Comestiblog

A Bitch of a Super Bowl Party Wine

Selecting the right wine for your Super Bowl party can be (and perhaps should be) a Bitch.  This South Aussie red from R Wines is made from 100% Grenache—the dominant variety of Southern Rhône wines such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas.  Winemakers Chris Ringland and Lisa Wetherell use grapes from the Barossa Valley to produce a tasty, affordable (about $10) wine that offers hints of plum, berries, and spice.  It's unoaked and, at 15.0% ABV, rather hefty.  And it goes great with pizza!

It's probably wiser, however, to serve this wine at a Super Bowl party than to present it to your wife or girlfriend on Valentine's Day.

http://www.gratefulpalateimports.com/

Morton's Uncorked

Morton's, the new steakhouse in Brooklyn, will offer a complimentary tasting of wines and spirits today and tomorrow.  Join fellow imbibers for free booze at the bar from 5:30 P.M. till 8:00 P.M. on 29 & 30 January and again on 5 & 6 February 2009.

Morton's The Steakhouse

339 Adams Street (at the Booklyn Marriott), Downtown Brooklyn

(718) 596-2700

http://www.mortons.com/

By train: A,C,F to Jay St-Borough Hall; 2,3,4,5 to Borough Hall

Burger-in-Chief

Misplaced your invitation to the Inaugural Ball?  You could still have a presidential meal at the Wall Street Burger Shoppe.  They're offering a special today on their pizza-like Obama Burger—a four-ounce hamburger with marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil.

Wall Street Burger Shoppe

30 Water Street (between Broad St & Coenties Slip), Financial District, Manhattan

(212) 425-1000

http://burgershoppenyc.com/

By train: R,W to Whitehall Street
By bus: M9, M15, Downtown Connection

Restaurant Weeks in Winter 2009

NYC Restaurant Week™ Winter 2009 starts tomorrow.  (That's right, Sundays are included this time.)  It spans two weeks—18-23 & 25-30 January—and comprises more than 250 New York City restaurants.  Three courses cost $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner (excluding taxes, beverages, and gratuities).

Visit http://nycgo.com/restaurantweek to view the list of participating restaurants and their menus, and to make reservations.

Farther down the coast, Baltimore will host its Winter Restaurant Week from 23 January to 1 February.  Over 100 restaurants will offer three-course meals, fixed-priced at $20.09 for lunch and $30.09 for dinner (excluding taxes, beverages, and gratuities).

Visit http://www.baltimorerestaurantweek.com/ to see the list of participating restaurants and to make reservations.

Agave Nectar: Sweet and Low-Glycemic

No need to give up sweets for the New Year.  Agave nectar (also called agave syrup) is a low-glycemic alternative to popular sweeteners that elevate blood sugar levels rapidly.  The simple sugars inherent in table sugar (sucrose), brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, honey, and the cheap, ubiquitous high-fructose corn syrup metabolize quickly after ingestion.  This can trigger insulin reactions and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and obesity.  The natural, plant-based agave (pronounced ah·GAH·vay) nectar, however, sweetens without producing the same deleterious effects on insulin and blood sugar levels.  Simply stated, agave nectar's sweetness doesn't cause a "sugar rush."

Because of its low Glycemic Index, agave nectar is suitable for some diabetics.  The GI is a relative scale that ranks the effects of foods on blood glucose levels.  That is, it measures the body's glycemic response (conversion to glucose) to carbohydrates over a two- to three-hour period after ingestion.  An index of 100 represents pure glucose; 55 and below is considered low-glycemic.  While the Glycemic Index of sugar (2 tsp) is 68, that of agave nectar—depending upon the producer—ranges from the teens to the 40s.

Agave nectar is made from sap extracted from the heart (piña) of the blue agave, a succulent plant, related to the lily, and native to Mexico—the same source from which the distillates tequila and mezcal (mescal) are produced.  Blue agave's nutritional credits include vitamins B, C, D, and E, as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron.  It has been used as a blood purifier, as a digestive aid, and as an anti-inflammatory.

Approximately 25 to 30 percent sweeter than table sugar, agave nectar is available in light or dark (raw, unfiltered) forms, and tastes much like honey.  (Mexicans refer to it as "honey water.")  The nectar dissolves readily, making it a good sweetener for beverages and baking.  (Incidentally, a free taste can be had at most Trader Joe's sample stations.)  Furthermore, it has a long, stable shelf life (approximately three years) and does not crystallize.

With many brands from which to choose, which one is right for you?  Perhaps the links below (arranged in no particular order) can help you decide:

http://www.blueagavenectar.com/
http://www.madhavahoney.com/
http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/
http://www.agavenectar.com/
http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/
http://www.sweetcactusfarms.com/

How sweet it is!

Further reading:

http://www.allaboutagave.com/
http://www.sweetsavvy.com/
http://www.acu-cell.com/gi.html
http://www.glycemicindextesting.com/
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
http://www.diabeteshealth.com/
http://www.drweil.com/