TheGolfersWife wrote on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:19:47 +1200:

??>> On Sat, 31 Mar 2007 15:36:38 +1200, TheGolfersWife <>
wrote:
??>>
??>>> of the other popular types from France and Denmark and
??>>> even England are made here in New Zealand (but we are not
??>>> allowed to give them their original names - only a
??>>> subtitle in brackets!)
??>>
??>> OK, I have to know the story behind this.... What is the
??>> reasoning behind it???
T> Well you might like to tell that to the French wine
T> authorities, and likewise the Italian cheese authorities.
T> The French will NOT allow the term Champagne to be used on
T> any bottles of bubbly pinot noir (which is what Champagne
T> is) because Champagne is a territory in France.

T> And yes you can see where its made by reading the label, but
T> the French are very precious about all this and feel they
T> actually hold the market in the top champagnes - and I think
T> they do have the best because their grapes are so old, and
T> not because they have the best method of making it.

It is interesting that, although French companies operating in
California do seem to make the better "California Champagnes",
they are constrained by French law and their own rules to mark
the bottles "sparkling wine". I don't think the grapes are
necessarily any better, the French winemakers are just plain
good at their craft!

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

On Mon, 2 Apr 2007 08:59:44 -0400, "James Silverton"
<not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not> wrote:

> TheGolfersWife wrote on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:19:47 +1200:
>
> ??>> On Sat, 31 Mar 2007 15:36:38 +1200, TheGolfersWife <>
>wrote:
> ??>>
> ??>>> of the other popular types from France and Denmark and
> ??>>> even England are made here in New Zealand (but we are not
> ??>>> allowed to give them their original names - only a
> ??>>> subtitle in brackets!)
> ??>>
> ??>> OK, I have to know the story behind this.... What is the
> ??>> reasoning behind it???
> T> Well you might like to tell that to the French wine
> T> authorities, and likewise the Italian cheese authorities.
> T> The French will NOT allow the term Champagne to be used on
> T> any bottles of bubbly pinot noir (which is what Champagne
> T> is) because Champagne is a territory in France.
>
> T> And yes you can see where its made by reading the label, but
> T> the French are very precious about all this and feel they
> T> actually hold the market in the top champagnes - and I think
> T> they do have the best because their grapes are so old, and
> T> not because they have the best method of making it.
>
> It is interesting that, although French companies operating in
>California do seem to make the better "California Champagnes",
>they are constrained by French law and their own rules to mark
>the bottles "sparkling wine". I don't think the grapes are
>necessarily any better, the French winemakers are just plain
>good at their craft!
>
>James Silverton
>Potomac, Maryland
>

evidently it also has to do with the high chalk content in the soil
there.

your pal,
blake

blake wrote on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:25:06 GMT:

??>> TheGolfersWife wrote on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:19:47 +1200:
??>>
??>>>> On Sat, 31 Mar 2007 15:36:38 +1200, TheGolfersWife <>
??>> wrote:
??>>>>
??>>>>> of the other popular types from France and Denmark and
??>>>>> even England are made here in New Zealand (but we are
??>>>>> not allowed to give them their original names - only a
??>>>>> subtitle in brackets!)
??>>>>
??>>>> OK, I have to know the story behind this.... What is the
??>>>> reasoning behind it???
T>>> Well you might like to tell that to the French wine
T>>> authorities, and likewise the Italian cheese authorities.
T>>> The French will NOT allow the term Champagne to be used on
T>>> any bottles of bubbly pinot noir (which is what Champagne
T>>> is) because Champagne is a territory in France.
??>>
T>>> And yes you can see where its made by reading the label,
T>>> but the French are very precious about all this and feel
T>>> they actually hold the market in the top champagnes - and
T>>> I think they do have the best because their grapes are so
T>>> old, and not because they have the best method of making
T>>> it.
??>>
??>> It is interesting that, although French companies
??>> operating in California do seem to make the better
??>> "California Champagnes", they are constrained by French
??>> law and their own rules to mark the bottles "sparkling
??>> wine". I don't think the grapes are necessarily any
??>> better, the French winemakers are just plain good at their
??>> craft!
??>>

bm> evidently it also has to do with the high chalk content in
bm> the soil there.

I did not express myself very well :-) I don't know much about
the terroir in Champagne but French vintners do seem to be able
to make excellent "Champagnes" in California even if they refuse
to use the name. I wonder if they have shown their experience
and expertise in selecting the vineyards to buy in CA?


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

sueb wrote:

> Couldn't you just julienne them? I'm having trouble visualizing what
> is left, other than mush, after you grate them.

(sorry - only saw this now)

I suppose you could just chop/slice the tomatoes anyway you like... they
cook down anyway... I would suggest skinning them - but that's just me
- unless you don't mind the cooked pieces of tomato skins in your food
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

On Mon, 2 Apr 2007 16:04:23 -0400, "James Silverton"
<not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not> wrote:

> blake wrote on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:25:06 GMT:
>
> ??>> TheGolfersWife wrote on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:19:47 +1200:
> ??>>
> ??>>>> On Sat, 31 Mar 2007 15:36:38 +1200, TheGolfersWife <>
> ??>> wrote:
> ??>>>>
> ??>>>>> of the other popular types from France and Denmark and
> ??>>>>> even England are made here in New Zealand (but we are
> ??>>>>> not allowed to give them their original names - only a
> ??>>>>> subtitle in brackets!)
> ??>>>>
> ??>>>> OK, I have to know the story behind this.... What is the
> ??>>>> reasoning behind it???
> T>>> Well you might like to tell that to the French wine
> T>>> authorities, and likewise the Italian cheese authorities.
> T>>> The French will NOT allow the term Champagne to be used on
> T>>> any bottles of bubbly pinot noir (which is what Champagne
> T>>> is) because Champagne is a territory in France.
> ??>>
> T>>> And yes you can see where its made by reading the label,
> T>>> but the French are very precious about all this and feel
> T>>> they actually hold the market in the top champagnes - and
> T>>> I think they do have the best because their grapes are so
> T>>> old, and not because they have the best method of making
> T>>> it.
> ??>>
> ??>> It is interesting that, although French companies
> ??>> operating in California do seem to make the better
> ??>> "California Champagnes", they are constrained by French
> ??>> law and their own rules to mark the bottles "sparkling
> ??>> wine". I don't think the grapes are necessarily any
> ??>> better, the French winemakers are just plain good at their
> ??>> craft!
> ??>>
>
> bm> evidently it also has to do with the high chalk content in
> bm> the soil there.
>
>I did not express myself very well :-) I don't know much about
>the terroir in Champagne but French vintners do seem to be able
>to make excellent "Champagnes" in California even if they refuse
>to use the name. I wonder if they have shown their experience
>and expertise in selecting the vineyards to buy in CA?
>
>
>James Silverton
>Potomac, Maryland
>

sure. just that the soil adds to the mystique at the very least, and
i think that region of france is unique in that regard.

but i am regrettably inexperienced in the matter of high-end
champagne. korbell is about my speed.

your pal,
two-buck blake

On Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:34:09 +0200, Chatty Cathy
> wrote:

>sueb wrote:
>
>> Couldn't you just julienne them? I'm having trouble visualizing what
>> is left, other than mush, after you grate them.
>
>(sorry - only saw this now)
>
>I suppose you could just chop/slice the tomatoes anyway you like... they
>cook down anyway... I would suggest skinning them - but that's just me
>- unless you don't mind the cooked pieces of tomato skins in your food

I make something similar to the recipe you posted but with the shrimp
that was mentioned previously. I first cube the tomatoes and shake
the slime out. Then I roast them for about 35-40 minutes with onion,
garlic, black pepper and a splash of EVO. When the tomatoes start to
brown a bit I add parley, feta and lots of shrimp. Then bake until
shrimp are done. Served with crudettes, crackers or french bread it's
supposed to be an appetizer, but I can easily make a meal out of it.
The tomato skins never have been a problem this way. I think it would
probably be good with asparagus pieces added also. (note to self)
lol

Lou