Through the Wine Glass

                  Geoff Swindell’ Heifers at Osburton Estate

People might be surprised that I am writing about steaks when we are primarily a fish restaurant.

However we are always striving to give the customer the best that we can and we know that meat varies depending on which country the meat has come from, the type of heifer,what they have been fed on and how they have been cared for particulary during the winter months.

At Geoffs’ farm In the winter they are fed on maize sillage and home grown cereals and soya protein. In the summer they are allowed to graze free range on grass.

Dry Aging Versus Wet Aging

There are two ways of aging beef wet and dry aged. Wet aged occurs when the beef is kept in a vacuum sealed bag and not exposed to the air. During this process the beef sets in its own juices & dosen’t loose much moisture causing the beef to be less juicy. Also when you first open the bag it sometimes smells which I think is a little bit off-putting. However it dose not shrink much so an 8oz steak that you have bought from the butcher weighs the same. With the dry aging, beef will loose as much as 20% of its weight so it costs more.

Wet aging began in the 60’s & people slowly forgot what the real taste of steak was compared to dry aging. Our beef is aged for twenty eight days & during this process a crust forms on the outside of the loin very similar to the texture of beef jerky. This layer is trimmed away leaving steaks that are superior in tenderness & flavour. During the dry aging process the juices are absorbed into the meat enhancing the flavour & tenderizing the steaks.

Although it is more expensive dry-aged beef has long been considered the best among seasoned steak connoisseurs. They describe the flavour as rich and nutty and decadently tender.

We then add our special Porterhouse spice that I get from Germany which I think enhances our steaks even further.

Viticoltori Ponte

I recently went across to north east Italy to have a look at the vineyards and wine production centre at Ponte as my Pinot Grigio comes from there and I really do like to know something about the products I sell.

I was the guest of Carlsberg, who’s wine list has changed beyond recognition since I started dealing with them ten years ago.

Viticoltori Ponte is one of the most important wine producers in the north east of Italy. Today the co-operative, established in 1948 has about 1600 growers with 2300 hectares. The yearly production is 35,000,000 kg of grapes - 28,000,000 litres of wine. Ponte produces about 8,000,000 litres of bottled wine.

They produce Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Verduzzo, Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Raboso and Prosecco. Whilst on my visit I walked around the production centre and the vineyards and I was lucky to actually go for a change at the beginning of September, when the vineyards had grapes on the vines and I could watch the harvest.

During my time there I was introduced to the Prosecco sparkling wine - “If a wine has the colour of topaz, an intoxicating bouquet, a mischievous sapidity and is already unforgettable after the first taste, one is most surely talking about the Prosecco”.

I think it’s fantastic, and the sparkling wine is used in the famous Bellini cocktail served at Harry’s bar in Venice (the birthplace of this famous cocktail). This is made from Prosecco wine and white peach juice. Its like stepping back in time to the 1950’s. People like Proust, Byron, Orson Wells and Hemmingway used to hang out at Harry’s bar which is located on the San Marco waterfront.

I am listing two of these wines on my wine list since the trip:
White - Prosecco Extra Dry
This is clean, dry and crisp with a creamy finish
Rose - Avrora Prosecco
Pale pink in colour with a hint of peach

I am selling both by the bottle currently at £16.25 and the Rose I also do by the glass at £3.25 Definately worth a try if you are celebrating !

Isle of Shuna Mussels

As our name would suggest “Mussel and Crab” we sell a large quantity of good quality mussels. However some of the best mussels that I have ever had was when I was on a fishing trip at Skye. I had stopped off on the way there at a little owner run hotel at Kyle of Lochalsh, run by Marianne Worthy and had one of the best bowls of mussels that I have had in my life.

I have just bought some from the Isle of Shuna which are rope grown and warmed by the gulf stream and they are as delicious as the ones I had on my holiday.
If you love mussels, pop in and get some now - they are especially mouth watering.