The Champagne Diet is Alive and Well at POP!

Thank you for the hundreds of positive responses that have been sent in recent weeks in response to my blog on The Champagne Diet TM.  Thank you, as well, for your patience during a long hiatus between postings.  The good news is that life has been extremely busy with many good things happening at POP and in the rest of my life, including staying on this great diet.  While I am not setting any speed records for losing weight, I am happy to report that since December 1, 2011, when I launched my personal participation in The Champagne Diet TM, I have shed 12 pounds.  And, as Cara Alwill Leyba, the founder of The Champagne TM, promised, it IS possible to lose weight by eating sensibly AND enjoying a glass or two of the bubbly every day.

While my success with this wonderful diet is no guarantee of similar results for other people, in addition to the lose of weight I learned on a recent visit to my doctor that my overall cholesterol had dropped from 166 to 159 and my HDL (the good cholesterol) count went from 43 to 50!  My doctor confirmed that it is generally known to be a medical fact that a glass or two of alcohol a day does, indeed, raise the good cholesterol level in most people.

And, the best part to report is the amazing array of Champagnes and sparkling wines I have sampled in the last four months.  Here are a few of my favorites, with a few descriptive words.

Stephane Coquillette Carte d’or.  We had the pleasure of hosting a tasting event with the releases from this vineyard, with the daughter of the owner present at POP to give us her first-hand observations.  This was my favorite of the ones tasted.  It is mostly Chardonnay with a touch of Pinot Noir.  It has a subtle, elegant taste that does not overpower the senses.

J. Lasalle Rose.  This wine is produced by three women: the grandmother, mother, and daughter, just north of Reims, which is a pinot noir dominated area.  Very small bubbles, with a soft yeasty flavor that pairs well with almost any item on The Champagne Diet.

Jacquesson Corne Bautray.  This comes from chardonnay vines that were planted in 1960 which may account for the very distinctive taste with a silky texture, a pleasant minerality, and earthy aromas.

Rene Geoffrey Rose de Saignee.  This wine has a deep crimson color and delivers a flavor of raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry all in one taste.  If you enjoy 100% Pinot Noir, this is a must!

By my count, and with the help of our sommelier Rafael and our knowledgeable bartenders, Nate and Robert, I have enjoyed the exquisite taste of more than fifty different Champagnes and sparkling wines during this diet.  On each visit to POP, I am eager and excited to discover what new delicious wine awaits my eager palate, knowing that there are no diet restrictions on enjoying one or more glasses of bubbly.

And, be sure to check out the latest news in Champagne on Cara’s newly designed website, “The Champagne Diaries,” by clicking on http://www.thechampagnediet.com/.  Until next time, here’s to your good health, a happy life, and a glass of Champagne or two a day!

The Champagne Diet™ 2012

Greetings and best wishes for a healthy, prosperous, joyous New Year!  Some of you know I am turning 65 on January 10, and that milestone is motivating me to get my life in better condition.  Spend more time with family (including, of course, the five adorable grandchildren: Abbie, Sydney, Wolfe, Olivia, and Xochi) is at the top of the list, followed by exercise and diet.  The Champagne Diet™ will definitely be a major part of my routine for 2012.

Since my last blog before Christmas, I “slipped” a bit and went off The Champagne Diet™ for a week and gained one pound, which, I rationalize, isn’t too bad for the holidays.  But now, I’m back in the groove and enjoying healthy food and a glass or two of Champagne daily.  Here are some of the recent tastings I enjoyed.

Paul Bara Brut Reserve Grand Cru.  If you like Pinot Noir, this one’s for you, with 80% Pinot and 20% Chardonnay.  Aged for a minimum of four years in cool cellars, the result is a smooth, toasty flavor with hints of strawberry and pear.  Paired very well with my serving of baked salmon at POP.

Raventos I Blanc De Nit Cava.  Some Monastrell grapes are added to this Champagne to give it a very light pinkish color and also adds a bit of complexity without overpowering a red berry and citrus flavor.  The crisp, yeasty minerality of this Cava paired very well with Chef Ray’s sea bass offering.

For those of you interested in incorporating this diet into your lifestyle, we have added The Champagne Diet™ offerings on the menu at POP.

Be sure to check out The Champagne Diet™ website at www.thechampagnediet.com for interesting information about dieting and Champagne.

The Champagne Diet™- Week 3

Who ever could imagine losing weight can actually be fun?  The pounds are not falling off overnight, but slowly, steadily, I have lost 6 pounds in three weeks.  With as many as I hope to lose, that actually feels a bit discouraging, but I remind myself that slower weight lose is actually more healthy, and, I am told, is more likely to “stay off” than is the case with drastic, crash diets that have you lose 15 pounds in 10 days.

The basic concept of The Champagne Diet™ is working for ME.  It truly helps me be more disciplined during the day knowing that I can “indulge” myself later in the day with a glass or two of Champagne.  Most of the time I enjoy the Champagne at POP, and have the added enjoyment of interacting with Nathanael, our bartender, Robert (our bartender pro tem), or Rafael, our sommelier, regarding suggestions for pairing a particular Champagne with my entrée for the evening.  In most cases, they have already tasted the Champagne they recommend, and it is helpful to me in identifying certain characteristics or attributes of the Champagne based on their experience.  For example, when enjoying the Laherte Frères Rosé Brut last week, I was having trouble naming the subtle flavor I was tasting until Robert said, “wild strawberries and cranberries,” and suddenly my mind connected with my taste buds and my enjoyment was enhanced.

The margarita flatbread pizza at POP has always been one of my favorites and Chef Ray Vasquez accommodates me with The Champagne Diet™ staple by substituting goat cheese for mozzarella, and adding wild mushrooms and green bell peppers to the usual cherry heirloom tomatoes, basil, parmesan, and marinara sauce.  Paired with a glass of the 1998 Saint-Chamant Cuvée de Chardonnay Brut, the simple tastes of the cheese and vegetables are enhanced by the subtle nutty, caramel flavors of this Champagne, which I learned is a result of being aged in wooden oak barrels.  When not a POP, if I want a flatbread pizza for lunch, I find my favorite local pizza places in La Verne (Warehouse Pizza and Red Devil Pizza) will readily accommodate my request for a thin-crust, all vegetarian offering.

Another reason I am enjoying The Champagne Diet™ is the primary importance of seafood as part of the diet.  Whether I am enjoying a bowl of fruit and a generous piece of baked salmon á la carte or Chef’s incredible sea bass special, I have discovered numerous Champagnes that pair extremely well with these delicacies, among them the Rene Geoffroy Brut Premier Cru (100% pinot noir, fruity, earthy, hint of wild strawberry) the Gonet-Medeville Tradition Brut (earthy, light minerality, crisp, a suggestion of green apples and grapefruit) and Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé (crisp, elegant, balanced blend of pinot noir, meunier, and chardonnay).

Thank you, again, to the genius of Cara Alwill Leyba, the founder of The Champagne Diet™.  Be sure to visit her website, www.thechampagnediet.com, for many interesting insights and intriguing information about Champagne.  And thanks to those of you who have shared your comments and good wishes!  Now, if I can just make it through the holidays…..!

The Champagne Diet ™ Part II

This truly is an exceptional diet! There is no other diet to my knowledge that would allow me to enjoy the Champagnes I have sampled this past week and be guilt-free and one pound lighter (5 pounds in 10 days)!

J Lassalle Brut Rose – A somewhat pale rosé that paired very well with my entrée of grilled salmon prepared by Chef Ray.  An aroma of oranges and strawberries was a nice complement to the soy and miso tartness of the “Drunken Salmon.”  It had a delicate mineral finish which was not overpowering and suited my personal preference.

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve – The best bartender in southern California (in my opinion)  Nathanael, selected this Champagne to accompany the flat-bread pizza prepared by our skilled kitchen staff, featuring freshly made flat-bread pizza dough, goat cheese, wild mushrooms, red bell peppers, and chives (check the POP Facebook page for an image of this entrée).  The balance of this Champagne with 34% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, and 33% Pinot Meunier made for a solid accompaniment to the pizza and was not overwhelmed by the hardiness of the tomato sauce.

Pierre Peters Blanc de Blanc – A crisp but not acidic Champagne that reminds me of the quality of a Krug.  For me this falls in the category of the greatly unsung grower-produced Champagnes that generally outshine their better known (and much more expensive) counterparts with more name-recognition labels.  This has been in the Top 5 of my personal favorites ever since Rafael, Matt and Kristin brought it to POP, and the fact that I can include this as part of The Champagne Diet ™ is exhilarating!

Collette Brut – a very affordable Champagne that includes all the elements that I personally enjoy in a wine – sweet, toasty, fruity, smooth finish.  A perfect complement to any of the entrées and side dishes I have enjoyed on The Champagne Diet ™.

AND, one of the most enjoyable benefits of all this for me has been the wonderful opportunity to become acquainted via email and Facebook with a truly remarkable woman, Cara Alwill Leyba, the founder of The Champagne Diet ™.  We are working on arrangements for Cara to visit Pasadena in the not too distant future to visit POP and meet our many customers who appreciate Champagne as part of their lifestyle and diet.  You can get acquainted yourself and follow Cara’s exploits at her website, www.thechampagnediet.com/.

Everyone at POP tonight will be toasting the 3rd anniversary of our opening on December 10, 2008.  Here’s to everyone who has made these three years possible, and here’s to Cara and The Champagne Diet ™!

 

Champagne Diet – At Long Last, There is Hope!

Greetings, my name is Bob, one of the owners of POP.

In the coming weeks and months, I invite you to follow my progress on what I hope will be a life-changing adventure.

For the last ten years, I have struggled with losing weight.  I have tried counting calories, counting points, no-carbs, no meat, you name it, I’ve tried it.  All my efforts have been focused on a basic premise, that you have to give up the things you really like in order to lose weight.

Well, I am fairly good at self-discipline, so I was able to completely avoid things that I liked that were high in calories.  Unfortunately, where my self-discipline failed me was, when I cut out all alcohol and all desserts (which I did for almost 12 months), I found myself doubling up on carbohydrates.  Of course the result was predictable: I not only didn’t lose weight, the net effect was I kept gaining weight.  As of a week ago, I was at an  all-time high of 212, not an enviable achievement.

Then a friend sent me the following link: The Champagne Diet ™.

It’s not rocket science, but the simple philosophy behind The Champagne Diet ™ appealed to me.  Basically, eat healthy foods in a moderate way, and allow yourself a “treat,” something you really enjoy, like…..Champagne!

I can do that!  Besides, I am at POP 5 nights a week where the selection of Champagne will give me a different variety to enjoy every night.  And, two of the best things on the menu at POP are, coincidentally, the flat-bread pizza and fresh fish (salmon or sea bass), both staples of The Champagne Diet ™t.

I know The Champagne Diet ™ is primarily targeting women who love Champagne, but why not guys like me and many others who come to POP who prefer the bubbly over the still wines or beer.

So, I’m in my 7th day of the Champagne diet, and except for a few slips, I’ve been faithfully following the outline of the diet.  To date, in seven days, I’ve lost 4 pounds, a modest achievement, but a start in the right direction.  AND, I’ve enjoy one or two glasses of Champagne every day!

In my next post I will share with you a partial list of the Champagnes I have enjoyed during this first week and some of my personal observations and descriptions.

One of the best benefits of the first week was the chance to connect via email with Cara Alwill Leyba, the founder of The Champagne Diet ™.  A woman of amazing energy, enthusiasm, and initiative!  We are looking forward to Cara’s first trip to LA to visit POP and share stories in person about her experience with the diet, and to update us on the latest progress towards getting her book published on “The Champagne Diet ™.”

Hope to hear from you with your comments, suggestions, and ideas.

Bob Earhart
Part owner
POP Champagne and Dessert Bar