RSJ dinner party: 21st September 2009

Pouilly-Fumé: Saint-Andelain and its vineyards

Following the rather serendipitous success of our Sauvignon Blanc tasting in May when we were all sat around one large table, we have decided to opt this 'dinner party' format for some of our tastings. We found that this 'dinner party' format worked extremely well and that it encouraged a relaxed discussion making for a very enjoyable evening.

Numbers will be strictly limited and we will be comparing and contrasting the 2005 and 2006 vintages. Wines to be shown will include 2005s: Cuvée d'Antan Sancerre (Henri Bourgeois), Clos du Portail, Vouvray (Champalou) and Coteau de Noire, Chinon (Philippe and Claude Alliet) and 2006s to include La Demoiselles de Bourgeois, Pouilly-Fumé (Henri Bourgeois) and Haut de la Butte, Bourgueil (Domaine de la Butte, Jacky Blot).

Domaine de la Butte, Bourgueil

To book your place, please contact Tom King or Nigel Wilkinson on 020-7928 4554 or tom.king@rsj.uk.com

RSJ Wine offer: Summer 2009

We have put together a selection of wines ideal for current drinking this Summer – all at attractive and reduced prices. Please feel free to mix cases.
To order please contact Tom King on tom.king@rsj.uk.com or
Tel: 020-7928 4554


White
2008 Saumur Blanc
Domaine des Hauts de Sanziers List: £7.50 Now: £6.95
Delicious fresh ripe dry Chenin Blanc from Dominique Tessier, who has made a wine with an excellent balance, weight and length.

2008 Touraine Sauvignon
Domaine du Clos Roussely List: £8.25 Now £7.50
Vincent Roussely, a new discovery, has made a wonderful organically grown Sauvignon - ripe and vibrant with a good concentration and lovely flavour.

2007 Muscadet-de-Sèvre-et-Maine, Le Clos des Allées List: £8.50 Now £7.75
Pierre Luneau’s wonderful parcel of old vines produces a beautifully balanced fruity and mineral flavoured wine. At a recent tasting, people were ‘blown away’ by this wine, completely laying to rest their preconceived notions about Muscadet!

2007 Savennières, Clos de Coulaine List: £10.25 Now: £9.50
Claude Papin has produced a delicious Chenin Blanc with a lovely ripeness and balance - a Savennières in the modern style.

2007 Menetou Salon, Clos de la Cure List: £10.95 Now: £9.95
The Champault brothers Sauvignon is dry, zesty and beautifully balanced. This appellation near Sancerre is now becoming very fashionable.

2007 Sancerre, Les Pierris List: £11.50 Now: £10.65
Laurent & Claude Champault, two dynamic young vignerons in Crezancy, go from strength to strength with their beautifully balanced and charming wine.


Sparkling: a pair of superb sparklers!
Crémant de Loire, Domaine de Nerleux List: £10.50 Now: £9.75
Régis Neau’s ever popular, delicious dry sparkler is made from 70%Chenin Blanc & 30% Chardonnay and makes a wonderful aperitif.

Crémant de Loire Rosé, Domaine de Nerleux List: £10.50 Now: £9.75
Régis’ sumptuous dry pink made from Cabernet Franc


Rosé
2008 Rosé de Loire Domaine Ogereau List: £7.95 Now: £7.35
Vincent Ogereau’s lovely dry fruity Rose is ideal for picnics, barbecues or just any excuse you need to open a bottle on a warm sunny day.


Red
2008 Saumur Rouge
Domaine des Hauts de Sanziers List: £7.50 Now: £6.95
Dominique Tessier’s Cabernet Franc has lovely ripe mouth watering fruit with a good weight and fresh finish.

2008 Touraine Gamay
Domaine du Clos Roussely List: £8.25 Now: £7.50
Delicious ripe fruity Gamay from our exciting new discovery, Vincent Roussely - well balanced with good length and flavour.

2007 Anjou Rouge, Domaine Ogereau List: £8.50 Now: £7.85
Vincent Ogereau’s lovely 2007 is fruity and elegant with a nice weight and balance and is drinking really well.

2007 Gamay sur Spilite, Château Pierre-Bise List: £9.25 Now: £8.55
Claude Papin’s Gamay is no lightweight! Made by traditional vinification it has a lovely structure and length with wonderful ripe fruit.

2007 St Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Les Rouillères List: £9.45 Now: £8.75
Frédéric Mabileau’s classic Cabernet Franc is ripe, well balanced and drinking superbly.

Ursula Ferrigno: Trattoria 12th July + 20th September

There are still a few places left for Ursula's next Sunday lunch (12th July) £30:

Ursula and the pasta machine

Classical weekend family dishes from around Italy. A quick gastronomic tour of some of the country’s favourite dishes:

Spiedina alla Romana [Roman skewers)

Open textured country bread on skewers with buffalo mozzarella, roasted red peppers and basil.

Cannelloni with saffron sauce

Not only is the colour enticing but the filling is Ursula’s all time favourite, a combination of artichoke hearts, ricotta and gorgonzola with, needless to say, fresh home made pasta – rich and delicious.

Zucchini farcita

Slow baked courgettes with seasonal vegetables and mint make this versatile dish even more appealing. Every Italian family has their own special recipe

Insalata mista
A salad of apples, frisee and asiagio cheese with RSJ’s special dressing

Apricoti farcita con gelati
Stuffed apricots with lemon ice cream

••

20th September: Italian autumn favourites – £30:

Tomato rissotto and Panzanella salad
Pizza bianca with zucchini flowers
Stuffed courgettes
Mixed seasonal salad
Chocolate and hazelnut torta with choclate sauce
Fromaggio



Bookings on: 020-7928 4554

Party menus; June 2009

Menu A: £20.95 three courses with coffee

Menu B £32.50 three courses with coffee

There is an optional 12.5% service charge.

Please choose one of the menus for your party. The menu you have chosen will be presented to your guests, they can decide on the day which starter, main course and dessert they would like.

In addition we will have several vegetarian options if required. Please ring or arrange a time to discuss this or any other requirements or amendments should you need to do so. It is difficult to see anyone between the hours of 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

Confirmation of your booking & the menu required should be made in writing to the above address, by fax on 020 7928 9768 or by email to tom.king@rsj.uk.com

Should the numbers of your group change, please notify the restaurant as soon as possible, otherwise a cancellation fee will be charged at £10 per person.

If you have booked one of the private rooms the charge for failing to notify us of a fall in your numbers is £15 per head. To secure your private room booking we will require credit card details or a deposit.

The hire room rates are:
12 + no charge
10/11 £35
8/9 £50
less than 8 £75
less than 6 £100

N.B The menus are subject to change, so please check at the time of confirmation that the menus you have been sent are current. All Prices include VAT – a 12.5% Service will be added

Menu A: £20.95

Oven roasted chunky tomato soup (hot or cold)

Courgette and ricotta rolls, pine nuts and honey

Ham hock terrine with homemade piccalilli


* * * * *

Roast haddock with chargrilled vegetables, olive oil mash, pesto dressing

A salad of smoked chicken with avocado and mango, warm truffle potatoes

Confit shoulder of English lamb, sauté potatoes, roasted tomatoes, black olives, french beans and rocket salad, mustard dressing


* * * * *


Choice of desserts from the à la carte menu (see below)


* * * * *


Coffee and mints

••

Menu B £32.50


Home cured salmon with guacamole and crème fraîche

Cantaloupe and honeydew melon & Parma ham

Asparagus, lemon and mint risotto, Dolcelatte

* * * * *

Roast halibut, summer vegetables, crab bisque

Grilled British rib eye, baby gem, caramelised red
onion and stilton salad, café de Paris butter, sauté new potatoes

Roast English free-range duck breast,
dandelion, french beans and date salad,
sauté potatoes

* * * * *

Choice of desserts from the à la carte menu

* * * * *

Coffee and mints

******

Dessert selection:

Lavender pannacotta, mixed Chegworth Valley berries

Caramel cheesecake, apple sorbet

Blackberry and pistachio cake, fresh peach ice cream

Fresh figs dipped in dark chocolate and toasted almonds, crushed raspberry cream

Iced walnut praline parfait, poached pear, orange sauce

Pineapple and passion fruit pavlova, banana ice cream

•

Vegetarian Options

Oven roasted chunky tomato soup (hot or cold)

Courgette and ricotta rolls, pine nuts and honey

Fresh asparagus, soft boiled egg, beurre noisette, Parmesan

Aubergine and mozzarella parmigiana, new potatoes and mixed salad

Wild mushroom, broad bean and piquillo pepper tagliatelle

RSJ Restaurant Ltd
33 Coin Street
London
SE1 9NR
020-7928 4554

New lunch menu: June 2009

Oven roasted chunky tomato soup (hot or cold) 5.50

Courgette and ricotta rolls, pine nuts and honey 5.95 /8.95

Ham hock terrine with homemade piccalilli 6.50

Home cured salmon with guacamole and crème
fraiche 7.95 /12.95
Line caught Yellow fin tuna, salad Nicoise 8.95 /14.95

Cantaloupe and honeydew melon, Parma ham,
salad 6.95 /10.95

Linguine with chilli and fresh crab 7.50 /12.50

Foccacia topped with chargrilled vegetables
and Parmesan 6.50 /10.95

Asparagus, lemon and mint risotto, Dolcelatte 7.50 /10.95

A salad of smoked chicken with avocado and
mango, warm truffle potatoes 12.95

Grilled British rib eye with a baby gem, red onion
and blue cheese salad, café de Paris butter 18.95

Pan fried sea bass, shaved fennel, broad beans,
and vine cherry tomatoes 15.95

Roast halibut, summer vegetables, crab bisque 18.95

Side Orders £2.95
French beans
Fresh peas
Roast courgettes
New season potatoes
House mixed salad / green salad
Chips


Desserts all £5.75

Lavender pannacotta, mixed Chegworth Valley berries

Caramel cheesecake, apple sorbet

Blackberry and pistachio cake, fresh peach ice cream

Fresh figs dipped in dark chocolate and toasted almonds,
crushed raspberry cream

Iced walnut praline parfait, poached pear, orange sauce

Pineapple and passion fruit pavlova, banana ice cream

Homemade ices and sorbets


Selection of cheeses served with quince paste and pressed fig and almond cake £6.75

Coffee
Filter £2.00
Cappuccino / decaff £2.20
Espresso / decaff £2.00
Double espresso £2.95

Fixed Price Menu

2 courses £15.95
3 courses £18.95

Oven roasted chunky tomato soup (hot or cold)

Courgette and ricotta rolls, pine nuts and honey

Ham hock terrine with homemade piccalilli

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Roast haddock with chargrilled vegetables, olive oil mash, pesto dressing

A salad of smoked chicken with avocado and mango, warm truffle potatoes

Confit shoulder of English lamb, sauté potatoes, roasted tomatoes, black olives, french beans and rocket salad, mustard dressing


* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Choice of desserts from the à la carte menu

Children’s menu available
2 courses £8.95

Chilled melon

Linguine with salmon and crème fraiche

Beef Milanese with sauté potatoes, roast tomato and rocket salad

Pan braised chicken with summer vegetable risotto

RSJ Restaurant
33 Coin Street
London SE1 9NR
Tel: 020-7928 4554
www.rsj.uk.com

RSJ is committed to providing the freshest food, nationally sourced, skilfully prepared and reasonably priced.

Our meat is additive free and sourced from producers practising good animal husbandry.

Our fish is delivered fresh daily

All dishes are cooked to order and the menu changes seasonally to accommodate the best produce.

In addition virtually all our wines are organic and sourced by regularly visiting vignerons in France, especially the Loire, over nearly 30 years

New dinner menu: June 2009

Dinner Menu

Oven roasted chunky tomato soup (hot or cold) 5.50

Courgette and ricotta rolls, pine nuts and honey 5.95 /8.95

Ham hock terrine with homemade piccalilli 6.50

Home cured salmon with guacamole and crème fraîche 7.95 /12.95
Line caught Yellow fin tuna, salad Nicoise 8.95 /14.95

Cantaloupe and honeydew melon & Parma ham 6.95 /10.95

Linguine with chilli and fresh crab 7.50 /12.50

Foccacia topped with chargrilled vegetables
and Parmesan 6.50 /10.95

Asparagus, lemon and mint risotto, Dolcelatte 7.50 /10.95

A salad of smoked chicken with avocado and mango, warm truffle potatoes 12.95

Grilled British rib eye with a baby gem, red onion and blue cheese salad, café de Paris butter 18.95

Pan fried sea bass, shaved fennel, broad beans, and vine cherry tomatoes 15.95

Roast halibut, summer vegetables, crab bisque 18.95

Roast English free-range duck breast, dandelion, french beans and date salad, sauté potatoes 17.95

Warm poached organic salmon, pickled cucumber, potato salad, dill mustard dressing 15.95

Baked aubergine and mozzarella parmigiana, new potatoes, mixed salad 10.95

Side Orders £2.95
French beans
Fresh peas
Roast courgettes
New season potatoes
House mixed salad / green salad
Chips

Desserts all £5.75

Lavender pannacotta, mixed Chegworth Valley berries

Caramel cheesecake, apple sorbet

Blackberry and pistachio cake, fresh peach ice cream

Fresh figs dipped in dark chocolate and toasted almonds,
crushed raspberry cream

Iced walnut praline parfait, poached pear, orange sauce

Pineapple and passion fruit pavlova, banana ice cream

Homemade ices and sorbets

Selection of cheeses served with quince paste and pressed fig and almond cake £6.75



Fixed Price Menu

2 courses £15.95
3 courses £18.95

Oven roasted chunky tomato soup (hot or cold)

Courgette and ricotta rolls, pine nuts and honey

Ham hock terrine with homemade piccalilli


* * * * * * * * * * * *

Roast haddock with chargrilled vegetables, olive oil mash, pesto dressing

A salad of smoked chicken with avocado and mango, warm truffle potatoes

Confit shoulder of English lamb, sauté potatoes, roasted tomatoes, black olives, french beans and rocket salad, mustard dressing


* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Choice of desserts from the a la carte menu


Coffee
Filter £2.00
Cappuccino / decaff £2.20
Espresso / decaff £2.00
Double espresso £2.95


Children’s menu available: 2 courses £8.95

Chilled melon

Linguine with salmon and crème fraiche

Beef Milanese with sauté potatoes, roast tomato and rocket salad

Pan braised chicken with summer vegetable risotto

RSJ Restaurant
33 Coin Street
London SE1 9NR
Tel: 020-7928 4554
www.rsj.uk.com


RSJ is committed to providing the freshest food, nationally sourced, skilfully prepared and reasonably priced.

Our meat is additive free and sourced from producers practising good animal husbandry.

Our fish is delivered fresh daily

All dishes are cooked to order and the menu changes seasonally to accommodate the best produce.

In addition virtually all our wines are organic and sourced by regularly visiting vignerons in France, especially the Loire, over nearly 30 years

(New party and lunch menu to be posted very soon)

Nigel in the Loire during the 2005 harvest

Here are a couple of photos from Nigel's trip to the Loire in early October 2005 to see the harvest. The weather was particularly good, the vignerons very relaxed as they could wait to pick their grapes at perfect maturity and the grapes were wonderful.

Nigel with Christophe Daviau (Domaine de Babut). Christophe is explaining the various stages of botrytised Chenin

First stages of botrytis developing

Now all the wines from the vintage are in bottle, 2005 has been confirmed as a very good vintage virtually across the board, although 2007 and 2008 are more classic for lovers of minerally, dry Loire whites. Some of the sweet wines are very good and the reds have the potential to age beautifully – if they are allowed to!

Nigel's recommendations for 2005s on the restaurant list include:

Whites
Henri Bourgeois: Cuvée d'Antan, Sancerre
Domaine Ogereau: Clos du Grand Beaupréau, Savennières, Vincent Ogereau
Clos du Portail, Vouvray, Didier and Catherine Champalou
Le Volagre, Montlouis, Stephane Cossais

Reds
Les Gelinettes, Anjou Rouge, Mark Angeli
Coteau du Noire, Chinon, Philippe Alliet
Le Grand Clos, Bourgueil, Yannick Amirault


2005 was the last time Nigel was out in the Loire for part of the vintage. The region hasn't had such a good vintage since then. Coincidence? May be but there are hopes that we can put this to the test as Nigel is hoping to get himself organised to get out for a few days in late September/early October............

14th June Early Summer Ferrigno family favourites

Everyone getting involved

Some pictures from Ursula's kitchen class

14th June Early Summer Ferrigno family favourites

Inspired by her grandmother’s passion for her family and the love that she channeled into her cooking, these recipes have been enjoyed for many, many years.

Gnocchi di patate con asparagi e piselli
Featherlight gnocchi with tender young asparagus, fresh peas and basil sauce – delicate flavours and very pretty on the plate!

Ursula and George with their Sunday apprentices

Fave bruschetta con menta

Broad beans with mint – vibrant colours and flavour – a Neapolitan classic especially if the broad beans are young and tender. Delicious when set off with young goats cheese.

Saute di frutti di mare

Mixed seafood sauté – this dish is believed to have aphrodisiac qualities – find out for yourself! The finest quality seafood will be sourced for this dish.

Insalata mista
Radicchio & endive marinated and grilled salad – delicious digestive salad filled with subtle flavours.

Profiteroles filled with lemon cream
Featherlight profiteroles filled with lemon flavoured crème patissier – a mouthwatering concoction of flavours.

Grating ....

Formaggi
Caciocavallo – famous cheese from Puglia, hung in couples over a pole as if on horseback.

'Real' wine: 8th June 2009

Philippe in full flight

Philippe Lubac of Les Caves de Pyrene leding a very successful tasting. All the wines showed well including some that we had thought would be challenging, Sebastien Riffault's Sancerre in particular. Highligthts included Catherine Breton's sparkling Vouvray as an aperitif and the Saumur Blanc from Antoine Foucault.

Antoine Foucault

The Grolleau (Non Vintage 'Le Cousin' Grolleau Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Cousin-Leduc, Olivier Cousin) was really showy - lots of concentration and really interesting. Akmenine Sancerre showed completely differently and didn't have the ozxidised style when we tasted it at Caves de Pyrene tasting in late April.

Philippe and some of the members of the wine club

Vincent Roussely's Touraine wines now@RSJ

Vincent Roussely

We are delighted that our first order from young and exciting Touraine producer, Vincent Roussely, arrived today. Following a visit by Jim to Vincent just before Christmas 2008 (see Jim's Loire here), I tasted Vincent's wines during the 2009 Salon des Vins de Loire at Angers in early February and was impressed both by the wines and by Vincent.

We included his 2008 Touraine Sauvignon in the Sauvignon Blanc tasting on 11th May and it was well liked as was his 2008 Gamay that we bought out for the main course to see how it would match with the salmon. This confirmed once again that a lightish, slightly chilled Loire red is a good match for meaty fish like salmon. Following this tasting we placed an order with Vincent.

He has vines in the Cher Valley at Saint-Georges-sur-Cher and Angé. His 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is on the restaurant list at £18.50 a bottle and 2008 Gamay at £18.95.

These two wines will normally retail at £8.25 a bottle but as a special introductory offer we are currently selling them at £7.50 a bottle.

News from the Loire: threat of mildew and difficult flowering

Cabernet Franc flowering in Chinon: 2nd June 2009
Vines flower discreetly unlike cherries etc. Note little white stamens.

Unfortunately after a generally good month of May, apart from Menetou-Salon which got hit by hail twice, the weather has rather gone downhill since the end of the first week of June. Last Monday (8th June) it rained very heavily for much of the day – 70-80 mm falling. One small road we drove along near Montlouis had two torrents pouring down either side of the road.

The weather remained unsettled on Tuesday and Wednesday but cleared up on Thursday. By Sunday it had become very humid and today it is showery and still humid. Unfortunately this unsettled weather has come at a bad moment – the vines are flowering and this is always a critical moment in the vigerons calendar. Hot, sunny weather during the flowering means that the whole process happens quickly over just a few days and there is a good fruit set. Cold, wet, windy weather means that the flowering is drawn out and the fruit set can be poor. Because the flowering is extended it also means that there will be a considerably variation of maturity making harvesting more complicated.

When I was in Chinon on 2nd June some of the Cabernet Franc was just starting to flower. At the same time Gamay and Chardonnay was flowering in eastern Touraine. Yesterday some of the Chenin Blanc in Montlouis was starting to flower.

Furthermore this wet and then humid weather has provoked attacks of mildew with the vignerons busy out spraying to protect their vines. However, there are reports that some vineyards have suffered severe attacks of mildew, although I have yet to see them.

Chenin flowering in Montlouis: Sunday 14th June

The forecast for the rest of the week is better, so hopefully the flowering will be nearly over by the end of the week and conditions will be less favorable for mildew. Fortunately the 2009 harvest is potentially big, so that if the flowering isn't completely successful it won't matter too much. Indeed it could be a blessing saving producers from cutting off excess bunches.

•••

Report on the June 8th tasting hopefully coming shortly .................

New: Saturday morning cookery classes

These will be with Ursula Ferrigno and George Harvey.



Full details here on RSJ's internet site:

Menu for 'real wine' tasting and dinner 8th June

Philippe Lubac

Starter

Roast skate wing, cod brandade, crab cream


Main course

Fillet of beef, braised shin of beef with summer vegetables, buttered new potatoes, red wine sauce

Dessert

Pineapple and passion fruit pavlova

Details of the wines Philippe is showing here.