Happy Valentine's Day!

I wish you all a

Happy Valentine's Day,

full of love, good food, good wine and chocolate!

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!

3rd Annual Rare & Fine Wine Tasting

As a member of the Savour food & wine Festival planning committee, and a sommelier-in-training, I'm really excited for the Rare & Fine Wine tasting. Join us on Friday, February 18th, 2011 for the #rd annual event. From 7 - 9:30 pm at Windows at the World Trade Centre, R&F wines will be poured for an exclusive tasting of rare and vintage wines.

With over 30 wines rated at 90 points and above, this is THE wine tasting you do not want to miss out on. Once you've narrowed it down to you "I can't leave without a bottle" wines, you can even purchase them! Each wine, retailing at $60 and above, will be available for this one night only in Nova Scotia and will include:

•a 94-point Super Tuscan wine

•a 95-point Rhone wine

•a 95-point German Riesling

•a 93-point Champagne
•But don't take my word for it! Click HERE for the list!

DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY! TICKETS ARE ONLY $99*

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Windows at the World Trade and Convention Centre

7:00 - 9:30 p.m.$99 + HST*

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

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!

Tasty lunch at Trendz Cafe & Wine Bar

There is one saving grace in the food wasteland that is Burnside Industrial Park, and that's Trendz Cafe & Wine Bar in the Best Western Hotel.

I went to lunch at Trendz recently and was pleasantly surprised at the resto itself as well as the food. This cool little spot has great decor and ambiance, and is one of the few hotel restos that has character. I'll definitely check this place out again soon - and not just because of the limited lunch options around the office!

Though I ordered the soup of the day and a Warm Spinach salad, I ended up feeling pretty full after the soup. Thick, and luscious this soup was just the thing to warm up a crispy, windy winter's day in the park.

Butternut Squash Bisque

After a couple bites of the salad, I had it boxed to go, and devoured it later in the day. This was a nice alternative to the traditional green salad, and had interesting elements like Belgian endive and fresh blueberries. Not usually one to go for dressing, (a good salad doesn't need dressing if the ingredients are of good quality... but that's jsut my opinion) I couldn't pass up the offer of a warm, apple cider vinaigrette.

Warm Spinach Salad

Spinach, orange segments, blueberries, chicken w/ a warm apple cider vinaigrette

Just like a 'home cooked meal' at Henry House

Last weekend, a friend and I were sharing some wine at my place when our tummies started to rumble. Since it's now officially winter in Halifax, we were not enthused to leave the apartment, let alone go very far. So we decided on Henry House, which is practically in my backyard.

Upon arriving in this warm, chatter-filled squaty resto, we found a minuscule piece of real estate on which to park ourselves - practically on top of our neighbouring male diners, but they didn't seem to mind.

As is often the case during the winter months, I was craving a warm bowl of soup, and my friend was in the mood for something spicy to heat things up. Cheese ended up running the show, and we both got exactly what we were looking for.

My friend ordered the tasty (and inexpensive at about $8+HST) chicken quesadilla. The tortilla came filled with cheese, chicken, tomatoes and onions and was served with some thick sour cream and a piquant salsa. On the side, a mixed greens salad with a zesty balsamic-based vinaigrette freshened things up.

Chicken Quesadilla

Mmmmmm, melty cheese, juicy chicken and crispy tortilla!

I ended up with a bowl of Henry House's French Onion Soup. I think melted, ooey gooey cheese just might be one of my favorite foods. The soup was warm and savoury; it filled the void that had taken up residence in my belly since lunchtime. Between the earthy broth, the melt-in-your mouth, soup soaked bread chunks and the lightly-broiled cheese cap, I was glad to have ventured out of my little nest, into the frigid cold and into this inviting home away from home.

Treats from Two If By Sea

A little while ago, my boss celebrated her birthday. If you follow me on Twitter, you might see my tweets describing staff birthday celebrations; Nacho Nacho Day, potato chip buffets, sundae bars, ice cream cakes, etc... If you haven't yet picked up on it, birthdays are a BIG deal in our office.

Anyhow, for this birthday, the bday girl was quite interested in trying out Two if By Sea, a bakery in Dartmouth that she had heard much about. Well, she had no idea what was in store for her! Some of us are well acquainted with this much-loved bakery's gigantor-sized buttery baked goods, but to have an assortment such as this enter our office space was slightly overwhelming!

To say that there were a few 'split-sy's' is an understatement. Generally though, I prefer to relish TIBS baked goods that way; I get one treat, my friend gets another and we trade halves! The process sorta worked in the office as well as we set out a big knife so the staff could slice and dice their way to flaky pastry heaven!

The spread for the whole office....

(aka, a million lbs. of butter)

Pain au Chocolat

(Chocolate Croissant)

OMG- I've been seduced by a baked good! Well, not really...but almost! A lovely balance of soft pastry and luscious chocolate makes this the ultimate treat (and likely the most sought after) at TIBS!

Almond Croissant

As much as I love a good pain au chocolat, I often find that they overshadow the sweet, light, heavenly goodness of the almond croissant. I tend to lean to this side of the croissant choice. Although I love chocolate, there's just something about this croissant's understated simplicity that draws me in.

The best Chocolate Chip Cookies ever!

Sigh...I wish I could get a hold of this cookie dough! I know I'm not alone either! These yummy cookies are the best in town; dense, chewy and with just the right amount of chocolate chips. They pass the bake test too, as the next day (clearly there were leftovers) they are just as good - not having submitted to the hockey puck consistency as so many other cookies often do.

The best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies ever!

I'm not normally a huge fan of oatmeal raisin, but these babies have the perfect balance of oatmeal, raisin, cinnamon and butter, making them rich, chewy and spicy-sweet!