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This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register. The holidays are approaching which means it is the perfect time for bubbles. OK, let me be clear. Every day and any day is a good day for bubbles but with the pending holidays, ‘tis the busiest season for purchasing Champagne. From gift giving to holiday parties, there is no shortage of reasons to drink bubbles. So, what are you going to drink this year? champagne-1
There are wonderful sparkling wines from around the world but Champagne is the king. And with the increasing popularity of Grower Champagne in the market, there are so many brands and styles to choose from. Want to please your palates or impress your friends with your selections? Hopefully I can help you find some new wines to try this year!
Champagne is a wine region that for last half of 20th century has been consistent is self-identity, messaging and marketing. But according to Peter Liem, Champagne expert and author of ChampagneGuide.net, an award-winning and highly acclaimed online guide to the wines and wine producers of Champagne, today Champagne is in flux. Wines are more diverse than ever before. Medium-standard quality is higher than formerly. The land itself, the idea of vineyards and place, is being explored more today than previously.
“Like all great wines of the world,” Liem explained, “Champagne is about terroir.” The wines are from a specific place and express their origins.
Lamill Coffee, one of Los Angeles’ first hometown roasters, is a home-grown, family-owned business. Owner Craig Min grew up in the business, learning to roast coffee at twelve years of age. He took over the family business after college and started Lamill in 1997. You can find their coffee in restaurants and hotels in Southern California and beyond, as well as at their Silverlake location, opened in 2008. Recently, I got to go behind the scenes and tour their roasting facilities in Alhambra, just east of Downtown Los Angeles. lamill-coffee-1 John Martin, Director of Coffee at Lamill, greeted us that morning. Responsible for obtaining the raw coffee from around the world and overseeing the roasting, I asked him how one achieves the title "Director of Coffee." He explained that the coffee business in an old-school industry. There is no formal education and no certifications. Roasters start as apprentices and work their way up, learning as they go. That is what John did. He has been in the business for ten years and once he was bitten by the coffee bug, there was no turning back. He is fascinated with flavor and loves all the various tastes and is continually learning. john-martin-director-of-coffee-2 Behind the Scenes
Sitting in a strip mall with neighbors such as Mediterranean Bar and Grill, California Pizza Kitchen, Massage Envy, Gymboree, Coffee Bean, Allen Edwards Salon, Larsen's Steakhouse, a dental office, clothing boutiques and a carousel, I was surprised that was where I would find Chef Phillip Frankland Lee's Scratch Bar & Kitchen. But there it was, tucked into the second floor on the mall in Encino. encino-mall Scratch Bar & Kitchen first opened in Beverly Hills in 2013 and that was the first time I was introduced to Chef Lee. When the restaurant closed, Chef Lee opened the vegetable driven Gadarene Swine in Studio City which I went to a number of times. I was always impressed by the creativity of each dish, showcasing vegetables in ways one would never think of. Sadly Gadarene Swine recently closed but happily Chef Lee re-opened Scratch Bar & Kitchen one year ago in a strip mall in the valley. scratch-bar-kitchen-1
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