Hey Bartender

These days, I don't get a chance to travel home for the holidays.  The restaurant business doesn't allow such luxuries.  But, if it did, I'd definitely take wine with me for everyone to enjoy.  I still wonder what it would have been like to have wine with my great grandmother's stuffing or my moms collard greens.  It occurred to me that perhaps I could simulate the experience by taking that great food and pairing it with a few wines.  The problem was that I lack both the imagination and the skill necessary to recreate any of those great dishes myself.  However, I realized I did know someone who was a great cook and who would probably be able to help me prepare a Thanksgiving menu reminiscent of those great meals from my past.

I called my friend Carolyn and presented her with my idea.  I asked, "Hypothetically, if you had all the time that you needed, what would you prepare for Thanksgiving dinner and could you write that menu down for me?"  There was a moment of silence and I imagined a giant smile full of pride spreading evenly across her face.  I could feel it through the phone.  She replied proudly, "I already have that menu prepared."  She'd probably be mad if she knew that I had already suspected as much.  I just wasn't sure if she'd share it with me.

After I explained what I wanted to do and that it would be posted as a blog, she still agreed to let me use her dream Thanksgiving menu.  Below is what she would do if she wasn't a super busy software engineer and an even busier mom.  I arranged it so that it would, hypothetically, be served in four courses with a pairing wines for each course in italics.  I'll add my notes on the wines that I chose below the menu.

 

Carolyn's Thanksgiving Menu

First Course

Broccoli and cheddar soup

Butternut squash soup

Hillinger 2006 Pinot Gris

Trimbach 2006 Reisling

 

Second Course

Mixed greens salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Tegernseerhof 2007 Gruner Veltliner "T-26"

 

Third Course

Turkey with cornbread stuffing

Ham with brown sugar and mustard glaze

Seasoned collard greens

Potato salad

Macaroni and cheese

Candied yams with pineapple, Myers rum, and raisins

Butternut squash casserole

Green beans with cubed potatoes

Hot buttered rolls

Louis Latour 2006 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge

Louis Latour 2005 Beaujolais Villages Chameroy

Xavier 2007 Cotes du Rhone Rouge

Nicholas Vouvray

Lodali 2007 Moscato D'Asti

Luigi Bosca 2006 Finca La Linda Malbec Rose

 

Fourth Course

Pecan pie

Pound cake

German chocolate cake

Chocolate fountain with assorted fruits

Chateau Gravas 2005 Sauternes

Les Clos de Paulilles 2005 Banyuls Rimage

 

I thought that the best way to start the meal would be to serve a sparkling wine while everyone mingled around the dining area.  The sparkling wine that I chose was probably the easiest of the selections.  I met members of the Gruet family about two years ago on my birthday.  When I asked them why they decided to build a winery in New Mexico, they replied that the area reminded them of their home in France.  Since Thanksgiving is all about family and this post is sort of about my childhood memories of home, I thought that a Gruet wine would be the best choice.  So just before the official Thanksgiving prayer, I'd  serve Greut's Methode Champenoise, Blanc de Noirs (NV).

For the first course, I chose a pinot gris to complement the broccoli and cheddar soup.  The slight hint of pepper in this Alsace Pinot Gris works perfectly here.  For those with sweeter tastes, I think the sweet taste of the Riesling would pair nicely with the butternut squash soup.  To complement the raspberry vinaigrette dressing in the second course, I chose a wine called Gruner Veltliner.  What makes this an interesting choice is that the "T-26" Gruner Veltliner is slightly effervescent which should bring out the flavor of the dressing in a unique way.

The third course presented some unique challenges.  There are so many flavors that blend and mingle with each other in a variety of ways.  Some of them complement each other nicely while others are stark contrasts to one another.  So instead of trying to pair the wines in a traditional way, I decided to pick several different wines in order to give everyone a chance to find the wine that suits their particular taste.  I did this because today most wine experts believe that you should drink the wine that you like regardless of what foods you're eating.  The Chassagene-Montrachet Rouge Beaujolais Villages Chameroy and Cotes du Rhone are both light to medium-bodied red wines that won't be over powered by the meats in this course.  The Cotes du Rhone has an aromatic blend of black fruit, spices and pepper that should work well here.  You'll find hints of summer fruits and liquorice in the Chassagene-Montrachet.  Again, this should complement most of the food in this course.  The full-bodied Beaujolais has an intense fruity flavor that will pair well with the turkey.  Vouvray is a slightly sweet white wine from the Loire Valley.  Moscato D'Asti is a slightly sweet and slightly effervescent wine from Italy.  Both of these wines are fun and are great choices for those who aren't big wine drinkers.  I chose La Linda for the same reason.  It's a uniquely colored rose made from Malbec grapes.  It hints of strawberry and red stone fruit and is dry but sweet.  Again, another fun wine for new wine drinkers.

The fourth course is my favorite.  I will only say three words -- German chocolate cake.  And to complement it -- Banyuls.  Banyuls is perfect for chocolate desserts.  It's a red dessert wine that has a smooth light hint of chocolate.  Sauternes will complement the pound cake and the pecan pie nicely.  Either will work well with the chocolate fountain and assorted fruits.

Three notes before I close.  First, I've been invited to the holiday feasts that Carolyn prepares and I can say that the foods she prepares are even better than they sound.  I hope she gets the opportunity to cook her dream meal some day.  I also hope that there is some German chocolate cake left over.  It's so good.  Second, most of the wines that I chose for the pairings can be found at Squires Everyday Gourmet 6610-k Mooretown Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188.  The staff there was very helpful when I stopped by to do some research for this blog.  Third, there are two soups in the first course because Carolyn couldn't decide which soup she liked better.  She decided to include both which leaves the difficult choice for her guests rather than herself.  It would also give them an extra opportunity to enjoy her great cooking.

As always, if you have any questions please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

I hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving.  Until next time.....prosit!!!!!

Hello and welcome to the debut of "Hey Bartender!" First I'd like to thank Robin and Michelle at Insider's Passport for the opportunity to do something that I've always wanted to do. The plan is to have a weekly blog that talks about things related to my favorite place -- the bar. I'll candidly discuss topics of interest to me and hopefully you'll find it interesting too. I want it to be a two way street, so if you have an idea or a question that you'd like discussed or want answered email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

I guess that the best way to shake a few leaves from the proverbial Imbibe tree is to talk about something that has been described as sexy and alluring as well as forbidden and taboo. I know what you're thinking. He's going to start out by talking about himself. But no, I'm actually talking about Absinthe. Absinthe has been shrouded in mystery and misinformation for decades, maybe even centuries. But what is it and why is it so misunderstood? Let's get down to it.

Absinthe is a distilled and highly alcoholic beverage. It ranges from 45-85% alcohol by volume (ABV). That means 90-170 proof for the ABV impaired. It's an anise (black licorice) flavored spirit derived from herbs. The most infamous of the ingredients in Absinthe comes from the herb Artemisia absinthium. That ingredient is commonly called wormwood. The medicinal properties of wormwood have been known since about 1600 B.C. This is about the time that the ancient Egyptians discovered and experimented with it.

Absinthe became a popular drink in Europe during the 19th century when Henri-Louis Pernod began mass producing it in his new facility on the banks of the Doubs River (France). In addition to Absinthe's high alcohol content, it also has another distinguishing characteristic -- its green color. This color is partially responsible for its nickname -- the Green Fairy. The name is also attributed to the Green Fairy or muse said to be responsible for the creativity attributed to such artists as Charles Baudeliare, Vincent van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Many of these great artists and writers have drawn, painted, or written verses that lauded or contained references the Fairy. It is also quite possible that the Green Fairy is a metaphor for some long forgotten ideal. Click here to view the full "Hey Bartender!" article.

By the beginning of the 20th century Absinthe had supplanted wine as the drink of choice in Europe. This popularity, however, became its downfall. The Pernod brand of Absinthe was so popular that the inevitable arrival of cheap imitations began a chain of events that lead to its ban. These imitations contained dangerous chemicals that were used to create the clouding effect as well as emulate the distinctive color of Absinthe. Unfortunately, these chemicals caused strange illnesses, blindness and even death. Over time, mental illness, murder, and suicide were all attributed to Absinthe abuse.

During this time, the Temperance Movement, a movement designed to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed within a community or society in general -- and even to prohibit its production and consumption entirely, was looking for a scapegoat and again Absinthe's popularity made it an easy target. This movement was enhanced by the acquisition of a very powerful ally, the wine industry.

As I mentioned earlier, Absinthe had replaced wine as the drink of choice throughout Europe. During the time of the Temperance Movement Europe's grape growers were battling the phylloxera infestation. For those unfamiliar with this historical event, it's also known as the Great French Wine Blight. Sometime during the late 1850s hybrid grapes from America were brought to Europe. Unfortunately, these grapes contained an aphid that almost crushed the wine industry by destroying virtually every vineyard in Europe. In order to regain its hold on the alcoholic beverage market, the wine industry joined the Temperance Movement by launching a smear campaign against Absinthe. You may have noticed that I didn't mention that Absinthe caused hallucinations. That's because there is no scientific evidence to support that claim. It's quite possible that the rumor that Absinthe caused hallucinations was part of the smear campaign launched by the wine industry during the latter part of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

These events all lead to the ban on Absinthe throughout the world. It was officially banned in the United States in 1912 which preceded Prohibition by several years. The ban lasted until 2007 when the U. S. allowed Lucid Absinthe to be legally imported. Even more amazing is that the state of Virginia allowed it within its borders for sale at restaurants on July 1, 2008. I've actually seen it served in Williamsburg, VA. I couldn't wait to try it. Anything with a reputation like that deserves at least to be sampled. I enjoyed it. It's very strong and I'd recommend drinking it in the traditional way in order to get the full experience and to maybe understand its allure. By traditional, I mean having it served in a tall Absinthe glass, with the grated spoon and the sugar cube with ice cold water dripped onto the sugar cube and into the glass through the spoon - once the Absinthe is properly diluted and the liquid is opaque (cloudy), it's ready to enjoy.

One last note, Absinthe has made it into the popular culture through movies and music. John Leguizamo's character (Toulouse-Lautrec) drinks it in the movie Moulin Rouge and Johnny Depp's character (Fred Abberline) drinks it in the movie From Hell. Ironically, Johnny Depp is considered an Absinthe connoisseur which made him the perfect choice to play this role. Infamous music man Marilyn Manson is such a fan of Absinthe that he has created his own Absinthe that is aptly named Mansinthe. Apparently it's very good as it won the gold medal at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

So, there you have it. Absinthe unplugged. I hope that you enjoyed my brief description of something that has been of interest to me for quite some time. Until next week....prosit!