OK, so people have been asking about the Beaujolais Nouveau. Well, one person. And one vendor. But people, just the same. Anyway, I just want to say you won’t find it in our little Treehouse. None, nada, nicht, nyet, zilch. It won’t be here.

Now, one customer called me a snob because of it. And, although I might be a snob, that is not the reason. It is simply a marketing ploy, perpetuated by the evil George Debouf, to get people to buy undrinkable wine. It is a celebration in France, of the harvest, and wine is made quickly for the locals to drink while the real stuff ferments and ages properly. Which is fine for the taverns of Romaneche-Thorins, but when old George decided to try to make money off of it by selling to gullible Americans as a perfect pairing for turkey, well, that’s when things just got out of hand.

We brought some in last year, still reveling in our heady days in Willamette Valley, because Monsieur Drouhin makes one at his French vineyards, and we had visited his Oregon winery and enjoyed his Pinots. I drank it with turkey, and, OK, it didn’t suck…until I stopped eating. Then it was terrible, and I moved on to more serious wine. Plus we were stuck with about a half case of it.

It is no coincidence that Duke Philip the Bold declared Gamay unfit for human consumption, and decreed that the only red grape to be planted in Burgundy was to be Pinot Noir. A bit of an overreaction, perhaps, as some Beaujolais-Villages aren’t bad…but Nouveau? Non!

That might count as a tangent, but the point is, if you want Nouveau, you will have to go somewhere else. We, on the other hand, will have real wines that would be delicious with turkey, from Pinot Noir to Picpoul de Pinet.

And speaking of Thanksgiving, we will, or course, be closed. And we will not open on Friday until 5 p.m. That means no wine tasting this week, and we won’t be having one the following week, either, as we will be closed for a special event at 6 p.m. (although we may open for an after dinner crowd around 10:30). That will depend on whether or not we have too much fun. Stay tuned.

Anyway, Friday is the light up ceremony at the Carolina Beach Lake, so it would be a good time to get into the holiday spirit, then stop by the Bistro for a glass of wine or three and some gnosh. We have brand-spankin-new heaters on the deck, so you can still sit outside and enjoy the view from the Treehouse, despite the weather (unless it is blowing rain…haven’t beat that one yet).

Also, you can amble down to the Boardwalk and see what the Makeover Committee has in store for the holidays, which includes a cove decorated by the folks at the Treehouse Bistro. Everyone pitched in to create the decorations, and it only took about eleven bottles of cheap Cabernet to get it all done over two nights.

The parade and flotilla are right around the corner, and then the season will be in full swing.
So, get the season started right, come on down to the Treehouse Bistro and let the 2 Wine Guys @ The Grind pour you a glass and fix you a plate.

Shawn

OK, so it is hardly a kingdom. No even a little villa in southern France. Hell, it’s not even a trailer park in Burgaw. But I would still give it up for a little good vino.

Fortunately, I don’t have to, because people keep bringing it to us. I don’t even know how many wines I’ve tasted in the last week, but there were some real good ones in the mix, including a Claret that was as rich as any chocolate cake, and as smooth as the frosting.

But enough about wine. No, no, of course I’m kidding! We had a great tasting last week, as Jenn, from Choice (another one of “Barry’s Angels”), filled in for Kristin. This Thursday we have the return of Jeremy from Country Vintner, who will be showing a nice selection from West Cape Howe in Australia. So throw a shrimp on the Barbie and come on down for some tasty wine, mate.

Speaking of shrimp, we are adding a shrimp flatbread to our specials menu this week. Also, we will have a pan seared goat cheese salad, and a fall pasta featuring butternut squash ravioli, walnuts and golden raisins in a brown butter sage sauce, topped with blue cheese crumbles. I just made that one today, and it is an amazing amalgamation of flavors. Did the goat cheese, too…turned out better the second time. But even when it wasn’t pretty, it was still delicious!

Speaking of food, the Jazz Brunch seems to have caught on, as Sunday was actually our busiest day of the week, food-wise. And the mimosas seemed to be popular as well. Chef Ed can’t stand it when I make something good, and he has to change it somehow to put his trademark on it. After my tomato pie rocked, he changed it to a tomato tart, using puff pastry and parmesan. It was actually very tasty, and he also has an idea on how he can change my white bean chili. This Sunday, we will feature the tarts, but with a few variations – tomato, ham and cheese, fig and prosciutto. Maybe something else, I just don’t know at this point.

We had the whole crew in Tuesday for Crafts Night at The Treehouse. We are decorating one of the coves at the Boardwalk for Christmas, and we have come up with some rather unique decorations, that involved about 1,500 corks, a gallon of wallpaper paste, chicken wire and at least nine bottles of cheap Cabernet. Thank God for Frank’s Pizza, that’s all I’m sayin.’ Anyway, it was a rather amusing evening, and our creations may actually turn out…I will update when I know for sure.

But here we are, almost mid-November; the holiday season is upon us. If you are looking for that perfect gift for someone, and you just don’t know what they like, let me make a suggestion. Get them wine. And pick out something you like, just in case they are in a sharing mood!

OK, we are getting ready to do it all over again, won’t you join us? Come on down to the Treehouse Bistro, and let the 2 Wine Guys @ The Grind pour you a glass and fix you a plate.

Shawn

Yes, Halloween came and went in the Treehouse (as can be seen on our website, www.treehousebistrocb.com), and we had a fair number of interesting costumes. We even had a gypsy fortune teller on our front porch, and what she told me was pretty spot on…although, I can divulge it here, due to pending litigation.

Anyway, it was a good weekend for wine and food, especially Sunday. We have had a great response to the brunch, and John and Rhonda sounded great AND drew a crowd. Omelets, tomato pie and a southwestern frittata stole the show, though, and $4 mimosas helped wash the whole thing down.

Ah, mimosas. I don’t know if the same person who discovered orange juice also invented champagne, but it sure would make sense to me. Mimosas are the perfect food. Vitamin rich, and full of bubbles. I believe that covers two of the food groups, fruit and bubbles. Your are left with a nice, warm glow, and you are less likely to catch a cold.

Sorry, got on a little tangent, there. I just feel strongly about champagne as a breakfast food, and brunch helps other people appreciate that line of reasoning. I mean, sure, eggs are good, too. And tomatoes (I can’t remember, are they fruits or vegetables?). But bubbles…well, they just make you feel all kinds of good.

OK, back to the action.

Today feels like Fall may actually be here, which means we will begin thinking about soups and fall specials, like butternut squash ravioli with walnuts and apples in a brown butter with sage. Huh? Huh? Sounds pretty good, right? Maybe chili made with smoked brisket? We’ve got a few ideas to help heat up those cool days to come.

Of course, we are still at the beach, and you don’t have to shovel sunshine, so I don’t expect it to be the hard winter others might be used to. Plus, of course, we have all this wine. And, although alcohol only gives you a false sense of warmth, I will revel in it versus no warmth at all…

Plus, it will be 70s and sunny later this week, so this overcast gloom is only temporary anyway. But that doesn’t mean I can’t still have the wine.

Speaking of wine, the Domaine de la Solitude Cotes du Rhone is finally back in stock. If you haven’t had this one, it is delicious. I am not typically a big fan of Rhone wines, because they tend to be earthy and dirty (what is often referred to as “barnyard”…go ahead, use your imagination). But this one is from the Chateauneuf du Pape A.V.A., where rocky soil traps heat so the vine roots stay warm on those cool southern French nights, allowing the fruit to really shine.

We also have the Petite Petit back in, as well as a number of old favorites and new selections.
This weekend, Choice Spice will be doing our tasting, we will have music, and John and Rhonda will be back for Sunday’s brunch.

So, what are you waiting for? The air is cool, the food is hot, and the wine is, well, at whatever temperature is appropriate for the desired varietal. That being said, come on down to The Treehouse Bistro, and let the 2 Wine Guys @ The Grind pour you a glass and fix you a plate!

Shawn