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Hello, everyone!

We got in some gorgeous mackerel this afternoon and will be serving it Friday and possibly Saturday en papillote with a Thai-inspired seasoning of coconut milk and curry with julienned parsnips, carrots and celery.

Cooking "en papillote" (pronounced: on pa-pee-yote) means enclosing fish and aromatic vegetables and herbs into pretty paper packets and baking it so that the contents steam themselves to perfection. The golden packets are opened at the table so that the fragrant steam embraces the diner before he tastes his first tender, moist morsels.
The Parsis have been steaming food inside of banana leaves for the last thousand years. Mexicans used cornhusks, Mediterraneans used grape leaves, Indians used jackfruit leaves and Australians used silverbeet leaves to hold food together and keep it from burning over an open fire or in a clay oven. One source claims that en papillote cooking was introduced in the United States in 1890 in New Orleans to celebrate the visit of Brazilian balloonist Alberto Santos-Dumont.
The chef at the famous Antoine's steamed pompano in a "hot air"
parchment pouch.
The name “en papillote” literally means "in paper" and was introduced to the English language sometime before 1851, according to Websters (1913). That dictionary also defines a papillote as a small piece of paper with which women roll up their hair to make it curl. The root of the word is the French papillon - meaning butterfly - and some people surmise that papillote refers not to the paper, but to the shape you can cut the paper into so it seals easily. You fold it in half and then cut the edges so that it forms a half a heart. When you unfold it, it looks like a big butterfly.

Paul is getting some guinea hens, a bird we love not only because of its richness (like turkey, but not so dry) but also because of the rampant literary allusions.
"'Ere I would say I would drown myself for the love of a Guinea-hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon,'" quoth Iago in Shakespeare's Othello.
The Bard's "guinea hen" was a courtesan won over by money, but in the barnyard, the guinea hen is won over by the fowl with the loudest squawk. That may be one of the reasons Chef Paul Parker feels such an affinity with the bird. (Remember, virtue is a fig.) An African relative of pheasants and turkeys and grouse, guinea fowl taste more like chicken than chicken. They produce an intense stock when cooked slowly. They were once a common bird on many small farms, but have fallen out of favor because they are so darn loud.

Souschef Mark Lawrence made fantastic lobster ravioli to be served as an appetizer in a tart, creamy sauce this weekend. Cheryl tasted the sample batch Thursday night (she was thinking of it as breakfast) and was soon set upon by family and staff drawn by its lovely aroma. This one is a definite winner.

Paul plans to make elk osso buco, a dish inspired by braised veal shanks. Although the resulting stew is extremely rich tasting, it is packed with monounsaturated fats, which help fight bad cholesterol.
The name literally means "bone hole" in Italian because the cross-cut shank bones are served in the middle of the dish. Some people think this is an odd affectation because the tender braised meat falls off the bone into the stew. A real gourmand fishes the marrow out of the shank with a tiny spoon and is all the happier and healthier for it.

The Pink Plate Special next week will be bison and pork ragout with pasta. A ragout is a well-seasoned stew of meat and vegetables. The word derives from the French ragoûter, which means "to revive the taste."

The Pink Plate is a weekly prix fixe special we offer on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. For $30 per person, you get your choice of soup or salad, the featured entree, two selections from our cheese board or one of a couple of featured desserts and coffee, tea or espresso.

Our server Erica just finished updating the wine inventory and reprinting and re-sleeving our massive great list this week, when three more boxes arrived.

Cheryl wasn't expecting them, because she had just replaced a bunch of sold out wines, replenished the supply of wines to sell by the glass and filled a few holes, and told Erica it was safe to reprint the lists. So the sommelière asked the wine director (who is also her husband and the chef): "Did you have a particular reason for these three cases or was the salesperson just really nice?"

Paul looked back blankly for a moment and then his face lit up. Of course he had reasons. Annoyingly enough, (from the perspective of the wife who likes to be right occasionally) they were really good reasons.

"They were almost about to run out of the Olga Raffault Chinon, so I wanted to grab a case before it was too late," Paul explained. Run out? Cheryl thought. Then she looked at the bottles and understood.
It's the 1990 vintage, which we bought and ran out of long before we moved out of the diner. Paul managed to snag 12 more bottles of this ridiculously beautiful, mature, herb-tinged cabernet franc wine. The nice thing about the 70-year-old Chinon appellation in general is that you can count on the red wines to be extremely food friendly, even with fish. Its gravelly terraces produce light, fruity, summery wines and its argilo-calcareous and argilo-siliceous hillsides produce wines suitable for aging, sometimes for long periods. Chinon is situated on the south side of the Loire River in Touraine, to the south-west of Tours. Cabernet Franc is the red varietal used, although 10% of Cabernet Sauvignon is also permitted, but rarely used. Olga Raffault herself is legendary. She is now in her 80's, but is spry and vivacious and continues to keep a keen eye on operations.
Her son Jean is winemaker, while her daughter-in-law and grandchildren manage the estate.

This one smells like a horse barn, full of Brettanomyces, the yeast which infects certain wineries and which some of us like in small doses, since it can add complexity to wines. (It's a signature flavor of the Château de Beaucastel wines from the Châteauneuf du Papes region, some of the best in the region, although some people argue that it could be Brettanomyces, it could be the inclusion of the mourvedre grape or it could be the fact that the winemakers subject the must to heat on entry to the winery. This is purportedly to prevent oxidation and improve extraction of anthrocyanins from the grape skins. The practice is controversial because it isn't traditional in Chateauneuf du Pape and the Rhône Valley and it flies in the face of the idea that you make great wine by careful vineyard management and minimal intervention in the winery. But this is a whole other kettle of grapes that has very little to do with this gorgeous Chinon.

Because this Olga Raffault is a little more special and rare than your average Chinon table wine (it's practically geeky), it's going for $98 a bottle, which still a bargain if you compare it to a Burgundy of similar age and quality.

Paul also bought the Eric Texier Brézème 2005 Côtes du Rhône because it is from one of our favorite up-and-coming Rhône winemakers, Eric Texier, and because it is from the little- known, under appreciated Brézème appellation, which used to be as highly regarded as Côte Rotie. Renowned in the 19th century, these steep Côte Rôtie-like terraces fell into disuse. Painstakingly replanted since 2000 with a combination of French, EU and private funds, the first crop was harvested in 2004. Texier has been producing a Brézème wine for several years with fruit from a nearby, flatter site called La Rolière, and the smoky, black-fruited wine has been challenging the best Cornas and Hermitage and kicking the tar out of Crozes-Hermitage and St. Joseph.

In January, wine writer Thor Iverson tasted the 1998 vintage of this wine and said it was like "extremely sweaty leather with beef juice and sun-charred rocks and spiky jarring acidity." Another anonymous wine writer posted this description of the 2001 vintage of Brézème to the wineloverpage.com: "Dark garnet, black at the center; a rim of tiny bubbles lines the glass, a hint that something odd may be going on in the bottle. Warm, almost pruney aromas suggest incipient oxidation - perhaps hastened by the synthetic cork - but the dominant aroma here is a distinctly horsey, leathery character that suggests the presence of brettanomyces, a supposition underscored by a sharp, acidic twang that proceeds to a tongue- curling sourness in the finish. As unpleasant as all this may sound, it's not a fatal flaw in a rustic country wine, although tolerance for these "old world" aromas and flavors will vary considerably among individuals. One thing is certain, this one offers a textbook demonstration of the effect of brett in wine."

As for Texier himself, the nuclear engineer turned negociant was described on the Wine Offensive blog as "the winemaker I would create if I had a mad science lab, a million volts of electricity, and a frozen brain. Timothy Leary’s preferably. Phillip K. Dick’s would do."

Any wine and winemaker that can inspire this sort of bloated prose is worth a try. We'll offer it $42 a bottle.

The third case was René Rostaing's Puech Haut Coteaux du Languedoc 2004, which sells for $77. We've had Rostaing's white Coteaux du Languedoc before and it was stunning.

We've set a date of Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 29th for our annual Languedoc-Roussillon wine dinners. This meal will feature five courses of foods native to the Languedoc-Roussillon, and five wines, each perfectly paired with the food. We haven't chosen all the wines and food yet, but we do know that we'd like to sacrifice a little of the Clos des Truffiers 1999 Coteaux du Languedoc, which should sell for about $600 a magnum (we sell it for $430). This is perfectly stupid, because we're only charging $80 a person for the meal, but every now and then you have to do something deliciously stupid to remind yourself why life is worth living.

We'll provide written materials about the wines and wine region and make ourselves available to talk about the wines with those who are so inclined, but make a tremendous effort to not stand at the head of the table and bore people to tears with long lectures. We'd prefer that people have a really special meal and meet a few new friends around the communal table.

We love spotlighting the Languedoc-Roussillon because it is the oldest viticultural area in France, curving along the Mediterranean Sea from the southernmost part of France to the Rhône River in the east. The best vineyard sites are in the foothills of the Pyrenees, the rugged hills of Corbières and the foothills of the Massif Central. These sections have hot, arid conditions capable of producing little but herbs and grapes, and even the grapes tend to taste like the local herbs.
The Greeks introduced the first vines to the area in the 5th century and now the region produces 40 percent of all French wines. There are a stunning variety of grapes, from aramon to viognier, each used on its own or in blends to add specific qualities to the wines.

Specific details on the menu and wines will be forthcoming in the next few newsletters. Seating each night is limited to 20 people around a single table. Tickets are $80 per person, plus tax and tip.

Our Sunday Jazz brunch with pianist Cole Broderick will feature a mixed grill with herbed ketchup and rosemary roasted potatoes ($15); apricot glazed duck breast with a wild rice pancake and haricots verts ($16); sautéed chicken breast with bell pepper, onion confit and roasted fingerling potatoes ($13); and fettucine with sautéed shrimp and vodka cream sauce ($14).

The brunch specials run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The complete menu,
offered from 7 to 2 p.m., includes a Continental assortment of
muffins, pastries, fruit, yogurt, quiche etcetera for $9; omelettes
($9 to $11); pancakes du jour ($9); the All in One, which includes 2
eggs any style, homefries, toast and sausage or bacon ($10); waffles
with sweet cream butter and local maple syrup ($10); and Irish steel- cut oatmeal ($8).
Jazz pianist Cole Broderick plays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Two of the instructors who offer free tango lessons at Chez Sophie on the first Wednesday of each month will be doing a show called "Tango
Fusion: Encuetros Intimos" at the Spa Little Theater in Saratoga on March 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 11 at 3 p.m. Tango Fusion is a dance company that melds influences from Latin dance, Argentine tango, ballet, jazz, modern dance and theater. Because of our relationship with Tango Fusion, and its creator, Dianne Lachtrupp, we're offering a pre-show special on dinner or brunch at Chez Sophie to ticket holders. On Friday and Saturday night, we will be offering a three-course meal (any starter, entree and dessert and a glass of house wine for $50, a considerable discount from full price.
Reservations should be booked before 6 p.m. in order to make the 8 p.m. curtain, and the box office at the Spa Little Theater will be happy to secure a table for you.

The Sunday brunch special is any starter, any entree and a glass of house wine for $25. Reservations should be booked before 1:30 p.m. to make the 3 p.m. curtain.
For more information about the show, call 518-587-4427 or visit http://www.tangofusiondance.com

Live Piano Jazz
Jazz pianist Cole Broderick plays the baby grand Tuesday through
Friday night, and during Sunday brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(barring special events that preclude live music.)
Cost: No cover charge

Tasting menus
Chef's Choice seven-course tasting menu available each night. The
menus are designed based on the best and most creative dishes Chef
Paul K. Parker is serving each evening. We will pair wines for you or you can order from our extensive wine list.
Cost: $75 per person, plus tax and tip. Everyone at the table must
partake in the tasting menu

If you're feeling less impromptu, you can call ahead to arrange a
special tasting menu with the number of courses and wine pairings
designed to suit your capacity, dietary restrictions and budget.
Tasting menus arranged in advance will be printed on commemorative
vellum scrolls personalized with the name of the host or the reason
for the event.
Cost: $50 to $200, depending on the number of courses and the wines
selected; available for two to 75 guests. Call Cheryl to make
arrangements 518.583.3538

The Pink Plate Special
offered Monday, March 5, Tuesday, March 6, Wednesday, March 7, and Thursday, March 8.

$30 per person
includes your choice of soup or salad, a special entree, selected
desserts or a cheese course and coffee, tea or espresso.

This week's special entree:
pork and bison ragout

Notes on Nico and Léo: Cheryl took Nico and Léo to the state park Monday to play in the snow, after which both kids were starving.
Cheryl had an errand to run in Latham and the kids were still full of energy, so she decided to go somewhere she would have never dreamed of patronizing in her adult, childless days: Chuck E. Cheese. She'd heard from a babysitter that it was somewhere in Latham. Standing outside the idling car, she called 411 for directions (it's never a good idea to tell four-year-old Nico what we're about to do until it's a done deal because he suffers terribly from disappointed expectations), but the operator said the nearest Chuck E. Cheeses were in Poughkeepsie or Montreal. She drove around the suburban hell of chain stores for 15 minutes looking for a likely strip center, contemplating how much she'd rather be going to a wine bar, while Nico plaintively informed his mother again and again that he was "soooooooo hungry.")

Finally Cheryl spotted the place and pulled into the parking lot, and Nico squealed: "Oh Mommy, I love you! You're taking us to Chuck E. Cheese!"
Mom was shocked, because we had not only never been to Chuck E. Cheese, we'd never discussed the existence of such a place. "How did you know that?" Cheryl asked in amazement.
"It says so right on the sign," Nico said.
"But you can't read," Mom replied.

Hours later, after the children were sated on pizza and salad bar and frenetic arcade-like child's play, Nico was being strapped into his booster seat.
"Mommy," he said seriously. "That wasn't very nice what you said about me not being able to read."

Short of locking them in a closet, we can't figure out how to insulate our children from national advertising. The other day we drove past a Taco Bell and Nico sagely intoned: "Mommy, think outside the bun."

Léo's language skills are also developing, as well as her skills at defense and offense. She has poked people in the eye so many times and listened to them say "Ow" that she now believes that the ocular orb is called an "Ow."

The Parker family
at Chez Sophie
518.583.3538

Chez Sophie was founded in 1969 by sculptor Joseph Parker and his French-born wife, the late Sophie. The business moved to a vintage stainless steel diner in Malta Ridge, New York, in 1995. It is owned today by Sophie and Joseph's son, Paul Parker, and his wife, Cheryl Clark. In June of 2006, they moved the restaurant into their current location in The Saratoga Hotel on Broadway..

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P.S. Each month we draw a name at random from our database of customers and send them a $50 gift certificate to Chez Sophie. If you would like to be added to this promotions database, which is owned by Chez Sophie, please send us an email with your name, address, telephone number, birthday and anniversary. People on the list will also receive a gift certificate by mail or email for a free glass of champagne or dessert on their birthdays or anniversaries. (You only need to enter once to be eligible every month.)

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