October 30, 2012
Our table on the terrace
As you know there is not really a summer in the tropics. We have different seasons than temperate climates. However, when the rainy season has come to an end, days are getting hotter, and the meal I am going to describe is exactly for such days.
We had a beetroot salad with some cured salmon and a self-made sauce based on yoghurt. For carbs, we offered a selection of bagels. Look at the photos below. Doesn’t the food look delicious?
Beetroot salad
Salmon
And here the ensemble on the plate
Bagels from the supermarket
I would agree that bagels from a proper bakery would be superior to the ones shown above. But hold it. Remember we live in Bangkok!
Since it was a weekday, no special wine was pulled from my wine fridge. Instead I opened a bottle of a mass produced Sauvignon Blanc by Tahuna from the Marlborough wine region in New Zealand.
I was a bit worried at first, since the vintage was 2009 but the wine was in a perfect condition. It showed all the characteristics of a solid but inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc, and satisfied our needs for a glass of wine with our light lunch on a perfect summers’ day. Cheers
2009 Tahuna Sauvignon Blanc
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Posted by themanfrommoselriver
October 25, 2012
The salad with feta
Again I present something Greek here. It also comes from “Jamie does…”, the cookery book by Jamie Oliver. Hot days in Bangkok lend themselves in a perfect way to this kind og food, light and refreshing kind of meals.
Green vegetables on toast
We used an Asian vegetable for the ‘green vegetable on toast dish’: “kangkung” is its Indonesian name. I do not know what it is called in Thai. Sprinkle fresh parmesan on the warm vegetable. The melting cheese provides just the right “glue” to produce a very tasty complement. Some roasted garlic is also added.
The light Greek lunch
The crunchy bread together with the cheese flavoured green and the fresh ingredients of the salad (tomatoes, red peppers, onions) with feta are just perfect to stimulate your attpetite even on a hot day.
A glass of sparkling
Any white wine would have complemented the two dishes, I guess. In style would have been a Retsina, a flavoured wine customaynin Greece.
Since we were in a celebratory mood (it was the first day of the school holidays), I grabbed a bottle of bubbly from the fridge.
Base sparkling from Chandon
The sparkling from Chandon is not cheap in Bangkok (about 1,000 Thai Bath), but his zesty freshness with the small bubbles made it an ideal wine to have with the Greek food.
Cheers to us all.
50 Comments | food, food and wine, wine | Tagged: Chandon, Greek salad, Jamie does, Jamie Oliver, wine | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
October 4, 2012
I am in the North of Thailand right now. To be pricise, Chiang Mai, the former capital city of the Lanna Thai kingdom. I will use my spare time after work to explore the local cuisine.
What you see above is my Thai cooking certificate which was given to me after the successful completion of a Thai cooking class in Hua Hin last year. I guess I forgot what I have learned; my inate nature is not the one of the cook. I am more of a gourmet; the one who enjoys the eating rather than the preparation of food.
1 Comment | food, food and wine, history and culture, Restaurant Review | Tagged: Chiang Mai, food, Hua Hin, Northern Thailand, Thai cooking, Thai food, Thai wine, wine, wine industry | Permalink
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September 30, 2012
Mother’s roe deer dish
Reminiscing about the past is one of the privileges of the not so young. A Sunday lends itself to such action, especially when considering the traditional German Sunday lunch.
Roe deer on noddles
While in my mothers house a few weeks back during our summer vacation, we were treated to roe deer goulash with noddles and salad. My friend Heinz, a passionate hunter, had reserved this particular piece of meat for me. He knows that I love game, especially meat of young animals.
Needless to say that this piece of roe deer was super delicious. When asked how they cook it, I can never quite figure out the recipe. Just simmering for a long time in a pot with some onions, is all what I could extract from the uttering of my mum. Well, I will have to prepare such a dish myself, one day and see.
The choice of wine was a foregone conclusion. Just a couple of days earlier we had visited the winery of the Schäfer-Fröhlich family in the village of Bockenau, Nahe.
In 1995 Tim Fröhlich took over the management of the vineyards and winery from his father. Today the estate has 16 ha under vines, some in the best locations in the vicinity (for instance Monzinger Halenberg, Monzinger Fruehlingsplaetzchen and Bockenauer Felseneck). His fine Riesling wines have won wide acclaim in the world of German wine. In 2010 Gault&Millau selected Tim for its “vintner-of-the-year award”.
The ‘2011 Bockenauer Riesling dry’ is a young wine. It comes from the hill just behind the winery. On the label it says “Schiefergestein” which means the the vines grow on blue and grey slate. I loved the lime and citrus aromas. The wine has great character, is fresh and exuberant. Its fine acidity shows great balance. This elegant Riesling has a long finish and might gain even more complexity when aged. No chance to age for this bottle, though. We needed it with the deer dish on that Sunday to bring absolute enjoyment to the Adam family.
PS: If you want to know where the grapes for this were grown, please visit Weinlagen-Info.de. My wine blogger friend, the winegetter, made me aware of this handy tool to find the vineyards and places where the grapes come from.
2 Comments | food, food and wine, Vineyard profile, vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Bockenau, Bockenauer Felseneck, dry riesling, food, Gault&Millau, German Riesling, German wine, grey slate, hunting, Monzinger Fruehlingsplaetzchen, Monzinger Halenberg, Nahe, restaurants, Riesling, Riesling wines, roe deer, Tim Fröhlich, travel, vacation, Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
September 28, 2012
Our vegetable soup
As you probably know summer days in Germany can be chilly. This is not a big deal because the appropriate food is easy to find. How about a real vegetable soup? Not one out of a tin but with real veggies, cut into small pieces and cooked with just the best stock. And how about some home made bread as well?
Sounds yum. I tell you.
But what about a wine? Should it be red? Should it be white?
Well, my choice was a young and fresh Riesling from the Rheingau. From my recent visit of Schloss Johannisberg, Rheingau I had brought a bottle of ‘2011 Schloss JOhannisberg dry Riesling’ from the “Gelblack” series.
I got the bottle from the cellar door for 13.70 Euro/bottle. The alcohol content is 12.5%, residual sugar is 7.9 g/l, and total acidity is 7.5 g/l. The colour is a beautiful straw yellow. It shows lush aromas of green apple and tropical fruit. The acidity is charmingly fresh and zesty.
We gave the wine no chance to age and show it’s long-term potential. The young fragrant Riesling complemented the creamy soup with its carrots, cellery and other fresh garden-vegetables very well.
Cheers and enjoy!
1 Comment | food, food and wine, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: dry riesling, food, garden vegetables, Gelblack, German wines, restaurants, Rheingau, Riesling, Schloss Johannisberg, travel, vacation | Permalink
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September 21, 2012
Spicy prawns sizzling in the pan
I love spicy food, especially seafood. I find it also easy to identify an appropriate wine for such occasion. During a casual stroll through one of the local super markets here in Bangkok, I found a small selection of wines from my beloved Mosel river.
I could not believe muy luck.
‘2010 Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett’ by Weingut Max Ferdinand Richter
I selected a bottle of ‘2010 Brauneberger Juffer, Riesling Kabinett’ by Weingut Max Ferdinand Richter, in Muehlheim, Mosel.
The name of this vineyard (31 ha, opposite the villages of Brauneberg and Muehlheim) is intriguing, Braunenberger Juffer. “Brauneberg” stands for ‘the browninsh colour of oxidized devon slate’ and “Juffer” means ‘un-married young woman’/vestal-virgin. There is a story about a young woman who rather tended the vines in this prime vineyard location instead of getting married.
Well!
‘Braunberger Juffer’ is is one of the top terroirs along the lower Mosel. I was so mesmerized when I read ‘Brauneberger Juffer’ on the label, that I did not pay attention to the “attribute”, ‘Kabinett’ which suggests an off-dry type of wine. Not my favourite usually. 50 or so odd grams of residual sugar at 7 to 8 g./l. acidity, is just too much for me.
Fortunately, such information is not mentioned on the label. I would not have bought it. But after all, the sweetness of the wine balanced the spiciness of the prawns exceptionally well, and I was reconciled with my choice of wine.
I guess a dry Riesling would also have been a good choice, but maybe next time.
I love the label: Braunberger JUffer Riesling Kabinett
This wine is full and round, mellow, almost oily. The dominant aroma is peach with some hint of honeysuckle. On the palate the sweetness of bee honey is dominant. However, the wine is light and fresh. The acids are well balanced. The fine texture is tangible and the long finish is rewarding.
Address:
Weingut Max Ferd. Richter
Owner: Dr. Dirk M. F. Richter
Hauptstrasse 85
54486 Mülheim/Mosel
Germany
Tel.: +49-6534-933003
e-mail: drichter@maxferdrichter.com
2 Comments | food, Vineyard profile, vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Brauneberger Juffer, food, Max Ferdinand Richter, Mülheim, Mosel, Muehlheim, prime vineyard, restaurants, Riesling, Riesling Kabinett, spicy prawns, travel, vacation, wine | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
September 10, 2012
The city of Trier – photo taken from Kockelsberg
During the month of July, we spend some glorious days in my home town Trier. On a splendid Sunday, wen went to have brunch with music at a country inn called Altenhof, at the edge of the forest surrounding the city.
A leisurly walk through a lovely forest (mainly sweet chestnut trees) of about one or one and a half hours will get you there.
Signpost in the forest
So what is the place like, you might ask? Well, it is a former forester’s lodge cum country inn, which was built in 1874 on the site of an old farm going back to 1406.
Country inn – Forthaus Altenhof
In my youth the place was a popular destination for family outings to enjoy a drink or two in the company of family and friends.
We went there for a breakfast brunch with music. The duo Wollmann and Brauner was playing blues and jazz.
We got there quite early, and the garden of the Altenhof was still empty. But it should fill up fast. Many families made the pilgrimage and brought their young children as well as their old parents along. In the early afternoon, it was difficult to find an empty table.
Wollmann and Brauner Duo
We were craving for some blues our most favourite music, reminiscing about lovely live music events in Yarra Glen and Healesville, Victoria. The two musicians did not disappoint us. They played among others some of the classic songs from Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton; so just the right stuff. It was great music and we had great fun.
Viez – local apple & pear cider
One of the specialities is the apple and pear cider called Viez in the local German dialect. I love it. It is usually very dry (one could say sour), and so it should be.
Riesling by Weingut Linden
My wife preferred the Rieslnig wine on offer by Weingut Linden, Mosel. The ‘2010 Riesling Spaetlese dry’ is a very solid wine, and displays the wonderful character of the Mosel terroir and climate.
Riesling Spaetlese
We also had food, hearty German delicacies. Unfortunately, I have no photo of the various dishes we consumed from morning to afternoon. But rest assured you get value for money. These were the best prices offered to me while I was in Germany.
It was such a pleasant day. The ambience was just wonderful. Everybody was relaxed. Because of the spatious surroundings, children could play ball, horse rider could tether their horses, people could walk around etc. If you have the time and opportunity visit this extraordinary place.
Address:
Forsthaus Altenhof
Aacher Weg 86
D-54293 Trier
http://www.altenhof-trier.de
5 Comments | culture, food, food and wine, history and culture, Restaurant Review, wine, wine regions | Tagged: Altenhof, apple cider, chestnut trees, Forsthaus Altenhof, german dialect, German Riesling, Mosel, pear cider, playing blues, Riesling wine, Spaetlese, travel, Trier, vacation, Viez, Weingut Linden, Wollmann and Brauner Duo, Yarra Glen | Permalink
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September 8, 2012
A selection of sushi and sashimi
We had a kind of quick lunch today. We bought a selection of sushi and sashimi. The question was what wine to have with it? Well, we had not much choice because my wine fridge is almost empty.
So I picked out of distress (I did not want to take one of my great Riesling wines) the last bottle of Vinho Verde we had, a bottle by Casal Mendes, which can be obtained in Bangkok super markets at relatively low cost.
Casal Mendes Vinho Verde
Woh, what a surprise: it worked wonders, I thought. The Portuguese Vinho Verde with its low alcohol and freshness was just the right wine with the raw fish and the rice. What an excellent choice this was. I highly recommend to try this pairing of Eastern food with Western wine.
11 Comments | food, food and wine, wine | Tagged: Casal Mendes, food, Portugal, raw fish, restaurants, Riesling wines, sashimi, Sushi, travel, vacation, Vinho Verde, wine, wine fridge, wines of Portugal | Permalink
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September 2, 2012
You might be interested how I go with my Dukan diet. Well, let me update you on my progress.
“I started out in early February with about 90 kg life weight (recorded in the morning, right after getting out of bed). Today, I have reached 82 kg. My goal, however, is 80 kg, so I have still a bit to go”.
Well, this is what I wrote on March 15, 2012. I never reached the 80 kg. Life was just too busy for me given my frequent travels, business dinners, etc.
Until the sumer holidays, about mid July, however, it was not too bad. I had about 83 kg. But during the four weeks in Germany, I regained about 5 kg.
My aim – Drawing by Lucy Adam
From tomorrow onwards I will start again with a Dukan diet. I am very confident that I will reach my aim. Moreover, I also visit the gym regularly. My prospects are bright.
Alas, Pierre Dukan is French. This means that he is a product of French culture to which inevitably wines made from the noble grape is an integral part. Therefore, wine drinking is not forbidden.
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August 20, 2012
Castle Saffenburg in Mayschoss, Ahr
All good things come to an end. That applied also to our family vacation. From the Ruhr we made our way back to the Mosel region. Since we had some spare time on our hands, we decided that a short visit to the Ahr wine region would just be the right distraction.
The Ahr wine region is one of the smaller wine region in Germany (about 600 ha under vines). Despite its northern location the Ahr wine region is dominated by red wine production (about 80%),and is most famous for its outstanding Pinot Noir wines.
Country Inn zur Saffenburg in Mayschoss, Ahr
Since we were also hungry we dropped in at a counrty inn called Saffenburg in Mayschoss at the banks of the Ahr river.
The courtyard of the inn
Mayschoss, a small settlement with about 1,000 inhabitants, is also home to the oldest wine co-operative in Germany (founded in 1868).
Today the Mayschoss-Altenahr Wine Co-operative as it is called, has about 400 members and covers 140 ha under vines. It’s cellar door is located opposite the country inn.
Gasthof zur Saffenburg
The first thing I did was oder a glass of Pinot Noir made by one of the famous Ahr producers: Jean Stodden.
Jean Stodden Pinot Noir
This is the “ordinary” Pinot Noir produced by Stodden but a good specimen of what the Ahr has to offer in Pinot Noir. Unfortunately, we had no time for a tasting at Jean Stodden. Instead we planned to pay a short visit to the wine co-operative across the street after our meal.
Nuernberger sausages with Kraut
German cuisine has a lot of very tasty dishes to offer. We went for Nuernberger sausages (photo above) and beef stew (photo below).
Beef stew
I love German cake
Irresistable were the cakes on offer, together with a coffee, they concluded our meal. Needless to say that the food was delicious. We sat on the terrace in the yard. The service at the country inn is exceptionally good. Five out of five, I would say. We had a jolly good time on our last day of our excusion in Germany.
The steep vineyards behind the inn on the other side of the Ahr river
I plan to also inform you about our visit to the wine co-operative in Mayschoss. Stay tuned.
The Ahr wine region is a very popular destination for day travellers but also suitable for longer excursions. I highly recommend the “Rotwein-Wanderweg”, the red wine hicking path crisscrossing the region with breathtaking views of the vineyards and the small settlements. Ideal is to explore the valley on a push bike.
Please also visit my blog entries from November 2007 regarding DAGERNOVA, another wine co-operative and vintage time along the Ahr.
Address:
Gasthof zur Saffenburg
Rotweinstrasse 43
53508 Mayschoss
Tel.: + 49 (0) 2643-8392
Handy + 49 (0) 171–9369257
Fax: + 49 (0) 2643-8100
E-Mail: info@gasthof-saffenburg.de
http://www.gasthof-saffenburg.de
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Posted by themanfrommoselriver
The Man from Mosel River 