We’ve also plant 15 cucumber vines, 10 Chanterais melon vines, a row of eggplant and lots of peas!!
Well, we’re making some progress down on the farm. We’ve planted Heirloom Red Okra, Potatoes, Melons, Green Peas, Eggplant, and Armenian and Lemon Cukes. Some assorted chile peppers and Pak Choi as well. Next week we are getting 60 or so assorted Heirloom Tomato Plants. Bobby Britt hooked us up with a fancy irrigation system. Gary Knight helped out by removing a few dead tree limbs that were blocking the sunlight. We are hoping to be able to harvest vegetables by the middle of summer just in time to celebrate our 4th anniversary, in the Old Fourth Ward, with a harvest dinner featuring home grown produce! We will see how it goes. I will keep you posted.
Tags: Chef Jay Swift, farm to table, fresh veggies, jamestown, Old Fourth Ward, ponce city market
Last night marked my fifteenth anniversary participating in the High Museum Annual Wine Auction and fifteenth Winemaker Dinner in which my food was paired with the wines of great visiting winemakers. The events are held at the homes of museum benefactors and include as guests other benefactors as well as the winemakers themselves.
This year I was matched with wineries Paul Hobbs and Copain at the home of David and Stacey Kaufman. It was a terrific time and a terrific group of people. The wines were perfect, and the company was even better. I especially loved 2010 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley and the 2009 Copain Wentzle Vineyard Pinot Noir which we paired side by side with rabbit served two ways, and the 2009 Copain James Berry Syrah which we paired with a Moroccan Spiced Rack of Lamb. Although it’s impossible not to mention the amazing 2008 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard which paired perfectly with Cocao Cardona Goat Milks Cheese for dessert. This continues to be the most delicious and fun fundraising event of the year. I guess that explains why I’ve been doing it for fifteen years!
Tags: Chef Jay Swift, copain, High Museum, midtown, Paul Hobbs, sommelier, syrah, wine
Congratulations to our man Kevin for winning the Atlanta Event and being named the top mixologist from the Atlanta chapter of the USBG, (United States Bartending Guild). Kevin has won a trip to the Manhattan Cocktail Classic and a spot to compete in the 2012 Mix It Up Ultimate Mixology Finals in New York on May 12th.
Kevin has displayed a unique knack for placing 2nd in almost every competition he enters, as such he now jokingly names all his competition drinks after other notable 2nd’s. His winning drink last night was named the Lunar Chalice in honor of another famous 2nd, Buzz Aldrin.
The drink is comprised of Don Q Grand Anejo Rum, Green Chartreuse, Cointreau, Fresh Lime, Gum Syrup, and Applewood Smoked Sea Salt.
Come in all week and toast Kevin with the Lunar Chalice!
Tags: competition, kevin, Old 4th Ward, usbg
Hello All, well we’re in the middle of a wine list change and will be adjusting the list twice over the next couple of weeks. Normally, I prefer to have the list roll in one overlap, however, this one is being driven by a shuffling of wineries and distributors – Oh, the fun and exciting life of a restaurant somm!
The fun part though is that I get to work through and taste a ton of different wines to bring in, and Spring may be my favorite time to rotate the list as fresh fruits and vegetables begin to populate the menu. So, this week I am spotlighting my new favorite white, Le Rocher des Violettes Cuvée Touche Mitaine from Montlouis, France. This vineyard, which was originally planted in the mid-1800′s, is farmed organically
This is just about as crisp and intense a rendering of Chenin Blanc as you’re likely to find. It shows subtle aromatic notes of honey and ripe melon, and delicate flavors that echo these same notes, but then the driving acidity takes over totally, with citrus and tart apple notes eclipsing all of the riper flavors sensations.
Tags: le rocher des violettes, menu, seth, spring, wine
Starting today, we are cultivating a 4000 sq ft. piece of dirt here in the Old Fourth Ward. Yep, 4th&Swift will be growing most of our own vegetables this summer and for the foreseeable future, right down the street. Today I started by dumping 4 cubic yards of compost and tilling the soil. See before and after pics below. Special thanks to restaurant regular and good friend Gary Knight for letting us use his lot (and his tractor). I will be planting several kinds of tomatoes, two kinds of eggplant, lemon and armenian cucumbers, and chanterais melons, just for starters. More details to come. Gotta go scrub beneath my fingernails and get ready for dinner service. Cheers!!
Tags: Chef Jay Swift, farm to table, garden, local, Old 4th Ward, photos
Well, here we are a week and a half to go until the High Museum Wine Auction and I’ve been thinking of all the great wines I’ll get to taste over the next couple of weeks – they’ll be all the top-tier wines from most of these wineries and though it is always fun to get spendy with wine, there are times when you’re just looking for that value bottle that over-delivers. So, this week I’m drinking the Vina Robles Red4, from Paso.
This opaque and pitch black red blend opens with a mild blackberry and currant bouquet. On the palate, this wine is a fruit bomb. The flavor profile is a tasty mild plum and gentle oak blend with hints of blackberry. The finish is dry and it’s dusty tannins linger slightly along with its fruits. Put a little chill on it and this wine would be perfect with a juicy Angus bacon burger. This Rhone blend comes from a single vineyard named, wonderfully, Huerohuero, (where-o, where-o) and looks like the perfect place to have a picnic! So, fire up those barbecues and enjoy!
Tags: High Museum, Old 4th Ward, Rhone Blend, seth, sommelier, Vin Robles, wine, wine auction
We got in some delicious first of the season English Peas from South Carolina yesterday. They are sweet and delicious, so we paired them with some Spring Garlic and Seared Scallops on our market menu. They got thinking about our garden so I logged on to Seed Exchange and ordered my spring seeds. We will be germinating 2 kinds of cucumbers, lemon and armenian, chanterais melons, some assorted peppers, soy beans, tomatoes and eggplant, just for starters. Given the weather lately, I’m gonna gamble we won’t be getting any late frosts. Keep your fingers crossed. And don’t be surprised to see a bunch of little plastic cups on the window sills next time you come in!! Eat real food.
Tags: Chef Jay Swift, farm to table, garden, local, Old 4th Ward
Check out this link to see what out old friend James is up to in New Orleans. Congratulations James, it is well-deserved!
Food and Chef Photos: Mixologist James Ives of Bellocq – New Orleans, LA.
Side note, 2 of these drinks were created here and can still be had by one and all!
Tags: cocktails, liquor, Old 4th Ward, StarChefs