luis pato, baga | portugal

andre heucq, brut nature

pertois-moriset, grand cru

ullens, lot 10

guava cake

chocolate

poppy seed-kolache

shortbread

eggplant rotolo

iberico pork

bacalaito

noodles

red snapper

crispy cauliflower

pizzette

half dozen oyster

crudite

stone crab

beets

aged beef

cobia

strawberry agua fresca, coconut, bay leaf

local seasonal selections

3 sons, citrus machine ipa

Rinse the baga (or substitute grapes) and lemon under cold water. Pat dry. Thinly slice the lemon into rounds and reserve one slice for garnish. Pluck mint leaves from stems and gently clap between your palms to release aroma.

Wash and prepare

Lightly muddle the baga and 4-5 mint leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker or mixing glass: press 6–8 times with a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to release juice and oils without pulverizing skins.

Add the white wine (1.5 cups) to the shaker with the muddled fruit and mint. Stir gently 6–8 times to combine flavors — do not shake vigorously, to preserve wine’s carbonation and delicate aromatics.

Add the simple syrup (1 tsp) and 2 dashes of bitters (if using). Stir once more to incorporate.

Fill a large chilled glass or wine goblet halfway with ice cubes (about 1 cup). Strain the wine-fruit mixture over the ice, using a fine mesh strainer if you prefer to keep seeds and pulp out.

Top with sparkling water (3/4 cup) to add lift. Gently stir once to combine and chill the beverage without flattening the bubbles.

Add remaining mint leaves and the reserved lemon slice into the glass for aroma and visual appeal. Zest half a teaspoon of lemon over the top for bright citrus oil.

Taste and adjust: if you prefer sweeter, add another 1/2–1 tsp simple syrup; if it needs more acidity, squeeze a bit of the lemon slice into the drink.

Serve immediately with a stirring straw. This recipe makes approximately 2 generous servings (or one large sharing glass) and is best enjoyed chilled.

dry Portuguese white wine (Vinho Verde or similar)

sparkling water or club soda

ice cubes

ripe baga (or substitute: small red grape or baga grape)

lemon, thinly sliced

fresh mint leaves

simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)

Angostura bitters (optional)

lemon zest (for garnish)

Place the Andre Heucq Brut Nature bottle in an ice bath: fill a bucket or large container with the 1 cup of ice and 500 ml cold water, then submerge the bottle for 20–30 minutes until it reaches serving temperature of about 7–9°C (45–48°F). If you have a refrigerator, you can chill the bottle upright for 3–4 hours instead.

Chill the bottle

About 5 minutes before serving, remove flutes or glasses from cabinet and ensure they are clean and free of detergent residue. For the best aromatic expression, use tulip-shaped flutes or white wine glasses; arrange 4–6 glasses on a tray or table.

Prepare glasses

Dry the bottle with the towel. Keep the bottle at a 45° angle from guests. Loosen the wire cage while keeping your thumb over the cork. Hold the cork and rotate the bottle (not the cork) slowly, applying gentle upward pressure until the cork eases out with a soft sigh rather than a loud pop. Aim to preserve bubbles and minimize spillage.

Open the bottle

Pour slowly into each glass, filling to about one-third (roughly 90–120 ml per flute) to allow aromas to develop. Fill glasses in a clockwise pattern to distribute foam evenly. Wipe any drips with the towel.

Pour

Serve immediately at 7–9°C. Andre Heucq Brut Nature, made primarily from Pinot Meunier, typically shows fresh orchard fruit, brioche, and mineral notes with crisp acidity and pronounced purity due to the Brut Nature dosage. Encourage guests to look, swirl gently (if using white wine glasses), and inhale to appreciate primary fruit and secondary autolytic aromas.

Serving temperature and tasting notes

Shuck oysters just before serving and arrange on a bed of crushed ice. Serve with lemon wedges. The briny, clean oyster flavor complements the wine's acidity and minerality—offer one or two oysters per guest as an aperitif.

Oysters

Arrange smoked salmon slices on a platter with blinis or butter crackers. Provide small dollops of soft goat cheese or crème fraîche and lemon wedges. Guests can build small bites—salmon, a smear of cheese, a squeeze of lemon—and sip the Brut Nature to cut through the richness.

Smoked salmon & accompaniments

Place toasted almonds or other light, unsalted nuts in small bowls for casual nibbling. These provide texture contrast without overwhelming the wine.

Nuts and light bites

Andre Heucq Brut Nature (Pinot Meunier)

Champagne flutes or white wine glasses

Ice (for chilling)

Cold water (for ice bath)

Small towel or napkin

Fresh oysters

Smoked salmon

Butter crackers or blinis

Soft goat cheese

Lemon wedges

Toasted almonds

Place the bottle of Pertois-Moriset Grand Cru in a bucket or large container. Add ice and cold water around the bottle so it is immersed to the neck. Let it chill for 20–30 minutes until the bottle is cold to the touch (about 6–8°C / 43–46°F).

While the bottle chills, put the champagne flutes in the refrigerator for 5–10 minutes to cool them slightly (or in the freezer for 3–4 minutes). Cool glasses preserve bubbles and maintain ideal serving temperature.

Prepare glassware

If using a lemon twist, take a thin strip of lemon peel and gently express its oils over the opening of the bottle or the filled flute by holding and giving it a quick twist. Set the twist aside for garnish.

Optional lemon twist

Remove foil and loosen the wire cage while keeping your thumb firmly on the cork. Tilt the bottle at a 45° angle away from people and objects. Gently twist the bottle (not the cork) while holding the cork to ease it out slowly until you hear a quiet sigh rather than a loud pop.

Open the bottle safely

Pour the Champagne into flutes slowly at an angle to preserve effervescence. Fill each flute about two-thirds full (roughly 90–120 ml per glass) to allow aromatics to develop. Top up lightly if desired, pouring down the side of the glass.

Pour with finesse

Arrange thin slices of Gruyère or Comté and the pear or apple slices on a small serving plate. Place crackers or buttered toast alongside. These mild, slightly savory-sweet bites complement Chardonnay-driven Grand Cru Champagne's rich texture and brioche notes.

Plate accompaniments

Serve immediately while the Champagne is cold and fizzy. Take a small sip first to note acidity, minerality, and brioche or citrus notes; then enjoy with a bite of cheese and fruit to contrast creaminess and sweetness. Re-chill the bottle in the ice bath between pours to maintain temperature.

Serve and taste

If any Champagne remains, reseal with a proper Champagne stopper and keep the bottle in the ice bucket or refrigerator. Consume within 2–3 days for best bubbles and flavor.

Storage after opening

Pertois-Moriset Grand Cru Champagne (Chardonnay-dominant)

Cold water

Lemon twist or thin peel

Champagne flutes

Plain crackers or light buttered toast

Fresh Gruyère or Comté (thin slices)

Fresh pear or green apple slices

Thoroughly sanitize all fermentation equipment, primary fermenter, siphon, bottles, and utensils with a no-rinse sanitizer.

Sanitize

In a sanitized fermenter, combine 375 ml Pinot Noir and 375 ml Pinot Meunier. Stir gently to homogenize the two base wines.

If using reserve wine or liqueur d'expédition for sweetness/balance, add 50 ml now and mix. Taste and adjust — the final wine should be in the target style for a young, fruit-forward small-batch sparkling.

If the base wine has been recently opened and you prefer to remove wild microbes, add 0.25 tsp crushed Campden tablet and let rest 24 hours before inoculating with yeast. If wine is sterile and recently bottled, skip Campden.

Dissolve 24 g sugar and 0.25 tsp yeast nutrient in 50 ml warm (not hot) water. Cool to room temperature. Add 1 tsp champagne/sparkling wine yeast and stir gently to rehydrate per yeast instructions. Let sit 10–15 minutes until active.

Add the active yeast/sugar mix (tirage) to the blended base wine in the fermenter. Stir gently for even distribution. The added sugar will ferment in-bottle producing CO2 to carbonate the wine.

Top up volume with up to 50 ml water if the fermenter level is below the intended fill to ensure proper headspace when bottling. Recheck sanitation of lids and equipment before proceeding.

Sterilize bottles and prepare closures (mushroom cork wired or crown caps). Using a sanitized bottling wand, fill one 750 ml bottle leaving approximately 5 cm (2 in) headspace.

Seal bottles with crown cap or temporary closure appropriate for secondary fermentation. Label each bottle with the date and batch.

Place bottles upright in a cool dark place at 12–18°C (54–64°F) for 2–4 weeks to allow secondary fermentation to finish and pressure to rise. Monitor one bottle after 2 weeks by chilling and carefully opening to check carbonation. Target pressure is roughly 4–6 atm for Champagne-style fizz (home bottling safety note: always use bottles rated for sparkling wine).

For a simple sparkling, after 2–4 weeks of carbonation you may chill and drink. For a traditional méthode style: age bottles on their sides for 3–12 months to develop autolytic notes.

Riddle bottles gradually neck-down over several weeks (or use a riddling rack) to concentrate lees in the neck. Once lees are collected in the neck, chill bottles to near-freezing.

Disgorge by removing temporary closure/crown, allowing the frozen lees plug to be expelled, then top up with a small dosage (reserve wine + a small sugar adjustment if desired) and cork with mushroom cork and wire cage. Alternatively, use crown cap and keep as sparkling wine without disgorging.

Label and store bottles upright for a day to settle, then store in cool dark conditions until serving.

Chill bottle to 7–10°C (45–50°F) before serving. Open carefully: hold the cork and twist the bottle slowly to release pressure. Pour gently into tulip or flute glasses, aiming for steady bubbles and minimal foam.

Serve the Pinot Noir / Meunier blend as a bright, fruit-driven sparkling. Enjoy within 6–12 months for freshest fruit character, longer if aged using the méthode.

Pinot Noir (red wine base)

Pinot Meunier (red wine base)

Reserve wine / liqueur d'expédition (optional)

Champagne yeast (or sparkling wine yeast)

Sugar (for tirage / secondary fermentation)

Campden tablet (optional, crushed)

Nutrient (yeast nutrient)

Water (if needed to top up)

Champagne/methode traditionelle bottles (750 ml)

Crown or wired mushroom cork

Labels (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan or a 9x5-inch loaf pan thoroughly and dust with 1 tablespoon flour, tapping out excess.

Prep oven and pan

In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon instant coffee in 1 tablespoon warm water (taken from the measured hot water for the guava if needed). Set aside to cool briefly.

Dissolve coffee

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons malted milk powder until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk 2 large eggs lightly, then add 3/4 cup melted butter (cooled slightly), 1 cup buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the dissolved coffee. Whisk until homogeneous.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into it. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined; do not overmix. The batter should be thick but pourable. If it seems very thick, add up to 1–2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk.

Prepare guava puree: chop or break 8 oz guava paste into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Add 1/4 cup hot water and microwave or warm over a double boiler until the paste softens (about 30–60 seconds in microwave), then mash or puree with a fork or immersion blender until smooth.

Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon sugar (taste and adjust; guava paste can be quite sweet so sugar may be omitted). If the mixture is too thick to swirl, add up to 1–2 tablespoons more warm water to loosen to a thick jam consistency.

Reserve about 3–4 tablespoons of the guava mixture for topping/glaze if desired; the rest will be used for the swirl.

Spoon half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread to an even layer. Dollop half of the guava mixture in spoonfuls over the batter. Add the remaining batter on top and finish with remaining guava mixture dropped in spoonfuls on the surface.

Using a knife or skewer, draw gentle figure-8s or circular motions through the batter to create a swirl pattern. Avoid over-swiping or the guava will fully blend in; aim for visible swirl ribbons.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30–40 minutes for a 9-inch round (or 45–55 minutes for a 9x5 loaf) until the top is golden, the center springs back lightly, and a toothpick inserted in the cake (not in a guava ribbon) comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil during the last 10–15 minutes of baking.

Remove cake from oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto the rack, and cool completely before glazing (about 1–1.5 hours).

Make the glaze: in a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon malted milk powder. Dissolve 1 teaspoon instant espresso in 1 tablespoon hot water and add to the sugar mixture. Whisk to combine; add up to 1 teaspoon milk to reach a drizzleable consistency.

If you reserved 3–4 tablespoons guava mixture, warm it slightly and spoon over the cake first, then drizzle the malted coffee glaze on top. Scatter 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or crushed malted milk balls if using.

Let glaze set for 10–15 minutes, then slice and serve. Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.

all-purpose flour

granulated sugar

baking powder

baking soda

fine salt

malted milk powder

instant coffee granules

unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

large eggs

buttermilk

vanilla extract

guava paste (firm)

hot water

lime juice

granulated sugar (optional, to taste)

powdered sugar

instant espresso or strong instant coffee

milk (to thin, if needed)

butter or nonstick spray (for pan)

all-purpose flour (for pan)

coarse sugar or crushed malted milk balls (optional topping)

Bring the sourdough slices to room temperature if refrigerated (5–10 min). Pat lightly with paper towel if damp.

Prep bread

Place a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil and spread across the pan. When oil shimmers, add the sourdough slices and toast 1.5–2 minutes per side, or until golden and crisp. Alternatively, toast in a toaster and brush both sides with evoo after toasting.

Heat oil and toast

While bread toasts, place the chopped dark chocolate and 1 tsp unsalted butter in a small heatproof bowl. Melt using one of the following methods:
- Double boiler: set the bowl over (not touching) simmering water and stir until smooth. 
- Microwave: heat in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts until melted and glossy. 
Stir until fully combined.

Melt chocolate

Spread the warm melted chocolate evenly over each toasted sourdough slice using a spoon or offset spatula so it soaks slightly into the bread. Sprinkle a very light pinch of sea salt flakes over the chocolate to enhance flavor.

Assemble

Drizzle: If you like sweeter, drizzle about 1 tsp honey or maple syrup over the chocolate-topped toast.

Top: Scatter fresh berries or banana slices across the chocolate, then sprinkle chopped toasted nuts for crunch.

Finish: If using, dust a small pinch of powdered sugar or sprinkle cacao nibs for extra texture. Serve immediately while the chocolate is warm and the bread is crisp.

sourdough bread

extra-virgin olive oil (evoo)

dark chocolate (70% cacao), finely chopped or chips

unsalted butter

sea salt flakes

honey or maple syrup

fresh berries (e.g., raspberries) or sliced banana

toasted nuts (hazelnuts or almonds), chopped

cacao nibs or powdered sugar

Warm 1 cup whole milk until just lukewarm (about 100°F / 38°C). Stir in 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and the yeast dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.

Warm milk and bloom yeast

In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the foamy milk-yeast, 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (cooled slightly), 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix to combine.

Mix wet ingredients

Add 4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt gradually. If using a stand mixer, switch to dough hook after ingredients come together and knead on medium-low 6–8 minutes until dough is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. If by hand, knead on a lightly floured surface about 8–10 minutes.

Add dry ingredients and knead

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

First rise

Punch down dough and divide into 12 equal pieces (~80–90 g each). Roll each piece into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Using your thumb or the bottom of a small measuring cup, create a 1 1/2-inch well in the center of each ball, leaving a 1/2-inch rim.

Shape kolaches

Cover shaped kolaches loosely and let rise until puffy, about 30–45 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Second rise

In a small saucepan over medium heat combine 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup poppy seeds. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often so milk doesn't scorch.

Cook poppy seed base

In a small bowl whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry. When the poppy mixture is simmering, stir in the slurry and continue cooking 2–3 minutes until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Let cool to room temperature; it will thicken further. If too thick for filling, thin with a splash of milk.

Thicken

In a saucepan combine 3 cups chopped rhubarb, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb breaks down but still has some texture, about 8–10 minutes.

Cook rhubarb

Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, taste and adjust sweetness if needed. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Chill if making ahead; compote should be cool or cold when assembling kolaches or scooping into ice cream.

Finish compote

In a medium bowl beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 3/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth and no lumps remain. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest if using.

Luis Pato, Baga | Portugal

Andre Heucq, Brut Nature

Pertois-moriset, Grand Cru

Ullens, Lot 10

Guava Cake

Chocolate

Poppy Seed-kolache

Shortbread

Eggplant Rotolo

Iberico Pork

Bacalaito

Noodles

Red Snapper

Crispy Cauliflower

Pizzette

Half Dozen Oyster

Crudite

Stone Crab

Beets

Aged Beef

Cobia

Strawberry Agua Fresca, Coconut, Bay Leaf

Local Seasonal Selections

3 Sons, Citrus Machine Ipa