Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
Ravines Cab Franc
The 2007 Cabernet Franc by Ravines Wine Cellars from the Finger Lakes, is a ripe, slightly oaky wine with medium tannins that is enjoyable now but will become outstanding with a little cellaring. Uncork this wine as you’re grilling for Father’s Day next year.
Great buy at around $20.
Ravines Pinot Noir
The 2007 Ravines Wine Cellar Pinot Noir, from the Finger Lakes, is a beautiful bright ruby in the glass and vibrant, slightly spicy cherry in the mouth. The soft tannins and pleasant velvety texture provide the smooth, long finish that all classic Pinot Noirs try to achieve.
Nicely-priced at around $20.
Cremant de Bourgogne
I had an opportunity to sample this creamy, voluptuous Crémant while at a wine tasting where over 100 wines were served. I can easily say that it was the nicest example of a non-Champagne bubbly there was, and at around $23, a bargain.
The mostly Chardonnay blend, highlighted with Aligoté, is pure elegance. With its light honey color, its fruity notes and pleasant freshly-baked bread flavor, this bubbly will please both casual and sophisticated palates.
Not many dishes exemplify true Canadian goodness like the Maple Syrup Pie, known as Tarte Au Sirop D’Erable in French. Served around the holidays, or for special occasions, this simple-to-make pie is both beautiful and delicious. My Grand-Mother probably would not approve of this microwaveable version, but those of us who have a limited amount of time to bake will be thankful.
Pie Ingredients:
Pie Directions:
Serves 8-10.
Notes: Pie can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 4 days. If doubled or tripled, the pies can easily be frozen wrapped in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil.
I’m excited to say that my Divine Squares recipe made it in the Bon Appetit Magazine Holiday Bake Off Contest!!! Please vote for me by going to page 2 and looking for “Divine Squares”: http://bit.ly/1iUtZ2
…How to Roast Lamb happens to me
How to Roast Lamb
I received my copy of Michael Psilakis’ “How to Roast Lamb” last week and I love this cookbook. I’ve been a huge fan of Michael Psilakis for quite a while and have enjoyed dining at Kefi several times and can’t say enough about this “cookbook”. I say “cookbook” as it’s way more than that. Michael shares traditions, family and his rise to fame throughout the book and his passion for Greek food has renewed my interest in cooking this wonderful food and not just eating it out.
The book itself is weighty and features amazing quality paper (I’m a fan of good paper). The photos of the food and of Michael’s family are great and left me wanting more (please tell me there’s more!).
I love that Michael could have made the recipes complicated to show off his grasp of fine cooking and his graduation to Manhattan’s elite, but opted to make each dish something even a basic home cook could recreate. His goal to make Greek food accessible and simple to share with family and friends was accomplished – in a big way.
Looking forward to dining at Anthos and Michael’s next book. Well done.
My guy and I had plans to try a new steakhouse in town yesterday. Steakhouses aren’t typically on my must-try list as I can grill a pretty mean piece of meat at home, but wanted to do a review of this new BYOB place. Mid-afternoon, I got ambitious and inspired while grocery shopping, and decided to prepare a 5-course meal at home instead to surprise my guy after a hard day of…golf!
With courses 1-3, I served a refreshing 2008 Provenance Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
Course 1:
Baby Arugula & Baby Greens Salad
Baby Arugula & Baby Greens Salad: I arranged the greens on a plate, then added a piece of avocado, a thin slice of Mackintosh apple, a section of yellow tomato and a perfectly grilled slice of Houllami. the dressing was a simple Dijon mustard, olive oil, red wine vinegar and tarragon vinaigrette.
The salad was at once light and fresh and comforting thanks to the amazing Greek cheese.
Course 2:
Homemade Prawn Ravioli in Sage Brown Butter
Homemade Prawn Ravioli in Sage Brown Butter: I filled wonton wrappers with prawns halved length-wise, goat cheese, ricotta salata and sage, boiled them for 2 minutes, then pan sautéed them in brown butter infused with fresh sage leaves.
Mental note: Make this as a MEAL!
Course 3:
Seared Yellow-Tail Tuna in Endive Boats
Seared Yellow-Tail Tuna in Endive Boats: I marinated tuna in garlic paste, ginger paste, sesame oil, olive oil and fresh cracked pepper for 2 hours, then seared it in a grill pan for a couple minutes on each side. I sliced the tune in long strips that I placed on endive leaves and dressed with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper.
This dish would be a perfect amuse-bouche for a party. Must remember it.
With courses 4-5, I served a rich 2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva
Course 4:
Bacon-Wrapped Tenderloin
Bacon-Wrapped Tenderloin with Pan Fried Smashed Potatoes and Sauce au Poivre: Simply grilled filets, pan fried potatoes and cognac-enhanced pepper sauce. Need I say more?
Course 5:
Honeyed-Brie
Honeyed-Brie: Highest quality brie drizzled with lavender honey. Perfect ending to a pretty darn good meal.
2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva
This big and rich Chianti was rated 91 by Wine Spectator and rightly so. This wine features spicy and sweet layers and intense dark berry flavors. The color of this wine is the darkest ruby.
Served half the bottle decanted and the other half not. The wine out of the bottle was sharp but not unpleasant and made me glad that I decanted some of it. The decanted wine show more velvety tannins and was smooth and delectable.
Successfully paired the 2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva with bacon-wrapped filet mignon and it was a good match. Not the first thing I’d think of pairing with it, but worked well none-the-less.
This food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc was rated 91 by Wine Spectator and deserves the honor. It has a well-balanced level of acidity and is pleasantly dry. There’s a brightness about the 2008 Provenance Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc that’s vibrant with peach – tropical fruit – lemon flavors and hints of minerals.
Paired well with apple, grilled cheese and with shrimp.
Pairings: Fish, seafood, especially seared scallops
Style: White Wine
Grape Type(s): Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA
Price: $17
Wehlen Vineyard
Wine lovers looking for a quick getaway to one of Europe’s most beautiful regions should consider the Mosel Wine Region of Germany.
The heart of the region is a mere 3 ½ hour drive from Amsterdam and a short 1 ½ hour drive from Dusseldorf. A rental car is highly recommended to fully enjoy all that Mosel has to offer. The region is filled with neat little towns, country roads lined with castles and vineyards on steep hills overlooking the beautiful Mosel River.
Vine-Covered Bernkastel
For those who have not been exposed to German wines or think of German wines as overly sweet, a 3-day visit to the Mosel region will provide a new perspective.
Day 1:
An ideal place to start this short wine tour is in Cochem. Cochem is an attractive town famous for 1,000 year-old, late-Gothic Cochem Castle. Cochem is a great place for wine enthusiasts to lunch on traditional local fare before heading south to begin wine touring.
After lunch, travelers can head south to Briedern where they’ll find a charming inn named Mosel Landhaus. The inn is small and inviting and the hosts, Sylvia and Jan, offer warm hospitality and well-appointed, newly renovated rooms. This inn is centrally located within a short distance of popular vineyards and attractions and is quite affordable.
The hosts of Mosel Landhaus will make insightful recommendations for places to have afternoon drinks and dinner.
Day 2:
Weingut Lipmann in Beilstein.
Riesling tasting at Weingut Lipmann in Beilstein
After a lovely breakfast at Mosel Landhaus, a short drive east to Beilstein offers cute shops to visit and the welcoming Weingut Lipmann for a tasting of the region’s best whites. The friendly staff at this cozy winebar, also known as a Weingut, offers a cheese course to pair with the wonderful Mosel wines.
Day 3:
Weingut Friedrich Storck
A trip to Bernkastel begins a full day of wine tasting. The drive to Bernkastel offers beautiful views of the regions’ most expansive vineyards. A great place to stop for a first tasting is a quaint wine bar named Weingut Friedrich Storck in Traben-Trarbach. The place offers a vast selection of German whites and modest selection of reds.
After lunching and visiting Traben-Trarbach, it’s only a short drive to Wehlen, home of well-known SA Pruem Winery, with its breathtaking vineyards spread over steep hills.
Cellar tasting at Mosel Landhause in Briedern
On the last evening at Mosel Landhaus, guests can participate in a wine tasting in the inn’s wine cave. I strongly urge patrons to partake in this activity as the wine cave is full of charm and the inn’s hosts are proud to share their love of Mosel wines with guests.
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