Pad Thai Pandemonium

2006 Fritz-Josef Schwibiger Riesling and Authentic Pad Thai: 4/5

2006 Fritz-Josef Schwibiger Riesling: 80/100

After seeing a picture of some good looking Pho on facebook, I was hit with the craving for some good pad thai. Most would call up their favorite Thai restaurant and order some carry out, but with a day to dedicate to cooking, I thought I would try making it from scratch.

As with a lot of eastern-world street vendor recipes, the cooking process doesn’t take long, but there are tons of things going on very quickly. After reading some mediocre comments about Alton Brown’s Pad Thai recipe I clicked a link that claimed to have a “real” Pad Thai Recipe: http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/recipes/Pad_Thai.htm The website looks a little sketchy, I know, there are no comments, and if you click the pronunciation link, an entertaining sound bite will pop up, but there were plenty of pictures, step by step instructions, and some history related to Pad Thai, so I was willing to step out of my comfort zone. What’s the worse that could happen.

If you have accessibility to an oriental market, you shouldn’t have a problem finding any of the ingredients to make this dish, but if you are stuck with shopping at Jewell or Dominick’s, you might have to do some modifications. I took a trip to whole foods, and was able to find everything except preserved turnip, and banana flower. Preserved turnip add a little zing, so I substituted ginger instead.

When looking to pair the light complex flavors in many oriental dishes, while dealing with a spicy element, when it comes to wine, the way to go is a white. Since this Pad Thai called for crushed red chili, I wanted to make sure I chose a wine that would stand up to the immediate heat the flakes provide. With lime, tamarind, fish sauce, and peanuts, the delicate flavors might fall flat when paired with a rich and buttery Chardonnay, but would playfully interact with something like a Riesling or a Chenin Blanc.

Perusing the wine section of Whole Foods I stumbled upon some German Rieslings. Now if everything goes according to plan I will be doing a study of Rieslings in the weeks to come, so keep an eye out, but with Pad Thai on the menu, I was thinking Riesling was the way to go. Unless you are fluent in German, Spanish, Italian, and French, you will more than likely run into some language barriers when looking over non-American wine. Not to fear. If there is no sommelier on hand to assist you, there are a few things that can give you an idea of the wine without having to bust out your iPhone and translate the bottle.

If sold in America, a bottle of wine must contain an alcohol per volume (apv) percentage. In most cases, this is also an indicator of the wine’s body, the lower the APV the lighter the wine. When looking at foreign red wines, vintage is another. The older the wine, the more mature the flavors, and vice versa. So if you are going to splurge on a 10 year old bottle of Cabernet, you can expect some well developed flavors. If you are feeling completely lost, look for bottles with awards, usually a sticker or something attached to the wine that is not the actual label, if the sticker is gold, most likely that wine won some sort of gold medal, and someone, somewhere, likes it.

Priced at $9.99 a bottle, I decided on a 2006 Fritz-Josef Schwibinger Riesling, from the Reinhessen region of Germany. With a alcohol content of 11%, I knew that the wine would probably be lighter and sweeter, and was hoping that it would have enough acidity to stand up to the tamarind and fish sauce.

When it came time to cook, I first put my mis en place, in order, a very important step with this dish. If you do not have everything set out, chopped up, portioned out, and ready to use, you will fail. Okay, you might not fail, but it makes cooking a lot easier if you have everything ready to go. Since Shelbey was already over, I decided to enlist her to be my recipe reader and assistant. The recipe said that a large pot would work if you didn’t own a wok, but I recommend a large non-stick frying pan, especially after trying a stainless steel skillet first.

Taking a deep breath I started heating my skillet with some olive oil, and toasting my peanuts. After burning the first handful of peanuts, and filling the apartment with smoke from the olive oil, I decided to switch to vegetable oil, which yielded much better results. With a hot skillet, and constant stirring, and adding, and sorting, and dividing, I was lucky to have Shelbey on hand.

With the smell of tamarind, fish sauce, and peanuts lingering in the air, the first batch of Pad Thai, hit the table as an 80% success, the other 20% burnt to the bottom of the stainless steel skillet. With Zachary and our friend Andrew still on their way over, I was sure that the second batch would come out even better.

Swirling my wine, I noticed a mature golden hue, indicative of the wines age. Met with aromas of apple, and hints of tropical flavors, the wine’s aromas matched that of the Pad Thai splendidly. Taking a mouthful, my palate was coaxed with a fairly sweet sensation that gave way to a slight acidity and a light finish. I probably could have done with more acidity, but with only a slightly spicy dish, the wine worked well.

A combination of sweet and savory the tamarind flavor of the Pad thai immediately made my mouth water, awakening the fruiter flavors left from the wine. A subtle crunch of bean sprout and peanut gave way to the softer textures of noodle, with the slightly chewy texture of shrimp. With the added freshness from the lime, every bite left me wanting more.

Paired with another mouthful of wine, the effect was refreshing and light, perfect for a spring or summer dinner. Enhancing the complexity of flavor, the Riesling was able to handle the lighter flavors of green onion and fish sauce, while the lime in the Pad Thai brought out the acidity of the wine.

As Michael and I fried some bananas for dessert to accompany the chocolate and orange liqueur tureens Andrew brought from his cooking class, everyone hit the couch to watch Project Runway. Nothing like good food, good friends, and a good night. Another perfect pair.

Dr. Konstantin Frank Week on The Perfect Pair.

As some of you may already know, yesterday I received a very generous shipment from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in New York. Lugging the 23 pound box to my apartment, my insides gurgling with excitement, I wasting no time getting into my apartment and ripping open the package. Reading through the list of the wine included my eyes scanned over 8 wines. 8 wines!

As a service to Katie Cornelius and Fred Frank, I am featuring Dr. Konstantin Frank wines all this week. But before any food is made, I just want to take a minute to tell you a little about the winery.

Overview:

History

Fleeing a destruction ridden Europe during World War II, Dr. Konstantin Frank decided to uproot his family to America. After a short spurt working as a dish washer in New York City the Frank family moved upstate, where Dr. Frank worked for the Gold Seal Vineyard until he started Vinifera Wine Cellars in 1962.

Determined to grow vinifera (pure) wines of northern Europe, Dr. Frank helped transform New York from a sweet wine producer of only a few dozen vineyards, to a multimillion-dollar industry of fine wines, currently with over 200 vineyards state wide.

Handed down from generation to generation, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars is still family owned and operated to this day by Dr. Frank’s grandson, Fredrick Frank.

Location

On the west banks of the Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery is located at 9749 Middle Road in Hammondsport, New York, about 1 hour and 45 minutes south east of Rochester. The winery is open daily, year round.

Publicity

Dr. Frank winery has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, and ABC’s Good Morning America, and written about in Time Magazine, and The New York Times. Dr. Frank was listed as the “greatest wine producer in the Atlantic Northeast” for 5 years running by the Wine Report, and have had multiple double gold wines from various nation-wide competitions.

Wines

Originally having only one label, Dr. Konstantin Frank now boasts three: Dr. Konstantin Frank (1962), estate grown vinifera grapes, Chateau Frank (1980’s), specializing in sparkling wines, and Salmon Run (1993), more affordable wines produced with viniferas from nearby vineyards.

The wines I get to choose from are from the Dr. Konstantin Frank and Salmon Run labels:

2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank Cabernet Franc

Described as having notes of roasted red pepper and prune, this Cabernet Franc rests on the palate with subtle tannins and ends with a smooth, long finish.

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Rkatsiteli

Pronounced rah-KAT-see-TELL-ee, this wine, native to Russia and Georgia, is now the second most planted white grape after Spain’s Airén. Dr. Frank’s boasts flower, herb, and typical spicy aromas, with a crisp acidity, and a fruit forward flavor.

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling

Given a rating of 93 points from Wine & Spirits, this dry Riesling is described as having, crisp acidity, a pronounced minerality, and notes of mango, citrus, and pear blossom.

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Gewürztraminer

With an array of aromas—grapefruit, lime, lychee, banana, and spice, this Gewürztraminer starts with honey and ends with a slatey finish, characteristic of Dr. Frank’s vineyards.

2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank Semi Dry Riesling

Sending out a bouquet of flowers and pears, this crisp semi dry Riesling, coats the palate with citrus and peach, before ending with a fruity finish.

2008 Salmon Run Rkatsiteli

Completely fermented in stainless steel to capture characteristics of tropical melon, this Rkatsiteli presents both tropical and traditional notes, with an elegant dryness.

2008 Salmon Run Chardonnay Riesling

49% Chardonnay and 51% Riesling, this blend strikes the nose with plum, melon, citrus, and hazelnut, coats the palate with a creamy texture, and holds out with a lingering finish.

2008 Salmon Run Pinot Grigio

With a goal of producing a traditional tasting Italian Pinot Grigio, this wine begins with delicate honeydew, lime, and lemon aromas, followed by tart green apple and gooseberry flavors.

Where to buy Dr. Konstantin Frank Wines

All Dr. Frank wines are available for purchase on their website at www.drfrankwines.com and are distributed in Illinois by Bon Vivant Distributing at www.bvdwines.com

Keep an eye out this week for two posts featuring Dr. Konstantin Frank wines!

Melting for The Melting Pot

4 Course Fondue with White Wine Wine Flight: 5/5

Serving means an abundance of change. So Michael and I came up with an idea that ensures us some fun. We collect our loose change and set it aside. When what ever is holding the change is full we cash it in and spend that money on something fun.

Since Michael was just signed on to the Chicago History Museum for another project, and I got a job at The Cheesecake Factory, I thought, “What a great excuse to celebrate!” So we decided to take a chance on The Melting Pot for some fabulous fondue.

This was Michael and I’s first time to the melting pot, and I have to be honest, it was a little overwhelming. Walking into a dimly lit basement, taken down a rich buttery colored hall, into the dining room of dark wood, dim lights and steaming pots, was like venturing into a V.I.P club, making me feel like an outsider. Confusion must have been plastered on our faces, but our well rehearsed server, Will, was able to break down the experience for us. There was just so much to take in: cheese course, salad course, meat course, cooking style, dessert, drinks. After a day of work, my head was ready to explode. But neither Michael nor myself were feeling very picky, so we opted for the Alpine Big Night Out, leaving us with only two choices—meat and cooking style. Then we were off.

For those of you who have never fondued before, the experience, lasting about 2.5 - 3 hours, originated in the Alps, and is all about dipping. A variety of courses are available, but the suggested progression of the meal is cheese, salad, entree, dessert. The Melting Pot, though, has perfected the process: color coating skewers, bringing an arrangement of dip-able goodies, and catering to a variety of palates. The great thing about the selection Michael and I made was the fact that their was a wine flight designed to accompany each course, 3 white wines for $10 bucks, each pairing with the flavors of the meal.

Our first course was a Alp and Dell Cheese Fondue, a combination of riesling, garlic, mustard, nutmeg, Gruyere, Raclette, and Fontina cheese, combined table side, and warmed to perfection. To accompany, a variety of breads, apple slices, dill gherkins, cauliflower, and summer sausage, each sliced to bite size pieces. I don’t know about you, but I would hate to be the cook who has to slice and dice everything. The warm cheese offered a bold mustard wine flavor, with a lingering garlic after taste. Paired with the summer sausage the effect was smoky and savory.

To pair with the cheese, a, 2008 Schmitt Söne Spätlese Riesling, one of my all time favorite wines. For those who do not know, a Spätlese riesling is produced by waiting until after the first frost to harvest the grapes, this makes the wine even sweeter than normal riesling. When paired with the cheese, my mouth was over taken with a dichotomy of favor, sweet yet smoky, bitter yet fruity, and smooth yet crunchy.

The second course was salad, a bed of mescaline greens, topped with oven roasted tomatoes, Gruyere, Raclette, and Fontina Cheeses, hard boiled eggs, honey roasted almonds, all topped with a shallot vinaigrette. Although a modest portion, the flavor was huge. I am not a huge tomato fan, but the oven roasted almonds that topped the salad were sweet and juicy, like a roasted red pepper.

The wine that was chosen to pair with the salad was a 12th edition Sokol Blosser, white blend, called Evolution. With the sweetness in the salad from the tomatoes and shallot vinaigrette I was hoping for a wine with a bit more dryness or oakiness, but instead the pair was sweet with sweet, leaving my palate craving more variety.

Then it came time for the entree, and variety is an understatement. A new pot was brought to the table filled with chicken stock and oil. Will came by to turn our stock into Coq Au Vin by adding mushrooms, herbs, garlic, red wine. A plate of raw meats, vegetables, and dipping sauces followed, and just when I thought I was getting the hang of fonduing, everything was taken to a new level. We were given two additional skewers, instructed on how long to cook the meat, and told how to make soft potatoes. Instead of dipping we were soaking, and the sauces, there were six different sauces—2 for beef, 2 for chicken, 1 for shrimp, and 1 for vegetables! Luckily for me, I am not afraid to try anything, so while the first batch of chicken, filet, N.Y strip, shrimp, sausage, ravioli, broccoli, mushrooms, and potatoes, were bathing, I sampled the sauces.

To pair with the entree, the flight offered a 2007 J.L. Wolf, Gewürztraminer, called Villa Wolf. With a subtle dryness, and strong lychee notes, the wine worked well with the veggies, chicken and shrimp, but left me craving a richer, dryer, chardonnay, or fuller bodied pinot noir to accompany the red meat and ravioli. Although, having an overall refreshing quality, the wine worked well by cleansing the palate between bites. Little bite sized flavor explosions ice skated around our tongues before plunging into our stomachs. We were in culinary heaven.

Then, when we thought we were going to bust at the seams, dessert came. White Chocolate Apple Cobbler Fondue, served with Cheesecake, rice crispy treats, strawberries, bananas, and graham cracker and oreo covered marshmallows. Served with a complementary flute of bubbly, courtesy of Will. Rich buttery white chocolate, with bits of apple, and streusel crumble, melted its way around little bits of crunchy rice crispy treats and smooth cheesecake. Before we knew it the bowl was empty, our glasses,empty, and I looked across the table at my expressionless boyfriend, too full to smile.

As we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant we decided that walking home was probably a good idea, after we had suffered up the stairs. The best part of the evening, the 20% industry discount we received, making our entire dining experience, under $85. That’s what I call a perfect pair.