Some of My Favorite New Year's Luxuries

Champagne

The words to describe wine are extensive, but did you know champagne has a vocabulary all its own?

If you’re one the extraordinary number of people who’ll be popping corks this evening, perhaps you’d like to know some words to describe the champagne you’ll be sipping.  True champagne comes only from a small region of the same name in northeastern France.  And the Champenois producers have developed their own vocabulary for describing their wines.  It consists of four basic words – body, heart, spirit, and soul.

Champagnes with body are powerful, robust, and full-flavored.  They can be young, mature, or even vintage.  These strong, muscular champagnes are noted for their pleasant aromas and intense flavors that remain long on the tongue.  Champagnes with heart are mature, Brut, and often vintage.  They’re described as soft, smooth, gentle, romantic, and serene as rose petals.  Champagnes with spirit are lively, fresh, and zesty.  Either Brut or Blanc de Blanc, these champagnes are often gray-yellow in color, and have delicate bubbles that are quick to form.  Finally, champagnes with soul are described as mature, heavenly, and rarified.  These are the greatest champagnes, often from exceptional years, including full-flavored vintages, and special cuvées.  Their aromas are complex, with scents of delicate spices.  Whichever champagne you’ll be drinking, enjoy, and have a happy, healthy New Year!

Caviar

Caviar, the roe or egg mass of fish, is a luxury food often associated with holidays and celebrations.  The roe of several species of fish, including salmon, carp, cod, whitefish, herring, and pike can be enjoyed, but  true caviar is the roe of a sturgeon.  The very best roe available comes from female sturgeon caught in the Caspian Sea, which extends from Kazakhstan into Iran.  Sturgeon are massive fish, weighing as much as two thousand pounds. Three species of sturgeon swim in the Caspian Sea (beluga, the largest; osetra, midsize; and sevruga, the smallest.)  The relative sizes of their eggs correspond to the sizes of the parent species.  The quality of those eggs, however, varies with the water temperature and the individual sturgeon’s diet, and no two batches of eggs are exactly alike.
 
Once a fish has been caught and its roe has been extracted, the eggs are passed through a sieve.  Caviar masters then gently massage a small amount of pure powdered salt into the eggs, which acts as a preservative.  Beluga caviar, the most expensive, has a subtle, buttery, creamy flavor.  Smaller than beluga, osetra eggs taste nutty and voluptuous.  And the smallest, sevruga, the least expensive of the luxury eggs, taste sweet and almost fruity.   

Comments

[Kathy]

Martha,
Thanks for extending my knowledge of champagne and caviar, two of my favorite New Year's luxuries, too. I had known of the Champagne region of France, but I hadn't known of the significance of the four words body, heart, spirit, and soul. Hearing about caviar masters passing the eggs through a sieve and then massaging salt into them to preserve them is fascinating.
Enjoy the last day of the year.
Kathy

[Andrea]

I will always remember and episode you had where you discussed the names of the sizes of champagne bottles. It was indeed a bubbly episode! Happy New Year!

[matt]

Happy New Year!

(I can't wait to dive into my tiny yet delicious stash of caviar this evening)

Cheers!

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Hi Martha,
Since it is New Year's Eve
tonight, the timing of this article is perfect.
Wishing you & all the readers to your blog....
A Happy, Healthy & Prosperous
NEW YEAR !!!!
Pauline Mucciaccio

[Trish]

Happy New Year to all and thanks again for providing this informative blog! I had my first taste of caviar when I was nineteen and too young to appreciate it or maybe it's an acquired taste. I noticed a new ad for Wine on your home page that is free of alcohol. I am not a wine expert, but I wonder if that could be just as robust without the alcohol or does alcohol help it to age? I think I'll give it a try anyway. Cheers and be safe! Trish

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha et al, What an appropriate blog for the last day of 2007. As usual, I learned something new again today. Thank you so much for this wonderful blog site. I really look forward to enjoying it everyday. Thank you again for sharing. Happy New Year to all of you. Jan

[Claudine]

Happy New Year Martha and friends....

That pink champagne in the ice bucket is my favorite. I just posted about it the other day. It is a great price too, $20 a bottle. Thanks for sharing! Happy New Year

Claudine

[amy rabuffo]

Happy New Year Martha! Are you on a Swan or a Hinkley in the Carribean. Please share some photos. Hope Alexis shares her's of Jackson Hole as well. Thanks Amy

[Margie]

Ah the glory of Champagne and bubbly. What a nice treat even in the hot summer. We used to pop the cork and drive around the ranch on Friday afternoons looking at cattle in the pastures and drinking bubbly. We might even have a second bottle on the patio after the pasture tour. Tastings are always fun.

Have a great 2008. Do not save those wonderful wines just for a special occasion. Enjoy!

[Pru]

Hi Martha,

Wishing you a very happy 2008. Your advice comes just in time, as being in London we are a few hours ahead and will begin partying shortly.

With kind regards

[fleur]

Interesting about champagne. "Champagne with soul" is a term that really stirs the creative imagination too -- wonderful description!

[Jane M]

Happy New Year and peace in 2008! Love your blogs! Alexis and Jen's too!

[Josee and Chris]

Hi Martha,
We wish you and everyone a happy and healthy New Year.
From great fans from Belgium, Europe.
With kind regards.

[Emily]

Hi Martha!

What poetic terms to describe champagne. I really enjoyed the in depth info. Happy New Year!

Emily

[angie]

Martha ... wishing you amazing things for 2008.

[Jennifer Rose-Innes]

Hi Martha
Champagne here in Australia has experienced a massive revival.. ... served ice-cold... how exquisite and incomparable. We had an intimate New Year's gathering... caviar,,,oysters, tuna on the Bbq, lots of prawns and of course beautiful Champagne. Congratulations on creating your Blog.. how generous. Please visit Syney/Australia! Kind regards, Jennifer Rose-Innes

[Sandra Cogger]

Hi Martha.

When you visit Australia , Please come to Melbourne
Regards
Sandra

[Leah Camara]

Martha I have been a fan of yours before you published your first "Entertainment" book, which I have, and is as well worn as any of those shown on your TV show celebrating your 25 year anniversary of Entertaining.
I absolutely love all of your projects - TV show, magazines (I subscribe to all) Sirius radio program (I listen online all day while at work) your fantastic website, where I get so many fantastic recipes and ideas.
I especially love when you share your personal spaces. The homes that are so beautiful, your magnificent gardens (I'm an avid gardener but my husband continues to remind me that I'm not Martha Stewart and can't do things in such a grand scale — but I try, and on this blog your gorgeous yaght.
Thank you for all of it.

[Laura Page]

My heart breaks for Martha over the loss of her precious Paw-Paw. I have seen him on her show numerous times. I owned a wonderful Chow Chow myself and lost her when she was 10. There is no friend like a dog and no loss that breaks your heart more.
My thoughts are with you Martha.

[Theresa Creevy]

Hi Martha:

I enjoy your show so much and look forward to seeing them each day. I am looking for a silverplated square cake base for a squre wedding cake and cannot locate any vendors who sell them. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you so much.

[Britt Forrest]

Hello Martha!
For a casual cocktail party at home, shall I use real or paper plates?
About 24 people. 7 PM.

Thanks!