Chicago Foodies

Champage 2007

Champagne, at least to me, is the easiest of wines to grasp. I glaze over when I start to think of all the different reds and whites. Sparklers are easy to keep track of - especially restricting yourself to a single region. Here are a few choices for all tomorrow's parties.

First and foremost get a larger bottle before 2 or more bottles. Champagne in magnums or larger drink better. They sometimes even cost the same and that big-ass bottle is no joke.

Under $20 - It's fairly common to find and always worth the money, Joseph Perrier's yellow label is the $20 yardstick that you can measure against. They're priced just higher this year so if you're getting a couple, I'd combine it with the Bernard Massard or the Albrecht Lebrun. Those are both in the $15 range but they're not from the region. Trader Joe's has a Jean Maire that's $18.99 but I didn't enjoy it.

$20-$30 - Drappier has several different labels so ask your purveyor. They're all very good. I'm not a big fan of the Brice bottles. Mumm's Cordon Rouge is a solid bet and often available at the grocery store!

$30-$40 - Cliquot is the most drunk Champagne in the states. If you're looking to get some recognition this may be the best bet. Bollinger is not to be confused with Beringer. It's my favorite. Palliard's brut is great and very toasty. You get a few options for Rosés and Demi's at this price range but the Billecart Rosé is over $40 and their Brut is one of the best bottles you can find.

Champagne at Binny's

If I had more money I'd have a Champagne problem My friends tell me of the actor who played J.R. on Dallas and his Champagne problems. I think they're making fun of the fact that I actually really do love Champagne. I love the taste of a bottle of Bollinger - from the first glass to the last. It's a great wine that you can actually appreciate as you drink the whole bottle.

It's not New Year's that has me excited and thinking about bubbly. It's the Binny's Champagne tasting tomorrow night. If it's anything like I remember it I'm in for a real treat. A few years back the mob, and it IS a mob (it sells out every year), was congregating around the Cristals and the Doms leaving me a B-line for the Henri Giraud but that might have been at the Sam's tasting. But Giraud is my favorite Champagne of them all. Better than the R.D. Bollingers, better than any Salon or Krug.

Wellfleet at The Fish Guy Market

On Thursday evenings the Fish Guy Market on Elston closes its retail fish shop and transforms into Wellfleet fish restaurant. Tables are set out between the refrigeration cases and tea lights and candles create an unorthodox atmosphere for a 6 course dinner, though some courses are plated and served together.

The candlelight effect is terrific but the presence of Bill Dugan and crew is equally engaging. Anything you want to know about anything with gills he can explain and he takes you through the evening's dishes with a genuine enthusiasm.

The menu changes every few weeks but the service and level of preparation of the dishes should be constant. Given that they've only been at it for a short time it should even improve. It's BYOB and a couple of different bottles would give you a nice range considering the several courses.

The first course came as a plated combination of three large oysters in an "Asian style," a soy and radish treatment. It was a very clean way to serve a very fresh oyster. A ramekin of creme fraiche covered a layer of cauliflower puree and a healthy portion of Illinois sturgeon caviar – Joel Robuchon style. I enjoyed the cauliflower puree but would have liked toast points or something on which to spread the very rich and very tasty dish.

New York Bans Trans Fats...

It was looking like Chicago would beat N.Y. to this punch but New York is the first city to ban trans fats. Considering it doesn't change the menu of any restaurant do patrons even care? I suppose I would like my fries to be as healthy and tasty as possible. Considering you could very well use duck fat to fry those suckers up I'm totally cool with it.

I know restaurants are generally not in favor of this but I would assume that it's strickly a cost issue. If I'm wrong I'd love to hear about it.

Nut-Free Foods

In my family, Christmas and Thanksgiving both revolve around the food.  For Christmas, we start with cookies and coffee to get the grandchildren (ranging an ages from 5-31) all sugared up before we open presents, and then we return to the table for a HUGE pasta supper. I serve as the primary baker for our first course.