Pork Shoulder "Pernil" with Cilantro-Citrus Adobo

Tonight I made [Pork Shoulder "Pernil" with Cilantro-Citrus Adobo](http://www.foodnetwork.com/tylers-ultimate/ultimate-pernil/index.html). This has to be one of the best pork roast recipes I have ever tasted. It had a crunchy exterior, with a juicy, melt in your mouth center. Luckily there are leftovers!

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 boneless pork shoulder (about 4 pounds), skin on
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 handful fresh oregano
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, plus chopped cilantro, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and fresh coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 limes, juiced, plus wedges for serving
- 2 oranges, juiced
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil


METHOD:

Place the pork, fat side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack insert, and using a sharp knife, score the surface of the meat with small slits. Prepare the adobo: In a food processor, add the garlic, oregano, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add lime juice and orange juice. Drizzle in olive oil and pulse until you have a nice puree. Rub the marinade all over the pork, being sure to get into the incisions so the salt can penetrate the meat and pull out the moisture - this will help form a crust on the outside when cooked.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Roast the pork for 3 hours, uncovered, until the skin is crispy-brown. Let the meat rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing, covered lightly with aluminum foil. Drizzle with lime juice and garnish with cilantro.

2006 Pax Syrah Cuvée Keltie

**2006 Pax Syrah Cuvée Keltie (USA, California, North Coast)** A nice floral and tar filled nose, with subtle undertones of blueberry pie, black currant, pepper, smoke, and baking spice. In the mouth it is rich and juicy, with heavy floral flavors, plus tar and smoke. The mid-palate has loads of dark fruit, and it finishes with a good bit of spicy oak. The tannins were firm, but did not overpower the wine. (93 pts.)

"Second Place Isn't Always Bad" Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc

Here's the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com//event.asp?iEvent=8723) I tasted today:

* **2005 Château La Fleur de Lescours - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru** The nose is a major fruit bomb! There was a lot of black cherry and black currant, but also some spicy cedar, and earth. The palate was also very fruity, with a nice herbaceous characteristic. It finished with a good forest floor flavor. (91 pts.)
* **2007 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose started with quite a bit of fig, followed by melon, honey, and just a touch of grapefruit at the end. The initial attack on the palate was all honey. That gave way to ripe fig, and citrus. It finished with an interesting floral and petrol flavor. (91 pts.)
* **2005 Veraison Merlot Krupp Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak** The nose started off with blueberry and olives, and transitioned to herbs, raspberry, and mushrooms. The palate was very smooth, and had raspberry and blueberry, earth, herbs, and a pretty good cedar finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Chappellet Vineyard Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose had a lot of pepper, mixed with raspberry and cherry. The palate had a lot of sweet, dark fruit. This was followed by smoke, and a good licorice finish. (89 pts.)
* **2007 Château de la Roche Touraine - France, Loire Valley, Touraine** The nose had more honey than I was expecting. It also had a lot of ripe citrus and tropical fruit. At the end was just the slightest bit of grass. The palate did not have the honey that the nose did, but it had great sour citrus, grass, and a nice stone finish. (89 pts.)
* **2003 Vérité La Muse - USA, California, Sonoma County** The nose on this smells like my morning cup of coffee. It also had dark chocolate, red berries, and a little bit of smoked meat on the end. The palate was very rich. It had mocha, smoke, chocolate, red berries, and a finish that was full of incense. (92 pts.)
* **2006 Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Sauvage - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre** The nose had a whole bunch of lime, a little honey, some stone, and a slightly grassy finish. The palate was very crisp, and had a lot of minerals. The mid-palate exploded with lime, and it finished with a little grassiness. (89 pts.)

A Failure Of Imagination

I'm watching Real Time with Bill Maher tonight and can't believe what I'm hearing. He's talking to Michael Moore about his new movie and he says that if we don't have capitalism the only other option is communism. In other words, we either keep what we have now or we switch to what they had in the old Soviet Union. Are you serious? Is this the best we can come up with in the 21st century? Two equally bad alternatives?

2006 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Peay Vineyard

**2006 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Peay Vineyard (USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast)** The nose had a very candied fruit aspect - mainly cherry and raspberry. Underneath the fruit was a little cola and earthiness, which transitioned to spice and just the faintest hint of vanilla. The palate also had the same candied fruit as the nose, and a good grip. The mid-palate had a mushroom and cola mix that was quite pleasant, and it finished with a spicy oak flavor. (92 pts.)

Mussels with Coconut Green Curry and Lime

Tonight I made [Mussels with Coconut Green Curry and Lime](http://www.tylerflorence.com/blog/?p=674).

Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

- 3 lbs. mussels
- 1 (15oz) can coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
- 1/2 lime, juice only
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt
- 2 shallots, finely sliced
- 1/4 cup flour
- Vegetable oil for shallow frying
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish


METHOD:

Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing with a brush. Remove the stringy mussel beards with your thumb and index finger as you wash them. Discard any mussels with broken shells.

Combine lime juice, curry paste, cilantro and 2 tablespoons of coconut cream in a blender. Process until smooth and you have a bright green puree. Set aside.

Set a large pot over high heat. Once it is hot dump in the mussels then add the plain coconut cream. Cover and boil for 10 minutes until the mussels open. When done remove the lid, add the green curry puree and mix well.

While the mussels are steaming prepare the shallot garnish. Slice shallot into thin circles. Toss in seasoned flour to lightly coat then shallow fry in oil until crispy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle on top of the mussels just before serving.

NOTES:

I left out the shallot garnish, so didn't use the shallots, flour, and vegetable oil.

Ceviche

Tonight I made [Ceviche](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/halibut-snapper-and-shrimp-ceviche/). I did, however, use different fish then the recipe called for. Instead of halibut, snapper, and shrimp, I used scallops, ahi tuna, and tiger shark. But other then that, the recipe is the same.

Here's the original recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

- 1/3 lb. Pacific halibut
- 1/3 lb. Yellowtail snapper
- 1/3 lb. cocktail shrimp
- 1/2 cup lime juice (about 4-5 limes)
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)
- 1 avocado, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped (remember, the seeds and inner membrane are the spiciest parts. Discard them if you don’t like food too spicy)
- salt to taste


METHOD:

Cut the fish into 1/2-inch squares, removing all skin and bones. Lightly salt the fish. Bring a few cups of lightly salted water to boil. Add peeled and cleaned shrimp for 1 minute. Immediately put shrimp in a bowl of ice and water to chill. Cut the cooled shrimp into 1/2 inch pieces (it will still be fairly raw inside). Combine fish and shrimp with lime and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.

When you cut into a piece of the fish or shrimp, it should be “cooked” through, meaning the shrimp will be light pink and the fish will be white, not grayish or translucent. However, if you prefer more of a raw texture (as some sushi lovers do) you might want to marinate the seafood for less than two hours.

When the seafood had finished marinating, drain and discard the lime and lemon juice. Combine the seafood with the rest of the ingredients. Add salt to taste.

2004 Fiddlehead Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Hunnysuckle

**2004 Fiddlehead Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Hunnysuckle (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley)** The nose was very grassy. It also had citrus and tropical fruit, and some creamy vanilla at the end. The palate was fairly rich for a Sauvignon Blanc, and had a bunch of citrus upfront. The mid-palate was nice and grassy, and it finished with a mix of pineapple and papaya. (90 pts.)

Tuscan Treasures

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=8645) I tasted today:

* **2005 Ca' Marcanda (Gaja) Magari Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT**
The nose had a lot of perfume and manure smells on the front end. A very strange, but interesting combination. There was also blackberry, currant, and spice. The palate was soft and juicy. It had quite a bit of grilled meat that was mixed with black fruit and floral notes. It finished with a nice hit of spice. (93 pts.)
* **2006 Montepeloso Eneo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT**
The nose was very jammy. It had blackberry, cherry, pencil lead, and eucalyptus. The palate was very minty, but also had blackberry, cherry, and a lot of tar on the finish. (93 pts.)
* **2004 Brancaia Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico**
The nose was dark and dirty. It had black cherry, black licorice, and wet leaves. It also had a dollop of vanilla at the end. The palate was soft and had a bunch of earthiness up front. The middle had dark cherry and licorice, and it finished with a healthy bit of oak (but not enough to bother me). (91 pts.)
* **2006 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico**
The nose had a good mix of fruit and flowers. There was cherry, plum, and violets. The palate was a little tannic, but had a lot of floral notes. It also had plum and a cherry finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Luce La Vite Lucente Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT**
The nose had aromas of toast and smoke, with small amounts of cherry. The palate was very fruity and smoky. There was cherry, and black currant, and it finished with some good tar flavors. (89 pts.)
* **2001 Tornesi Brunello di Montalcino Le Benducce - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino**
The nose was very gamey, but also had plum, leather, and tobacco. The palate was very soft. It had tobacco, stone, plum, and a leathery finish. (92 pts.)
* **2006 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT**
The nose had cherry and leather, smoke, mint, and licorice. The palate was a little tannic, but had tar, smoke, cherry, and leather finish. (92 pts.)

2007 Thomas Halby Cabernet Sauvignon

**2007 Thomas Halby Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)** The nose was very dirty, with a nice center of black currant, chocolate, and cherry. Towards the end it had some toasty oak. The palate was little green, but not in an entirely unpleasant way. Like the nose, there was a lot of earthiness at the beginning, with chocolate and dark fruit on the mid-palate. The finish had a good mix of cherry and toasty oak. (89 pts.)

Why The iTunes 9 App Organizer Is Practically Useless

I was really looking forward to the app organizer in iTunes 9. I didn't do a lot of organizing on the phone itself because it is such a pain to move apps around one at a time. So I was excited to hear that iTunes 9 was adding that ability. Unfortunately, things aren't much better in iTunes.

Let me just say that maybe the problem is all me. But as a long time Mac user, I expect to be able to do things without RTFM. So here's my biggest gripe.

If I download a new app, it puts it on the last screen. Okay. That makes sense. But if I then move it to another screen, say screen 2, it takes the last app on screen 2 and makes a new page 3 with that app and them moves everything down to the next screen. So now I have to manually go through and move every app in every page after that up to fill in the space. This is stupid. On the phone it does this for me.

Am I missing something?

2007 Olson Ogden Syrah Unti Vineyard

**2007 Olson Ogden Syrah Unti Vineyard (USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley)** The nose was very earthy with lots of tar and smoke. These smells surrounded a core of black currant and cherry. It ended with a tiny amount of pepper and vanilla. The palate was very rich, with quite a tannic bite. The fruit was a bit more prominent, with the earthy flavors underneath. It finished with a bunch of pepper and just a touch of oak. (92 pts.)

Pinots, Pinots, and Pinots!

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=8583) I tasted today:

* **2007 Roessler Pinot Noir La Brisa - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast**
This nose was very jammy, with a preponderance of blackberry, black currant, ad black cherry. It ended with smoked meats, licorice, and forest floor. The palate had great grip, with earthy flavors, blackberry, cherry, and a smoky finish. (91 pts.)
* **2007 Roessler Pinot Noir Bluejay - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley**
The nose had a strong aroma of pancetta. Underneath was blueberry, raspberry, smoke, and vanilla. The palate was extremely soft and fruity. There was cherry and raspberry, bacon fat, and a strong licorice finish. (91 pts.)
* **N.V. Montaudon Champagne Grande Rosé Brut - France, Champagne**
The nose was extremely earthy - rotting bark, worms, and bramble. It also had a hint of cherry, and a bunch of yeast at the end. The palate was very lively, with a good amount of cherry fruit at the beginning that transitioned to a bread flavor, finally ending with wet stone finish. (90 pts.)
* **2007 King Estate Pinot Gris Oregon - USA, Oregon**
The nose was heavy with tropical fruits - pineapple, and papaya mainly. There was also some pear, and a slight hint of crushed rock. The palate was almost the opposite on the nose. Mainly stone and pear upfront, with some very subtle tropical notes on the finish. (89 pts.)
* **2007 Borgo Magredo Friuli Pinot Nero Grave - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli**
The nose had a really subtle aspect where the aromas seemed to slowly reveal themselves. First came some cherry and blackberry. Then some spice and earth. Finally, there was an old oak smell. The palate was not as good as the nose. It was very green and bitter. It had the same fruit as the nose, but it was completely overwhelmed by the bitter flavors. (78 pts.)
* **2007 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Nysa Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley**
The nose started with a toasty oak aroma, then added cherry, and ended with a slightly spicy smell. The palate was slightly tannic, but had nice cherry fruit. It also had cassis and spice, but the finish that was a little too oaky for my taste. (89 pts.)
* **2006 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Le Corton - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru**
The nose had a strong venison aroma, along with raspberry, parsley, and forest floor. The palate was very green, and to be honest, way to young to drink. It has nice fruit, but it is little disjointed. I think it was some potential, so I'm not even going to try and give it a score.

2007 Keith Tulloch Sémillon

**2007 Keith Tulloch Sémillon (Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley)** The nose had spice, citrus, peach, apple, and stone. The palate was very heavy, and had stone, citrus, spice, peach, and a granny smith apple finish. (88 pts.)

Veal Piccata with Lemon, Capers and Parsley-Butter Sauce

Tonight I made [Veal Piccata with Lemon, Capers and Parsley-Butter Sauce](http://www.tylerflorence.com/blog/?p=191).

Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

- 4 (8oz) veal cutlets
- 1/2 cup flour
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons capers, washed and drained
- 1 lb. spaghetti


METHOD:

Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until just cooked. Drain and set aside.

Set a large sauté pan over medium heat and add a 3-count of olive oil. Season flour with salt and pepper and lightly coat cutlets. Beat eggs in a bowl, season and add 1 tablespoon of water. Dip cutlets in egg wash and then place straight into the hot pan. Cook the veal about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Set veal cutlets aside on a plate. Deglaze pan with white wine and reduce by half. Add lemon juice, capers, and half the parsley then gradually add the cold butter cubes as you whisk to thicken up the sauce. Taste and give it a final season.

Serve veal over pasta topped with capers and parsley butter sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.

NOTES:

I have included the full recipe here, but I made a few changes. First, I left out the spaghetti. Second, I replaced the wheat flour with coconut flour. It doesn't really use a lot of flour, so I don't think it's a big deal. I just happened to have coconut flour since I don't really use wheat flour. One thing to be careful of with this recipe, or any recipe using an egg wash, is make sure the pan is nice and hot before you put the meat in. If it isn't hot enough, the egg wash will fall off the meat and stick to the pan.

2005 Brutocao Zinfandel Estate Bottled Port Hopland Ranches

**2005 Brutocao Zinfandel Estate Bottled Port Hopland Ranches (USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino)** The nose had black cherry, raisins, dark chocolate, and spicy black currant. The palate was sweet and spicy, and had chocolate, black currant, and a good cherry finish. (87 pts.)

Syrah

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=8522) I tasted at Tivoli Wines:

* **2006 Writer's Block Petite Sirah - USA, California, North Coast, Red Hills Lake County**
The nose had cherry, floral notes, orange peel, and vanilla. The palate was soft, with cherry, blackberry, spice, coffee and a toasty oak finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Barrel 27 Wine Company Syrah Head Honcho - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County**
The nose had plum, tar, raspberry, and spice. The palate was soft and sweet, and had raspberry, plum, spice, and tar with a slightly hot finish. (90 pts.)
* **2007 Charles Smith Chardonnay Eve - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley**
The nose had apple, honey, and chalk. The palate was crisp, and had apple and minerals. (88 pts.)
* **2007 Frankland Estate Shiraz - Viognier Rocky Gully - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Frankland River**
The nose had black currant, blackberry, floral notes, and pepper. The palate was soft, and had blackberry, black currant, pepper. and spice. (88 pts.)
* **2006 Nine North Wine Company Ten Mile "The Broken Road" - USA, California**
The nose had blackberry, cream, and cherry. The palate was soft and creamy, and had blackberry, and pepper. (88 pts.)

Barbeque Wines

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=8521) I tasted today at Farpointe Cellar:

* **2007 Oakville Winery Zinfandel - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville**
The nose had blackberry and cassis, pepper, and a little spice. The palate was soft, and had blackberry, pepper, spice, and a cassis finish. (92 pts.)
* **2006 Girard Petite Sirah - USA, California, Napa Valley**
The nose had blackberry, blueberry, earth, mushroom, and a little bit of violets at the end. The palate was very smooth, and had blueberry, blackberry, truffles, and a nice floral finish. (92 pts.)
* **2007 Laird Family Estate Pinot Noir Ghost Ranch - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros**
The nose had strawberry, cherry, tree bark, spice, and vanilla. The palate was super smooth, and had cherry, strawberry, vanilla, forest floor, and a spicy finish. (91 pts.)
* **2005 Pascal Jolivet Pouilly-Fumé Les Griottes - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé**
The nose had lemon, grass, and stone. The palate was crisp and slightly sweet, and had citrus, minerals, and a tropical finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Four Vines Zinfandel Maverick - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County**
The nose had a bunch of clove and dried leaves, along with a little bit of blackberry. The palate was soft and juicy, and had blackberry, clove, and and a spicy finish. (89 pts.)
* **2007 Copain Viognier Tous Ensemble - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County**
The nose had loads of honey and citrus, with a small amount of peach towards the end. The palate was very sweet, and had apricot, citrus, and a peach finish. (89 pts.)
* **2007 Surh Luchtel Zinfandel - USA, California, Napa Valley**
The nose had blackberry, a little tobacco leaf, chocolate, and some vanilla at the end. The palate was smooth, and had blackberry, chocolate, tobacco, and a spicy finish. (88 pts.)
* **2007 Doña Paula Malbec Estate - Argentina, Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo**
The nose had raspberry, cedar, vanilla, and a tiny bit of spice. The palate was soft with a firm backbone, and had raspberry, black currant, spice, and a vanilla finish. (88 pts.)
* **2006 Lamborn Family Vineyards Zinfandel Serendipity Vintage - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain**
The nose was very chocolatey, and also had blackberry, spice, and a touch of vanilla. The palate was soft, and had blackberry, chocolate, spice, and a slightly oaky finish. (93 pts.)
* **2007 Orin Swift Zinfandel Saldo - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley**
The nose had a bunch of boysenberry, a little pepper, and some baking spice. The palate was smooth, and had boysenberry, tobacco, plum, and a spicy finish. (91 pts.)
* **2006 Robert Biale Petite Sirah Royal Punishers - USA, California, Napa Valley**
The nose had a load of violets and incense, along with blackberry and vanilla. The palate was smooth, and had blackberry, floral notes, spice, and a rich finish. (90 pts.)

Flatiron Steak with Herb Butter

Tonight I made Flatiron Steak with Herb Butter from Thomas Keller's [Bouchon](http://www.amazon.com/Bouchon-Thomas-Keller/dp/1579652395). The recipe is on page 207 of the book if you're keeping score.

This has to be one of the best steaks I have every made. The combination of the butter, shallots, and thyme gave the steak a juicy and rich flavor that is hard to beat. Plus, it was so simple to make. It took less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

2006 Soos Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard

**2006 Soos Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills)** The nose had dark chocolate and dirt, black currant and cherry, and just a hint of vanilla. The palate was rich and thick, and had chocolate, black currant, espresso, cherry, and a pleasant oak finish. (92 pts.)