Corti Brothers Newsletter for December 2002    Page 3  

Please note!   Many of our past newsletter items came from a very limited stock and are no longer available.  Please check our products page or contact us for availability.

NEW PRODUCTS FROM GOAN CUISINE

We have also taken on several new products from our supplier, Goan Cuisine, from Perth, Western Australia. Two, BALCHAO and XACUTI are traditional Goan specialties, much like curry pastes, with Balch o originally coming from Burma or Malacca. Both are used with prawns, fish, chicken, beef, lamb, or vegetables. Preparation suggestions are on the back label of these products. FEIJOA PASTE is made from pineapple guavas, and has their very distinctive flowery scent and slightly grainy texture. As a dessert it is delicious, perfect with mild, soft cheeses, especially goat or sheep's milk. SPICY BLOODORANGE MARMALADE really isn't for breakfast, but could be. This is blood oranges cooked with chile; very tasty and wonderful with a simple pork roast, either as a condiment or basting.

How many times have you eaten Fuyu persimmons as a jam? Well, now you can enjoy SPICED FUYU JAM. This is unique, because unpeeled Fuyu have been sliced, spiced, and made into jam. Its taste is that of Fuyu, with a very slight astringency. Very unusual and very delicious, we do not have a large quantity due to the short Fuyu crop. Highly imaginative and unique, these are the new products created by Valentine D'Souza and his father in law, Henry Assumption.

Please remember the other fine Goan products that we import from Perth. They are wonderful as accompaniments to buffets, especially cold meats, smoked turkey, ham or roasts. With a side dish of cooked Basmati rice, you could have a feast. And it would be one of fusion cooking

PAUL ETTER SOEHNE VINTAGE KIRSCH vintages 1975,1980,1993

Kirsch is the eau de vie or clear distillate produced from cherries. It is not "cherry brandy," but is the distilled product of fermented cherry wine. The most famous production is Swiss and one of the best producers in Switzerland is Paul Etter Soehne in Zug. The rarest Kirsch is vintage kirsch, which is always sold aged. While it is said that alcohol, once bottled doesn't age, something does happen to it. Vintage Kirsch is seldom seen even in Switzerland since the producers keep it for their own enjoyment.

When the cherry harvest is done in the late spring, the fruit is crushed, fermented, and distilled, capturing all of the cherry flavor and scent. As it comes from the still, it is highly scented, immensely flavored and very spirity. It is then reduced in strength with water and bottled. Some, the best productions, are not cut immediately, but are put into stoneware jugs or glass demijohns and allowed to "age."

We really don't know what occurs with the alcohol, but it does soften and becomes silky textured. The primary scent of fruit fades slightly and the flavor becomes more round. If an alcohol was fine when bottled, it will probably be slightly better after bottle age. James Guymon, late professor of distilling at U.C.Davis, an old friend, used to say: "I'm convinced that all alcohol improves in bottle. I just can't (scientifically) prove it."

These vintage Etter Kirsch are unique. Their scent is delicate, yet distinctive. Their flavor is very soft and delicate, almost ethereal. They should be enjoyed at room temperature rather than icy cold as young Kirsch is drunk. These are snifter eaux de vie, for contemplation. We have only a tiny quantity.

ARGYROS VINSANTO 1983 from Santorini

Legend has it that the creation of Tuscan vin santo comes from one of the Church fathers at the Council of Florence in 1435 tasting what was then called in Florence "vin pretto" squeezed wine, "Xantos" (Santorini). On this Greek island famous for its harbor, the caldera of a volcano, several authocthonous grape varieties are grown for the production of dry wine and semi and very sweet wines made from these grapes which have been laid out to wither in the sun. Vinsanto or Visanto is the name on Santorini given to these wines made from these grapes, in different combinations, which have been laid out to wither in the sun.

Putting clusters in the sun to wither before processing is an ancient method of making sweet wines (passos) going back to pre-Homeric times.  The Assyrtiko variety is the major variety for fine white wine on Santorini since it is not susceptible to mildew, produces well, and has naturally high acidity.  We are pleased to offer what is the best and rarest Santorini's vinsanto, that of Canava (Estate) I.M.Arghyros at Episkopi Ghonias at Santorini's north end.

Arghyros Vinsanto is Greece's most famous wine, possibly its most expensive. Produced from 80 year old, ungrafted vines, it is left to age for several years before bottling as is traditional with these wines. The enologist for this estate is one of Greece's best, Yannis Paraskevopoulos.

If you are a fan of the Tuscan style of vinsanto, here's your chance to taste what could be the original. Dark tawny in color, heavy bodied with the aromatic scent of sundried grapes, with 14% alcohol and a great deal of unfermented sugar, this is a unique dessert/after dinner wine, perfect for holiday desserts. It merits a place in your taste memory, if not your cellar.

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