Street Carts, Duck Parts and New Blog Starts

My apologies that posting has been light here recently. That will change. Work has been hectic this summer and I’ve been busy writing for other publications. Here’s a rundown of what I’ve been writing about elsewhere:

Frommers: The folks at Frommers.com recently wrote an article on the World’s Best Street Food. Philadelphia was one of the featured cities. I was quoted in the article and so was my friend Albert Yee of Messy & Picky.

City Paper: A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a Pocket Sommelier column on Matyson. I paired a Sauternes with a seared foie gras dish and a Burgundy with roasted duck breast (picture above). I know I’ve written a lot about foie gras recently. But the motivation for this piece was not the foie; it was the Sauternes. The PLCB does not carry a lot of Sauternes and what they do carry can be pricey. Because the PLCB is closing out the 1999 Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau 1er Cru—which normally retails for around $44—for a mere $29.99, I simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to write about this pairing. The Burgundy I paired with the duck breast is also a solid find at the Colombus Blvd. store. It’s virtually impossible to find any Old World Pinot Noir on the shelves at the PLCB stores, let alone a drinkable Pinot (Old or New World) under $30. That's why I was pleased to find the 2002 Louis Jadot Pernand-Vergelesses Clos de la Croix de Pierre ($26). It doesn’t have all of the delicate finesse of a profound Burgundy, but at least it gets all of the fingerprints right.

WineCHOW: I’ve been quite busy writing the WineCHOW column at ClassiceWines.com. Recently, I’ve written about transfat bans, tips on tipping, celebrity chefs, taking photos of food in restaurants, what it takes to be a restaurant critic, and using cell phones in restaurants. My next WineCHOW column will address how to tell if a wine is corked and what to do if a restaurant serves you one.

Farm to Philly: Mac at pesky’apostrophy decided to host a group blog about finding and eating locally grown/produced food in Philadelphia, its surrounding suburbs and South Jersey. I jumped on board. It’s called Farm to Philly. I’ll be writing mostly about restaurants that source their ingredients from local farmers. Technically, the site has not yet gone live, but we’re already posting like gangbusters. We’ll be issuing a press release when it does go live, so keep your eyes peeled for that. In an upcoming Farm to Philly post, I'll make some kick ass pesto with locally sourced basil (that's right folks: I do cook). And if you're nice, I may even share the recipe with you.

Coming up soon on PhilaFoodie: I’ll profile the new menu at Cuba Libre and Concept Chef Guillermo Pernot finally speaks out on why ¡Pasión! closed. I’ll review Philly’s newest Indian restaurant. And I’ll also address the Rick’s Steaks v. Reading Terminal Market litigation.

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