A Circle of Friends

Recently, a Chef friend of mine and I cooked a 6-course meal for a dinner party a friend of mine was hosting. There were 9 people in total and the dinner was absolutely fantastic! The dinner itself was one of the most fun nights I've had in a good, long while - everyone was laid-back, down-to-earth, welcoming, generous and full of laughter.

Each course (with the exception of the first and last) was wine paired; Here's how it went:

1st course: A small, one-biter of deviled egg. The yolks were whipped with onion, salt, pepper, habenero hot sauce and heavy cream then garnished with crispy bacon bits, scallion and hungarian paprika.

2nd course: A "New England Clam Bake" - of sorts. The dish was a modification of the traditional feast and came with sauteed clams, mussels and shrimp, baked cod, a confit of new potato with garlic and onion and a fresh corn puree. It sounds like a lot of food, especially for the second course, but the portions were small and the guests did all but lick the bowls clean! Apparently it's a dish I need to do again, because nothing but compliments were received! The Clambake was paired with Champagne (yes, real Champagne!) which complimented the dish perfectly.

3rd course: Vanilla-poached Ahi Tuna served rare with coconut-lime risotto. This is a dish that my chef friend and I created together and I do have to say that it is pretty damn fantastic! Vanilla pods (sliced open) are infused in olive oil for 2 days. When ready to cook the tuna, the oil is slowly brought up to temp so as not to burn the vanilla and the tuna is added. Because the tuna is served rare, it doesn't need to poach in the oil long - and when the tuna is removed, it is speckled with the vanilla bean. The tuna is complimented perfectly with the coconut-lime risotto which is also lightly garnished with mint. We served this with Fiddlehead Cellars Sauvignon blanc and it was magic!

4th course: Duck Roulade. This is a creation of my Chef friend and it is absolutely delicious! It is a combination of duck legs and chicken thighs seasoned with various spices, wrapped in pork side and served at room temperature. It was complimented with a small salad of frizeè and mixed greens tossed with evoo and rice wine vinegar. We paired this with Stag's Leap Chardonnay and the creaminess of the wine paired perfectly with the richness of the roulade.

5th course: Short Ribs. If you've had short ribs, then I don't need to tell you how delicious they are! These ribs were braised for 12 hours in brining liquid and then pressed. A rich, delicious and velvety sauce was made from the brining liquid and complimented the ribs nicely, but the perfect compliment to the dish was the celery root purèe that went with it! The dish was paired with Napa Cellars Cabernet. I think people actually did lick their plates on this one!

6th course: Lindor White Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake. I'm not giving too much away on this one, because it happens to be a specialty of mine, but it is indeed a Lindor White Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake with butter cookie crust topped with goat cheese sauce and a fresh split cherry!

All-in-all, the dinner was a hit and my friend and I were told that we should start a catering business together, which was a fantastic and most welcomed compliment. The night was topped off with laughs and stories and wine and an awesome memory of a great time...

Wine Men of Gotham, Shiraz, Australia

This wine is absolutely fantastic, people! It's nothing short of an explosive fruit-bomb in your mouth leaving your tongue eager to be coated by another sip! This wine is very ripe and jammy - almost chewy, so if you're someone who only loves dry wines, this probably isn't for you.

For fruity, well-balanced, ready-to-drink, New World wines, Australia has pretty much hit the nail on the head when it comes to Shiraz. This 'Wine Men of Gotham' label also makes a variety of other wines that are extremely good as well (other wines include Gotham, SxS - which stands for Step by Step, Stalking Horse, Mastermind and Mixed Dozen). The Gotham Shiraz is a great wine (a bit drier than the Wine Men) and consistently receives yearly ratings of 90-93 points. The SxS Shiraz is one of my favorites - along the same lines as Wine Men in terms of fruit-bomb jammy goodness only with extremely pronounced baked raspberry jam flavors and aromas with nuances of chocolate.

The fruit from the Wine Men of Gotham is sourced from three different regions: Fleurieu Peninsula, Langhorne, which is a district well known for producing great Cabernet and Shiraz and McLaren Vale, which is probably the most well known of the three regions in terms of wine production. All three of these regions are in South Australia just south of Adelaide, which is the capitol city of Southern Australian state.

Wine Men of Gotham, Shiraz

2008

South Australia

13.9% Alcohol/Volume

Jammy, slightly smokey with a bit of heat and spice on the nose along with strawberry, chocolate and toasted oak. The wine is deep velvety red in color with a nice balance of alcohol and acidity. Faint taste of nutmeg. Made to drink now!

This is a great, easy-drinking conversational wine at a great price: around $12.99!

Domaine De La Mordorèe, Lirac France

Lirac, France is a wine growing appellation in the southern Rhone Valley. For a red wine, such as the one listed here, wines of the southern Rhone can be made from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Carignan, Counoise, Muscardin, Terret Noir, Vaccarèse, Calitor, Gamay and/or Pinot Noir (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan are the most dominant.) However, in the northern Rhone, all red wines are made from one grape: Syrah. In the Cote du Rhone, Lirac is the oldest wine region and was the first to produce all three shades of wine (white, red and rosè).

The climate of the southern Rhone is sunny and Mediterranean, and Grenache is the leading grape varietal.

The picture of the bird on the label is of the "Mordorèe". Mordorèe is a nickname for the Woodcock bird which flies over the land in Lirac during it's migrations.

2008

Domaine de la Mordorèe

Lirac

Red Rhone Wine

50% Grenache, 50% Syrah

14% Alcohol/Volume

Black cherry and blueberry on the nose. Slight green apple. Nice integration. Medium-dry with a spicy finish. It's dryness would go well with bitter chocolate or a well-marbled steak.

All-in-all this is a decent wine - definitely a food wine more than a conversational drinking wine (as are many wines of the old-world!). It's not too expensive either - depending on where you purchase it, it should be in the ballpark of $20

So You Want to be a Sommelier...?

My answer to this question is "yes"...and this is no easy feat, people!

Fairly spontaneously, I decided I was going to begin my sommelier journey in November of 2010, so I got my student ID from the Court of Master Sommeliers, bought the epic Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil and planned to take the first of what could possibly be four exams this past May.

Through the CMS, there are four different levels of sommelier study and/or certification. Though Level One doesn't get you certified, it brings you one step closer to Level Two, which is a bona fide certification. Levels Three and Four are for the hard-core sommeliers who are studying to be Masters of their craft. Study for this (although fun!) is not exactly easy. Have you ever read the Wine Bible? - not exactly light reading on a summer's day kind of material, but Karen MacNeil is playful in her written banter and adds fun facts as well which makes the reading much easier to bear. The exam for Level One is a 70-question multiple choice exam given after two 9 1/2 hour days of lecture which, if you've come prepared, should basically be a review of the book(s) you've already read. Level One also begins to prepare you for things to expect out of Level Two such as blind tastings and proper table side wine service.

Blind tastings are just that. A wine is put in front of you and you need to be able to decipher the year, varietal, climate, region and the country from which it came as well as proper wine descriptors, etc. In addition to the tastings, you have to do a bit of roll-playing and be able to perform the proper table side service that would be givin in a fine dining 5 star atmosphere with a wine that has been aging for the better half of the last century as well as be cognizant of the regions soil (a.k.a. gravel, sand, clay, loam, schist, limestone, etc...) and wine history.

It's a lot to remember.

So back to my story. After 6 months of studying and drinking all types of wine (and leaving little room for much else), I took the Level One exam in May of 2011 and passed. Not everyone passed and out of those that did, at least half of them were scared out of trying for Level Two because of the commitment and dedication it takes to move up.

Of course, now I'm studying for Level Two. I took a short break from reading (though the drinking continued! :) and am now getting back into the swing of things. I plan to take the exam in October/November of 2012 - with all the reading I need to get done, I really don't see being able to take the exam before then.

So the point of this entry is to begin a new journey and to take you with me. I will be posting wine information based on what I am studying at the moment as well as posting pictures of wines tasted and reviewing them with flavor and aroma profiles as well as price information, so you can pick up a bottle for yourself!

See you soon, with a bottle and a glass...

Cheers!

Nic.

Hot Spots: The Wine Kitchen, Leesburg VA

Ahhh, The Wine Kitchen...where do I begin?

My love affair with this gastronomical destination began about 5 or 6 months ago, and when I left after dining for the first time, I found myself questioning how I did not happen upon it sooner.

Located on King St. in historic downtown Leesburg, VA, The Wine Kitchen is just that. It is welcoming, it is comfortable, it is a place where the hours can go by without much notice (or care for that matter!). Their motto is: "Eat. Drink. Simply." and they have executed this without fail. Their farm-to-table seasonal menu is inspired and perfectly executed. You can feel the passion of the place as soon as you sit down.

Service here is laid back and welcoming. Everyone who works in the Wine Kitchen - from the service staff to the owners - treats you like a well-loved friend. The bar looks like a kitchen, with cabinets for plates and wine and recipe books like The French Laundry by Thomas Keller and The Professional Chef which is full of recipes from the Culinary Institute of America. The water here is filtered and served from old-time glass milk jars and even the "napkins" are kitchen towels.

Recently I tried (and licked the plate clean) one of their new dishes which was a local pork chop (delivered by the farmer himself) wrapped in bacon and brushed with house-made peach barbecue sauce and served with a delicious lardon (thick cut bacon used to flavor meat) potato pancake. One bite of this and I died and went to heaven. Not only was the pork chop cooked to perfection and was tender and juicy, but the perfect marriage of flavors left my tongue very, very happy.

Every experience I've had here has been like this; Perfection and a happy mouth.

The Wine Kitchen's cheese and charcuterie plates are delicious and change daily depending on what the local farms have to offer.

Their arugula salad tart is paired perfectly with fresh local blueberries and Hooks bleu cheese and complimented with a pancetta chip and red wine vinaigrette. The bleu cheese is creamy and velvety and leaves you begging for more.

The pan-seared Corvina fish (mild white fish) is another dish done perfectly and is served with spaghetti squash, sauteèd spinach, beets and Meyer lemon buerre blanc.

If your in the mood for something slightly provencal and rustic, go for the Coq Au Vin. The chicken is local and free-range and is what chicken should taste like. It is served with creamy mashed potatoes (with the skins still in the mix - yum!), pearl onions, button mushrooms and bacon.

As for wine, the menu is fairly small, but it is constantly changing so there is always something new to try (which I love). The Wine Kitchen has a great selection of flights for sampling different wines and all the wines are pretty diverse in region, meaning that they have wines from California, Idaho, France, Italy, Spain, Virginia, etc. Organic and Biodynamic wines are available as well! All the wines they have are accompanied by playful descriptions that almost read like a fairy-tale and (it is extrodinarily evident in the script) the passion for wine is alive and well and dances in the molecules of the air that fills the restaurant itself.

The Wine Kitchen..."Eat. Drink. Simply." A concept brilliantly thought and perfectly executed indeed.

The Wine Kitchen

7 South King St.

Leesburg, VA 20175

Mondays - Closed

Tues-Thurs (11.30 a.m. - 9 p.m.)

Fri & Sat (11.30 a.m. - 10 p.m.)

Sunday (11.30 a.m. - 9 p.m.)

Tele: 703.777.9463

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies with a Praline Frosting Glaze

This was our first and only attempt at modifying an already perfectly great pumpkin cookie recipe into a gluten-free version. Surprised we were! This recipe is amazing! These cookies rise beautifully & have a soft, moist texture. We hope you are as pleasantly surprised by the quality, taste & texture of these cookies as we are. Happy Baking!

What you will need to make 30 cookies;

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 granulated sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 egg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup brown rice flour*

1/2 cup tapioca flour*

1/2 cup soy flour *

2 tsp xanthan gum*

2 tsp gluten-free baking powder*

2 tsp baking soda*

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cream the butter and sugars until light & fluffy

3. Add the pumpkin, cream until fluffy.

4 . Add the egg & vanilla extract, mix until well combined & mixture appears creamy.

5. In a separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients together.

6. Slowly add half of the dry ingredients to the creamed pumpkin mixture. Mix until just combined. Scrape sides of the bowl.

7. Add the remaining dry ingredients & mix until incorporated thoroughly.

8. Stir in the chopped pecans

9. Drop tablespoons of cookie dough onto greased parchment lined cookie sheets.

10. Bake for 15-16 min or until slightly browned & inside of cookie is baked through. ~ our favorite way to test for doneness is to break the cookie in half....then of course eat it warm:)

While cookies are baking make the Praline Frosting Glaze;

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 tbsp milk

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp chopped pecans

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. In a microwave safe bowl, heat butter & brown sugar for 1 min and 15 seconds on high level.

2. Remove from microwave & stir until mixture looks like a thick sauce & sugar should not appear too granular or separated from the butter. - You may have to heat an additional 30 seconds to melt the sugar.

3. Stir in vanilla extract and milk.

4. In 2 additions, add powdered sugar. If needed, adjust consistency with additional milk to make thinner or powdered sugar to make thicker. Mixture should appear thickened, yet smooth with a slight gloss.

5. While the cookies are still very warm, spoon frosting over the top of each one.

6. Mix the chopped pecans, brown sugar & ground cinnamon together & sprinkle on top of each cookie. Frosting will set as cookies cool.

- Enjoy!

* Original recipe ~ Non-Gluten Free

Omit:

Brown rice, tapioca & soy flours, xanthan gum, gluten free baking powder and the baking soda.

Replace with the following ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Mixing & baking instructions remain the same.

Butternut & Acorn Squash Bisque w/crab and lobster

What you need:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 acorn squash, halved and de-seeded

2 yellow onions, roughly chopped

2 carrots, unpeeled, rough chop

heavy cream, 1 c

butter, 1/4 lb

vermouth or white wine

olive oil, 2 tbsp

1 lb crab meat (king, snow, dungeness etc...), cooked and de-shelled

1lb lobster meat, cooked and de-shelled

vegetable stock, 1 qt

scallions, 1c, thin slice

dark brown sugar, to taste

fresh ground cinnamon, to taste

s&p to taste

What to do:

-On medium heat in a medium-sized pot, heat olive oil and melt butter

-Add onions, butternut squash, carrots and s&p. Cook ingredients until squash is fork tender, deglazing pan every-so-often with vermouth or white wine. When squash is cooked half way, add 1c vegetable stock.

-pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Place halved and de-seeded acorn squash face down in a glass pyrex casserloe dish with 4c water. Place in oven and cook until fork-tender. Once cooked, set aside and let cool. Once squash has cooled, scoop out flesh into soup pot with other ingredients.

-add remaining vegetable stock and stir.

-use an emersion blender (or a traditional blender if and emersion is not handy) and blend ingredients until smooth and completely lump-free.

-add heavy cream, cinnamon and brown sugar and stir. (Add cinnamon and sugar to your liking)

-put desired amount of crab and lobster meat at the bottom of the bowls in which the soup will be served. Pour blended soup over the meat, garnish with scallions and enjoy!