Matthew Levin's FAHRENHEIT825:

Yountville Trip Day 2

Today was jammed packed with events that I needed to attend for the San Pelligrino competition, but somehow I found the time to have lunch with Harold Deitrele from Perilla in NYC. Great lunch at the bar, oysters, clams and local crab. Very simple with basic mignonette and cocktail sauce. Then I had the Bouchout Mussels from Maine with saffron and mustard, killer good as were the frittes. As a whole all of us this weekend have drank way too much wine, but when you're here there isn't many other options, such is life! We then had dinner at Francis Ford Coppola's house at the Rubicon Estate. First of all this estate was one of the sickest structures I have ever seen, 15,000 square feet cave that wound its way into the mountain- side and barrel after barrel of some of Americas best wines. The wine maker opened a barrel of 2006 Cask Cabernet and gave us all a glass directly from the barrel, it tasted like the wine could have gone another 10 years but still having the wine directly out of its barrel was intense. We were then escorted upstairs into the area where the wine is produced and treated to a fabulous 5 course meal based around all of the Rubicon Estates wines. Another crazy day tomorow, heading to the Laundry around 7am to chill with those guys in the kitchen for a few hours, and then back to CIA Greystone for the finnaly of the Pelligrino event where we will annonce this years winner.

Yountville Trip Day 1

Arrived in San Francisco around 10:30 am and had a lesieurly long drive up to Napa, but once you get here "oh my god" its amazing here, within about 1/2 mile there are three of the most amazing restaurants in america. Bouchon, Ad Hoc and of course The French Laundry, its amazing to me that just from the sucess of "the laundry" this small town of 2,000 people is buzzing with great little wine bars, bistros and bakeries. Another thing that really stuck out to me so far is the general attitude of everyone that works around here, they are all exremely service oriented and strive to serve you in any an every way the best they can. Tonight after the event we had I walked up through town on Washington Street and was standing in front of Bouchon and called "Majors" and told him how he needs to get out here and really check this town out, it has Lee Majors written al over it, actually Majors on the other hand, don't come out here because im sure you just like me will never want to leave.

Lamb Shank Video

Morrocan Stripped Bass

Recently I launched a line of custom made spices that are for sale at Dibruno Brothers in Philadelphia. You can get them at their stores in Rittenhouse or in the Italian market. This dish we used the Ras el Hanout spice that we make in house. It's a blend of hibiscus flower, Thai long pepper, rose hips, ceylon cinnamon and star anise, among other spices. We infuse the spice into yogurt and slowly add some good qulity extra virgin olive oil. Also we make a aromatic broth that is fortified with the stripper bones and the Ras el Hanout. A roasted eggplant puree and a few sweet bell peppers and fresh oregano and the dish was complete, funny how a dish that was meant for a wine tasting and wound up on the menu for a few weeks. The spice racks include six custom spices along with 2 recipes for each. The next few posts will be based on my spices and how to utilize them in your daily cooking at home as well as in your restaurant kitchens.