The Joys of Parenting

Remember the TV commercial with the girl in the bathtub chanting, “Calgon, Take Me Away?” Well, anyone who has teenagers would not only recall this advertisement, but wish that Calgon was truly the panacea for the irks that a non-adult child inspires, especially, but not limited to, those aged 13 to 19. Grrr.


If Calgon doesn’t have the goods to make the litany of, "I don't have any socks, there’s someone at the door, I need a ride to the DMV, I need a ride to my friend's house, the dishwasher is overflowing, what's for dinner, I'm hungry," go away, I have a couple of suggestions that qualify at least as band-aids, and you have my personal guarantee that they’ll taste better than whatever advice cranky Dr. Phil serves up on his TV show.



Speaking of advice, if I were writing for Dear Abby, I suspect it would go something like this:

Dear “Graeby,”
My kids are driving me crazy, and I can’t afford to send them to boarding school or go to the Canyon Ranch for a week. I need an affordable respite from them, the dog and the house. What do you suggest?
Sincerely,
Desperate

Dear Desperate,
You need some pampering! Dress in comfy clothes (jeans count), and go to Water and Wine Ristorante in none other than beautiful Watchtung, NJ, for a 1PM lunch, where you’ll soon realize that you’ve come to the right place. You’ll enter a room greeted by sweet, smilin’ faces, and the only questions asked are ones like, “Would you enjoy a glass of wine while you wait for your table which will be ready in two minutes?” Or, “Do you prefer sparkling or still water?” How about, “Would you like a seat by the window? Maybe more bread?” Best of all, “Would you prefer the 2008 Ducru-Beaucaillou decanted, or should I simply go ahead and pour it?”



(Can I just say that this is true bliss?) Once you utter a resounding “Yes” to all of the above, you’ll know that you are well on your way to dumping the stress that has you walking around like a modern day Ed Sullivan. It will be no time at all before you begin gazing out the picture window onto Watchung Lake, shoulders calmly moving downward from your earlobes. As you bite into a decadent Wagyu Kobe Beef hamburger, they will descend further, and further still after you take your first sip of the 2008 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou from Bordeaux. With its soft tannins and pronounced fruit, it will help you discover that your neck – the one that’s been hiding like a frighten sea turtle – is now fully visible again. Ahhhhhhh. Now that's how I spell Relief! Take that, Calgon!

P.S.: Here's my tip on remembering how to pronounce Ducru-Beaucalliou: (dah-cru bo-kah-you).

Paging Mrs. Magoo

As I approach the 10th anniversary of my 40th birthday, I’ve come to accept that some things in life have remained the same while others have not. For example, my vision. Over the years, it’s become ever so slightly off. (Okay, I'm lying. It's bad.) It seems that not only do I now require glasses, but multi-lens specs to boot...






I finally bit the bullet and went to see an optometrist (who, sadly, confirmed the obvious). My friends were kind when they saw me for the first time donning my new eye-wear. Murph, my WFF (wine food friend), went so far as to send me a picture of yours truly wearing my glasses (one of the rare times that I remembered to put them on) while we were in traveling in Burgundy. Even my BF made a very sweet comment, saying that I looked like a sexy librarian. Really, guys? Because I can’t help thinking to myself, "Are these compliments sincere, or is this just everyone's way of trying to make me feel better?” You know, the same way you tell your girlfriend as it's raining buckets on her wedding day that it's good luck. Whether their compliments are genuine or not, the bottom line is that I can’t see a menu or read a wine label without them. Sooooo, whether the look becomes me or not, it doesn't matter. The fact is that I am now officially visually impaired and need them.

The real problem is not so much the loss of vision but instead my awful habit of usually leaving my glasses at home. This leaves me relying on my friends (or, a la Blanche DuBois, the kindness of strangers ) to assist me when needed (which, lately, is most of time). Rewind to Friday night: I was in Hoboken, meeting with the owner of Hoboken Hothouse Home & Garden to discuss our upcoming wine event on December 1st (mark your calendars!), after which I decided to check out the wine shop next door, but couldn't. Why?


Because when I reached into my bag for my glasses, the only thing I found was an empty case for "my eyes.” No big deal, as the store was only slightly busy, and Javier, the assistant wine director, was very helpful (not to mention understanding of my plight). I told him I was “visually challenged,” and then joked of only wanting to see wines with labels in Braille. To my surprise, he handed me a bottle of 2009 Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut. Turns out, this was the first winery to include Braille on their labels. There is a rumor that the wine producer did this for his blind girlfriend, but according to my research, it was just a great marketing ploy. Since I'm a diehard romantic, I'm going with the rumor. Another tidbit of information you may be interested to know is that M. Chapoutier's wines are bio-dynamic and affordable. This particular bottle will set you back a mere $15.

As for the taste? Well, it was too big, too fruity and one dimensional, sorta like Kim Kardashian. Again, not that being big and fruity is a bad thing…but when it's TOO big and TOO fruity, count me out.
I will say this for the 2009 Les Vignes de Bila- Haut, it did have a long finish...
(Would it be too much of a cheap shot if I said that
the finish was longer than Kim's marriage? I didn't think so...)

P.S.: In the near future, I will be tasting more Chapoutier wines, which I've been heartily researching. Perhaps some of his higher end bottles will deliver a wine that evolves in the glass instead of smacking you in the face.

To Serve with Tom ...

My favorite people to cook for – and especially to spend a holiday with – are not limited to family but also include friends and acquaintances who have a passion for life (not to mention food and wine). I've been lucky enough to host many a Thanksgiving dinner surrounded by such wonderful company. But more on that later…





For the last few years, my boys and I have been experiencing a New York Thanksgiving. As a child, and throughout most of my adulthood, I had only seen the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. Seeing it in person is truly a whole other experience. If you’ve never done so, I strongly encourage it at least once. There is such positive energy in the air that everyone, even the scroogiest of Scrooges, succumbs to the joy. It is, to say the least, simply magical.

The first time we spent Thanksgiving in NYC, we stayed at the W Times Square. (This was before the Mayor changed the parade route.) We arrived the day before in order to watch all the balloons come to life as they were inflated for the parade. (Some people think that the eve’s activities are actually more fun than the parade itself. They are each a unique experience, and both are great ways to enjoy the holiday; however, in my book, nothing can top the parade!)

We dined early at Del Frisco’s on 6th Avenue, then shot up to the Museum of Natural History for the balloons. (Tip: Get to sleep early on Turkey Day Eve. On second thought, don't go to bed at all, as Thanksgiving Eve is one of the best nights to go out in the Big Apple, especially since almost everyone has Thanksgiving Day off.)

In order to secure ourselves a great spot along the parade route, we started camping out at around 5AM. Armed with huge, hot chocolate-filled thermoses, fresh bagels, hunter pads (to avoid cold tushies), hand and feet warmers tucked in our gloves and shoes, and lots of blankets, we sat with our fully charged DVD player and watched March of the Wooden Soldiers followed by Miracle on 34th Street (yes, the one with Natalie Wood). It is amazing to see the streets suddenly go from barren to brimming with spectators, all cheerful and anxious for the parade to begin.




Once Santa passed by, it was the end of the parade for us. We headed back to the hotel for a nap and shower, and then dressed for a late lunch at the Sea Grill in Rockefeller Center. Luckily, we were able to get a table by the window to watch the skaters while we dined. That year, however, my son Grant decided he’d rather be part of the show instead the audience, so he skipped dessert and took to the ice (looking very Cary Grant from the movie, The Bishop’s Wife, I might add). Talk about a memorable dining experience! Afterwards, we bought hot chestnuts from a street vendor, went window shopping along 5th Avenue, and stopped to listen to Carol of the Bells being piped onto the streets from Saks Fifth Avenue. The store even had huge decorative snowflakes on its façade that flickered in sync with the music. Very special indeed.

As wonderful as it is to have Thanksgiving in New York, I am very excited to host this year’s dinner at my home in NJ. Since 1987, I have made a tangerine glazed turkey with apricot stuffing from a recipe found in an old November issue of Gourmet magazine. This year I will be making two birds: my old standby, and the one made in class with Chef Dave Martin last Friday night at the Culinary Institute. What impressed me the most about this class was the non-use of butter! I wonder what Miss Julia C. would have thought about Chef Dave's method?
Starting with the Brussels sprouts and ending with the turkey itself, there was hardly any lard at all. After we finished cooking, everyone sat down to feast, chef assistants included.

Every year, I also try new wines on Turkey Day. Having Thanksgiving come early this year via cooking class, I seized the opportunity to test some of my choices on my classmates. The results? I'm happy to report that all the wines were winners! Here is the list: The 2009 Clos de La Roilette which may be tough to find, however the Clemens Busch 2010 Riesling Trocken and the Jacquesson Cuvee Champagne will not be. (Btw if you order the wines through NY Vintners and mention that you read about the wines in my blog, they'll give you a 10% discount)

One of the biggest challenges on Thanksgiving is not how to keep the bird from drying out (although that’s a biggie), but which wines to serve with the meal. Since there’s such a variety of side dishes and flavors, it can really pose a dilemma. But the one surefire wine to serve is Champagne. It goes with anything and everything except steak, and it always signals a good time.

Personally, I like to serve a variety of wines – from a Beaujolais to a Riesling, Champagne to a Chablis – and let my guests pick their favorite. Besides, isn’t it more fun to have an assortment of wines to taste then to only be served one vino? How does that saying go? Variety is the spice of life!