Okra just might win the award for most maligned, or slimed, vegetable!  But this method of preparation changes everything and results in a perfect finger food!

I grew up on the stuff and can happily eat okra sautéed, stewed or fried (my mother made a delicious dish of sliced okra and tomatoes baked with strips of bacon).  But roasting it makes it a hit even with non-believers, as I discovered recently.  Pirrie called out to Scott as soon as he walked in the door, “Dad, come taste my new favorite food.”  I had purchased a small amount at the Wednesday Portland Farmers Market, not certain how they would figure into the evening meal.  A very nice woman originally from Texas and I had a nice chat about our okra plans.  We were both obviously tickled to have someone to talk about to okra (see… just buying such a Southern vegetable will make you say things like “tickled.”)  I also couldn’t resist these adorable Fairytale Eggplant. Cook ‘em?  Hug ‘em?

I was leaning toward a quick sauté, along with tomatoes and onions.  But I was trying to recall something I had seen about roasting them?  I don’t remember running across roasted okra in Louisiana, and I wonder why not?   I thought it was worth a try.  A quick look online revealed only a few recipes and different approaches (whole pods vs. sliced), but the argument to keep the pods whole was more compelling.  In this way, the slime does not develop and the roasting caramelizes the natural sugar in the vegetable which results in better flavor.  Small, more tender pods will work better than bigger, tougher ones.  I tossed them with a very small amount of olive oil, salt and pepper and a smidge of ground cumin, and roasted 15-20 minutes at 400.  (I’d probably up it to 450 and cut the amount of time next time for even better color and caramelization).  I stirred some curry powder into mayo to make a quick dip, which was yummy, but it was just as good plain.  Maybe a roasted tomato dip?  We liked them just out of the oven, at room temp and even cold, the next day.

Turns out that okra is a nutritional powerhouse, but they will disappear because they are delicious.  Now that we’re hooked, I’m just hoping I can find the okra again….

Final prep is done for the bottling of the lush and succulent 2009s. Kelley will hand bottle the Magnums today, and then we’ll run all the 750s on the line tomorrow. Bottling will only be a one day affair this year, as we sadly have very little of these gorgeous 2009s to bottle. We lost all of our Ribbon Ridge fruit to a freak spring frost last year, and that was to have been about half of our production. Fortunately, what little we do have is excellent. The fruit is round and rich and velvety and forward, though better balanced than the 2006s, for example. The 09s will probably garner a lot of good press and be very much a “crowd-pleaser” of a vintage.

As for our different cuvées in 2009, there will be three. La Paulée, of course, a scant 150 cases of Audrey, and a tiny 100 case bottling we’re calling “Dix” – French for “the Tenth” – as in our 10th anniversary (our first vintage was 1999.) So, watch for these babies in late 2011 and early 2012 – but watch quickly, they won’t be around for long…

Clusters at Ribbon Ridge, 8-20-2010

Our bizarre summer weather continues here in the Willamette Valley with a lot of yin-yang. Hot then cool, hot then cool. We remain about 3+ weeks behind, and are still in dire need of lots of sunshine and warmth throughout September and most of October to make it work. It happened in 2008, so why not again?

I draw your attention now to an article by Dana Tims in the Oregonian a couple of days ago, in which a few investers and farmers are touting mechanical harvesting and mechanized farming as the path to success for Pinot Noir in the eastern Willamette Valley. I wish them luck, and sincerely wish everyone in this business success, but there are some serious problems with that approach. Nowhere in the world is Pinot Noir mechanically harvested on a regular basis and then made into a quality wine. You just can’t do it with Pinot – it needs too much loving care and attention, and every corner you cut in the production process dramatically lowers the quality of the wine. Yes, mechanical harvesting is in regular use in Burgundy – in CHABLIS, where they grow only Chardonnay. And even there, the top quality producers take the time and care and extra expense to harvest by hand. There simply are no shortcuts to good Pinot Noir.

If the goal is to produce decent $15-$20 wines, California is already doing that to the tune of tens of millions of cases a year. Why compete with that – when even the low-priced Californians are having trouble selling their wines these days? What the Willamette Valley can do, perhaps better than any region in the world, is produce top quality Pinot Noir that can compete with the best, and generally deliver better bang for the buck than most world-class wine regions. What will continue to build Oregon’s hard-earned reputation for quality will be exactly that – quality. David Lett, David Adelsheim & Dick Ponzi did not come here to make mass-market grape juice – they could have stayed in California for that…

… too much good food and wine. (Although one’s body may sometimes disagree!) The past week has been a whirlwind of activity with our friends from Domaines Huber-Verdereau and Buisson-Charles in town from Burgundy, and it seems like we packed as much great food and wine into every day as much as humanly possible.

Thiébault Huber in action at Cork

Thanks to all who joined us at Cork Wine Shop on NE Alberta in PDX for a great tasting of the Buisson-Charles 07s and the ’06 1er Crus from Huber-Verdereau. Then we kicked off the hedonism with a flat-out great meal at Portland’s Le Pigeon – where chef Gabe Rucker and GM-Wine God Andy Fortgang knocked it out of the park once again. I only had foie gras for two of the three courses that night, showing some unusual restraint! As always, the foie gras Profiteroles remain the most decadent dessert offering on the planet, one that I am never able to resist. (Even with the half-marathon less than three weeks away…) We brought a bottle of the 2000 Laurène from Domaine Drouhin that was showing really well – elegant and silky, yet still very primary – just showing the first hints of secondary aromas starting to emerge. Drink or hold for another 5-10, this is simply one gorgeous wine…

Patrick & Catherine from Buisson-Charles, pouring in Carlton

On Saturday we had the whole Burg crew in Carlton for a tasting from 12-5, and had one of our busiest days and biggest crowds of the year. It was like T-Giving Open House, only more fun! I have the feeling that many of the cases of Thiébault’s Crémant de Bourgogne that walked out of here Saturday have already been consumed – the perfect sparkler for the hot summer days that ensued. (Though now it’s back in to the 60s & 70s – what’s up with this summer?)

Culotte Steak at Farm to Fork

Of course we had to follow that up with another killer dinner, this time at Farm to Fork in Dundee, where chef Shiloh (replacing the recently departed Paul Bachand) blew us all away with a non-stop array of fresh, intensely flavored goodness. I’m a huge fan of the duck & pork rillettes, and the culotte steak with tomato confit was perhaps the best beef of the week. A magnum of 08 Audrey was the wine star of the night, along with the 2001 Mazoyères Chambertin from Taupenot-Merme and a rockin’ bottle of ’04 Meursault Bouches-Chères from Buisson-Charles…

About 100 of Oregon’s top wine merchants, restaurateurs and sommeliers turned out to join us in Portland for a tasting of over 75 wines from Burgundy’s 2008 vintage, all of which will be arriving on these shores in October. It was a great cross-section of our portfolio, and a nice chance to get the early line on the superstar releases from Mugnier, Lafarge, Confuron & Comte Armand…

Then we were off to Seattle to do the same thing again – a huge tasting for the trade and a consumer event with retailer McCarthy & Schiering. With of course more good meals thrown in – a festive and delicious dinner at Matt’s in the Market on the first night, and a quick but delicious bite at Café Campagne the next – not to mention breakfast at my favorite little bistro in Seattle, Le Pichet.

Now back at the winery, where the 09s have been racked into tank and await bottling next week. They are sumptuous, succulent and seductive Pinots that will be ready for release in 18 months or so. They are ripe and rich, but not as much so as the 2006s – better overall balance in what will surely be a crowd-pleasing vintage.

And here’s hoping we continue our endless string of sunny days – we need every golden ounce of sunshine to get these grapes ripe this year!

Thiébault, Catherine & Patrick in Azana Vyd.

I’m happy to have recently connected with an old schoolmate.  John Currence was a couple of grades ahead of me at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, now chef of four immensely popular eateries in Oxford, Miss.  Look for his September article in Food & Wine Magazine about lying in a hospital bed, recuperating from a near-fatal pancreatitis, musing about how to give his favorite dishes (that had nearly killed him) a healthy make-over.  While stuck on his backside, he discovered Heidi Swanson’s blog, 101 Cookbooks, which I like very much as well.  Last summer I made her Summer Squash Gratin recipe and couldn’t wait to try it again.  I served it last week for a very special occasion…a dinner party in honor of Scott’s birthday, with my mother and siblings and their spouses.  It is absolutely delicious — both decadent and bright at the same time, with the boost from the lemon zest and herbs.  (I was introduced to this recipe and to the blog by Juliette Levy (aka, David Millman’s better, oops, other half). 

Just-picked summer squash from our garden - yellow zucchini and crooked neck. This is my first year planting squash.

Last night, for dinner in our home, I served the same gratin recipe to our wonderful French friends and top Burgundy producers, Thiébault Huber and Catherine and Patrick Essa, alongside some home grown Burgundy beans and some fresher than fresh Chinook Salmon (cured first with sugar, salt and pepper, then grilled).  See below for further notes on the gratin recipe.*  For dessert?  A fresh fruit tart.  I recommended last summer that you make it.  It’s still a hit and nothing could be simpler.  (Really.  It is without a doubt the absolute easiest, quickest dessert in my collection of recipes, yet guests will think you are a pastry wizard).

This was taken last summer. Last night, my 9-year-old sous-chef topped the tart with super ripe blueberries, my preference for the fruit, and a heart-shaped center of just-picked raspberries. I also usually pulse some lavender with the sugar in making the crust, and have on occasion added lemon zest to the custard.

Anyway, it got the French guests dancing!  (OK, perhaps what got us dancing were the lovely Huber-Verdereau rosé, the 2000 Drappier Grande Sendrée Champagne, the 2006 Domaine Buisson-Charles Meursault Bouches-Chères 1er Cru, 08 Audrey, etc, etc.)

*Gratin recipe notes:  I’ve prepared the gratin ahead of serving time in two different ways.  One, I prepared according to recipe, bread crumb topping and all and froze.  After reheating, I drizzled with the additional herb oil.  It worked.  It was roundly well-regarded and dug into for seconds.  Maybe better though is to prepare the gratin minus the bread crumb topping, cook (maybe slightly less than recommended).  Cool.  Freeze.  Thaw.  Reheat with bread crumbs, then drizzle with the extra herb oil.  By the way, I just drizzled some leftover herb oil onto briefly steamed fresh green beans.  Delicious!

If short on time to make the gratin, how about sautéing squash in a large skillet, and topping with a sprinkling of grated gruyère, the herb oil and the toasted breadcrumbs or crushed up croutons?

Thiébault Huber of Domaine Huber-Verdereau in Volnay, and Patrick and Catherine Essa of Domaine Buisson-Charles in Meursault arrive next week and we’d like to invite you to meet them and enjoy their wines at several tastings and events we have scheduled during their visit.

Tasting at Cork (eastside), Friday August 13th 4:30 to 7pm, 2901 NE Alberta Street.
http://www.corkwineshop.com/events.php

Tasting at Scott Paul Wines in Carlton, Saturday August 14th, Noon to 5pm.
Thiébault, Patrick and Catherine, and Scott will be pouring a bunch of fabulous wines most of which rarely get opened in the tasting room:

Huber-Verdereau Crémant de Bourgogne
Buisson-Charles 2007 Meursault, Vieilles Vignes
Buisson-Charles 2007 Meursault, Bouches Chères 1er
Huber-Verdereau 2007 Volnay
Huber-Verdereau 2006 Volnay, Fremiets 1er
Scott Paul 2007 La Paulée Pinot Noir

$15 covers the tasting and a selection of French cheeses and charcuterie

Winemaker’s Dinner at Farm to Fork in Dundee, 6:30pm
To end the day we’ll host a very intimate dinner at one of our favorite wine-country restaurants.  Limited to 20 guests, we’ll enjoy several more Burgundy selections from Huber-Verdereau and Buisson-Charles as well as our 2008 Audrey Pinot noir.  $100 per person.  Please make reservations with Kelly:  kellykarr@scottpaul.com or 503-319-5827.

First of all, do not miss our special tasting this Saturday from 12-5 in Carlton – with Thiébault Huber from Huber-Verdereau in Volnay and Patrick & Catherine Essa from Domaine Buisson-Charles in Meursault on hand pouring their killer wines – some of the most exciting reds, whites & sparklers in our entire portfolio. Be sure to get a taste of the Meursault Bouches-Chères 1er Cru from B-C and the Volnay Fremiets 1er Cru from H-V, wines that are rarely if ever open for tasting. (And I’ll likely have something “under the table” for those who mention this blog…)

Catherine & Patrick Essa of Domaine Buisson-Charles in Meursault

Looking ahead to this fall, I’m excited to announce the addition of three amazing grower-Champagne producers to the Scott Paul family – Bruno Gobillard, José Dhondt & Camille Savès. All three are names already well known to Champagne lovers, and it is with great pride that we bring these awesome wines into our portfolio. The first shipments will be arriving in October – details and producer profiles are on the way in the weeks to come. And of course we continue to be the importer for the outstanding Marc Chauvet Champagnes – save some room in your cellar for the ridiculously good 2002 Special Club that will be here this fall. After all, man cannot live on Burgundy alone – we need our bubbles!!!

Joining up with the three new Champagne producers comes on the heels of the additions of Burgundy superstars Frédéric Mugnier, Michel Lafarge, Bonneau de Martray, Comte Armand and Jean-Marc Pavelot - and we’ll have all of their new releases arriving this fall as well. I really think we now just may have the best overall top-to-bottom Burgundy selection around. It’s an exciting time at Scott Paul, and we look forward to to introducing you to all of these amazing wines in the coming months…

In just a couple of days, two of our favorite producers from Burgundy will be arriving in Portland for a series of tastings and events all over the Northwest. Make plans now to join us at the winery in Carlton on Saturday, August 14th from 12-5, for a special tasting with Thiébault Huber of Domaine Huber-Verdereau in Volnay, and Patrick & Catherine Essa of Domaine Buisson-Charles in Meursault. Tasting fee is $15 for this event, and we are looking forward to seeing you here!

Then that evening at 6:30, you’re invited to join us all for a winemaker dinner at Farm to Fork in Dundee, featuring the Huber-Verdereau and Buisson-Charles wines, and of course some Scott Paul goodies too. Seats at the dinner are $100 each, all-inclusive, and availability is limited. Email Kelly Karr to book your seats asap…

If you can’t make it out to wine country, join us all in Portland at Cork Wine Shop on N.E. Alberta this Friday afternoon from 4-7:30 -  Thiébault and Patrick & Catherine will be on hand pouring a selection of their gorgeous wines…

Thiébault Huber

Thiébault Huber is one of Burgundy’s brightest rising stars. He was awarded the trophy for Burgundy’s best young winemaker a few years back, and his since been “discovered” by the major writers and critics who cover the region. The family estate of only 7.5 acres had been leased out to other producers for 20 years when Thièbault took it back at the end of the lease in 1994 while in his early 20s. He has since enlarged the estate with additions of small, strategically placed parcels in Volnay & Pommard, and now has over 15 acres under his control. Thièbault has become one of the leaders of the Biodynamic farming movement in Burgundy, and has been featured on a number of network broadcasts in France. He has twice been a featured winery at the International Pinot Noir Celebration here in Oregon, and is known to many of you as the producer of the fabulous Crémant de Bourgogne sparkling wine that has consistently been the most popular wine in the entire Scott Paul portfolio.

In the cellar with Patrick Essa at Buisson-Charles

Patrick & Catherine Essa are the 5th generation at the helm of Domaine Buisson-Charles, having officially taken over from Catherine’s father Michel as of the 2008 harvest. Patrick and Michel worked side by side for the past 15+ vintages, and the transition has been seamless as Michel starts his active “retirement”. The domaine is revered by Burgundy aficionados for their classic, intense, and wonderfully age-worthy Meursaults. Their prime old-vine holdings in the 1er Crus of Meursault Charmes, Goutte d’Or, Bouches-Chères and Cras produce some of Burgundy’s longest-lived whites, and their Meursault Vieilles Vignes bottling from five different parcels averaging 65+ years in age is one of the most complex examples you’ll find.

We hope you can join us at one or more of these upcoming special events with two of Burgundy’s best and brightest. Cheers!