Here it is, the food experience y’all have been waiting to hear about…

Gladys Knight’s Chicken + Waffle House

Because none of us knew what to expect with our experience, we all conjured up our own ideas as to what it was going to look like inside this Hot Atlanta Food Spot.  I thought I’d see some sort of diner-like interior with greasy booths and an angry waitstaff, or an open kitchen line where you’d have only three things to choose from, give your order, pay and then end up with a number to come pick up your tray of fixins.  The rest had ideas of imaging a chain-like restaurant feel, down to a hot spot that would serve us beers with every chicken piece we had.

And, because none of us had ever had ‘Chicken and Waffles’, there were many questions also prior to our arrival that had to do with eating this southern concoction:

1.  Was the ‘waffle’ like a waffle that you had for breakfast or was it like a potato-like pancake of sorts?  Was it like a french fry kind of waffle?

2.  How were you supposed to eat your ‘waffle’?  Does the ‘waffle’ act as blanket to coddle your chicken?  And, would there be the typical ‘waffle-like’ condiments on the table if it were like a breakfast waffle (IE: syrup, butter)?

3.  What kind of chicken comes with your ‘waffle’?  Breasts, legs, thighs, pieces?

4.  And if it was a typical breakfast-like ‘waffle’, would ya look like a person who didn’t know what they were doin’ if you asked for Syrup?

I know, sounds silly…but if you’ve never had Chicken and Waffles, these are all pretty normal questions, wouldn’t ya say?

As we pulled up to the downtown Atlanta staple, the neon sign reading:  Gladys Knight and Ron Winan’s Chicken & Waffles, hung high above the street.  It seemed iconic and one could certainly imagine seeing it from blocks away in the late midnight hours when the restaurant was still open on a Friday or Saturday night at 4 a.m.  As hot as it was, still at about 97 degrees +, we were all surprised to see this famous waffle and wing joint over-flowing with people on a mid-afternoon Monday.  When we walked in, the place was crawlin’.   And the interior, was pretty much nothing like we all imagined.  No angry waitstaff, no line for food, no cash register to ring in your order and no pitchers of beer.  Instead, had the feel of a very nice Denny’s.  Lined with dark wooded walls and big leather booths, framed pics of famous people that had eaten there hung on the wall, and as I looked around… everyone, I mean everyone, was eating chicken.

Turns out, the wait for our traditional southern viddles was short-lived.  We were in our sticky syrup drenched booth in no time.  The menu fit the standards of a Denny’s, with laminated pages of southern food plates and pictures to match them.  The choices of food ranged from black-eyed peas, mac n cheese, collard greens, catfish, salmon to the most famous plate of all ~ The Midnight Train.  And when it came time for ordering, it was almost like a scene from The Blues Brothers…’We’ll take four Midnight Trains!’

And there it was ~ a fat ass plate of four crispy chicken thighs, and a big ole waffle (yep, like a breakfast waffle) right in the midst of it all.  With a heap of syrup already on your table, you were expected to slather it up with melted butter, pour on the goo and eat it all up just like you would breakfast.  Our sides included: mac n cheese, lima beans, grits and collard greens.  And to drink, because they didn’t serve beer or any other alcoholic beverages, sweet teas all around.

And the taste, as our friend Tim would say it, “Tastes so good, make ya wanna slap your momma!”  Pretty darn good for my first Chicken + Waffles experience and one worth any trip to Hotlanta to try it.

While the sweet tea seemed to be, as we all agreed, the best drink to pair to this ‘heart stoppin’ plate of goodness- the first question before our arrival was, “So what kind of wine would you pair to Chicken and Waffles, Leslee?”  With each bite of my drippin’ waffle and my crispy chicken wing crunched together into perfect bites, I thought of the syrupy sweetness and the salty crunch of my plate.  The butter from grits managed to sink right through its gooey mess and the syrup was not to be reckoned with dripping off my chicken and right down the center of my shirt.

I give this plate a couple of pairing ideas… The fried chicken deserves anything bubbly.  Because ‘fried’ and ‘bubbles’ always goes together, I would have chosen perhaps a Blanc de Blanc of sorts, a bubbly that is made with only Chardonnay grapes.  The rich Chardonnay center and the creaminess of the buttery grits and mac n cheese along with the fried chicken, yum…a match made in heaven.  Yet, I thought about the syrupy goodness of the waffle in front of me.  Riesling would have been good with the right amount of sweetness, even a fat rich Pint Gris from Alsace loaded with honeysuckle and honey jar would have been good.   But there was only one wine that I couldn’t quite escape.  The Chateau Reynella McLaren Vale Old Cave Tawny Port, made entirely from Grenache grapes, is one of those wines that I always think about when I smell syrup.  It’s sort of ‘breakfast wine’ I suppose.  Good enough for pancakes, waffles, sausage and even a cup of joe.  And with this afternoon’s lunch…I think, a pretty darn good pairing.  This port is not one that is overbearingly sweet, and because its made from Grenache grapes grown in Australia, it seems to carry just the right amount of sugar and toast from its barrel aging to match any plate of breakfast food.

In the end, a beer wouldn’t have been a bad idea either, but if you’re thinkin’ wine with this fine cuisine, keep it balanced with ALL those goodies on the plate. Here’s to my new found love for Chicken and Waffles, and a belly ache to prove I was there!

Hope you’re keepin’ up on my whirlwind food tour here while I’m in Atlanta…because there’s more!

Aria, a sophisticated white table-clothed restaurant located in Buckhead, a small neighborhood just inside of the city of Atlanta, was a spectacular treat of fine cuisine, phenomenal wines and remarkable service.  A food experience that will definitely live in my repertoire of ’some of my favorite food/wine experiences’, ever.  Really outstanding.

The restaurant, as you enter, is framed by a heavy chainmail curtain and has an interior decorated with colorfully ceramic tiled greyhound statues and a one of kind, glass art chandelier that looks to be between an angry oyster and a lightning bolted thunder cloud.  Their menu, which is famously known for its warm lobster cocktail appetizer, sumptuous entrees, tasty desserts and outstanding wine list was like an adult DisneyLand for foodies all around.   With an interior as impeccable as the number of waitstaff that greeted us, our nite was surely one that I couldn’t wait to dive into.

First things first, the wine list…was decked with wines uniquely picked to fit any palate that walked through the door.  Not that they were as easy to work through, if you didn’t know wine, but am sure that if you asked any one on the floor that someone would ‘talk’ you through the menu.  I have to say, one of the first things I said was, ‘Wow, how refreshing… a list with depth, is intriguing and one that really does, truthfully, excite me.’  I couldn’t wait to open at least ten different bottles.  I did, however, limit myself to one white selection and one red.  The first – N. Joly’s ‘Les Clos Sacres’ Savenierres.  Savenierres is a region in the Loire Valley of France that produces a DRY Chenin Blanc, in fact…the only region in the Loire that truly produces dry Chenin.  And Nicolas Joly, the producer of this gorgeous wine, is famed for his biodynamic culture, is an Internationally known Wine God and one who I literally, have a huge ‘wine crush’ on.

Let’s talk about the pairings ~ Warm Lobster Cocktail with Truffled Mashed Potatoes and pureed broccoli, Lemon Ricotta Ravioli, Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms with Pancetta.  The wine, which safely took at least 45 minutes to open, had a honeyed nose with scented orange blossoms and round melon peel yet opened into a lovely, fresh, high acid toned, mesmerizing wine.  The acidic notes of under ripe apricot seemed to clip right into the creamy notes of all the appetizers.  I must say, a really nicely balanced Chardonnay would have done the pairing well, but this Savenierres seemed to only pair better with every single sip and bite taken.  I must have moaned with every drink taken, thinking that the layers of the wine only opened more as the wine oxidized.

The second wine – the Travaglini Gattinara.  A DOCG Nebbiolo from the region of Piedmont, Italy was outstanding.  With a quick decant, even this tight 06 seemed to unveil its masterful future.  Smokey with hints of black tar, wet violets and rich leather – the wine enveloped every aspect of Italy that I could think of.  Fabulous.  And, its pairing – a Slow Braised Pork and a Pan Roasted Veal Chop.  C’mon, really?!  Not sure I could have dreamed up the pairings.  They were unthinkably delicious.

Of course the evening couldn’t have been more complete if I imagined it – the desserts seemed to only add ‘whip cream and a cherry’ to my culinary dream.  With dishes of chocolate pot de creme, peach tart and uniquely layered fresh sorbets – our after dinner drinks consisting of a Banyuls from France, a Passito from Italy and a Malaga from Italy – all of which complemented the sweets divinely.

Overall – I’d give last nite’s experience an A PLUS.  From the attentive service, to the lengthy wine list and its colorful food menu – not to mention the fabulous company – Superb.  Making my second food nite in Atlanta so far, excellent!

Where fried chicken is a staple, and there’s only one reason why the city has the nickname it has…because it’s damn hot!  When you think you know ‘hot’, come to the south.  With 95% humidity and average daily temps like 90-95 degrees, Hotlanta, is not a place to come if you’re not a heat person.  However, I’m quickly finding that if you’re a foodie, you may want to fight the heat and get on down here for some good eats

Last nite, our first nite in town, our friends took us to a super cool joint in the sort of ‘uptown’ region of the city.  A restaurant called:  Restaurant Eugene.  Contemporary in its look, the joint had a white tablecloth feeling upon arriving.  We sat at the bar, incidentally always my favorite place in the restaurant to sit.  Where you can get all the great service you need, and in the right restaurants, where the bartender fills you in on all the establishment secrets.

Restaurant Eugene with a sweet little bar, sitting a max of maybe eight, snuggled the four of us in perfectly.  Our friends were especially excited to show us the spot, but mostly to introduce us to one of their favorite bartenders, Nick.  With one look, you could tell that Nick was a serious character when it came to the beverage industry.  While I’m most used to someone always handing me a ‘wine by the glass’ menu when I sit at a swanky restaurant bar, Nick went straight for the daily drink menu.  He was, as our friends said, one of the best drink makers in the city.  Yet, not only was he a mixologist but a bartender with food pairings to fit all the cocktails on his menu.

Nick’s Friday Flight Night Menu consisted of:  an Irish Cooler, which was a new fandangled Rusty Nail – Irish Whiskey, Drambuie and Ginger Beer + an Alexandra’s Cocktail, a mix of St Germain (Elderflower liqueur), Aperol (a rhubarb bitter), lemon juice and fresh peach + a drink called, There is no Try consisting of a Campari like liqueur, grapefruit and aged bitters.

Each of the cocktails were paired up to little food pairings to try – served as tapas.  The first cocktail, which was good, but more of an after dinner drink to me even as sparky as it was with the ginger beer, was paired to glazed baby tomatoes and basil.  While the fresh juicy tomatos glazed over were nice and sweet with the cocktail, the Whiskey parts to the drink seemed to swallow the food whole to me.  However, for one of our friends, this was his favorite pairing.  (Proving, by the way, that we ALL have our own likes to pairings.)

The second was my favorite of the three – the lite citrus flavors of this gorgeous summer drink, Alexandra’s Cocktail, were paired to a Crispy Kale Salad finished with ‘just right’ cooked chucks of bacon.  The bacon, cooked perfectly, seemed to be the smoke of the dish as the fresh fruit flavors snuggled up to the awesome! fried, crispy kale.  The drink and the dish both awesome, but when paired together was THE perfect pairing.  Really great.

And, the last…There is No Try, which had a sour patch kid pucker with an almost medicinal flavor to it was paired to a Lamb Sausage and Sweet + Sour Fairytale Eggplant.  The lamb sausage had a fennel spice to it almost pairing right up to the bitters in the drink.  Nice, but not over-whelming.  Very good.

The remainder of our dinner was outstanding.  Dishes of pan seared halibut, georgia white shrimp, watermelon and radish salad, seared marget duck breast to the most delicious confit pork belly that I may have ever had were delivered course by course.  All very good and finished up with a stellar bottle of Jorge Ordonez’s Botani – a dry Mocatel from Spain.  YUM!  (Can’t take a Sommelier out to eat without having at least one bottle of wine!)

Overall, the experience was fantastic and really, a fabulous treat.  It’s not very often that I am treated to a cocktail food pairing experience.  Not something that everyone does, especially in the MidWest.  Hmmmm….  Might want to get on it, MSP peeps.

Signing off and getting ready to head out for another nite of great food + drink with great friends in the Big ATL.  I’m hopin’ we get over to Gladys Knight’s Chicken + Waffles before the week is up!

I say this almost every season that I’m in New York, but I just love New York this time of year!  What a wonderful, colorful, glamorous city.  There is truly nothing like it in world, well… unless you’ve been to Hong Kong (that’s another blog entry). 

Just this week, I spent a couple of days in the city hanging with a fun group of new Croatian pals and drinking Eastern European wine.  Not a bad job, right?  There is, as I’ve learned with Eastern European culture, so much to understand about the history, beginnings and taste of this culture and its wines.  Introducing the new wine kid on the block, Korta Katarina Winery, to a group of first generation Croatian Americans is both, as I found, exciting and also jam packed with interesting comments.  Especially in a very vocal location like New York.  After trying several of these bottles and thinking back to my first YOUTUBE video on Amusée’s CRUSH PAD where I tried some of the best producers of the country, I realize that there is so much more that I now know about this place called:  Croatia. 

Like New Yorkers, Croatians are proud.  They are rare folks who talk so romantically about their culture, the land, the original grapes and its people.  Everyone holds their hands in forms like the Italians, you know pinched fingers, expressing their points.  And, I love it.  The same is true of so many in NY.  Sometimes maybe too vocal, but always very passionate when they speak.  Good Mid Western girls were taught to never interrupt, which really wouldn’t get you anywhere with this crowd, so you have to ‘express’ your own points in between their breaths. 

And while NY is a place where every single rare bottle of wine can be found, they too have some wonderful neighborhoods that support the Eastern European wine category with its inhabitants in full force.  For one, the neighborhood of Astoria.  A very cool spot.  Folks with open markets, nationalities of every spectrum, and languages that are heard from one end of the store to the other.  It is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of Queens, which now you can imagine a bit more the streets and corners if you’ve ever been to the area.  And funny as it is, when in Seattle a couple of weeks back, I had a conversation about an Italian restaurant located there.  A few Master Sommeliers spoke of this great Italian restaurant, delicious food and great wine located in Queens.  Wouldn’t you know it, I ended up there while on this trip!

Ponticello Ristorante.  While we did not have time to eat, you have to know that it will be the first place on my list the next time I’m in the city.  The owner, Pepe, is one cool cat.  A native Croatian passionate about his wines, food and his restaurant spoke to us about his culture, New York and well, many other subjects.  His passion for selling Croatian wine was evident and it was so fun throughout the day(s) listening to everyone’s take on the country’s main red grape:  Plavac Mali.  The grape as I’ve come to learn it is rich with fruit, high in feisty tannin and ridiculously complex with layers of dirt, minerality and crunchy dried herbs.  I can now say, I’ve tasted some very inexpensive ones (and not really my favorite) to some very good ones.  Knowing of course, that Korta Katarina is my first pick on the shelf, there are others that display the same fruit yet different underlying layers of earth and spice.  I feel like my palate and my mind have been taking inventory on this grape now for weeks.  It’s very cool how each of them really is so different.  From its native area of southern Croatia and the Dingac and Postup Vineyard Sites to the Island of Hvar – each has its own story to tell.  There is so much to learn. 

Though my trip to the great city of New York was short and sweet and filled with many more interesting ‘blurbs’, ones blog shouldn’t probably go on and on and on.  So I end with my favorite part of New York, because it’s always a place I manage to make it to while there. 

Central Park.  Where the horse carriage aromas seem to fill every corner of the park, to the colorful street vendors that make your walk visually entertaining, it is the most rare piece of land in any one city.  The trees are now in bloom, the color of green is almost neon in some spots and the open fields in the park’s center, I’m sure, have already been used for Sunday afternoon frisbee throwing and late afternoon picnics.  It’s such a beautiful spot, and truly…as I said like no other place in the U.S.  I can’t wait to go back. 

Cheers to my new Croatian and Russian friends and thanks for your warm and very generous New York hospitality!

So I’m in Seattle.  And, I have to tell you, there is truly nothing like Seattle.  It’s such a great city.  Really.  If you’re looking for fun, colorful, lively, fresh and open to anything – try Seattle.  Not only are the steep-inclining city streets fun to walk up, but the peeps that you meet on the street seem to be even more colorful.  I guess after being away now from the Pac NW for over three years, I forget the vivacious energy of this seaboard city.

I’m here, after a fairly decent flight, and am honed in on more Sommelier testing.  I’ve decided to fun full boar with the Master Sommelier examinations, if they’ll have me…  I am here to take the first two tests, which only just RE-certify me as a Sommelier.  Then, once they approve and of course, I pass – I’m on to their Advanced Levels.  It’s a chore, I must say.  I forget the amount of studying it took me the first time, and I keep saying to myself,   “Why am I doing this again?!”  There’s really nothing enjoyable about it, except…I got to come to Seattle to sit my exams!   I know, I know – I’m supposed to be studying as I type, but I had a GREAT foodie experience so I thought I’d share.

Outside of the collective 80’s outfits (that truly put my roller skating outfit to shame last week), the amount of energy that Seattle has to offer is truly electric.  It’s fun to be in a city this size again and feel its youthfulness.  It’s awesome, but what’s even more awesome??  The amount of food and drink one can consume while here.  And, it’s level of creativity.  I’ve always said that the Pac NW had it made when it came to food and drink.  The enthusiasm for something fresh, new and fun is contagious.  Every restaurant that you look at from the street seems to have its own vibe.  And vibe is exactly what I found when looking for a quick bite tonite in between studying Alsation sugar levels.

The Purple Cafe and Wine Bar - wow.  I have a feeling that if you’re looking for a place to go and be seen in Seattle, this might be the spot.  But to be seen from my end, wasn’t my ticket.  I, in fact, was looking for some small eats and anyone that would serve me a half glass of wine.  Since I’ve fallen into a quandary with Chenin Blanc and Viognier, I thought I’d find a place that would allow me to have a half glass of each varietal while enjoying some food.  I found it.  The Purple was JUST what I was looking for.  Even for a Saturday nite, when I arrived at 6pm, the place seem to already have a buzz.  Not only is the atmosphere cool with views of the slanted streets outside, but the intrigue of the ‘tapas’ styled food and the wines by the glass and flight had me at its first ‘hello’.

The menu lined out with amazing little eats and with each one, a very unique wine pairing to suit.  The whole menu was filled with fresh flavors coming out of every region, but the wine list…killer.  Not only were you able to drink your ‘common’ varietals by the glass or flight, but you were able to pick from grapes that you only wished you could drink by the glass.  Check it out some time if you’re in the area!

Here’s what I had…a starter of  Fused Sweet Pepper Goat Cheese on a baby crostini and a Dungeness Crab Salad topped with olive oil and sweet beats.  OMG.  Then, I had a Mini Pesto Pizza with Feta, Onion, Baby Peppers, Goat Cheese and Oregano.  Seriously, every palate whistle went off.  And my pairings, although not deliberate, seemed to work out okay.  The first one a surprise.  A very dry Chenin Blanc from Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington from a winery called:  McKinley Springs.  Crisp, minerally and really refreshing.  The wine took on some almond notes as it warmed up.  Nice with the Crab.

And, the Chateau de la Selve Viognier, a nice little Vin de Pays.  Turns out is a small little biodynamic wine-making team.  I loved it.  Not the perfumey style of Viognier that you’d find in a warmer climate, but still did the trick.  Again, minerally yet firmly supple.  Does that make sense?  And really, the Viognier was actually pretty good with the crostini.  The sweet pepper bit I guess was something I was craving.  But it all worked out.

I was inspired when I left thinking about the lay out of the wine menu, how it was written.  It was fun, intriguing and made me want to go back the next time I’m in town.  High on my list of recommendations.  Good service, great food and a great selection of wines to choose from – what more do you need?  Why do some many over think this ‘Wine Bar’ bit and then end up messing it up?  It doesn’t take much to WOW peeps over.  On the contrary, I’m a pretty tough cookie to impress.  If you’ve got my vote, then it’s probably pretty good.

Take a Look Inside this year’s Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne

Don’t miss this opportunity to take a glimpse inside Burgundy’s largest tasting, Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne, and even spot a Grand Cru plot  ‘Le Montrachet’  with Sommelier Leslee Miller, Owner of Amusée (www.amuseewine.com) and Twin Cities Wine Educator.
Watch as she shares her experience with a first-hand look at the festival from Chateau de Chassagne-Montrachet. Featuring some of the world’s most expensive Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, 2010 Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne, a 5 day festival featuring hundreds of Burgundian Winemakers, was not something you wanted to miss if you’re a serious Chardonnay and Pinot Noir hound.  This expedition happens every other year, definitely giving you plenty of time to get yourself lined up for the 2012 tasting.  What are you waiting for?  Book those tickets to Burgundy today!!

Take a look why…
In HD

Croatia’s Korta Katarina’s Winemaker Nika Silic + Sommelier Leslee Miller Talk from the Cellar

Croatia’s newest and hottest Winemaker, Nika Silic, shares her thoughts in the cellar when it comes to tradition, barrel ageing and true wine-making.
Ever wonder the path that a Winemaker takes when choosing barrels in his/her cellar, or what barrels work best with which grape? This gives you a pretty good idea as to some traditions, but also from a different angle taken from the thick-skinned grape ~ Plavac Mali.
Leslee and Nika share a fascinating conversation regarding ALL of the above.
Check it out…In HD

Croatian Vineyard Manager Talks Phylloxera with Sommelier Leslee Miller

It’s the crazy farming questions that really get a Sommelier excited…mine was “Has Phylloxera (a nasty root eating louse) ever affected the regions of Dingac and Postup on the Peljesac Peninsula in Croatia?”
When asked, the Vineyard Manager of Korta Katarina, Arsen, explains.
Here is his answer…in HD.

The Upper Postup Wine Growing Region located on the Peljesac Peninsula

This video taken from the Upper Postup Region on the Peljesac Peninsula shows the tremendous incline of vineyard space. Leslee, Vineyard Mgr for Korta Katarina, Arsen and Winemaker Nika talk about the fencing put around this property and their pesky little grape eaters that make their way down the hill to the property.  Also, take a look at some older vines and the significance of the wind and sunshine and the parts they play on How the Plavac Mali Grape develops in these vineyard sites.
In HD

Croatian’s Korta Katarina Vineyard Manager and Winemaker share a moment with Sommelier Leslee Miller

This week while on a trip to Croatia, Sommelier Leslee Miller, had a chance to catch up with Vineyard Manager Arsen and Winemaker Nika from winery Korta Katarina on their actual vineyard site in the Peljesac Peninsula. Two regions which are famous for growing the red grape Plavac Mali on this peninsula are the:  Postup and the Dingac.
This video taken from the Postup region shows the winery’s newly planted vines.

Discussion here explains why the Plavac Mali grape loves this soil, what is the soil like, what about the angle of the vineyard makes it special and what is Plavac Mali as a grape.

One of many videos taped along this project, Minneapolis Sommelier Leslee Miller gives you history behind the Croatian wine industry and more.
In HD