the fairfield county lifestlye (fall 2011)
DESCRIPTION
First Issue of The FCL Online Magazine. This is the fall issue! Included articles about wine, beer, cool products, apple picking and fall!TRANSCRIPT
www.TheFairfieldCountyLifestyle.com
Fall2011Issue:01
TheFairfieldCountyLifestyleOnlineMagazine
TheFairfieldCountyLifestylestartedbackintheSpringof2009.Theoriginalconceptwastojustpostabouthowwehadfun,howwedressed,andthewaywelivedinConnecticut.Postingafewpicturescoveringourliveshasevolvedtowineandbeerreviews,postsaboutthemusicwedig,coolproducts,localcompanies,andstyletips.Weneverthoughtthatwouldallhappen.
Ourbloghaditsrootsineverydaylifeofgrowingupandlivingonthe“GoldCoast”ofConnecticut.Welovebeaches,boats,ginandtonics,seersucker,madras,bowties,cashmere,girlswithpearlearrings,coolcars,cableknitsweaters,oxfords,LillyPulitzer,polomatches,embroideredlobsters,andalltheexcessivethingsinlife.Yes,weenjoythefinerthings,butalsounderstandvalues.
Sharingourlifestylehasbeenanenjoyablejourney.ThenextstepfortheFCL,inourmind,wastobringyouawebmagazine.We’llstartoutreleasingoneforeachseason.Ihopethatoneday,we’llbeabletobringyouoneeverymonth.ThegoalofthismagazineissueistocapturetheessenceofFallinFairfieldCounty.
Givethemagazineareadandspreadtheword.Thankyou.
Cheers,
TheFCLCrew
TheFCLCrewFounder/Editor
DulanyFosterIV
Wine Reviewer
CodeyFoster
Contributers
AndrewSobottkaEllenFoster
Online:
www.TheFairfieldCountyLifestyle
Twitter: @TheFCLifestyle
Like Us on Facebook!
Fall2011-A Fall Classic: Apple Picking at Silverman’s Farm-
-Page 3-
-Wine Miles: Is Terroir at War Against Sustainability?--Page 7-
- What’s Good This Fall? (For Him & Her) --Page 12-
- Brew Reviews: Pumpkin Ales - -Page 14-
-Wine Review: Hopkins Cabernet Franc 2007- -Page 15-
FCLFCLFCLThe
AFallClassic. ApplePickingatSilverman’sFarm.(Easton,CT)
Theleavesstarttochangecolor,theairgetscrisp,andthesweaterscomeoutofthecloset.Itcanonlymeanonething:fall.Whatbetterwaytoenjoythestartoffallthanthanwithsomeapplepicking.
Silverman’sFarmislocatedinEaston,CTandhasbeentheresincethe1920s.Thefarmhasapplepickingfreshpressedcider,marketwithflorist,pettingzoo,hay-rides,pumpkinpickingandsoon.Tosumitup,it’sgoteverythingyouneedtokeepthekidsentertainedforacouplehours,whileenjoyingtheoutdoorsduringfall.
Thejourneyforapplepickingstartsasyouhitthemarket,oroutdoorstand,tobuydifferentsizedbagstoputyourapplesin.A“peck”costs$29dollars,whichIwouldsayisabagthatwillfit30-40apples,dependingonthesizeandvarietyofappleyoupick.Thereisalsotheoptionofbuyinghalfofapeckfor$15.
Afterpurchasingthebag,youtakeashorttractorride.Thetractorgoesupthehillandintotheorchard.Youmustenterandexittheorchardbythetractor.
Whenyougetoffthetractorupthehill,intheorchard,oneofthefarmerswillgiveyouarundownofwherethedifferentapplesarelocated,howtopicktheapples,andwhattolookforinagoodapple. Theorchardcontainsmanydifferenttypesofapples:Pristines,gingergold,galared,Macintosh,cortland,empire,Macoun,HoneyCrips,RedDelicous,GoldenDelicous,MutsuCrispin,Jonagold,AutumnGala,Cameo,SunCrisp,Fui,Nitany,andGrannySmiths.Notallofthesevarietiesareripeatthesametime.ApplepickingseasoncanbegininJulyandcon-tinueuntilthesnowbeginstofall.
TheFCLcrewpickedandatequiteafewappleswhileintheorchard.Thereisreallynothingbetterthananapplestraightfromthetree.Afterpickingsomeapples,youhopbackonthetractorride,andheadbackdownthehill.
ThemarketatSilverman’shasatonofproductsmadefromproducegrownonthefarm.Youcanbuyeverythingfromapplecider,tocandiedapples,toflowers,plums,andfes-tivedecorations.Irecommendpickingupagallonoftheirapplecider.Itisamazinglydeli-cousandreallygetsyouinthefallmood.
Now,whatshouldyoudowithyourapples?Wemadeanapplecrispwithhomemadewhipcream,butthepossibilitiesareendless.Makecandiedapples,applepies,applesauce,applebutter,applecoffeecake,etc.Thereisnosuchthingastoomanyapples,especiallySilverman’sapples. By:DulanyFosterIV
We’veallheardaboutthelocavorismmovement.Thefurtherfoodhastotraveltoreachyourhome,thelesssustainableitisinthegrandschemeofthings.IttakesfossilfuelstomovecommoditiesfrompointAtopointB,andthefurtherpointAisfrompointB,thelesssustainablethatsupplysystembecomes.Inthepastcoupleyearses-pecially,Americanshavebecomesomewhatawareoftheoverallimpactofcontemporaryfoodsupplyandhavebe-guntopurchasemoreandmoreingredientsfromlocalproducers.Restaurateurshavefollowedasimilarapproach,beginningtoincorporatelocalingredientsintotheirmenuinordertoboosttheireco-friendlyappealandattractsustainablyconsciousconsumers.Thedriveforlocallysuppliedproducehasbecomeanecessity(orasignificantinterestatleast)—andthistrendjuststellar.Icouldn’tbemorehappythatlocavorismhasdevelopedtractioninaworldoframpantfuelconsumption.Butseriously,whyhasn’tthejust-as-consumer-consciouswineindustrybeenabletojumponthebandwagon?
Insomesense,drinkinglocallyshouldhavecomefarbeforeeatinglocally.Whenyouthinkaboutit,import-ingwinefromFranceisjustaboutaspracticalasimportingdrinkingwaterfromFiji.Factis,750millilitersofwineweighs1.65pounds,andwhenyoufactorintheweightofglass,foil,andpackaging,we’rereallylookingatasolidfourpoundsabottle.That’salmost50poundsacase,andatabout60millioncasesbeingimportedintotheUnitedStatesannually—that’salotofweightandalotofwinemiles.Whichmeansalotoffossilfuels.Butbeforewedissecttheidiosyncrasiesofwinetransportandconsumption,first,Ithinkitisimportanttostipulatethattheneedsanddesiresofrestaurantbuyers,andconsumerspurchasingwineatretail,areinfactquitedifferent.Intherestaurantbusiness,theindividualdelegatedtopurchasewine(whetherthat’sthesommelier,winedirector,generalmanager,ect.),hasseveralresponsibilitiestotherestaurantanditspatronsthatdonotfallonaconsumerwalkingintoawineshop.
WineTrail: IsTerriorAtWarAgainstSustainability?
Firstoff,winepurchasedforaparticularvenuemustbe,atleastinsomerespect,compatiblewiththatvenue’sfoodselection.Evenifthewineisspectacular,ifitdoesnotmarrywiththefood,thewinelistismoreofaburdenthanautility.Second,theproductmustover-deliveratitspricepoint.Thisissimpleenough.Ide-ally,aten-dollarbottleofwinemustdrinklikeatwenty-dollarbottleofwine,andafifty-dollarbottlelikeahundred-dollarbottle.Andfinally(andit’sthisprerequisitethatoftenconsumeswineandbeveragedirectors),thewinelistasawholemustshareatleastsomecommonalityinregardstothepointoforiginofthefoodpreparationandoverallorientationofthevenue.Basically,anItalianrestaurantisgoingtoservemostlyItalianwines,asisaSpanishtapasrestaurant,mostlySpanishwines.Andthismakesperfectsense.IlikeChiantiwithmypasta—butunfortunatelyitisthisstandardthatdriveswineimport.
Asfarastheaverageconsumerpurchasingwineatretail—wellthat’sahorseofadifferentcolor.We’reAmericansdamnit.Wehavetheluxuryoftakingaglassofwineanddrinkingitonitsown,forwhatitis,andnothingmore.InEurope,foodandwineareprettymuchsynonymous,attachedatthehip,PBandJ—andinourcountry,well,that’snotnecessarilythecase.ThislendsincredibleflexibilitytotherangeofwineaccessibletotheAmericanconsumer.We’rewillingtodrinkanythingformAustralianShiraz,toGermanRiesling,andWhiteBurgundy.Butthatbeingsaid,domesticwineoutsellsimportedwine4to1intheU.S,and90%ofdomesticproductionoccursinasinglestate.California.Thismightsoundlikegoodnews,sustainablyspeaking.We’remakingourownwineanddrinkingourownwine—agoodsystem.Thinkagain.Americaisavastexpanse.NewYorkCityisroughly2500milesfromNapaValley(that’salmostthreequartersthedistanceofParis)andthatmeansonething:winemiles.Andlotsofthem.
Nowthatwe’veproblematizedtwoverydifferentcreatures,socomesthequestion,buthowtocurethem?Andtheanswertothisquestioniscomplexandprobablywayovermyhead,butIdoknowthattherootofthesolutionliesinlocalwineproduction.Andthedriveforlocalproductioncancomeinonlyoneway,aswithmostcommercialinterests,andthat’sfromtheconsumer.Inthewineshopthistreatmentiseasilyapplied.InsteadofCaliforniaChardonnay,buyConnecticutChardonnay.InsteadofGermanRiesling,buyFingerLakesRiesling.
Butwhataboutterroir?Youask.Isn’tTerroirtheepitomeoffinewineproduction?
Tohellwithterroir.Atthisrateofclimatechange,therewillbenofinewineproduction.Letmevent.
AnyChablisproducerwilltellyouthatViticultureClimateZone1isdifferentthanitwas30yearsago.Harvestdatesarebecomingearlier,grapesriper,andalcohollevelshigher.AndjustuptheroadinChampagne,climatechangecouldn’tbemorefullforce.WhydoyoureckontherehavebeensomanygoodChampagnevin-tageslately?DoyouknowwhatconstitutesagoodChampagnevintage?Anexceptionallywarmgrowingseason.Maybethatexplainswhythe1990swereabletoproduce7vintagesofDomPerignon.That’smorevintagesofDomPerignonthananydecadeever.Andthe2000-decadeisontracktorackupjustasmany,ifnotmore.Maybethissoundslikegoodnews,anditis,butonlyforChampagneandallofthevineyardlandnorthward—andtrustme,therearen’tmanyvineyardsnorthofChampagne.Although,atthisrate,thatmightbechanging(andI’llbetheonewritingaboutthenuanceofGreenlandterroir).
IguesswhatI’mgettingatisthatsometimespeopleforgetthatterroirissomethingthatexistsevery-where.Eventheleasthallowedvineyardplotinthe-middle-of-nowhereKentuckyhasterroir.AndpartofwhatLocavorismneedstobeistoembracelocalterroir.Andtoembracewithverylittleregardastowhatisgoodlandorwhatisbadland,butwhatislocalland.
Butevenmorethanthat,weneedtoletgooftheideathatgreatwineonlycomesfromselectlandhold-ingsinEuropeandCalifornia.Inthepastdecadeitsneverbeenmoreapparentthatgoodsiteselection,stylisticwinemaking,andaboveallelse,quality-mindedvineyardmanagementarewhatmakegreatwine—andanyre-gionwiththesebasicingredientscanmakeadamngoodpotion.Soifourregion,thetri-statearea,wantstomakegreatwine,wellwehavetheresourcestodothat.SoCalifornia,youdrinkyourshit,andwe’lldrinkourshit.
Toaddressrestaurantconsumptionisofcoursemuchmoredifficult.Abrilliantsommelieronceshedlightonthisissuewithasimplepieceofadviceonfoodpairing—“Ifitgrowstogether,itgoestogether”.AndIfeellikethisisoneofthosenotionsthatisconstantlybeinghonoredbutoftengoesunsaid.Sublimepairings(andgreatonestoo)occurwhencuisinefromaparticularregionisjoinedwithwineproducedbythatveryplace.Somewinegeekshavetriedtoexplainthisbiologicallybutperson-ally,Ithinkthat’sbullshit.Morelikely,Isuspect—I’msureinfact,thatlocalproducershavelearnedtoadapttheirwinemakingtoproducewinesthatpairespeciallywellwiththefoodtheyputonthetableeverynight.ThisisjustpartofthereasonOldWorldwineshavesuchareputationofbeingsofoodfriendly.Unfortunately,thismeansthat“Whatgrowstogether,goestogether”isn’treallythatpertinentafterall.Preparationiswhatmattersmost—andthatappliestobothfoodandwine. Sohere’sthebrutalparadox:we’resourcingingredientslocallyandpreparingtheminternation-ally,soultimatelyweenduppairinglocalproducewithinternationalwines.AndI’dliketosuggestthatperhapstheresolutiontothispredicamentlieswiththewineproducers.InsteadofproducingwinestheAmericanway,justfordrinking,weneedproduceatleastsomewinesspecificallytargetingourfavoriteinternationalcuisines.Letsmakerusticredstodrinkwithoureggplantparm.Letsmakerazorsharp,lowalcoholwhites(withsomegoodresidual,maybe)tocutthroughourspicyBratwurst.Letsstartmakingwineforfoodagain.
Now,willtheConnecticutHighlandseverbeabletoproduceaspittin’imageofTraditionalRioja?Hellnaw.ButalmostanyAVAcouldviablyproducearedwinewithanaffinityforSpanishcuisine.That’swhatI’mtalkingabout.Andwho’stosaythateveryonceandawhileyoucan’thaveaBarolowithyourProsciuttodiParma?That’sfine.ChampagneonNewYears:that’sfinetoo.Butwhat’simpor-tantisthatwineslikeConnecticutChardonnaybecomesastapleratherthanCaliforniaChardonnay,andLongIslandMerlottakestherollofrightbankBordeauxinthevenueofeverydayeatinganddrinking.Let’skeepterroirinperspective.That’sgoingtocutbackonalotofwinemilesandsavetheEarth.Andsavingtheearthistrendy.Yadig? By:CodeyFoster
ChamardRiesling CodeytakingtastingnotesDrewenjoyingsomewine
Rayban Wayfarers MatteBlack
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MatteBlack$154.95atSunglassHutForHim-ForHim-
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BrewReviews:PumpinAles“Pumpkinhead Ale”
Brewery:ShipyardLocation:Portland,ME.A.B.V.:5.1%
Thisis“Pumpkinhead”byShipyard,andletmetellyouthatitisoneofthebestpumpkinbeersIhaveeverhad.Thisbeerhashintsofpumpkinandspices,likenutmeg,onthenose.Thetasteofthisbeeriswhatapumpkinbeershouldbe.Itdoesn’tseemlikethepumpkinwasforcedintothebeer.Thenutmeg,cinnamon,andpumpkinworktogetherinharmony.Thsbeerislikeapumpkinpiewithwhippedcream,theflavorsmelttogetherandblendharmoniouslyThebeerisnottoolight,andnottoodark,justright.ThisisgreatbrewthatIdefinitelyrecommendpickingupfortheFall/Halloween/Thanksgivingseason.Youwon’tregretit.Also,bo-nuspointsfortheheadlesshorsemanlogo,it’sprettydope!
“Punkin’ Ale”
Brewery:DogfishHeadLocation:Milton,DE.A.B.V.:7%
DogfishHeadoffersapumpkinalecalled“PunkinAle.”Thesmellofthisbeerisspicesandatouchofpumpkin.Whentastingthisbeer,yougetthepumpkinandbrownsugarthattheyuse,aswellasthedifferentspices,suchasnutmegandcinna-mon.Thisbeer,tome,tastesliketheirindianbrownalewithpumpkinforcedintoitabit.Theflavorsdoworkwell,butnotquiteaswellasShipyard’s“Pumpkinhead.”Ifindthisbeeralittlethick.Thisisabeerthatyouorderonceayearandthat’sthat.Buyasixpack,andsplititwithyourbuddies.It’sworthyofatryandI’drecommenditwithtrukey,dessert,orbyitself.
WineReview:HopkinsCabernetFranc(2006)
DespitemyinherentpropensitytoraveaboutthedepthandoverallqualityofConnecticutwhitewines,Ioftenfind(withafewexceptions,ofcourse)thatourredbottlingscomeoffasthin,one-dimensional,under-ripe,poorlymade,orsometimesjustblatantlyhighbred.Inregardstothe2006Cab-ernetFrancbyHopkinswinery—noneofthesemodifiersapply.ThisexquisiteConnecticutredisrich,fullofcomplexity,andutterlyEuropeanatheart.
InthepastI’vefoundthattheHopkinswinesareinfactquitehitormiss,however,themoreItaste,themoreIfindmyselfdevelopingawarmspotforthisLitchfieldCountywinery.I’mconstantlyimpressedbytheirsemi-sweetwhiteblend‘Westwind’,awinethatIserveinmySundaywineclass,andhav-ingrecentlytastedtheir‘Duet’(astylisticcombinationofChardonnayandVidalBlanc),I’mdefinitelyfeelingmore‘hit’than‘miss’thesedays.
Oh.Andhowrudeofme.MeetmynewfriendFranc.We’vebeenac-quain tancesforquiteawhilebutitwasn’tuntilthisweekendthatwereallybecameclose.IwasfortunateenoughtodosomewinetouringontheNorthForkofLongIslandthisweekendandit’sontheNorthForkthatsingle-varietal(andblended)Cabernet-FrancmakesitsNewWorldstompingground.It’sgenerallyknowntobemoreherbaceous,lesstannic,andslightlymorefruit-driventhanitsbigbrotherCabernetSauvignon,howeveritstillsharesCaber-netSauvignon’scapacitytomakecomplex,qualitywinesbothinblendedandloner-form.
ThisparticularCabernetFrancbyHopkinsshowsoffapalegarnethueintheglass.
Onthenoseitisfullofearthiness,berryfruit,cherry,raspberry,andenticinghintsofcassis—atruetestamenttoitsCabernetlineage.
Onthepaletteitfollowsthroughwithprofoundearthiness,qualityfruit,andsupple,silkytannins.IalsodetectacertainherbalqualitywhichistypicalofCabernetFrancandatfouryearsoldorso—thiswineisdefinitelyshowingsomenicedevelopment.Although,I’dliketopointoutthatit’srightarounditspeak-drinkingwindowandmightbeforjustanotheryearortwobeforeitstartstoheadsouth.Inanycase,thewineinthisbottleisatrueexampleofCTterroir.ItissimplywellmadeandissomethingforHopkinstobeproudof.
Asfaraspairingisconcerned,thiswine’sstructureliessomewherebe-tweenaPinotNoirandCabernetSauvignon—avastrange,Iknow,butperhapsitwouldhelptopinpointCabernetFrancastheexactmidpointbetweenthesetwocontrastingvarietals.It’searthinesslendsittoearthyprofilelendsittomoreearthy,dirtyvegetables(mushrooms,carrots,andpotatoes)andit’stanninstruc-turesuggestsrich,roastedmeats.Needlesstosay,Ithinkaheartyautumnstewwouldpairjustflawlesslywiththisunctuousred.
Cheers.
$20.95atHopkinsWinery.AlsoavailableatStewLeonard’sWinesinNorwalk.
FCLThe
Issue:01
Fall2011