Text 6861, 131 rader
Skriven 2006-10-23 09:01:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av IAN HOARE
Ärende: various dissonances 465
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 -=> Ian Hoare said to Hap Newsom <=-

 IH> Really? I know that the Walla-walla region, which is a small area in
 IH> the East of the State has relatively recently started up as a serious
 IH> wine growing area, but when we visited it, it was being used for
 IH> quality Merlot production, though "K" vintners were making some Syrah
 IH> based wine that Australian wine makers wouldn't be ashamed of. 

I've had decent Washington Syrahs, but I found in general that
they're too acid and so remind me of unripe fruit more than
they should.

 IH> Well, two things. If you're sure it's the Pinot Noir, I'm curious to
 IH> know where. I didn't see any worth talking about on '03. As for
 IH> distressing the vines, it's certainly a truism that "il faut souffrir
 IH> pour faire du bon vin" "The vine must suffer to make good wine". This
 IH> applies to Europe, at any rate, where the best wines are made from
 IH> vines grown on land that you'd not try to grow thistles on. The only
 IH> stress that doesn't lead to good wine is lack of adequate sunlight.

Well, too much water is probably the worst thing ... too little water
isn't a great picnic, either, mostly.

 The
 IH> Pinot Noir grape has a better flavour profile if there are relatively
 IH> high day/night temperature variations, but when it's not SO hot that
 IH> the grapes ripen fully before the arrival of the longer nights of
 IH> Autumn ensure a long "hang time".  

 >I think Oregon is big in pinot production as well. More so than Washington
 > which is 
 >just beginning in the industry.
 IH> That's true. The Willamette valley is the place. It's just south of
 IH> Portland. And that makes me curious as to how Washington can grow PN
 IH> in it's _eastern_ part. If you were to say that _Western_ Washington
 IH> only about 50 or 100 miles north of Portland was starting up with PN,
 IH> then I'd not be astonished, as it would sort of share climatic
 IH> condition, but the area EAST of the Cascade mountains is very
 IH> different.  

To my knowledge, western Washington doesn't do much of
note enologically, despite having a town named Napavine.

Eastern Washington is fully mature, with the classic
Bordelais varieties grown as well as the more interesting
Rhone ones (but see above). A Woodward Canyon Chardonnay was
the best new world example I've ever had, for example.

 -=> Ian Hoare said to Dave Sacerdote <=-

 >Is avocado an acquired taste?
 IH> Definitely. The first time I ever had it was at my uncle Graham's
 IH> house. It wasn't very ripe and I found it unspeakably nasty. I am now
 IH> very much in the "I Love lucy" camp. 

I acquired it early and would in fact not have thought of
it as an acquired taste.

 IH> I doubt that you will, but if ever you do feel tempted and can lay
 IH> your hands on some _good_ (not those vast watery californian globes
 IH> I've seen from time to time) ripe haas avocados, then you might like to
 IH> try this. 

I have recently found that the correct name is Hass avocado(e)s - this
to my shock and surprise. They are a variety of the Guatemalan subspecies
and grow particularly well in California. The vast watery globes you
refer to are the West Indian subspecies, which grow exclusively in the
Caribbean, with a large cultivation in Florida.

 IH> Guacamole (Lourdes Nichols - IMH)

Looks very good, but I'd add a pinch of cumin and a
half teaspoon of some hot substance or other to this.

=

Here's something amusing from the Web -

Substitutes:

chayote squash (Once cooked, this works as an excellent
low-calorie substitute for avocados in many dishes.)

(for guacamole) peas (Puree raw peas in a blender.) OR

(for guacamole) asparagus (Cook until tender, chill, then puree.) OR

(for guacamole) broccoli (Cook until tender, chill, then puree.) OR

(for salads) artichoke hearts

Varieties:

 Bacon avocado
This sweet, smooth-skinned variety shows up in the middle of winter.
It's not as flavorful as other avocados.

 Fuerte avocado = Florida avocado
This is in season from late fall through spring.  It's not quite as
buttery as the Hass avocado, but its flavor is excellent.

 Hass avocado = California avocado
This is available year-round and has a rich flavor and creamy texture.
The skin turns almost black when the avocado is ripe, which can camouflage
bad bruises.  This is the best variety by far for guacamole, but it turns
a bit mushy in salads.

 Mexican avocado
With their small size and shiny black skins, these look like elongated
plums.  You can eat them, skin and all.

 Pinkerton avocado
These peel easily and their flavor is excellent.  One of the best varieties.

 Reed avocado
This large, roundish avocado slips easily from the peel, and has excellent
flavor and texture.  It will stay firm even when ripe, so it's not a good
choice if you're making guacamole

From Cook's Thesaurus, www.foodsubs.com

=

By the way, enjoyed your Laguiole writeup ... but the way the
diacritics translated gave me a headache. 

une autre fa[gamma]on de mener la r[capital Gamma]p[theta]e
is very hard to read, even if much of my French ability hadn't
been sucked out of my brain.
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