The Art and Science of Aquaoir

The art and science of winemaking can be as complicated and vast as the varietals available to mankind; an infinite number of variables determine the descriptors that define a wine; fragrance, body, mouthfeel, taste are devised by the vintner through a myriad of techniques that can be beautifully subtle, nuanced.  The dirt from which the grapes are grown plays an integral part in that design; the idea of terroir is the belief that the land truly imparts something specific and unique to the grapes, an important layer to the final stratification of experience.

A relatively new technique known as Aquaoir suggests that aging wine underwater offers yet another interesting component to the art and science of making wine.  But what are its virtues?  Napa Valley’s Mira Winery owner, Jim “Bear” Dyke, believes aging wine beneath the surface of the ocean has potential to have a huge impact on the flavor and complexity.  In fact, Dyke (who was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas) engaged in a test a few years ago in the bay of Charleston, South Carolina, submerging 48 bottles of Mira’s cabernet sauvignon for several months. 

Of course, it’s not just as simple as throwing a few cases of wine overboard; rather, much work had to be done to ensure the relatively fragile glass bottles could be secured properly in the sometimes harsh subsurface environment, that includes variables for alteration in temperature, pressure, and even water current.  Dyke and team devised a “cage” system made from welded steel, flat bar, and expanded metal to act as a screen that allows the wine to be stored in a modular fashion.

After four months, the wine was raised from its underwater cellar; an ideal, quiet, and peaceful environment with little light, perfect pressure and temperature, and a consistent motion that seemed to soothe the wine, as if it were a baby being gently rocked to sleep.  Technically speaking, the constant rocking motion helps to keep the yeast particles moving in the wine, which has been an age old issue throughout the history of wine making, suddenly solved by nature.  Who would have ever thought? 

When hatched carefully from the metal cages, the wines were covered in beautiful, bumpy, coarse barnacle like objects, each completely different from the bottle next to it; a final, idiosyncratic display of its new character and metamorphosis.    

The wine was blind taste tested against the same wine aged on land, and suggested that indeed the two wines were different on both the nose and taste.  Before Dyke could move forward, the federal government put a hold on the project, claiming the wine had been adulterated due to potential contaminates in the bay.  Regardless, Mira intends to pursue the Aquaoir technique in the future; breaking ground in the art and science of making wine.

Napa Valley’s Mira Chardonnay, aged above water, is currently available in Eleven at Crystal Bridges.          

Pond Scum Cocktails, Hushpuppies, and Ozark Trout Cakes Will Make You a MAN

The June 2015 Wednesday Over Water (or WOW) garnered inspiration from the temporary exhibition Fish Stories: Game Fishes of North America; and much like the exhibition, the night’s food, stories, and insights offered a broad scope of tall tales, delicious foods, and an interesting cocktail…that almost got away.

Special guests included library director Catherine Peterson, Chef Melody Lane of the Great Hall kitchen, and Ed Javorsky, host of a popular radio show.  I was happy to disclose my family hushpuppy recipe as a starting point to the evening as Catherine Peterson offered insights into the nuances of the Fish Stories exhibition.  Chef Melody Lane made her first-ever appearance at WOW (and certain NOT to be her last), discussing her time as a fishing guide off the coast of Belize, and also her appreciation of the work of Japanese artist, Mineo Yamamoto, a master fish printer. 

WOW guests were also served several interesting exhibition-inspired foodstuffs, which included our version of a Trout Cake with a Mississippi Comeback Sauce—that’s a “kissin’ cousin” to the more-traditional remoulade sauce, but made with just a whisper of chili sauce.  It’s a must for anyone traveling through Mississippi when dining on fried fish, shrimp, or pretty much anything that could use tarter or remoulade sauces.

Pond Scum Cocktail

Finally, we allowed guests an opportunity to imbibe in something we like to call the “Pond Scum Cocktail” which features Tito’s vodka from Austin, aloe vera juice, fresh mint, and hydrated basil seeds that have a look not at all unlike that of tiny black fish or frog eggs.  Interesting to look at…delicious, refreshing, and fun to drink.  Give it a try at your next High South dinner party…it’s sure to WOW!

 Hush Puppies Recipe Serves:  a lot | Recipe from the kitchen of:  Mary C. Todd

1 can corn – drained 2 cups corn meal 3 cups flour ½ cup sugar 3 eggs – beaten 2 tsp. salt 1 chopped onion 4 cups milk Drop heaping teaspoons in deep fat and fry until golden brown.

High South Trout Cakes Yields Eight Trout Cakes 2 cups flaked smoked trout 2 tablespoons green onion – chopped 2 teaspoons drained capers 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1 large egg, beaten to blend 1/4 cup whipping cream 1 cup panko bread crumbs


Combine trout, green onion, capers, lemon peel, and pepper in medium bowl. Season with salt. Stir in egg, cream, and 1/2 cup bread crumbs to blend. Form mixture by hand into eight 1/2-inch-thick fish cakes. Place remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Roll trout cakes in bread crumbs, coating completely. Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, and adding more oil as necessary, fry trout cakes until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.

https://crystalbridges.org/blog/create-food-series-blog-the-one-that-almost-got-away/

The MOREL of the Story

I quietly laced up my boots, rolled up my sleeves, pulled my hat down over my eyes, and grabbed a brown paper sack from beneath my desk before sneaking out of my office, through an empty corridor, and around a corner.  I pushed open a side door to the museum, and found myself bathed in the bright sunlight of spring as brilliant, white dogwood buds waivered in the gentle breeze, still wet from a small rain storm that swept through just hours before dawn…all the signs were perfect for the hunt.

I started my pursuit for the elusive Ozark morels in a small ravine, slowly walking from one small bluff to the other, looking up each slope from my feet to eye level, but to no avail.  Still, I was mesmerized by the foliage, including white sycamores, scrub brushes, and the occasional cluster of fiddlehead ferns poking their curled heads up out of the black dirt.

After about 15 minutes, something caught my eye…a small, conical shape pushing up from a pile of brown leaves.  “Awww…I see you…” my pulse quickened, as I bent down to get a closer look.  The small mushroom was perfect, beige and gray in color, bending slightly to the right.  I pulled the specimen out of the dirt from the base of her stem, careful to keep the head intact.  Then I saw two more within inches of the first, and I knew I was on the right track to have a good day.

The small window of time for finding morels is about 10 to 14 days every year, and it is only when the temperature, humidity, and conditions are perfect, that those of us that covet the elusive morel, are able to actually find and harvest the elusive morel.  In fact, some people from the Trails and Grounds department of Crystal Bridges are downright cryptic and deceptive when it comes to the location of morels on the property, selfishly keeping the treasures to themselves.

A Response

From Clay Bakker, Trails and Grounds Manager, in an email to Case Dighero

Back in 2009 when I first started working with Scott [Eccleston] as a contractor on the property, I made my first discovery of morel mushrooms. I ended up finding these little delights from one end of the 100 acres to the other. Then, when we came back to the site and built a crew and subsequently staffed the whole museum it became apparent there were many of us who would be seeking these gems. In order to avoid conflict, we decided to apportion off sections of the property. We committed to stay out of each other’s domain so there would be enough morels for everybody.

A few days ago, in the area that I had adopted, I found several beautiful specimens that I took a picture of (at the top of this blog post). I left them there to get a bit larger for the next few days and checked on them on a daily basis like a doting parent. Then yesterday I was aghast to discover they had been stolen! “How could this happen?” I thought to myself. “We all have our own areas and everybody has stuck to the rules for so many years??”

Well if you check out the photo below, you will be able to make out the boot print of the actual thief. I tracked the print throughout the Honey Hole. I will be on the “case” of identifying this marauder at all costs. In the meantime I’m also pretty sure I saw beaver tracks in that area so I will be setting numerous beaver spring-traps. These are said to be able to break a grown man’s ankle so I hope my marauder doesn’t stumble into them.

(Editor’s note:  as I am aware Clay is a peaceful and critter-loving groundskeeper, I am certain he would do no such thing! I do believe this is merely a thinly veiled warning to our culinary director to steer clear of Clay’s morel patch in the future

A Peaceful Conclusion

Gentle reader: It now appears that things have been peacefully resolved.  Case has been welcomed into the museum’s Morel Club with no loss of limbs. In fact, he shared his bounty, as well as his coveted Chicken Fried Morel recipe, (below) as a peace offering.

 Chicken-Fried Morels

Submerge morels in cold water, pat dry. While the mushrooms are resting and drying comfortably, bring a pot of vegetable oil up to 375 degrees. Combine AP flour with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, basil, and thyme…then whisk together a couple eggs with milk, minced garlic, and Asian chili sauce. Roll morels in flour mixture

…then egg and milk mixture…then back to flour mixture....fry until golden brown…

…then allow to rest (for the last time) a few minutes on a towel…finish with a squeeze of lime, dust with good Parmesan, then devour like it’s your LAST SUPPER

https://crystalbridges.org/blog/create-food-blog-the-morel-of-the-story/

Saiwok | SL-U-U-U-U-RP | Repeat!

Bewitched, bewildered, bothered…I’m falling in love. With eyes closed tightly, I lower my head down and forward, lips wet and parted, breathing in the exotic, yet familiar fragrances of beef broth, sweet star anise, ultra-fresh basil, spicy cilantro, red onions, and the crisp, red heat of chili peppers.  A thin, delicious dew gathers across my face from the steam that has risen up to wrap around my neck and head – I’m mesmerized, but can’t help think, “Not only does this smell divine, but I bet it makes my skin and hair look incredible..”      

I open my eyes to navigate my utensils, twirling the slippery noodles around my chopsticks, dunking the sexy bundle into a single, deep spoon of beef broth before plopping the entire thing carelessly into my mouth; sl-u-u-u-u-u-u-r-r-r-r-p-p-p-p…barely enough time for a single drop of the copper liquid to run down my chin before repeating the ritual of falling in love all over again.  Yawn – Spent – Nighty Night…this Pho Beef is a dream come true.

Wake UP!  No time to rest, because this is the mere beginning of what promises to be an epic dinner of Vietnamese – Americana fusion street food from Saiwok.  My new favorite Rogers restaurant fills a much needed gap left from when Heirloom closed its doors in 2016, leaving discriminating foodies sad, cold, and hungry for artful sustenance.  Saiwok is a brilliant family endeavor, led delicately by Chef Vuong Nguyen and his father, along with a mosaic of friends, family, and staff that move together like a well-oiled, Asian dumpling, snuggle machine.  Collaboration is the key here, and Vuong touts his success to the “love” that each family member puts into his or her important role at the restaurant...server, dishwasher, cook…it doesn’t matter, everyone is valued, therefore everyone has skin in the game; which means that this “end game” is nothing short of extraordinary, from the ambient experience all the way to the culturally diverse food.

The look and feel of Saiwok is casual and comfortable, almost as if you were walking into to the home of the Nguyen family, complete with a friendly smiles and welcoming fragrances from their lineage.  The process includes a demi service where we queue up to a large menu board, while gaining access to a glimpse into an open display kitchen chock full of rising steam, busy staff, sizzling sounds, and a cross section of foreign languages that seem to simultaneously quicken the pulse and enhance the experience.  Once the order is made, we navigate to one of many long communal tables to allow for our order to be laid out and unfolded before us; an intentional design nuance that invites large groups to dine with old friends while making new ones.  There’s also a small bar area that accommodates a half dozen spaces if you feel like grabbing a quick bite with an ice cold beer…one of my favorite things to when dining alone in Rogers.

Suddenly, a myriad of food begins to arrive in gorgeous shareable waves…first out is the the Roasted Brussel Sprouts ($9) and Urban Street Corn ($7); the sprouts are served in a shallow platter, wok flashed to caramelized perfection, boasting a thin, featherlike crunch against a back drop of soy, sesame, and something slightly sweet; light, salty, charred, and utterly delicious…I could eat this for days.  The Urban Street Corn is quick grilled, boasting a pop of flavor from each kernel that has been embellished with earthy scallion oil and a whisper dusting of chili garlic butter; the pretty butter “slow jams” its way across the cob, a sexy come hither ritual that is more than just an invitation to take a bite.

Before we have time to collect ourselves, we’re presented with an oval platter of Smoked Pork Belly Fries ($9), the talk of the culinary town; crispy, crinkle cut fries stratified with smoked pork belly, scallions, a single wobbly fried egg, and kimchinase, mayo fused with homemade kimchi.  Culinary nirvana abounds, these crunchy, sauce laden fries are perfect for chop sticks, especially as I penetrate the center of the egg, sending a cascade of yellow love around the charred, slightly sweet bits of pork belly.  I know now why this dish is the chef and foodie talk of the town, it’s a brilliant exercise in edible culture fusion, and well worth the trip to Saiwok alone.

The hits just keep on coming in the way of Pan Seared Pork Dumplings ($6), finished with a fragrant truffle oil ponzu and micro greens; and then a beautifully composed Beef Crudo ($15) made with medium rare seared New York Strip steak, avocado, and a touch of citrus truffle oil.

Saiwok also does a score of delicious steamed buns that include soft shell crab, pork belly, tofu, and my favorite, Duck Duck Goose ($5) made with roasted, smoked duck, pickled veggies, scallions, and hoisin sauce…an Asian slider of sorts that even my finicky pre-teen will eat.  And what better way to satisfy a meal ending sweet tooth, then with any number of delectable popsicles from Pedal Pops, Northwest Arkansas’ own artisanal frozen glory on a stick.  You may have seen owner Mike Thompson, (quite literally) pedaling his wares at any one of the regional festivals, Crystal Bridges, or even the Fayetteville Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings; regardless, his product is local, delicious, and now available at Saiwok, with flavors like Brown Sugar Vanilla, Honeydew Peach, and Vietnamese Mocha.

The culinary virtues of Saiwok are indisputable, offering a delicious narrative about family, authenticity, and brilliantly prepared and executed cuisine; still, there’s a deeper, more relevant thing happening, that forces us all to take notice of the edible culture of our diverse community.  If there’s ever a suspicion that Northwest Arkansas is moving in the wrong direction, please make plans to stop by Saiwok and you’ll quickly garner an understanding, glimpse, and taste of all the beauty and good that can come from an evolving community and culture…a dream come true.  

Citiscapes Article - Originally published in October 2017

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