This was the bottom of a recent glass of wine, and it inspired me to take up the Great Decanting Debate.Sediment.
In the whole learning about wine thing, I see articles/blog posts debating whether sediment should be embraced or erased.
Those of the decanting camp cite that sediment can interfere with flavor nuances, be bitter and astringent, give you a headache, and
is not very pretty to look at.Contrary to that, here is a fun post from the wine blog Vinography, from January, utilizing this new bottle design to make its point, and closing with, "Let's hear it for chunky wine!"
Fond.This is a picture of Fond from the website Cooking for Engineers.
("Have an analytical mind? Like to cook? This is the site to read!") Even engineers know that fond, aka bits, is where all the flavor is, and deglazing the pan, especially with wine, is a yummy slice of heaven... especially if there is garlic and butter involved. Tossing a crispy pan into the sink to soak is epicurean robbery!
Dirty Coffee.If you go to (a certain corporate coffee shop that shall remain nameless) and get a pound of coffee, and open the foil bag to have it ground for you, you'll notice the beans are black and oily and really beautiful. If you dump the beans out and stick your nose into the empty, oily, foil bag and inhale...it is one of the most magnificent smells on earth, and I do not exaggerate.
If you have an affinity for coffee, you probably know that it is best when french-pressed. (Some think it's the vacuum pot thing, but no one thinks it's the ubiquitous drip machine.) The french press allows for all those oils to remain intact, and a little bit of flavor-filled sludge, too, and all that equals flavor.
Preferences are preferences, but there's certainly nothing wrong with a few considerations to chew on. heh-heh.
(What else do coffee and wine have in common?)
6/18/11 addendum: Barista Pinotage 2009.