Movie night! And Cabiria :)

When my pal proposed that we have a "girlie night" I didn't know quite what was in store.  Granted, I was super tired - having just come back from an amazing sailing trip around the Whitsundays - so if she was proposing some wine, cheese and doing our nails on this particular evening, I was all for it.  But when she suggested dinner and a movie, I mustered the energy to look presentable and head out for a nice tapas meal and a good chick flick.

We ended up at Cabiria, a lovely little resto at The Barracks in Brisbane.  I think one of the reasons that M and I get along so well is because we have such similar taste in food; a good wine and a few snacks are all we need to have a pleasant evening - plus good company too! We got to Cabiria at about 7ish and set about deciding on our tapas.  Once that priority had been actioned, we decided on some vino; I chose a French Rhone blend while M went for a cool climate Aussie Pinot Noir.  Both wines were nice choices for the array of flavours; rich, salty, meaty and sweet.

When our snacks arrived, we had quite the spread: a lovely meat and vegetable terrine, some 'devils on horseback' and a big chunk of Manchego cheese.

The Country Terrine was fantastic!  Wow.  One meat that I really do enjoy is rabbit, especially when said meat is in the luscious rillette-type consistency.  Merged with earthy, meaty mushrooms, creamy white beans and wrapped in salty bacon, a bite of terrine atop a crunchy toast was divine - especially when said toast was slathered in date puree.

Country Terrine ($16)

Rabbit, Porcinni Mushrooms & White Beans

Wrapped in Bacon w/ Date Puree & Toasts

Devils on Horseback ($5)

Egyptian Dates wrapped in Speck

These 'devils on horseback' were delicious - and a great snack to make at home too.  The sweet, meaty dates were wrapped in paper-thin sheets of salty Speck; a salt-cured, smoked ham originating in Italy.

Manchego cheese

w/ crisps & Quince Paste

How can you go wrong with cheese?  When our original order of Truffled Pecorino from Italy wasn't available, we opted for this hunk of Manchego; a Parmeseanesque sheep's milk cheese from Spain, which share's Parm's nutty, salty bite.  This was served with some quince paste, and crisp pita-type bread. 

And on to the movie theatre, where there is more than just popcorn and M&Ms.  At the theatre in The Barracks, one can order a deluxe cheese plate w/ crisps, bread and jams (bottom) or baguette served with a trio of dips..(Top)

What a treat!  Once in the theatre, we sat back in our seats; cracked open our bottle of shiraz, and relaxed for a couple hours.  Movies and wine? It was almost as though we had stayed in after all. 

A cold night warms up at Cru Bar

On a Friday night in Brisbane after my pal Maria got off work, I met her at a cute little bar called Super Whatnot in the heart of Brisbane CBD.  It was pretty packed with a 9-5 kind of crew; colleagues heading out for a Friday night drink to cap off the week.  We had a couple drinks there before heading back to M's hood in New Farm for some dinner at Cru Bar; a swanky wine bar/cellar that I'd had my eye on since arriving in Brissie.

When we got to Cru, it was so packed that we had to be strategic about seats - both of us were subtly eyeing the crowd, willing someone to leave!  The rain had started to pour on the way over from the CBD and we were both frigid and soaked to the bone. In the meantime though, we ordered a bottle of wine and got to work on the menus.  Since M is a Barossa Shiraz-lover, we ordered a btl. of the Maximus Shiraz, one of those 'cheap n/ cheerful' wines with just a bit of bite. 

Digby Scallops in a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce ($14ish?)

We had already decided on our order when I spied the Specials board and we had to re-jig.  The menu actually featured Digby scallops!  From Nova Scotia!  Not to mention the fact that they were served on the shell in a silky Gorgonzola cream sauce.  The sauce was so luscious, that I later ended up dipping my fries in the remaining sauce as opposed to the aioli they were served with.  The scallops were not all that amazing; though the meat was slightly sweet and succulent, the bi-valves themselves were sliced in two, so the portion size ended up being pretty meagre.

Thick Cut Fries w/ Fennel Salt & Aioli...obviously ($8)

Witches Chase Triple Cream Brie ($12)

A cheese from Mt. Tambourine, QLD 

What a lovely little platter!  The Brie was creamy and robust.  Served with crispy lavosh, an Armenian unleavened flat bread; Pide, a Turkish flat bread, Iranian figs and a tender quince paste, the cheese's smooth texture was a great contrast to the crisp cracker and marmalade-like fruit paste.  It was quite the multinational plate.

Since we were both suffering from a nasty cold/cough, I picked up a btl. of spiced rum and proceeded to make Maria and I hot buttered rums when got went home.  I had a headache the next day - more likely from the rum than the cold - and was quite concerned about the amount of butter consumed the night before, but it was well worth it.  If I do venture back to Brissie again, Cru Bar will, once again, be on my list of eateries to visit.

A homemade valentine's day supper

As Valentine's Day approaches, people are doing their usual scramble of trying to get reservations to their favorite restaurants. While this is a lovely opportunity to show your special someone how much you care, I can't think of a better way to express it than to make food together!

Just think, what could be more romantic than turning on some good music, opening a bottle of wine and making food together - it's so much fun! So...in order to assist, I thought I might share with you a lovely meal - made simple!

I've always been a sucker for ravioli, and the opportunity to put my favorite ingredients inside, but I didn't quite know how to get around the pasta part. So one night, while feeling gutsy, we decided to make our own pasta using wonton wrappers. This was pretty much a 'throw it in' type of meal, so unfortunately, I don't have any measurements for you. However, think of it this wya - that makes the meal more of an adventure, right?!?

We sauteed chopped onions, mushrooms and garlic, then added some (thawed) frozen spinach, ricotta, grated Parmesan cheese and seasonings. We also fried up some thick cut bacon to add a meaty richness.

Simply put the filling in a corner of a won-ton wrapper and moisten the edges. Then fold over and press the edges together and voila!

Though the prep might take awhile, the cooking time is minimal. Cook the ravioli in boiling water until they float to the top - around 3 minutes, and you're done! Over the Christmas holidays, I also made this with a filling of butternut squash, smoked chicken and cream cheese, topped with a brown butter-saege sauce and toasted walnuts. Holy canolli, those were good!

Aaaaaannnyway, back to the matter at hand, a nice garlic cream sauce and a dusting of freshly grated Parmesean make this a rich, decaent, tailor-made pasta for two!

Decadence

Treat yourself to an evening of indulgence...

On Thursday, February 3, 2011, wine, cheese and chocolate lovers alike will gather for an evening of...well, decadence! Taking place the Westin Hotel from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, Decadence is one of the three upcoming events under the Savour food & wine Festival umbrella. This evening couldn't be more of a deal as tickets are only $49+HST!

The other cool thing about this event is that Savour partners with NSCC's to bring students from both the culinary and pastry arts program together to create the dishes. If only all 'studying' involved wine, cheese and chocolate! Sigh....

The first hour of the evening begins by enjoying succulent pieces of cheeses, paired with different wines. Each cheese is then transformed into a beautiful dish or hors d'oeuvre, matching the paired wine yet again.

The last part of the evening pairs decadent chocolate with wines, port and dessert wines. Taste the chocolate in its raw form, paired with a wine yet again, then tasting the chocolate transformed into a luscious dessert.

I was pouring at one of the tables last year, and will be this year again...though I fully intend to sneak off at some point in order to sample some of the incredible treats, both savoury and sweet! One of the coolest parts of this event though, is finding out which wines compliment which cheeses, and vise versa - and doing it all over again with chocolate.

Just remember the golden rule at these types of events - pace yourself! Everything will look so amazing that you'll wanna eat everything in sight. Believe me - I know the menu! Anyhow, whether you prefer cheese or chocolate with your wine, this event has it all!

So what are you waiting for? Go on… you deserve it!

Ticket and hotel room packages are now available through the Westin Nova Scotian. Call 1-877-993-7846 and quote Decadence to book your room today. Only $179 plus taxes!

*Multiple ticket packages are available. Please contact 429-5343 ext. 1 for more information.

Click here to get your tickets today!

Cheese & Asparagus Tart

Since blogging about my Easter dinner asparagus tart, I've had several people ask me for the recipe. Truth is, it's sort of a mis-mash of recipes' from Martha Stewart and Jamie Oliver, with my own little twist. This tart is fantastic for lunch with soup or salad, alongside eggs for breakfast or as a side dish with a steak dinner.

Cheese and Asparagus Tart

2 c. Mozzarella Cheese

1 c. Gruyere Cheese

¼ c. melted butter

2 bunches asparagus, trimmed

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Method:

Blanch asparagus in boiling water for a minute and transfer to an ice bath to maintain their colour.

Line a large sheet pan with a layer of parchment paper and brush with butter. Layer 10-12 sheets of filo pastry brushing each sheet with butter until desired thickness is achieved.

Remove asparagus from water and dry thoroughly. Sprinkle pastry with cheeses, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until filo is golden brown.

Domaine de Grand Pre

Domaine de Grand Pre was our last (but not least) winery stop of the day- we actually finished at Tempest Restaurant in Wolfville, but more on that later.

When we arrived at Grand Pre, Owner Hans Peter Stutz and his daughter, Cacilia Stutz-Spirig welcomed us with ice...a curling ice, that is. Last wknd, Grand Pre hosted their first Paint Can Curling Tournament! Now, I've watched curling before, and to be honest, I thought it was pretty boring. But THIS, was fun! Paint cans filled with sand served as the stones, and Grand Pre had created an ice surface for the event- complete with the winery's logo- a sponsor's dream!

Once we had our fill of the outdoor activity, we got down to my sport of choice- drinking. Well, I guess tasting i the proper name for it, but as Gran Pre was our last stop, and the most familiar winery of the trip, I took off my student cap, and put on my oenophile one. I've visited Grand Pre several times in the past, and tend to lean toward their offerings on Nova Scotian wine lists. This is predominantly because I know that I'll never be disappointed However, I' happy to say on this visit, that I was surprised once again, and discovered some 'new-to-me' wines that I'll happy order again!

Cacilia Stutz-Spirig pours us up a wine and cheese tasting

On this particular occasion, Grand Pre held a wine and cheese tasting in conjunction with the Icewine festival. For $15 pp, guests were treated to a wine and cheese pairing. The winemaker's pairing notes are below:

1st Pairing:

Vitner's Reserve L'Acadie ~ Dry, full-bodied wine with a crisp acidity, displays aromas of fresh peaches and rich tropical fruit

Muscat Icewine ~ This wine is layers with fruit and floral notes with a rich, aromatic nose

Manchego ~ A sheep's milk cheese made in Spain. The flavour is very distinctive, slightly salty, but not too strong. It is creamy with a slight piquancy and leaves the characteristic aftertaste of sheep's milk.

2nd Pairing:

Pete Luckett's Millot ~ Medium bodied red wine with earthy chocolate and dark stone fruit aromas.

Vidal Icewine ~ This icewine displays notes of apricot, lemon and blood orange. It is balanced with crisp acidity and a long, lingering, sweet finish.

Comte ~ A French cheese made from cow's milk. It's taste is complex, nutty and caramelized with a lingering, but not sharp flavour.

3rd Pairing:

Castel ~ Rich, dense and deeply pigmented, this wine offers inviting herbaceous aromas of caraway and black pepper, a balanced palate of ripe fruit and tannins.

Double Gloucester w/ Stilton ~ English Cheddar with Inner layers of Stilton blue cheese. The flavours of both cheese compliment each other to provide a distinctive taste.

4th Pairing:

Dolce Vita ~ This elegant red dessert wine is crafted from the Marechal Foch grapes and displays intense notes of blackberry cherry and raspberry. Delicate touches of oak, jam and red currant give the wine a beautiful long and well-balanced finish.

Beemster XO~ This premium dutch cheese is matured for 26 months to ensure a wonderfully complex taste. As the cheese matures the flavours expand to the widest flavour ranges possible and still retains its smooth and creamy taste.

Myself and my partners in crime for the day!

Blue CheeseCAKE

I had a crew of my serious food friends over for some good eats not too long ago. since all of us are devout worshipers of That Dutchman, and his culinary creation, Dragon's Breath blue cheese, we were pumped when an article arrived in the Holiday 2008 edition of Occasions Magazine for Whipped Blue Cheesecake. Since the recipe was created to serve individual cheesecakes, I modified it make one big cake. I also tweaked the recipe slightly, replacing walnuts for pecans, and sauteing the pears in butter instead of poaching them in white wine.

As if the trifecta of pears, blue cheese and walnuts weren't enough, I added Belgian endive leaves for dipping in addition to some toasted baguette and multigrain and flax crackers.

Dragon's Breath Blue Cheesecake

1 c. whipping cream
1/3 c. Dragon's Breath Blue Cheese
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
2 pears, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. butter
salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. On medium heat, saute the pears in the butter until tender, and set aside to cool.
2. Whip the cream until soft peaks form.
3. In a separate bowl, mash the basil, cheese and S&P together.
4. Fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture.
5. On a serving platter, arrange the walnuts to form a 'crust', saving 1/4 for the topping.
Cover this with the cheese mixture, then the cooled pears and sprinkle the remaining
walnuts.

And if that isn't enough cheese- we had Fox Hill's Fennugreek, an old cheddar that tasted like stinky feet, a divine white cheddar w/ apricots, and the rest of the Dragon's Breath with a lovely bit of prosciutto. For dessert, we had a dark chocolate fondue with fresh fruit. However, for the most part, I ended up dipping the toasted baguette into the pot. Never underestimate the tremor-inducing power of crunchy, buttery toasted baguette dripping with silky smooth bittersweet chocolate.