Posted on

A Magical Dinner

Maya 2010-2011

A few months ago, Maya told me that for her twelfth birthday, she would love to visit Spain. When I asked her why, she simply stated that she thought it would be a cool country to see – the sights, the people, the language…… the FOOD. Ah! There it was! MY Maya was back. She took a few years off from being the foodie we bragged about back in San Francisco… but friends, this was it. I saw the spark in her eyes as she talked about tapas. She was BACK!

Some of you may remember the little girl who used to go everywhere with us in San Francisco – ordering the sushi rolls and sashimi, the shellfish risotto, and the (brace yourselves) oysters on the half shell from the raw bar. She wanted the lamb when the option for chicken fingers was present, and as I stated in one of my previous posts, only “fancy mac and cheese” would do for her – none of that “K” brand stuff! 😉 Yes, she made me proud. But for whatever reason (Manish blames it on moving back to the burbs) she regressed after moving back to NJ. She had issues  with “green stuff” in her pasta sauce (ie herbs!) And the more exotic the dish, the less she wanted to try it. She still loved sushi, but it was the super adulterated rolls that were intriguing her now (ie the Berkeley Heights Roll, the Basking Ridge Roll, The Philadelphia Roll… you get the point.) Sigh. Burgers, dogs, and fingers were the items that she was now excited about. And the Cassoulet, Coq au vin, and Moules frites that I attempted to entice her with were too bizarre to even fathom. Double sigh.

The Heading on Mayas Birthday Menu

Fast forward to a few months ago. I told her that Spain was pretty much out of the question (HELLO!!!??,) but perhaps we could consider doing something else? She asked if we could go to dinner…. at elements. 🙂 She heard Manish and I talk of our experiences at elements and said she was intrigued. “Will I like it?” she asked. “No, You will love it.” I answered. And she did. She LOVED trying everything that Chef Scott Anderson put on her plate. She felt like royalty, and was truly honored to be catered to the way the entire team at elements did. She called the experience “Magical.” And it was. My baby loves elements. Oh, we are in TROUBLE! 😉 See below for the details of our meal.

The team welcomed us, and we were seated in the main dining room. Maya was the first to notice the heading on the menu. “happy birthday Maya! (maybe Spain next year.) She relaxed, and let her hair down. She knew it was going to be a fun night. Maya ordered a fabulous ginger “beer” concoction crafted by Mattias, while Manish and I started with two new cocktails on the list. I had the privateer, which was made with 3 really intense and flavorful artisanal rums, while Manish had a Rum Sazerac. For the amuse bouche, we had a trio. First was a horseradish slaw with brussel sprouts. Next, a leek soup. And last, a spicy beef tartare. The perfect small bites to whet our palates. Our appetizer was a dumpling type of pasta with taleggio cheese and shaved black truffles. Maya saw her parents literally scraping our portions clean with a fork, and licking up every last bite of cheese and truffle, So she followed. And she was happy she did so 😉

First and Second Courses

The tuna tartare was spectacular, dressed with scallion, ginger, and white soy. The Buri (adult yellowfin) was served sashimi style and was so buttery and savory. I actually caught Maya closing her eyes at one point, just soaking in the awesomeness of the fish. She was so intrigued by the purple cabbage soup. Inside were chunks of pastrami… every bite was so balanced with seasoning, so colorful. This was one of her favorite dishes.

Courses 3, 4, and 5

Next was the local tilefish. This was pan seared and accompanied by caramelized endive, macadamia and coconut. The dish encompassed such an “island” flair. Fabulous combination of flavors! A foie gras course was introduced next… Maya was excited to try it, but unfortunately did not enjoy it as much as Manish and I did. The sweet and tart flavors of the fruit “tart” accompaniment provided a perfect balance to the rich and buttery torchon. Next was the pheasant. It was accompanied by a tagliatelle with a sauce made with squab liver. Maya LOVED it, and told us that she couldn’t believe that squab liver could taste so good. The 48 hour short ribs was Maya’s favorite. She is a die hard comfort food fan, and the ginger, szechuan peppercorn, and petite mushrooms didn’t sway her one bit. She remarked that it was even better with all of the sophisticated flavors. Maya had the “kit Kat” dessert while Manish and I had the cheese course.

Manish and I sampled some of the wines/beers that Justin suggested to pair with the courses. We loved the way the Chouffe Tripel paired with the short ribs. This was a match that we would have never thought of but the Belgian IPA style went perfectly – especially due to the flavors in the short ribs. Another favorite pairing was a special pour of the 2007 Dehlinger RRV Chardonnay. This was perfect with the tilefish, and those magnificent tropical flavors.

On our way home, we re-capped what our favorite dishes of the night were, and Maya summarized her evening in one word. MAGICAL. The only thing that I regret is not having my camera with me to capture some of the amazing expressions on her face throughout the evening. Next time, I guess!

Posted on

An Unlikely Winter Salad

Last week, I found myself craving a colorful, textural, and bright salad. I wanted to serve this at a dinner party, so I decided that it had to be plated beautifully. I reviewed some of my recipes, but nothing popped out at me. When I run into a “menu planning block,” I often make my course selections according to the wine pairing. It was decided that either a Sancerre or Chablis would be served with this course, so I planned accordingly. I thought of cheese… what better pairing for Sancerre or Chablis, than a mildly tangy soft cheese? So, it was decided… a goat cheese would be highlighted. The rest, well, I was at the mercy of my local Whole Foods.

I visited the local market section, and was pleasantly surprised to see the most fabulous looking beets. Although not exactly “in season,” the beets were so fresh, their greens still perfectly shaped. The red variety were the only ones I could find, so I decided to get a bunch. I love the buttery texture and sweet flavor that the beets possess when they are roasted, so I was hoping to build the remaining ingredients around that idea. I then came across a tomato section. Though not from local sources, the adorable little yellow cherry tomatoes from Texas caught my eye. My course was coming together – a play on my red and yellow beet salad with goat cheese and herbs.

Here is my recipe for the salad that came together at the market – literally. An unlikely winter salad, for sure, but the flavors were delicious and I would highly recommend trying it – any time of the year that you can find these ingredients!

Roasted Beet Salad with Yellow Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Roasted Beet Salad with Yellow Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Baby Greens

Ingredients
3 large red beets
2 shallots, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced
4 to 5 oz mild goat cheese (chevre)
1/4 cup Marcona Almonds; chopped
2 cups baby greens

Wrap beets (without greens) individually in foil, and place on a baking pan. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 1 hour. Unwrap the beets, and set aside to cool. While beets cool, combine shallots, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Add the oil in a stream, whisking to emulsify.

When beets are cool enough to handle, peel them and dice them into a 1/4 inch size. Place in a bowl, and pour 1/8 cup of the vinaigrette and mix gently to combine.

Assemble: Toss baby greens with 1 some of the remaining vinaigrette and set aside (do not overdress.) For each serving, place a 3-inch ring mold in the middle of salad plate. Put an eighth of the beets in the ring mold and press down gently. Crumble a couple teaspoons of goat cheese on top of the beets, and then top with sliced yellow cherry tomatoes, forming a concentric design and covering the top. Remove ring mold. Place a small handful of baby greens on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle almonds around the plate, and drizzle with a teaspoon of the remaining vinaigrette.

Serves 8 as a first course. And paired with the 2008 Gilbert Picq Chablis “Dessus de Carriere” was a perfect match!

Posted on

Holiday Eats & Sips

It’s been a while, so instead of recapping every culinary experience I’ve had the pleasure of having these past couple months, I decided to post some of my most memorable consumptions of the 2010 Holiday Season!

Jigna’s Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Florets and Truffle Oil (Tgiving 2010)

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Truffle

1999 Remirez de Ganuza Mag (Nov-2010)

Diwali “Goodies” as my Mom would say! (Oct-Nov 2010 🙂

Diwali "Goodies"

Piyush’s awesome stuffed and butterflied bird. This was delicious! (Tgiving 2010)

Butterflied Stuffed Bird

1997 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Reserve Mag, 2008 Gilbert Picq Chablis Carriere, Billecart Brut Reserve, and NV DeMeric Catherine deMedici Champagne MAG (NYE 2010-11)

97 Sinskey Reserve and DeMeric Champagne

Cauliflower Soup with Lemon Oil, Seared Scallop, and American Sturgeon Caviar. (NYE 2010-11)

Cauliflower Soup ~ Seasred Scallop ~ Lemon Oil ~ American Sturgeon Caviar

The Feast at the Jain’s Annual “Friends” Tgiving (Nov 2010)

Sej & Rick's Tgiving Feast!

Pumpkin Cheesecake at elements (December 2010)

Joe Sparattas Pumpkin Cheesecake - elements

Housemade Fettucine with Wild Mushrooms, Poached egg, and Truffle at elements (December 2010)

Housemade Fettucine with Truffle & Poached Egg

Shaved Octopus Salad (December 2010)

The 6-Course at Mas Farmhouse (Dec 2010)

Mas Farmhouse Dining Room

2009 La Clotte Fontane “Mathierou”

Clotte Fontane Matheriou

Manish’s Apple Pancakes with Orange-Cinnamon Butter

Manish's Pancakes (photo via Bon Apetit Magazine)
Posted on

Battle Pumpkin

In celebration of the bounty of the season, Sejal and Rick hosted this month’s Food Battle…. Battle Pumpkin. To switch things up a bit, we were all to make brunch foods, rather than the typical dinner foods that we have been accustomed to. The versatility of this main ingredient made the challenge so interesting… Sweet? Savory? Spicy? And to add to the questions… Brunch!?

The challenge was accepted by all parties, and here is what we feasted on…

Appetizer Course – Priti and Chirag
Pumpkin Spiced Yogurt with Home-made Pepita Granola
The yogurt was rich and creamy, and was garnished with just a swirl of vanilla and spiral of pumpkin rind. The granola added texture and an incredibly nutty flavor from the almonds and pepitas. Chirag mentioned that the secret behind the texture of the yogurt was using a strained Greek variety, and then adding the fresh pumpkin and spices. This was a lovely starter – so delicious and something that I would love to add to my Sunday brunch repertoire! 🙂

First Course – Jigna and Piyush
Spiced Pumpkin and Sausage Hash ~ Pumpkin Crepe stuffed with Spinach and Fontina Cheese ~ Poached Egg ~ Spiced Pumpkin Puree
Complicated ingredients and sophisticated plating made an impression even before tasting the dish. But the combination of flavors is what stood out. The slightly spicy hash, the warm zing of the molded crepe, the brightness of the spinach and the perfectly poached egg – it all melded into a harmonious marriage of pumpkin goodness! Super creative use of the ingredient – especially in the crepe – and super tasty!

Main Course – Sejal and Rick
Roasted Spiced Pumpkin with Cream ~ Spicy Pumpkin Hash with Pancetta ~ Pumpkin and Bacon Muffins
Another mouthwatering course – providing the solution to everyone’s brunch dilemma – Sweet? or Savory? The “concern” of the morning was that the two middle courses had similar ingredients – the hash and the egg. But it’s brunch, folks – and two variations of an amazing dish are better than one, in my opinion! 🙂 The roasted pumpkin offered something for the sweet seekers – warm and earthy with just the right amount of sugar. The hash was as savory as could be with the added help from the pancetta and the gorgeous fried egg (good job capturing the dripping yolk, MB!) And the muffin was the perfect balance of both – embracing the sweetness from the fruit and the meatiness from the bacon. Plates licked clean once again!

Dessert – Nita and Manish
Our version of Pumpkin Pie
I refuse to use the “D” word… Deconstructed, that is. I know that it’s what chefs used say, oh 10 years ago or so, to describe their versions of showcasing individual ingredients of dishes and proving that the combination of all of them would be just like the original dish. UGH. I never took well to the term and I hate it even more, now that WE were doing a dish that essentially WAS a deconstructed version of a classic. So, for my piece of mind, let’s say that this was “Our Version of Pumpkin Pie.” 😉 We baked strips of puff pastry as the “crust,” created disks of pumpkin pie custard (essentially the filling without a crust,) made some granola using pumpkin seed oil for the “streusel topping,” a quenelle of cinnamon spiced whipped cream, and dotted the plate with some pumpkin caramel. The custards were sprinkled with roasted, then sugared pumpkin seeds. Mission accomplished, in our opinion – and just in time for Thanksgiving weekend… 🙂

Thanks once again to my co-battlers for an incredible meal. Cheers!

Posted on

Autumn in a Bowl

Autumn is my favorite season.

My older daughter spent her first five and a half years admiring the green scenery of northern California. She didn’t understand me when I told her that I missed the seasons that we had back east. When we moved back to NJ, she realized what it meant to see the “leaves change.” It was always just an expression until then. She was amazed by our Japanese Maple, and how it could go from being green one day, to brown the next, to a purple and then finally to a scarlet red. And then, the colors fell. FALL – the inevitable but saddest part of the season. That year was a tease, because the autumns ahead were going to be wet and dreary, producing only a few bright colors on our natural canvas, and therefore, more aptly named, FALL.

Autumn 2010. This is probably the most “true to season” autumn we’ve had here in NJ in almost 4 years. My girls are daily commentators on the earthy spectrum of colors that vary in shade day to day – both in front of and behind our house. Trees, flowers, and shrubbery have never been so interesting to them. Such simple pleasures… the fact is that this season in the last four years has been pummeled with rain, wind, sleet, hail, and even snow… washing away the foliage before the changes in hue can even occur.

Paying homage to my favorite season, I’d like to share with you a recipe for “Autumn in a bowl.” I think that the slightly sweet, nutty, and mildly citrus notes of the dish pair extremely well with a Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley. Specifically a Vouvray. And even more specific, if you can get your hands on one, a wine from Domaine Huet.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Cilantro Crema

1 medium sugar pumpkin (approx 4 lb)
½ cup water
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½  teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water (or more if needed)
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
½ cup crème fraiche
½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Halve the pumpkin lengthwise. Place cut sides down on a rimmed baking sheet, and add ½ cup water. Roast for 1 ½ hours, or until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel pumpkin and roughly chop into 1 inch pieces. In a large pot, sauté onion, carrots, garlic, and bay leaf in the olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add next 6 ingredients and stir until everything is well coated, about 30 seconds. Add the pieces of pumpkin. Stir until well coated, about a minute. Add broth and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, about 30 minutes. Add orange juice and simmer for 2 more minutes. Discard bay leaf. Transfer soup to a blender, and blend until very smooth. Use a strainer to refine the soup if you wish. Add water to the soup if you prefer a thinner consistency, and rewarm. Transfer soup to a tureen or serving bowl. Combine crème fraiche and cilantro. Mix well, and add salt & pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with a dollop of cilantro crema.

Serves 6

Posted on

BOULEY

Chef David Bouley

October 6th, 2010 – Dinner at Bouley hosted by 56 Degree Wine. Words cannot describe how ethereal this experience was. I’ll try, but don’t blame me if you get hungry… or jealous.

Presented with the opportunity to attend a wine dinner hosted by Chris and Joe (from 56,) I was completely unprepared for the extravagant evening that lay ahead.  It was a rare occasion, where Chef David Bouley himself would be in the kitchen (and later at our table,) overseeing the execution of his thoughtfully created menu. The details of the courses would be revealed to Chris and Joe just a day before the event, and they would be faced with the challenge of pairing wines to the chef’s creations. No time to order, they chose what we had in stock at the shop. The challenge was met and conquered, and here is how the evening played out…

Our Private Dining Room
Entrance to Restaurant

The venue in and of itself is something out of a fairy tale. Magical is the word that comes to mind.  Bouley hired the best men for the job (some from overseas) to create the look that he was envisioning. Imported French doors (the one leading to the cellar is so heavy that Chef Bouley referred to it as “almost petrified,”) details dating centuries back, and stone that was from the same quarry used to restore the Versailles Palace in France are just a few of the authentic ingredients used to transform this space into a structural paradise. Upholstered frames, over-sized mirrors, and textured walls add to the appeal. It is romance to the nth degree. I had the opportunity to feast in the elaborate main dining room two years ago, but this time, the event was to take place entirely in the downstairs private room, adjacent to the wine cellar. The massive walnut doors and antique hardware was reminiscent of an old French Chateau. Just stunning.

Now, the meal.

Fresh Malibu Sea Urchin Terrine w/ Russian Golden Osetra Caviar and Fresh Kinome Leaf
NV Pascal Paillard Champagne Brut Bouzy Grand Cru
My notes… Such a unique dish! The creaminess of the sea urchin stood our for me, and my first encounter with kinome leaf – so savory, slightly peppery.. perfectly balanced dish. I was looking for ways to re-create this dish at home (challenge!) and then I found THIS! SCORE!!!!

Crab with Black Truffle Dashi and Corn Flan

Butter-Sugar Corn Flan with Live Dungeness Crab and Black Truffle Dashi
2001 Patrick Lesec Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru
My notes… Rich and earthy while preserving a wealth of freshness and brightness (perhaps the corn?) Someone at the table questioned this and decided that the dashi was too overwhelming. I couldn’t disagree more. Amazing balance in this dish! And, it paired magnificently well with the Lesec!

Organic Connecticut Farm Egg; 24 Month Prosciutto di Parma; Steamed Polenta, Artichoke, Coconut, and Early Garlic Broth
2001 Ronchi di Cialla Ciallabianco]
My notes… Always a favorite of mine on any menu… the FARM EGG. The coconut broth brought a whole new dimension to this dish, resulting in a mouthful of tropical richness. The Ciallabianco was a great pair – although I still had a tiny but of Puligny left over, and it was just as stellar of a pairing!

Chatham Day Boat Lobster; Brown and White Honshimeji Mushrooms, Passion Fruit, English Peas, Fresh Lychee, Hyssop
2008 Knoll Riesling Kellerberg Smaragd
My notes… Perhaps the marriage of the night! Rich lobster, earthy mushrooms, tropical passion fruit and lychee, fresh peas, and aromatic hyssop. Almost a chaotic slew of ingredients – but wow. The combination was magic (there’s that word again!) Every bite revealed another dimension, every sip of the Riesling reminded us of how incredible a meal like this can get with the “proper” wine pairings. Kudos and thanks to Chris and Joe and to the staff at Bouley for recognizing all of these flavors and for allowing every single guest in that room the chance at such a food and wine epiphany!

Venison Loin Wrapped with a Rye and Salt Crust; Roasted Chesnut Peels, Chestnut Gnocchi, Baby Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Comte Cloud
2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili
My notes… The venison loin was brought out just before slicing, and Chris caught a picture of it. Click here to view the masterpiece (keep in mind that there was very low light in the room when the picture was taken!) Again, such fragrant and savory flavors. And what better wine than the Giacosa Barbaresco to bring out the delightfulness in it all? PS – The coolest thing about this dish is that every item could have stood on its own… the venison; the chestnut gnocchi; the brussel sprouts; and the “comte” cloud – literally a cloud of cheese. YUM.

Chilled Strawberry Soup with Organic Yogurt Sorbet
My notes… For what seemed to be a “palette cleanser” or “pre dessert,” this course left us so satisfied and content. Fresh, bright, delicious!

Dessert

Caramelized Anjou Pear with Valrhona Chocolate, Biscuit Breton, Hot Toffee Sauce, Reglisee Sorbet, Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream
2001 Isole E Olena Vin Santo
My notes… The dessert is a masterpiece. The thinnest slices of caramelized pear wrapped the little package up. Inside, was Valrhona chocolate and biscuit breton (a buttery biscuit that was first made in the northwest part of France.) Hot toffee sauce topped the pears and the sorbet and ice cream flanked on either side. The dessert wine was the perfect balance of nutty, toffee, rich goodness balanced with a good amount of acidity, so it didn’t seem cloying at all.

An unforgettable meal and experience. Still, the words I use don’t seem to do justice to the evening. So, I’ll just relish in my memory.

Cheers!

Posted on

The Remainder of the Ride…

Greetings! Let me start by continuing my online journey of my gastronomic week, or shall I say, MONTH!?

Eggs Benedict

Next stop was WD-50. Stop THREE of my gastronomic week 2010. The first time I dined at the acclaimed Wylie restaurant, I was rather unimpressed. Perhaps I was fearful to detach myself from my traditional culinary roots? I don’t know… But I was determined to 1) have a completely different experience and 2) meet Wylie. 🙂 Plus, a good friend was insisting I give this place just one more try.

Cuttlefish with cashews

Drum roll… a different experience it was! The courses were flavorful, and full of texture and complexity.  We, as a table, shared two orders of the eggs benedict, which consisted of deep fried hollandaise sauce, the thinnest pieces of Canadian bacon you’ll ever see,  and creatively prepared egg yolks. Nothing healthy about it, but it was delicious! I went with the cuttlefish appetizer with cashew and rootbeer. Heavenly – and the cashews added such amazing texture.

Aerated Foie Gras

Others at the table that day raved about the aerated foie gras. Divine. Light as cotton candy, with the decadence of the rich delicacy. For my main course, I decided on the scallop dish – accompanied by chicken fried lentils (crispy and yummy,) radish, and lychee. Innovative and creative flavors blended into one unique and delicious dish. We had the Margaine Brut Rose with our appetizers and then moved to a magnum of an incredible Riesling that I can’t for the life of me remember – can any of my dining companions refresh my memory? A perfect pairing for my scallops! And yes, Wylie was there. I was a tad star struck and got all googly as he whisked by me at one point to get what seemed to be a glass of water from the bar. Mission accomplished. 🙂

And then there was STOP NUMBER FOUR. Literally, at this point, I felt as though I needed to do a cleanse diet in between all of my extravagant dinners. This time, we celebrated a friend’s birthday and introduced them to our favorite restaurant in the state… yep. elements in Princeton… Again! The chefs paired some fabulous courses to the wines that we chose for the evening… 2006 Albert Grivault Meursault, 2002 Lopez de Heredia Bosconia, and 1999 Terrebrune Bandol Rouge. Manish and I both agreed that this was our all time favorite dining experience at elements (trumping my last post) which proves to me that the staff here are always aiming to grow and surprise you more with each visit! A peak into what we feasted upon… no pictures of the food but trust me when I say that each and every plate was an artistic masterpiece, showcasing the colors and flavors of the season and of course the amazing talentsof Chef Scott Anderson and Chef Joe Sparratta.

~The amuse bouche trio: Beet Salad; fresh Tomato soup with fennel salad; Broccoli soup
(The guys enjoyed the Maple Loch Cocktail with this and the gals enjoyed the 20th century cocktail – Mattias at the bar is a genius!)
~Super sweet cherry tomato salad with fresh feta cheese and basil
~Local peach salad; red quinoa; fleur vert; black garlic; poppy seed sponge cake – as uniquely amazing and satisfying as the last time!
~Tuna belly and hamachi sashimi with pear and jicama – So fresh and clean, with the perfect balance of fruit and acidity.
~Geoduck with herb risotto, clam juice, saffron, and fried artichokes – Last time I had geoduck was at dim sum. I liked elements’ version much better – perfectly cooked, so tender!
~Seared scallops with romesco sauce
~Turbot with mustarda greens – I’m a sucker for a good hearty green 🙂
~Hazelnut tortellini with shaved truffles, parmesan crisp, pecans, and garlic chips – Truly Decadent!
~Seared foie gras with pear and maple syrup – As though the word “decadent” should have an even richer meaning 🙂
~Veal sweetbreads and caramelized sunchokes
~Smoked duck with fingerling potatoes and haricot verts – Amazing pairing with the 99 Bandol!
~Pre-dessert was the Bacon and Eggs – something I think I would order EVERY time I go!

Pre Dessert

That marked the end to my gastronomic MONTH. Stay tuned to my October musings – I look forward to sharing! Cheers!!

Posted on

2nd Stop – elements in Princeton

The Thursday that followed my birthday was a true treat. I was given the opportunity to attend a wine dinner that 56 Degree Wine, in conjunction with importer extraordinaire Olivier Daubresse, hosted.  It was the most educational, inspirational, and phenomenal wine dinner that I have ever experienced.

The geniuses at elements in Princeton, Chefs Scott Anderson and Joe Sparatta, created a unique and ridiculously mouth-watering menu to pair with each flight of wine. Yes, I said flights. Olivier had the foresight to set aside some older vintages of all of the wines that were showcased so that one day, we could all enjoy a lovely event like this, comparing young vintages to ones that had more bottle age! The wines that were paired were all white Burgundy, 4 different producers from 4 different regions.

This dinner ranks in my top 5 dining experiences of all time, and the credit goes to the incredible staff at elements, and the hosts for organizing. I also believe that I had the best seat in the house – sitting in between Joe (wine director at 56) and Olivier (importer) and across from Chris (owner of 56.) The conversations were educational and inspiring. A thorough review of this event was done by Chris Cree, Master of Wine, owner of 56 Degree Wine, my boss and mentor, oh the list goes on. His blog post says it all, so I will just link to his here…

An incredible evening, the perfect birthday gift!

Posted on

Gastronomic Week 2010… First Stop: Origin Thai III

September… I LOVE this time of year. It’s as though the Weather God knows to crisp up the air as soon as Labor Day hits. Cool mornings give way to sun drenched days, and the evenings that follow demand pleasant “after dinner” walks outside.

Being a September “baby” also helps support my adoration for this month. I grew up with parents that made a big deal over my birthday. So, needless to say, it is always one of my most favorite days of the year.  While most people my age like to FORGET about their birthdays, I like to celebrate – with FOOD – preferably, for more than one day. This year, even though the people around me will not realize it, I will be celebrating ALL WEEK! I’ll post as I “experience.”

Thai Disney PhotoBoard

First Stop, Origin Thai III in Basking Ridge. French inspired Thai food. How much better can it get!? With the prodding of Maya, Manish made “early birthday” reservations for the four of us last night. We like to go to the Basking Ridge location because it’s convenient, close, and the newest one out of the three locations. The girls feel like they are going out to a “fancy restaurant,” and we have the added benefit of bringing our own wine! Here is what we consumed…

Shrimp and Crab Spring Rolls with a Basil Sauce – Crispy outer shell encased a delicate seafood medley filling. Dipped into the sweet Basil sauce, this was HEAVENLY!
Lemongrass Steamed Mussels – A “go-to” dish EVERY time we as a family visit Origin Thai. We all love mussels. The only thing this dish was missing was the bread to sop up the broth!!!
Crispy Whole Snapper with Tamarind, Chili, Garlic, Sweet Shallot Sauce – RIDICULOUSLY flavorful. The fish was so delicate (despite the cooking technique) and the sweet and spicy sauce was perfectly balanced. YUM.
Wild Boar with Chili, Thai Basil, Shitake, and Bok Choy – Extremely flavorful, and soooo savory. Would have licked the plate clean if they didn’t take it away as soon as they did! The only negative was that some of the boar pieces was “more cooked (ie tougher) than others. Didn’t really take away from the dish… just an observation.

For dessert, Maya insisted we order the warm chocolate cake and Kayla went for the Banana Crepe. And, the 2006 Donnhoff Felsenturmchen Riesling Spatlese that I was gifted a year ago made for the perfect accompaniment to most of the dishes above!

Cheers! And stay tuned for my next stop!

Posted on

Family Chat

Some of these will seem funny to you, and some won’t make any sense at all – but all of these moments made an impression on me!

1. My dad to me… “Beta, I Eat to Live… YOU Live to Eat. That’s why I can’t tell you if this soup is missing anything.” (Beta is a term of endearment usually used by your elders addressing you as “honey or sweety.”)

2. Kayla on the phone to Maya who was visiting her friend in Maryland for a week… “Hi Maya didi… I miss playing with you, and can’t wait to see you this weekend. I loooove you!”

3. Maya to me after Kayla just said the words above (and voice crackling a little)… “My heart hurts.”

4. Maya to me at Origins Restaurant earlier this summer. I asked her to stick her nose into my glass of wine and tell me what she smelled… “Mommy, ewww. Why does this wine smell like gasoline?” It was a young Riesling! 🙂

5. Manish to me during our Fingerlakes trip, and Piyush agreeing… “Nita you really need to WATCH your face.” (Apparently, I spent the weekend making “faces” whenever I didn’t like a wine that I tasted)

6. Kayla to me when we first told her we were going to Disneyworld… “Oooh – when we get there, can I knock on King Triton’s door and ask if I can play with Ariel in her room!?” No Joke.

7. Kayla to me – and funny enough, Maya said something very similar when she was Kayla’s age… “Mommy, you’re the best cooker ever.” So I responded “Thank you honey, what’s your favorite dish that I make for you?” Her response… “Cereal!”