Entries from November 2007

November 30, 2007

Wine Library TV

Some of you may have noticed the widget I added for Wine Library TV.  I have been a huge fan of WLTV for about 18 months.  The host Gary Vay-Ner-Chuck (look at an episode and you’ll know what I mean) is funny, irreverent and knows his stuff.  I have also come to trust his palate [...]

November 29, 2007

2004 Columbia Crest Merlot Grand Estates

       Not a lot of merlot gets drunk in stately Fred manor.  And this isn’t because of some lemming-like response to the movie Sideways either.  It’s just that most merlot, priced at the everyday drinking point, is just plain boring and uninteresting.  That’s why in keeping with one of the goals of the blog to [...]

November 26, 2007

Great Magazine Find- Edible Chesapeake

I just wanted to share with you a great magazine that I recently discovered.  It’s called Edible Chesapeake.  From their website:
“Edible Chesapeake is a quarterly publication that celebrates the abundance of local and seasonal foods in the Chesapeake watershed. We celebrate family farmers, fishermen, food artisans, chefs, and other food-related businesses, as well as the [...]

November 25, 2007

Frederick Cellars Cabernet Revisited

I had the Frederick Cellars 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon this evening with some minestrone soup and homemade bread.  I was absolutley surprised by the wine.  Not pleasantly either.  Now I may not have Robert Parker’s palate (it has been reported that he can remember every wine he ever tasted!) but it was only five days ago that I tasted this [...]

November 21, 2007

Frederick Cellars Part II

 Here are the highlights of our tasting at Frederick Cellars:
Heritage Red 2004:  ($16). This is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  Was medium bodied, with flavors of sour cherry, and some peppery notes.  Has some mild tannins on the finish.  Not especially complex, but would be an excellent wine with food, especially Italian.  86 [...]

November 20, 2007

Frederick Cellars Winery

        Mrs. Fred and I paid a visit to Frederick Cellars today.  Frederick Cellars is one of six wineries in Frederick County and is located in downtown Frederick on East Street just north of Shab Row.  It has the distinction of being one of the few urban wineries in the country.  It sits in a [...]

November 18, 2007

Beaujolais Nouveau

  Do you ever have one of those almost automatic, mindless family traditions that you do every year? You may even look forward to it, but when you are doing it you wonder why the hell you do it?  Well Beaujolais Nouveau is like that for me.  I don’t know why I drink it, but [...]

November 17, 2007

Goodbye Farmers Market

Well, today was the last day for the Baughmans Lane farmers market.  Sad to see it go but the number of vendors has been dwindling of late.  Picked up some golf ball sized Seckel pears.  Haven’t had any yet.  I’ll update when I do.
Fred

November 16, 2007

Jennifer’s Restaurant

This is just going to be a preliminary review, as I’m not entirely sure I am being fair.  I went to Jennifer’s Restaurant (207 West Patrick Street) for lunch today.  I’ve been there maybe a dozen times over the years.  Always for lunch.  Candidly its always been when someone else has invited me and chosen [...]

November 15, 2007

Vignola Market

Vignola Market- Kind of like an Italian Opera: excitement, love and then my heart is ripped out, but in the end I forgive you anyway
The other day I went to the Vignola Market.  It was not my first trip there, and it certainly won’t be my last. If you’ve never been there it’s worth a [...]