New York Times
1) “Bargains From American Vines,” The Pour wine
column by Eric Asimov. Asimov showcases 12 affordable ($15-$20) domestic wines
of various white and red varietals. Lots of California, of course, but not
exclusively. The Oberon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 piqued my interest.
He describes it as an example of an affordable wine made from high-quality
grapes—a “hush hush” phenomenon Chris and I heard about in Napa last year that
came about because of the recession. Rather than drop the price on their
top-tier labels, wineries instead sold their top grapes to be produced
under different names. I haven’t tried the wine yet, but I’m hoping it will be
something special.
2) “A Pancake Brings Corn and Berries Together,” A
Good Appetite column and recipe by Melissa Clark. I’ve been on a corn kick
lately and I like blackberries, so this pancake that brings the two together
sounds really good.
3) “A Few Things All Baskets Need,” How to Cook
Everything column by Mark Bittman. Mark shares a couple of picnic basket
favorites, including his hummus, which I’ve made before. I would definitely
suggest taking his advice about adding extra water, as my hummus came out too
thick when I made it.
4) “Fire Meets Its Match: Spices,” article by John
Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger. Those fortunate to have an outdoor grill may
be growing tired of their traditional standbys (I envy such fatigue, really),
so in swoops Willoughby and Schlesinger to suggest turning to Indian cuisine
for inspiration to spice up those dishes. The recipes sound good, particularly
the Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Thighs with Tomato-Cucumber Relish.
Washington Post
1) “How ‘no’ gets translated,” feature by Tim
Carman. The Food Section guys score a cover story trifecta today: we get front-page
work from Carman, David Hagedorn and Joe Yonan, all of them doing what they do
best. Carman, of course, takes the most academic route, an interesting look at how restrictions on certain imported foods in the United States can
have cultural consequences. He puts particular focus on the California foie gras ban
and what that means for the French who live in the U.S., bus also examines restricted delicacies like pufferfish (the infamous sushi dish that will kill you if
prepared wrong), shark fin and haggis.
2) “Even on vacation, a cook can learn,” The Process column by
David Hagedorn. On vacation at his Alabama lake house, Hagedorn treats us to a
peak inside all the amazing food his family is consuming there, including a
delish recipe for Smoked Chicken Salad.
3) “With fruit, I’m flexible,” Cooking for One
column by Joe Yonan. Speaking of family getaways, Yonan is still sequestered on
his family’s southern Maine homestead, from where he tells us that the arduous
task of satisfying his sweet tooth involves going outside to the garden and
picking something. Oh Joe! He tells us how although the berry harvest was
disappointing this year, he’s definitely excited for the stone fruit crop. The
accompanying Faux Summer Berry Tart sounds easy and satisfying.
Verdict
The Washington Post. In an essay-heavy week (I didn’t
bother telling you about the Times’ essays on why new fathers get fat and how busy parents can get other people to plan their dinners for them), I favored the
great stories and vacation postcards from Carman, Hagedorn and Yonan.
Score
It’s tied again!
The Washington Post: 16
The New York Times: 16
The Oberon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 is good!
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