover by an Englishman in the 1820s, in effort to create the perfect village and has been attracting sightseers ever since.

Shop:

Rococo Shoe Room at the Rose covered cottage—Where the beauty on the inside even surpasses the outside! Drool-inducing array, including Spanish designeres Paco Gil, Pedro Garcia and Pura Lopez, as well as quirky American Beverly Feldman

Stay:  Dromoland Castle near Newmarket-on-Fergus

We were awestruck upon arriving at Dromoland—it looks as if King Arthur and the knights will be back any minute.  Worth a night for the opulence.  Our room was extravagantly appointed, as were the common areas.

Eat:

Dromoland is an all-inclusive deal, so our meals were taken in the Earl of Thomond dining room.  While we enjoyed the flourish, pomp and circumstance, the food was unremarkable.  I enjoyed the turbot, which seemed fitting, and was grateful they were not serving pheasant, having noticed a large number of birds and hunters running around the grounds.  Breakfast was a similarly lavish affair, and all that silver is fun, even when they are serving white toast with your dry omelet.

Drink:

An after-dinner drink in the intimate bar is obligatory—listen to the fiddle player and try to count the number of Staffordshire dogs that decorate the walls.

Do:

While you can golf, boat, hunt pheasant or visit the Falconry, we chose the Leisure Center in the club house next door.  Swim, jaccuzi, steam, sauna, repeat.  We were made to purchase little black stretch bathing caps for 5e to enter the pool.  We must have looked suspect, because no one else was wearing them…

Dromoland to Galway via The Burren:

Departing Limerick and entering Clare, I was interested to see how things had changed since my last visit, seventeen years ago.  O’Connell’s Pub in Doolin is still there, but so are dozens (hundreds?) of vacation homes and B&Bs.  I’m sure the music scene is still thriving, but tourism has hit this area hard.

Galway City is music central—so many cool pubs in such a small area, plus fab restaurants and great shopping.  What a wonderful town!  We were there for Game 1 of Ireland vs France World Cup qualifying match.  While super to be in a Galway pub cheering Ireland on a Saturday night, the 1-0 outcome was a bummer.

En Route:

Cliffs of Moher—the majestic cliffs are a must in any season.  It’s probably a good thing that there is now fencing and roping, although few seem to abide the “STOP: Do not Enter” sign where the path has been blocked off.  The Cliffs are so windy, it can be hard to stand up-right, and I wonder how many have ended up below in the cold Atlantic…I’d rather be a wuss than a statistic!

Ennistimon, Lahinch, Doolin, Lisdoonvarna…cute little towns to drive through and scare up lunch en route to the R480 road through the Burren

The Burren—a fascinating, stark landscape; scenic drive to Poulnabrone, a simple, ancient burial site out in the middle of nowhere.  We zig-zagged the backroads to see as much as possible.

Stay:

The House Hotel, Merchant St, Galway—great location; Fun & modern décor.  Although the first  room we looked at was ug-ly, the upgraded larger room was fantastic and one of our faves.

Eat:

French Restaurant on Abbeygate?—casual, superb lunch

Nimmo’s—Cute, cozy and really good:  Butternut squash soup, risotto and a bottle of “Paddy” New Zealand Pinot Noir.  Super popular with locals and critics, which is nice

House of Thai—Fancy Thai; close to our hotel and perfect for a rainy Sunday night.

Butler’s—Decadent Hot Chocolate

Drink:

The Quays Pub—Our friend, Eithne, says it’s a must for a pint

Crane’s Bar—a 10 minute walk over the bridge from Quay St.  Great Trad music on Sunday afternoon and again on Sunday night, possibly every night

See & Do:

Walk!  Quay St and all the terrific shops around town

See the Swans on the Quay near the Spanish Arch

Walk to Salt Hill (2mi)—a pretty seaside promenade with shops and restaurants.   We gambled ((video roulette) in the casino for a little afternoon shelter and fun.

Galway to Sligo via Connemara:

We got up pretty early in the morning and prayed for good weather.  There’s no point in going to Connemara if you can’t see it and the area is known for fog and mist.  Luckily, although it rained, it was not deal-breaking and we persevered through the rugged mountain roads and lovely coastal towns, riveted by the sight.

En Route—

The Quiet Man Bridge—near Oughterard (Ook-ter ard).  The iconic John Wayne film was filmed on location in Connemara and you will find numerous references to it in any guidebook.

Roundstone—Cute, tiny town on the coast; we stopped for photos and a couple of bananas, since there had been no opportunity for a morsel of food between Galway and there, at least not at 8am.

Clifden—A bigger resort-town, with bakeries and restaurants.  I was devastated that the adorable store, LOVE Vintage, a kindred spirit, was not open:(

The Twelve Pins—We traveled back on N59 toward Galway, so we could take the R336 by Lough Inagh, to Kylemore Abbey.  The drive was one of the most scenic in Ireland, even in the rain—I can only imagine the lake with the towering mountains behind in the sunshine…

Kylemore Abbey—Arising out of the woods, the Abbey is that gorgeous castle you always see pictured next to anything mentioning Connemara.  Eleven elderly Nuns occupy the Abbey and they don’t miss a trick—there is a wonderful cafeteria/restaurant and a terrific gift shop on the grounds, selling jams, puddings, mohair throws and handknit socks.

Leenane—Made famous by the Martin McDonough play, “The Beauty-queen of Leenane”, driving along the Kilary Fjord on the way was beautiful.  We would have hit Westport, et al if it had not been pouring rain…

Sligo:

Aaaaaaah, Sligo.  After a long day of knuckle-baring driving, We arrived in the lovely neighborhood of Strandhill, greeted by our friends with a glass of 2000 Guy Charlemagne Grand Cru “Mesnillésime”.  And it only got better!  Irish hospitality is not lost on our American friends in Sligo, who wined, dined and tour-guided us for four days.  They own a killer wineshop, The WineBuff, and, due to their proximity to France and direct-import to Ireland, I swooned with envy over their selection and the prices.

See & Do–

Hike & Walk–Between the Harbor, ocean, lakes and rivers, there is a surplus of outdoor beauty and opportunity for hiking in the area.  There is an amazing cemetery and ruins on the airport property.  Beware of “The Travelers”–Fearless Irish gypsies who live in campers in various parking lots.  They seem to pick the best spots!

Shop–Sligo is an adorable town with some excellent shopping;  gourmet foods, artisan crafts and traditional Irish woolens & tweeds.  Mullaney’s on O’Connell St. was a delight.  If you ever make it there, budget at least an hour for a chat with John Mullaney, whose Father started the business a hundred years ago.  He is the epitome of Irish friendliness with a dose of blarney.

Seaweed Bath–See Box!

Eat:

Montmartre–a superb French restaurant in Sligo–who knew?!  Local Smoked Salmon, Authentic Lapin du Moutarde, cheese plates and a reasonable wine list.

Stay:  Ryall Arms—An invitation-only 5-Star resort in prestigious Strandhill, complete with two energetic dogs to walk and greet you every morning.  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with Wine inclusive. (just kidding)

Donegal

Driving around Donegal was a highlight—so beyond beautiful at every turn.  Donegal town is a great place to shop and there are numerous cafes, like the Blueberry Tearoom,  for an afternoon sticky toffee pudding after a day of touring.

See & Do:

Glimpse the awe-inspiring turreted stone castle of the Late Lord Mountbatten in Mullaghmore

Eat:

Solis at Loch Eske Castle—We were somewhat humbled when we pulled up in our Toyota, given there were two dozen Range Rovers in the parking lot.  The humility grew exponentially, as we entered the grand resort to see elaborate sailing yacht ship models on display everywhere.  It turned out to be a “Sunseeker” sales meeting in rural Donegal, to be attended by clients from all over the world.  Solis is a stunning luxury resort–if you can’t afford to stay there, you can enjoy a club sandwich in the bar, as we did.

Two things to note about Ireland:

Never believe a sign you read;  Whether it says “Hours”, “OPEN”, “Do Not Enter”, etc  It may say “private”, but it’s no harm to look around.  If it says open until 11, they probably stop serving at 9.  If it says, “Bathing caps required”, they probably are not.

Simple pleasures.  My best food memories are of hot soups on cold days served with warm bread, café breaks with homemade desserts, hot chocolates made with care…If the menu says “Arancini”, consider yourself warned.

Lastly, and this is true wherever you go:

The joy is in the journey.

Arriving in Dublin at 4 am was not ideal.  Our flight from Boston caught a tailwind and deposited us in Ireland an hour earlier than what would have already been too early.  Thank goodness for the charming and sympathetic clerk at the Westbury, who taking pity upon us, snuck us into our room 10 hours before check in without charging us for an extra night.  We would have been happy with the maid’s closet, but the Junior suite we got was terrific—spacious but comfy with a pair of fab modern (not dated) burgundy velvet chairs.  We slept ‘til 11, then began our 2-week holiday with lunch at Dunne & Crescenzi, which was perfect.

The reason to go to Ireland is for the culture.  Not just the history and landscape, but the culture.  Even if you think you aren’t into beer drinking and traditional Irish music, you have to hang at the pub.  While the waiters and hotel staff are always cheerful, it is in the pubs where you really meet locals, and the people are where it’s at–Irish people are so friendly, so clever, so generous, so lovely.  Obviously, people make the country wherever you go, but when you are not traveling in an exotic place, but an English-speaking country similar to your own, meeting people is your only real window into any nuances of culture that distinguish the two.  The Lonely planet says ‘don’t go to Ireland without bringing a raincoat and a hollow leg’.  While there’s some truth to that–it will rain almost everyday, but usually not for too long…then again, sometimes for two days–the drinking part isn’t 100% true.  We made friends even when we were obviously pathetic lightweight yanks sipping Carlsberg by the glass in lieu of downing the black stuff by the pint.  Ok, maybe we participated a little more fully than that, but you don’t have to…

Renting a car has the added bonus of Irish radio.  We listened to the Jerry Ryan show everyday and thus learned of current politics and issues, as well as the national obsession with “The X Factor”–the UK version of “America’s Got Talent”.  Silly me had never heard of “Jedward” before November 4, but I did not go one day in Ireland without hearing or seeing of the duo.  And talk about timing–we were there for the two heartbreaking Ireland-France World cup qualifying games, the outcome of which is still being contested due to the blatantly illegal winning goal, now known as “Henri-Gate”, after the French culprit.

Although there are plenty of happening restaurants and modern cooking in Ireland, the country is still not known for the food.  Maybe it was because,  coming from Nantucket and New York, we are pretty spoiled, or, perhaps because it is hard to be dazzled when you eat out so many days in a row, but we were less than euphoric over most of our Irish dining experiences. That being the case, the high points were really high, so I thought I would emphasize the food highlights of our journey as well as the sights.  The reality is, you can’t see every ruin, love every meal or drink in every pub, so here is my list of what is really worth it.

One caveat about fall/winter travels:  We were traveling in November and it is definitely the off-season for tourist destinations like Kerry and Dingle.  There was still plenty to do and see and no shortage of beauty and charm, but it did mean that a lot of places were only open weekends, if at all.  In addition to the off-season handicap, many restaurants all over are closed Sundays and smaller stores close Sunday & Monday.  Not a surprise coming from off-season Nantucket, but sometimes disappointing, nonetheless.  The worst part is, it’s still expensive!  The off-season specials only kept it from being very expensive, especially with the flagging dollar.  Rugged landscapes, beautiful lakes, lovely people, green pastures, gray skies, rainbows, castles, sheep…Ireland is visual splendor at any time of year.

Where & What–Dublin

Dublin is a blast. We had so much fun there, landing with a friend at McDaid’s (just off Grafton, right across from the Westbury –Hillary Clinton was spotted there recently) for a Guinness on our first night.   Most of our adventures were on the Southside, since we only had three days.  I chose the cultural tour, ie eating & drinking, Vintage shopping with my darling friend, Kate,  and admiring the footwear at Brown Thomas, while Mark did the historical city bus tour–the Guinness Factory, etc.  One of our Dublin highlights was a wonderful theatre piece, Johnny Patterson, at Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar.

Stay:

Westbury Hotel—location, location, location;  corporate sort of lobby, but excellent rooms

Eat:

Dunne & Crescenzi—Excellent Italian;  everything was fabulous

The Winding Stair—Just over the ha’penny bridge.  Good, not great–but bread & butter pudding was to die for. You cannot overestimate the pounds of Kerrygold in this dessert…like heaven on the way to calorie-hell. fyi, Bread Pudding and Sticky toffee pudding were consistently delish all over Ireland

Fallon & Byrne—A trendy downstairs hall serving wine and small plates below a stupendous Dean & Deluca-like market.  The best Smoked salmon on brown bread we had in Ireland!

Gruel:  Awesome corned Beef sandwich and hot soup for a cold day

Queen of Tarts:  Plum tart with vanilla ice cream was to die for…go here after soup at Gruel.

Powerscourt Townhouse restaurant (street level):  THE BEST SCONE IN IRELAND.  Go ahead—jam, Irish butter, clotted cream.  You will not have one like this again.

See:

Trinity College Old Library—If you see one sight, it must be this.  Book of Kells (or ‘Page of Kells’–there are only 2 pages on view:) and Long Library, with the library being the real attraction.

Drink:

McDaid’s pub for great pint of Guinness

John Kehoe on Grafton also good

Baileys Bar on Duke St for UNBELIEVABLE hot chocolate with Baileys outside under heat lamps

Music:

Hughes Bar on the Northside—the real deal old Irish pub with killer “Trad” (traditional) music–worth seeking out!

Krystle: IF you’re in to the VIP club scene, this is the place to go for it!  Two floors, indoors, outdoors = not boring

Shop:

Brown Thomas shoe department—just for appreciation!

Powercourt Townhouse—gorgeous exposed brick, cool boutiques, pop-up vintage store on Saturdays!

Avoca Handweavers—cool Anthropology-esque store with killer café for lunch or coffee and sweets

Weekend Markets!

Meeting House Lane market had all kinds of food vendors; Cow Lane = cool handmade stuff

Dublin Places we heard were great and WISH we could have patronized:

Toner’s Pub, Ely Winebar, Bar Italia

Where & What–Dublin to Kilkenny

Kilkenny is a vibrant, beautiful medieval town with a happening arts scene that is also the home of another great Ireland brew, Smithwick’s Ale.  The main attraction is the castle and we stayed in close proximity.  The castle itself is more about scale than opulence, but the grounds are lovely.  Kilkenny seemed like a really nice place to live.

En route:

Stop at Glendalough in Co. Wicklow for an hour or so.  Monastic church ruins on a lake…So beautiful and magical, it feels like St. Kevin just left.

Stay:

The Butler House—B & B manse adjacent to grounds of Kilkenny castle.  Not inexpensive, but wonderful for a night.  The president of Ireland stayed in our suite two weeks before we did…aren’t upgrades grand?

Eat:

Kilkenny Design Center Kitchen—Breakfast, lunch, or dessert;  serves breakfast for Butler House guests–one of the best Irish Breakfasts we had.  Basically, an upscale cafeteria with really good food.

See:

Kilkenny Castle–home to 650 years of the Butler Family

St. Canice’s Cathedral–great!  Climb the round tower and see the tombs of the some of the Butler clan

Black Abbey—small but great if you talk to the Friar and get the history

Shop:

Kilkenny Design Center—a group of amazing art and modern boutiques featuring cool, functional clothing, furniture and home goods made in Ireland.

Where & What–Kilkenny to Kinsale

Postcard-pretty Kinsale is called the Nantucket (or Newport) of Ireland.  We enjoyed just walking, dining and hanging for a couple of days.

En Route:

Awe-inspiring Rock of Cashel is worthwhile, even in the rain. Picturesque Lismore is nearly shut down in winter, but we enjoyed looking at the closed for the winter sights and had the most fun cup of coffee at the Rustic Cafe.

Stay:

The Old Bank House—nice, comfy B&B in the best location

Eat:

Fishy Fishy Cafe—A MUST; lunch only:(

Jola’s—absolutely gorgeous room with exposed brick, chandelier and fireplace.  John Dory with sultanas was amazing; local cheeses

Drink:

The Spaniard—Cozy, fun Irish pub with great trad music and peat fireplace;  nice walk up the hill

The Bulmen in gorgeous Summercove—the spot for an afternoon outdoor pint, even in winter

Blue Haven—When you want more than a pub; nice for a glass of wine by the fire

See:

Sunrise on the harbor

Old Head golf course—scenic 20 minute drive from town.  It’s posted closed/private, but you can’t believe most signs in Ireland

Shop:

Granny’s Bottom Drawer—Adorable store with eclectic mix of vintage linens, local designer wear and home goods

Where & What–Kinsale to Kenmare

Coastal Western Cork is breathtaking, even in the rain, as we saw it.

En Route:

Timoleague Abbey–off R600.  Moody, photogenic c1305 gothic abbey ruins just 12 mi. west of Kinsale that house a covey of pigeons

Drombeg Stone Circle–off R597.  Worth a look–a mini-Stonehenge sitting on a hill.  A 1500 yr. old slice of history surrounded by pasture.

Bantry Bay–Homemade soup and Fish & Chips on a rainy day at Fish Kitchen on New St in Bantry was amazing (upstairs above fishmonger);  Shopping at Gazelle, on Bridge St (across from Water Wheel) was even more so! Personable English shop owner, great Irish and European designs.  (New St and Bridge St are the same street–name changes several times as it does on most city center streets in Ireland)

Stay:

Brook Lane–an attractive “boutique” hotel on the edge of Kenmare;  the look is mod and not always successful.

Eat:

Jam Cafe–When you have had it with the full Irish breakfast (only in Ireland would oatmeal be a first course), go to Jam for a coffee and scone by the fire.

Salvados–A cute little Spanish tapas and pizza place

Where & What–Kenmare to Dingle Peninsula

Entering the Ring of Kerry was amazing, just as they say.  In Autumn, the hills are not just brown, but every shade of yellow to orange to brown, which makes for a rich landscape tapestry.  We opted not to do the whole ring and proceeded to the Dingle peninsula.  The coastal road into Dingle was nice, but the rugged coast beyond Dingle town is what’s really special.  Leaving via the Connor Pass to the north side of the Dingle peninsula was awesome, as well.

En Route: Stop in Killarney National Park for a few hours and visit Torc Waterfall and Muckross House.  The town of Aghadoe outside Killarney is charming.

Stay:

Benner’s Hotel, Dingle–not the cheapest, but comfy and convenient plus a Dingle landmark.  It’s also a place with a little life and ambiance in the off-season!

Drink:

Irish coffee at Mrs. Benner’s Bar

See:

Slea Head–The spectacular loop drive beyond Dingle through tiny Irish-speaking villages was one of the highlights of our trip.

Beehive Huts–(historic rock monk cells) there are some just before Slea Head on someone’s private property.  The owner sits in a booth and his dog opens the window with his paw when anyone walks up.  That was worth the price of admission right there.