Preparing Great Seafood  

Want to learn about the secrets of preparing great seafood meals from some of America's celebrity chefs? And their advice is free. Visit www.fultonstreet.com and click on "Celebrity Chef Chat." A schedule of "Events and Past Events" will appear. On the left of "Past Events" is a box containing the words"view session." Click on this box for the celebrity chat you wish to review and it will appear. Scheduled for Dec 11, 1999 is Daniel Boulud of "Daniel" in NYC.                  

.                      WINE TIPS

          TIP#3             Opened Bottles

When dining out, always require the waiter or sommelier to open the wine at your table. Never accept a bottle of wine that has been opened before being presented to you. It may have been opened the night before and become oxidized. 

           TIP#2            Second Least Expensive    

When dining out, try the second least expensive wine on the wine list. It is often the restaurant's best wine value.

            TIP#1           Wines by the Glass

     In addition to the regular wine list, most restaurants today offer a variety of wines by the glass. When ordering wine by the glass be sure to request that the waiter find out if the bottle from which your wine is to be poured was opened that day. This is important because when bottle is opened the wine is exposed to the air and, if left in contact with air too long (as a rule of thumb a day or more), the wine will oxidize and not taste fresh and fruity as it is suppose to taste. Many restaurants do not sell a full bottle of wine the same day that it is opened, and continue to serve it until it is gone. When that happens, such a wine could easily be several days old and too old to drink. It will taste burnt, cooked or maderized. If it is; don't accept it; send it back. The best way to avoid this problem is to state when you order the wine that you don't want it unless it is poured from a bottle freshly opened that same day.