We all know it is better, in theory, to give than to get. Sometimes, however, particularly at this time of year, that maxim becomes difficult to abide by. So I am here today in my role of Santa’s helper to point you toward some gifts that will be well appreciated by those to whom you give them. I am suggesting a trio of carry-out edible treats with potable accompaniments intended to be shared with others at holiday meals or parties. There follows, as well, a list of liquid gifts certain to please recipients’ palates.
First our search for takeout, which, for the sake of convenience, will be confined to the Gold Coast and environs. My intention is that each edible/potable pair be consumed at a separate occasion. For instance, the first pair would receive an enthusiastic welcome if served at a stand-up holiday reception.
I. The edible item is bao, delightfully fresh-tasting steamed Asian buns with fillings. They are the featured items at a new kiosk called Wow Bao located in the ground floor Michigan Avenue lobby of Water Tower Place (835 N. Michigan, 312-642-5888).
Rounder and smaller than a standard hamburger bun, a bao holds one of six fillings: kung pao, teriyaki or Thai curry chicken; spicy Mongolian beef; a mixture of vegetables; barbecued pork. There is a six-pack container for carryout that will keep the buns warm for up to an hour. Do not expose them to microwaves. They are better eaten at room temperature than reheated. Wow’s bao sell for $1.19. For passing, cut them into halves or quarters and serve on a tray or in a napkin-lined basket.
P.S.: Consider purchasing some hot and sour Thai “walkaway broth” at $2.19 per 12-ounce container as well, to serve to revelers who remain at the end of the party.
The buns’ potable partner needs no introduction. It’s brut (dry) Champagne, a classy bubbly from the venerable producer Ruinart located in Reims, in the heart of France’s Champagne district. It sells for $29.99 at Chalet, 40 E. Delaware Pl. (To keep expenses down, a sparkling wine such as Domaine Ste. Michelle’s cuvee brut, a light and crisp bottling from Washington State, is a fine value for the money at $10.99.)
II. Dinners during the holiday season for close friends or extended family call for sumptuous treats or for comfort foods that evoke shared memories. To me, one course of a meal that can be both fancy and nostalgic is soup. The addition of some cream (or, recently, creme fraiche), a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a garnish of caviar enriches a vegetable puree, while the aroma created by freshly grated cheese when it is sprinkled over the surface of concentrated chicken broth may evoke suppers in a grandmother’s kitchen.
Asked about favorite holiday soups, Mitchell Cobey (owner of Mitchell Cobey Foods and Catering, 1712 N. Wells St., 312-397-0090) immediately turned to a greater authority, his mother. She reminded him of a vegetable and fruit soup she has made over the years, a combination of carrot and apricot that combines taste appeal with a beautiful orange color. While relaying the information, the son decided to kick things up a notch and suggested simmering the carrot puree with figs and seasoning it with cumin, curry and ginger. They did and it is available at the store for $5 a pint.
The intriguing and outspoken elements in the soup present an opportunity to find a strong flavor counterpoint as partner. I suggest a nutty-flavored, fortified wine such as medium-dry Amontillado from the House of Domecq ($14.99). After this first course, go to a rich meat such as short ribs or brisket of beef. Dessert should be topped with whipped cream.
III. Speaking of dessert often leads me to Pierrot Gourmet (108 E. Superior St. at the corner of Rush Street, 312-573-6749). On my last visit, the cake and pastry selection, which changes slightly, offered a dozen sweet treats. With a specific, gently perfumed and only mildly sweet wine in mind, I was looking for a multi-flavored, single-serving dessert. The item I chose was sable Breton, a crumbly, round and thick cookie ($ 5.50) that had been brushed with dark chocolate, topped with a swirl of pistachio mousseline and garnished with raspberries. In sum, a well-balanced palate of flavors.
The matching wine is a rare product from Canada, a nation only recently recognized for producing wines of international quality. Among several triumphs, winemakers in British Columbia and Ontario provinces have found a way to make delicate and delicious ice wines. The wine specialist at Chalet recommends vidal (a white hybrid grape) ice wine from Mission Hills winery in British Columbia ($35.99 for .375 liter). The sweet grapes are crushed while frozen, producing a concentrated juice that is low in alcohol. Lacking the syrupy sugar taste of Sauternes, it provides a light but intriguing flavor.
But enough of stomach stuffers! Let me turn my attention, as space allows, to gifts for actual giving. I have in mind a collection of bottles, wines and spirits that will make pleasing stocking-stuffers.
Spirited spirits: Hendrick’s gin: A flavorful, smooth gin from Scotland infused with cucumber. Suggested retail: $30.
Michter’s US 1 American Whiskey: Unblended, 83.4 proof, four years of barrel-aging. Sip it until Michter’s Straight Rye, currently sold out, comes back on the market. $33.
Talisker 20-year-old single malt Scotch whiskey: A manly whiskey, complex and luscious. $150.
Cocktail fixin’s: Cointreau wants you to try its orange liqueur in combination with Champagne and cranberry juice. The Cointreau (375 ml.) comes with a small cocktail shaker ($19 for the kit). The recommended accompaniments are Piper-Heidsieck’s demi-sec Cuvee Sublime ($39) and Ocean Spray’s Cranberry Juice Cocktail. The cocktail is “Poinsetta.” Combine 1 ounce Cointreau and 1 ounce cranberry juice in the shaker. Add ice, shake to chill and strain into a champagne glass. Top with 4 ounces Champagne and serve.
A new definition of “ice cold”: Stolichnaya has a new toy for dedicated vodka drinkers. It’s a mold that, when filled with water or juice and frozen, makes five icy shot glasses. Fill and drink up before the “glass” melts. The Ice Shot Glass Maker comes packaged with a bottle of Stoli for less than $20.
Wines to try (from winemakers who are trying very hard): Bodegas Salentein, Mendoza Argentina: Young winery on a fast track. Cabernet sauvignon 2001 and malbec 2001 ($17 to $19). Intriguing flavor components, full-bodied and rich. Fine gifts for meat lovers.
Landmark Vineyards, Kenwood, California: Sonoma winery moves up from good to very good with beautifully sculpted homages to Burgundy. Overlook chardonnay 2001 ($25), Kastania Sonoma Coast pinot noir 2001 ($45).
Laurent Perrier Champagne, France. A proud house with a history of nearly 200 years, Laurent Perrier produces an imposing line of graceful, feminine sparklers led by its “Grand Siecle La Cuvee MV” ($79), a rich and creamy, multi-vintage treat that one doesn’t forget.
Paul Jaboulet Aine, Tain L’Hermitage, France.: Discover Jaboulet and discover why wines from the northern Rhone Valley are revered for concentrated fruit, lively spices, seamless structure. One sure winner: Cote Rotie “Les Jumelles” 2001, $50.
Stony Hill, Napa, California: A landmark winery, family-owned for 60 years. White is the only wine made here, be it the 2001 chardonnay ($27), from hillside vineyards that yield only two tons an acre of intensely flavored fruit, or ’99 white riesling ($15), just off-dry enough to pair with crab.
Wither Hills, Marlborough, New Zealand: Only a decade old, Brent Marris’ winery and its Wairau Valley vineyards have developed a trio of world class wines, sauvignon, chardonnay and pinot noir. The 2000 pinot ($36) is a liquid basket of fruit–ripe cherries, plums, raspberries chief among them.
