Valley Foodie Of The Month: Alexa Clark

By Craig Pinhey

This edition of Valley Foodie is a little different, as I am featuring a friend who grew up here, but now lives in Toronto, although she still visits regularly.  Alexandra Clark is the founder of CheapEats, a guide to value restaurants in the Toronto area (www.cheapeatstoronto.com/), but she’ll always be a Valley Girl.

“I grew up on the shores of the Kennebecasis,” she explains, “in Hampton with my mother, the Kingston Peninsula with my father and stepmother, and then on Mather’s Island in the middle of the river.”

She visits her dad Jim Clark several times a year on Mather’s Island (the one beside Long Island, right across the river from my house in Rothesay). How we met is quite a story.  A common friend from Kingston, Ontario introduced us via Facebook, telling me that she was a food writer, and that her dad was a food lover in Saint John.  I emailed her and asked her where he lived, and, in what must be considered an extreme coincidence, we realized that she had, for years, been visiting the island that I look at all day from our home and property. In fact we can kayak over to their beach in about 15 minutes on a calm day. Now we try to meet whenever she is back home.

She has been into food since she was a little girl. “When I was four,” says Clark, “my father and I used to go fishing for trout for breakfast in Puddington Brook on the Peninsula. Then eat them fresh from the water, pan-fried with a little bacon. That, accompanied with our conversations about respect for nature and the lives of the fish we were eating, were pivotal in the development of my approach to food.”

So, how does a girl from the Kennebecasis River Valley end up an authority on Toronto restaurants? Clark, who previously ran a tech consulting firm, explains: “CheapEats was born out of the Dot Com crash and my love for good quality, un-pretentious food, and interesting restaurants. I decided that if I wanted a guide to the good, interesting and inexpensive restaurants, I’d better create one since no one else had.”

Her knowledge of the restaurants was enhanced by years of actual industry experience. “I’ve worked both front of the house and back of the house, ” she says, “I started working alongside my father, who is a cook, in a number of Saint John restaurants. I also slung beer at a brew pub in Waterloo during university.”   I’ve been to that pub – the Heuther Hotel!

Although Clark eats out mostly in Toronto, her memorable dining experience comes from afar. “One of my favourites is of dining under the stars in a game park in South Africa. Big bowls of Kudu and Wildebeest stew, bread and lots of red wine were passed down a long table filled with people from around the world telling tales of the animals they had seen on their game drives and stories from the wardens of the lioness and her cubs that we encountered on ours.”

She may not see that kind of wildlife on Mather’s Island, but Clark and her dad always seem to be able to cook up something good without a modern kitchen. Here is one of her favourite dishes.

Recipe and photos provided by Alexandra Clark:

This is an island recipe, which means if you want a bit more whisky, add a bit more whisky. If you want bigger gnocchi make bigger gnocchi.

Gnocchi with wild mushroom whisky cream sauce

- 3 large baking potatoes

- 1 egg

- 1c flour (may need more or less)

- salt + pepper to taste

- Bake the potatoes until done (you can boil them, but baking produces a drier fluffier potato and works better

- cool and scrape out the meat of the potato

- combine potato with egg and 1/2c of the flour, salt + pepper.

- mix well to form a light pasta dough. (add more flour a little at a time if it is too sticky to work with)

- Divide the dough into balls and then roll it out into long snake about the thickness of your thumb. (like when you played with playdough as a kid… About that consistency too).

- cut into segments about the length of your thumb (1/2-3/4 inch)

- (optional) roll each gnocchi down the back of a fork with you thumb to form grooves on one side and an indent on the other… It holds sauce better this way.

- As you finish the sauce, below, cook gnocchi is salted boiling water until they float.

Wild Mushroom + Whisky Cream Sauce

- 1/4-2c wild mushrooms (depending on you tastes and availability)

- 1 medium onion – diced

- 1/4c of prosciutto or ham (optional for vegetarians)

- 1 clove of garlic – minced

- 1/4c Whisky

- 1c cream

- salt + pepper to taste

- clean and rough chop mushrooms

- sautée mushrooms in a little butter, remove from pan and reserve)

- sautée onions and prosciutto in a little butter until the onions are translucent

- add garlic and mushrooms and cook until the garlic has softened (1-2 minutes)

- deglaze the pan with whisky, drop the heat

- add cream and remove from heat to finish.

- add cooked gnocchi straight from the pasta pot into the sauce.

- mix until the gnocchi are covered,

- serve

Wine match, according to Craig: that sounds like a perfect opportunity for a characterful Italian wine, like Donnafugatta Anthilia.  A light Pinot Noir like Mission Hill Five Vineyards would work, too.

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier. You can read more at frogspad.ca or follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

I don’t normally write about wine and food dinners two weeks in a row, but this past couple of weeks have been special, with Festivin in Caraquet going on, and then a special dinner at the Delta Beausejour in Moncton, featuring two guest speakers and a lot of great wine.

The occasion was a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, organized and hosted by Delta General Manager Raymond Roberge, with the support of Churchill Dauphinee, a wine agency represented locally by Jamie Acker.   There was also support, of course, from the attendees, who contributed to help the fight against cancer.  Many I recognized from the local SAW (Society of American Wines), whose members are quite active in the Moncton area.

Cuisine was provided by Executive Chef Stefan Mueller from the Delta, and wines for the occasion were Bordeaux from Chateau Lamothe de Haux, and Porto from Dow’s.  Chateau Lamothe’s winemaker/co-owner Damien Chomart Neel was in town, and he entertained the group with a presentation on this family owned Chateau in the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux.   I had special interest in this, as I had met Neel and visited their lovely property when I was in Bordeaux a couple of years ago being trained to be a Bordeaux Tutor.  His slides evoked great memories, especially those showing all the wine stored in the limestone caves cut into the hills surrounding the Chateau, just east across the river from the city of Bordeaux.

Lamothe is a fairly small, good value producer that relies mainly on exports to North America, particularly the US. We started with their 2009 Bordeaux Blanc ($17.49) a blend of Sauvignon (Blanc and Gris), Semillon and Muscadelle.  This is a very fresh, citrussy white, with no oak. It is minerally and clean, with a crisp finish. It is very fruity and appealing as a cocktail wine, as well as matching with seafood and salads.  On this occasion it was nicely matched with Sautéed Atlantic Trout drizzled with Lemon Sauce, with a side of Amherst Grown Wild Rice.   The fish was perfectly cooked.

Their 2007 Bordeaux Rouge ($19.99) was served with a delicious Terrine of Buffalo, Boar and Foie Gras, with Fruit Chutney.  All the meat was from local farms.  Lamothe’s basic Rouge is unoaked, and the 07 is a fairly lean red, mostly Merlot, but with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, with some herbal, vegetal notes and light tannins, that really calls for food.

We stepped up a notch to the Lamothe 1er Cuvée 2006 ($26.99), which comes from different vineyards and is aged in oak, giving some vanilla and chocolate complexity, and more body. still, it is a very approachable, dry red. We drank that with a Duo of Beef Tenderloin and Rack of Lamb with a Bordelaise Sauce, Sautéed Mushrooms, and Fresh Spring Vegetables.   Again, pretty much everything was sourced locally.  It was simply superb.

There was  major shift in gears as we got ready for dessert, with Porto expert Pierre Dumas from Symington Family Estates giving us all a Porto lesson complete with a stunning slideshow of this unique region.  We then enjoyed a flight of 6 excellent Port wines, served alongside a dessert of various Port-friendly nibbles, including Stilton, candied fruit, hazelnuts, chocolate Mignardise and bittersweet chocolate.

Ports tasted were all from Dow, who are part of the Symington Group, which also includes Warre, Graham, Smith Woodhouse, Gould Campbell, Quinta do Vesuvio and the Madeira Wine Company.  Here are my brief notes on the 6 wines:

Dow’s 2004 Late Bottled Vintage ($27.29):  a great LBV, with blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, firm tannins, “fiery,” yet balanced.

Dow’s 10 Year Old Tawny ($39.78): a rather light Port, with a delicate nose showing quite a bit of fruit, and slightly nutty. Tawny Ports are aged in oak, and gradually become paler, and eventually brown, becoming somewhat like good sherry.

Dow’s 1997 Colheita ($39.29): Colheitas are Tawny Ports from a specific year. This showed dried fruit, such as prunes, with a smooth, complex palate, and soft tannins. Lovely stuff.

Dow’s 20 Year Old Tawny ($61.49):  Creamy, rich texture and tasty nutty flavours. Yum!

Dow’s 2000 Vintage (not available in NB):  Vintage Ports are only declared in the best years.  Recent “declared” vintages include: 2007, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1994, 1991, 1985, 1983, 1980, 1977 and 1970. Unlike Tawny Port, Vintage Port does its aging in the bottle, and top wines like these should not really be touched for 20 years, and can last 50 or even 100.  This is still young, and thus has lots of tannin, with a nose of black pepper, leather & dark fruit. Not surprisingly, it is rather closed now, but try it again in 20 years!

Dow’s 1970 Vintage (not available anywhere!):  This was a nice treat for Port lovers. In contrast to the 2000, the 1970 has a developed nose of dried fruit, and the tannins are completely soft. Still, the wine is perfectly preserved and free of any spoilage.

This was an excellent way to learn Port in one tasting, and a great way to finish a wonderful wine and food event.

Cheers!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier, available for private tastings. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca and follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

Pomodori Artisan Pizza and Gelato

Healthy Pizza is NOT an Oxymoron

By Craig Pinhey

Pomodori opened in the summer of 2008, at 83 Hampton Rd. in the plaza next to Rothesay High, and quickly developed a reputation for delicious healthy pizza. Healthy pizza?

Co-owned by Janice MacPherson, Keith Dunphy and Stephen Goddard, all Valley residents, Pomodori definitely has a fresh, local, healthy attitude. “Keith grew up on a farm,” explains MacPherson (who is also his wife), “His dad was a dairy farmer. They always had large gardens where they grew most of their vegetables every year. His mom would make tomato juice from their tomatoes and they stocked up on their own food for the winter.”

MacPherson, develops all the gelato recipes,  grew up in Saint John and is a self taught cook. Her 9 years in Nelson, BC defined her food love. “We spent a lot of time among the orchards and vineyards in the Okanagan, and grew to appreciate how wonderful local food is fresh from the farm. When we had children that made me more aware of the food we eat and I much prefer to spend the time making meals and snacks knowing every ingredient rather than buying prepackaged goods.”

Goddard developed his love of food from traveling to places like Italy, France and Germany, where “fresh and local” results in not only great tasting food, but also healthier choices.

The centrepiece of Pomodori is their impressive wood fired pizza oven.  They feature 13 different pizzas on their regular menu, have special feature pizzas, and you can build your own.  These are thin crust, not the typically heavy Maritime pizzas. For lunch I enjoyed my favourite pizza: local pepperoni, kalamata olives and mushrooms. They use fresh mozzarella: just a few pieces melted on the pizza, not coating the entire surface.

I also tried their spinach salad, with dried figs, goat cheese and sugared pecans, tossed in sherry vinaigrette, one of the best salads I’ve ever had. I had a glass of Pinot Grigio,  and a red Mezzamondo Negroamaro with my pizza.  Wine is served like in small cantinas in Italy, in little straight glasses.

Pomodori didn’t have salad when they first opened. “We introduced salads this year in response to feedback from many of our loyal customers,” explains MacPherson. They offer Caesar salad too.

I finished with lactose-free coconut gelato and espresso.  This lunch cost $32.50, but I took home half the pizza. I got a discount, as they offer a frequent buyer program.

I’ve heard few complaints about Pomodori, but some wish it were decorated like an Italian restaurant. The open, “cafeteria” style was intentional.  The owners want to get home to their families, not work late nights.

People with dietary concerns love the place. “We always have at least one dairy free gelato in our display case,” MacPherson says. “We have customers that bring in their own cheese and some have brought in their own gluten free dough. They can adjust our toppings to suit their health requirements. We have been approved by Simply For Life with our organic whole wheat dough, too.”

Healthy pizza is definitely not an oxymoron, not at Pomodori.

PS The Caramelized Onion with blue cheese and toasted walnut is the feature pizza until June 5th!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier. You can read more at frogspad.ca or follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

Any North American with any wine “chops” whatsoever knows that the Finger Lakes wine region in Upstate New York makes respectable Riesling, with great acid, minerality, floral notes and pure citrus and apple fruit.

If you haven’t had the pleasure, plan a trip around the  Fingers and see what the various appellations have to offer. Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake are the only official AVA’s inside the large Finger Lakes AVA, but one could argue there should be more.  If you love aromatic whites with crisp acid, and enjoy gorgeous water-views, you may just find your new home.

On our last trip, we tasted several Rieslings from along both sides of Cayuga and Seneca, from various wineries in both dry and off-dry styles, and walked away (flew, actually) with the firm impression that this terroir is perfect for glorious Riesling. Although you may know the pioneers like Dr. Frank, there are many other producers with wine as good that are far less busy.

(Note: If this article seems overtly pro-Riesling, well, it is. Deal with it.)

While down there, though, it was impossible to miss the gradual move to red winemaking that’s been sneaking into the area.  It’s not just winter hardy hybrids, crosses and oddballs, either, although the Black Russian Red made from Eastern European varieties – Sereksiya and Saperiva (Charni) – at McGregor Vineyards is one hell of a salesperson for them!

It seems Pinot Noir and Cab Franc are the quality wines of choice, not altogether surprising given their pedigree just across the border in Ontario, but there’s an emergence of other black vinifera grapes too, such as Syrah and Cab Sauv, at least in certain prime spots.

Damiani Vineyards is one of the wineries that is seriously focusing on serious reds, and one visit there might just make you a believer in Finger Lakes reds.

Opened in 2005 in Hector, near the southern tip on the east side of Seneca Lake – “the banana belt,” according to owners Lou Damiani and vineyard manager Phil Davis – Damiani is an example of a small winery thinking big: in terms of their reds, anyway.

So they picked their hot spot in a banana belt in snowy New York? “We call it that due to Seneca Lake being the deepest of the Finger Lakes, at over  700 ft, with west prevailing winds. Also, this area has grown fruit since colonial times: cherries, peaches and grapes.”

Phil’s father had been growing grapes in Hector 30-40 years ago, so it’s a natural location for him. Lou, who has worked in various capacities in the local wine industry, consulted Phil when he planned his vineyards, planted in 1996. Both now own land planted with vinifera grapes that supply the winery.

The terroir is warm enough even for Cabernet Sauvignon, as proven by their 2005 which, although certainly well structured with dusty tannins, does not suffer from overly vegetal characteristics. The 05 Meritage is even more drinkable, but with firm tannins, the kind that make a wine writer think ‘This could age!’

“Cab Sauv certainly likes to hang on the vine longer than Cab Franc,” explains Lou, the winemaker, “so we consistently get a nice CF here, whereas CS, given the growing season, might not be as ripe every year.

The Meritage blend doesn’t change an awful lot from year to year, so far, but we do try to pick the best barrels of each variety and do quite a few taste tests to get the Meritage blend we are looking for.  We do look at it as our top shelf.  Roughly speaking, it is close to equal parts Cab Sauv, Cab Franc and Merlot, although I like the ’stiffness’ that the Cabs add, so there is a little more of them.  There are always production factors involved in our blend also, such as available amounts, etc.”

Advertised on their website for $25, their ‘top shelf’ Meritage seems like a steal, and it is. This ain’t Napa (that’s not an insult, by the way). Even their top Pinot Noir, which is arguably their best red and best expression of terroir, sells for only $22.

While there we tasted one test blend for the next (2006) Pinot release, as well as the 2005 (smooth, but earthy, balanced acid and tannins, and full of cherry fruit)  and 2004 (spicy oak, with lots of acid, candied cherry notes).  The ‘06 was quite forward for a barrel sample, with perfumed cherry and ‘Old World’ terroir notes.

“I  have not chosen the blend for the Pinot Noir yet.” explains Lou. “I am letting them sit in barrels, although 3 barrels of one vineyard was taken out of oak and put in stainless steel.  I think the next process before I really start trying to put it together is to go through a gentle fining process.  A few barrels with isinglass and a few barrels with gelatin.  I will do trials on this soon.  My thinking is that I will have 2 pinots: 100 cases of reserve and 200 cases of non-reserve, at two different prices.  Two of the three vineyards of the Pinot are from the east side of Seneca Lake – one being a little overcropped – and the third vineyard is from the west side of the lake which produced a lighter but very fruity Pinot Noir.”

That’s definitely a Burgundian approach. And, when you understand the terroir here, you appreciate that Burgundian thinking makes more sense than California or possibly even Oregon.

“The 2004 Pinot was light, more delicate, more nuanced.  It was a blend of two vineyards.  I know something about the concept of Grand Crus <single vineyards with old vines>, but, having said that, there is something beautiful about a virgin crop.  Part of the 2004 was a virgin crop from a new Pinot Noir vineyard — Phil’s vineyard.  The other part was from a 20 year old Pinot Noir vineyard.”

It is markedly lighter than the 2005, although both are very good.

Lou explains, “The 2005 year was a very hot intense summer.  We had drought that year so the fruit was dehydrated, with very developed tannins, intense fruit, 24 brix.  The ph was around 3.5.”

This explains the round, forward fruit character of this lovely wine. It would be nice to see more on the market, but this is a new, small winery. It’s growing, though. They now have 10 acres under vine, with a further 5-10 coming. Not all of the fruit goes to Damiani Vineyards though.

“My brother Anthony and I have a vineyard, ” answers Lou. ”His fruit, half of our production, goes to Red Newt under the Glaciar Ridge Vineyard designation.”

We tried that wine, a Merlot, at Red Newt before heading down the road to Damiani. Red Newt does a good job on that and other wines (including Riesling, of course, and a very good locally grown Syrah) and spoke very highly of Damiani, especially their red wines.

They make whites, too, of course, and their method traditional sparkler, made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, is a stunner, and only $25.

But the reds really catch your eye, and capture your attention when you taste them.

So, one wonders what made Lou decide to become a red wine specialist in a region known originally for Labrusca and now for Riesling.

How is he succeeding where most others don’t even try?

“My winemaking philosophy is ‘drink a lot and talk very little.’  No, seriously.  My intention is to let the land speak for itself, grow grapes right, do the basics in the winemaking correctly, meaning: pay attention to primary fermentation, the yeasts used, the yeast nutrients used, and gentle pressings.  We are not pulling out a lot of harsh phenolics; we balance that with oak.  Unlike California, the wines here cannot take a lot of new oak, so we use gradations of ages of oak.  We use French oak as much as possible, especially on the Burgundy wines.  We do a lot of taste trials and we also try to let the wine express a little attitude.  We don’t try and make our wine something it is not, i.e. California or Australia.”

Whatever he and Phil are doing is working;  they are making serious reds. You have to know how to pick your spots, I guess.

Contact Info

www.damianiwinecellars.com

5435 State Route 414

Hector, New York 14841

MAIL:

Damiani Wine Cellars

P. O. Box 205

Hector, New York 14841

Phone/Fax:             607 546 5557

Email:            info@damianiwinecellars.com

Phil’s contact info: 607-546-5506

Cheers!

Craig

Café and Patio Helps Revitalize the Historic Shadow Lawn Inn

Every day thousands of Valley residents drive, on their way to and from work and errands, past the historic Shadow Lawn Inn on the old Rothesay Road. Lately they’ve been stopping more often, probably because of the Side Door Café and Patio sign put up last year.

Shadow Lawn is  a fixture of Old Rothesay, an icon, and has been since James Robertson built the original structure in 1870. Called Karsalie, the building was a summer home for Robertson, who was a founding partner of MRA’s department store in Saint John.

It passed to Percy Thomson on Robertson’s death in 1921, and Thomson eventually changed the name to Shadow Lawn, owing to the shadows cast by the cedar hedges and various trees on the property.  By 1946 the building started to transform into an inn, under the ownership of the Flemming Family, offering rooms to seniors and catering.  Ensuing owners Willie and Jean Ward developed Shadow Lawn into a full fledged inn with rooms and dining, and this tradition has continued under current owners Pat and Margaret Gallagher, who purchased the property in 1986.

Times have changed in the industry, and Gallagher has adapted, especially in the past two years, offering occasional concerts, and opening themore casual Side Door Café and Bistro, with outdoor seating in the back garden area on seasonable days.

I stopped in for a casual lunch this week to chat with Pat Gallagher and Chef Nancy Fox, who took over the kitchen a couple years ago. I asked about how the inn business has changed. “We tend to do more individual dining, and more meetings,” he explained.  This was confirmed by a large business group that was watching a presentation in the main dining area, occasionally filling the inn with roars of laughter.   They do a healthy wedding business too, of course.

Chef Fox has come up with a great casual lunch menu, which I (and many others, according to Fox who had a busy summer last year) have been sampling fairly regularly. The current menu features a garden salad of organic greens, fresh local vegetables & Dijon vinaigrette; salmon chowder; potato and onion soup; and a soup of the day. They have dips, and a Seafood teaser: a Wolfhead smoked salmon and crab cake.

More filling stuff includes a seafood crepe, salmon dishes and a quiche of the day.   They also had Irish specialties this week (Boxty Irish potato pancake, Irish stew, Guinness Coddle).   I had the ham and onion quiche, delicious and fresh-from-the-oven hot, served with a side salad and homemade soda bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was a great deal at just over $10 (before wine!

Dinner has a more traditional feel, with items like lamb, beef, chicken and salmon.  Although I love the casual feel of the Side Door and its patio, the Old World ambiance of the main inn dining area is certainly appreciated for special meals.

Friday April 9th is a perfect time to get reacquainted with the Shadow Lawn, as I am doing a wine and food pairing dinner with Chef Fox.  Go to shadowlawninn.com for the menu and pricing.

Cheers!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier. You can read more at frogspad.ca or follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

There has been a huge increase in the number of food and wine dinners, beer and spirits events, and festivals in Atlantic Canada over the past 10 years. It is difficult for a fan of these sorts of things to get to all, or even most, of them. I feel obliged to spread myself around the region, too, as I represent the Atlantic Provinces in a national wine magazine (WineAccess.ca) and beer magazine (TapsMedia.ca).   I have to be selective, but there are several tastings I absolutely won’t miss.

One is an annual Riesling tasting held each spring in Nova Scotia. We call it the Riesling Summit for no other reason than it sounds a bit ridiculous and grandiose; it is actually a small tasting with a tight group of people whose lives have been brought together through wine.  It is small in number, in that each person only needs to bring one bottle (some can’t resist bringing more), and there are only 16 or so people each year. We can’t have more, as these are one bottle tastings, and one bottle only goes so far before people start complaining that there isn’t enough to properly assess (and enjoy, when you find your favourites!)   And, by limiting it to one, it increases the odds that each person will bring a special bottle.

This tasting is quite different from many others I go to, in that there are always a few winemakers present.  This year was no different, as there were four of the young, promising crop of Nova Scotia winemakers: Ben Swetnam from the soon to be opened Avondale Vineyards, Gina Haverstock of Gaspereau Vineyards (noted for her award winning Nova Scotia Riesling), Jean Benoit Deslauriers from Benjamin Bridge, and Simon Rafuse from Blomidon Winery. Swetnam and Haverstock previously worked at top German Riesling producers: St. Urbans Hof and Georg Breuer, respectively. The rest of the group consisted of Sommeliers and wine enthusiasts.

I don’t have the column space to go through all of the 24 wines we tried last Saturday, but I will describe a few to give an idea of the diversity available from this most noble grape.

In our first flight of 8 wines there were several I really liked. The first was a traditional method sparkling Riesling from Maleta in Niagara, Ontario. Very dry, with yeasty notes, green apple aromas and crisp acid, this was a nice surprise. It sells for under $30 in Ontario. Another good Niagara Riesling in this flight was the 2007 Jackson Triggs Grand Reserve , which had mineral notes and a pleasant, off-dry palate.  The winner of the flight, though, was a great value Cono Sur Riesling from Chile. It had forward “wet stone” minerality, lemon lime aromatics, and balanced acidity. This wine sells for only around $12-13 in Nova Scotia. We have a very similar wine here in New Brunswick, the Cono Sur Bio Bio Riesling, for $12.99.  That is my WINE OF THE WEEK. There was an excellent Georg Breuer in the flight, too, but unfortunately it was corked.  Still, you could tell there was a great wine underneath that defect.

Flight 2 had several noteworthy wines, the most interesting for me being a fresh, minerally 2007 Leasingham Reserve Riesling from Clare Valley, Australia, and a “non purchasable” wine, a Riesling from the Le Clos Jordanne winery in Niagara, which had shrill lime acidity and a leesy (yeasty) complexity. Bone dry, it needs time to develop and soften. The other winner in the flight was a 2007 Grand Cru from Ribeauville, in Alsace. This had great fruit and balance.

The last flight was made up of older wines, so not surprisingly there were some with really complex aromas and flavours.  Aged Rieslings are some of the best wines in the world, so I could say something nice about all the wines, but there were a few real standouts.  The first was a rich, nutty, and petroleum infused (a key feature of good aged Riesling) 2002 Riesling Cuvee Frederick Emile, from the well respected Trimbach in Alsace, France.  Another tasty wine was a 2003 Schloss Reinhartshausen Riesling Spätlese from the Rheingau, Germany. This had rich honey notes and sweet apple flavours.  My next favourite was a 2002 Auslese from Piesporter Goldtröpfchen, made by St. Urbans Hof in the Mosel, Germany.  This decadent beauty had sweet caramel and honey, good appley acidity and a yummy, long aftertaste.   The oldest, and perhaps most compelling wine of the tasting was the last, a 1986 Valwiger Herrenberg Riesling Auslese from Dr. Zenzen, from the Mosel.  Although almost 25 years old, this still had a delicate palate, with tingly acid, petroleum notes and a balanced finish.

Very few wines, or perhaps no other wines,  can age as well for your buying dollar as a good Riesling.

Cheers!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier, available for private tastings. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca and follow him on twitter (frogspadca)

Good Drink, February 26, 2010
Cool Climate Aussie Pinot
By Craig Pinhey
The term “cool climate” is often thrown around a little too loosely  by the folks who write the copy for back labels of wine bottles, especially for Pinot Noir.  They know wine experts prefer Pinot from cool climates, so they say it even when it isn’t quite accurate. If the wine is 15% alcohol, it ain’t from a cool climate!

Pinot Noir is an early ripening grape that needs a moderate climate so that it doesn’t ripen too quickly and become too soft, so low in acid that the resulting wine tastes like cherry jam.  I had a wine like this at a Halifax restaurant this weekend.   It was a terrible wine to drink with food and a poor example of Pinot Noir.

I recently read the transcript of a speech from Brian Croser, a prominent Australian wine expert who was addressing a group of industry professionals about the  problems with the diminished perception of Australia amongst lovers of fine wine.   Basically, he said that Australia makes too much (there’s a glut) inexpensive jammy wine and these simple wines have become the stereotype for Aussie reds, which has stifled the development of the international reputation for the excellent wines from their true cool climate regions, the ones that have similar or even cooler growing seasons than Burgundy and Bordeaux, France.

We have rarely seen the better Pinot Noirs from Australia here in New Brunswick, or even entry level wines from the best cool climate wine regions, the most famous of which are Margaret River, Mt. Barker, the Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra, Central Victoria, the Yarra Valley, Geelong, the Mornington Peninsula, the Victorian Alps, New South Wales Highlands and Tasmania.

So, it is refreshing when I find them on the ANBL shelves. In the past week I tasted two very good examples that show how Australia can make really good Pinot.  The first was a premium red, of  very limited quality: 2006 Feral Fox ($29.29). This is one of the cleverly named premium products from the respected d’Arenberg.   There’s hardly any left in the province, but I’m mentioning it because it is the type of product I’d like to see more of.  Grown in the Adelaide Hills, Feral Fox has a true Pinot nose, with lovely floral aspects, alongside cherry and mineral, plus a bit of funky (indeed, feral) character.   It has great acidity and is elegant on the palate. My only knock on this tasty Pinot is its high alcohol level;14.5% is just too much. I really believe 13.5% should be the Pinot cap.

WINE OF THE WEEK

So, how about a wine you can actually buy?  Feral Fox was a good lead-in to the 2006 Long Flat Yarra Valley Pinot Noir ($16.99, 708 bottles in the Warehouse, 370 in the stores), part of their “Destinations” line, which also includes a Clare Valley Riesling and an Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc. Yarra Valley, down in the far southern part of the Victoria region, just inland from Melbourne, is renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a Burgundian personality: aromatic, good acidity, minerality, but absolutely no jam. Long Flat is almost like a Baby Feral Fox. It has a similar floral, cherry-berry nose, but has less funk. It is similarly fresh on the palate, with good acidity and lots of cherry and strawberry fruit. I’m actually quite surprised to see a decent Yarra Valley Pinot Noir at this very fair price. This is a great food wine, for grilled salmon, roast chicken, coq au vin and pan seared duck breast.

I hope this is a sign of things to come  for the Aussie red selection at the ANBL: more elegance, less jam.

Cheers!

Craig Pinhey is a writer and Sommelier, available for private tastings. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.

Fork  It Over

by Dan and Brufrog

Urban Deli

urbandeli.ca

506.652.DELI (3354)

68 King St.

Hours:

Monday – Saturday 11:00am – 8:00pm

Sunday – Closed

[Dan]

Urban Deli is a hip place. What I mean by that is that it has a cool location, a classy yet muted décor showing off the building’s natural beauty, comfortable booths, and a unique communal table. Brufrog and I dropped in one evening for dinner and we sat at the communal table.

[Brufrog]

It was fun sitting there, wondering who would join us; hopefully not someone scary, but that’s part of the fun, I guess. The table is way cooler than I thought. After dinner I checked out urbanddeli.ca and learned it is made from 400+ year-old pitch pine and was originally a single support beam at the old Lantic Sugar Cane Refinery.  How cool is that? I also noted the logo and slogan on their site.  “old fashioned. slightly sophisticated” (no caps, of course) is the Urban Deli motto, and it definitely sets a tone.  Bottom line: Urban Deli is a funky looking and acting spot. So, how’s the grub?

[Dan]

Urban Deli has a decent selection of  New Brunswick beers by the bottle. Pumphouse Red and Picaroons Blonde, Dark & Stormy, and Dooryard were available when we visited but I think more are available at other times. I ordered a Dooryard ($6 – NOTE: all prices before tax), which I love on a summer day.

For an appetizer I ordered a not so modestly priced Atlantic Seafood Chowder ($11). It came out piping hot with a not too thick broth and contained lobster, shrimp, scallops, white fish, potatoes, and maybe more. A homemade biscuit was served on the side and it was very fresh. The chowder had a similar consistency to the one I make at home. Its flavour was near perfect although I loaded it with fresh ground pepper (just something I personally like) that was available on all of the tables (big plus!) The chowder is wonderful but it is a tough sell at $11.

I also had one of Brufrog’s ribs that are smoked on-site, smothered in a tangy barbecue sauce and then plated upon a bed of their homemade fries. The ribs were excellent as they were very tender, smoky, and the sauce was tasty. The fries are some of the best that you can get in the city and maybe some of my favourite fries that I’ve ever had. They are a medium cut with perfect balance between crispy and tender. The rib sauce on them makes a nice condiment as well.

[Brufrog]

That ½ rack of ribs ($12) made a great shared app, especially if you like ‘em smoky. They were very good, and the fact that Urban Deli has their own smoker is reason enough to celebrate. I also ordered the Saganaki cheese appetizer ($10), which is set on fire (on purpose) in the Greek tradition, in a cast iron pan in the kitchen, and brought to the table with some crunchy dipping breacrackers (not sure if these are bread or crackers).  The cheese dish was just OK. It’s fun to order and the cheese was pleasantly pungent, but about ¼ of it was inedible, being stuck/burned to the pan. I ordered a Picaroons Blonde ($6) to help wash down my appetizers. It was good but seemed less hoppy than when it was first released. This is not the fault of Urban Deli, of course, but I wish they had the Bitter instead, or Pumphouse SOB.  Perhaps they do sometimes.

[Dan]

For my main, I ordered Pass-Da-Balls ($10). This pasta dish has swirly noodles with a fresh marinara sauce and topped with a skewer of three meatballs. I don’t see the point of the skewer, however the meatballs on it were juicy and well seasoned. If I could change this dish I would add more sauce or less noodles and serve it on a round dish instead of a rectangular one. I found that the noodles on the outer edges that were not covered in sauce or the meatballs cooled quite a bit even before I was half done the dish. The plate makes the dish look nice but it is not very practical.

[Brufrog]

Dan said Balls, hehe heh heh. I tried some of his pasta the next day, as he let me steal his leftovers. It was pretty tasty fresh from the microwave.  Great meatballs + homemade tomato sauce = great!

My main was the Montreal smoked meat sandwich ($10) with a side of fries ($2). It’s a great sandwich, with quite mild tasting smoked meat (read their website to learn about smoked meat versus pastrami), fresh rye bread, and good mustard.  The fries are indeed wonderful, but I’d prefer a house mayo instead of catsup (the bottle was unbranded). The sandwich size is average, but some folks might find the price a bit much. I think the $10 should include fries, especially considering all the $10 and under lunch specials these days.  Overall, though, I really enjoyed my meal here and will certainly be back.

[Dan]

I like Urban Deli a lot and I’ll be going there many times in the future but I’ll most likely stick to the dishes that they are most known for, such as their sandwiches and things out of their smoker like the ribs, oh, and definitely more of the fries!

Dan J can be read at foodontheoffense.com, while Brufrog hops around at frogspad.ca

Tiger Tiger Burning Bright and other Pop Culture Predictions for 2010,

by Oinky the Pig

Oinky getting dirty, as usual

It’s 2010 and I’m out of the pen!  Yo yo yo my little piglets and runts, it’s time for another year’s worth of couplets and grunts. As we move out of the naughties (it was originally intended to refer to “nought” as in “zero”, but my current boat cruising buddy Tiger changed all that), or perhaps you prefer the “oughties” as in, we ought to have finished those wars, but it didn’t work out that way.

Thaaaat’s right, Oinky’s back and no one’s safe. Even though I’m off in the Caribbean with Le Tigre and his “pals” (yeah, right! There are so many udders in my face I feel like I’m back on tha farm, y’all), I can’t resist taking a shot at him. Last year I predicted that, among other prognostications, Tiger Woods would win the Master’s in a wheelchair. Well, I was close.  He’s handicapped, what with the fat lip that Viking chick gave him, and of course his financial hardships.  Hey, I know if I lost my sponsorship deals with Gillette (”Now with 10 heavy duty blades for guaranteed bristle removal. Bonus – free bacon!”) and Slap Chop (”Zucchini, Bikini, Linguini, Martini, Pigscreamy”), I’d have a hard time affording my weekly jaunts to the continent.   That reminds me. Go to GIOTC2010.com for deets on my “Get incontinent on the continent, 2010″ celebrity cruise tour.

Enough self-promotion; here are my predictions and musings for 2010.

TV

Conveyor Belt Of Love (and is the Bachelor still on, really?)

The latest “hook up complete strangers that are coincidentally narcissistic jerks who’ve had lots of work done” show to come along is really, honestly called Conveyor Belt of Love. Potential suitors go by on a belt and you pick one, kind of like sushi.  Something smells fishy, that’s for sure. Other pathetic programs sure to follow are “Who wants to marry a crack whore?” and “The Bachelor: The Garbagemen of Monte Carlo Edition.”

Who wants to marry this swine-stud?

The Family Guy’s new Spin-off: The Stimpsons

Rather than carry on the charade that The Family Guy is not a bad rip-off of The Simpsons, Seth McFarlane’s new show will be called The Stimpsons, and will feature the exact same characters from The Simpson’s except one: Stimpy (from Ren & Stimpy, ironically, a very funny show), who will replace Santa’s Little Helper.

Dexter Season 5 – The End of Al Quaeda

Just when you thought it was safe to be a serial killer, Dexter will be back for it’s 5th season, perhaps of many more to come (hey, the ratings are good!)  In a surprise twist, Dexter’s sister Debra (his real life wife) will pull her head out of her tiny, hipless ass and clue in that her brother likes to kill people ritualistically.  She will join him in a Bonnie & Clyde-like cross country bad-guy killing spree that will culminate with the elimination of Osama Bin Laden, who, shockingly, will be found working as a saddle hand at George Bush’s ranch in Texas.

MUSIC

Lady Gaga Arrested For Murdering 100 Kermits

As it turns out, the publicity photo of Lady Gaga wearing a Kermit-stole will turn out to be real. She really did kill, skin (and perhaps eat) over 100 Kermit the Frogs.

AutoTune Robot Writes Own Songs

A robot created to tour with acts that cannot sing in tune will gain intelligence using “self learning” software to the point where it will start writing and singing its own songs. A new music industry will develop around these singing robots, and one will win the 2010 American Idol Competition, narrowly beating out another Autotune robot that was rumoured to like “its bolts screwed in the wrong way,” if you know what I mean.

MOVIES

Avatar Sequel goes to 4 D

Now that Avatar has set the new standard for movies, James Cameron will feel compelled to take it another step further. Avatar II will come out in 4-D, where you can actually smell the things you see on the screen, including the BO of the 10 foot blue people. When Cameron tries to patent his Smellorama technology, he will be kidnapped and held for the rest of his life by Dr. Tongue in his castle in Scarborough, refusing to do a remake of 3-D House of Stewardesses.

Sherlock Holmes II:  The Shequel

In the next Sherlock Holmes installment, the intrepid detective will reveal that he is in fact, a woman, and actually not all that good at solving murders.  When faced with criticism that he has strayed even further from the original books, Guy Ritchie will shrug and say “You do know that I schtoomped Madonna, right?”

SPORTS

Olympics Hockey Gold Overshadowed By Old Guy Who Can Ski And Shoot Squirrels  At The Same Time

Although Canada will win the men’s and women’s hockey Gold at the 2010 Olympics, media coverage will be dominated by Joe Smith, an 80 year old New Brunswicker discovered by the National Biathlon coach while snowmobile holidaying in Bathurst.  Smith has been skiing and shooting squirrels, albeit with a 22, since he was 8 years old, and he will win the Olympic Gold, only to fall into disgrace 1 week later when he fails a drug test for oxycontin use.

Tiger Tiger Burning Bright

(adapted from The Tiger, By William Blake, 1757-1827)

Tiger, tiger, burning bright

At least you were until that night

When Elin gave you your black eye

And ruined your lipsymmetry

You’ve hit balls into the skies

That travelled further than the eyes

Could see and now your fans aspire

To extinguish your eternal fire

Your golf game approaches art

What we question is your heart

There’s nothing that you couldn’t beat

Except humility’s dragging feet

Imprisoned by each media chain

What hate is boiling in your brain?

How many throats you’d love to grasp

How many bras left to unclasp

When the press runs out of spears

And your family’s out of tears

What kind of man is left to see?

What will abusive habits cause thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright

You will emerge from this dark night

What will appear before my eye?

John Daly’s fearful symmetry!

DRINKS

Light beer goes to zero calories

In a bold move, newly formed beer giant  Millmolbattsbudcoorsapporo will release a beer with zero calories. On reports from critics that “This isn’t beer; it’s f&%#ing carbonated water!” the CEO of the corporation will be quoted as saying “If I pay a billion dollars for ads that say it is beer, it is beer.”

Wine – Dealcoholized Wine Trend Reverses

The practice of lowering wine alcohol levels in hot grape climates using reverse osmosis and other tricks will be stopped, as consumers demand higher and higher booze content. The same trend will hit the beer market, as new brands such as “Punch in the Face” and “Barf!” will be released that hit 35 and even 40% alcohol.  They will also contain triple the amount of caffeine as Coke. As a result, ANBL will report record profits and enforce two price hikes during the year. Why the hell not?

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Oinky is on a boat, and it sure ain’t Noah’s ark. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca

[here] Beer, Booze & Bars

Drink’N'Music 2009

Craig’s 10 Favourite Records of 2009, Paired with10 Favourite Tipples

Once again I find myself shuffling through my CD’s and record (I only bought one piece of vinyl this year), and checking my Iphone (yes, I finally broke down and downloaded a few records this year, out of necessity) to argue with myself about which should make my top 10.

As I get older I buy more jazz, classical & country, while still collecting Beatlesque pop, new wave and punk influenced music with older roots, and singer/songwriter standards.

I listen to a lot of “indie” music, too, online on myspace, on college radio, free concerts at radio3.cbc.ca, and their excellent Grant Lawrence-hosted podcasts. I’ve argued for years that indie is not a type of music: it’s a statement of your career status. It’s as meaningless a word as “alternative” (alternative to what?) Much indie music has little in common with the others in the genre: some is pop, some is punkish, some electronic, some 60’s folk, and some a mix of all those. Yes, I’ve heard Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective, tops on many people’s lists, but if I’m going to pay for indie, it’s most likely to be local. Examples are Halifax’s Brent Randall or Saint John’s Clinton Charlton.

2009 was a very strong year for music, so I’ve added some honourable mentions at the bottom that could just as easily have made my top 10.

1. Pugwash – Giddy (Beatlesque Pop, Ireland)

This Irish pop group has done very well in the UK with their original songs that echo the later Beatles, ELO, The Beach Boys and XTC, but they are virtually unknown in North America. XTC’s Andy Partridge’s Apehouse label is trying to change this, releasing Giddy, a collection of songs from their 4 studio albums, remastered and now available here in North America as well as via the apehouse site (http://apehouse.prevuz.com/tag/pugwash/) Partridge is credited as co-writer on several tracks, and guitarist/arranger extraordinaire Dave Gregory (also of XTC) is involved too. Just one listen to It’s Nice To Be Nice and I was hooked. Find it on youtube for a sample.

What to Drink:

I’d choose English traditional method sparkling wine (a burgeoning industry) because fizz makes me Giddy, but we don’t get any here, so instead I’ll choose a good value sparkler: Freixenet Carta Nevada Cava from Spain ($14.49).

2. Brent Randall and those Magnificent Pinecones – We Were Strangers in Paddington Green (60’s Style Pop, Canada)

Every now and then I hear a new band and I think “Wow! A new track from one of my favourite bands!” That was the case with Halifax’s Brent Randall’s beautiful Strange Love (Don’t Be Lazy). I was sure it was John Southworth, or perhaps an old Kinks song. The album art even looks like an old 60’s British record. This is wonderfully dreamy music from another time, another place, and I can’t wait to see him live.

Drink With: Gin & Tonic, definitely, on the lawn while watching the kids play, a cricket match or actual crickets. I’m using Gin from the small Myriad Distillery in PEI at the moment as well as New Amsterdam Straight ($28.99).

3. David Sylvian – Manafon (Ambient Jazz, England)

It is difficult to classify Sylvian since he has been everything from a Velvet Underground aping rocker and Asian/synth pop star in the band Japan, to a crooning (think Bryan Ferry) acoustic solo artist, prog rock duelist with King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, and now ambient jazz experimentalist. With the changes, two things stay the same: his deep, vibrato-affected, perfect voice, and his poems, turned into lyrics. Though still a difficult first listen, Manafon, recorded with an array of international improvising session musicians, is more approachable than his last record, the angular, almost atonal Blemish (now THAT was a breakup record!) By the third listen you will be either addicted or simply bewildered. I like that kind of challenge sometimes. Try Small Metal Gods and go from there.

Drink With: One of my favourites for those odd times when I feel like something weird is Campari (a bitter Italian liqueur often mixed with soda) and Orange juice, making for, like Manafon, a bittersweet experience.

4. Elvis Costello – Secret, Profane and Sugarcane (Country/Bluegrass/Music Hall, England/America)

Ever the genre hopper, to some folks’ dismay and others’ delight, Costello’s latest, a Grammy nominated LP, is a mostly acoustic record with some of USA’s most respected musicians, including the “World’s Best Dobro player,” Jerry Douglas. The album is a bit of a mish-mash; some is straight ahead Bluegrass & Country, including collaborations with Loretta Lynn and Emmy Lou Harris and there are a couple of odd covers (extended version has Femme Fatale by the Velvets), but the highlights are complex pieces he wrote for an opera about Hans Christian Andersen. She Handed Me A Mirror and How Deep Is The Red are moving music hall pieces, among the best songs he’s ever written.

Drink With: Samuel Adams Boston Lager, an American beer, but influenced by good European beer. It has a hoppy personality ($2.36/ 355 ml bottle)

5. Robbie Fulks – 50-Vc. Doberman (mostly Country, USA)

Robbie Fulks embarked on an ambitious project in 2009; he successfully recorded 50 songs, mostly his own, for release in a “digital download only” format (you can buy tracks at itunes or amazon.com). Although known mainly as an acerbic, disgruntled country artist, this talented Chicago singer songwriter has many musical styles on this release: heavy metal, soul, gospel, Broadway tunes, straight ahead pop, Zappa-ish stuff, and old time country. Next year he hopes to release a full album of Michael Jackson covers. I’m sure it will top the charts. His cover of Beyonce’s Irreplaceable sounds like a surefire country soul hit, It Was Love That Ruined Me sounds like John Hiatt or Nick Lowe at their best, and Pretty Girls is a hilarious country tune that would be a hit for someone famous: “The world is full of pretty girls, and pretty girls are full of themselves too.”

Drink With: whatever straight whisky you prefer. Maybe it should be Bourbon, but I’m partial to Single Malt, but I’m cheap, so I usually buy Vatted Malt, a blend of Single Malts, like Famous Grouse 12 Year Old, a blend that includes Highland Park and The Macallan for $35.29.

6. John Southworth – Mama Tevatron (Electronic Pop, Canada)

Southworth is as indie as anyone, by my definition, as his 6 records and 1 EP r over his 14 year recording career have come out on a bunch of different small labels. This latest was only available as a Digital Download until recently when it was released on CD by Dead Daisy/Outside music from the USA. It can now be purchased at MapleMusic.com. His videos are always conversation pieces, and arguably works of art; First of May http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ik_069zpxA from this record is worth a look. Southworth is known as a whimsical guitar and piano playing singer-songwriter, so his decision to do this as pretty much a synth record came as a bit of a surprise, but the results are refreshing. The single Get It Now is receiving lots of internet play on CBC Radio 3, which should help him reach the right demographic. Also, his regular performances as part of Toronto’s Art of Time Ensemble’s live classical/pop hybrids have been memorable. You can link to these things at his http://sud-de-valeur.blogspot.com/ site, including his Christmas song called Space Age Santa.

Drink with: a floral, complex, idiosyncratic white wine that ages well, much like his music. My pick at the ANBL is Donnafugata Anthilia for $17.99 from Southern Italy.

7. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone (Country/pop/rock, USA)

Neko Case is a superstar, debuting high on the Billboard charts, and garnering a Grammy nomination this year (up against Costello, actually), but her records are nothing like typical modern American popular music. An honourary Canadian (she sings with the New Pornographers), Case can write and has written “real’ country, but most of the songs here straddle 60’s and 70’s pop, country, and rock genres; they’re very “Brill Building.” Middle Cyclone is a varied, high quality release with great lyrics and performances. Right from the stellar opening track This Tornado Loves You, her powerful, pure voice dominates the record.

Drink with: Neko Case’s music is retro in only good ways, and it make me want to match her with something out of fashion that deserves more attention: oaky Chardonnay. It’s not an everyday wine, but sometimes I want rich and creamy, flavour packed wine. My pick is Bonterra Chardonnay, from California, for $21.99. And, like Neko, it’s organic!

8. Regina Spektor – Far (Piano pop, USA)

Branded by some as another in a line of piano playing sirens/Kate Bush clones (Sara McLachlan, Tori Amos, Sara Slean, etc. ), which is by no means an insult, Spektor has now made three consecutive records of bright, sometimes beautiful pop tunes. I was worried when I saw that Jeff Lynne (ELO) had produced 4 tracks because, although I like a lot of ELO’s music, I don’t like the way he overtakes other artists (Dave Edmunds, George Harrison). My concerns were unwarranted; the Lynne produced songs sound nothing like ELO: Folding Chair is a chirpy, radio-friendly tune. I love the record, especially the quirkier tunes like Eet and Dance Anthem of the 80’s.

Drink with: high quality vodka and soda with a lime wedge, pure, fresh & clean. I use Kittling Ridge Prince Igor Extreme ($24.99), Citadelle ($31.29) or Iceberg ($24.79).

9. Ben Folds Presents: University A Capella (Pop, USA)

I love Ben Folds and I love Glee, and I believe Ben’s work on this record predates, or perhaps foretells Glee. Note also that he is a judge for the popular new “The Sing Off” TV show on NBC. Folds held auditions for university singing groups to perform a capella versions of songs from his catalogue, selected some and recorded them professionally, adding a couple of his own versions. The result is a joyful, gorgeous record that you might not want to listen to every day, but will surely pep you up on a down day. Folds is one of the best songwriters of the past 20 years and this record celebrates this. The Spartones’ version of Not The Same, about a friend who finds God, is transcendent, hymn-like in its anti-religiosity. Folds’ version of Effington is simply brilliant.

Drink with: Premium rum, a capella. For value, I love Havana Club 7 year old ($28.48).

10. John Doe & The Sadies (Country rock, USA/Canada)

Doe has had a mildly successful solo career since his seminal West Coast punk band X called it quits, but he’s never sounded better or more comfortable than he does on this set of standards and his own compositions, playing alongside Canadian country rock legends The Sadies. Always a fan of country (he made two country records with wife Exene Cervenka of X and other bandmates under the name The Knitters), this record shows how perfect his easy drawl is for classics like Husbands and Wives, and Help Me Make It Through The Night.

Drink with: a beer. Your choice. I’ll take Pump House SOB.

Honourable Mentions:

Joel Plaskett – Three (Folk/Rock/Pop, Canada), Sondre Lerche – Heartbeat Radio (Jazzy Pop, Norway), Brian Setzer – Lonely Avenue (Jazzy Rockabilly, USA), Ben Kweller – Changing Horses (Country, USA), Cheap Trick – The Latest (Power Pop, USA), Clinton Charlton – Parade (Folk/Country, Canada).

MISSED FROM 2008: Molly Johnson – Lucky (Traditional jazz, Canada)

STILL NEED TO TRY FROM 2009: Madness – The Liberty of Norton Folgate (Ska-pop, England)

Craig Pinhey thinks that everyone should make their own top ten list. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.