On Nov 1, 10:09*am, "James Silverton" >
wrote:
> *cwdjrxyz *wrote *on Sun, 1 Nov 2009 08:02:26 -0800 (PST):
>
> > On Nov 1, 8:13 am, santiago > wrote:
> >> Mike Tommasi > wrote
> >> :
>
> > >> I never tried it. However, it seems no worse than the idea
> > >> of sweet wine with foie gras. I suppose if acidity is high
> > >> enough, it may pass, but the idea of fat+sugar or
> > >> seafood+sugar is indeed strange.
>
> >> Wasn't it here that I read about d'Yquem and lobster?
> > quoting<
>
> I do remember reading in a book or magazine many years ago that one
> ofthe old counts Lur Saluces, who owned Yquem, did like it with
> lobster.In the old days, lobster often was served with a very rich
> and elaborate sauce as well as rather plain, and I have no idea of
> *whatkind of lobster dish he had in mind.
>
> >endquote<
>
> Tastes do change but I believe that the Count Lur Saluces as a gourmet
> was a good winemaker (or rather his vintner was). Just like Francis
> Coppola as a winemaker, makes successful movies.

If you go back to the late 1800s, you find sweet wines often were
served with shellfish at even the most exclusive dinners.The 1893
edition of The Epicurean by Charles Ranhoffer, the then recently
retired Swiss chef of Delmonico's in NYC, gives some menus with wines
listed. Delmonico's then was perhaps the best and most exclusive
restaurant in the US and served the very rich, US presidents, visiting
nobility from Europe, etc. The often 16 or more course menus give a
little insight into what wines were served with food then. There are
of course a lot of Romanee-Conti, Lafite, Krug, and other now
expensive wines listed. Chablis was sometimes served with oysters, but
also Sauternes and Creme de Tete(but the wine name was not given!).
One oyster match is oysters on the shell with Yquem. Another Yquem
match is with Timbales de Sheepshead a l'Ambassadrice(does anyone know
what goes in this dish?). Since much Champagne was sweet back then,
one can not be certain if a Champagne served with a food is sweet or
dry since the house name only for the Champagne, sometimes with a
vintage, often was used.