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Chatto’s Digest

June Archive

Nothing but the news

Posted on June 4, 2007

If any of you plan on being in Edmonton on June 12, come and join me for the first in a series of wine and food extravaganzas we’re calling Masters of Wine and Food. It’s a Bordeaux night and we’ll be opening some pretty stupendous wines, including 2004 Pavillon Blanc, 2003 Château Ducru Beaucaillou, 2002 Château Pichon Lalande Comtesse, 1995 Château Mouton Rothschild, 1990 Château Palmer, 1986 Château Beychevelle and 2003 Château Lafaurie Peyraguey, matched to wee tastings of delectable dishes from chef David O’Connor. A very good time will be had by all.

In the raw

Posted on June 11, 2007

I’ve been spending some time with Patrick McMurray’s new book, Consider The Oyster: A Shucker’s Field Guide, (McClelland and Stewart/Madison Press). It’s a handsome little volume, well illustrated with photographs of shuckers and shucking competitions, old oyster markets and people eating oysters. The shots of actual oyster beds are worth lingering over and of course there’s a family album of all the many different kinds of oyster that pass through McMurray’s Toronto restaurant, Starfish, each pic surrounded by lore, history and tasting notes. That alone makes the book a vital vade mecum for the itinerant Ostreavore—not to mention the chapter on the different shucking techniques of recent world champions (himself included).

More nonsense

Posted on June 18, 2007

“Izzy wizzy, let’s get busy!” The immortal words of Sooty, mute yellow bear glove puppet of my youth, have clearly been whispered into Mr. Corbett’s ear recently—and oofle dust scattered, too, or I’m a Dutchman (and I’m not) because lately things have been piling up. A very busy week—writing about wine and spirits for Food & Drink magazine and clothing for Harry Rosen—the stress compounded a hundred-fold by the ceaseless clatter of hellishcopters over the downtown core all weekend long. (Does anyone know who they are? A movie? Tourist flights? The MuchMusic awards? A class action lawsuit for disruption of quiet enjoyment may be in order). In the midst of it, like a silent, tranquil beacon of violet light shining out into space from Alberta was the two-ounce pour of Château Mouton-Rothschild 1995 I sipped in Edmonton on Tuesday evening. It may be the most elegant, subtle, resonant, perfectly balanced, exotic wine I’ve ever tasted. If I had a bottle, I’d put it straight into the TONIUR capsule (Things One Needs If Unexpectedly Reincarnated) along with side two of Abbey Road, various works of Shakespeare and Max Beerbohm, and several other items too personal to mention. Then again, I’d rather drink it right now (though drink is too coarse and thirsty a word for what I would do to that wine if I ever got my hands on it again).

Chinook thaw

Posted on June 26, 2007

Just when I thought the little single-prop Beaver sea plane was going to crash into the rocky pine forest that lined the shores, I noticed the inlet. Then we were in amongst the trees, gliding down onto water like a dark mirror, carrying on along the passage to the hidden lodge. A weekend of salmon fishing and sea kayaking had begun.

James Chatto

James Chatto worked as a dishwasher, actor, waiter, bow tie salesman, choreen, bookseller, nanny, tennis coach, lounge singer, KFC truck driver (fired after 1 day), olive farmer and janitor before moving to Canada in 1987 and becoming a journalist. These days, he writes about food and restaurants for Toronto Life, about wine and spirits for Food & Drink and edits the menswear magazine, Harry. Two of his books are still in print: A Matter of Taste (co-written with Lucy Waverman) and The Greek For Love, a memoir of Corfu. James is married and has two delightful children.

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