December 2007

December 5
 'One of a Kind'
Dessert Wines
December 10
Wicked Cheap Wine Night
December 12
Havens Wine Maker Dinner
December 17
Wicked Cheap Wine Night
December 24-25
CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS
December 31
New Year's Eve Dinner

      



Tis the season to be jolly?  How about “crazy busy” and “stressed out” because you can’t find that special gift for your Aunt Mildred or Great Uncle Harry?!  We have the perfect solution-- come celebrate the last few days of 2007 at Maverick where we have two great Round Ups left this year that you will put you in a festive spirit and feeling ready to take on the New Year.
 
One of our biggest and most anticipated nights of the year will be on Wednesday, December 12 when we will host our seventh Winemaker Dinner with Havens Winery.  We’ve been wanting to join forces with Michael Havens for quite some time and the moment has finally arrived.  Scott and Mike have selected some food and wine pairings that will have people begging for more.  Whether it’s the Crab Salad with Havens Albarino 2006 or the Jasper Hill Bleu Cheese stuffed in Havens Merlot 2003 Poached Seckel Pear, this event will bring out the holiday cheer in everyone.  For more details about Havens Winery for this special Round Up, please check out Mike’s wine Cellar below.
 
Finishing the year will be our 7-Course “Bottomless Wine Glass” New Year’s Eve Dinner.  Scott and the kitchen staff will show off their creative, culinary talents one more time in 2007.  Reservations will be required for this event and are filling up fast.  Please visit our website to view the menu for this year-end blowout. $65 for 7-Course / $100 with Bottomless Wine Pairings.
 
While food and wine has been our focus here at Maverick, Scott and his wife Stacy, along with a core group of contributors have ventured out into the world of publishing.  Out of the Kitchen: Maverick Minutes is a quarterly magazine publication and our first issue will be released later this month.  The magazine will feature a trip to Olive Ridge Ranch, home to Davero Olive Oil in Healdsburg, give some helpful information about some items you have been seeing at the Farmer’s Market or local grocery, get a first hand look into the world of port making, help readers choose wines for their next winter event, and much more.  The first issue is complimentary and will be available at Maverick or by mail.  For those interested in more information or to subscribe, please send us an email at otk@sfmaverick.com with your address and we be happy to put it in the mail.  Subsequent issues will be sold for $8 and yearly subscription will be cost $32.
 
In case you haven’t noticed, we have given our homepage and entire website a facelift.  With help from our food and lifestyle photographer Stacy Cahill and web designer Marla Price, we have taken the site to the next level.  We wanted to make your experience online just as great as in the restaurant and it was time for some changes.  Feel free to drop us an email at eat@sfmaverick.com to let us know what you think. 
 
Finally, Youk’s Hot Sauce has gone national.  Distribution of Northern California’s finest hot sauce will be available in Boston and New York.  There is also a dedicated website for Youk’s Hot Sauce www.youkshotsauce.com.  We think it’s pretty styley and is the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for your favorite chef, member of Red Sox Nation, or “chili head” in your life.  Sounds like an easy way to get knock off Aunt Mildred or Uncle Harry from your Holiday Shopping list.
 
Thank you again for your support for what has truly been a momentous year at Maverick.  We look forward to serving you soon.
MIKE’S WINE CELLAR
 A “Can't Miss” Winemakers Dinner
with Michael Havens of Havens Winery in Carneros.

 
My first experience selling and enjoying Michael Haven’s wine (www.Havenswine.com), was six years ago, and I was immediately enamored. The particular wine was always stunning, Carneros Reserve Merlot (the 1999 vintage). As a California winery owner and farmer, Michael has proven what the great Chateaux of Pomerol have known for decades— that Merlot loves shallow clay topsoil and cool winds. This dedication to planting the right varietals in the right place, letting the vines do their good work and allowing the grapes to tell their story through the wines is what makes the Havens' wines special.
 
This was back when Merlot still had a place I the hearts of the wine drinking masses. The over- planting in the 1990’s, many lackluster ‘fruity’ examples being pumped out, and that fateful line in ‘Sideways ’ is what led to Merlot falling out of fashion. However, when planted in the right place and tended properly it can make benchmark world class wines. Sommeliers, including myself, are trying to enlighten the masses of Merlot doubters by turning them on to great examples from select California growing regions. My first choice is Haven’s dazzling Reserve Merlot.
 
For this special evening, we have chosen the 2006 Albarino, 2002 Cabernet Franc/Merlot, 2002 Hudson 'T-Block' Syrah, and the 2003 Reserve Merlot.  These are great food pairing wines because of their tremendous layers, depth, clarity of fruit, and ever present acidity.
 
Menu
First Course - Dungenous Crab Salad
Sliced cucumber, fennel aioli, cara cara orange vinaigrette
 
Second Course - Crispy Pork Belly
Root vegetable ragout with smoked ham hock
 
Third Course - Grilled Lamb
Gigande beans, sauteed rapini, green peppercorn sauce
 
Fourth Course - Poached Seckel Pear
Jasper Hill Farm Bleu cheese stuffing, walnut brittle
 
The Twelfth 'One of a Kind Wine Wednesday' is Tomorrow— Wednesday, December 5th!

The focus of this winter seminar will be Dessert Wines.  There is much more to well made dessert wines than just syrupy sweetness. They can be multi-layered and retain acidity while still satisfying our sweet cravings at the end of meals.  They also lend themselves to classic pairings for desserts and cheeses. We will taste a Late Harvest Gewurztraminer served with our Apple Charlotte, a Russian River Zinfandel port with an El Rey Chocolate Cake, and a 5-year Bual Madeira with a stinky Blue Cheese and walnuts.
Seminars are from 5:30pm-6:30pm, limited to 10 guests, and cost $35 per person, plus tax. Call for more details and to book a seat. There are still 4 spots left for tomorrow’s seminar. Come join us for an educational, sweet Happy Hour that will leave you feeling all warm inside.

Mike passed the Court of Master Sommeliers Certified Sommeliers exam. Thank you all for your support.
 
Please call 863-3061 or go to www.sfmaverick.com for reservations.
 

Issue 16