Paris Grocery News 5/21 Saturday, May 21 2011

A six-pack of our favorite rosés. (My sneakers not included.)

Wine @ PG

We’ve been buying up 2010 rosés like crazy, and right now we’re offering a grab-and-go six-pack of our new favorites. The price is $55 (or $110, if you’d like a full case of two bottles of each selection). The half-case discount of 10 percent and sales tax are both included in the price, and we’re throwing in the chic Paris Grocery black-and-white wine carrier, too. A glass of the pink stuff is like summer in a glass!

Our six favorite pink swillers.

Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rosé 2010

Top Rhône producer Jean-Luc Colombo created this intoxicating rosé at his childhood home of Cape Bleue. Made with 40 percent Syrah, 40 percent Mourvèdre, and 20 percent Counoise, it’s perfumed and fresh, with notes of peach, rose petal, and white pepper.

Château Bas “L’Alvernègue” Coteaux d’Aix en Provence 2010

Château Bas goes back centuries; near the vineyard are Roman temple ruins. This wine presents a fantastic value for a Provençal rosé. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault, it offers a nice balance between freshness and fruitiness.

Domaine de Couron Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l’Ardèche 2010

This producer never fails to make excellently drinkable, classic southern style wines. This 100 percent Grenache wine has a dry finish, with delicate notes of strawberry  and cherry.

Domaine le Clos des Lumières Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2010

A fun, medium-bodied Rhône rosé, made from 45 percent Cinsault, 30 percent Grenache, 15 percent Mourvedre, and 10 percent Syrah. With ripe strawberry and floral notes, the wine shows nice persistence and a hint of spice at the end.

In Fine Ventoux Rosé 2010

A ripe, full flavor rose from the valley of Mt. Ventoux in the south, which allows for a slow ripening. Lots of stony minerality and elegant fruit. 80 percent Grenache and 20 percent Cinsault.

Elicio Vin de Pays de Méditerranée 2010

This hot pink rose displays a richer, creamier style. Made with 80 percent Grenache and 20 percent Cinsault, it’s fruit forward, with flavors of raspberry. It stands up well to spicier fare.

Thanks for reading, see you soon!
Rachel

and
Steve Winston and Sharon Baden
Owners, Paris Grocery

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Paris Grocery News 5/14 Saturday, May 14 2011

Manzanita, from Oregon, is a dry goat's milk cheese with a molé-spice coating and an eye-catching shape.

Cheese @ PG

This weekend, it’s the Seattle Cheese Festival at the Pike Place Market! Take a break from the madness upstairs and come visit us and our sister store, the Spanish Table. We’ve stocked our case with tons (seriously, TONS) of cheeses. Here’s a list of some of our freshest wheels, organized by type, which I find is a great entry point for learning about cheese and figuring out what you like.

For more information about all the cheesy happenings, go here.

We just cut into a new wheel of gorgeous Tome de Bordeaux! Picture from Culture Magazine.

Goat’s milk, aged:

Tome de Bordeaux

This goat cheese from the caves of Jean d’Alos wears a coat of fennel, rosemary, and thyme, with a starburst pattern of juniper berries, white peppercorns, and bird’s-eye peppers. The cheese is soft yet compact, with an enticing aroma and a clean, sweet, and earthy flavor. Taste the rind for some texture and powerful herbal flavor! $32.99/lb

Pave de Jadis: goat's milk cheese with an ash rind.

Goat’s milk, young, ash rind:

Pavé de Jadis

So named because of its shape: a pavé is a small paving stone. This goat’s milk cheese from the Loire Valley is dusted with vegetable ash and has a fudge-like texture. The taste is very clean, mild, and lemony. $16.99/lb

Sheep’s milk, blue:

Roquefort Coulet

This raw sheep’s milk cheese from Pascal Coulet is a superlative example of Roquefort. A  perfectly crumbly and moist texture, with a gorgeous snow-white interior and elegant green veining. The flavor begins slightly mild, then sweet, then smoky, and fades to a salty finish. Wow! $34.99/lb

Sheep’s milk, semi-hard:

Brique Agour

This award-winning Basque sheep’s milk cheese is renowned for striking an ideal balance between sweet and salty flavors. Slightly firm in texture, with a nutty, complex undertone and notes of Parm. Try it with a black cherry spread and a medium-bodied red. $24.99/lb

Samples of Cremeux de Bourgogne on Raincoat Crisps. Something you may just see this weekend at the shop.

Cow’s milk, triple cream:

Crémeux de Bourgogne

A cow’s milk triple-cream cheese from a small family of producers in Burgundy. Rich but not overwhelming, with hints of fresh butter. A fantastic cheese with champagne and fruit– at dessert or any time. We love them on crackers with nuts and fruit, like Raincoat Crisps. $16.99/lb

Cow’s milk, soft, washed rind:

Langres

This cow’s milk cheese from the Champagne region has a dense texture and a rich, creamy flavor with distinct notes of sour milk and a long finish. Unlike many pungent washed rind cheeses, Langres is milder and more delicate. Pairs perfectly with French bubbly. $12.99/each

Cow’s milk, washed rind:

Le Maréchal

Le Maréchal is a semi-hard raw cow’s milk cheese, made by hand in a tiny dairy in the small Swiss town of Corcelles-Aux-Payernes. It owes its rustic flavor to the herbes de Provence that are rubbed onto the cheese during the aging process. Named for the cheesemaker’s great grandfather, the village blacksmith (le maréchal-ferrant), this cheese, like the man, has a robust tough-skinned exterior concealing a rather warm heart. $25.99/lb

Thanks for reading, see you soon!
Rachel

and
Steve Winston and Sharon Baden
Owners, Paris Grocery

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Paris Grocery News 5/7 Saturday, May 7 2011

Consider a box of unique cookies for Mom. Fossier's Biscuits Roses are best when dunked in Champagne, which is so fancy it's almost unbearable.

Gifts @ PG

We love Mother’s Day; it’s a chance to celebrate any mother or mother-figure in your life. We’ve got so many gifts and sweets and snacks that would make a terrific gift for Mom, it’s ridiculous.

Until a shop in Seattle makes decent macarons, consider making your own!

I Heart Macarons by Hisako Ogita is full of charming, colorful pictures as well as specific technical instruction for making macarons. Our book section is bursting with cookbooks, France-located fiction, and wish-fulfillment nonfiction about living in France.

Everyone needs tiny footed dishes.

Victoriana Noir Footed Dishes by Rosanna are great for mustard, chocolates, or spare change. We also carry teapots, plates, and mugs from this local designer who specializes in sophisticated whimsy.

We’d also be glad to help you put together a collection of sweet and savory foodstuffs: jams, mustards, olives, vinegars, cookies, and more. Happy Mother’s Day!

Wines @ PG

A rebel's last yell, my favorite pink, and an exceptional Cab Franc.

2010 Marcel Lapierre Raisins Gaulois Gamay

Marcel Lapierre was a renowned producer of Beaujolais wines, and his death last year marked a sad end to a vivacious man and a tireless advocate for biodynamic production and non-interventionist winemaking. He was one of the “Gang of Four” rebel winemakers in Beaujolais, a group of vitners dedicated to making natural, delicious wines and bucking convention and appellation when necessary. Despite his disregard for the system, Marcel was one of the most respected producers in France. His Raisins Gaulois Gamay is absolutely charming, grapey, and fresh, with spicy black cherry notes and a little dustiness. Though not an “official” Beaujolais, it shows how great these light-hearted wines can be. We’ve brought in three cases of this delicious wine—it’s not to be missed!

2010 Domaine de Fontsainte Corbières Gris de Gris

This remains one of my absolute favorite rosés, over several vintages. It’s a unique “Gris de Gris” that’s made from both Grenache Noir and Grenache Gris, along with a few other southern French varietals. Bruno Laboucarié show the same care with his rosé as with his red wine, harvesting by hand and pressing whole clusters of grapes to preserve their delicate aromas. Incredibly fresh, with zippy strawberry notes and superb minerality. This will make a superb accompaniment to olives, grilled shrimp, and other savory snacks common in Corbières. Bring on the sunshine!

2009 Catherine & Pierre Breton Chinon

Imported by Kermit Lynch, who knows a thing or two about funky, interesting wines. We’re big fans of this producer, as well—their unique, terroir-driven wines are a hit on the bistro scene in Paris. This Cabernet Franc is full of dark fruit and savory, olive notes, with mostly smooth tannins. Check out what Kermit Lynch had to say about the Bretons.

Thanks for reading, see you soon!
Rachel

and
Steve Winston and Sharon Baden
Owners, Paris Grocery

Leave a Response »

 

Recipe: Roasted Asparagus with Paški Sir Saturday, May 7 2011

Awesome Croatian goodness.

Ok, maybe not much of a “recipe.” But this is our new favorite cheese, and this is perhaps the best showcase for it, especially since asparagus is now in season and sitting in pretty little rows up in the Market. From the island of Pag, off the coast of Croatia, this sheep’s milk cheese is a fantastic substitute for Parmesan or Pecorino, and possibly way more interesting. It’s dry and crystalline and nutty, with hints of sage and citrus. Paški Sir evokes a particular terroir; there’s just something a little funky and herbaceous and wild about it. Croatia: I want to go to there. $29.99/lb

Roasted Asparagus with Paški Sir

Buy some pretty asparagus. Go home and get that oven hot. Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Olive oil, salt, pepper—you know what to do here. Roast it! Should take around 20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and put it on a nice plate. Some people like to drizzle some aged balsamic here (I just go with lemon). Now: Shave the Paški Sir over the spears, as much as you think is necessary. Try to get it nice and thin and ribbony—bigger bits that break off can be popped in your mouth. Now eat it!

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