Beating egg whites

The French used to have a wonderfully simple, elegant way of determining whether the egg whites have been properly beaten. You flip the bowl over your head - you'll quickly realize if more whisking is needed. Of course, this is before mixers and other electronics were commonplace. But until I get my dream kitchen, forearm strength will have to suffice.

Slowly add caster sugar, making sure to maintain volume. A handkerchief tied around the forehead keeps sweat off the brow from dripping.

DF

2008 Rheingau

2008 Schloss Schönborn Riesling Kabinett, QmP Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg, Rheingau

This estate is one I'm quite familiar with, having drunk numerous examples of old vintages from the 80's and 90's. This young vintage, perhaps needing some time. Simple, unremarkable Rheingau at the moment. Quite sweet though, showing how ripe the 2008's are - this could not possibly be classified as a kabinett 20 years ago.

Or maybe it's getting a bit too cold in Toronto to still be drinking young rieslings. Snow beginning to accumulate outside, temperatures hovering around freezing - winter has arrived, time to put away the rieslings until spring.

DF

Sardines

I found sardines at my fishmonger's last weekend. Don't see them often; don't miss an opportunity. They're looked on as inferior fish, but handled delicately, I absolutely adore them. Seasoned simply and seared in olive oil, the richness is balanced beautifully with a drop of fresh lemon juice, and a courgette salad. Inspired by the authenticity presented by Casa Mono.

DF

1995 Beamsville

1995 Thirty Bench Semi-Dry Riesling, Beamsville

A piece of Niagara wine history, golden in the glass. I was able to pick this up on my last visit to Thirty Bench in November. Told that this was the last bottle held by the winery, I immediately said yes, yes, yes . . . I want it! And she hadn't even told me price yet. What else is one to do when presented with a rare bottle of Niagara riesling but to recklessly go all in?

Made by the previous owners and winemaking team at Thirty Bench, this certainly presents a different interpretation of riesling. I've tasted a riesling from this team once, a 1999 I believe. I distinctly remember a wine tasting remarkably like battery acid . . . although made (I'm sure) with the best of intentions, its sole redeeming factor was its rarity. Had much higher hopes for this bottle. Made in an off-dry style, these wines always age in a better way. And plus, I had nothing to lose - at worst, it would be a fabulous look into an early era of Niagara wines and Beamsville.

Cork drawing cleanly, gold in the glass; very fragrant and floral in bouquet. Slightly reminiscent of a Rheingau wine, lanolin and baked apples. Falls apart in the palate - the obvious chaptalization is this wine's undoing. Sugar additions are tasting very clumsy, awkward. Not unpleasant, but amateurish in execution. And at a listed 12.8% abv, these errors are compounded, becoming almost medicinal in flavour. Finish drops.

Nevertheless, an interesting look into Niagara's past. This wine makes me appreciate the new team in place at Thirty Bench. With a focus on making high acid, low alcohol wines with minimal intervention, the wines from 2005 on are, in my opinion, going to age in a good way. At the very least, the wines have stopped resembling a back-shed weekend project, but true wines representative of region and vintage.

DF

2004 Gattinara

2004 Travaglini, DOCG Gattinara

Name, sweet and short, which belies this wine's brilliance. Nebbiolo is my new obsession, and wow, this is getting me excited. Noble wines all around. And Barolo isn't even the only great expression of nebbiolo - Gattinara wines show great character, but in a much friendlier style. Oh yes, this wine was absolutely delicious. Exuberant, earthy red fruits, showing a savoury character and very linear minerality. Elegant, fine texture, spicy finish, good length.

I could do without the gimmicky, oddly shaped bottle. But it's so good, it's making me rethink what I think I know about Italian wines.

DF

2007 Chianti Classico

2007 Rignana, DOCG Chianti Classico

A Tuscan (wine) of great breed? I never know what to expect out of Chianti anymore. There just doesn't seem like the Italians are sure how to handle sangiovese - this is such a delicate grape that modern techniques are a disaster, especially with issues like over-ripeness and excessive oak aging. The super-Tuscans make it worse - am I the only one who thinks the idea of an Italian claret is laughable, especially at the prices people seem willing to pay? Brunello's no better. It's overpriced and fake, ouch.

So what do you do? Because I do love sangiovese. We hardly see anything in Toronto other than the usual mid-priced Chiantis and very expensive Brunellos - the wines of Emilia-Romagna almost never make an appearance. That's why wines such as this Rignana should be celebrated. A modern wine, yes, but balanced, with lovely creamy red fruits. Not necessarily pasta-turning authentic, but a pleasurable nevertheless.

Is it too much to ask for a true expression of sangiovese? Is it?

DF

3 Year Anniversary

Oh, how could I possibly forget, that December 3, 2010 was the 3rd anniversary of La Cave de Fang. Oops. I will have to have many glasses of wine to make up for this egregious oversight.

I humbly thank all my readers . . . and hope that I continue to get better tasting, writing, and dreaming about wine. Hope the photos get better too. I'm not a person who likes reflecting on things, but the end of the year always makes you wonder what you could have achieved if you weren't so lazy. Or hungover. Well, I'm counting this as an accomplishment.

Here's to experiencing more fine wines, gorging on more great foods, and seducing ever more pretty girls. Three years in, surely two out of three ain't bad.

DF

DF at The Macallan Experience

A few more. The following two photos of DF, courtesy of The Macallan's Facebook page. French cuffs because that's what wine consultants are supposed to look like, and yes, before I forget, the cheese and prosciutto spread put out was wonderful. Absolutely delicious.

The following show Marc Laverdiere demonstrating the ice cube machine. It transforms a block of ice into a sphere the size of a large apple, all the better to cool your scotch without dilution.

DF

The Macallan Experience - Toronto

Some photos from the Macallan Experience held in Toronto.

The Macallan Toronto Tasting

The Macallan and Matchstick hosted a tasting event on November 23 in Toronto. Led by Marc Laverdiere, The Macallan's Brand Ambassador, the tasting featured four bottlings - the company (or rather, the marketing department) likes to refer to them as expressions. Most of the invitees were Toronto lifestyle bloggers; obviously, the scope of La Cave de Fang is completely different. As these types of evenings usually go, it was organized as much more an event than to be set up as a true tasting. What gave it away? Besides the photo op station, laser projections, and mellow background music? I had a great time, but let me explain why.

Lights were very dark. I couldn't see what I was drinking, much less discern with any certainty the difference in hue between the various scotches served. Secondly, the stemware (to put it politely) did absolutely no favours for Macallan. Monsieur Laverdiere pointed out to the few of us that were swirling our glasses to not to - his reasoning was that swirling would over-emphasize the alcohol. A >40% abv drink is going to show alcohol regardless, and the stems were so tiny (thick glass rims and all) that all the alcohol fumes were concentrated - that's why tastings work better in a proper venue like a restaurant or hotel, that can provide the proper equipment (thin, crystal, tulip glasses).

Without sounding like a snobbish prick (though you're too smart to be fooled), the invitees were not tasters in the true sense of the word, who understand the tasting process. I didn't want to be the only schmuck using the spit bucket provided, but there's a good reason you spit everything during a tasting. That's why you shouldn't take any of the following tasting notes too seriously, because after 4 glasses of scotch, my palate was on fire.

Before I get blacklisted, and never get invited back . . . I had a great time. Macallan clearly showed its pedigree across the lineup shown. Expensive, but in terms of Speyside scotch, deserves its reputation. I only had one issue with Macallan, and this particular issue affirms why Islay scotch is the finest whisky in the world - just my opinion. I don't know if it was Monsieur Laverdiere's intention, but his presentation implied that Macallan views whisky eau-de-vies as simply a neutral spirit, with all the character in the final product being derived from the barrels used to age it in. Although no additives are used for colour modification, the fact that oak influence is so strong is a bit counter-intuitive to any regional specificity - why else would you buy Speyside scotch if there's nothing from Speyside that contributes to flavour? Ahh, but you buy Macallan, and forget about all else.

The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old: pale colour, creamy vanilla on the nose, alcohol shows on the bouquet; round on the palate, but texture quite lean, clean finish; won't offend anyone

The Macallan Fine Oak 15 Years Old: nearly blond in colour, round and creamy nose, but somehow finer; Laverdiere calls this the Summer Macallan, quite apt; oak much more apparent, lots of vanilla and creamy oak in the mouth, sweet as well; fine texture, but oak is quite heavy-handed

The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old: aged in casks used by Gonzalez Byass, my favourite of the evening; darker amber colour, so fragrant and floral; round and silky in texture, slips imperceptibly into a spicy, long finish, alcohol very well integrated; an incredibly fine scotch indeed

The Macallan Sherry Oak Cask Strength: this is lethal, at 59% abv; dark, almost reddish in colour, intensely sweet vanilla and fruit tones on the bouquet, but alcohol is just booming; elegant palate, lots of spicy oak, lots of alcohol, but finishes refined and very long

DF

2009 Beamsville Bench

2009 Thirty Bench Riesling, VQA Beamsville Bench

The producer pours this wine for you when you step into the tasting room. For good reason too . . . this remains one of the truest expressions of Niagara riesling. A real, proper, Niagara riesling. Bright, pure, minerally, but also misunderstood. But you won't get that sense at the winery. Visitors to wine country are hit with palate confusion. They're so turned on by the fact that they're tasting at the winery that everything seems delicious, illuminating, ethereal. The inevitable letdown at home? Never trust someone when they tell you, oh, I just tasted the greatest wine ever last week at this winery.

What I mean by this wine being misunderstood is that it's incredibly austere in its youth. People won't speak up at the winery (read above). But at home, the extraordinary acidity and lean texture this wine shows is shocking. It's too often dismissed as this sourish, reedy little wine - big misconception. This wine demands aging, demands patience for the acidity to soften and integrate. So give it some time, give these wines a chance. Don't let the soft, post-coital glow of a winery visit cloud your judgement, but don't be so quick to dismiss it either.

DF

On shoe trees

Shoe trees are more important for your shoes than polish can ever be. Yes, it's not just about maintaining the shape of the shoe and preventing permanent creases in the leather - the cedar used in its constuction absorbs moisture to protect the stitching, and removes odour. Harry Rosen offers them in 3 sizes - they're also spring-loaded, to ensure tight fit. And we all know it's better tight.

DF

The experience is everything

I've done a few . . . morally questionable things. Not proud. Felt really great when I was in the moment, but the self-loathing and disgust is beginning to kick in. As the son of two fairly devout Christians . . . this isn't even a rebellious kind of thing (I'm a little too damn old for that shit) . . . but I do feel a bit guilty. And this isn't even about my drinking.

Speaking of wine. And other things . . .

The experience is the whole point. Who cares how much money this is costing, who cares how much time it's taking up, who cares. The experience overrides all. I buy wines because I need to have an understanding of that particular region or vintage or varietal - does it not make sense that it is irrelevant whether I personally like it or not? Every bottle, even one I don't end up enjoying, builds a point of reference, increases knowledge; that's what I aim for.

I've had a few questions about how I select wines from each LCBO release. And my answer is always a bit ambiguous, but it's hard to explain to people that sometimes you need to spend a lot of money to learn about wine. That's it. You can't expect to budget, and still understand why the expression of chardonnay changes from Chablis, to Margaret River, to Twenty Mile Bench. There really is no easy or simple way to do it - you can't buy $7 bottles of some industrial plonk and expect to learn anything, no matter how much of it you drink. It's only after you've really explored a region/varietal/vintage in detail can you make up your mind - I can talk about how much I love Niagara pinot noir because I've drank and tasted well over 200, not because I picked up a random bottle one weekend and decided it tasted good.

So the moral is . . . wine is about the experience that every bottle is giving you. Nothing else should matter; nothing else does matter. Who cares that you're drinking a $150 bottle, who cares that some American slob gave it 92 points? Focusing on, for example, Chablis wines for a month gives you that valuable reference point, that tangible understanding of how that region expresses chardonnay. And please, lay off the $7 junk. At the very least, don't use it as evidence that you too are a wine drinker.

--- Blogger's note:

One more thing. The internet makes commenting mindless - any idiot can fire off a few words about how their sensibilities have been trampled on. I don't care if I get legitimate criticism about what I write about here, so long as there's a name to it. Don't hide behind Anonymous. I see your IP address, I know exactly who you are. So here's the deal - put a name to your comment, and I'll publish it. Those who don't, not a chance. I'm not about to allow cowards to spew their nonsense on the back of my work. If you don't enjoy La Cave de Fang, might I suggest for you to piss off.

DF

Winter tires, on

Winter tires on last week. Ready to take on yet another Canadian winter. Here we go again.

DF

Donald J. Pliner

I was in Montreal this week, the greatest place in Canada, if not North America. It was, in a word, awesome. Just awesome. Ginger root will never smell or taste the same for me again. Did I mention how awesome Montreal was?

The weather was the only thing going wrong. Lots of chilly rain, high winds - really could have used a good pair of boots. Oh, like these. Donald J. Pliner suede boots, looks indestructible, feels indestructible. Fit for a Canadian winter.

DF

Of all the places to get pastries, Costco?

Yeah, that's right . . . Costco as a source of delicious pastries. I would never have thought. Not that Costco's produce was ever bad. Just not particularly exciting. And then I found these - the most amazing pastries. White chocolate, perfectly textured, fluffy and creamy.

But hey, the great Eric Ripert seems to agree. Video, courtesy of GQ and Alan Richman.

DF

2003 Late Bottled Vintage Port

2003 Quinta do Noval Late Bottled Vintage Port, DOC Douro

Recently bottled no doubt, but LBV is meant to be drunk young. Port all day, port all night . . . no need to decant, we'll be aight.

Exotic, heady, perfumed; alcohol a bit overwhelming. But you still go for it. Come back to this space often. Have plenty of exciting ports lined up to drink these holidays.

DF

2005 Barolo Bussia

2005 Poderi Colla Dardi Le Rose Bussia, DOCG Barolo

Experiencing and exploring a new wine region draws similarities to dating a new girlfriend. Exciting, intoxicating, a little confusing . . . but the payoff at night is mind-blowing. And Barolo blows my mind.

From the Dardi Le Rose vineyard within the cru of Bussia, I'm in total love with these wines. They stimulate the intellect in all the right ways, and are as fascinating, complex, and hauntingly beautiful as any Burgundy can be. Yes, when the Italians get it right, they get it real right. All the lovely intense aromatics I want in a Barolo, earthy and pure. Tight, but not as compacted as the 2005 Marziano Abona I drank a few weeks ago. So linear, so balanced, so much character.

DF

Taste the Sea - Yeah I'm all that

Oh yes, video taken by ROKChoi. I think unintentionally setting the pan on fire was a nice touch. Oops . . . shouldn't have admitted to that. I'm always in control in my kitchen.

DF

Taste the Sea - 2009 Twenty Mile Bench

2009 Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir, VQA Twenty Mile Bench

At this point of dinner, with most of my friends having headed home, sitting in the kitchen with a buddy . . . should have called it a night. Alas, we were stupid and decided to keep drinking. Regretted it an hour later, and the next morning, and the next morning after that. But at least the wine was good.

The estate level pinot noir from this producer always represents what I regard as true Niagara wine. Very aromatic, lean, with a lovely stream of pure fruit and minerality. Finely structured as well - should be very interesting to see how these wines age. The 2009's I've been tasting are very interesting - all the floral bouquet of 2008, with riper fruit. This producer always has a good grip on alcohol levels.

Too bad I indulged a bit too much to fully appreciate it.

DF

Taste the Sea - 2007 Chablis Beauroy

2007 Alain Geoffroy Beauroy, AC Chablis 1er Cru

And now to the main event - Chablis premier cru wines are just about the most stunning examples of chardonnay in the world. Yes, there's Montrachet and the Côte d'Or, but Chablis wines are rich and sleek at the same time, brimming with electric energy and minerality. Sublime.

I love this wine. Saline minerality all around, ripe fruit, and so elegantly textured as to make you question whether your palate could be trusted. Delicious, I need to put more of these premier crus away.

DF

Taste the Sea - 2008 Chablis

2008 Domaine du Chardonnay, AC Chablis

Yes, onto the big leagues, and the reason for Taste the Sea. Chablis occupies a special place in my heart. I used to refuse chardonnay. And then I tasted Montmains, and as they say about first times . . . unforgettable.

Been hearing great things about the 2008 vintage in Chablis. Simply a village level wine with a horrifically cheesy name, but rich after a 3 hour decant, balanced, with lovely minerals dancing on the palate. Ripe fruit yet showing the austerity of proper Chablis. With our fish dishes, sublime.

DF

Taste the Sea - 2009 Mâcon Villages

2009 Château de Mirande, AC Mâcon Villages

For a wonderfully pure expression of chardonnay, look no further than the Mâconnais. Always good to me, always reliable - love you too. These wines always express the best aspects of this magnificent grape - rich yet balanced, with a lovely stream of minerality.

And this bottle was no different. Satisfying in that unctuous way that only chardonnay can do. You know they call this grape the nipple-erector, right?

DF

Taste the Sea - 2009 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine

2009 Chéreau-Carré La Griffe Bernard, AC Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie

Muscadet with oysters? Yes. Clean, crisp, simple, yet a perfect start to the meal. You don't sip on muscadet, you drink it in big gulps.

DF

Taste the Sea - Whiting

Whiting fish is a cheap ingredient, no way around it. But that doesn't make it any less exciting to work with. It's not difficult to be impressive when you cook something like tuna or bass, but when you're working with ingredients that don't have the reputation of other more highly-prized fishes, it's time to be creative.

Inspired by the cuisine I experienced in New York's Casa Mono, I got to work.

Score, season, and fry off in olive oil - I made sure to continuously baste the top facing side of the fish as I fried, to make sure that the skin would be crispy. Salad of zucchini ribbons, and the freshest lemon juice vinaigrette you can manage with grocery store lemons in Toronto, this time of year. Thick slice of lemon for the fish.

Humble ingredients, but the fish is delicate, tender, and absolutely delicious. This is the kind of food I want to cook more often.

DF

Post No. 2001

Yes, at 2000 posts.

It's like I'm trapped in a speeding car with shot brakes. It's beginning to snow outside, end of the year coming very, very soon. And with it, the usual worry lines about whether I'll have enough wine to drink over the holidays. Every year, I try to drink more wine than I did before. Looking at how much wine I have at home, I won't have enough to beat 2009's mark. Budgeting? Not a chance.

You know when you look back at your writing from years ago, that feeling of stupidity about it all? Last night, I looked back at my pieces from 2007, 2008 . . . sheer stupidity. The writing was so clumsy, so vapid, so boring. Most of it was due to this utter idiocy of trying to write 100 posts a month - the other reasons, too arrogant to admit. But I'm working on it.

Always on the search for new ways to write about wine, on new ways to experience and taste it. A highlight of the past 2000 has definitely been my trips to Niagara - please look on the left, and click on the Niagara tags. Another highlight, the tastings I've attended. Learning and absorbing as much information as I can, to continue developing my understanding of wine and cuisine, and being able to communicate my experiences - that's the focus of my next thousand.

And now . . . let us drink.

DF

Taste the Sea - Dory

Dory fish in a spice broth of chili peppers, chili paste, and Sichuan peppercorns. You layer with fresh sprouts and gently poach the fish - it turns out tender, infused with the beautiful perfume of all the spices, and is a can't put down dish, especially when the weather turns nippy.

DF

Taste the Sea - Cockles

Cockles are a fascinating, symmetrical bivalve - these are from New Zealand, showing a lovely green hue outside, shiny purple tinges inside. Again, just a touch of white wine to coax them out of their shells. Tender, succulent, and very delicious.

DF

Taste the Sea - Clams

Clams (or any other bivalve) are tricky to cook. Easy to overcook, they can quickly shrivel into a lump with the consistency of rubber - if they aren't fresh, they can die quickly, stinking up the entire pot. But savoury clams are so fun. When you cook clams, you look for the shells to open, then immediately serve. These clams pop wide open in the most dramatic fashion. As the name suggests, they have a very delicate, sweet flavour. White wine is all you really need, with a deft touch of seasoning.

In steamed eggs, in white wine, savoury clams always win.

DF

Taste the Sea - Oysters

Oysters are becoming boring and clichéd starts to meals. So you think of ways to freshen your approach to beginning a long dinner. Kumamoto oysters, at their best, have this incredible creamy richness. Not as briny, but if they are fresh, they are absolutely delicious. Instead of slicing lemon, you make a salad of diced zucchini and lemon juice.

In one bite: creamy and rich, acidic and fresh.

DF

Taste the Sea

Let us drink and be merry. Feeling for some serious seafood, and hoping to take advantage of the shellfish coming into season, so dinner chez Fang.

Began putting together the wines I wanted to serve a few weeks beforehand - wanted to cook around a selection of white Burgundy. Made up my mind that I was going to just serve seafood. And hoping to incorporate some of the inspiration I gained after eating in New York.

Taste the Sea, coming up.

DF

2005 Barolo Ravera

2005 Marziano Abona Terlo Ravera, DOCG Barolo

One of my obsessions lately has been with Barolo. I want to understand and learn to appreciate this stunning wine - a wine which in my opinion is finer and infinitely more authentic than any super-Tuscan can ever be. What I love about these wines most of all is their absolute uncompromising nature - you have to allow them to age in bottle. Other great wines, red Burgundy, even red Bordeaux . . . most other wines won't give you too much grief if you drink them young. It'd be a shame, but you could still do it. Not great Barolo. As I quickly learned, these wines can be so austere, so tannic, so hard to penetrate that drinking them young is an utterly masochistic act.

What of this one? At a mere 5 years of age, not taking my own advice as usual. From the cru of Ravera in Novello, from the 2005 vintage, a vintage yielding more accessible, friendly wines as opposed to the classic and monumental 2004's. Decanted for many, many hours, overnight in fact. I always trust my first nose in everything I taste . . . this wine was simply divine. Mushroomy, earthy aromas that came off as so thick, a concentrated bouquet that was just extraordinary in its intensity. Dark berries, but that characteristic tar and spice of Barolo shines. Very austere in the mouth, very tightly wound, but so complex, so minerally, so balanced. Concentrated and viscous but absolutely precise and elegant in texture. Absolutely delicious, my goodness . . . truly one of the great wines of the world.

Continuing on with really exploring this region, I've made up my mind to drink more Barolo before the year ends. I've kind of begun shopping for Christmas break drinking . . . never to early to start. Not putting any away yet - need more experience, need to drink a few more bottles before I begin adding to the cellar.

DF

2004 Margaret River

2004 Evans & Tate The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

I've got to confess - I have a deep prejudice against the wines of Australia. Unfair, definitely. And I've even got family there - one cousin who lives in Melbourne, the other in Sydney (not that we've ever shared a wine together). But we've been conditioned in North America to accept that all Australian wines are in the mold of monster McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley shiraz, or worse, the Yellowtail ocean. There has to be proper Australian wines, as there are good and undrinkable examples in all wine regions of the world - but how do you experience it when general tastes are less than refined?

I found one. I actually found an Aussie that is complex, subtle, and shows character. Needle in a haystack, yes, but finding these treasures affirms all that is good and true and honest about wine. From the Margaret River, not sure if this is 100% varietal cabernet, but enough to be labelled as such. Dark red, with a nice ruby edge, rustic and minty on the bouquet, generous cabernet fruit, but with a beautiful underlying minerality. Fine, elegant palate, although it does lack a certain lushness in the mouth. This is Australia, after all. Slightly bitter on the finish, fine tannins. Delicious.

Varietally correct wine, but I can't help but feel that if perhaps if a bit of merlot or shiraz were added, to give some roundness in the palate, it could be even more impressive. Nonetheless, a very noble example of cabernet, subtle and age-worthy. Proof that yes, some of them do know what they're doing down there.

DF

Abalone, two ways

And here they are, two stunning ways to eat one of the greatest seafoods of the world. Salt baked abalone, one, and poached abalone, two. Poach gently in the richest, purest chicken stock you can possibly make - perfect in texture and flavour.

What to drink alongside?

DF

Salt baked abalone

Salt baked abalone, I had no clue what I was doing, but I had on hand the most amazing fresh abalone. And I was just so, so hungry.

I made a salt crust for the cleaned abalone, wrapped it in blanched cabbage leaves, then in a baking sheet, and prayed in front of the oven for it to turn out presentable. Not so successful - a lot of the salt remained on the abalone when I removed the crust, and the meat had shrunk. More developing needed, but I need to hurry - it seems the season is coming to an end.

DF

Fresh abalone

Abalone is one of the most extraordinary seafoods of the world, and a treasure of Chinese cuisine. My fishmonger has begun selling fresh abalone, and I've been eating them as fast as I can, taking advantage. Just amazing. You cut off the muscle to take them off the half shell, and remove the dirty innards underneath - the interior of the shell has just the most dazzling colour and shine.

There are many ways of eating them. Chinese gourmands generally prize dried abalone more than fresh, and I have to agree. Eating them live is an entirely different experience, and I thoroughly enjoy both. There are many methods to prepare these - as always, the simplest methods are the best, preserving both natural flavour and texture. As for how I prepared mine, I decided to cook them two ways . . .

DF

You happy with the service at the LCBO?

Let's meditate on something, you and me, in front of 关爷爷. Are you happy with the service you receive at the LCBO?

I'm not. Retail staff at Toronto LCBO locations are indifferent at best, insulting at their worst, and exemplify all the prejudices that have been spun about union workers. Too many times have I been brushed off because an LCBO employee couldn't be bothered to answer a question. And that's if they acknowledge you at all; heaven forbid you disturb them during their shift.

There are two types of retail staff on the floor at major LCBO outlets, say at Queen's Quay, Summerhill, or Bayview Village. Blue shirts are general retail staff. White shirts are Vintages Products Consultants. Don't you dare try to ask a Blue shirt anything wine-related. Their only tasks are to stock shelves, appear busy, and avoid customers - you think I'm joking? If only. Want to ask them where you can find a particular bottle? Forget it. You'll get a grunt and shake of the head, indicating that you need to find a White shirt for that kind of daunting request. The Blue shirt is busy (not) stocking shelves with the latest releases - he simply cannot be bothered. White shirts, on the other hand, answer questions without actually answering any questions. Chin up, chest out, this is an actual conversation I had with one recently:

Hi, excuse me, I'm looking for a 2008 Château Connard.

It's not on shelves? Well, it's in the back then.

Really? Can you grab a few bottles for me?

You'll have to wait until they're on the shelf.

But it's physically in the store! Can't you just head into the back room and pick up a bottle?

It gets frustrating doesn't it? So what's going on? If you compare the wine retail experience of Ontario against anything in the United States, in Europe, even in Asia, there's a clear difference in the level of service being provided. Wine retail in other countries I've visited actually care about wine. They want to make you buy a lot, yes, but they care about selling you wine you'll enjoy, and making sure that you leave happier than when you entered. The days of being on a first name basis with a wine retailer who knows your tastes and educates you on the subject are gone. They're gone, get over it. It'd be nice though, if LCBO customers were treated with more respect. Wouldn't it be nice if they took time to actually talk to you, look you in the eye while they were replying, and give you a proper answer? Would it be so impossible to find that bottle of wine for you, or tell you conclusively when it'll arrive, or give you a decent recommendation for a purchase? I'm tired of chasing after an LCBO employee, only to have him shout some half-answer at me over his shoulder mid-stride, leaving me confused, pissed, and bewildered that I even bothered to ask.

Would you stand for this kind of service at any other retailer? Clothing store? Electronics shop? Commission-earning salespeople aside, there's no excuse for any retail operation to treat its customers so callously. LCBO has the f*ck you advantage of being a monopoly - you have to buy from them, but should that make a difference? We're not paying any less - in fact, we're paying much higher prices for wine than in almost anywhere else in North America. I'm not romanticizing the wine buying experience, but a certain standard of respect is mandatory.

There are lots of fine people at the LCBO location I shop at, but there are still times when I'm treated as little more than an afterthought - this, after I've been shopping there every two weeks for the past 6 years, dropping nearly $28K on Vintages products. And yet I've even started dreading going to different locations because the experience always leaves a sour taste in my mouth. The worst part is that if I spoke up about it, as I probably should have last Thursday, I'd be blacklisted and not allowed back in. I politely asked a question - all I wanted was a proper answer back. Don't give me attitude, don't talk to me like I'm the dipshit. Are these irregular occurences? I wish they were - I could then plead this post off as being temporarily paralyzed by rage. But it's not. This is a regular pattern of indifference exhibited by retail staff at the LCBO.

So, are you happy with the service you receive at your local LCBO outlet? I've met Greg Dunlop, as well as several other senior executives of the LCBO at various tastings. They've been nothing but friendly and cordial - why doesn't that translate to their employees?

I'm going to meditate on that. Until then, so I don't do anything rash (curse out someone, punch someone, bite someone, castrate someone), I'll be asking 关爷爷 for guidance. The fact that he wields an 80 pound halberd doesn't hurt either.

DF