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Maryland Gazette, Wednesday, December 25, 2013 —
Maryland Gazette
FLAVOR
a7
A7
WednesdAy
december 25, 2013
LIBATIONS
Sparkling wine
sets a mood
like no other
W
hat is it about champagne that gets us
all excited? Are we so easy to please
that all it takes are a few cascading
bubbles to make us smile?
Yes. And what’s wrong with that? Not all
problems can be so easily vanquished by
a glass of
sparkling
wine, but the
accidental
drink
popularized
by
Benedictine
monks in the
18th century
has a magical
effect on
the worst of
problems.
by Tom Marquardt and
Sparkling
Patrick Darr
wine —
correctly
called champagne only in Champagne — can
warm the heart, invigorate the senses and set
a mood like no other wine.
Its region in northern France is not the
most hospitable in a country known more for
its still wine. Only hearty grapes can survive
the cold temperatures, although global
warming is changing that. Perhaps that is
why champagne is unfortunately relegated to
a special occasion. We don’t know of anyone
outside Champagne who drinks it regularly,
even if it has more versatility than people
give it credit for.
Champagne may have a lock on the name,
but they don’t have a lock on bubbles. In
recent years, we have seen an explosion
in popularity for prosecco — the Italian
sparkling wine generally made from glera
grapes. Spanish cava is making a comeback if
you can get past the ubiquitous Freixenet.
WinE, ETC.
(See WINE, Page A8)
Don’t pound a
good beer, savor it
I
’m not going to come down too hard on
anyone for valuing quantity over quality
when it comes to beer. As much as it
pains me to admit, there are even certain
situations where I totally understand this
principle.
For example, if you’re dealing with lessthan-crafty brews that are “best served ice
cold” — so you can’t
tasting anything at all
— it’s best to get that
swill down your throat
before your taste buds
know what hit them.
Also, a bucket of
cheap beer is often
the only salvation
us weeping legions
of downtrodden
Washington Redskins
fans have in this cold,
cruel world. Let’s face
by Liz Murphy
it: It’s been a tough
however many years
it’s been since Dan Snyder rode into town on
his depression-inducing stallion of football
sadness.
But we need to change how we drink beer,
comrades. It’s time for a beervolution.
While there are plenty of beers not worthy
of your attention or time, there are just as
many — if not more — out there that should
be experienced with patience and reverence.
I’m not saying you need to take the next
beer you buy out for a nice seafood dinner
and call it the next morning. But if we’re
already conditioned to savor and appreciate
a good glass of Duckhorn Cabernet
Sauvignon or two fingers of an 18-year-old
Macallan whiskey, why shouldn’t we apply
the same logic to a well-crafted beer?
You’ll be rewarded if you do.
A perfect brew for savoring is the
Trappistes Rochefort 10, a Belgian quadrupel.
Not only is it one of my top-choice
companions on a chilly, gray day, it’s also a
favorite of many beer lovers out there.
The brewery itself, Brasserie de Rochefort,
is a Belgian Trappist brewery located on
the grounds of the Abbey of Notre-Dame
de Saint-Rémy, outside of Rochefort in
southern Belgium. The monks — yes, the
monks — began brewing beer on site in 1595.
And brewing of this delicious monk beer
continues to this day exclusively as a means
to raise funds for the monastery.
arUnDEl PinT
(See BEER, Page A8)
by Diana Love
Jim Wilder in the kitchen at Sam’s on the Waterfront.
Looking forward
Past, present and future:
Chef Jim Wilder
t
here is a reason the new year is a celebratory
occasion for most every culture: the
acknowledgement of survival, the turning over of the
old and looking forward to the new, even to the unknown,
deserves joyful recognition.
There is always a back story to the
survival, the renewal, the hope — facts
you thought you knew, but really didn’t.
Here is the back story of Jim Wilder:
native Annapolitan, successful chef and
popular restaurateur.
Locals recall Jim as chef and owner
of Eastport’s beloved Wild Orchid, a
neighborly bungalow replete with a
tiny lawn, pretty flowers and quaint
street sign. Jim and his wife Karen
transformed the former café into an
intimate dining experience, a compelling
by Diana
menu and a diverse wine list.
Located on Bay Ridge Avenue, Wild
Love
Orchid felt like a visit to the comfortable
home of someone who fortuitously loved
to cook really good food. The restaurant was ahead of
its time. A rotating menu featured local producers and
a West Coast emphasis on simple, fresh and flavorful
organic ingredients.
In fact, the Wilders were the vanguard of the local,
sustainable movement in Anne Arundel County. They
weren’t trying to be founders of a local revolution; they
were simply trying to emphasize a lifelong love of good
taste.
Jim was born in a house built by his great-grandfather
on Windmill Hill. Only a longtime Annapolitan would
recognize that name, since the large, acre-sized plots of
the community, located on the east side of the Navy/
Marine Corps Stadium are long gone.
His mother grew a sizable garden. His father grew
up on a farm and tried to bring that sensibility into the
home. Jim grew his own vegetables and helped raise the
family’s pigs. (Yes, there were pigs in Admiral Heights
just a couple decades ago.)
Jim’s first job was in a restaurant, and that is where
he’s stayed, despite the odds. To say “the odds” is to
understate the obstacles Jim has faced in his long career.
Young, energetic and athletic, Jim’s first job as a
runner at Harbor House (currently Phillips Annapolis
Crab Deck), suited him well. The restaurant sat around
800 people on a busy night, and Jim loved the physical
challenges of lifting, hauling and serving.
foraging
for flavor
When he was 19, Jim fearlessly climbed a tree near
his house to remove branches felled during an electrical
storm. Suddenly, a large branch crashed through the
leaves, knocking him 30 feet to the ground, severing his
spinal cord, rendering his legs paralyzed for life.
This sad accident, though taking his legs, did not take
his spirit or his aspirations.
“I’ve always just been into food. From when I was in
the kitchen as a kid with my grandmother, until now,
food is what I relate to,” Jim says.
He knew he wanted to cook, so he asked his high
school friend Rusty Romo if he could have a job in the
kitchen at Harry Browne’s on Maryland Avenue. He
wasn’t professionally trained, so he read every gourmet
magazine and cookbook he could find, forming menus at
night and stopping by Graul’s Market on the way to work
in the morning.
Rusty was encouraged by Jim’s studies. When the two
discovered that Yves Bruchard, a chef from the Inn at
Little Washington, was waylaid in Annapolis, also due to
an injury, Rusty paid him to mentor Jim in the kitchen.
“Yves taught me everything I needed to know, then
told me the rest had to come from my heart through hard
work and creativity,” Jim remembers. “That stuck with
me.”
He left Harry Browne’s after eight years to start
Company’s Coming Catering with his cousin. They set up
at Annapolis Landing, hoping to take advantage of yacht
and boat traffic.
“Crab cakes and filet Mignon — that’s all the boaters
wanted. There was little overhead and they were willing
to pay, so we did well.”
The boating business was only viable during the
summer — winters were the dregs — so Jim went looking
for a spot to open a restaurant.
He found the perfect space in La Moufette. The location
was attractive largely because it wasn’t too big and had
space to maneuver his wheelchair. He could manage the
restaurant himself without having to hire support staff.
Jim’s focus at Wild Orchid was always to bring
metropolitan food trends to Annapolis, and for many
years he did just that.
“People liked that my food had actual flavor, and when
people say you’ve done something good, you just want to
try even harder to be even better. That’s what we did.”
In the course of the 17 years Jim owned Wild Orchid,
he married Karen and became a father to her four
children. Together they grew both the restaurant and
Company’s Coming. But with only 12 tables, it was
difficult to turn enough profit to support his large family.
Company’s Coming helped with the shortfall, but still it
required long, hard hours for both Karen and Jim. They
were considering their next step when another tragedy
struck.
(See LOVE, Page A8)
“I haven’t disappeared. I haven’t stopped
cooking. I am focused, I’m moving forward
and I am reinvigorated.”
— Chef Jim Wilder, former chef and owner of the Wild Orchid.
A8 — MArylAnd GAzette, Wednesday, December 25, 2013
www.capitalgazette.com
A simple recipe for a sensational party food
By ELIZABETH KARMEL
Associated Press
Bacon-wrapped scallops are one of the
most luxurious appetizers you can serve,
not to mention one of the easiest to prepare.
And for me, that’s a great combination.
I like using big, plump Alaskan sea
scallops and applewood smoked bacon.
Because there are only two main
ingredients in this dish, you need to make
sure you use the best quality — the biggest,
freshest sea scallops you can find, and the
most flavorful bacon. After that, they are so
easy to grill that you hardly need a recipe.
There are two types of scallops, but only
one of them is appropriate for the grill.
Tiny bay scallops are so sweet, you can eat
them raw or just lightly sauteed. But they
also are more expensive and not suited for
grilling. What you want are the larger, less
expensive sea scallops.
This all-protein finger food appetizer is
perfect for holiday entertaining. It’s simple
to prep and quick to cook. You even could
prepare them in advance. I pre-cook the
LOVE
(Continued from Page A7)
Their son Andrew collapsed on a
farm in Hawaii and never regained
consciousness. Karen managed to
have him flown home to Maryland,
where doctors discovered he
had brain cancer. Although they
operated, Andrew remained
unconscious and three months
later, died.
Jim’s approach to difficulty and
tragedy has always been to buckle
down, to consume himself so deeply
in work that grief and frustration
become secondary. He was already
contemplating his next step when
Andrew’s sudden death spurred
him to make an unlikely leap. At
the time, many locals simply didn’t
understand that move. They didn’t
know the back story.
Jim and Karen moved Wild
Orchid from Eastport to the Severn
Bank Building on Westgate Circle
in 2009. Where Wild Orchid 1 was
a tiny, homey respite, Wild Orchid
2 was characterized by purple and
pink neon exterior lighting, a sleek
bar reminiscent of a hotel lounge
and seating for 150. The kitchen
was huge and fully ADA compliant.
Jim could roll his wheelchair
BEER
(Continued from Page A7)
In fact, thanks to legal
stipulations similar to those
governing the classification
of Champagne, only a handful
monasteries in the world can
brew and sell beer considered to
be “Authentic Trappist Product.”
The brewing process of an
authentic Trappist beer must
occur by the hands of or under
the direct supervision of monks
within the walls of a Trappist
monastery. Furthermore,
brewing cannot be a for-profit
enterprise. These are only two
examples of the rules enforced
by the International Trappist
Association to prevent any
ol’ beer from calling itself a
“Trappist.”
Now, you don’t want to crack
open a bottle of Trappistes
Rochefort 10 and glug-glug away
in front of the refrigerator door
in your polka dot underpants at
midnight. You will hate it, and I
will hate you for committing such
a crime against beer. Stay your
WINE
(Continued from Page A7)
And there are many California
and Oregon sparkling wines that
are as luxurious as their French
cousins. The choices are great.
Champagne’s luxury image
has been helped by the flourish
of how the bottle is opened.
The unmistakable pop of a cork
is associated with celebration.
If you hear it in a restaurant,
don’t you wonder what the table
is celebrating? Look into the
woman’s eyes and try telling us
she isn’t feeling special.
Some American sparkling wine
is as expensive as champagne.
The best values in French
champagne are Nicolas Feuillate,
Pierre Peters, Veuve Clicquot and
Pommery.
As we engage in the year’s most
celebratory season, it is time again
to think of champagne if only to
put a smile on the most dour of
faces.
bacon to render some of the fat and make
it soft and pliable for wrapping around the
scallops. Then just refrigerate until your
guests arrive and pop them on the grill
when you want them.
We’ve also paired these with a simple
maple-mustard sauce that is delicious
dolloped on top of the scallops just before
serving. But feel free to leave that off.
gRILLED BACON-WRAPPED
SCALLOPS
Everything tastes better with bacon! And
it doesn’t get any better than fresh-from-theocean sea scallops wrapped with bacon. The
scallops take very little time to cook, so I
cook the bacon in the oven or microwave for
a couple of minutes before I wrap it around
the scallops. That way, I am guaranteed to
get crispy bacon and tender scallops. The
best sea scallops I’ve ever had are from
Alaska, so ask your fishmonger for them.
Start to finish: 20 minutes
Makes 12 to 14 scallops
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
up and down the line with ease.
Company’s Coming could offer
customers a separate event space.
Finally, Jim and Karen were
able to offer their customers the
many luxuries like padded seats
and large bathrooms that Karen
felt they were missing in Eastport.
Most importantly, the couple
could console their grief with
overwhelming work.
Wild Orchid did well for the
first three years. As the economy
regressed, though, it began to
feel the pinch. Jim didn’t want
to sacrifice quality to cost, but
he couldn’t make rent on what
began to feel like an island floating
between busy downtown and
growing Annapolis Towne Centre.
Just as Jim began to shutter the
restaurant, his sister introduced
him to Andrew Parks, owner of
Sam’s on the Waterfront cafe. Like
Jim, Parks has an appreciation
for the environmental, cultural
and even commercial value of
sustainably produced foods.
And like Jim, he embraces the
concept of “Creative American”
cuisine. Parks happened to be in
need of an executive chef just when
Jim needed a new gig, and the rest,
as they say, is history.
Jim started at Sam’s in late
July 2013. He has kept most of the
kegstand-loving hand and learn to
be patient, friends.
If you don’t have a Trappiststyle glass — a bowl glass with
a longer stem — on hand, don’t
worry. You can also pour this bad
boy into a large snifter or tulip
glass in a pinch. After pouring,
let it sit for at least five to 10
minutes. Remember, ice-cold beer
shocks the taste buds on your
tongue. You want it to warm up
so you can actually taste what
you’re drinking.
Once you’ve found the most
snug corner of your couch, you’re
ready to enjoy your first sip. To
me, the Trappistes Rochefort 10
tastes like a rich bread pudding,
with notes of raisin, caramel
and plums. Even molasses. The
warming effect of this beer is
only enhanced by its higher
gravity — or relative density
compared to water — denoted by
the “10” in its name.
It’s like a big, cozy blanket I
love to drink over the span of 30
minutes or more, because I notice
new notes and flavors as time
goes on.
So while “Chug! Chug! Chug!”
may be the song of your people,
Here are several champagnes
and sparkling wines we recently
tasted:
J Brut Rosé Russian River
Valley ($38). A rosé doubles the
impact of sparkling wine. Its color
adds a festive splash to the table
and intrigues the palate. The
J is made predominantly from
pinot noir grapes and shows off
raspberry and citrus notes. Serve
this alongside salmon and you
won’t find a more elegant dinner.
Biltmore Estate Blanc de
Blancs Brut ($25). Also from
the Russian River Valley, this
sparkling chardonnay has
understated apple and pear flavors
and mouth-cleansing acidity.
Champagne Charles Heidsieck
Brut Reserve ($65). Too often
we forget about this venerable
producer, yet every time we taste
it we are quickly reminded of its
pedigree. The brut reserve offers
generous mango and roasted coffee
aromas and creamy plum and
cherry flavors. It is an even blend
of chardonnay, pinot noir and
pinot meunier.
AP photo
1 pound jumbo sea scallops
1/2 pound center-cut bacon
Salt and ground black pepper
Round wooden toothpicks, soaked in water
for 30 minutes
Heat the oven to 400 F. Set a wire rack
classic Sam’s items on the menu
while working in his famous
butternut squash soup, fresh
beet salad, bacon-wrapped pork
tenderloin and dirty grapes: an
appetizer of sautéed chicken livers
with smoked bacon and roasted
grapes.
“Many items on the Sam’s menu
are truly fantastic: Kobe burgers,
lobster rolls, the flourless chocolate
cake... I just added a couple of my
own and my customers’ favorites,
while also bringing specials
representative of current trends
and flavors.”
It’s true that Jim doesn’t have
nearly the same kitchen space
as he did at Westgate Circle. He
manages the kitchen from a small
prep table he built to accommodate
the height of his wheelchair. He
adjusted the chair’s wheels to
better maneuver narrow doorways
and galleys. He tips pots forward
to get a look at what’s cooking,
a dangerous but necessary move
that has involved more than one
comical mishap.
But at Sam’s, Jim is able to
continue his cooking legacy.
“Has this transition been hard on
Karen and I? Naturally, yes. I am
working the hours of a chef again,
12 hours, six days. But I refuse to
fail. It’s never been an option. I
over a rimmed baking sheet. Heat the grill
to medium-high.
In a small bowl, mix together the mustard
and maple syrup. Set aside.
Use paper towels to blot dry the scallops.
Arrange them on a plate, then set aside.
Arrange the bacon in a single layer on
the rack over the baking sheet. Bake for 10
to 12 minutes, or until just starting to cook.
Do not fully cook the bacon. Remove the
bacon from the oven. If too hot to handle,
let cool for several minutes. Once the bacon
can be handled, wrap one slice of bacon
around each scallop. Secure in place by
threading one of the toothpicks through the
bacon and scallop.
Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the
tops and bottoms of the scallops with bacon
fat from the pan. Season with salt and
pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Serve with the sauce for dolloping a bit
onto each.
have a deep passion for cooking
and I am back in the kitchen,
doing what I love. It’s a relief to
not have the weight of the books
hanging over my head. I can really
concentrate now and my cooking is
better than ever.”
Jim has been literally losing
sleep over his debut New Year’s
Eve menu. He’s conjuring a
vegetarian pâté that will showcase
elegant holiday flavors, a citrus
mignonette for shellfish and a ruby
red grapefruit beurre blanc for
lobster tail.
“I haven’t disappeared. I haven’t
stopped cooking. I am focused,
I’m moving forward and I am
reinvigorated. Karen and I have
hopes and dreams that we plan to
realize here at Sam’s.”
To help you celebrate your own
New Year, Jim has graciously
shared the recipe for his famous
butternut squash lasagna.
ButtERNut SquASH LASAgNA
4 pounds butternut squash peeled,
seeded and sliced about 1/2-inch
thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and pepper
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 eggs
1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese
keep in mind that this and other
brews are labors of love. They
are endowed with rich flavor
profiles that are often matched by
an equally rich history. It’s our
responsibility to give them the
opportunity to shine.
Beer homework: If the high
gravity and 11.3 percent ABV
of the Trappistes Rochefort 10
is a bit too much for you, you
can ease into this style with the
Trappistes Rochefort 6 or 8. As
with the 10, the lower number
denotes its gravity. The Rochefort
6 is only brewed once a year. The
Rochefort 8 has more fruit notes
and, of the three beers, makes up
most of the brewery’s production.
1/2 pound shredded mozzarella
1/2 pound grated Parmesan
1 box lasagna noodles or fresh
pasta sheets
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and
toss butternut squash with olive
oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Let cool. Lower oven to 350 degrees.
Combine ricotta, mozzarella,
Parmesan, egg, nutmeg and
cayenne pepper
In a 9-by-12 casserole pan, layer
lasagna noodles, cheese mixture
and roasted butternut squash. Top
with your favorite béchamel recipe,
then more shredded mozzarella and
grated Parmesan.
Place baking dish in 350-degree
oven until cheese is golden, about
30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 15
minutes before serving.
Diana Love is a freelance food
writer and food industry consultant
based in Annapolis. Her love for
fresh food, the farming life and all
things outdoors is best expressed
through her creativity in the
kitchen. Ask questions or send
suggestions about Flavor topics to
[email protected].
By Liz Murphy,
Correspondent
trappistes
rochefort is
among the
great beers
that should
be sipped,
savored and
enjoyed.
Liz Murphy is an editor living
in Annapolis with her husband,
Patrick, and their two lazy dogs,
Horatio and Clover. In addition
to being a professional comma
wrangler, Liz also runs her
own Annapolis-based beer blog,
Naptown Pint. You can usually
find this six-foot-tall klutz kicking
back a pint (or four) at 1747 Pub
off Church Circle. Or you can just
set a scotch ale out on your porch,
and she’ll be there in five minutes.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut
Champagne ($45). This
reasonably priced cuvee — a
blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier
and chardonnay grapes — is an
excellent value. Good structure
with pear and apple notes.
Adami Col Credas Brut
Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Superiore 2011 ($22). Made
with glera grapes, this dry and
tangy sparkling wine has a floral
fragrance and simple but cleansing
mouthfeel.
Mumm Napa Cuvee M ($22).
The dosage includes late-harvest
muscat and pinot noir to give
this a sweetness. If that’s your
pleasure, you’ll certainly like this
viscous wine with ripe peach and
pear notes.
Veuve Clicquot
We recently met with Pierre
Casenave, winemaker for Veuve
Clicquot — France’s second largest
producer of champagne.
Casenave started at Veuve
Clicquot in 2008 as a member of the
tasting group that assembles the
various house blends. But his most
recent assignment is the production
of the pinot noir still wine that
is used in the making of Veuve
Clicquot’s rosé.
The pinot noir is entirely aged
in stainless steel, and is never
more than three to five years old
to preserve the color. Here are the
wines we recently tasted:
Veuve Clicquot N/V Yellow
Label Brut ($45-55). Arguably the
best looking and most recognizable
champagne label on retail shelves,
this champagne consistently wins
consumer approval. A pleasant
nose of bread and yeast that leads
to a full fruity and elegant presence
in the mouth. Well-balanced
and refreshing. Made from 55
percent pinot noir and 30 percent
chardonnay, and 15 percent pinot
meunier.
Veuve Clicquot Rose N/V Brut
($85). Made from the same blend
as the “Yellow Label” except 15
percent of the blend is the still
pinot noir. Nice toasty nose with
some berry fruit notes in the
mouth. Pretty light pink color
makes a nice presentation.
Veuve Clicquot Vintage 2004
Brut ($96). This is a young wine
that Casenave stated “can age for
20 years for sure.” More intense
fruit than the non-vintage blends
with some nice bread notes and a
hint of flowers. Complex.
Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec
N/V ($68). This slightly sweet
fruity wine is perfect as an
accompaniment to rich holiday
desserts and chocolates. It also
should work for any visitors and
guests who don’t like dry wines.
Casenave also recommended the
demi sec for spicy foods as a nice
foil to the heat. Nice fruity nose
and mouth experience.
Tom Marquardt is the retired
editor and publisher of Capital
Gazette Communications; Patrick
Darr works in the local wine retail
business. Some of the reviewed
wines were provided as samples
by the producers. To reach the
authors or get help in finding a
wine, go to their website at www.
MoreAboutWine.com.