Food! Glorious Food! Hic...

The Student Does the Master Proud
Restaurant Review: Sushi Nakazawa in the West Village

A Savory Apple Tart Revives the Party

Recipe
Roasted Apple, Shallot and Blue Cheese Tart

No Eggnog Allowed
D.I.Y. Cocktail Party? They’ll Drink to That

Recipes
Red Rooster
Tabard Cocktail
Christmas Spritz
Bad Day at Work
Green Tea Punch
Grapefruit-tini

I’ll Have a Glass of Originality
A Flurry of Winter Cocktails From Professional Bartenders

Recipes
Act of Faith
Sweet Potato Dreams
Mott and Mulberry
Turkey Legs
Bitter Coffee
Snowbirds and Townies
The Giving Tree

WINES OF THE TIMES
Champagnes That Leave the Sweetness Behind
Tasting Report

Bérêche & Fils, $57, *** ½
Champagne Extra Brut Réserve NV (Disgorged November 2012)
Taut yet plush and perfectly balanced, with tangy citrus flavors and great finesse. (Petit Pois, Moorestown, N.J.)

Georges Laval, $70, *** ½
Champagne Brut Nature Premier Cru NV (Disgorged May 2012)
Lively and pure, with complex, lingering flavors of flowers, herbs and chalk. (Transatlantic Bubbles, Woodbridge, Conn.)

Benoît Lahaye, $58, *** ½
Champagne Brut Nature Grand Cru NV
Rich and generously fruity, yet precise, with energy and drive. (V.O.S. Selections, New York)

BEST VALUE
Larmandier-Bernier, $52, ***
Champagne Longitude Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Premier Cru NV
Clear, pure and multi-faceted, with aromas of flowers and herbs. (Polaner Selections, Mount Kisco, N.Y.)

Jérôme Prévost, $95, ** ½
Champagne La Closerie Les Béguines Brut Nature NV
Fresh, racy and well-balanced, with a crisp texture and detailed floral aromas and flavors. (Polaner Selections, Mount Kisco, N.Y.)

Laherte Frères, $51, ** ½
Champagne Les Empreintes Extra Brut NV
Rich and loosely textured, with complex flavors of red fruits, spices and citrus. (U.S.A. Wine Imports, New York)

Cédric Bouchard, $99, ** ½
Champagne Inflorescence La Parcelle Blanc de Noirs NV (Disgorged April 2013)
Intense yet balanced and precise, with flavors of spicy red fruits, herbs and flowers. (Polaner Selections, Mount Kisco, N.Y.)

Francis Boulard, $51, ** ½
Champagne Les Murgiers Brut Nature NV (Base 2010 Disgorged October 2012)
Elegant and austere, with lovely aromas of chalk, herbs and lemon. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York)

Jacques Lassaigne, $71, ** ½
Champagne La Colline Inspiré Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut NV
Creamy and rich, with pronounced floral aromas and savory flavors. (Jenny & Francois, New York)

Emmanuel Brochet, $75, **
Champagne Le Mont Benoit Brut Non-Dosé Premier Cru NV (Base 2007 Disgorged Apri
Broad and almost jaunty, with flavors of red fruit and citrus. (Avant-Garde Wine and Spirits, New York)

Chocolate Trees for Christmas, a King’s Tipple and More

Gift Guide

HOLIDAY BOOKS
Cooking
Heston Blumenthal’s ‘Historic Heston,’ and More

My tweets

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• Tue, 20:24: RT @FazHomes: We went to see @missrichfield @IllusionTheater over the weekend. What a blast! Love this group photo with her! http://t.co/4F…
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• Wed, 07:45: RT @tomscott: I've made a new linguistics video! This time: why is it a "big red balloon", but never a "red big balloon"? http://t.co/MBvZR…
• Wed, 08:55: Food! Glorious Food! Hic... http://t.co/d2qazfEN4P