WINERIES, CHECK. RESTAURANTS, CHECK. RAIN, WHAAAT?!

I was so excited for last week to end because I was going to Napa for the weekend with a group of close friends.  Unfortunately, our fun little vacation got dumped on the whole time.  Well, Rain, we had an amazing trip regardless of your numerous attempts to drag us down.  Could I have taken more beautiful pictures on our winery tours?  Yeah.  Could my hair have held its curl and not have turned into a soggy mop?  Definitely.  But since we were there to wine and dine, the rain became only a minor hindrance.

View from the plane = sad face

Highlights from our trip:

Palmaz Vineyards

The tour here was super impressive and the only winery I’ve toured thus far that makes their wine using the gravity-flow method. We were told that not once, in the complete winemaking process at Palmaz Vineyards, does the wine come in contact with a pump.  It's this extraordinarily gentle handling that gives Palmaz wines their unique “handmade” quality and rare elegance. The height of the wine cave (where they make their wine) is 18 stories high, providing the vertical range needed for true gravity-flow winemaking.  Thus, the wine is never subjected to the violent agitation of pumping, which can change the wine’s intra-molecular structure.  This gentle treatment allows the finest nuances of flavor to develop naturally.  The result is a complex, elegant wine.  This process is very labor intensive as well as time consuming, but offers many advantages over the crush and pump method, which almost all large commercial wineries use.

The fermentation dome is the world’s largest underground reinforced structure. It is 72’ in diameter and 54’ high (this picture doesn't do it any justice). Temperature stays constant at 60 degrees and humidity at 75%, the perfect atmosphere for aging wine.  These fermentation tanks rotate on a custom-designed carousel.

All of the wines at Palmaz were so delicious, everyone bought at least a case.  My favorite was their 2008 Louise Riesling.  

And the plate of hors d'oeuvres went sooooooo well with the wine.

Another highlight:

Many of you have seen Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, on the Food Network.

He has his own cookbook, to add to his long list of impressive accomplishments. 

When I googled him, I learned that he also hosts NapaStyle on the Fine Living Network, owns a winery, Chiarello Family Vineyards, owns Bottega Ristorante in Napa Valley, and NapaStyle, a purveyor of food, cookware, and furniture.  That’s it, you ask?!

We were able to get a reservation at Bottega, so we had lunch here...and were so glad we did.

Bottega Restaurant in Yountville, CA

 I’ll just say that every single dish we ordered was prepared to perfection, encompassing the heartiness of rustic Italian cuisine, but also adding sexiness and flare to each dish.  Whether it was:

Green Eggs and Ham - Olive oil poached Delta asparagus, crispy soft-boiled eggs, prosciutto bits and Cambozola crema

 or

Fluffy cloud-like Ricotta Gnocchi, salsa di pomodoro della Nonna, pecorino

Bruschetta Trio
forno roasted pepperonata
California asparagus, salsa rossa & pecorino
carrot & eggplant caponata with goat cheese

Wood Grilled Octopus - Olive oil braised potatoes, pickled red onion & salsa verde

Shaved Artichoke Salad Two Ways - lemon olive oil braised and roman fried, shaved parmigiano reggiano

Grilled "angry" Gulf Prawns, crispy garlic, basil, orange & Calabrian chili dressing & heirloom Toscanelli white beans

Red Wheat Linguine Bolognese - veal, pork & porcini mushroom sugo, rosemary, parmigiano reggiano

Black Pepper Bucatini alla Carbonara with soft cooked local duck egg, parmigiano crema, shaved asparagus and guanciale

Adriatic Seafood Brodetto - monkfish, mussels, rock cod & fresh Monterey calamari, forno-confit tomato broth, olive oil crouton, paprika-saffron rouille

The different textures and marriage of flavors we experienced in every bite made it easy to ignore our bus driver when he came to let us know we were already an hour late to our next winery tour.  The tour could wait.

The only hiccup on our trip, apart from the stupid rain; The far from pleasant woman (the director of wine tours, surprisingly) at Quintessa Vineyards that greeted us with a “You’re 2 hours late!  We closed an hour ago! You’re going to be charged as a no show!”  made me never ever want to buy or drink a bottle of their wine.  If you’re in the hospitality industry, good God, don’t be a Bitter Betty!  I feel it is my duty to make sure everyone knows about our wonderful experience, so they are either A.) on time to their scheduled tour of Quintessa Vineyards, or B.) sure to book a tour elsewhere. 

Dessert highlight of the trip:

Blueberry Cheesecake at Press Restaurant was probably one of the top 3 cheesecakes I’ve ever had.  Sorry Cheesecake Factory, you don’t make the cut!

And the last great spot I wanted to share was the pit stop we made at the Oakville Grocery Store en route to the airport. 

It had such old fashioned charm.

They had the most delicious sandwiches, deli meats, cheeses and prepared salads.  Not to mention an impressive inventory of local wines, as well as imported.  They also sold plates that had a built in wine glass holder.  Genius for cocktail parties!

On my next trip to Napa, I definitely want to stop for lunch at Ad Hoc since Thomas Keller is one of my idols.  And I want to thank everyone on the trip for making it the best time ever!!!

M

OINK OINK OINK

After walking around the Rose Bowl Flea Market last Sunday, I became extremely hungry and wanted something really satisfying….so I went to The Oinkster since I was in the neighborhood.

With house-cured pastrami, slow roasted pork, freshly ground Nebraska Angus beef used in burgers, crispy Belgian fries, out of this world home made thousand island dressing that I would gladly drink; The Oinkster is pretty darn good.



see on the sign? It's "slow" fast food! What's not to like?

My friend and I ordered:

The Oinkster Pastrami-topped with Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and red cabbage slaw....melts in your mouth the pastrami is so tender.

The cheeseburger-their thousand island dressing puts it over the edge. Keeping it classic with crispy fresh lettuce and crunchy raw white onions, it's perfect. (comparable to Pie n’Burger and Big Deans, two of my favorites) 

Last but not least, the piggy fries (located to the right of the cheesburger in the picture above) smothered in the thousand island dressing, carmelized onions, and shredded cheddar cheese. Not the healthiest option on the menu, but probably one of the best. The flavor combination is deeply satisfying. I could have eaten the entire order myself!

 

They also serve beer and wine, so a frosty glass of beer paired with all of the above really kicked things up a notch. It also forced me to loosen my belt a notch or two….but it’s ok, I have a few more months to go until swimsuit season....

Have a great weekend!

R


ST. PATRICK'S BALLS

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Isn't this a sweet looking little guy? Has anyone seen any of the 4 Leprechaun movies? Fun fact...Jennifer Aniston actually stars in one them. Her proudest work, I'm sure. Hey, we all gotta start somewhere, right?

Ok, on to food!

In celebration of this fine holiday, here is a wonderfully “green” recipe. (it’s healthy too!)

Spinach & Pesto Turkey Meatballs
3 slices packaged white bread, crusts removed, bread torn
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup packed chopped frozen spinach, thawed, and all liquid squeezed out
3 tablespoons diced white onion
1 large egg
1 ½ pound ground turkey
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly grated pecorino cheese for serving
1/3 cup pesto

Pesto
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 ½ cloves garlic
¼ cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
salt and pepper


To start, prepare the pesto:

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper and process until fully blended and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the pecorino.

Now for St. Patrick’s Balls:

In a large bowl, soak the bread in the milk for 2 minutes, mashing it. Squeeze the bread to press out the milk and drain out any excess milk. Add 1/3 cup of the pesto you just prepared, the diced onion, and the egg to the bread. Mash with your hands until it forms a gooey paste.

To quickly thaw the frozen chopped spinach, place in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Place thawed spinach in a colander and push firmly down to get all the excess liquid out of the spinach. Take drained spinach and pack into a measuring cup.

Add spinach, bread mixture and ground turkey to a large mixing bowl. Add about 1 teaspoon of Salt and Pepper. Mix well with hands to make sure all ingredients are well blended.

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Roll meat mixture into 1 ½ inch balls. You should have about 20 when finished.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add meatballs and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally (about 10 minutes) until browned evenly and cooked throughout. (I usually sacrifice one meatball by cutting it in half to make sure it is thoroughly cooked through...this one was and it tasted delicious too!)

Place cooked meatballs on a large platter. Top each meatball with a dollop of remaining pesto, then top with pecorino and serve.

Feel free to serve as an appetizer or pair with your favorite pasta. These meatballs are so tasty and moist, you can serve them almost any way you like and they'll be just as delicious. I paired mine with a spinach pasta for an extra green St. Patty’s day effect. (To the pasta, I added a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water, a tablespoon of the pesto and tossed until evenly coated). I placed the meatballs on top and voilà!

R

A TASTE OF IRELAND

I was lucky enough to live in a small town North of Dublin called Monaghan.  Even though I was only there for 2 months, I feel more festive now when St. Patrick's Day arrives.  It was the first time I’d ever experienced a pint of Guinness (very exciting) and frequented a real pub, The Squealing Pig.  I remember every time I walked into the The Squealing Pig, I was greeted with friendly faces and comforting aromas.  

My home away from home.

I think the second best way to experience a culture is by way of their cuisine. The best way, obviously, is to travel to that country, but that's not always an option!  When you actually break it down and compare the cuisines from countries around the world, it's fascinating to think just how different, for instance, Thai Curries are from hearty English stews.  Same idea, really, but completely different dishes.  In LA, I think we are fortunate (spoiled) to have so many restaurants featuring international cuisines.  Rachel and I have always been daring with trying new cuisines/restaurants, but now that we're blogging about our adventures, we have more motivation to really go for it. We shall continue to report back with our finds!

As for tomorrow, it's St. Patrick's Day and I’m getting nostalgic for some Shepherd's Pie.  It’s very much like Greek Moussaka and Italian Lasagna, but it actually originated in England.  It's traditionally made with minced lamb or mutton, hence the name of the dish.  Since I can't skip town, I'll have to make it at home!

SHEPHERD’S PIE

Ingredients:

 

1 Tablespoon Vegetable oil


1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1/2 lb. ground lamb (you can use 1 lb. of whatever meat you like)

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 cup beef or chicken broth

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/3 tomato paste


1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry rosemary


1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry thyme

1 Tablespoon chopped Italian parsley


1/4 – 1/3 cup red wine

1 cup frozen peas


2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced


2 tablespoons unsalted butter


1/2 cup milk (any fat content)

1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese


Kosher salt to taste



1. Preheat oven to 375°F.



2. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the oil, then sauté onion, carrot, and celery.  Cook until softened, about 8 minutes.   Add meat and herbs and cook for about 6 minutes, until meat is no longer pink.

3. Add the herbs, broth, tomato paste, red wine and flour.  Make sure you sprinkle the flour and quickly blend, as this will thicken the sauce.  If you dump the flour onto one spot, it will turn into a dumpling.  You don’t want this to happen!  Simmer until the juices thicken, about  8 - 10 minutes, then add the peas.

Depending on a number of factors, you may have to adjust the amount of liquid you add to the dish.  When adding broth or wine, add a little at a time.

4. Pour the mixture into an 8x8 baking dish; set aside.



5. Meanwhile, place potatoes into a pot of cold water.  Bring the potatoes to a boil.  Add 1 tsp of salt to water after it begins boiling.  Continue to boil on medium low and cook until tender, about 15 - 20 minutes; drain.  
Place the pot of potatoes back on medium low heat and make sure all the water evaporates. 
Turn off heat.

6. Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk, and salt.

 Sprinkle in the cheddar cheese. I went one step further and pureed the potatoes using a food processor. This gives the potatoes a velvety creaminess.

7. Using a spatula, drop dollops of the mashed potatoes over filling; spread to edges.  Using a fork, make decorative peaks.  

8. Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 25 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving...if you can wait that long!

Mouthwatering, if I may say so myself.

Since this dish is very rich, I wanted to pair with it some lighter sides:

Sautéed Cabbage with Shallots and Garlic 

Melt 1 TBSP Butter over medium heat and saute 1 shallot and 2 cloves of garlic

Add 1/2 head of shredded cabbage

It wilts to this amount!  Add salt & pepper to taste.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Cut 2 Parsnips and 1 Sweet Potato into bite size pieces.  Throw in a handful of Baby Carrots, along with about 12 Cipolini Pearl Onions, as well as 3 sprigs of fresh Rosemary.  Drizzle 2 TBSP Olive Oil plus Salt and Pepper over vegetables and toss.  Roast for about an hour in the oven, tossing every 15 minutes so olive oil coats evenly.

Oven Roasted Garlic Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Spray baking dish with oil.  Cut 3 Tomatoes in half, placing cut side up on baking dish.  Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper.  Slice 6 cloves of Garlic and place on top of Tomatoes.  Drizzle generously with Olive Oil.  Roast in oven for about an hour, checking doneness around 45 minutes.

To serve, I preferred to take off the bits of roasted garlic, as the flavor has penetrated the tomato and you won't have awful garlic breath!

I saw this loaf of Soda Bread at the market and quickly threw it into my cart.  It really is delicious.  It tastes a bit like a muffin.  Mmm.

All this with a pint of Guinness.  I feel like I'm in Ireland again...

Don’t forget to wear green tomorrow!

M

THE HUNGRY CAT SALAD

The drive from Santa Monica to Hollywood isn’t a simple commute, especially in L.A. traffic. Unfortunately, I am forced to make the commute more often than I would like because my favorite seafood restaurant in L.A., The Hungry Cat,  is located right smack dab in the middle of Hollywood. Lucky for me, I won’t have to make the commute any longer because…drum roll please…a new Hungry Cat location is opening in Santa Monica right across the street from the beach, in the old Brass Cap location. Yay!

new westside Hungry Cat

Three reasons why I love The Hungry Cat:

1. They have Scrimshaw on tap, one of my favorite beers. (Scrimshaw is a hoppy and extremely fresh tasting pilsner brewed in northern California).

2. The two tier seafood tower. Loaded with Shrimp, Oysters, Dungeness crab, Clams, Lobster, and Caviar—they bring out the absolute best platter of sauces and toppings to perfectly compliment all of the super fresh fish. It’s perfect for two people to share if you have a hearty appetite (I do!).

3. Market Lettuces with egg, avocado and pecorino. This salad is a showstopper. I mean it. I can’t get enough of it, so I made my own version at home and it’s been present at almost every dinner since I started making it. People come over for dinner, taste the salad, and it’s all they talk about.

Here is my spin on “The Hungry Cat Salad.”

5 cups, (roughly) butter lettuce
½ avocado cut into ½ inch thick slices
¼ red onion, cut into super thin slices
2 hard boiled eggs, diced
25 Pecorino shavings, broken up into smaller pieces
1 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
a couple dashes of salt

Place the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Toss and Eat!

thinly sliced red onion

i like to remove the extra egg white from the end of the egg. less egg white and more yolk is better.

place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl

toss with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt

crack open an ice cold Scrimshaw

Enjoy!!!

R

BABY SHOWER = A SUCCESS

Everyone loved the spread from Saturday's party.  Especially the lovely mom-to-be.  And happy guests meant happy catererers (Rachel & me)! Here's what our spread looked like:

Maya & Rachel

Clockwise from top: Goat Cheese with Chopped Fruits & Nuts, Pesto Salad with Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Toasted Pine Nuts, Veggies & Hummus, Peanut M&Ms, Pita Chips

Fava Bean Dip, Chicken with Butternut Squash, Grapes and Almonds, Cheese Plates, Panforte (a traditional Italian Christmas cake that is very densely packed with dried fruits and nuts), Wasabi Peas, Sliced Baguette

One of the biggest hits was the goat cheese with mixed fruits/nuts appetizer.  It was so simple to make and looked really pretty.  Here we used chopped apricots, dates, cranberries, a medley of golden and dark raisins, with toasted walnuts (salted).  People spooned this mixture onto a sliced baguette.  There was hardly any left!

We wanted to make sure all of our guests had plenty to eat.  There were a few who didn't eat meat (they were ok with cheese though), so we made everything vegetarian, except for one dish for those who were seeking a little animal protein in their lives.  This was a chicken salad with roasted butternut squash, toasted slivered almonds, and red grapes tossed in a red wine vinaigrette with fresh oregano.  I adapted this recipe from a restaurant I frequent...often.  It's called Lemonade and their food is amazing.

One of the many things I love about eating at delicious restaurants is that I'm inspired with menu ideas for parties I want to throw, and even for everyday cooking.  And whoever you're cooking for will appreciate the time and effort you put into creating a tasty meal.  If you use the freshest ingredients, it's difficult to go wrong.

Being surrounded by baby clothes and girls giving our guest of honor advice on raising her baby made me think, "When am I going to have a baby?" Then Rachel told me we needed to put more mini quiches out on the table.  Back to work!

M