Welcome to the Insider’s Table 🍷
A Column on wine, restaurants, people.
Hello Friends—
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve drank with me at COTE or COQODAQ, read Wine Girl, or maybe we’ve crossed paths in the wild world of wine and hospitality. However you got here—welcome. You’re in the right place.
I’m launching this column because I wanted to read something specific: a wine and restaurant column by someone who actually works in wine and restaurants. Imagine that.
Not more flowery tasting notes about wines that smell like gooseberries (have you ever even had a gooseberry?). Not another “top 10” restaurant roundup. Instead:
Every week you’ll grab some insider deets about a few bottles of wine you can use in your everyday life and how sommeliers really talk about wine
How to get a reservation at that impossible hotspot
Why some wines make you feel alive and others feel like a mouthful of chalk
Travelogues + Travel lists from a Beverage Director that buys millions of dollars of booze
Recipes and wine pairings in a be cool, it’s not that serious, kind of way
Guest interviews with the people actually moving the industry forward
This is a backstage pass to the food and wine world—the people, the places, the unpolished truth—and if that sounds like your kind of thing, I’d love to have you along for this wacked out crazy ride that we Restaurant People love.
Want all the juicy stuff? Become a paid subscriber. The full pour gets you exclusive interviews, recipes from winemakers, travel lists, behind-the-scenes dispatches, and, and! Expect lots of cool wine and hot takes.
See you in your inbox soon. It’s going to be super delicious.
Cheers,
Victoria James
🍴 Bonus Recipe Drop!
Note: if you are a subscriber, you will get goodies & tidbits like this in the future…
A longtime favorite, the ICONIC “Butter Tart” from Château Thivin in Beaujolais.
I’ve tested their recipe and tweaked a bit to yield two rustic, tender, rich tarts —like a cross between brioche and a custard pie.
You have not had the luxury of true French wine country bliss until you’ve experienced a chilled glass of a juicy red with a tart that is solely dedicated to good butter. Live a little. Butter it up.
🧈 THE BUTTER TART (From Château Thivin, adapted + tested)
→ makes 2 medium round tarts (serves 8 polite people or 6 persons of indulgence)
🍷 Pairing: Thivin’s Côte de Brouilly Beaujolais, naturally
Dough Ingredients:
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (3g) active dry yeast
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp (25g) granulated sugar
100 mL (3.4 oz or just under ½ cup) warm milk (110°F)
⅓ cup (75g) of good unsalted butter, very soft (the better the butter, the better the tart! Use the good stuff!)
1 pinch fine sea salt
Crème Topping:
½ cup (120g) crème fraîche
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1–2 Tbsp of good, unsalted butter, sliced into thin pats
HOW TO:
Make the Dough: In a large bowl (or stand mixer), whisk together flour and yeast. Make a well in the center, add eggs, sugar, and warm milk. Mix to combine, then add softened butter and salt. Knead for 8–10 minutes (stand mixer: 5–6 min on medium) until smooth and elastic. Dough will be soft but not overly sticky.
First Rise: Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot for 30–45 minutes, or until nearly doubled.
Preheat Oven: Set to 400°F (200°C).
Shape the Tarts: Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, gently shape each into a disk about 7–8 inches wide. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let rise again for 15 minutes, uncovered.
Add the Topping: In a small bowl, mix crème fraîche and sugar. Spoon evenly over the center of each tart, leaving a ½-inch border. Dot with thin pats of butter.
Bake: Bake for 14–16 minutes until golden around the edges and the topping is bubbling and slightly caramelized.
Cool & Serve: Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with a glass of chilled Beaujolais.
& of course, the winery notes “Taste with some fine Beaujolais wine…..”