More of “The Wizard of Oz” Memories

Posted on March 19, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Since I have discussed two memories revolving around “The Wizard of Oz” I went searching for the last playbill that I remembered to complete this trilogy, and I discovered a fourth outing.  The fourth discovery was from a playbill of this play, that I did not see as my Bride took one of our granddaughters to see the play, and I stood home, so that they could enjoy their evening together.

 

MI The Wizard of Oz Fisher PB

 

The playbill that I was searching for was for the play “Wicked” which we saw during its first run in Detroit at the Masonic Temple.  This play was is a musical that is based on the witches of the story, before the story of “The Wizard of Oz.”  It is fun to look back at how there are different interpretations of the basis of the story.

MI Wicked Masonic PB

 

Since this show was being performed at the Masonic Temple, we decided to have dinner at the Atlas Global Bistro, which is in the historic Addison Building in Detroit.  This was an old apartment building that had been retrofitted and converted into condominiums and the units sold out almost immediately.  The principals of the restaurant I am sure decided that this was a good omen, and opened up this restaurant that has huge windows over looking Woodward Avenue and gives a view of all the new building and interest in this area.  The owners decided on the name of Atlas, not for the strong man, but for the concept that they would not be locked into any one type of cuisine.  This allows them to experiment with different culinary attitudes of the world and the dishes that they can create.  The concept being that they would not be constantly making similar dishes season after season.  The evening that we were there, the food was centered on a Central American theme and we enjoyed a dinner of a Duck Confit and a Sea Bass entrée, each which had sides and spices from the region that they were experimenting with at the moment.

Tres Picos Garnacha 2004

 

We selected a Spanish wine to complement our dinner that evening.  It was Tres Picos Garnacha 2004.  This is a wine made from the Grenache varietal.  This grape is perhaps most known from the Southern Rhone valley and is found in Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines, as well as a famous Rose wine made in Tavel, near Avignone.  The grape is grown around the world, and does well in long hot growing climates.  The wine made from Grenache typically has a low tannin taste, but has a spice to it, which I thought would lend itself well for the flavors of the evening that we were enjoying.

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Another Trip to the Wizard

Posted on March 18, 2013 by thewineraconteur

This has been a week for OZ, not only did we see the cinematic prequel to the original film, but we just went and saw a theatrical presentation of The Wizard of Oz.   We were made aware of this production because of one of the contact people that my Bride associates with in a professional capacity; had two of her children, and then her husband also volunteered to join into the high school production of this famous story.  The play features the songs that are known by anyone who has ever seen the movie, as well as one song that was cut from the cinematic masterpiece.  The unique aspect of seeing this as a play is that you can see the importance of the other cast members, who were secondary to Dorothy in the classic film.  I must also admit that three members of this cast vied for the attention of the audience, by their scene stealing and fun performances of the Wicked Witch, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow.

MI The Wizard of Oz PB

 

The production of this play was out in Fowlerville, which is about a forty-five minute drive from our home, and we gave ourselves more than ample time for the trip.  The school campus was huge and very modern, and I notice that a junior high was also on the grounds of the high school.  The performing arts theater was very impressive both in the layout of the seating for the audience as well as the ample size of the stage, which allows them to the capabilities of hosting a play that requires many backdrops and large props for a play, as well as having a nice orchestra pit as part of the stage.

MI Grille in the Ville Exterior

 

Since we arrived early we went to the center of the community and found a delightful little restaurant called Grille in the Ville.  The restaurant was very busy; this could have been from the special St. Patrick’s Day special menu options of from families that were going to see the production, like we were.   While the restaurant was not large, it was laid out to utilize the space as well as possible, and we ended up in a booth across from the semi-open kitchen area.  I looked at the standard menu, as well as the specials of the day and realized that this restaurant was not a diner or a family restaurant, though it did suffice for both.  Besides entrée plates that would be expected, they also offered freshly prepared turkey, Steak Diane and a Salmon with Lobster Crème Sauce.  My Bride decided to try one of the special offerings of Corned Beef and Cabbage in wonton roll-ups, while I decided to try the Steak Diane, which was very well prepared, though I thought that the Sherry sauce could have had a bit more of the Sherry for flavoring, but that is minor complaint.  For the special day, they also had a Guinness cake with Bailey’s frosting for dessert.

Menage a Trois 2011

 

When we asked for some wine, we were first asked if we wanted a red or a white wine, but upon further questioning, we discovered that beyond the house wines, they did carry some additional selections.  We ended up with a popular wine made by the Folie a Deux Winery of Sonoma, the Ménage a Trois 2011.  This is a blended wine principally made of Zinfandel, with some Cabernet Sauvignon as well as some Merlot.  We have had this wine on other occasions and have found it to be a good dependable wine, and it added to the enjoyment of this restaurant.

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The Real Seafood Company in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Posted on March 17, 2013 by thewineraconteur

There are many times when we decide to go out for dinner, and Ann Arbor is a wonderful community to go have a bite to eat.  The choice of restaurants is very eclectic and a great area to walk around.  One night we stopped at The Real Seafood Company for dinner.  The restaurant has that Chicago chic look to it with its more casual appearance of appearing to be in a loft setting,   My only complaint with rooms of this nature, is that the restaurant tends to be noisy, as there is not enough materials to deafen the roar of the crowd, and in a college setting, the noise level can be more than a dull roar.

MI The Real Seafood Co MB

 

 

We went in, and had our first dinner there, and the staff was very attentive and gracious, which is always a good sign.  I think professionalism of the wait staff is a hallmark of an establishment, whether it is in a restaurant or a retail environment.  A basket of fresh bread was immediately brought to the table, and it was very good, and I am not a bread eater as a rule.  We started off by sharing an order of well made crab cakes that were meaty and not dry.  My Bride ordered paella and I was going to enjoy some crab legs.  The dishes included a course of Cole slaw which was very creamy, which is how I like it, and I believe one could upgrade for a salad instead, but the regular course was fine for me.  My Bride was going through a phase where she was ordering paella when ever she could, and this was a very tasty version, with a good flavoring of saffron.  I went with a simple preparation of crab legs and when they arrived they had been cracked and sliced open, to make the dinner all that much more pleasant.  They also had accommodated my request to have some crushed garlic added to the drawn butter that would come with the dinner, and I was sure that it would have not been a problem because when we walked in I could enjoy the scent of garlic in the air.  For dessert we shared a very well made chocolate mousse along with our coffee.

J Lohr Chardonnay Monterey 1999

 

We also had a bottle of J. Lohr Chardonnay 1999 from the Monterey region of California.  This was a buttery Chardonnay that was most enjoyable through the evening as the seafood was also buttery in flavor and the wine was a subtle but excellent enhancement to the dinner.  Certain wines tend to be more memorable, even when they are not dear in price, if they really meld with the experience.

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Damon’s the Place for Ribs

Posted on March 16, 2013 by thewineraconteur

I have to admit that I am a big fan of baby rack ribs, and I tend to try them more then maybe I should.  My first question is “do the ribs fall off of the bone?” as I do not like gnawing on a bone.  We had to make a trip out to this chain, when they opened up near our home.  I am not much of a fan for most chain restaurants, but I will give them the benefit of the doubt, as they would not be opening so many new locations if there was not something there for the public.  Though I was surprised at how short of a run this restaurant had in our area.

MI Damon's MB

 

The location of this venue was in a shopping mall, that I do not mind going to, as it is almost quaint in size, compared to some of the monster malls that have been built.  The restaurant itself was off to one end of the mall, which is fine, because if a restaurant is doing things properly, people have a tendency to go that every step to go there.  We went there, and it was fine.  I remember that I had the baby rack ribs and my Bride went with a chicken dish, as she is not partial to ribs, though she will try a couple of mine, where ever we go.  The ribs did fall off of the bone, which is a good sign for me, though I know other fans of ribs that do like to argue the virtue of chewing on a bone.

Carmenet Dynamite Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

 

The wine list was short and sweet, as I think there were about a dozen wines to chose from, which makes it easy as there is not much to study and ponder.  We ended up with a Carmenet Dynamite Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 from the North Coast of California.  This was a very hot and popular wine at that time, as it seemed to be every where and people were extolling its properties.  I truly felt that it was so popular because it was a very good Cabernet Sauvignon at a very good price, even at a restaurant, which tends to over mark the price of the wines.  It was not the best of wine to have with ribs, but given my choices, it was fine.  I think that his wine was better suited to the steaks that were being offered, but rarely do I order a steak when we go out, as I like to order a dish that we do not make at home.

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The English Inn in Eaton Rapids, Michigan

Posted on March 15, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Several years ago, we went out on a drive with another couple to have dinner, because it was during the Super Bowl, and none of us had any interest in watching the game.  We made reservations with the restaurant and felt that we would have the restaurant to ourselves.  So we drove almost to Lansing for the dinner, got off at the exit and went south for I think exactly seven miles and in the middle of no where there was a traffic light and there was The English Inn.  This restaurant was also a Bed and Breakfast converted over from the residence of the first President of the Oldsmobile Company.  When we got there one of the first things I asked for was a book of matches as a keepsake and this was one of the first restaurants that we ever went to that was entirely smoke free, even in a side room where there was a pub.  After dinner we were given a tour of the upstairs where the bedrooms were, and we could look at some of the rooms that were not being rented out, and the rooms were just as grand as the building and the grounds.

 

 

The restaurant on the main floor was huge, and the amazing thing was that the restaurant was packed with diners, so much for the Super Bowl.  We were led to our table and took a look at the menu and the wine list.  This restaurant was listed in the Wine Spectator Restaurant Issue, so I was really looking forward to our dinner.  We have only been disappointed with one restaurant, in all of the restaurants that we tried, because of the magazine’s listings.

 

 

We started off by ordering a couple of classic appetizer plates of escargot and shrimp cocktails.  This was followed by classic interpretations of French onion soup and Lobster Bisque.  For our entrée orders my Bride had a Lobster stuffed fish dish and I order a duck dinner.  The other couple had a filet mignon and the other dish was three filet medallions each with a different sauce to compliment.  We finished with coffee and dessert.

Cosentino The Poet Meritage Napa 1998

 

Our wine that evening was from the Cosentino Winery in Yountville, which is in Napa Valley.  We had a wine called “The Poet” 1998 which was a Meritage blend.  This was a  delicious wine that we all enjoyed, but what surprised me at that point, was that it did not taste like a Bordeaux blend, which up to that time, was what every Meritage wine that I had tried reminded me of.  I later found out that this particular blend of varietal was a little different which explained the unique taste.  While the wine was basically Cabernet Sauvignon, there was also Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec.  I think it was the Malbec that contributed to the special taste.

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Dinner, Rock & Roll and the Flats

Posted on March 14, 2013 by thewineraconteur

In one night we went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, dinner and drinks, while we were attending a convention in downtown Cleveland.  That is what comes from preplanning a trip, no matter the destination.

OH Sweetwater's Cafe Sausalito MB                 Callaway Sauvignon Blanc 1998

We started the evening off at Sweetwater’s Café Sausalito, which we later found out, is part of a group of restaurants that includes our neighboring city of Ann Arbor.  After a full day at the convention we looked forward to having a quick dinner, so that we had time for the museum.  We started off by sharing some crab cakes, then my Bride had chicken quesadillas and I enjoyed a shrimp pasta dish.  Since this was in August and the heat that day was intense, we enjoyed a bottle of Callaway Vineyard & Winery Sauvignon Blanc 1998.   This California wine was just the refresher we needed and the bit of sharpness worked well with our dinner.

OH Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Guide

After dinner we headed straight over to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.  Some of that year inductees were Billy Joel, Curtis Mayfield, Paul McCartney, Del Shannon, Dusty Springfield, Bruce Springsteen and the Staples Singers.  There were six levels of displays, videos, music and just pure fun to enjoy.  All of the newest inductees had special display areas and there was a special area devoted to Elvis Presley as well.  There was a lot to do and see, while we were there and we walked off our dinner very easily.

OH Sammy's MB

Since it was quite early still in the evening, we ventured off to an area, just off of the downtown known as the Flats.  The Flats of Cleveland was a former industrial area that had become a center of entertainment, restaurants and bars.  It was a lively area, and reminded us a little bit of the French Quarter of New Orleans in the electricity of the area.  We stopped in one of the venues, Sammy’s in the Flats and had some good bar food and we enjoyed a bottle of Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon 1996, which is a California wine.  By the time we were through listening to some of the music and our dinner and ventured back out in the Flats, the area was not as electric, as we witnessed too many people who had over indulged in revelry and it did not have the same feeling as it did earlier.  We hailed a cab and returned back to our hotel, but for day and evening for us had been a good time.

Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

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Another Shipment from the Monterey Wine Club

Posted on March 13, 2013 by thewineraconteur

Since our first trip to Carmel and the wine country there, we have enjoyed our memories and our wines.  One of the best decisions we made was to join the Monterey Wine Club, which I have mentioned before.  Every three months, we look forward to receiving our shipment of three wines, and we never know what to expect.  Each shipment comes with a flyer with a discussion of the three wines that they ship and usually a great recipe that will pair very well with one of the wines enclosed.

 

Galante Ace High Malbec Carmel Valley 2009

 

The first wine in this shipment was from Galante Vineyards in Carmel Valley.  The wine is a new varietal from this winery as we have received other wines from them in the past and from different vineyard designations.  The wine is 2009 Ace High Malbec.  While the Malbec varietal is originally from France, it has become famous for its rich wines produced in Argentina, and since 1995 the plantings of this grape in California have increased 800%.

Mission Trail Chardonnay Paraiso Vineyard SLH 2008

 

The next wine is the 2008 Friars’ Reserve Chardonnay from Mission Trail Vineyards of the Santa Lucia Highlands.  This particular bottle is made from fruit grown on Paraiso Vineyard’s mountainous property.  According to the winery they used the “champagne” method of pressing the grapes to lessen the potential bitterness and aged in mixed types of French oak barrels (new and used) for a creamy blend.

Tudor Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 2007

 

The third wine is also from the Santa Lucia Highlands and is from Tudor Winery.  This is a 2007 Tondre Reserve Pinot Noir.  This is a low yield production process also using French barrels and small fermentations to rival the productions methods found in the Burgundy region of France.  This is the first Pinot Noir that we have received from Tudor with a specific grapefield designation and we are looking forward to trying it, after we have allowed it to settle in our cellar for some more aging.

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The London Chop: Revisited

Posted on March 12, 2013 by thewineraconteur

The other day I was clearing out a section of the basement, because we were having some maintenance work done.  While rearranging some items, I found a document that I knew was here, but I had mislaid.  It was the menu and the wine list from the London Chop House in Detroit, Michigan and I would date it to be around 1975.  I discussed this hallowed restaurant back in September of last year.  The original restaurant closed and it has been reopened by a new group, and they are attempting to maintain the charm of the original establishment, since they are using the same address.  My Bride and I have not had the chance to try it, since they have reopened.  We are waiting for the new restaurant to fully hit their stride, before we go there.

LondonChopHouse1

 

 

The menu and wine list is much too big for me to scan and show in one piece.  I have scanned some of the wine list from the back side of the document, so that we can all drool over what a five star restaurant was charging for great wines in that day.  If only we the prices would still be like these.  So enjoy the visuals.

London Chop House Bordeaux Wine List

 

I went and averaged retail prices of some of the Bordeaux wines and used a 2010 vintage, and remember that a restaurant will have a further markup:

Ch. Beaumont                                                                 $15.00

Ch. Haut-Bages-Liberal                                                $50.00

Ch. Mouton-Rothschild                                                $1150.00

Ch. Petrus                                                                     $3000.00

Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou                                                $300.00

Ch. Cheval Blanc                                                          $1400.00

Ch. Haut-Brion                                                            $1200.00

Ch. Margaux                                                                $1100.00

Ch. Lafite-Rothschild                                                 $1600.00

 

London Chop House Bordeaux Wine List B

 

 

Ch. Branaire                                                                 $80.00

Ch. Calon-Segur                                                          $120.00

Ch. Ausone                                                                   $2000.00

London Chop House Burgundy Wine List

 

On some of the Burgundy wines I could not find exact matches, but I attempted some:

Mersault Drouhin                                                          $42.00

Chassagne-Montrachet                                                $25.00

Corton-Charlemagne                                                    $85.00

Charmes-Chambertin Drouhin                                   $200.00

Eschezeaux Drouhin                                                      $200.00

Beaulieu Georges de Latour                                          $90.00

 

London Chop House Riesling Wine List

 

I had no luck duplicating the German wines:

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From OZ to 609 oz

Posted on March 11, 2013 by thewineraconteur

We went to see the new movie that was shot in a suburb of Detroit, by a native Detroiter.  The movie was “Oz the Great and Powerful.”  It is a film that is a prequel to the classic film “The Wizard of Oz.”   Just as the original starts in Kansas and is shot in black and white, so does this film.  I do not want to give anything away for anyone that wants to see this new movie, suffice it to say that Glinda is much prettier in this film, but the Wizard in the new film does not have the twinkle in the eye that Frank Morgan had in the original.

MI OZ ticket

 

We went and saw this film in all of its glory in 3D and in the IMAX setting.  For fantasy films of this nature, it is a natural for all of the cinematic tricks that one could conjure up.  It is a great way to spend some time and to have total fun.

Sterling Meritage 2010

 

All of this leads to a stop we made on our way home.  We had to stop at our favorite grocery store, which is more of a specialty store.  Of course I just realized at the writing of this, that we forgot again to place an order for a full leg of lamb for one of the courses that we will be serving for Easter at our house.   I think we forgot because as we walked by the wine department we found a special promotion for some wine that we have already purchased and I have talked about in other articles.  The special was on Sterling Winery in California, their 2010 Meritage and their 2011 Chardonnay wines.  The price was so charming that we bought a case of each wine.  I would recommend both of these wines to have in the house as they both deliver excellent taste and quality and since they were both around eight dollars a bottle, it was a done deal.

Sterling Chardonnay 2011

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A Political Fund Raiser

Posted on March 10, 2013 by thewineraconteur

I recently went as a favor to a Mayoral fund raising affair, in a community that I have had a long history with, professionally, not politically.  I am not a political type of person.  I have been to some very over the top affairs, and some that have been very low key.  The one I will be talking about is in the latter group.

Nathanson Creek Chardonnay

This was a classic political fund raiser, where the gentlemen promoted his Irish background for the affair a week or so before St. Patrick’s Day.  The decorations were abundantly green, and I must say that I did not see a speck of orange in the crowd.  There was a buffet set up for the attendees that started with a salad and went into corned beef, potatoes, carrots, cabbage and some of the best horseradish that I have had in some time.  There were also cupcakes with green shamrock decorations for dessert.

Liberty Creek Merlot NV

There was a bar off to the side and they were serving beer and wine.  The beer was on draught and there were three wines being offered.  This side room was quite lively and I was only able to photograph two of the three bottles of wine being offered.  The offered wines were a White Zinfandel, a Chardonnay and a Merlot.  I tried the Merlot and the Chardonnay and they were both fine for an occasion of this sort.  Neither paired with the corned beef that well, but I do not think that it mattered to the crowd.  The event was the focal point.   The two wines that I tried were both from California.  I had not heard of either wine, but all three wines were being poured from magnum size bottles.  The Nathanson Creek Chardonnay is from a winery in Lodi, California and it had a soft taste and finish.  The Liberty Creek Merlot was from Modesto, California and there was a little spice and fruit to the taste.  Now if they really wanted to celebrate St. Paddy properly they would have been serving Black Velvet, which carries a real kick to it, but what would you expect from a drink that is equal parts Champagne and Guinness Stout that are poured simultaneously into a tankard, and you are expected to finish the drink before the Champagne stops bubbling.  It would have been a long night though.

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