Archives for 2011

4 March 2011 Blackberry Buttercream Frosting

Blackberry Buttercream Frosting

March 4, 2011 By

Ingredients:

  • 10 ounce bag of frozen blackberries, thawed
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pound box powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Using a blender, puree the blackberries.  Pass the puree through a sieve, discard the seeds left behind and set seedless puree aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and shortening until fluffy, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the vanilla and the blackberry puree to the butter mixture and mix until homogenous, about 2 minutes.  Add the powered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until fully incorporated.
  4. Use to frost an 8-inch cake or 12 cupcakes.
Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , , ,
3 March 2011 2004 Chateau Millaud Montlabert Saint Emilion Grand Cru

2004 Chateau Millaud Montlabert Saint Emilion Grand Cru

March 3, 2011 By

Love that this wine shows grace and balance even at this affordable price point.  The nose is light, even a bit faint but on the palate there’s nice ripe berry flavors, hints of dark chocolate and wet bark.  The medium finish on the Bordeaux is slightly tannic.  Top Saint-Emilion? No. Pretty nice, affordable Grand Cru? Yes.

70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Around $16.

 

Filed Under: Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
2 March 2011 Meyer Lemon Tart

Meyer Lemon Tart

March 2, 2011 By

Meyer Lemon Tart

I got inspired to create this recipe after buying a bag of beautiful Meyer lemons at the market.  I combined the flavors of my Zesty Key Lime Tart with my family’s traditional lemon pie to create a refreshing, satisfying desert that’s simple to make yet beautiful to serve to company.

Ingredients

  • Juice from 2 Meyer lemons, about 1/2 cup
  • Peels from 2 Meyer lemons (okay to have some pith)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 stick, 8tbsp butter, cut into cubes
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 9-inch tart crust, pre-baked

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven 350 degrees.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor, add lemon juice, lemon peels, sugar and butter. Run the processor until the lemon peels are fully pureed, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, cornstarch and salt and pulse for about 30 seconds.
  3. Place the baked tart crust in its pan on a cookie sheet.  Pour the tart filling into the baked tart crust until nearly full, you may have leftover liquid that you can discard.
  4. Bake for 35 minutes, until no longer jiggly and until lightly golden.
  5. Allow to cool for 15 minutes then unmold tart.

Notes: Tart can be served at room temperature or chilled – I prefer chilled.  This recipe would be great with key limes also.

 

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , , ,
2 March 2011 Simple Tart Crust

Simple Tart Crust

March 2, 2011 By

Tart Crust

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks, 12 tbsp, butter, frozen and cut into small cubes
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the sugar, flour and salt. Add the butter cubes to the flour mixture and pulse until the butter is incorporated and looks like coarse oatmeal, about 30 seconds.  Add the egg and pulse for about 15 seconds to fully incorporate.
  2. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of shrink wrap and lightly knead the dough until all dry ingredients are incorporate – do not overwork the dough! Flatten the dough into a disk using the shrink wrap as a guide and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
  3. Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray (could also butter).
  4. Place a large sheet of shrink wrap on a work surface, top with the chilled dough disk then cover the disk with a second piece of shrink wrap.  Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 12-inch round (fear not if you get cracks at this stage).  Remove the top piece of shrink wrap and turn dough into the tart pan using the bottom piece of shrink wrap as an aid.  Remove the shrink wrap and press dough into the pan lightly with fingertips, repairing any cracks in dough. Trim overhanging dough with a sharp knife creating a clean edge.  Using a fork, dock the crust all over, including the edge.
  5. Freeze the crust for 30 – 60 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  6. Place the frozen tart pan on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until lightly golden.  Using the back of a spoon, flatten any part of the crust that might have puffed out during baking.
  7. Fill the crust with your favorite topping.
Filed Under: Desserts, French Tagged With: , , ,

Taste Challenge – Twitter Wine Tasting

March 1, 2011 By

I’ve attended a few wine tastings hosted by the friendly folks at WineTwits and I’m excited to see and hear that they are putting together some tasting events available to the public.

The events, named Taste Challenges, compare wines of the same varietals or made in a similar way, against one another in blind tastings. The purpose of this type of event is to allow wine fans to taste the wines, share their thoughts on them via Twitter, see what other tasters have to say and pick their favorites. The Taste Challenge series begins with a tasting of two Italian DOC Pinot Grigio wines on 3/24 at 8:00 PM EST.

WineTwits is promoting a neat giveaway associated with the event – a chance to win a trip for two to Venice, Italy (see details at www.WineTwits.com).

Folks interested in participating in the upcoming Taste Challenge can take advantage of free shipping on all orders of the Taste Challenge Tasting Kits ($30 per kit). The kit includes the two wines being tasted, which have a retail value of $40.

To register for the event, and for details on the Venice trip giveaway, visit www.WineTwits.com.

The fine print: I’m not affiliated with WineTwits nor am I benefitting financially from these events. Online / Twitter wine tasting is fun and WineTwits is king of the space.

 

Filed Under: Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , ,
28 February 2011 Heidsieck & Co Monopole Champagne Blue Top Brut

Heidsieck & Co Monopole Champagne Blue Top Brut

February 28, 2011 By

Celebrated with this bubbly over the weekend and just loved everything about it.  The Heidsieck & Co Monopole Blue Top Champagne Brut is the color of oats in the glass with a nose that’s both yeasty and pear-infused.  On the palate, it’s what Champagne should be: creamy, mousse-like with tiny bubbles that coat the mouth and provide a dry, long finish.

At this price point, forgo the Yellow Label for this little gem.

Wine Spectator 91 points.

Around $40.

 

Filed Under: Sparkling Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
27 February 2011 Epernay in Montclair – Non Merci

Epernay in Montclair – Non Merci

February 27, 2011 By

Four of my friends and me dined at Epernay last night after hearing good things about it in various restaurant reviews.  What a disappointment!  Can’t say anything positive about it – from the seating situation to the wait staff to the food – all mediocre.

Had reservations and was told to go back to the “foyer” until the staff was ready for us. Bad, rude, first impression.  When we were taken to our table, it was difficult to maneuver to our chairs due to the tables being so close to each other (not in a cute Paris way). Someone in my party commented that the fire marshal must not have visited lately.

Our main waiter was visibly intoxicated when we arrived and just didn’t make the cut. I’d brought Champagne and he insisted on chilling it for 10 minutes while we sat and waited for him to bring it for us, which he never didn’t.  He instead opted to open the bottle and pour the wine behind a wall and bring each guest a glass. Major fail in the showmanship department, especially when serving a bottle at a higher price point – this is a bistro, not a stuffy high-end place where wine might be poured away from the table.

Epernay Duck

The menu consists of predictable French bistro fare: escargots, onion soup, beet salad for starters then steak frites, mussels, cassoulet and duck for entrees.  Who could mess this up?  The kitchen staff at Epernay does.  Every dish was cold.  None of the dishes were good.  I had the lobster ravioli starter and it featured thick pasta and cold sauce.  I ordered the duck medium-rare and it was cold and well done with flabby fat that hadn’t been rendered at all (caveat – the mashed potatoes were nice).  The meats were likely par-cooked then microwaved to fully cook as all was grey and overdone.  No “a la minute” at Epernay!  My friend’s “seared” scallops were white and mostly boiled then served over what appeared to be canned corn.

Thank goodness Epernay is a BYOB as the stars of the meal were the fabulous wines we brought and sipped.  This level of cooking/serving cannot happen in a town like Montclair with stellar restaurants on every corner.

Epernay, A French Brasserie

6 Park Street

Montclair, NJ 7042

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , ,
27 February 2011 When Life Hands you Meyer Lemons, Make…

When Life Hands you Meyer Lemons, Make…

February 27, 2011 By

Meyer Lemons

I often find myself staring at some beautiful, fresh, short-seasoned ingredient at the food store that I simply must turn into a special dish.  This happened to me yesterday, when I did my weekly grocery shopping and saw fabulous, yolk-hued Meyer lemons that seem to say “buy me”.

I’m now searching my recipe repertoire for some simple dishes that would highlight the citrus’ unique qualities.  Will it be a tart, a Greek-style lemon soup (avgolemono), a piccata of some kind or an outstanding lemonade?  Time will tell, but until I decide, I’m enjoying looking at a bowlful of sunshine in the middle of winter.

What have you made with Meyer lemons that I should be trying?

Filed Under: Fruits, Other Neat Things Tagged With:
25 February 2011 2007 Pouilly Fuisse Les Souvelles Marnay Sorelles

2007 Pouilly Fuisse Les Souvelles Marnay Sorelles

February 25, 2011 By

This French Chardonnay is bright golden yellow in the glass and just pretty to look at.  The nose is floral with Meyer lemon notes.  In the mouth, this Pouilly Fuissé is nutty with ripe pear / golden apple and a pleasant level of minerality.  The finish lingers.  Paired this Chardonnay with grilled diver scallops over risotto and it was super.

I’m not a fan of huge buttery Chardonnays, but this wine is light and refreshing enough to convince me to make it part of my repertoire.

Around $25.

Filed Under: White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
23 February 2011 2006 Chateau d’Arcins Haut Médoc

2006 Chateau d’Arcins Haut Médoc

February 23, 2011 By

Took a little while to stop staring at this deep purple-hued wine long enough to take a sniff, but was greeted by woodsy, spiced, ripe dark fruit aromas that gave a prelude to a tasty French beauty.  On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, powerful and showing notes of dark chocolate, dark cherries.  The finish is medium and just a bit tannic after decanting.

Paired this Bordeaux with roasted prime rib of beef and thought it was perfect.  Really should decant this wine for it to fully open up.

Pretty great Cru Bourgeois at the right price point.  Adding to my must-buy list.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc.

Around $20.

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