The Frick Young Fellows winter ball after partyThe Frick Young FellowsFor more than 25 years, the Frick Young Fellows have helped ensure that the Frick Collection remains a singular museum experience. Fellows'gifts support a host of activities that enhance the permanent collection and the landmark gilded age mansion that houses it, including special exhibitions, an annual symposium in the fine arts for graduate students, a concert and lecture series, and maintenance of the galleries and gardens.
krug clos d'ambonnay: unveiled at adour
by lisa granik, master of wine
Rumors had swirled about for years, and this time they turned out to be true: Krug, for many the ne plus ultra of champagnes, had been nurturing a single vineyard Blanc des Noirs Champagne as counterpoint to its 100 percent Chardonnay Clos de Mesnil.
Krug first released the 1979 Clos de Mesnil in 1986; 22 years later, at Adour Alain Ducasse at The St. Regis New York, Olivier Krug shared "the secret we had guarded for so long" at an intimate Krug collector dinner. The Clos d'Ambonnay is the first Krug cuvée strictly composed of 100 percent pinot noir grapes, and the food paired by Chef Alain Ducasse complemented the inaugural nationwide release of this Krug micro cuvée-- only 3,000 bottles were produced from a vineyard that extends but 1.69 acres. As far back as the 1880s, the Krug family had identified Ambonnay as the prime source of pinot noir, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger of chardonnay, but it was not until the 1990s that they secured a vineyard in Clos d'Ambonnay for themselves. They had been buying fruit since the 1980s, and experimenting with a single-vineyard cuvée for ten years, but not until the 1995 vintage did the small winemaking team led by Henri, Rémi, and Olivier Krug feel the cuvée expressed the quintessence of the vineyard. Like all Krug wines, it is fermented in small, old oak barrels, which themselves impart to the wine no oaky flavor or aromas but contribute to its breath, depth, harmony, and seamless integration on the palate. A single vineyard, to merit a special bottling, should express a distinct force of personality, and in its singular expression of power and complexity, the Clos d'Ambonnay did not disappoint. The debut of the 1995 Clos d'Ambonnay was one of two spectacular events at Adour Alain One can only hope that these extraordinary events continue, and that we can be among the special few to enjoy them! seasonal menua taste of spring from the forestmorel mushrooms on the menu from the vineyardnew sautéed duck foie gras dish paired with a glass of "candela" pinot noir from monterey, california, specially bottled for adour new york. on the menu from the seajohn dory, also known as st. pierre, is a deep-sea fish with an olive-yellow body that has a large dark spot and long spines on the dorsal fin. moist in texture with small, fine flakes, it has a slightly sweet flavor. on the menu from the pasturemark martin of elysian fields farm in pennsylvania takes a holistic approach with his lamb. the animals are humanely raised, fed only natural grasses and grains, and drink only water that has been tested for purity. on the menu favorite sweet pairingrhubarb and strawberry dessert paired with a glass of taittinger champagne "nocturne." on the menu From Greenmarket to TableSt. Regis guests can experience an extraordinary culinary journey to New York's fabled union square greenmarket, where the city's top chefs and food enthusiasts alike shop for the freshest bounty of the season.
a legacy of styleDespite the challenges of the wider economic environment, recent history has proven that works from exceptional art collections continue to capture the eye and imagination of devoted collectors around the world.
David Hockney: Beverly Hills Housewife
"Christie's has a great deal of experience handling the legacies of some of history's most culturally relevant individuals since the days of James Christie, who famously auctioned property belonging to Marie Antoinette and Madame du Barry soon after the French Revolution," says Marc Porter, president of Christie's Americas. Collections with either an attached prestigious name or a connoisseur's stamp of approval have an added premium, and results garnered for them demonstrate that collectors with the passion and the means respond when works of great quality come to market. Victor and Sally Ganz, a modest Manhattan couple, sold their phenomenal art collection at Christie's for $206.5 million in 1997; British philanthropist Simon Sainsbury's collection fetched $32.2 million in June 2008; and the sale of four Gustav Klimt paintings restituted to the heirs of Adele and Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, one of the most fervently awaited events in art market history, achieved $192.7 million in November 2006. Part of the wider Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale at Christie's, it went on to become the most expensive auction ever staged, at $491,472,000. More recently, the collection of the esteemed philanthropist Betty Freeman became one of the most coveted to come onto the radar of postwar and contemporary art collectors. Betty Freeman's passion for all things modern led her to forge friendships and acquire the works of contemporary masters including Roy Lichtenstein, Sam Francis, Dan Flavin, David Hockney, Walter De Maria, and Andy Warhol. She had been quoted as saying that she aspired to have a work by Dan Flavin in every room in her house. Indeed, she came very close, for her collection boasted five glorious works by Flavin, including "Monument" for V. Tatlin, which she described in a letter to the artist as "a shining diamond in my entry hall." The tastemakers who formed these awe-inspiring collections often had one driving quality with which they built their collection. For Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergá, that quality was an eye for esteemed provenance; for Betty Freeman, it was the desire for modernity and minimalism; and for Simon Sainsbury, it was the vision to construct a coherent collection as a recreation of Arcadia. It is in this spirit that their legacies are immortalized, whether the works in their collections end up in institutions or in private hands. One thing is clear: collections that are formed by discerning individuals with an eye for the rare and beautiful are capable of transcending financial turbulence and are viewed as time-proven stable stores of value by anticipatory collectors who recognize the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities their sales present. a brief look at the martini cocktailBy Robin Lewis 
"Its pleasure, which is not voluptuous but astringent, can only be expressed by oxymoron: sensuous coldness, opulent dryness, mysterious clarity, alluring purity." --Lowell Edmunds
The martini cocktail has a long history that begins right here in New York City. Most likely a variation of the Manhattan created in the mid 1800s, the first step in its evolution was the Martinez, a mixture of Old Tom sweetened gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters. In fact, dry gin and dry vermouth were not used in a martini until the early 1900s, and even then orange bitters and a lemon twist were often called for. Vodka did not become a player until the mid to late 1900s. When the martini came into fashion, the American palate was much sweeter, not to mention alcohol percentages in spirits were much higher, thus the demand for a higher ratio of vermouth to gin and using additional ingredients like sweeteners and bitters. As the American palate refined to a drier taste and alcohol percentages lowered, the martini became the cocktail we know today as the Dry Martini. Vermouth is the most integral ingredient of the martini. It was first developed in Piedmont, Italy, around the late 1600s through the infusion of herbs into wine and was used for medicinal purposes. It is now produced as a still wine fortified with the addition of herb-infused brandy The martini could not exist without at least a drop of this beautiful, aromatized wine. The question is how much. Since its infancy, the martini has been adapted and varied to find the best recipe: from a 50-50 martini, a recipe of half vermouth to half gin; to an In and Out, where the glass is rinsed with vermouth; and back to the beginning, where sweet vermouth was called for using two parts to one part gin. Some just like to soak their olives in it. It is truly a matter of personal taste and invention. Now to address the most hotly debated question of all: shaken or stirred? Stirring a martini will result in a clear, crisp, magnificent, enticing cocktail, without compromising flavor, texture, or weight. Most important, stirring will not "bruise" the martini, or water it down with melting ice. Shaking gives one a very cold drink, with plenty of ice melting into the martini, making it quite easy to consume. This is in addition to the belief that rigorously shaking together the gin and vermouth releases antioxidants, resulting in a "medicinal" martini. The martini is a very personal cocktail, and the best martini is your martini: shaken or stirred, abundant vermouth or minuscule, bitters or none. Know how you like it, and how to order it. Most important, embrace the quest of finding your perfect recipe and the inevitable variations that will come when exploring the infinite possibilities of this timeless cocktail. Continue reading a brief look at the martini cocktail.sommelier secrets By Jura De Almeida
With the rising popularity of wine, wine-focused restaurants, and wine bars, it is easy to find oneself overwhelmed with choices when choosing wine for a meal. The days of white with fish and red with meat are over. Restaurants are making considerable investments in wine programs, resulting in large, sometimes intimidating wine lists.
Have a drink--You've just fought traffic or some psychotic cabbie to get to the restaurant. Have an aperitif, a glass of Champagne, or your favorite cocktail. Getting in the mood with a drink will not only make choosing the wine easier, but will also serve to open your palate for tastes to come. Narrow the field--Once you have decided on the food, narrow down your choice of wine. Engage the sommelier--Ask such questions as: Offer favorites--Give some examples of wines you have enjoyed, or disliked, in the past. This will help offer insights into your palate. Use these guidelines to turn a stressful decision into a fun exchange. Cheers! interview with the chefExecutive chef Joel Dennis, who joined the Adour team in August 2008, leads Alain Ducasse's kitchen at the St. Regis New York. Chef Dennis spent four years under the tutelage of Alain Ducasse as sous-chef at Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, an experience he credits with building his passion for the finest ingredients. a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, chef Dennis most recently served as executive chef at Blue Water Grill in New York city. A native New Yorker, chef Dennis has an intimate understanding of the palate and expectations of New York restaurant patrons. He fuses this knowledge and his experience with Alain Ducasse to create an unparalleled dining experience in the heart of Manhattan. we sat down with chef Joel Dennis to discuss everything from bagels to fleur de sel. 
Ten questions with chef Joel DennisWhat is your favorite bagel place in new york? Ess-A-Bagel--the bagels are big and meaty, fluffy on the inside, and have a good hard shell exterior. The place has all the appeal of a breakfast nook. Where do you go for chinese food? What's your favorite hidden gem--a shop, purveyor, or restaurant--where you shop for your own kitchen? Working with Alain Ducasse has given you a great understanding of French cuisine. Is there a particular French dish that you love to prepare? What do you do when you're not cooking? Name three things you always have in your pantry. Where was your most memorable meal? How does being a native new yorker influence your approach to dishes at adour? |
