Archives for 2012

6 September 2012 YOLO – Brunch Here Because YOLO

YOLO – Brunch Here Because YOLO

September 6, 2012 By

Pork HashDuring a South Florida visit last weekend, I brunched at YOLO (You Only Live Once) with some girlfriends and truly enjoyed the space, wait staff and, most importantly, the food.

Eggs Benedict

The space is trendy yet comfortable with some outdoor seating and a mix of tables and chairs and comfortable banquettes. I liked the open kitchen concept and loved the idea of a giant TV screen showing what is being cooked in real-time. There was even a DJ spinning the latest hits in the dining room.

The wait staff was beyond accommodating and helpful. For a Sunday morning, there was a big group of kitchen workers hustling to get the delicious food out to the guests.

The food was indeed delicious. There are brunch favorites and some inventive finds that feature top-quality ingredients on the interesting brunch menu. The popular Smoked Pork Hash is a must-try, the eggs benedict were super and the side of artisan bread was incredible. The pork hash features house-smoked pork, potatoes, onions, fried eggs and Queso Fresco. Who ever created this dish is simply brilliant. The sauce on the eggs benedict is tangy, light and delicious. It is just a great example of this staple brunch dish. For $15, there are all-you-can-drink brunch cocktails – what a deal!

Bloody Mary

YOLO is a neat find in a town full of good brunch options. I will make it a point to return when in South Florida.

333 East Las Olas Boulevard

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

(954) 523-1000

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
28 August 2012 Grammy Award Winners Train Gets in the Wine Business

Grammy Award Winners Train Gets in the Wine Business

August 28, 2012 By

Train in Central Park 8/27/12

Last night, I had the chance to attend the Central Park concert of Train. The evening was gorgeous and Train’s charismatic lead man Pat Monahan’s voice was as powerful, captivating and full or emotions as ever. The intimate group of loyal fans were treated to nearly 15 songs and the band sounded incredible. I would recommend attending this tour to anyone.

A perk of attending the event was an exclusive private wine tasting hosted backstage by the band members of their Save Me, San Francisco Wines.

A collaboration between Underdog Wine & Spirits and the Grammy Award-winning band, Save Me, San Francisco Wine Company was birthed because of Train’s love for wines.

Veronique Deblois, Pat Monahan and Guest

The band currently offers three aptly-named wines: Drops of Jupiter, Calling All Angels and California-37 (the name of Train’s new album).

Here are tasting notes according to Underdog Wine & Spirits:

  • Drops of Jupiter Petite Sirah ($9.99): Fruit-forward, insanely loveable Petite Sirah-based Red Wine. The minute you uncork the bottle, the boysenberry fruit leaps from your glass. With soft, supple tannins, this wine is great with food or without. Serve it at cellar temperature to allow the flavors to evolve in the glass.
  • Calling All Angels Chardonnay ($9.99): Fruit-forward, medium-bodied Chardonnay. This wine has a fantastic citrus scent and a hint of pineapple that works great with the slight vanilla bean notes. The soft tannins and long finish make this great with both a dinner or a drink with friends. Serve straight from the cellar so flavors come alive in your glass.
  • California-37 Cabernet Sauvignon ($9.99): Big, bold and enjoyable Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is driven by rich, ripe cherry flavors with a cedar and tobacco nose. Packed with soft, round tannins and a nice long finish that lingers with spicy, vanilla notes. Serve it at cellar temperature to allow the flavors to evolve in the glass.

The band kindly donates a portion of all Save Me, San Francisco wine sales to San Francisco’s Family House. The organization helps provide a safe, secure temporary home to families of seriously ill children who are undergoing treatment far from their own homes (for more information on Family House, visit http://www.familyhouseinc.org).

The wines are affordable and readily available nationwide.

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , , , , ,
26 August 2012 Shrimp and Vermont Cheddar Grits

Shrimp and Vermont Cheddar Grits

August 26, 2012 By

I am not certain how I became obsessed with shrimp and grits as I did not grow up with the dish in Quebec, but I am. I do not think there are many dishes as comforting as a bowl of creamy grits with spicy shrimps and a soft poached egg and here is a simple, delicious version that I serve as a starter. My inspiration for the shrimp topping is from a recipe from Peels in New York published in Bon Appetit.

Grits Ingredients:

  • ½ an 8-ounce bag shredded sharp Vermont cheddar cheese, such as Cabot’s Seriously Sharp Cheddar
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. hot sauce, such as Cholula
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper

Shrimp Ingredients:

  • 1 cup 1/3″ cubes Andouille sausage
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 16 large shrimps (about 1 pound), peeled, deveined
  • ½ cup medium-bodied beer
  • ¼ cup chicken broth

Grits Directions:

  1. Bring the broth, milk, salt and 1 1/3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Gradually whisk in grits, reduce heat to low and gently simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, the hot sauce and the pepper and stir until cheese has melted. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

Shrimp Directions:

  1. Cook the Andouille sausage in a large heavy skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and butter, stir until butter melts.
  3. Add the shrimps and stir gently until the garlic starts to brown.
  4. Add the beer and the chicken broth and simmer until shrimps are cooked, about 2 minutes.
  5. Serve the shrimp mixture over bowls of cheesy grits.

Makes 4 entrée portions or 6 first course portions.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Entrees, Pork, Seafood, Sides, Starters Tagged With: , , , , , ,
26 August 2012 1994 Chateau Troplong Mondot Saint Emilion Grand Cru

1994 Chateau Troplong Mondot Saint Emilion Grand Cru

August 26, 2012 By

A friend shared this special bottle at a recent dinner and it was just gorgeous.

In the glass, it is deep red with amazing legs. On the nose, this French Bordeaux is earthy with spiced notes. In the mouth, it is silky with rich plummy fruit. It is perfectly-balanced with fine tannins and stone fruit sweetness that is velvety and lasts forever.

Pairings:  Duck, beef, lamb.

Style: Red

Grape Type(s): Bordeaux Blend – Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Region: Bordeaux, France

Price: $69

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, France, Merlot Tagged With: , ,
24 August 2012 Boucheron and Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Boucheron and Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese

August 24, 2012 By

I love grilled cheeses and I enjoy experimenting with various cheeses, breads and condiments to create new versions of the old stand-by. One variation I adore is made with sharp Vermont cheddar and Boucheron, a goat’s milk cheese from the Loire Valley of France.

Boucheron Cheese

For those not familiar with Boucheron, it is a goat cheese that has been aged so the outer layer is soft, the rind is bloomy and the center is dry and crumbly as it ages. This is not your typical goat cheese. Let it come to room temperature and it is gooey and perfect.

In this grilled cheese, I pair the Boucheron with Cabot’s Shredded Sharp Cheddar as it is just great.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp. mayonnaise
  • 2 slices oatmeal sandwich bread
  • ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/8 pound slice of Boucheron, crumbled

Directions:

  1. Heat up Panini press or a grill pan over high heat.
  2. Spread 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread.
  3. Arrange the cheddar and Boucheron on a un-mayonnaised bread slice and top with the second un-mayonnaised side of the second bread slice so that both mayoed sides are on the outside and the cheeses are on the inside.
  4. Place the sandwich in the Panini press and grill for 3 minutes, until golden brown.  Alternatively, place the sandwich on the grill pan (still on high heat) and top with the weight of multiple pans or a pan with a 2-3 pound weight in it and cook 1 1/2 minutes per sides.
  5. Transfer sandwich to a cutting board and cut sandwich in half using a serrated knife.

1 serving.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Entrees, French, Sandwiches Tagged With: , , , , ,
23 August 2012 2009 Albert Bichot Pinot Noir Vielles Vignes

2009 Albert Bichot Pinot Noir Vielles Vignes

August 23, 2012 By

I had this wine in Quebec at an outdoor party where it was paired with Dad’s Quebec Smoked Meat Sandwiches.

In the glass, this nicely-balanced wine is a medium red. The ripe cherry nose is fruity and bright. In the mouth, there is a nice level of acidity and cherries mix with strawberries on this light-medium bodied French Pinot Noir.

Pairings:  Salmon, pork, roast chicken or duck. Pairs well with most food.

Style: Red

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: Burgundy, France

Price: $15

Filed Under: France, Pinot Noir Tagged With: , , ,
22 August 2012 2011 Carrelot des Amants Côtes du Brulhois Rosé

2011 Carrelot des Amants Côtes du Brulhois Rosé

August 22, 2012 By

I had this wine in Quebec at an outdoor party and it was an ideal setting for it. Great as an aperitif on a warm summer day.

In the glass, it is a deep salmon color. The strawberry nose is light and mildly floral. In the mouth, the strawberry carries through with some raspberry and a nice level of acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Pairings:  Salad, poached salmon, seafood pasta with a light sauce. Served as an aperitif.

Style: Rosé

Grape Type(s): Merlot 40%, Cabernet Franc 30%, Malbec 30%

Region: South-West Region, France

Price: $12

Filed Under: France, Rose, Blush Wine Tagged With: , , , ,
21 August 2012 Dad’s Quebec Smoked Meat Sandwich

Dad’s Quebec Smoked Meat Sandwich

August 21, 2012 By

A special Quebec treat I enjoy is a perfectly steamed smoked meat sandwich.  Dad has had a restaurant-grade food steamer since I was a little girl that his brother from Montreal found for him. Fabulous hot dogs and smoked meats have come out of that steamer over the years, and this past weekend, while I was in Quebec, dad treated the family to the tasty sandwiches.

A 10-pound piece of corned beef was steamed for a couple hours until perfectly moist and fork tender.  Rye bread was also steamed for a minute to create the perfect sandwich.

The steamed meat was sliced thin on an electric meat slicer and piled high on the rye bread. A little mustard and some crisp pickles were the only complements the sandwich needed.

If you make your way to Quebec City or Montreal, be sure to sample a real Quebec smoked meat sandwich, it ranks up there with the very best New York corned beef on rye.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Canadian, Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , ,
14 August 2012 Zod Arifai Does Blu So Well

Zod Arifai Does Blu So Well

August 14, 2012 By

Salmon

Could it be that the 45-seat restaurant in bustling downtown Montclair serves up the best food in New Jersey?  It is quite possible. At his award-winning restaurant, chef and owner, Zod Arifai, masters modern cuisine with French, Italian and Asian influences.

Born in Kosovo to parents who were both good cooks, chef Arifai is self-taught with an inquisitive mind and short stints at Bouley and Aureole in Manhattan that have proven to be better at helping him transform in the chef he is today than formal training at a culinary school might have been.

On a recent visit, our party sampled dishes that blew us away. For starters, the Spaghetti Carbonara with Crispy Duck is creamy, velvety with rich duck morsels, the Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and White Truffle Oil is pure decadence with its unctuous texture, earthy mushrooms and drizzle of fragrant truffle oil.  The Seafood Dumplings with Spicy Coconut Broth showcases the thinnest, most delicate wrappers over a tasty seafood mixture that bathes in an ultra-flavorful, just-spicy-enough broth.

Veal Belly

Must-have entrées are the Salmon, Forbidden Rice served with peanuts, scallions and coconut-chili broth, the Duck Breast, Red Cabbage served with a caramelized turnip with a red wine-fig emulsion and the Veal Belly with Soft Polenta, Wild Mushrooms and Sweet and Sour Glaze. The salmon is of the finest quality and the forbidden rice is of toothy perfection. The duck is cooked to a flawless medium-rare and the red wine emulsion is a perfect complement to the protein. The absolute star is the veal belly. For those of us who think pork belly is the perfect food, chef Arifai’s veal counterpart is heavenly. The sweet and sour glaze is tart and cuts through some of the veal’s richness and the polenta is the best I have had, even in Italy – order this dish without fault.

Spaghetti Carbonara

At Blu, chef Arifai creates dishes from techniques and ingredients he tests out extensively and the results are simply spectacular. Nearly seven years after opening, Blu is more at the top of its game than ever.

Blu
554 Bloomfield Avenue
Montclair, NJ
973-509-2202
www.restaurantblu.com

BYOB

Hours:

Tuesday – Thursday: Open at 5:30PM

Friday – Sunday: Open at 5PM

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
11 August 2012 2010 Hahn Winery Pinot Noir Monterey

2010 Hahn Winery Pinot Noir Monterey

August 11, 2012 By

I sampled this wine with rare duck breast a few weeks back and really enjoyed it.

The 2010 Hahn Winery Pinot Noir Monterey offers a big noseful of ripe raspberries and cherries that I enjoy, a lot. In the mouth, it is rich with raspberry preserves jammy with undertones of pumpkin pie spice. The finish is medium in length with oaky notes.

Pairings:  Grilled chicken. Pan-seared salmon or duck. Wild mushroom risotto.

Style: Red

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: Monterey, California, USA

Price: $14

This wine was provided to me for sampling and I am adding to my repertoire as it is truly enjoyable.

Filed Under: Pinot Noir, Red Wine, United States Tagged With: , , , ,
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