WBW 45: Old World Rieslings
posted by snekse

2002 Sybille Kuntz Riesling Trocken

Time again for Wine Blogging Wednesday !

I've been waiting a long time to do another one of these, but the topics haven't peaked my interest enough until now. This month we get to review some of the best wines in the world. Riesling. And not just any Riesling - Old World Rieslings. Wines from Germany, Austria and the Alsace region of France. There's amazing selection available from this group containing a broad range of styles (from pucker dry to cloyingly sweet) at price points to suit any need. It should provide for some interesting reviews.

Rather than buy something new, I decided to raid my wife's stash of Rieslings that she started stockpiling before Foodie 2.0 came along. Taking the one I thought was most ready to drink, I grabbed a 2002 from the Mosel Saar Ruwer region in Germany.

Now on with the wine!

2002 Sybille Kuntz Riesling Trocken
750ml ~ $16 (Vino 100)

Glass of 2002 Sybille Kuntz Riesling Trocken

Vintage: 2002
Type: White
Producer: Sybille Kuntz
Varietal: Riesling
Designation: Trocken
Vineyard: n/a
Country: Germany
Region: Mosel Saar Ruwer
SubRegion: n/a
Appellation: n/a

Tasting Notes
A nice medium gold in color. An interesting nose that's difficult to describe. It's pleasant, but I can't pin down what it smells like. A bit effervescent with plenty of acid. A medium, but bright body.This is dry but balanced. Initial subdued tart apple, grapefruit and pear, with a flinty/mineral mid palate and a dry finish that balances those tastes with a slight leaning towards the mineral side. Drank both alone and with Thai food.

Rating: 85+

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Taqueria Ramiro & Sons - Alameda, CA
posted by snekse

Taqueria Ramiro & Sons

With the Cinco de Mayo celebrations come and gone, I thought I'd throw out a taqueria challenge. One of the things I hear most often from people who move to Omaha from California is the lack of a good taqueria or taco truck. Just the low key, Mexican street food that really hits the spot in a way restaurant food just never can.

One of our favorite spots to hit in the bay area is Taqueria Ramiro & Sons in Alameda. It's a small spot with a heavy lunch crowd. The decor is minimal, but the food is awesome. The principle differences I've found between the burritos in California versus the ones found in the Midwest are:

The size. You got jipped if your burrito was less than 7" or 8" long. On the same token, it should also be thick. The combination of the two means it should also be heavy.
The wetness. Burritos are not wraps. Steam that $@*|<#?. I should not be able to easily peel open my burrito because the tortilla should be glued to itself. If I find unmelted cheese in yet another Midwest burrito, so help me...
The money shot. The meat should be tender and juicy. By the end, you should have juice dripping down your chin. This is usually the result of long, slow braising while listening to tracks by Barry White and Al Green.

And this mentions nothing about the low prices, the lack of cheddar cheese, and the hand-chopped-to-order carnitas found at Taqueria Ramiro & Sons. All of which I think add to an extra special taqueria.

So here's my challenge: Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me where I can find an outstanding taqueria in Omaha. Bonus points if it's west of 72nd. Double bonus points if it's west of 120th. If you can tell us of one west of 168th, give yourself as many bonus points as you want because you're a liar.

And keep in mind, this is the search for a great taqueria, not a Mexican restaurant. How can you tell the difference? Count the menu items. If you have to count, it's not a taqueria. It should basically just be tacos, burritos - pick your filling.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Omaha doesn't have great Mexican food or that Omaha doesn't have a great taqueria; I'm just saying I haven't found them yet. So clue me in and quit hoarding all of the chicharrones for yourself.

RELATED LINKS:
Taqueria's in Omaha
A Foodie's Week in San Francisco

Tags || TAQUERIA | MEXICAN FOOD | OMAHA | RESTAURANTS | CINCO DE MAYO | MEXICAN CUISINE | more... |

Labels: ALAMEDA, BAY AREA, MEXICAN CUISINE, OMAHA, QUICK PICK, RESTAURANT REVIEW, RESTAURANTS, San Francisco

Chocolate Mousse Cake @ Au Coquelet Cafe
posted by snekse

Au Coquelet Cafe: Chocolate Mousse Cake

This isn't really a review of the Au Coquelet Cafe in Berkeley, CA. It's just me espousing my love for a certain menu item there. The Chocolate Mousse Cake A.K.A. "Chocolate Butter"^TM.

Cutting through this "cake" is very similar to cutting through butter that is chilled, but not cold - firm, yet yielding. In the mouth it has a slight chew, but mostly melts smoothly over your tongue. It's a very dense, yet light mousse that borders on being ganache. This dessert as a whole is just a paradox.

If anyone has this recipe, PLEASE . The closest thing I've found so far is the Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte from The Cake Bible . The torte is good, but isn't as silky as the Chocolate Butter^TM which literally melts in your mouth.

RELATED LINKS:
A Foodie's Week in San Francisco
Chocolate Butter^TM pictures

Tags || CHOCOLATE | CHOCOLATE MOUSSE | CHOCOLATE BUTTER | BERKELEY | CALIFORNIA | FOOD | more... |

Labels: Best Of, RECIPES, RESTAURANTS, San Francisco