Experience PARISIENNE » french wine

The Fanciest Cheese In the World (Served with Champs!)

Joanna Goddard — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:43:56 +0000

I love stinky cheeses, and, for years, I’ve been enticed by tales of Langres, a French cow’s milk cheese best served by pouring Champagne over the top. So, today, my friend Max and I decided to hunt it down in Los Angeles…

We hit up the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills. As soon as we opened the door, we were hit in the face with the so-gross-it’s-good smell of cheese.

The individual mound of Langres cost a whopping $20, but we knew it would be worth it…

…and it was! Strong, supple, creamy, tangy, the cheese melted in our mouths, while the Champagne added a lovely effervescence. Yup, when it comes to all things edible, the French really do it right.

(Photos by Max Wanger)

Cheap French Wine: Perfect for a Dinner Party

Joanna Goddard — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:36:00 +0000

When my parents were newlyweds, they moved to Paris, and within a couple weeks, their older French neighbors invited them over for dinner. Looking forward to making local friends, my mom brought them an armful of fresh flowers, and my dad wore his best suit and tie. But then something strange happened…

The neighbors went down to their wine cellar and returned with two bottles. “This wine is for us,” they said, pointing to an expensive vintage. “And this is for you,” they said, gesturing to a cheap table wine. My perplexed parents nodded along, and the couple explained that the complex wine would be wasted on them. “Your palates won’t appreciate it,” they said.

Three decades later, that night has become a favorite family anecdote, so, in honor of my cheap-wine-swilling parents, I decided to scout out a great inexpensive French wine in Chicago—more specifically, at Lush Wine & Spirits, a charming shop in University Village.

“Are expensive French wines better than cheapies?” I asked the woman at the counter. “Do you get what you pay for?”

In France, many of the fancier wines are designated as A.O.C. wines, she explained: “They can be fantastic, but the winemakers have to follow laundry lists of regulations. They must use only certain grapes, harvest on a specific day each year—Chateauneuf-du-Pape even has a rule that no flying saucers can land on their fields!” But the table wines and country wines are more casual and have fewer rules, she said: “So the cheaper wines can be playful; the winemakers have fun and try new things,” she explained. “It’s exciting.”

She recommended a juicy red—Pere et Fils Syrah-Grenache—and a Chateau Haut Sarthes Montravel, a refreshing white that tasted like peach, pear and melon. They were delicious with food and even the labels were beautiful!

(And, you know, I think those old neighbors just actually have approved.)

(Photos by Joanna Goddard)

Sipping (Three!) French Cocktails at the Delano

Joanna Goddard — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:59:13 +0000

On a warm afternoon in Miami, we found ourselves a little thirsty, so we ducked into the Rose Bar at the Delano. After asking the bartender for a few of his favorite French cocktails, here’s what he served up…

French Martini
2 oz chilled vodka (or gin)
1 1/2 oz fresh pineapple juice
1/2 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur
(Isn’t the bright red color fabulous?)

Pastis
3 oz pastis
2 oz cool spring water
Ice
(Tasted just like licorice! Very refreshing.)

Cardinal Cocktail
1/2 oz creme de cassis blackcurrent liqueur
2 1/2 oz dry red wine
(This sweet fruity drink was like cough medicine–except delicious.)

Stumbling on home...

(Photos by Joanna Goddard)