From Bordeaux with Love

The now-popular name for the grape variety côt (CO), malbec (MAL-beck) is native to southwestern France. The offspring of two obscure French grapes—madeleine noire des Charentes and prunelard—malbec is the leading grape variety in Argentina, where it has been planted since the mid-nineteenth century after crossing the Atlantic from Bordeaux. Most Argentine wines labeled as malbecs are 100% that variety. Malbec tends to be lower in acidity and slightly less tannic than cabernet sauvignon. The best are inky rich wines with soft textures.

In the South African bread, mosbolletjies, which of the following is an important ingredient?

A. A mixture of grape juice, skins, seeds and stems

B. Minced leaves from muscat vines

C. Indigenous South African cereals soaked in Vin de Constance

D. A pint of traditional South African beer

The brioche-like, buttery South African bread, mosbolletjies (pronounced mos-bol-eh-kis) is leavened with fermenting must— a mixture of grape juice, skins, seeds, and stems. French Huguenot immigrants settled in Western Cape in the late 1600s and began cultivating grapes. The loaves are often flavored with anise and are typically served with butter and a jam called moskonfyt, also made from must.

“A ‘frappé’ is a drink at McDonald’s. Starbucks does not have ‘frappés.’ If you order a ‘frappé’ instead of a Frappuccino, you will sound stupid and your barista will judge you, no questions asked.”

—Starbuck’s barista Brian Beckwith
as quoted in Spoonuniversity.com Whew. Who says somms are snooty?

From Bordeaux with Love

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