The Scrutiny

Prince's Hot Chicken Shack

2007-12-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

I made my second venture to Prince's Hot Chicken Shack in Nashville. This is a wild place. There is no way to describe it. There is Mild, Medium, Hot or Extra Hot. Both times I have gone for hot but this time there seemed to be some extra fire. My first bite brought an immediate endorphin rush. The burn stays with you for at least 60 minutes. It also likes to re-visit you the next day if you know what I mean.

On this evening I even did the crazy thing of having it with wine. I had the 2005 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett. Actually not bad. The sweetness and light acidity did not distract. A nice Kabinett that may be mistaken as a Spätlese.

If you ever make there I give two pieces of advice. Remember it is made to order and can take up to 2 hours to get your food. Also, watch the Video. It is a little long ... but believe me ... it is worth it.

"J"

Prince's Hot Chicken: A Must Watch

2007-12-13T10:42:00.001-08:00

2005 Cargasacchi Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard

2007-02-16T08:47:00.000-08:00

Curiosity killed the Pinot here. Had my bottles sitting there and thought these will probably need a few years…but I had know what type of wine this was. Opened and poured a glass. Immediately I could smell the earth, bramble and toast. Expressive nose. Broad across the palate and then hit of tart acids. Finish totally clipped and slightly bitter. I poured my wife a glass and then corked the bottle for the next day. As the evening went on and we had dinner the palate began to smooth out. For the second day the tart acids had added some sweetness (but not cloying) and more complexity had developed. This will be a nice contrast to my Siduris, Lorings and Brewer-Cliftons. Of those this wine may be the prettiest. It has it its own place. But this wine is crying for sleep. If you are acid adverse this may not be for you, at least certainly not right now. I’ll probably pop another one in 18 months to check the progress but I would suspect this won’t hit its stride until 2010.

Jason

The Vineyard Lunch Gang

2007-02-15T12:04:00.000-08:00

The Vineyard Lunch Gang met again for a Kanzler Vineyard Symposium. We tried multiple bottles but I never wrote anything up so I am just putting a link to Gerry’s notes.

CLICK HERE

Enjoy!

Jason

Sushi Lunch w/ Dietz & Frayer/ & A. Mann, Beaux Freres, Pey-Marin, Littorai, Arcadian & Siduri

2006-12-24T16:09:00.000-08:00

What to do. About time to close for the holidays so a few of us gathered at the office, grabbed some sushi and enjoyed some wine. We had me, Dietz, Frayer as well as Darren and Matt who just gettings sucked into the world of wine.

We started off with a mystery white. A really nice white which I found rich and mouth coating. Jim and Gerry danced around its Alsace characteristics but then headed down a new world Rhone styled white. It was interesting to hear them go through and narrow the possibilities. It was actually very impressive. I figured this would be a sneaky one. It was a 2004 Albert Mann Auxerrois VV. I really enjoyed this wine. Great stuff and fun one to use as a stumper. Lots of flowers and lush fruit.

Then we poured my 1998 Beaux Freres Pinot Noir. My hopes were not high as experience has shown me that these wines don’t hold up well. The color was showing some age but still very vibrant. The nose was a bad sign. Odd. Probably VA. At first sip there was a lot tannin and the fruit was fading. Not great flavors. Once we broke out the sushi it seemed to smooth out a little but still not great.

Time for my 2004 Pey-Marin Pinot Noir. Nice ripe nose. The wine is still very primary. Tasty but somewhat simple. Still a well made wine that is enjoyable now but will round in about 2 or 3 years. Wine Spectator gave this an 83. Classic! I am not sure what they were smoking.

On to Jim’s 2004 Littorai “Les Larmes” Pinot Noir Anderson Valley. Wow! Fantastic. Tons of ripe red fruit jumping out of the glass then a nice smack of fresh squeezed orange juice on the front palate. A really great wine. I found this more expressive than other young pinots from the Anderson Valley I have had.

Arcadian time. 2003 Arcadian Dierberg & Fiddlestix Pinot Noir. Guess who brought these. The Dierberg is killer. Drinking great right now. Mixed opinions on the Fiddlestix but for me it was very closed off right now. Lots of stix and little fiddle at this stage. Seems to have the right stuffing but I won’t touch it for a few years.

Gerry also provided us with an Arcadian 2000 Francesca’s Cuvee that was opened the night before. Shows age when you look at the color as well as on the nose. There is plenty of fruit but it is also showing earth, blood and meat. Still a bit of a bruiser. A pleasure to drink but I think the elegance will continue to develop as the years go by.

For a final treat, Jim brought a 375 of the 2005 Siduri Sonoma Coast (maybe County…not sure) Pinot Noir. Cocktails. Your basic black cherry milk shake. Enjoyable but out of place in this group.

How They Stacked Up
A. Mann Auxerrois: One 3^rd place = 1 pts
Arcadian Fiddlestix: One 3^rd place = 1 pts
Beaux Freres: One 2^nd place = 2 pts
Arcadian Dierberg: Two 2^nd place = 4 pts
Pey-Marin: One 1^st place, Two 3^rd place = 5 pts
Arcadian Francesca’s: Two 2^nd place, One 3^rd place = 5 pts
Littoria: Four 1^st place = 12 pts
Siduri: No votes

12 points 2004 Littoria “Les Larmes” = 1^st place bye a mile

5 points 2004 Pey-Marin & 2000 Arcadian Francesca’s = 2^nd place

4 points 2003 Arcadian Dierberg = 3^rd place

Cheers!
Jason

For More CLICK HERE

Dinner @ Belle Provenance Vineayrd W/ St Innocent

2006-10-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

As many people know, I am a bit of a St Innocent fanatic. So I need to plan a dinner for the Board that I report to while I am in Oregon. So who do I turn to? Tim Ramey (Belle Provenance Vineyard, previously O’Connor Vineyard) and St. Innocent. Being the resident wine geek in my company they asked me to set something up….during harvest of course. For them wine tasting is driving through the main drag of St Helena in Napa. Not a bad thing … just not my thing. Thankfully Tim and his lovely wife Kari offered up their house, with Kari handling the cooking. Now that’s what I am talking about. Beautiful weather, wonderful company and world-class food.

Since Mark Vlossak was busy taking care of his fresh grapes and he did not arrive until later in the evening, we were joined by his father (John Innocent), his mother Dot and his wife Vickianne. For those of you who have met John, you know that is a walking encyclopedia. It was a pleasure to hear his perspectives as well as Vickiannes.

So what did we drink!?

2004 Adelsheim Auxerrois: This is the first time I have knowingly drank a wine made from 100% Auxerrois. Unique from the nose to the mouth-feel. Mouth coating like cream. Creamy herb flavors mixed with pears and light sweetness. Really nice.

2005 St. Innocent Pinot Blanc Freedom Hill Vineyard (from a magnum): Wow!...and Wow! Awesome wine. I loved the 04 but I like this one even more. This was a major hit. Buy now or you’ll be sorry.

2005 St. Innocent Pinot Gris Vitae Springs: Last year I preferred to Gris to the Blanc. The 05s may turn out the same but I am going to hold off drinking the Pinot Gris while I roll through the Blanc. This is holding back right now. Great fruit with just a hint of spice. I think this well develop more.

John teaching us all

First Course: Salmon (I think poached) served in an amazing fish stock with mussels (with andouille sausage… I think) and potatoes. Top 3 mussels I have ever had.

2004 St. Innocent Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard: No notes here. I only had a small glass but having had this wine on a few occasions, I can say this is world class. Nuts cream and minerals wrapped in perfect acidity.

Main Course: Braised beef cheeks served over risotto and fresh chanterelles. Kill me know. Damn this was good.

2004 St. Innocent Pinot Noir 7 Springs Vineyard: Drinking surprisingly well. Very silky right now and already showing flowery fruit. Very nice but one I would prefer to wait for it to show its true colors.

2004 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Anden Vineyard: Wow. I can’t believe I am saying a 04 Anden is drinking awesome. My favorite Anden so far. A pinot of dark fruits that runs the gamut of spice aromas and flavors. From nutmeg to black pepper. Great stuff that has a bright future.

Now the rare stuff:

1994 St. Innocent Pinot Noir O’Connor Vineyard (from a Magnum): Great color. Cherries and tart strawberries mixed with an almost Rhone like meatiness. Plenty of minerals mixed in as well. On the palate it is showing its age but is also showing the difference in this vineyard from the 7 Springs. There is still quite a bit of structure here. If I had 3 bottles I would drink two now and save one for another 6 or 7 years…if I had one bottle I would save…just to see but I like taking risks and I like old pinot.

1994 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard (From a Magnum): Still lots of tannin and structure on this puppy. Great spiciness and cleaner flavors than the O’Connor. Certainly not acting like a 12 year old Oregon pinot. I love the texture and the way the fruit hit my mouth and then the minerality coated my tongue.

I think most people would pick these as Burgundies. Maybe someone with a long history of tasting Oregon pinot would recognize them as Oregon. I have drunk a lot of Oregon Pinot over the last 7 years but not with this kind of age. And it is great news that Mark V. will be getting fruit from this soil again.

We tasted some other wine during our trip but I will post that separately.

Tim and Mark

Cheers! & Thanks to Tim, Kari, John, Dot, Vickianne.

Jason

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Dain Wines: An Interview With David Dain Smith, Part Two

2006-07-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

Here is the second part of my interview with David Dain Smith. His wines are now released and shipped. If you received your order and have tasted the wine, please post your notes in the comment section. Congrats to David Dain for living the dream. If you haven't read Part One, click HERE .

Your wines have been for sale for a few weeks now; how are the sales?

As I write this we have been fortunate to have already sold about 85% of our wine. We will be receiving requests from our mailing list until September 30^th. Anything remaining at that time, if any, will be offered through retail channels. I look forward to increasing our produce somewhat for the 2005 vintage and having more wine for both the mailing list and retailers.

With wine critics being so influential, do you worry about “scores”? Will you send your wine to the major reviewers?

We will be sending our wines to Wine Spectator for review. I have mixed feelings about that. I am told it simply must be done. IMHO, every time I sell a bottle of wine, the most important critics are the purchasers and their friends. I care more about what my customers think than any other critic. Given that, of course I hope our wines ‘score’ well. Some people enjoy sharing a ‘high-scoring wine’ with their friends. Nothing wrong with that really, I just want to make wine I enjoy, seems to work.

Have you recently tasted any “under $20” wines that you can recommend?

I love the Saison des Vin from Copain, great pinot and syrah for about $18. (Copain is the winery of Wells Guthrie, wine-maker at Rossler Cellars. Wine Review ). Denis Mortet makes a Bourgogne rouge for about $28 that is really good.

Your wine will be made with grapes purchased from vineyard owners. Are you able to speak into the growing/picking/farming of those grapes and will your wine come from a specific spot in the vineyard or will they just be from "somewhere" in the vineyard?

I am fortunate in that I can communicate virtually daily (hourly) with CrushPad and the vineyard folks. I got a report on Hein Vineyard and Amber Ridge via e-mail literally a moment ago. God bless Al Gore, I love the Internet! Most of the vineyards we work with are rather small. It is more a question of which clones are available rather than a specific block. We try to get a nice mixture of clones for complexity’s sake. In some cases, since I am the new guy, I may get only a single clone from a given vineyard. But since in those cases we may make only a single barrel lot, it doesn’t bother me to do that. Starting with 2006, we will have our own rows designated at Rancho Ontiveros!!

You mention "clones". What do you mean?

Clones are genetically identical strains of a given varietal. For example, Pinot Noir has many popular clones that are grown in California. If you had a row of plants of pinot in a vineyard and they were all the same clone, it would be a bit like having a row of identical twins. Different clones have different characteristics and do better in different sites. Some clones ripen earlier, exhibit different flavor profiles, or have different disease resistance.

How many different clones are there?

A lot, actually, but probably a couple dozen at the most are routinely planted in the USA as far as I know. Dijon (France) clones, such as 115, 667 and 777 are very popular. Pommard (France) clones and some developed in California are also popular. The Swan clone, Pisoni clone and Benedict clone are highly thought of.

Do you have any suggestions about where to get more information on different grapes and clones?

U.C. Davis might have something on their website. Especially since they developed many of the clones popular in California.

What are the differences (stereotypically if you like) between California Pinot Noir and Burgundy (France) Pinot Noir?

Same grape, different terroir. California and France have different weather patterns and different soils, of course. Burgundy has a continental climate and California a maritime climate. Burgundy typically has a cooler autumn than California and sometimes a hotter summer. In my opinion, the major differences have to do with weather and soil. California wines do tend to be more fruit-forward and are rich and lush, speaking broadly, French wines tend to show more earth and acidity. The amount of oak is more of a stylistic issue. Other stylistic issues would include the amount of whole cluster fermentation, e.g. stem inclusion and length of cellaring. Both places make great Pinot Noir, just different expressions of the grape. The important thing is the wine is made from pinot :-) !

Is it okay to make Pinot Noir in an un-Burgundian style?

No. :-) Yes.
This question starts more fights among winemakers and wine geeks than any other I can think of. You should make the best wine your vineyard can make. If your vineyard is in California you should make the best California wine you can make. Many people believe wine should reflect where it is grown, not so much the person who made it. Others say wine is a beverage of pleasure and if it is good, so what. A great chef does not care where the vegetables are grown, only that they are good and the end result is the key. As with many things, both views have merit. In California, grapes frequently ripen physiologically (good flavors, put simply) at higher sugar levels than in Burgundy. As a result, one frequently finds ‘bigger’ wines with higher alcohol levels and more forward fruit in wines from California. This does not always have to be the case. Lower yields and good vineyard management can result in riper fruit at lower sugar levels. Still, why feel bad about the great climate in California?

Pinot Noir is known for being difficult. Is that from a grape-growing perspective, winemaking perspective or both?

Pinot is difficult to grow because you really need the right vineyard site. Syrah is somewhat more adaptable and can show well in a variety of climates, even Missouri. Pinot is thin skinned, literally and figuratively speaking. The grape does not take abuse well and you have to be gentle in the vineyard and the winery.

Do you plan on making a white wine in the near future?

I have plans to experiment with Chardonnay and perhaps Viognier. It is hard to resist such wonderful varietals. Right now I intend to focus on making the absolute best Pinot Noir and Syrah we can possibly make. If we can expand to a few other varietals we feel we can do well, then we will certainly do so!

Does wine always improve with age?

Not at all, some wines are meant to be consumed within 10 minutes of arrival in your kitchen. Seriously, all wine gets older if you lay it down, but not all wine gets better. Some very good wines are meant for consumption on release. If you like young wines there is nothing wrong with drinking your wines young. Personally, even for early drinking wines, I prefer to let the wine rest for about a year. Some wines should be left alone for decades. Speaking broadly, Bordeaux, Grand cru and Premier cru burgundy should be left in the cellar for ten years. I probably drink my French reds too old and my whites too young. My California wines are probably all consumed too young; I just love that great fruit!

Also, I believe most folks drink their reds too warm and their whites too cold.
(Scrutiny note: Amen to the above statement. I'll have a blog entry in the near future regarding this subject.)

Is there a wine you dream of having one day?

Dain Wines, “Dandy”, 2004 Brosseau vineyard, in 2014!

I know you are computer literate, but do you have an iPod…or another mp3 player?

I have a Sony Clie which is useful for photo, video and music. My kids have iPod(s). Clearly I am finally an adult; I can tell because I hate rap and love the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead. The Brandenburg Concerto by Bach is proof of the existence of God.

You have a link to Project Hope (pjhope.org) on your website. How did you get involved with them? How often do you participate with them?

Project Hope is an inter-denominational effort to help the impoverished people of

Nicaragua

is probably the poorest country in Central America. Our local church has a long history of working with the people of

Nicaragua

. It all began several years ago after a major hurricane hit the region (sound familiar?). Project Hope brings medical missions and building missions to remote villages in

Nicaragua

. Cathy goes at least twice a year. I don’t get to go as often.

Describe for us a perfect day for David Dain.

Every day is perfect. All things work together to good. Sometimes it takes a long view to see. Bad things do happen, but nothing ever goes wrong. Wow, I need to lie down; the C02 levels in the fermentation room must be really high.
Actually, my vision of a perfect day would be one that ends with me grilling salmon while Cathy prepares some veggies and rice. We sit down to the table with the kids and some guests, and drink a 1995 Williams Selyem RRV Pinot Noir!!

Who is the most influential person in you life?

“The child is a father to the man”
I don’t know who said that but it is very true indeed. The most influential person(s) in my life are definitely my children. Certainly the event that changed my life the most was becoming a parent. Hopefully, I am the most positive influence in their lives. All of them are very interested in wine production by the way! ~

Thanks to David Dain for taking the time to share a bit about himself. Soon I will have some reviews of his wines and more pictures. I recently tasted all of his wines at massive Pinot tasting .

~Jason

? For Those That Score…What’s With Color?

2006-06-16T19:45:00.000-07:00

Actually this is for anyone that makes a note and a personal judgment on a wine.

I have kept a record of my tasting notes for 10 years now and have always finished with a score. I love to score! But agree that a note should accompany it. When I read others notes I enjoy seeing their score but focus on the note and descriptors. For many years I have used the “Parker” Wine Advocate scoring system of, 5 (color) 15 (aroma) 20 (flavor) & 10 (overall). Add 50 yada yada.

It is great for comparing my wines and knowing my preferences. I have kept it the same so that my scores should be the equivalent through the years…although my palate or preferences have changed.

But, why judge the color. At the end of the day does it matter? If I taste a wine in a dark room and proclaim my love for it only to have the light turn on and see that it is cloudy or brown, will I retract my love. I drink wine, not look at it. Why does color make up 10% of the score on the “Parker” system?

This is not a rant. It is a real question.

Cheers,

Jason

For More Thoughts CLICK HERE

Pinot Fest!!! Siduri, Alcina, Loring, A.P. Vin & Dain

2006-04-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

Pictures from Right to Left: Brian Loring Loring (Loring Wine Company) & Frank Murry (host), and finally the wine

So what happens when your friend suggests we do a Pinot Noir tasting at his house and then he invites a few wine makers? Well, I would say an amazing day with a whole lot of wine, almost all of it provided by the generous wine-makers. Once one wine-maker joined in, it seemed like a competition to see who could provide the most wine. This was such a great opportunity because I got to try all 2004 Pinots from The Loring Wine Co (LWC), A.P. Vin, Alcina, Dain Wines and 4 or 5 from Siduri.

With so much wine it is not what I would consider the best way to judge a wine but it is great for getting familiar with the different styles and flavor profiles of different vineyards and wine-makers. Basically, it is a lot of short pours and a lot of spitting. A few wines jumped out at me, in no particular order:

A.P. Vin & LWC “Clos Pepe Vineyard” Simply fantastic. There is probably not much A.P. Vin out there but the LWC is not yet released. Get on the list if you want some.

Siduri & LWC “Keefer Ranch Vineyard” Both of these were awesome.

Dain Wines Anticipation “Alder Springs Vineyard” Wow, this was a nice surprise for me. I had never even heard of this vineyard and of course, this was my first experience with Dain Wines. Great spicy wine with a lot going on. Look for this one to really start shinning in a few years.

Alcina is another new wine on the scene. Buy everything you can. This is quality stuff. Greg brought his new Russian River Valley bottling that is drinking well already. Typical red fruit RRV Pinot. Great acidity that makes this wine very food friendly. Alcina’s “Sangiacomo Vineyard” is a different animal. It is a very structured wine that will need time to show all it has to offer. The 03 Sangiacomo is one of my wines of the year (05).

Not a Pinot, but Greg from Alcina also brought his 03 “Gabrielli Vineyard” Syrah. To me this is all that is good with California Syrah. California fruit profile with the elegance and age ability of a Rhone. Give this one 4 or 5 years.

I can honestly say I didn’t taste a stinker in the bunch. After tasting about 25 wines, that is an amazing statement.

And a huge thanks to the wine-makers for their generosity. This is a cool bunch of guys.

Cheers,

~Jason

Jason & Greg Piatigorski (Alcina Cellars)

Copyright Schmopyright

2006-03-28T10:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I agree with J, especially since I'm a lawyer and much of what I do involves copyright. But, let's face it, the music industry had this coming. CDs cost less than $1.00 to make, royalties add up to about $3.00 or $4.00, so on a $16.99 retail, the label profits over $10.00 per unit. Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all...it costs to package, it costs for this, it costs for that, but you get my point. The labels haven't been hurting for a long time. So they're hurting now. Maybe if they stop selling CDs? Maybe if they stop suing everyone? The direction of music is clear, and it's not the CD. There are better ways to spend money.

Anyway, I was interested to read in US News that some labels are testing CD locks, which allow music to be played in any CD/DVD player, but when it comes to the computer, there are limitations, i.e., anticopying technology. So, what do the 20 million plus iPod users think about these limitations? I don't know, but I can assure you that the iPod is inconsistent with anticopying technology.

My point is not that copyright should be abolished. Rather, you can't 'un-ring' a rung bell. Focus on the future.

It's a fun time to watch or be involved with the music industry.

~ Brock

Wine Review: The Scrutiny Says "Buy!!!"

2006-02-25T16:50:00.000-08:00

2003 Kali Hart Pinot Noir
Monterey County

“J”s REVIEW:
Wow!!! Great stuff! $9….yeah 9 bucks.

Yummy nose. Lush and smooth body. Great balance. California flavors through and through. Finishes with raspberry parfait. The light acidity works perfect with this wine. It does a touch of earthiness that I love in Pinot. No tartness. Soft tannins hold it all together. Not overly complex or unique but better than most pinots under the 25 dollar range.
90 pts

This has been my house wine for the last month and I will continue to collect dead soldiers.

Jason

Please read "J"s comments after "B"s review.

“B”s REVIEW:
I’m trying to learn to articulate my wine tasting, but this is my first wine note, so give me a break.

My first problem was drinking this wine within 10 minutes of taking it out of the fridge. I’m not sure what the recommended temperature for wine drinking is, but I know that I don’t like red wine cold. I like it at room temperature or maybe a degree or two cooler.

Getting past the temperature, I loved it. The color was excellent. A fresh, juicy red. Dark, but not too dark. Light, but not too light. Right where a wine should be. It could have been darker, but it didn’t need it. (see note)

At first sniff, I was hit with a smell of strawberries, then mixed berries – tart ones, like raspberry and blackberry. The smell didn’t last long, which was disappointing. I don’t have a good nose for smells, so I’m automatically disadvantaged. Anyway, what I did smell was very fruity and young.

My first drink was a mixed bag. With the wine so cold, I didn’t enjoy it. I’ll fast forward to my second glass after the wine settled for an hour outside the fridge. The drink was a continuation of the smell. Fresh, strong strawberry, followed by a pungent mixed berry; even a bit of vinegar. The taste didn’t last, much like the smell. Again, disappointed, because I wanted more.

I would drink this wine again. I don’t know how long it could wait, but it has a very fresh taste. I’d like to try a bottle a year from now to see how it ages.

Scoring: The greatest reason for lack of excellent scores is that it wasn’t a strong wine, flavor and aroma didn’t last long, and was a bit fruity. Still, I’d drink it again.

92 pts

Brock

** I wanted to make a few notes about Brock’s comments. First, it looks his ability to smell is just fine. In fact, I think he smells every time I see him.

Anyway, it should be noted that Pinot Noir generally has a lighter color than many of the wines you may be used to drinking such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or red Zinfandel. You may see some “modern” style Pinots that are very dark but traditionally Pinot will have a lighter color to go with its more feminine personality.

“J”

Tallbot Vineyards

Wine Review:

2006-02-24T20:33:00.000-08:00

2003 Loring Wine Co. Pinot Noir
Rosellas Vineyard

At first, the nose was very muted. I think I smelled a balloon. It opened up to show lots of earth mixed with brambly fruit. On the attack there was immediate cherry cola followed by a touch of anise. This wine showed more earthy tones than the other 03 Lorings. Lots of leather and tobacco. Softer than the other 03s I had. I think this is at a drink now phase. Very nice.

91 pts

Brian Loring has been living in Southern California, with a day job, and making wine in his free time. He has had amazing success and will now be making wine full time. And look out for an interview with Brian Loring in the upcoming months. Email me if there are any questions you would like to ask this artisan Pinot Noir maker.

Jason

A Must Read

2006-02-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

Bono At National Prayer Breakfast

My friend Dan Wilt posted the manuscript of Bono’s speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. I have long been a fan of Bono and I think this is an impressive and moving statement. Please take the time to read.

And sorry but there is no mention of him getting back together with Cher. ;-)

~ J

Stupid: Nature or Nurture?

2006-02-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

Every day we go through life and encounter stupid people. How do they get like that? Where did they learn to be a jackass that drives 55 in the fast lane? What possesses them to keep their fat ass in airplane aisles for 1 minute and thirty three seconds to get their neck pillow, popcorn and cassette playing Walkman (yes they still make them), out of their bag before stowing it?

I spend a lot of time in airports and so I am constantly bombarded with a barrage of this type of madness. As I glare at the barbarian standing in the middle of the moving walkway holding their Jamba Juice, listening to Dave Matthews (further evidence of their stupidity), while 14 intelligent travelers are trying to get by, I begin to ask myself, how did they get there. Is it contagious? Did they go to a special school? Did their parents go to great lengths to mentor them and take out second mortgages to bring in special “idiot tutors”? Or do they just “home school”, so to speak.

I realize it may seem like I am describing discourteous behavior but I see them as parallel acts of offence. For my part, I wake up each day and try to educate my daughter so that she is not stupid. Well, I guess I am counting on “nurture”. If in the end, it is “nature” and my daughter turns to be one of the 46.45% of the population that suffers from “stupid”, I will just bite my lip and love her in the same unconditional way I do now.

Jason

Don't Miss The Meat

2006-02-08T17:27:00.000-08:00

Cooking at home is great and all, but sometimes you just need a good meal out. Here are two that you must try:

BYBLOS CAFE - Mediterranean
This cafe is located just outside the Orange circle at 129 W. Chapman Avenue. They serve a variety of meat and vegetarian dishes, and do it well. You must try the lamb , or if you try breakfast, the ....I forgot the name! I think it's the "Armenian breakfast," but I could be wrong. Anyway, I've eaten there a few times now and you should too.

SIMBALA - Chinese
Rowland Heights - 18489 Colima, next to SF Supermarket. It has bright yellow sign, but it's kind of tucked away. This place has AWESOME spicy beef noodle soup! In fact, it's the best I've ever had - here and in Taiwan. If nothing else, try that. Otherwise, I think they're known for sausage, because they have about 20 sausage dishes, and they're sausage is the best I've had as well. The fried chicken roll is good, the onion pancake is good, the sticky rice is good. I didn't really care for the distinctly Taiwanese shrimp with egg (Xia Zen Jian?) because of the sauce. The best of that dish is right across the street at Good Time Cafe, just make sure you're not ordering some scrambled egg with shrimp dish. The one you want is a mixture of egg, shrimp and vegetable fried into a sticky substance like Japanese Mochi, which is covered with a red sauce.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

OREGON TRAIL

2006-02-05T14:10:00.000-08:00

On a recent work trip I was able to carve out some time and taste some wine. My primary visit was to St. Innocent but I also had the opportunity to go to Scott Paul Wines and Patricia Green. Primarily I tasted 04s and I was very impressed with these wines and the vintage. Not a lot of detailed notes but I do have some highlights.

(Mark getting us some samples)

St. Innocent
As always, it was great to visit with Mark Vlossak and glean from his knowledge. His 04s are going to be great right across the board. All of these were barrel samples and as always, these have zero stem inclusion.

04 Justice Vineyard Pinot Noir
This is only available on futures. First vintage from this vineyard and wow, buy it while you can. This will be an amazing $24 bottle of Pinot. I hesitated buying the futures but once I tasted, I whipped out my credit card. I am bummed that Mark no longer makes a Pinot from the Brick House Vineyard but this may fill the gap. Wonderful spice. Clove and pumpkin mixed with a touch of red fruits, while the dark fruits punch in periodically. This should be great right out of the gate. I wish it were bottled now.

04 Temperance Hill Pinot Noir
I normally don’t buy this bottling. It has never impressed me out of the barrel or bottle. But the 04 is great. For me it is the best Temperance yet. I will buy this one.

04 Shea Pinot Noir
Mark is working on this wine right now. We tasted multiple barrels as he using a number of techniques to deal with the present tannins. I am sure it will all come together as great wine. It seems like there are going to be many Pinots from Shea in 04 that will be winners of the vintage. (see my Patty Green note). So complex. Cherry fruit hits you at the front and then reappears 30 seconds later.

04 Seven Springs Pinot Noir
As always, this will probably only have only a short drinking window before needing to go to sleep. Great structure with solid acid that is a tart right now. Darker and more rustic profile.

04 Anden Pinot Noir (formally the lower half of 7 Springs)
I haven’t found an Anden I have liked yet. Better said, I haven’t found an Anden that was anywhere near ready to drink. My first impression of the 04 is that I will love it. For me, maybe the winner of the 04s but that is a guess since it will be years before it is ready to drink. Sweeter acid than the 7 springs but on the front end a great balance of dark fruit and minerals.

(Mark and Jason after having a lot of great Pinot)

Scott Paul Wines
I had never tasted Scott’s wines, so I was glad he was able to make some time for us the Carlton Winemakers Studio. I believe he said this will be his last vintage there and will be moving to his own place very soon. Very nice facility. A great setup with a number of wine-makers and yet it still has a personal feel. I was nice to taste his wines. Great wines made with restraint. Plenty to enjoy at first sip but my impression is these are wines that need time and are to be enjoyed be people that like subtlety.

(Scott Wright and me after enjoying some wine)

04 Cuvee Martha Pirrie Pinot Noir
Scott said he makes this wine as somewhat of a loss leader. A great idea since for about 20 bucks you can taste his wine and get a sense for his style. This is a very nice wine with a bit of primary fruit but also earthy nuances. Lots of strawberry and a touch of citrus. This was the favorite of my two friends.

04 La Paulee Pinot Noir
Showing darker fruit and more complexity but will need some time to work off the baby fat. Shows a bit of roast meats.

04 Audrey Pinot Noir
It was a quick stop with Scott but thankfully I had more time to enjoy this wine since Scott generously let me take this one home to my wife. This wine is not released yet which is wise on Scott’s part. Already showing its potential but the needs some bottle time. I think is at least a middle-ager. Powerful nose of earth, strawberry, flowers and even some stone. It has a silky texture that starts off with cherries but then followed by dark fruits and earth. Seems to have the stuffing but will need time to integrate better.
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Patricia Green
Jim Anderson of Patricia Green provided us with a great tasting of their wines. Their 04 line up is top notch.

04 Four Winds Chardonnay
I never had a chard from PG but I am now a fan. This is an extremely rich and complex chardonnay the sees all neutral wood. I would have guessed it did see new wood but it doesn’t. Very balanced acid and fruit with a touch of minerality. It was a bit buttery but it did not get in the way. The richness took it to the next level

04 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
This was the only 04 I had previously tried. When I had it previously, the nose bothered me because there was a lot of cat pee. I thought maybe I had an off bottle. Nope. Same thing. I found this wine a little odd. We will see if in a few years it comes together better.

04 Croft Vineyard Pinot Noir
Impressive full bodied Pinot. Full smoky nose combined with dark fruits, earth and brush. Lots of dark berries on the front end followed by pleasant tannins and acid.

04 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir
Wow. This wine is simply delicious. As with most of the PGs there is a dark earthy note on the nose and attack. The complexity is shown by all the bright fruits that come through on the mid palate and finish. This wine probably has a small window for drinking but has plenty of fruit tannin and acid to improve with some age. One of my favorites of the day.

04 Notorious Pinot Noir
This is meant to be the top wine from PG representing the best from multiple vineyards and see 100% new oak. As you can imagine, the 04 is showing a lot of oak at this stage but it is not overwhelmed IMHO. The fruit is there and it seems to have the ingredients to survive the oak. Great wine but not cheap. $70. This one should lie down for at least 5 years.

We had one other Pinot but I spaced and did not note which one it was. I think it was the Eason. An enjoyable wine as well but for my taste buds, all of these could use some time with the exception of the Shea, which I will struggle to keep my hands off when it arrives next week.

As I read through my notes, I thought where are the stinkers? Well thankfully, most of the wines we tasted were B+s or better. That is a good day.

I must also mention that while we were at dinner we had the 02 Drouhin Pinot Noir regular bottling and it was drinking really well.

Cheers,

Jason

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

P.S. See the David Dain Smith interview HERE

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Wine Review:

2006-01-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

Roessler Cellars

I have recently made may way through a few bottles from Roessler Cellars. I have seen there wines but hadn't tasted any...and I thought I should change that. Well I am glad I did. The wines are made by the acclaimed Wells Guthrie of Copain Wine Cellars.

2002 Roessler Pinot Noir (Sonoma County)
A really enjoyable Sonoma Coast Pinot. If you like wines with a toasty dark fruit profile, this is for you. You can immediately smell tobacco and a hint of coffee mixed with blackberry. Flavors follow the aromas. Not much acidity to this wine and so I don’t think it stands up to food very well but if you are just looking for some hedonist pleasure, give this wine a try. Drink now.
91 pts

2003 Roessler Pinot Noir Red Label (Sonoma County)
Very similar to the 2002 but maybe not as well integrated. With a little more bottle time should be very comparable to the previous year. The only distinct difference at this point is the aroma of burnt rubber. Reminded me of something from Spain.
90 pts

2002 Roessler Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard
This was nice but I think it needs some time. Lots of sweet cherry and a touch of earth on the nose. The attack was sweet and tart when I first opened the wine. There was also a lot of heat, which I really dislike. So I poured a full glass and went to cook dinner. After an hour things started to integrate. Red fruit mixed with a small amount of citrus. Medium to high acidity. As more time went by some earthy flavors showed up. This is on the border for me. My thought is that with a couple of years the flavors will integrate and it will an incredible value.
89 pts (I think there is big upside here and in a few years I may want to revisit my score.)

2003 Roessler Pinot Noir La Brisa (Sonoma Coast)
Well this one was a miss for me. Where I felt the previous 3 wines showed bold concentrated flavors, I thought the La Brisa was relatively simple. The nose was completely muted. Mild flavors of cherry and green tea. It is a decent wine but a step down from the other 3.
85 pts

So keep an eye out for Roessler.

Cheers,

Jason

The Constant Gardener is Awesome

2006-01-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

There are a ton of great movies out there and a lot more crap. This was one of the great ones. I missed it in the theater, but was happy to catch it at home. Ralph Fiennes did a fine job, but Rachel Weisz was excellent. I love how it was filmed. The story was moving. It's the kind of film that does something to you and makes you feel something. Watch it!

~ Brock

Proof That You Can Eat Like A Pig and Still Kick Butt

2006-01-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

If you've followed my posts about pre-event eating, then you know I was scheduled to race a triathlon on October 9. You also know that I didn't change any of my eating habits, including eating butter, fat, red meat, wine and chocolate on an almost daily basis. So what happened? Welcome to the gun show!

On a serious note, I finished slower than I thought I would, but still did well. I really noticed a lack of energy and fatigue. Of course it probably didn't help that I had bronchitis for the month leading up to the race, and hadn't exercised in six weeks prior to the race. In the end, it's not a good message, because I know I can do well in a race without proper diet or exercise. What message does that send?

So, I'm thinking of running a marathon in March 2006. I was also thinking of modifying my diet. Not to remove the good things...are you crazy? Just to limit my intake. I was thinking that if I lost about 15 pounds, I would do just fine. What do you think?

Chronicles of Narnia Disappoints

2006-01-09T09:10:00.000-08:00

It's like I'm not allowed to say it. Like I'll be struck down. But be honest, didn't you feel like you were watching a happy Lord of the Rings spinoff? I mean, C.S. Lewis wrote an amazing book; an amazing collection of books. All I saw on the screen was a film using the expensive theatrics typical to every other big budget film. I didn't see the nuances of the story. I didn't see the details from the book. I didn't see the real deal. All I saw was the "wow" factor.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that it can't be executed nicely. In Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring, there are many parts of the book that do not appear in the movie. It's a practical problem that I understand. But, when you watch Fellowship of the Ring, you get to know people. You see the story along with the "wow" F/X. It just didn't seem to happen in this film.

Maybe I'm being critical. It's just my opinion. I wish I would have watched Memoirs of a Geisha instead.

Happy movie-going!

~ Brock

Pasta With Sausage and Mushroom Cream

2006-01-08T15:37:00.000-08:00

Here is a dish that is easy/medium in difficulty but is sure to impress. The deepness of the flavors will have people thinking they are eating at a restaurant, especially if you make sure the plating is attractive. I have left multiple variations so try this recipe and then tweak to your liking.

First, here are a few thoughts on garlic and hot spice. I would almost always use garlic. My wife and I as well as our friends and family love garlic…so more is better, or a least a little in everything is good. If you are like me, make sure to try things without garlic. One dish that has been a staple in our kitchen for 10 years had lots of garlic and then one night I had no garlic. I substituted shallots and guess what, it took the dish to a new level. I’ll post the recipe soon.

The same goes for spicy hot foods. We love and crave it but I can often destroy delicate flavors and you end up missing out on so much. That is why I first recommend using mild sausage.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Pasta: (I like penne or rigatoni because the meat an mushroom get inside for a little surprise, but spaghetti or linguini would work well also). My favorite pasta is Latini but Barilla is also very good.
¾ lb Italian sweet sausage: (casings removed and sausage crumbled) Try with a combination of sweet and spicy.
½ cup chopped shallot: (optional: add 1 clove of chopped garlic as well) Could use onion.
2 cups chopped crimini mushrooms : (also known as brown or baby bellas) These are actually young portabella mushrooms. You could also add a small amount of dried porcini mushrooms. Re-hydrate the mushrooms in the broth. Then strain the broth through a sieve or colander lined with a paper towel or coffee filter. Use this mushroom broth for the sauce. Yum!
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
¾ cup dry white wine or low sodium chicken broth (use Swansons)
1 cup parmigiano reggiano + a little extra for the table: (None of that green can crap, get the real thing, you’ll be glad you did)
1 Tbsp Unsalted butter
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley for garnish

In a large skillet with medium/high heat add the olive oil, when oil is shimmering add sausage. Cook until browed. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Begin cooking the pasta as per instructions. Make sure not to overcook. It should be al dente. Make sure the water is salted (like sea water)
Add mushrooms to the pan. Add butter. Toss to coat. Once the mushrooms have released their water, add salt and pepper. Stir occasionally. About 5 minutes.
Add wine or broth and scrape up all the bits stuck to the pan. Then add sausage.
Add cream and reduce by ¾. Should be thick enough to cover the back of a spoon.
Add Pasta (only add as much as the sauce can take, don’t add too much pasta). If you skillet is too small, drain the pasta and add to pot that had the pasta in it. Stir together over medium heat for about 30 seconds. If it is too dry, add a little pasta water. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese.
Plate it up and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

You can enjoy this dish with a dry white wine such as chardonnay or with dry red wine that is on the lighter side. Maybe a Chianti. I myself had a California pinot noir.

Jason

Chaucer's Mead Winds Up A Meal

2006-01-05T11:45:00.000-08:00

And New Years wasn't complete without dessert and a wine to go with it. I brought a Chaucer's mead and we warmed it with spices. This particular mead is made from honey and makes you think you should be eating meat and bread in England in the days of king Arthur. You'll love it.

It's worth every penny, and I buy a bottle every single year. Try it out!

~ Brock

Kirkland Bordeaux Ain't Bad

2006-01-05T11:37:00.000-08:00

I had new years dinner with my wife and son, close friends and abundant wine. Our host invited us to her beautiful house and shared her famous black bean soup. It was awesome!! The wine was flowing from many bottles, and one of them was Kirkland's bordeaux release. To be honest, I have never tried a Kirkland wine (Costco's brand), but I was quite surprised to find that it wasn't bad at all. It was medium bodied and bursting with berry. Not too sweet or tannic. Decent. I don't recall the particular wine and Costco doesn't list it on the website, so you'll have to go into the store to find it. Good luck.

I think I'll try another Kirkland wine.

~ Brock

Recipe: Chili Chicken Pasta

2006-01-02T10:25:00.000-08:00

This is an at home classic for us and I think our own invention. Well sort of. My wife and I started cooking this right after we got married in '93. I am not sure where we got the original idea, but with our friend Mike, we made multiple variations. Well this is where we have landed but as always, try your own variations. You can add mushrooms, use chicken stock instead of wine or even toy with different cheeses.
In the picture, you see two plates. The one in the forefront is my wife's (notice the extra chilis). If I ate that, I would be praying for ice cream.

Bon Appetit!!!

½ ROASTED CHICKEN (To make this dish easy and fast, just buy a roasted chicken from the local market, pull off the bone and shred.)
2 LARGE SHALLOTS
2 CUPS OF ZUCCHINI (Halved lengthwise and sliced)
2 to 4 CLOVES OF GARLIC (Depending on your taste.)
1 to 4 SERRANO CHILIS, (Sliced) (Depending on how much heat you can handle.)
1 CUP DRY WHITE WINE
EVOO (Enough to coat the pan)
1 TABLESPOON UNSALTED BUTTER
SMALL SPRINKLING OF DRIED SWEET BASIL
1.5 CUP PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO CHEESE
KOSHER SALT
FRESH GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1 CUP FLAT LEAF (ITALIAN) PARSLEY
1 Pound Pasta (For this I like a thin flat noodle or even a round noodle but something like angel hair would be too delicate. You could also use Farfalle (bow tie).

1. In a bowl, toss the zucchini in kosher salt. This will remove the moisture and make sautéing easier. Pour zucchini onto a clean towel (that doesn’t smell…not washed or dried with fabric softener)
2. Heat the EVOO and butter until hot and shimmering…do not brown the butter
3. Add shallots and a touch of Kosher Salt and a grinding of black pepper; cook until translucent
4. Add Serranos, Zucchini, Garlic and Sweet Basil
5. Cook until zucchini is softened
6. Add chicken
7. Once the chicken is hot, add white wine and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer
8. Check seasoning. Add salt if necessary
9. Once the sauce is reduced and getting thick (about 8-10 minutes), cook the pasta until aldente and drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water
10. Add pasta to the pan and cook for 30 seconds (add small amount of pasta water if it is too dry), turn off heat and stir in cheese.
11. Garnish with parsley and if you are daring, sliced Serrano chilis.

Wine? Are you fricken kidding me....Go with Beer!

Jason

Recipe: Chicken Salad

2006-01-01T22:13:00.000-08:00

This is one of the staples in our house. I think it is an amalgamation of something my mom taught me. A simple salad with broiled or grilled chicken over the top. I like to use a crisp lettuce like romaine because it holds up against the other ingredients. As far as wine, I can’t really give the perfect match. If you’re like me and drink red with almost anything, I would go for a fruit forward Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais. Have a bit of a chill on the wine. For a white, if you are looking for something with richness, go with a Chardonnay otherwise try a Pinot Gris (just guessing, as I haven’t tried it).

Chicken Pre-Prep: Rinse chicken and trim fat. If I am grilling it, I like to butterfly it so I can cook it quickly and have less chance of overcooking. Throw it in the marinade for 1 to 3 hours.

Chicken Marinade & Prep

Olive Oil (enough to cover the chicken)
Juice of one lemon
4 or 5 cloves of garlic (mashed)
Fresh rosemary or thyme
Lots of fresh ground black pepper
Splash of dry white wine (optional)

Marinate 2 boneless chicken breasts (1 whole breast)
Remove from marinade and salt and pepper it up.
Throw on a Hot grill or in the broiler and cook until done.
Remove and let rest.

Salad

Romaine Lettuce (enough for 4 people or how ever many you are serving)
1 Avocado (diced and sprinkled lightly with salt)
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Good quality…be sure to taste alone)
¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
Generous grinding of black pepper
Blue Cheese for sprinkling

Whisk the Oil and Vinegar together and toss with the salad. Do not saturate the salad…this is NOT TGIFridays.
Gently stir in the avocado.
Sprinkle with blue cheese (a little or a lot, depending on your own taste buds)
Put salad in chilled bowls
Slice chicken and place on top of the salad
Hit it with pepper one more time if you like

Enjoy!!!

Jason

Chile De Arbol Salsa

2006-01-01T21:46:00.000-08:00

I know this is a common salsa but I originally got the idea from Michael Chiarello and a recipe he calls Felicita’s Hot Salsa. I made his version but I found it bitter a bit lifeless. So I began screwing around with it and came up with this. I changed it by lightly pan roasting the garlic, added sugar, lime juice, and cut the stems off the chiles. This salsa carries a lot of heat so be careful. It is great on chicken tacos. I will post my chicken taco marinade in a few days.

See my wine comments below.

Give it a try!

1 oz. dried chiles de arbol, stems cut off
1 cup of water…just enough to fit the chiles
1 to 2 cloves of garlic (unpeeled)
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 to 2 table spoons fresh lime juice to taste
1 cup of salted water (using kosher salt makes it easy to control). I liked it about as salty as seawater.

Heat the water.
In a foil lined skillet, toast the unpeeled garlic for about 4 or 5 minutes, turning often. Remove.
Add the chiles to the skillet and toast for about 10 minutes. Watch closely and make sure not to burn. They should be somewhat soft.
Peel and chop the garlic.
Add the garlic, chiles, sugar and Mexican oregano to the boiling water and simmer about 10 minutes.
Pour into a blender. Blend (be very careful with the hot liquid. Be sure to cover and hold the lid with a towel.)
Add lime juice to taste.
Adjust salt if necessary.

Because of the heat of this salsa you will need to choose wisely when it comes to wine. Beer may be your best option. For me, I tried a California syrah but the heat killed it so I ended up with a nice 2004 Vouvray from Domain Pichot. I white wine that is slightly on the sweeter side. Be sure not to get a late harvest Vouvray, which will be too sweet.

Jason

What Wine Do You Taste In Your Jelly Belly (click here)

2006-01-01T15:47:00.000-08:00

Genius. I really do think this is great, although I haven’t tried it yet. This would be really fun for a tasting. What does wine taste like…well…wine, but as interest in wine grows, we want to identify flavors and measure the complexity of the wine. Well now there is one more way to do that. There is even a “dirt” flavored Jelly Belly. Wow! It won’t be long before that “butt” flavored cat food finally shows up.

Jason

Muslim leaders say blah blah blah

2005-12-31T19:24:00.000-08:00

BBC

Frankly I am tired of the occasional condemnation of these terrorist acts. How about a condemnation of the prevailing belief of these enemies. Are these leaders saying that the underlying philosophy of these disciples is okay? Do these leaders have the same ideals but are appalled by the method? This is what we need to know. If it is war, I have no objection to these terrorist activities. I understand it is their only real option to seeing there goals completed. If the Muslim leaders want the same end, they are our enemy, even if they don’t believe in the means.

Jason

Acid Test

2005-12-31T16:36:00.000-08:00

I had been meaning to write a post on “acid” with regards to wine. Well Robin Garr did it for me. I think he does great job of explaining acid in wine. If you have any interest in wine, I recommend reading this and then experimenting. Try a wine before you begin to eat and then have it with you meal. See the effect of food on your wine. I like to open two different wines, maybe a pinot noir from California (generally lower acidity) and a pinot noir from Burgundy (generally higher acid), so that I can compare them with and without food. When you get use to identifying the acidity in wine, you will be better able to pick the right wine. If you want a wine just to drink and enjoy with your friends prior to a meal, you may choose a wine with less acidity. The wine still needs balance and should not be flabby. Once the food comes, you can open something with more acidity so that the food can shine as well.

Click Here

Jason

Forget the Turkey, Here's the Hot Pot

2005-12-28T12:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas can be pretty boring. In fact, even with variety, it can become boring. But, variety delays the inevitability of boredom. So, this Christmas, our dinner wasn't your standard-issue turkey. It was something more...Chinese Hot Pot.

Your mouth's watering, isn't it?

Here's how it's done:

Start with a large pot and soup base. You can use chicken stock or beef stock (I think we used Chicekn this time). In the large pot with lots of base, you add Chinese mushrooms, sliced varieties of fish cake, taro, and daikon. Get these going and cooked/warmed thoroughly.

Next get out your electric wok/deep pan (like the one in the picture). Set it in the middle of a large table and surround it with raw everything - sliced fish (snapper or orange roughy are good choices), shrimp, squid, beef, lamb and/or pork (you can pick up pre-sliced versions cut for this, or cut your own paper thin slices with a meat slicer - don't use anything thicker than a few sheets of paper or it's not going to work), sliced fish cakes, spinach, red leaf lettuce, extra taro and daikon (half-cooked, so it will go quicker), and glass noodles.

Your dipping sauce will be some combination of: Chinese BBQ sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sliced jalepeno chiles, ponzu, and/or lemon. I prefer 3 tbsp BBQ sauce, with 1 tbsp soy, lots of peppers, a bit of squeezed lemon, and that's all. Experiment and see what you like.

Now, have the family sit down and enjoy. You will add what you like to eat, watch it cook/heat, then pull it and dip it in your own bowl of sauce. It's family style (and many might be afraid of sharing soup, but...it's boiled...how bad can it be?).

Study the picture to see the elements, keep the working soup pot full with extra broth, and by the time everyone is done eating, you can enjoy the soup which will be thoroughly flavored.

You can pick up everything you need at Stater Brothers and 99 Ranch.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Where Have the Good Rentals Gone?

2005-12-28T08:41:00.000-08:00

This week, I've rented Must Love Dogs and Into The Blue. One sucked and the other was enjoyable, you guess which.

Ok, now that you've guessed incorrectly, let me let give you a few hints:

One of them uses every movie-script-magic trick known (i.e., the gay couple who represent the only healthy couple in the entire movie [I'm blanking on the name, but it will come to me later], the family signing moment [reminding you of My Best Friend's Wedding, which also starred Dermot Mulroney...interesting], the instant family member [reminding you of Kate Hudson in How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days], and so on and so on.) This is the one I didn't like.

The other one had a great plot...broke young couple in the Bahamas finds the mother lode of all treasures, then a sunken drug plane nearby. The rest of the movie is spent with action, twists, fun and a happy ending. This is the one I liked.

Rent them both and see what you think.

~ Brock

Happy Holidays!

2005-12-26T14:08:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone. This week I'll be posting pictures and recipes for Chinese Hot Pot and a few other things.

Stay tuned.

~ Brock

Wine Review: 1995 Estancia Duo

2005-12-22T12:16:00.000-08:00

(Sorry about the poor picture) I'm sure you're surprised to read a wine review of a 1995 blend (Cab and Sangiovese) opened in 2005. Well, don't read it if you don't believe it. Otherwise...

I collected a large amount of wine in 1995 - 1997. I have probably 40 or so bottles left from that time period, and open them whenever I feel like it. My latest offering was a 1995 Estancia Duo, a blend of Cabernet (70%) and Sangiovese (30%). Normally, a wine like this would have a shelf life of maybe 3 - 5 years, but not this bottle. It was great after 10 years!

The wine was certainly light bodied and juicy, which was surprising given the date I opened it. Also, after taking off the foil wrapper, I noticed some leakage. I don't like to waste wine, so I tried it and am glad that I did. Even with leakage and age, this wine held together.

Fruity, simple, and light, not overly tannic and refreshing aroma, this wine was worth the $10 or so bucks I spent a while back. It reminded me of a beaujolais.

It went well with a spicy ravioli I threw together.

~ Brock

Awesome Pickled Vegetables

2005-12-22T09:26:00.000-08:00

With most Asian meals, you'll want to have at least one small dish of pickled vegetables. For Japanese (although you can use this with any Asian meal), I suggest this packet. You can find it at just about any Asian market. It's best on cucumbers, but works well with cabbage, carrots or whatever you like.

Chop your vegies into the size you like, sprinkle ample amounts, mix, and chill.

Give it a try with curry or Korean BBQ and enjoy!

~ Brock

Pork and Peanuts Get Spicy

2005-12-17T13:14:00.000-08:00

You don't always have to know what you're cooking to make something decent. Sometimes, it's just having an idea of a dish or dishes that you like and combining elements in hope that it won't taste like crap. Here' s four ingredient (not counting spices) dish that only takes a few minutes (except for the rice) to make.

Ingredients
pork loin
oyster mushrooms
peanuts
rice

Directions
Cook rice according to instructions (I use a rice cooker with 1 1/2 water to 1 cup rice).

Slice the pork loin into long thin strips, like pictured. Set aside.
Slice the oyster mushroom into long thin strips like pictured (you can buy oyster mushrooms fresh at most decently stocked markets, or canned at any Asian market). Set aside.
I used planters roasted and salted peanuts; about 1/4 cup.

Oil a pan and heat it to medium-high. Drop in the mushrooms and fry for about 3 minutes. Add a bit of fresh ground black pepper, some ground ginger and garlic. Add pork and fry until just about done. At the same time, add dried shallots (you can pick these up at an Asian market). Add about 2 tbsp soy sauce, red chili flakes, ground pepper, garlic and ginger. Drop in peanuts and blast the fire to high. Take out and drop onto rice.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Starbuck's v. Sambuck's

2005-12-12T23:06:00.000-08:00

Call it what you will, but trademark owners should be able to protect their property. Yes, Starbuck's was able to cause a coffee shop owner to change her name and logo. And, many reports on this case have made it sound like this is the big guy beating up on the little guy, but what's the point of having trademark law if it's not for everyone to use, including the "big guys"?

Victoria's Secret sued Victor's Secret, but couldn't force it to change it's name. Starbuck's sues Sambuck's and can. It's knee-jerk reaction when people cry foul simply because the underdog remains the underdog.

Just my opinion!

~ Brock

Wine Review: 2002 Novy Syrah (Santa Lucia Highlands)

2005-12-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

2002 Novy Syrah SLH

You don’t even need to get near you glass to smell this wine. Earthy aromas mixed with tar and black fruit dominate the nose. My first thought was “brett”. The wine coats your mouth like olive oil. Very full bodied. Blackberries combine with the flavors of earth, chocolate and star anise. Very strong flavors. Soft sweet tannins. The alcohol is not very present. On the second day, the wine was more balanced and was surprisingly food friendly.

50+5+12+15+7 = 89 (scoring method @ Parker's )

Jason

Noche De Cubano

2005-12-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with Cuban sandwiches at a small Cuban restaurant in Yorba Linda that closed down a few years ago (apparently there are too many Olive Garden-Chilis-Mimis-lovers in Yorba Linda to keep a good foreign restaurant in business). The best is the media noche, which you can still find at Felix's in Orange, although not as good as the one that's long gone.

Tonight, I made my own, along with fried bananas and black beans. The store was out of the right bread, so I used French rolls...so-so.

Here's how it's done:

Media Noche
bread
Pork
deli ham
provolone cheese
pickles

Slice the pork into thin slabs about 1/4 inch thick, and 3"x4". Heat small amount of oil in pan and fry pork over moderate heat. Salt, pepper and garlic, then turn and season again. Make sure the pork is cooked, but not dried out. Meanwhile, butter the inside of the bread and fry it until it's crispy (in another pan). Once the pork is cooked and the bread is fried on the inside, arrange the pork as if making a sandwich, add one or two slices of deli ham, provolone cheese and some sliced pickles. Close the sandwhich and heat it in the bread pan until slightly crisp on top and bottom and heated thoroughly.

Fried Bananas

(Use bananas rather than plantains, because they are softer and stay moist.)

Slice bananas about 1/4 inch thick. Use one per person. Meanwhile, heat fully slathered pan of oil on moderate heat. Add bananas, then shake sugar and cinnamon above. Fry until brown, then turn. These will really start to soften up and will stick, so keep them seperate and handle them one piece at a time. Fry the other side, drain in slotted spoon above the pan and transfer to plate (don't try to drain on a paper towel - they stick).

Black Beans

Buy a can of your favorite black beans. Fry up about half of a handful of thinly sliced pork strips; season with salt, pepper and garlic. Add beans and half diced tomatoe. Season with Thyme and a bit more garlic. Add a few pieces of sliced Anaheim chili. Simmer over low heat at least 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Dain Wines: An Interview With David Dain Smith, Part One

2005-12-05T23:13:00.000-08:00

PICTURES LEFT TO RIGHT: (“The Mad Scientist at Work” or “Behind every successful Man, there is a Strong Woman, rolling her eyes”) His words. The picture is from last year's crush at CrushPad. David Dain is taking sugar readings and Cathy is writing them down. PICTURE TWO: Proud Father! David Dain holding a bottle of "American Beauty", Amber Ridge Pinot Noir, right of the bottling line. (CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE)

I first encountered David Dain Smith while posting on the famous Mark Squires’ Wine Bulletin Board. I noticed we had many similar tastes in the variety of styles, particularly Pinot Noir, that we enjoyed. It was also nice to see that he was a person that always had something nice to say to people. Knowing his first vintage was about to be released and the unique situation of not living in “wine country”, I thought it would be fun to introduce you all to this artisan. As you read, remember that David Dain purchases grapes and does not own the vineyards…at least not yet. This is a very common practice, particularly with Pinot Noir.

I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I do. I think David Dain has much to offer not only in the world of wine but also in life in general. He and his wife Cathy are working to make this world a better place in so many ways. God Bless them and their family.

Where are you from and where are you now?

Currently Cathy (my wife) and I live in Springfield, Missouri. A lovely small city, deep in the Ozark Mountains. Really nothing too close to this ‘city’ but farms and forest and Lakes. We were both born here, we were (are) high school sweethearts. We have three nearly grown children. We have lived in Philadelphia, Denver, Kansas City and St. Louis before moving back to the Ozarks. My day job requires a large amount of travel so I am bicoastal, even while living in the Midwest. Cathy has projects in Nicaragua, Central America, so we travel a bit. She participates in Medical Mission trips as often as she can.

Since we are used to a lot of travel, it is an easy thing to commute to the winery in San Francisco.

To answer the question of where we are now, I should elaborate regarding our winery. We use the custom crush facility at CrushPad in San Francisco.

We are able to contract with top flight vineyards, consult with great winemakers, design our own ‘wine-making plan’ and make what I consider, great small-lot pinot noir and syrah!

What do you prefer to be called? David, Dain or Reggie?

My friends call me David Dain, so I hope you will too. It is kind of a southern thing really. David or Dain is fine. I use Dain as a handle for business purposes usually. Hence, Dain Wines.

What are you drinking right now? If not now later?

Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast 2002. Very nice pinot from some very nice folks. I am partial to Sonoma and Russian River Valley fruit. I drink a fair amount of wine from Anderson Valley and love wines from the Central Coast of California. I am a fan of burgundy but am still just learning all of the appellations and producers of that area.

Career? How did you get where you are now?

I am now, and have been for some time, a marketing executive for a large pharmaceutical company. Prior to that, I was a microbiologist. I have always had an interest in Better Living through Chemistry. My current career has been a source of satisfaction for me for quite a while but I am preparing to move into a different phase of my life. Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life….unless you make wine, which is work everyday. :-)

What is the story of wanting to make wine? Have you been making wine at your home? So called garage wine?

Actually that is exactly how I got started. Cathy indulged me some time ago and allowed the construction of a ‘wine studio’ in the back section of our garage. I began with some purchased St. Vincent grapes. St. Vincent is a hybrid of Pinot Noir and Chambourcin, available only in Missouri. It was the closest thing to pinot I could get for starters. I was hooked immediately. Still, I wanted to work with California fruit hence our move to CrushPad. In my humble opinion, California is the source of the best fruit for wine in the world. This coming from a HUGE fan of burgundy BTW.
(Scrutiny Note: Pinot Noir is the red grape of Burgundy, in France. Many would consider Burgundy the king of Pinot Noir. In part two we will discuss the general differences between Burgundy Pinot Noir and California Pinot Noir)

What are the financial goals? Break even? Make a little? Buy a Rolls?

I have heard it said, "if you want to make a small fortune in the wine business, start with a large fortune." We have no illusions about making any kind of fortune but our goal is to concentrate on small lot single vineyard Pinot Noir and Syrah. We believe our business model will afford us a modest profit if we can get to somewhere in the neighborhood of 1200 to 2000 cases.

Is it your goal to be a full time winemaker or full time in the wine business?

It is my long term goal for winemaking to be my sole profession. I desire to leave the so-called corporate world and manage our wine label as our only business, even though this will take some time. I love having purple hands (and a purple tongue) :-) .

Do you think winemaking should be left to certain people (professionals), or can anyone try it?

I would encourage everyone to try it. Kits are available for the novice and CrushPad can enable a group of friends to share a barrel! When I am there I usually pitch in to help with whatever wine needs something done. It is a great environment and plenty of non-professionals are making wine a barrel at a time.

How would you define success as a winemaker?

Happened just a few nights ago. I was at a wine dinner and a very nice young lady came back to a bottle of our Sojourn Syrah, poured herself a nice pour, smiled and said “I really like this!” I believe wine is a convivial beverage. Wine is best paired with friends. Of course friends with food is great too. Enjoyment of wine is about the joy of the moment and the memories created. If our wines help bring enjoyment to the lives of our customers, I am a successful winemaker.

Do you have any favorite wine makers?

Heavens yes! Brian Loring is one of my favorite people period and I love his wines. I don’t know Sean Thackrey or Manfred Krankl but I love Thackrey wines and Sine Que Non wines. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to find these wines so it is a good thing I have many favorites that are a bit more obtainable. I mentioned Loring wines, you can actually find them. Adam Lee at Siduri, and Wells Guthrie at Copain all make really good wine you can actually find. Rene Engel (RIP) was a favorite in burgundy. Denis Mortet is great too. Mortet makes a Bourgogne rouge that is cheap and good!

(Click Here to see The Scrutiny Review of one of Brian Loring's wines)

Is your own wine one of your favorites? I know so many of my favorite food dishes are prepared by me and I crave them. Can you say the same about your wine?

One of my goals is to make wine I enjoy drinking. So far I have been pretty successful in doing that. So I can say yes, my wine is one of my favorites. I have lots of favorites in addition to my wines of course.

How did your passion for wine begin? Was there a single wine that started it all for you?

My father introduced me to wine about 30 years ago. We shared a simple meal with a simple bottle and my memory of the event is so strong as for it to have been yesterday. I remember thinking ‘what a wonderful way to live’ enjoying simple pleasures.

How many cases will you produce? How does that compare to a company like Beringer or BV?

Hopefully soon, we will make somewhere between 1200 and 2000. Most likely the number is closer to 1200. We intend to focus on small lot, single vineyard premium Pinot Noir and Syrah. Typically about 8-12 barrel lots will be our target level for any individual vineyard. We are not even a gnat flying around the head of a giant like Beringer or BV.

How do you market your wines? Where are they sold?

Our wines are sold via mailing list. Information is available at http://www.dainwines.com/. We hope that someday our production will reach a point where we can offer some to retail outlets, maybe later this year. Our only real marketing is pouring at wine festivals and word of mouth. That will have to do for now, we can’t afford an ad in the Wine Spectator. :-)

What is your favorite wine/food movie?

“Year of the Comet” a comedy about the 1811 Lafite Rothschild. I am not particularly a fan of “Sideways” FWIW.

So will you drink Merlot?

Gosh yes! One of the best wines I have ever tasted was 100% Merlot. The 1975 Petrus was perhaps the best wine of my life. But this question is not about Petrus (hell, who can drink that more than once a decade?) but rather do I enjoy Merlot. I find that I drink less and less cabernet and or merlot based wines. I still have many bottles of Bordeaux in my cellar but I will probably sell it. I love Pinot soooooo much, it’s what I drink. If you want a really great merlot for a reasonable price; 2001 Havens Reserve Merlot ($35)…my favorite and terrific!!

Stay tuned for part two of the interview with David Dain where we will look deeper into the man as well as discuss grape "clones" and the differences between Burgundy and California Pinot Noir.

In the meantime, please post any questions you may have for David Dain as well as drop by his web-site and sign up for his mailing list. And if you are so inclined, order a few bottles and see, smell and taste what this artisan has created. Be sure to tell him The Scrutiny sent you.

Check back soon for Part Two!

Cheers,

Jason

Cookbooks We Need

2005-12-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

It seems like there's a cookbook from pretty much anything...one-pot cooking, Asian, French, 30 minute cooking, healthy cooking, etc., etc. What I haven't seen is a cookbook that is based around certain spices or one that breaks down regions of food by primary spices used. When you want to experiment with a type of food, you're left with seeing what spices are typical to other types of dishes in that region. Know what I mean?

I want to be able to look up Lime, for example, and find that it's common in this country, that country, etc. Or, I want to look up Coriander and find the same thing. That way, if I have a chicken breast and feel like making something Brazilian, I would know what spices to test out.

Wish in one hand...

~ Brock

U BUNG

2005-12-01T14:26:00.000-08:00

In Taiwan, they call it "u bung." In China, they call it "yo fan." In America, we call it something like salty-sticky rice. I just made some, so I thought I'd share a picture. As you may notice, I didn't use shrimp this time, and the squid is curled. I only had 20 minutes to make dinner the other night, so I didn't have time to soak the squid long enough. I tried to soak it in boiling water without thinking, which basically cooked it in a dried state = very nasty. Make sure you soak the squid long enough before using it.

My turkey day post has the recipe.

~ Brock

Turkey Day Was A Hit

2005-11-30T20:48:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving ain't just for the turkey. Besides, turkey is pretty damn boring. But I'm one lucky American, because every Thanksgiving, I get the a little bit of Taiwan, America, and sometimes Russia. It's awesome.

My wife's family is Taiwanese, so holiday meals are always loaded with more than the basic selection. This year, we had all the staples - turkey, ham, stuffing, corn, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, green beens, homemade cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. But the spark to the meal is always a few Chinese dishes and yours truly is responsible for one of them every year.

The first is a sticky rice dish pronounced "u-bung." Sounds nasty, but don't think like a dirty minded scroundel and read on...it's made with Japanese sticky rice, shittake mushrooms, dried squid, dried shrimp, pork, shallots, soy sauce and oil. Here's how it's done: soak the mushrooms (if you're using dried ones), dried squid and dried shrimp until each are tender. Once that happens (30minutes - 1 hour), slice the squid and mushrooms into thin strips about 1 inch long by 1/4 inch wide. Also cut the pork into same size strips and set aside. Use copious amounts of oil and fry the mushrooms, squid and shrimp for about three minutes. Add pork. Add a few tablespoons of soy sauce (or more if you like it salty). Add dried shallots (about 2 tbsp). Fry this mixture up until the pork is cooked, then set it aside. Meanwhile, cook the sweet rice 1 cup water to 1 cup rice. Use a rice cooker. When it's done, mix the rice with the other stuff and that's it. I also make my fried chicken roll (see my September post). There was something else, but I can't remember what it was. Oh well.

Now, sometimes I go to my aunt's, and since she's Russian, we often get a hint of that as well. Usually it's lamb, either a roast or kabob-type rendering (pronounced "shashlick" - yeah, I know, hahaha). I'll tell you sometime how to make it, because it's simple and great.

That's it.

~ Brock

TURKEY BOWLING

2005-11-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

TURKEY BOWL(ING)

For a sad yet inspirational story, check out a brief history of the Turkey Bowl.

~”J”

Happy Thanksgiving!

2005-11-24T15:01:00.000-08:00

I'll tell you all about my Chinese Thanksgiving later this week.

~ Brock

Wine Labels Sell Wine

2005-11-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

If you know me or follow my posts, you know that I'm not a wine dork. I can't tell you what years were good in what region of what state (or country, for that matter). When I drink a good bottle, I know if I like it. If I do, I try to describe it. If I don't like it, then who the hell cares. But my posting about the Penfolds wine got me thinking...if you've never heard of a particular wine, what makes you buy it? With music, you can listen first. With books, you can scan the inside. With wine you can what? Yeah, I tried smelling the bottle, but that didn't help. So, you're left with the label. That's it. That's all.

I notice that I like a few labels: Caymus, Far Niente and Cakebread Cellars.

And some I don't: Rodney Strong, Beaulieu, and Atlas Peak.

There are, of course, many, many others that I like and don't like (and the label doesn't usually correspond to a good wine, does it?).

So, I wonder, is there a direct link between the "coolness" of a wine's label and sales for that wine?

~ Brock

Wine Tasting: Penfolds Cab/Shiraz

2005-11-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

I think I've had mabye two or three Penfolds wines in my life. The other two weren't awesome enough to remember, but I've always thought of them as producing good wines because they have cool labels. Yes, I like their labels - clean, simple, but striking red on white. (Did I just admit that I know nothing about wine? Probably.)

Anyway, my wife and I had some friends over for burgers the other night, and they brought a 2002 Penfolds Cabernet-Shiraz. Here's a nice breakdown of the wine too. I was pleased with this wine, so let me tell you about it.

First, my burgers. Ground beef patties seasoned with copious amounts of cracked pepper, sea salt, garlic and paprika. Toast the buns with olive oil and cracked pepper. Top the burger with this Gorgonzola mix:

3 Tbsp Gorgonzola
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsph Tapatio or other vinegary hot sauce

Mix well and top on your burgers while still on the grill.

Now for the wine:

Color was a deep purple with hints of brown edges in the right light. Nothing that would turn you off, but man was it deep. I was nursing a cold, so I couldn't quite get the aroma, which appeared to be "thick" - that's the only way I could describe it. On the palate, dried fruit...maybe apricot, prune...not in the candied sense you're ready for, but more of the muted introduction, along with a hint of citric something and salt. That suprised me - salt.

So, this wine with a good slab of beef? Good choice.

~ Brock

More Mushrooms, More Cream

2005-10-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

Jason posted a recipe a while back, then I posted a variation of it. Now, I'm back to tell you a little secret about this awesome bowtie pasta based on Jason's original recipe - You'll want it over and over again.

Bowtie pasta cooked according to instructions.

1 mediumPortobella mushroom, chopped
3/4 Cup white wine
3/4 Cup whipping cream
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
Olive oil

Add butter to hot pan and melt. Add mushroom and saute for about 2 minutes. Add a bit of olive oil, then add the garlic (lots of it...all of it...more if you like). Fry mushrooms and garlic for another minute or so, until garlic turns just brown - DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Then, add a good amount of fresh cracked pepper. Don't be shy. By now, this pan should be smelling good!

Add white wine and stir, scraping up bits. Do this for about one minute, then add cream. Let this mixture stir on high for about a minute, then reduce heat. Stir regularly for about 20 - 25 minutes until reduced. Add some more cracked pepper right at the end, with a bit of sea salt.

Put the bowtie pasta on two plates, pour enough sauce to cover well. You'll notice the sweet and earthy mushroom taste, surrounded by a not-too-overwhelming garlic. The pepper adds the necessary spice to finish it off. Top with toasted pine nuts and garnish with fresh parsley or basil.

~ Brock

Light Pasta Great For Lunch

2005-10-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

Need a quick meal? That's one good thing about so many pasta dishes...they're quick, easy and good. Here's one:

Enough capellini for two (cook according to instructions - set aside in two bowls)

shrimp (boil 2 minutes and set aside)
pine nuts (about two tbsp. dry pan fry for about 1-2 minutes - don't burn)
1 roma tomatoe, finely diced
a few pieces of fire roasted peppers (I used a jar from Trader Joes)
A few pieces of artichoke heart (I used some from a bag you buy at Trader Joes...they're frozen. Thaw them by dropping them in your pasta water - before you add the pasta - and removing them with a slotted spoon)
Olive oil

Heat olive oil, then add tomatoes. Cook 1 minute, then add peppers and artichoke hearts. Add generous amounts of fresh cracked pepper and salt. Cook together 1-2 minutes. Have pasta waiting in bowls and top with mixture, add shrimp and pine nuts to top.

This is a very earthy taste and not spice dependent.

~ Brock

Spyware Publishers Get Kicked In The...

2005-10-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

Spyware sucks. That goes without saying. And the law is a bit too slow in fighting it well enough. But, a court in Chicago just set the stage for a showdown that might lead to a flood of litigation that will actually accomplish something.

In Sotelo v. DirectRevenue, the plaintiff filed suit against a number of defendants claiming trespass to chattels (among other things) for spyware that was placed on the plaintiff's computer without permission and which depleted and interfered with the computer's resources and bandwith. The claim of trespass to chattels relates to the interference with personal property (i.e., parking your neighbor's tractor in your garage and locking it in might constitute a trespass to chattel).

The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit prior to trial. The court sustained the motion (disagreed with it), stating that although trespass to chattels historically involved the taking of personal property, "interference" with another's personal property could be sufficient.

Now understand that the plaintiff hasn't won the case; this was just a pre-trial motion to have the case dismissed. What it does create, though, is the reality that the court will probably find the defendants liable for trespass at trial. And, if this court finds the defendants liable, other courts will naturally follow. If they do, a new claim against spyware publishers will be born. If the courts disagree, the supreme court may take up the disagreement (in a few years, of course) and resolve it.

This is another case to follow that impacts all computer users.

~ Brock

Don't Miss This Show

2005-10-08T21:46:00.000-07:00

Many friends will be playing this night. Be there or be a rhombus.

Afterfall (or whatever name they're going by) Take Me There (Click Here)

Gadget Car Pan Dulce (Click Here)

LTA

See you there!

LINK

Jason

Nice Rebuttal to Typical New World Bashing

2005-10-08T21:22:00.000-07:00

Tom Wark of Fermentations has a great article about the criticisms wine makers and grape growers from places like California receive from many Europeans. Make sure to link over to the article by Jancis Robinson.

This problem goes far beyond the wine world. Being an American, I often find that I can’t win when it comes to dealing with some Europeans. It is sad that when someone does something better than them, they must slip into vicious, baseless attacks.

LINK

Jason

Open 24/7

2005-10-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm talking about my mind. I have an open mind. That's why I wasted my money and went to eat dinner at Olive Garden tonight. I know, I know. Don't get me started. I just got done bagging on the place, then I go eat there. Well, that's the way I work.

Dinner for two. Pasta overcooked. Sauce had too much salt. Salad might as well be soup (although the salad is the reason I went). Breadsticks might as well be cardboardsticks. Broken water glass. Not-the-sharpest-tool...waitress. Waited 15 minutes to get seated when the restaurant was half empty. Total bill: $17.58. Total waste.

I should have followed my own advice and bought a bag of salad, a bag of pasta, a can of sauce and a loaf of garlic bread. Total cost: $7.00. What was I thinking?

~ Brock

Japanese Seafood Dinner

2005-10-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Why does everyone settle for crap food, night after night. And then, "oh, I made this great dinner. I bought a can of sauce, a bag of pasta, some pre-made garlic bread, a bag of salad, and a bottle of two-buck chuck. Awesome!" Where is your brain? That meal is an excuse for someone that has no creativity or idea what a good meal is. It reminds me of a girl on an old run of The Bachelor with Andrew Firestone. He asked her what her favorite restaurant was. Her answer, "Olive Garden." Holy Crap! What is this world coming to?

Anyway, forget the pasta tonight. This one is easy and better than anything you could order at Olive Garden.

Teriyaki Salmon

2 Salmon filets (at least 1" thick each)
1/4 cup Japanese soy sauce
1/3 cup sake
1 tsp sugar

Marinate salmon filets for at least 1 hour. Bring out to countertop prior to cooking (leave in marinade) for at least 20 minutes. Broil until cooked - about 12 minutes.

Crab

You can buy a nice sized previously cooked crab for this meal, or you can boil your own.

Edamame

Follow instructions on bag. You can pick up a bag of these at Trader Joe's or most other Asian markets.

Dipping Sauces

Spicy Soy Dip - 1tbsp chopped garlic, 1/2 thinly sliced jalapeno chile, 2 pinches of fresh cut green onion, 1/3 cup soy sauce.

Horseradish-Soy Dip - 1tsp horseradish, 1/3 cup soy sauce.

Vinegar-Ginger-Soy Dip - 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1tbsp fresh grated ginger.

Teriyaki Dip - Drain pan from teriyaki salmon, add 1tbsp chopped green onions.

Easy and damn good. Why make pasta every night when you can have variety.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Political Stupidity

2005-10-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

Is the point of politics to force everyone around you to take your view? Me, I don't push my political views on anyone. In fact, I could care less if someone shares my political views. I rarely mention politics in conversation, and avoid the topic as much as possible when it comes up. Why? Because I don't give a crap what you think about politics and I doubt you really care what I think, either.

Here are a few annoying examples:

1. I haven't voted on a local, state or federal level for at least 10 years. Why? It's none of your damn business. But, to all of you freaks that push your liberal, freedom-fighting, whatever- you-call-it political views on me, here is my response: why is it that you push everyone to "fight for your rights," but when it comes to me not voting, "oh, that's not a right, it's a responsibility." Why do I have to exercise my right or responsibility when you tell me to? I don't. That's the point of having a right.

2. Why does everyone act like they have the inside track on political motivations? Like with hurricane Katrina, "oh, it's Bush's fault." Or, "oh, the state government knew it was going to happen but did nothing." Or, the best yet, "oh, actually, 'they' knew the city would flood years ago, but they didn't tell anyone." Like you know anything. Just because you listen to NPR or read US News, or whatever your "cool" source of "inside" news is, you only know what they tell you to know. You don't have the inside track to anything other than your radio or news stand (along with the millions of other robots just like you).

3. And, last, but not least, why is it that Christian politics involve so much hate, judgment, condemnation, hypocrisy and self-righteousness? Now, before you jump on the bandwagon (or stand in offense) know this - I am a Christian and have been nearly all my life. I believe in Jesus. I believe every word of the bible. But, what does that have to do with it? I'm not taking up the cause against Christianity or Christian politics, and I'm not saying that just because someone is a Christian, all of their political views and methods are correct. I'm simply pointing out a fact. The world believes Christians are hateful, judgmental, condemning, hypocritical, and self-righteous. Sometimes Christian politics send that message. That's all.

Just some late evening ramblings.

~ Brock

A Gravy For All Seasons

2005-09-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

I grew up on bisquits and gravy. My mom had a recipe passed down from her parents and it was the highlight of many, many Saturday mornings. Anyway, here's a version of it, along with a recipe for steak gravy.

Breakfast Gravy

6 links sausage or bacon strips
two table spoons flour
1/4 - 1/2 fresh cracked black pepper
salt
whole milk

Cook the sausage or bacon in a heavy pan. When finished, leave the oil in the pan and the fire on. Remove the meat. Crack the pepper into the pan and fry for a few seconds, then toss in the flour, whisking it until brown. Start adding milk, a little at time. The amount of milk you add will depend on how you like the consistency of your gravy (less = dry, more = wet). Don't stop whisking once you've taken the bacon or sausage out. Once it's mixed well, lower the heat, and break up at least one sausage or bacon and add it to the gravy.

The above recipe is great with over-easy eggs, bisquits, hashbrowns, and bacon/sausage. Great for large family gatherings.

Black Pepper Steak Gravy

I discovered this type of gravy at a Chinese restaurant in Irvine. It's simple to make and adds a variation to steak for those of us who don't care for A1 or Heinz 57.

2 tbsp butter
1/4 - 1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper
salt
2 tbsp flour
beef broth

In a heavy pan, melt the butter on high med-high heat. Add the pepper and fry a few seconds. Add the flour and whisk until brown. Pour in beef broth slowly, whisking constantly until desired consistency is reached. Keep warm.

This gravy works well with medium-well steak and over-easy egg.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

More On Pre-Event Eating

2005-09-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

If you've followed my posts, you know that my eating habits haven't changed one bit since my first Pre-Event eating post back in August. To add to the impact of my wonderful diet, I've been plagued by bronchitis for almost three weeks now, so I haven't exercised in two. I practically pass out just going up the stairs in my house. Oh well! Anyway, my race is in two weeks (October 9), so I'll have to hit the pool and road pretty hard this week to be able to taper by the following week. Maybe I shouldn't be thinking about tapering? I'll tell you what I am thinking about...I'm thinking about that pulled pork sandwich I had yesterday in Lake Forest.

Keep on truckin'

~ Brock

Curry Chicken Salad

2005-09-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

Seeing many of J's recipes makes me hungry. I don't always have the ingredients his recipes call for, so I improvise. Well, I can't say that I improvise, because I don't replace one ingredient for another. Actually, I make something entirely different. Well, the idea is similar. Oh well.

1 head romaine lettuce
1 can chunk chicken (drained)
curry powder
toasted pine nuts
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup grape/cherry tomatoes
crumbled gorgonzola

dressing:
1/2 cup balsalmic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp mustard
ground pepper
ground garlic

Pull the romaine apart into edible-sized pieces; arrange on plates
thinly slice red onions, top the lettuce
drop tomatoes on top
Place chicken in bowl and add generous portion of curry powder. Mix well, then add chunks on top of salad
drop gorgonzola on top, followed by pine nuts
Add dressing

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Kafta Kabobs and Yogurt Dip

2005-09-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

Some foods are clearly intended for eating and not for appearance. I would say that Kafta type kabobs fall into that category. This recipe is a variation of a Lebanese ground meat kabob. It's simple to make, but tastes great.

1 lb ground beef (I prefer a slighly higher fat conent - 15%)
2 eggs
1/2 finely chopped onion
1 tbsp crushed coriander
1 tbsp crushed cumin
salt
pepper
ground garlic

In a large bowl, scramble the eggs. Then, add the beef and onion. Mix by hand. Add generous portions of salt, pepper and garlic (I believe you should always add to preference, not to recipe - experiment), and coriander/cumin. Mix by hand again. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your yogurt dip:

1 small pack of plain yogurt, drained lightly
1/2 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cucumber, skinned and finely chopped/drained
ground garlic (approximately 1 tbsp)

Mix well and place in fridge until ready to eat.

Then, chop remaining onion into large chunks for eating with kabob. Also, quarter 1 lemon for drizzle.

Once the meat is cooled nicely, get out metal skewers. Roll the meat into 1 inch thick, 8 - 10 long pieces (as many as you can get from the mix; probably 4 - 5). Slide the skewers through the meat, lengthwise. Carry out to grill (which should be heated to high).

Be careful placing the kebabs on the grill, because the meat will fall right off the skewers. Deliver them by hand, gently. Once they're on, brush generously with olive oil and drip lime juice over. Roll these puppies to each side about 1 minute. They should cook sufficiently within 4 - 5 minutes. Each time you roll them, baste with olive oil and lime juice. Be careful removing them from the grill. The longer you cook them, the dryer they become.

Eat kebabs with raw onion, lemon wedges and yogurt dip.

~ Brock

Bring On The Fried Chicken....Roll

2005-09-23T22:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it doesn't have chicken, but who cares, it's still called the fried chicken roll. This is a great Chinese dish. It's easy to make, great taste and hearty.

1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb finely chopped fish cake (you can use fish paste, but I prefer the chopped cake. Pick this up at an Asian supermarket like 99 You can try different brands/types, it's up to you.)
1 small carrot, diced finely
1 small onion, diced finely
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cooking wine
1tsp sesame oil
1/3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine everything in a large bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Then, get large seaweed and/or large dry tofu sheets (if you use tofu sheets, you will need to cover them with a wet towel for a few minutes until the soften up enough to roll without breaking).

Place a fair amount of mix into the sheet and roll (like you are rolling a cigar). Make sure to tuck in the ends, or the mix will explode out the side when it's cooked.

Once you have all the rolls ready to...roll, add some oil to a heavy pan and heat to medium. When it's hot, place the rolls in and fry for about 4 minutes on medium, then turn up the heat to high and fry another minute or two. roll them continuously so they don't overcook one side. When they're crispy, they're done.

Take them out of the pan and slice. Serve with Ketchup.

~ Brock

No Panda Crap Here

2005-09-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

The best fried rice comes from a home kitchen. Here is a simple recipe for damn good Chinese fried rice:

2 cups rice (I use a rice cooker, so I add 1.5 cups of water for each cup of rice - it turns out perfect every time. It's been a while since I cooked rice stovetop, so read a bag before you do it that way). Let the rice cook.

Meanwhile, add oil to a large frying pan and...

Scramble two eggs and fry, with salt and pepper. Set aside. (keep the oil in the pan)

Slice 1/2 onion in lengthwise slivers. Fry with oil until fragrant, but not limp. Set aside. (keep the oil)

Slice Chinese sweet sausage into small chunks. Fry with oil until cooked (about 2 minutes). Set aside. (keep the oil)

Slice Chinese fishcake (whichever kind you like) into small chunks. Fry with oil for about 1 or 2 minutes (don't overcook, or it will dry out). Set aside. (keep oil)

Fry about 1/2 cup corn. Set aside.

You should have well-flavored oil remaining in the pan. This will work with your rice once it's done. When rice is finished cooking, cool it. For a fast cool, set the pot in a large bowl (or sink) of ice water. Otherwise, put it in the fridge for a while.

Once rice is cooled sufficiently (not cold - closer to room temperate is best), turn the fire up high and once it's hot (make sure you have at least a solid 2 tbsp of oil existing. If not, add some), drop the rice in. Fry the rice for a minute or two, trying to crisp it up.

Then, add Chinese Oyster Sauce. You can buy this in a bottle at any Chinese supermarket. Add about 1/4 cup, speading throughout the rice. Add about 2 tbsp soy sauce, lightly salt and pepper. Some ground garlic will work fine too.

Fry this mixture up for another minute, then add all the pre-cooked ingredients. Mix well, frying throughout. Once it's heated throughout, it's done.

This rice works well with Chinese XO chile sauce. Otherwise, use your favorite Asian chile sauce as a compliment.

~ Brock

Wine Review: Vina Alarba Calatayud

2005-09-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not a wine snob, so I'll try just about anything at least once (except for white wine, because I'm a red wine snob). That led me to a trip to Wine Exchange in Orange, looking to buy three bottles for under $25 - total. Here's a review of the first:

This is an excellent wine for the price (I think it was $7.99). 2003 Vina Alarba Old Vines Grenache (Spain). It has a great ruby color, and was as good on the first day as it was on the third. Very earthy, not fruity or complex. Tastes of pepper, coffee and earth. Smooth, with no aftershock, and medium bodied to bring it all together.

This wine worked well with a turkey burger, and I suppose it would be great with beef, chicken and maybe even a spicy dish.

Try it (anyway, what's the big deal to spend under $8)!

91 Points.

~ Brock

Ask These Guys If It Has Done A Damn Thing

2005-09-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

KURO BUSTED!

Following up on recent posts found HERE , HERE , HERE & HERE , is a new ruling in Taiwan. As I have stated, my issue is with the guys making the money with these crimanal activities. B has stated it won't do a damn thing but maybe he should go talk to these fellows who may be spending a few years in a Taiwanese prison. I think they may learn what "file" sharing really is. :-)

Don't drop the soap boys!

"J"

While You Were Jacking Copyrights, Kazaa Was Jacking You

2005-09-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

A recent article stated,

"Kazaa's software has been downloaded 317 million times since and its users download three billion files a year. In contrast, the most successful legitimate music download service, iTunes, had racked up 500,000 paid-for song downloads by July, two years after it opened."

The numbers are unbelievable. Now I'm no math wizard, but I think that means 1 legal download for every 10,000 illegal ones. Still, it's hard to believe that only 500,000 legal downloads have occurred. Does anyone know if this number is accurate?

Going on, the same article also stated,

"But as impressive as the numbers are, Kazaa stopped being relevant as a major file-sharing force a couple of years ago when music downloaders began to find themselves swamped with the unwanted adware and spyware that was bundled into Kazaa software downloads."

I have read many times about the problem with spyware/adware, but had no idea Kazaa ever "stopped being relevant." This can only mean one of two things: 1) the author just made that up; or 2) if Kazaa is irrelevant, then iTunes is...what's less thank nonexistent? It hasn't made a dent. It is like a salt crystal in the world ocean.

And finally,

"Nothing comes for free, even unauthorised file downloads. Kazaa's owner since 2002, Sharman Networks, has pushed the Kazaa desktop as "the gateway to an online audience of millions" for advertisers."

I guess what it all boils down to is Kazaa was out to screw you (the copyright owner) and you (the copyright downloader) from day one. This was always about advertising dollars and never about fighting the "man" (copyright law).

~ Brock

Wine and Art Go Hand In Hand

2005-09-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

York Chang is a genius.

Check The Pantry and Experiment

2005-09-10T21:48:00.000-07:00

Here's an easy recipe when you don't have much in the fridge or pantry. It requires only a few ingredients.

A couple of chicken breasts (skinless)
1/2 cup flour
salt & pepper (fresh cracked)

1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes - small like cherry tomatoes, except elongated)
white wine
garlic or shallots
Olive oil
butter

Butter your frying pan and fry the garlic or shallots (chopped finely) about 3 minutes.

Add tomotoes and a bit of olive oil, fry on high heat a minute or two.

Add wine, enough to cover tomatoes, but not make soup. Boil, then reduce heat. Let simmer for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken breasts, then hit with the back of a knife to soften and blend. Then, take the chicken breasts and drag in flour to cover. Once your chicken is ready, heat oil in a heavy pan, then add chicken. Fry each side until brown - about 3 minutes each side. Don't overcook your chicken.

When the chicken is done, lay it out on a plate, drop the tomatoe sauce on it and bammo! Easy, quick and few ingredients.

It's A Real Fight....more on Kazaa

2005-09-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

So Jason and I seem to be at odds over this topic.

To bring you up to speed, J posted an article discussing an Australian court's ruling against Kazaa for copyright infringement. I, in turn, posted a comment on an artilce discussing the fact that the US Supreme Court's ruling in Grokster (and taking into account the Kazaa case) have made no difference. Then the accusations flew and I think it's time for a thorough comment.

Beginning with Napster, the major copyright infringement cases related to music piracy have not reduced piracy. All reports indicate that piracy has increased. Nevertheless, there have been a number of domestic and international court rulings that have hit a significant number of people and companies hard. The fact is that the cases have effected those defendants, not the millions of others.

Now J points out that these cases, "leave the door open for prosecution." The door has never been closed. Copyright law has mostly expanded over the years, increasing and expanding rights for authors/owners, not limiting them. This many years after the DMCA was implemented, only now are domestic courts finally rendering decisions that demonstrate that it was not intended to create "new" copyrights; only to clarify existing rights. Copyright owners have the same rights they have had for many years. That being said, it's a bit off topic.

My point in referencing the article stating that the cases have had no impact was to merely make a point, not to take a stance. But now that I've been pressed, here is my stance: the entertainment industry spends its money on prosecution over incentive. Prosecution hits defendants, not the public. Incentives hit the public, not defendants. So, if you can hit 20,000 people (defendants in entertainment industry lawsuits) or 200,000,000 people (masses involved in downloading [illegal or no]), which group would you choose? These numbers are, of course, made up, but the point is that the approach taken by the entertainment industry is backwards.

Let's take a lesson from Apple. The iPod changed the world. From boom boxes, to Walkmans, to portable CD players, to computers strapped in the back of cars for MP3 files, to...the iPod. Together with iTunes and the iTunes music store, Apple has changed the face of digital music. It has given incentive for consumers to buy, not steal. Sure, I'm certain there are a large number of people still illegally downloading music to their iPod, but my point is that Apple created an incentive to buy.

What has the music industry done to provide incentive? Nothing that I am aware of (other than licensing its content to Apple, but that doesn't count because it's not perceived as the music industry, and perception is everything).

To the public, the entertainment industry is a multi-billion dollar industry crying foul. It sues people, it attempts to manipulate (like those stupid DVD commercials that show a guy snatching a purse..."you wouldn't steal a purse? why music?"), and it experiments with useless technology, i.e., digital locks, which can be cracked the minute they are created. Everything it does is reactive, not proactive.

Where is the incentive to purchase music? This is my point.

So, I'm accused of being drunk, immoral, etc., etc., simply because I quote a fact. I'm accused of supporting the other side of the argument, because I quote the other side. I play the devil's advocate. Well, I'll play along...I'll question the entertainment industry's tactics. I think they suck. I'm not saying that it should stop suing. After all, I am a lawyer ;). I'm just making the point that suing doesn't stop the masses, it stops defendants. And, lawsuits tend to provide incentive for pirates to develop craftier methods of piracy (Napster was centralized and is shut down. Up pops Grokster. Decentralized, but it provides software that is used for piracy. It's shut down. Up pop so-called "Darknets" - private networks for sharing content. Decentralized. Not public. Up pop this, up pop that. Technology will get better and better as the cases shut down each predecessor.)

So, here's my challenge. Why doesn't the entertainment industry provide incentive to stop piracy?

Another Blow To Kazaa!

2005-09-05T22:06:00.000-07:00

I am sure these bastards will figure out more ways to rip people off but at least they have taken another hit.

Jason

LINK

Silence

2005-09-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

My Friend Dan Wilt writes some important thoughts about Katrina on his blog.

www.danwilt.com

Jason

Variations On Favorites

2005-09-01T00:48:00.000-07:00

I was thinking back to Jason's recipe for pasta with sausage and mushroom cream (August 8 post) and wanted to try it tonight. But, I felt like shrimp instead of sausage, and wanted to try Portobello mushrooms instead of criminis.

I've never made a mushroom cream sauce, but this had to be one of the best cream pastas I've ever made. Everything went perfect. I pan fried the shrimp in butter and olive oil first, then removed it. I then fried the mushrooms for a few minutes, then added the shallots. Fried some more for about 2 minutes, then added white wine and whipping cream (equal portions). Boiled, then simmered that sauce for about 20 minutes, until it thickened up nicely. Meanwhile, the rigatoni was done and waiting. Once the sauce was finished, I added the pasta and shrimp and stirred. Oh yeah, I added sea salt and cracked pepper in there somewhere.

Excellent meal!!

~ Brock

TKO

2005-08-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love salmon. I think I've perfected a certain rendition of it here.

two salmon fillets (I have been using them with skin off, but it's your call).

slather fillets with olive oil, wait five minutes, then drip plenty of fresh squeezed lime. Wait a few minutes, then turn to make sure they're covered. Next, salt (fresh ground sea salt) and pepper (fresh cracked is the best) to taste. Cover generously with Dill. Finish off with a nice dose of ground garlic. Let these fillets sit out for about 20 minutes (slightly above room temp), turning them often to spead the flavor. Turn the grill on high.

Meanwhile, slice Romaine lettuce, thin slivers of green bell pepper, and thick slivers of mango. Organize on plate, then top with thin sliced red onion, small tomatoes and gorgonzola (also use toasted pine nuts if you have them). Grind fresh pepper on top. Place in the fridge to cool.

Meanwhile, bake two large potatoes in the microwave for about 8 - 10 minutes (make sure to poke holes in them, and turn them once at about 7 minutes). Take them out, slice them in half lengthwise. Take a small spoon, and remove the inner part of the potatoe, leaving just the skin intact. Place all the insides in a large bowl. Add a tablespoon of butter, a 1/2 cup grated cheese, sliced green onions, salt, pepper and garlic, and mash, mash, mash. Spoon the stuff back into the potatoe skins. Arrange the potatoes in a baking dish (you should coat the dish with butter or olive oil first), then grate cheese on top of the concoction. Turn the oven on broil and put the potatoes in.

Now, the fish should be ready to hit the grill. I like a hot grill, which burns the fish a bit, but not too much. Lay them down and close the lid. Time for about 3 minutes. Come back out, flip and time another 2-3 minutes. Note that timing is key with fish. Too long and it will burn and dry. Too short and it will be sushi. You will probably need to experiment, but 5-6 minutes is usually good for a 1 1/2 inch thick salmon fillet. Overcooked fish sucks, so leave it a bit moist and colored inside. Take the fish from the grill and arrange on two plates.

Bring inside. Top the salmon with thin sliced red onions, my pinot-blueberry glaze, then gorgonzola. Add two halves of the potatoe (which should be browned by now).

Serve the salad and fish at the same time. Enjoy!

~ Brock

Don't Waste My Wine

2005-08-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

As you know, Jason and I recently cracked open a (actually two bottles) Kali Hart Pinot. We were both impressed with it. Well, my wife doesn't drink wine, so when I open a bottle, it usually takes a couple of days to finish it off. By the fourth day, my Kali Hart was dead, but I didn't want to waste it. Hmmmmm? What to do? I know, I'll use it to top grilled salmon!

This was an experiment, of course, but a great one. I made a Pinot-Blueberry-Shallot sauce to top my salmon and here's how I did it.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in a small pot. Once the butter sizzles, add the thinly sliced shallots (about two teaspoons). Fry up until light brown.

Add 1/4 cup of fresh (or frozen) blueberries. Fry up until soft, then mash with fork.

Add 1 - 2 cups Kali Hart Pinot. Bring to a boil, then reduce. Simmer until reduced to about 1/2 or less. It will start to thicken (I let my concoction simmer for about 40 minutes).

Your done! Serve it warm.

I think this sauce works well with red onions and gorgonzola cheese (see following post).

Don't be afraid to use your leftover wine for something interesting. My next experiment will be dessert related.

~ Brock

Sharon Osbourne...The Real Iron Maiden?

2005-08-29T11:37:00.000-07:00

Classic stuff from America's family.

Jason

Can I Laugh At This?

2005-08-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

My friend at LTA posted this article.
TheHomeTownChannel

Picking Fruits

2005-08-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

Some fruits are easy to pick. They look good, smell good, and seem ripe to the touch. Others, such as melons, are a little more difficult. Since I love melons, here are a few tips I picked up for picking good ones:

1. Look at the yellow or brown spot where it was on the ground. Assuming it's not completely flat, a nice, large yellow spot indicates that the melon has been on the vine for some time and is probably more ripe than a melon without a yellow patch or with a white or pale patch.

2. look where the vine connected to the melon. If it's green and fresh at the break, the melon may have been harvested prematurely. If it's completely dried out and shriveled, that may indicate an overripe melon. Look for one that is slightly dried, but not dead dried.

3. Look for melons that seem heavy for their size. This is often an indication of good liquid retention, rendering a jucier melon.

4. Look for firm melons (haha). If it's spongy, it's not good.

Happy hunting.

~ Brock

Eating Out Versus Eating In

2005-08-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

I want to cook at home more often than I do, but convenience usually gets the best of me. I crave a meal, I find I have the ingredients to make it, then I get lazy. I opt for my default: Chinese. Each time I make the decision, I consider the cost.

For me, an average meal costs about $16.00 - $30.00 (excluding spices) to prepare. Here's an example: Salmon fillets $10.00; two limes $1.00; red onion $.80; gorgonzola cheese $2.50; shrimp (bag) $9.00. Yes, I'll have some leftover ingredients, but that's the basic cost for a basic meal = $23.00+. Or, here's a cheaper one: rigatoni $2.00; heavy cream $1.50; butter $1.00; white wine $6.00; chicken breasts $5.00. Now that's much better = $15.50. Either way, making meals at home is not cheap.

Then I consider eating Chinese in Rowland Heights. Noodles $4.00; onion pancake $2.50; rice dish $5.00. Total = $11.50. Or, here's another: dumplings $3.50; two cold dishes $3.00. Total = $6.50. Big difference.

By the way, the numbers don't line up when you consider an American meal like Claim Jumper or CPK. There, the prices are usually higher. Italian is ALWAYS higher.

So that's why I don't always cook at home. I'm not one of those people that goes out to eat and orders high priced plates, soda and wine, salad and appetizer. I share meals with my wife. We never order soda or wine. We never order appetizers. Our bill is rarely over $16.00. It's not because I can't, but because I won't.

Cooking must be a joy, because it's not a convenience, and it's not - contrary to popular belief - always cheap!

~ Brock

Pre-Event Eating

2005-08-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

I'm not big on diets. I'm not big on "cutting out ____" (insert drug of choice, i.e., sugar, chocolate, etc.). I like to eat and I like to eat a lot.

I'm training for a triathlon on October 9. I swim, run and/or bike almost every day. I also drink boba 3 or 5 times a week, eat chocolate, fried foods and drink wine quite often.

Is it possible to do both? I'll keep you posted as the race gets closer. Will I drop weight? Will I gain weight? Will I do well or suck on race day? I'll let you know.

~ Brock

Sometimes Meals Suck

2005-08-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure whether a post like this would serve a purpose, but I think it will. Sometimes we experiment in cooking, combining various ingredients and elements in hopes of creating a dish worth eating. Recently, I tried and failed.

I love noodles. And, there is a particular dish that I truly enjoy that is a dark, dry Chinese noodle (something like Ja Ja Mien). It has cooked soup noodles, some type of brown sauce with dried tofu and pork. I've had it many times at many different restaurants, but never as a home cooked meal. I thought I would give it a try.

First mistake - I bought Vietnamese thin rice noodles. These are about 24 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide and paper thin. I don't think they're made for such a dish, but I didn't know.

Second mistate - I thought the brown sauce might be a soybean sauce. I first tried a small portion of the noodles with straight, store-bought bean sauce. That was like eating a can of salt with beans. Wrong.

Next, I tried thinning the brown sauce with chicken broth. Got closer, but still not quite.

Then, I took 4 pork cutlets and chopped them until they were practically ground. I fried this up with small chunks of baked tofu, using a small amount of Sesame oil.

Once that was cooked, I added a small amount of the thinned sauce, mixed it, then poured it over the cold noodles. I then added thin slices of cucumber and fresh jalapeno pepper.

My wife almost gagged. My brother-in-law smiled and took it down. Me, well, I probably won't make that one again, although it did give me some ideas for other dishes.

Happy Cooking!

~ Brock

Wine Review

2005-08-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

2003 Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon (South Africa)

Here is a young, new world Cabernet Sauvignon to look out for. I paid 7 bucks for this South African wine and I was impressed. It’s a “drink now” wine. Despite my general opinion that Cabs, even lower end early drinkers, are not very food friendly, this wine would match up with tons of dishes. In fact, I had half the bottle the next day, with a pasta in a sauce of white wine and serrano chiles (lots of chiles). The wine still tasted great.

The Excelsior 2003 Cab comes fit with a synthetic cork so no need to even lay it down if you are doing some short term cellaring. Its color was a dark plummy purple. Complex grapey aromas mixed with blueberry cream and a slight touch of petroleum jelly. Almost Shiraz like. The flavors showed a lot of dark fruit with just a touch of oak. So many cabs in this price range are slathered in oak.

I had this over two nights. On the second night, the fruit was toned down and the wine was delicious but slightly flabby in that the acids and tannin were gone.

90 Points! and an A+ for QPR (Quality to Price Ratio)

www.excelsior.co.za

Enjoy,

Jason

Where's The Wonderbread?

2005-08-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

In one of the first Scrutiny posts, I mentioned a sandwich shop in Westwood that was awesome...combining various asian dishes on french bread, these are a must eat!! I forgot the name and location, but here it is. Don't go to LA without stopping by East West Sandwich!

Indie Labels Sell Out?

2005-08-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

The above link is to an LA Times article about Indie Labels and their relationship with the Majors. Short but interesting. Typical Indie Label bullshit about how they care about the artists. Oh well, that’s what people want to believe. Why not tell the truth and talk about being an avenue to get to the Majors. In that respect, they are a shinning light.

Jason

P.S. You may have to register at the site.

Snobs Of Lido Island

2005-08-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

On this tiny part of Newport Beach, California, lies an area known as Lido Island. Filled with yatchs, multi-million dollar homes, silicon and other expensive crap, is a "secret" restaurant known as the Sabatino's Sausage Company. I heard of it through some close friends who had heard about it through some family members who are apparently notorious for finding hidden eating gems. My wife, son and I joined our friends with great anticipation.

True, it's quite hidden. In fact, it's in the middle of what appears to be a professional office complex. I had mostly outdoor seating, and there were at least 50 or so people waiting to get it. The aroma of sausage filled the air. "Yummy," I thought.

The first sign of something wrong was the waitress. She smiled and blinked repeatedly through those Botox-filled areas of her face, while I ordered water. "Water? That's all." She said. A quick frown, then a generous smile to our friends, who were drinking wine and needed more.

The charade continued shortly, then went to all out rudeness, since we apparently didn't order enough. She semi-rolled her eyes with each request - which, of course, she ignored.

Then the food came. Now, understand that I love sausage. And, Sabatino's sausage was good! BUT, and this is a big BUT, everything else was horrible. My pasta had at least 2 cups of oil (it was more like an oil soup with pasta in it). My friend ordered Oso Buco, which was 80% bone, 15% fat, and 5% meat. The meals were bland, overpriced and not worth it.

So, next time you think you've found a gem, simply because people don't know about it, consider two things: 1) if it's in Lido Island, it probably isn't a gem; and 2) if you pay $10.00 for soup, it's probably crap.

And, if you're going to ignore my advice and try it anyway, don't forget your Sperry Topsiders, khaki shorts and Tommy Bahama's silk shirt - otherwise, you'll feel out of place ;).

~ Brock

Kung Fu Hustle Wins

2005-08-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

Kung Fu Hustle is a must see. It's entertaining, funny, actors do well, characters are done well, action, everything. Yes, it's somewhat predicatable and yes, it conveys stereotypes, but it's worth enduring all that.

~ Brock

Bride & Prejudice Loses

2005-08-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

I admit, I've never read or watched any other variation of Pride and Prejudice. So, when I rented Bride & Prejudice, the rendition of it set in India (mostly) and with Indian characters (mostly), I figured it would be interesting. This was particularly true since more than a few people told me it was great and, as an limited-release film junkie, I had high expectations.

Bride & Prejudice sucked. The stroy was choppy and weak, the acters were so-so, the signing and dancing was annoying, not funny, and it was predicitable.

Foregoing the value of The Scrutiny movie breakdown - No need to rent it.

~ Brock

Ten Ren Rules

2005-08-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

According to one newspaper report, Ten Ren is the Starbucks of boba teas. Now you already know that I love boba...in fact, I drink it 2-3 times a week. Now I've found a new love.

Ten Ren on Fullerton Road in Industry has boba and a cafe, so I can eat great food while I drink my tea. I suggest the salt and pepper chicken or the fried pork chop.

~ Brock

More On "Sideways" and Pinot Noir

2005-08-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

So is it a trend or is Pinot Noir truly the greatest grape, from which we get Burgundy, Champagne and…..ummm…Pinot Noir. Here is a new USA Today article.

Note that Americans now drink more wine than beer!

Jason

Salmon, Shrimp and Figs Are Great

2005-08-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I don't have any pictures of this meal yet, but it was easy to make and I'd make it again anytime for lunch or dinner.

You start with a salmon fillet (recently I've bought my salmon from Costco; it's not bad). You marinate it 1/2 hour with olive oil and lime, and cover it with salt, pepper, garlic and dill. Let it warm up on the counter a bit before grilling.

Take peeled large shrimp (I used Trader Joe's brand) and marinate 1/2 hour with sake, lime, salt, pepper, chili flakes, cayenne pepper. Slide the shrimp on skewers. Let them warm up a bit.

Take fresh figs and slice in half; set aside.

Heat the grill to high (some like the fish on a medium heat with no charring. I like my fish slightly charred). Cook salmon with lid closed for about 3 minutes. The fish should lift from the grill without breaking apart. Once the fish is to this point, flip it.

When you've flipped the fish, add the shrimp skewers. Grill them a bit on one side, then flip them. Make sure they are not thoroughly white, which means they are overcooked. They should be pink colored with a slight translucent appearance - and still plump.

Place the figs on the grill to heat thoroughly.

By the time the shrimp is done (2-3 minutes), the fish and figs should be done.

Arrange everything on a plate and top fish with thinly sliced red onions and bits of gorgonzola. Enjoy!

~ Brock

A Few Ingredients

2005-08-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

In some recent posts, I've mentioned some ingredients that you may not know how to find. Here are some pictures to help you locate them at 99 Ranch Store:

1. Chinese BBQ sauce:

2: Sesame Paste:

THE ISLAND (PG13) starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson

2005-08-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Scrutiny says, “Maybe On A Plane Or In A Hotel” "75.5" out of 100 Points.
For The Scrutniny rating system click HERE

"J"s Review: Acting: 8/10, Ensemble: 9/10, Cinematography: 7/10, Story: 5/10, Soundtrack: 8/10, Overall: 43/50

Total: 80/100

By the skin of its teeth, this movie made it to being a renter for me. The downfall was the story. Solid acting by great actors that worked well together. Visually it was nice, although completely unoriginal. But the story is a benchmark of unoriginality. As a movie, it was confused as to whether it was going to be sci-fi or action. As a Sci-Fi film it was entertaining but as an action film it was the usual drivel of CG shite (the use of “shite” is in honor of Ewan McGregor, one of my favorite actors). Overall I was entertained but you must check your intellect at the door.

80 Points: "Keep Your Blockbuster Card And Rent It"

~Jason

"B"s Review: Acting: 7/10, Ensemble: 8/10, Cinematography: 7/10, Story: 4/10, Soundtrack: 5/10, Overall: 40/50

Total: 71/100

I was confused and disappointed. If you’ve watched Gattaca , The Truman Show and Blade Runner , then you’ve watched The Island. If you’ve ever watched two news crews covering the same story, then you’ll understand this film retelling the same story, again. I wanted something more; different. I had high hopes. The acting was great, and I was impressed with Ewan McGregor’s boyish innocence - until he escapes, then suddenly he becomes streetwise. Typical Michael Bay – big, bold and choppy. I usually enjoy nearly all movies, but I found myself checking my watch frequently. Enjoyable, but done.

71 Points: "Watch It On A Plane Or In A Hotel Room"

~Brock

"The Scrutiny" Movie Rating System

2005-08-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

We here at The Scrutiny feel we have devised the finest and most unique system ever created to give you the knowledge you will need before opening your wallet to pay for a movie. It is based on a 100 point scale and covers six categories. They are as follows.

The first five categories each carry a possible 10 points for a total of 50. They are Acting, Ensemble, Cinematography, Story and Soundtrack. The final category carries 50 points and is Overall.

Once the points have been tallied, we will give the following ratings.

100-95 “Go Pay Full Price And Pre-Order The DVD”

94-90 “Get Your Popcorn And Go”

89-80 “Keep Your Blockbuster Card And Rent It…Okay, Use Netflix”

79-70 “Watch It On A Plane Or In A Hotel”

69-0 “Hire An Attorney And Sue The Filmmakers”

JR To The Kings!!!

2005-08-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

As always he is good for some fun quotes, like, “Does Anaheim even have a city? Are there buildings there? I love Costa Mesa, there are buildings there, but Anaheim? Now here in L.A. we have lots of big buildings. We’re a city”, or “I can see them trying to do a lot of good things in Anaheim, I still think we’ll kick their ass.”

And there you have it. Anaheim can keep their lame goalie that is nothing more than a set of pads. We have JR!!! Next stop, we scrape into the playoffs and are eliminated in the second round. At least we have buildings!

My friend from LTA seems to think Anaheim has made a better deal, signing Scott Niedermayer, but I think he is reading too many sports columns by writers that don’t know jack about hockey. They will continue on with their boring existence.

Jason

Catch Them Mo-Fos

2005-07-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

Intellectual Property Czar

I hope they keep the pressure on all the assholes ripping off music and other forms of entertainment.

Jason

Cold Noodles for a Hot Day

2005-07-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

One thing I love about Chinese food is the variety. Hot and cold, spicy and mild, meat or vegitarian. There's something to love for any pallete. I also love the fact that you can make so many dishes with so few ingredients and quickly. Here's one I love, it is called "Liang Mien" in pinyin (literally, "cold noodles"):

bowl full of thick soup noodles (buy the Chinese brand that are sold in large flat boxes; they're about the size of linguine). Cook the noodles according to the directions, then strain and run through cold water until cooled.

Add about 1 tablespoon of Chinese BBQ sauce (sa tsa). Make sure it's the kind of BBQ sauce that's in a silver can, and not the kind for making ribs, which is completey different.
Add 1/2 tablespoon sesame paste
Add 1/2 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce.

Peel cucumber and cut into thin strips (like small french frys).

Stir it all together and chow down. Hope you enjoy!

~ Brock

It's Total Anarchy

2005-07-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Buy NY wine online?

Wine Review: 1994 Markham Zin

2005-07-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

After drinking this wine and reading J's post, I feel a lot like that guy in Sideways...I drink the wine and think, "it tastes good to me." Truth is, I pulled this wine from my storage and wasn't sure what to expect. I've had other Markham wines and I liked them. So, for an eleven year old Zin, it sure was good. We drank the bottle in about 1 hour.

~ Brock

A Burrito In Every Language

2005-07-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

I love Chinese food. Now I'm not talking Panda Express, Wok this, Wok that, Americanized-Mexican made Chinese crap. I'm talking about the real thing. The kind where few white folks dare to venture. The places where you can't read the menu, even if it is in English. That's where the good stuff's at. But I digress.

Before I wrote this post, I Googled the phrase, "history of the burrito." I was hoping to find an encyclopedia-type treatise on this little brown prize, but no. Interesting results, however. But, why the heck am I writing about it in the first place? Because, I love Chinese 'burritos' otherwise known as (in my non-Pinyin/English rendition dialect) "twin gin," or "lao bo bing." No, I'm not talking about something wierd with a Mexican tortilla and moo shoo pork in it. I'm talking about one of my favorite meals on the planet. I tried to google that too, but couldn't find any reference to them. Anyway, here's how to make them (you can buy everything you need from 99 Ranch:

1. Spring roll wrappers (steam slightly to loosen);
2. thin omellet (eggs, sugar, milk) - about 1cm thick, almost like a crepe, cut into 4" by 1/4" strips;
3. peanut powder;
4. powdered sugar;
5. boiled shrimp, sliced vertically;
6. boiled pork, sliced into 1" by 1/4" rectangles;
7. boiled or fried bean sprouts, crunchy;
8. sweet Chinese sausage, sliced thin (cook in toaster oven first - don't overcook);
9. fried cabbage, long thin sliced;
10. baked tofu, fried with thin sliced leek tops; and
11. chili sauce with black beans.

Pile it to your liking, understanding that the spring roll wrappers break easy, so maybe double them up. Wrap it like a burrito and chow down. Nothing matches the ones you can buy streetside in Taiwan, but these family style ones will do the trick.

~ Brock

The 4th Goes Out With A Bang

2005-07-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

The highlight of my weekend? Food. Like always, who cares about the stupid fireworks.

So, what did I eat? Three damn good Chinese meals (and a healthy dose of Boba throughout the weekend - Ten Ren has the best).

1. Small blue crabs, taken from live to screaming in a pot of boiling water. They're great to dip in ginger, soy sauce and vinegar. Lot's of work, and if you can ignore the smells-like-the-pier smell, they taste great. Purchased from 99 Ranch Market in Rowland Heights. You need at least 5 per person.

2. Roast duck, roast pork and white chicken from Sam Woo in Rowland Heights. I can't find a link to the Rowland Heights location (or a company website), but here's a link to an Irvine location with most of the same stuff. The duck is about $12 for a whole bird - and it's awesome. Make sure you get the dipping sauce for the white chicken.

3. There's a place in Rowland Heights called "Good Time Cafe." They have tons of great dishes and here's what I had (I'll try and add my English sound translations just in case you can order in Chinese) - a side of seaweed (hai dai) and dried tofu (dofu gan); fried tofu (za dofu); this egg/shrimp dish that is fried with gelatenous stuff, topped with a sweet chili sauce (I can't remember - hai shen something?); pork with noodles soup (zo gun mifun); and a pork rice dish (migow). Yeah, I realize it's not Pinyin, but it's close enough.

Living in OC, it's great to have access to such great Chinese food. The best places are within 20 minutes of my house, and well worth the drive. But, if you go, do not expect clean and orderly. You go for the food, not the look. And, keep your eyes out for those restaurants that have a "C" rating, which they hide behind those "lucky" plants with red ribbons!

Happy eating.

~ Brock

Say Goodbye...Again

2005-06-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

The iPod. iTunes. P2P. Napster. Grokster. Morpheus. Kazza. Gnutella. Twenty years ago, these were part of the imagination of crazy, Star Trek-minded geek people. Ten years ago, these were the so-called gleam in a collective "someone's" eye. In 2005, these are household descriptors of wildly popular entertainment sources.

Back in 1999, a college kid developed Napster to share music files. The RIAA took it down. Then, other rebels sprouted up, and with an even more sinister plan, these new P2P giants removed themselves from the middle...we deliver the software, but it's the consumer that shares files, not us. A smart move to avoid liability, or so it was guessed.

On June 27, 2005, the United States Supreme Court ruled that "one that distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, going beyond mere distribution with knowledge of third party action, is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties using the device, regardless of the device's lawful uses." MGM, et al. v. Grokster, et al. In other words, Grokster, you are liable for copyright infringement if any one of the users of your software is liable.

What can you say to that, other than wow! This is a HUGE win for copyright owners; a HUGE loss for technology developers. Only time will tell how this plays out in a practical sense.

Now Sony fought a very similar battle back in 1984 - a battle to save technology development at the (potential) expense of the destruction copyrights, i.e., the Betamax case. There, Sony won and the court ruled that the Betamax recorder had substantial non-infringing uses such that copyright owners could not prohibit the manufacture, sale and distribution of those devices. The facts, to be sure, were much different than in the Grokster case. Going back even further, when the photocopier was developed, similar litigation ensued. The truth is, each time a major technological development for copying and/or sharing is created, a major lawsuit is born. Copyright is limiting - "you can't do that." Technology is expansive - "see what you can do."

So, regardless of which way you lean on the fence, it's an interesting case and a major development in copyright law, certain to affect all industries, and certainly the film and music industries.

For more reading on the copyright owner's take, check out the MPAA, Respect Copyrights, and RIAA websites. For reading on the otherside of the coin, check out the EFF website, and Lawrence Lessig's blog.

~ Brock

You Can't Be Serious...El Torito???

2005-06-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

There aren't many restaurants I won't try, but once I do, I know there will always be the good, the bad and the ugly. So, I'm always intrigued to find out how someone else feels about a place I've tried. Now, aside from the OC/LA Weekly, I don't really trust any other restaurant listing, because most of what's listed in other publications is crap. Case in point: The Annual 2005-2006 Entertainment & City Guide for "the cities of Brea and Placentia." I received it in the mail last week and did a quick browse. Here's what I found...

1. You open the first page and you have a listing for a Brea realtor and an Italian restaurant in Anaheim Hills. What, this guide couldn't even get started with a true "Entertainment" or "City" listing within the geographic location for which it was created? A poor start.

2. Page 3 is an ad for a clothing retailer with locations in Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach. Nothing "entertaining" or "city-worthy" but what the heck, because we haven't even hit the "contents" page and I'm sure this publication needs financial support from the suckers on pages 1 - 3.

3. The table of contents lists all kinds of good stuff, "events," "recreation," "dining," etc. I flip quickly to the "dining" section in hopes of a good find, then, like I suspected it would, it comes crumbling down. Now, I must point out, that this publication is obviously not printed for "entertainment and city" life in Brea and Placentia. In fact, it's worthless unless you don't care what you eat. I don't mind the reach, but whatever.

Let's take a look at some of the "Top Dining Destinations"...Cuban, no mention of Felix's anywhere. How could they? Mexican - El Torito? El Cholo? LEFT AT ALBUQUERQUE????? Who put this together anyway? Obviously, this person has never had a good Mexican meal (notably, the 3 Mexican eateries listed have locations in the very white-washed towns of Irvine and Corona Del Mar). So, can you really trust a publication that doesn't even mention Q Torta? Or the Old Towne area of Placentia? Or the entire city of Santa Ana? This is preposterous. Then, for the "international" section, they list Hawaiian, Spanish, British, Vietnamese, and Armenian. Wow, such a diverse listing (ha ha ha) and, by the way, Hawaiian is not international. Oh, Pho 79 isn't as good as Pho 99, or Pho 88, or Pho 90 (I think the number of these places has something do with the quality).

I was disgusted by the listing, so I thought I'd check out the website for this piece of junk which is "proudly" published by OCspots Corporation. The website has all the same contents, but none of them are active (i.e., it's basically a static page with a table of contents that goes no where). Good going.

Well, in all fairness, if I complain about it, then I should do something about it, right? Here are a few of my own "top destinations" in OC (using the same categories as the booklet):

American: I have no idea, because I don't really eat "American" food very often. Claim Jumper? Steamers in Yorba Linda? Paul's country kitchen? This is a tough one for me. I know, I know, what a way to retort, but like I said, I don't really eat American, because it's usually all chain restaurants and nothing stands out. Oh, for good 'ol Texas BBQ, try the place off Lake Forest Drive at the 5 fwy (next to Diablo's, Inka Grill, Wahoo's, etc.).

California Cuisine: Even more difficult. I'm not sure I've ever had California cuisine.

Chinese: A&J and O Shine are top picks in the Chinese populated area of Jeffrey off the 5 fwy (Irvine). Tea Zone (off State College and Chapman, Fullerton) offers a decent offering of snack meals. Note: These places offer authentic Chinese, so don't expect egg foo yung (which most Chinese people will tell you they've never heard of). For Dim Sum, try the seafood restaurant facing Jeffrey just south of Walnut. For Boba: Tea Zone - the best in North OC (Fullerton) or Tapioca Express (Fullerton), not bad, but a little strong on the Coconut.

Continental: I have been to the Hobbit, which was great. And, Orange Hill offers a great brunch. I wasn't impressed with the Summit House at all. Again, not even sure what "continental" is.

Cuban: Felix's, hands down (Orange circle).

French: The Cellar (Fullerton).

That's enough for this post. More to come later. You'll notice that many of the links are to "let's eat OC." While I frequent that page for listings, many of them are outdated.

~ Brock

The Apple Fritter Marathon

2005-06-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

I can run a 10K. Heck, I can probably run a marathon right now (though I've never tried). But how, I wonder, when I eat apple fritters at least three times a month. Or for that matter when I gorge myself senseless with every good meal, paying special attention to the carbs, butters and sugars. I guess it's the intersection of my love for food and my love for exercise. Growing up and through high school, I was a slim jim that ate nothing but health. TVP (textured vegetable protein) and carob (that pseudo-choc/cardboard stuff) were a regular part of my diet. I was a great swimmer and ran cross-country. Then, I went to college. I still ran cross-country, but no one told me that cereal was available 24 hours a day in the cafeteria. Maybe that's where it started. The damn Lucky Charms. The "luck of the Irish." Now I eat enough for three grown men, while running, swimming, boxing, hiking, etc., on a daily basis.

Now I think my wife is trying to kill me. For father's day (oops, a day early - darn) she bought me Williams-Sonoma's "Desserts." It is freakin' awesome. Sure, I asked her to buy it for me, so maybe it wasn't like she hired a hit man, but I'm just praying it doesn't kill me. I'm determined to make every single recipe in that book. Anyway, how can I stay healthy and do that?

So I'm stuck in a daily love triangle of food and exercise. I cheat on exercise with food and cheat on food with exercise. They're both Jezebels. I hate it, but I can't stop it. Why should I?

~ Brock

Coldplay's X&Y

2005-06-17T16:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've listened to an album five times in a day, for days. That's what's happening with Coldplay's latest release, X&Y. It's a damn good album and much better than Rush of Blood and Parachutes. The great thing about Coldplay is their development. Sure, Parachutes was a great album, but when Rush of Blood came along, it blew it away. Now they release this. I fall asleep with it playing in my head and wake up with it in my head. In fact, I'm taking my nightly run sans MP3 player because I CAN'T GET THEM OUT OF MY HEAD. It's folksy, rocksy, cool and there isn't a single song I skip. I've heard they've been compared to U2 (or that they're supposed to pick up where U2 left/leaves off), but I haven't really cared for U2 since the late '80's, and, I don't think their music rightly compares to U2. Coldplay has a sound that reminds you of some good old stuff (like Echo and the Bunnymen) and at the same time is relevant for this time. While some say it's a great album, there are others that disagree. For me, it's a dope album and I recommend it to everyone.

~ Brock