Archives for October 2009

St Supery Wine TweetUp Fun at Gary’s Wine

October 15, 2009 By
St Supery Wines

St Supery Wines

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the second stop of the St Supery East Coast Tweet Up Tour at Gary’s Wine in Wayne, NJ.  The event provided wine enthusiasts the opportunity to sample St Supery’s line of popular wines and to meet Social Media Guru, Rick Bakas.

The venue for the event, the mega wine store, Gary’s Wine, is grand in every way.  Gary’s motto “We’re not just a wine store, we are a Wine Destination!” is understood immediately upon entering the spacious facility.  The layout is uber easy to navigate with wines arranged by region and varietal.  There’s a superb food market with specialty groceries, a fabulous selection of fine cheeses and some prepared food items ideal for an impromptu gourmet feast.  Gary’s features a wonderful tasting area for events just like the St Supery Tweet Up and also offers a climate-controlled wine room that houses very special wines and a gorgeous tasting table.

Gary's WIne

Gary's WIne

The well-attended event was warmly hosted by Gary himself, his team and Rick Bakas, the Director of Social Media for St Supery winery.  Rick was generous with his interesting information about Napa Valley, the winery and this year’s crush. Upon arriving, we were immediately made to feel welcomed.  Gary is a gracious host and takes pride in his beautiful store.  We first tasted the St Supery Oak-Free Chardonnay.  The wine was mouthwatering with vibrant yeasty qualities and green apple and pear flavor.  Although the name suggests no oak, there were still hints of it that were pleasant and not overpowering.  The second wine we tasted was the white Meritage – Virtu, which is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. This wine offered a juicy mouthful of peach with an enjoyable mineral finish.  I’m looking forward to tasting this wine with grilled scallops.  Last on the list for this tasting was the widely popular Cabernet Sauvignon with its dark cherry nose, well-balanced tannins and long finish.  This wine screams for a grilled steak.

For those of you in the New York area, Rick Bakas and the fine folks at St Supery are making two additional stops.  Tonight, 10/15, the Tweet Up stops at Harry’s Cafe & Steakhouse in the financial district and tomorrow night, 10/16, the event is at the Roger Smith Hotel.  Not in New York?  The tour continues and information on additional stops can be found here.

Filed Under: Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Miso-Marinated Black Cod From “Nobu: The Cookbook”

October 13, 2009 By
Nobu Black Cod

Nobu Black Cod

For those of you who’ve been fortunate enough to dine at Nobu: you’re welcome for this recipe!  For those of you who haven’t: enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup Mirin
  • ½ cup Sake
  • 2 cups White miso paste
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 4 Black cod fillets, ½ lb. each
  • 4 Hajikami stalks

Directions:

Bring mirin and sake to boil in saucepan over high heat; boil 20 seconds to evaporate alcohol.

Reduce heat and add miso paste. Stir, increase heat and add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Cool.

Pat cod fillets dry and coat with miso mixture. Marinate 2 to 3 days, refrigerated.

Lightly wipe off miso but do not rinse. Put under broiler or hot grill until surface browns. Remove to preheated 400F oven and cook until done.

Place fish on plates and garnish with hajikami and miso mixture

Yield: 4 servings

Filed Under: Entrees, Fish, Japanese Tagged With: , , ,

No-Fail Hard-Boiled Eggs

October 12, 2009 By
Image Courtesy of Monster Guide

Image Courtesy of Monster Guide

The holidays are right around the corner and as you get ready for those much-loved deviled eggs, learn how to make hard boiled eggs that won’t disappoint AND won’t feature a grayish ring around the yolk.

  1. Place room-temperature eggs in a saucepan. Cover with cold water so there’s about 1-inch of water above the eggs.
  2. Put saucepan over high heat.  Allow to come to a boil, then immediately remove from heat.  Allow eggs to stand in hot water for 12 minutes.
  3. Drain hot water and replace with cold water.  Allow eggs to stand in cold water for 5 minutes.
  4. Place eggs in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days prior to peeling.
Filed Under: Eggs, Sides Tagged With: , , ,

Quick and Easy Pan Fried Smashed Potatoes

October 11, 2009 By
Smashed Potatoes - Final Product

Smashed Potatoes - Final Product

These pan-fried new potatoes are so quick and easy to make that you can served them any night of the week.  This recipe works well with leftover potatoes that have been refrigerated.

Ingredients:

  • 8 small red-skinned new potatoes, boiled until just tender – about 10 minutes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

  1. Placed a cooled potato on a piece of paper towel.

    Smashed Potatoes - Step 1

    Smashed Potatoes - Step 1

  2. Fold a second piece of paper towel over the potato.  Press down on the potato with the palm of your hand, causing the potato to flattened slightly.
    Smashed Potatoes - Step 2

    Smashed Potatoes - Step 2A

    Smashed Potatoes - Step 3

    Smashed Potatoes - Step 2B

  3. Add oil and butter to a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.  Place smashed potatoes in the pan in a single layer and pan-fry for 4 minutes on each side.

    Smashed Potatoes - Step 4

    Smashed Potatoes - Step 4

  4. Add parsley and serve.

2 Servings.

Filed Under: American, Potatoes, Sides Tagged With: , ,

Locanda Verde – Italian Food Perfection

October 11, 2009 By
Photo by Immaculate Infatuation

Photo by Immaculate Infatuation

Outstanding – one word to describe the 5-month old Italian taverna in Robert DeNiro’s boutique hotel, the Greenwich Hotel.  Locanda Verde’s sublime food is attentively prepared by  Food and Wine Best New Chef award winner, Andrew Carmellini.

The well-appointed TriBeCa space is upscale, yet very warm.  The busy, large bar area is frequented by a crowd of beautiful people clearly there to see and be seen.  The bar vibe is upbeat and fun.

The star at Locanda Verde is the superbly-prepared food.  The menu features Cicchetti (amuse-bouches), antipasti to share among guests, pastas that are starter-sized and second, the main entrees.

The diners in our party wisely opted for the sheep’s milk ricotta served with perfectly grilled Italian rustic bread.  The ricotta is seasoned with superior olive oil, freshly cracked pepper, oregano, thyme and sea salt and might be the most perfect starter ever created.  Other smart starters are the lamb meatball sliders which are moist and flavorful and the cot chino sausage over crusting.

Some of the winning entrees are the pasta with wild game raga with fire did stardom, a sheep’s milk Italian cheese, and the braised veal cheeks over risotto Milanese.  These entrees will leave patrons talking about Locanda Verde for weeks.  Chef Carmellini clearly has mastered the art of using fresh, quality ingredients to produce outstanding, simple dishes with tons of flavor.

Desserts are inventive and feature some creative dishes such as the pistachio brown butter cake, the sweet corn budding and a nice assortment of gelatin.  Another end-of-meal option is a sampler of outstanding Italian cheeses.  Winners in this category are the Gorgonzola Cremificato, the Pecorino Ora Antico and the Salva Cremasco.  Cheeses are served with creamy honey, candied nuts and bread.

The wine list is completely Italian (in a great way) and features over 100 options, all under $100.  There are several solid picks by the glass, and on a recent visit, we opted for the Prosecco Valdobbiadene Drusian Brut NV as a nice pairing to the sheep’s milk ricotta starter.  About half of the wine list is under $50, and offers many outstanding options.  We selected the 2007 Vietti Barbera D’asti Tre Vigne and were pleasantly surprised by this young wine’s readiness.

Foodies and Italian wine lovers should not miss Locanda Verde. Won’t disappoint.

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Prosecco Valdobbiadene Drusian

October 11, 2009 By

This extra dry Prosecco offers a creamy and almost ‘thick’ consistency with tons of green apple bouquet and citrusy notes.  This affordable wine is bold enough to be the star of festivities with its fruity nuances and could also be used to make sparkling wine-based cocktails.  The finish is clean and crisp.

Filed Under: Sparkling Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,

2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve

October 11, 2009 By

Segal's Cabernet Sauvignon

Segal's Cabernet Sauvignon

I opened the bottle of 2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve a couple of hours prior to dinner, and when I first tasted it, I felt like it could improve from decanting for all the elements to come together.

After about 45 minutes in the decanter, I found the beautifully dark wine to be rich, spicy and full of bold red current flavors.

We enjoyed the well-priced wine with grilled filet mignon kabobs, basmati rice and a four pepper sauce, enhanced by a splash of the Segal’s.  I feel the meal was a worthy pairing to the well-balanced oak and tannins of this pleasant wine.

Filed Under: Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne

October 11, 2009 By
2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne

2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne

This young wine shows a beautiful purple, ruby color in the glass and offers a nice mouthful of ripe cherry and fresh berries.  The tannins are soft on this medium-bodied wine, and there’s a nice level of acidity making the Vietti Barbera D’Asti perfect for pairing with food.  Could benefit from a few years in the bottle, but can be enjoyed right away.

Filed Under: Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: ,

2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva – Uber Food Friendliness

October 5, 2009 By

I went to a MeetUp wine tasting event on Friday night and was fortunate enough to sample over 31 wines.  The selection of wines was varied, ranging from an affordable Donny Boon Syrah to a mid-priced 2003 Chalk Hill to a couple extremely nice Super Tuscans.

I know it’s not ‘right’, but I skipped most whites in favor of the reds and found one of the affordable finds very pleasant and food-friendly.  I’m talking about the 2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva.  This wine wasn’t overwhelming but had enough depth to satisfy me in a way only Italian wines can.

After so many wines, I didn’t fully trust my palate, so I bought a couple of bottles for an Italian dinner party I hosted last night.  The wine was a crowd pleaser and even features a tiny vine twig attached to the bottle (touch classier than a wicker covered bottle).  My friends who enjoy lighter reds didn’t find this wine too robust for them, and folks, like me, who like a mouthful of fruit appreciated it also.  The wine is a vibrantly purple in the glass and every sip brings about a big mouthful of peppery blackberries that ends in a dry finish.  Pairing this wine with my meat lasagna was a great move and finishing my last swallow with dark, decadent Valhrona chocolate brownies was also fitting.

The 2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva is typically in the $14-$15 price range, but I was able to find it on sale for $11.99 at Wine Library.  Smart buy, solid and affordable wine.

Filed Under: Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Lasagna a la Laetitia

October 4, 2009 By
Lasagna Final Product

Lasagna Final Product

This simple lasagna recipe uses my grand-mother’s untraditional meat sauce.  The unbaked lasagna can be made and refrigerated the day before serving or can be frozen for up to a month (thaw overnight before baking per step 10).

Ingredients:

  • 12 lasagna noodles from a 9-ounce package, no-boil lasagna (used Barilla)
  • 1 32-ounce container, large curd cottage cheese
  • 5 cups, Bolognese Sauce a la Laetitia
  • 1 8-ounce package of 5-Italian cheeses (from dairy aisle)
  • 4 tbs, grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 375F.
  2. Butter a 13x9x3 lasagna pan.  Ladle 2 cups Bolognese Sauce a la Laetitia on bottom of pan.
  3. Layer 4 uncooked noodles over the sauce.

    Lasagna Step 3

    Lasagna Step 3

  4. Empty cottage cheese container over the noodles in the pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle 2 tbs grated parmesan cheese.
  5. Layer 4 uncooked noodles over the cheeses.

    Lasagna Step 5

    Lasagna Step 5

  6. Ladle 2 cups Bolognese Sauce a la Laetitia over the last noodle layer.
  7. Layer 4 uncooked noodles over the sauce.

    Lasagna Step 7

    Lasagna Step 7

  8. Ladle 1 cup Bolognese Sauce a la Laetitia over the last noodle layer.
  9. Spread the package of 5-Italian cheeses, then remaining 2 tbs grated parmesan over the sauce.

    Lasagna Step 9

    Lasagna Step 9

  10. Bake covered with foil for 50 minutes.  Uncover and continue cooking until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

6 Servings.

Filed Under: Canadian, Entrees, Italian, Pasta Tagged With: , , ,
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