8 September 2010 From Quebec with Food Love

From Quebec with Food Love

September 8, 2010 By

It was just Labor Day weekend and that typically means me heading up to Quebec to see my family. It’s one of a dozen trips I take each fall, but one that’s not work-related, so I try to enjoy every minute of it.

Smoked Meat

This year, food ran the gamut from Quebec’s famous/infamous poutine to smoked meat sandwiches to osso bucco. We celebrated my 7 and 5-year-old nieces birthdays on Saturday with a kids’ party in the afternoon and a family party in the evening. How fun are two cakes, two parties and two sets of people singing and wishing you a happy birthday when you’re little?! I decorated a cute cake made up of two half moons for the kids’ party that was a big hit and a two-tier, fondant-covered pink and blue girl-o-rama cake for the evening party.

Pied de Cochon Poutine

For those of you who haven’t had poutine yet, it’s a must-try when in Quebec. There are tons of variations, like the foie gras-covered version at Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal to the more common interpretation of french fries, brown gravy and fresh cheddar cheese curds. Was in Quebec three days and had this dish three times – thinking major thread mill’s in my future!

Another Quebec delicacy that I got to enjoy was a perfectly steamed smoked meat sandwich.  A 10-pound piece of corned beef was steamed for 3 hours in a restaurant-grade food steamer until perfectly moist.  Rye bread was also steamed to create THE perfect sandwich.  I hadn’t had a Quebec smoked meat for over 15 years and it was better than I remembered it, thanks to the steamer my father’s had since I was a little girl.

Isn’t it funny how foods from one’s youth can bring back memories decades later?  How is it that a trip ‘home’ to Quebec wouldn’t be complete without Yum Yum-brand All-Dressed chips or an Aero chocolate bar?  Hope that whatever you did this Labor Day weekend, it created memories you can think back on fondly.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , ,
28 August 2010 MeetUp – You Know, Where Folks MeetUp

MeetUp – You Know, Where Folks MeetUp

August 28, 2010 By

Tonight, my guy and me are going to a “Crab Legs and Wine” MeetUp hosted by the Northern New Jersey Wine MeetUp Group. How fun is that!?

For those of you not familiar with MeetUp, it’s a website you can access to find groups of folks with the same type of interests you do. Those groups ‘meet up’ every so often and it’s a great opportunity to get introduced to others in ones regional vicinity. There are singles and couples, so attendees don’t feel like they must bring a guest to fit in.

For us, having relocated to the NJ/NY metro area where we knew no one, it was a great way to make new friends and go out socially as a group. I belong to several MeetUp groups focused on food and wine (surprised, right?!).

Check the site up for groups in your area: www.meetup.com

Cheers!

Veronique

Filed Under: Other Neat Things Tagged With:

Man v Food at the Jersey Shore on 8/25

August 23, 2010 By

I’m excited that Adam Richman, AKA ‘Man’, will be hitting the Jersey Shore on Wednesday!  To all my fellow Jerseyans, and all fans of the Garden state, here are details about the episode:  Jersey Shore Episode – Wednesday August 25th at 9:00 E/P.

The Jersey Shore is the ultimate summer destination–full of sun, sand, and great eats.  This week, Adam visits the legendary Maruca’s, on the boardwalk.  Here, Adam learns about the ultimate Jersey Shore original pizza: a thin, crunchy crust with swirls of tomato sauce on top of a pound and a half of Maruca’s proprietary cheese blend.  Did you know that the great chefs of Maruca’s put their pizza sauce on with a watering can?  Adam explains that this pizza is a “vortex of pizza bliss”!

Next, Adam visits Hoffman’s Ice Cream for a true taste of summer, and some of the best ice cream on the Jersey Shore.  Adam tries Hoffman’s world famous dessert, “The Octopus”, which is made with eight scoops of homemade ice cream, eight toppings, and eight “tentacles” of whipped cream.  Adam gives a few “fist pumps” to the delectable treat.

Finally, Adam goes to The Chicken or the Egg to attempt the Ludicrous Wings Challenge.  With 12 jumbo wings, drenched in a sauce so spicy that the dish has defeated thousands, will Adam win food glory?  The habanero extract infused sauce of this challenge is so intense, that Adam must wear gloves to protect his hands.  With only 15 minutes to finish two pounds of food and push through the wing’s heat, will Adam be the fourth person ever to avoid going down in flames?

About the Show
Adam Richman, a food fanatic with a serious appetite, travels around the country taking on the most legendary food challenges.  Adam has held every job in the food business and is now on a journey to explore the best eats our country has to offer.  Whether it’s a fourteen pound mountain pie, or an eight-patty burger, Adam is ready for the challenge.

Filed Under: Other Neat Things Tagged With: ,
26 June 2010 5 Refreshing and Affordable Wines for 4th of July

5 Refreshing and Affordable Wines for 4th of July

June 26, 2010 By

It’s hot and humid outside and white, rose or sparkling wines seem to be what most people crave during the Summer month.  Here are five wines to add to your 4th of July celebrations that won’t break the bank but will please your guests:

Enjoy and let me know if you try any of these!

Filed Under: Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Happy Father’s Day

June 20, 2010 By

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there and ‘bonne fete des peres’ to my dad, Jean-Guy, who lives in Quebec.

I’m actually going to be spending Father’s Day a bit late this year as my dad and his spouse will be visiting me for 4th of July weekend.  Now that I live closer to Quebec, these impromptu trips by my family and friends have proven to very special.

I have tons of things planned for their weekend visit: 4th of July fireworks, sightseeing, Nascar watching (yes, don’t hold it against me), shopping, good food and of course, some pretty darn good wines.

Here are some of the wines that will be in the lineup for the weekend (yes, I’ve been making a list):

  • 1999 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
  • 2009 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2007 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
  • 2006 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
  • 2007 d’Arenberg The Dry Dam Riesling
  • 2006 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District
  • 2006 Tantara Bien Nacido Pinot Noir
  • 2006 Chateau Montelena Zinfandel
  • 2009 Ameztoi Rubentis Rose Getarioko Txakolina
  • 2009 Gaia Estate Assyrtiko
  • 2005 Villadoria Barolo

What ever you’re doing today, make it a great day.  Happy Father’s Day!

Filed Under: Other Neat Things Tagged With:
15 June 2010 Herb Garden Box

Herb Garden Box

June 15, 2010 By

Herb Garden Box

I just love Summer – sunshine, BBQs, fresh produce and my herb garden box.  My guy built me a 7-foot wide and 4-foot tall garden box two Summers ago where I can grow herbs and a few small vegetables.  I love the fact that I can simply walk onto my deck and pick fresh herbs to enhance our Summer foods.  This year, I planted: flat leaf parlsey, cilantro, sage, sweet and Thai basils, rosemary and Greek oregano.

What herbs are you growing this Summer?

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14 June 2010 Lunching – Old School

Lunching – Old School

June 14, 2010 By
Stuffed Tomato

Stuffed Tomato

I’m the first in line for new and innovative cooking and have dined at some pretty eclectic restaurants all over the world, but sometimes, old school-type dishes are what I really crave.

Beef Wellington, turkey Tetrazzini, macaroni salad…stuffed tomato?  Yes, stuffed tomato is a Summer favorite when tomatoes are ripe, juicy and perfect.  Plus, it takes 1 minute to make for a simple lunch or a quick starter:

1) Core the tomato and cut it from top to bottom in sections (make sure not to cut through the bottom) to create a ‘flower’.

2) Add 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese to the tomato center.

3) Drizzle with olive oil then generously sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.

Got heirloom tomatoes on hand?  Use them for an even better tasting starter!

Which ‘old school’ dishes do you crave throughout the year?

Filed Under: American, Other Neat Things, Sides, Starters, Vegetables
8 June 2010 Albarino Restaurant Promotion in NYC

Albarino Restaurant Promotion in NYC

June 8, 2010 By

New York, NY, May 25 — From June 6 to 19, 2010, an eXceptional group of NYC restaurants will offer don’t-miss deals including by-the-glass specials, bottle discounts, wine pairings and special tasting menus highlighting Albariño wines from Rías Baixas, Spain.  Delicious on its own or paired with seafood, tapas, sushi, or your favorite salad, welcome summer with a glass of fresh, crisp Albariño.

Participating restaurants include Casellula, Boqueria, at Vermilion, Tio Pepe and others. During the promotion, consumers can also check out tastings at local retailers, Albariño and food pairing seminars, cheese tastings and more.

Share your Albariño eXperience and win! Savvy sippers can win an iPad or dinner for two at a participating restaurant by sharing their Albariño experiences. Simply include @riasbaixaswines in your Facebook status or tweet for a chance to win.

For details and a complete restaurant listing go to: www.DiscoverAlbarino.com. To learn more about Rías Baixas Albariño wines in the meantime visit www.albarinofromspain.com.

PLUS:

Albarino and Cheese tasting at Artisanal on June 10th – special “insider promo code” – enter “SEAT” in the Promotional Code Box Upon Check Out, to receive 2 seats for $99.00 instead of $150.

Another event will take place on Monday June 14th at City Winery with Chef Harold Dieterle of Perilla (and former “Top Chef”) creating international tapas and WR Tish doing Albarino pairings.
Details and links are here: www.albarinofromspain.com

Filed Under: Other Neat Things Tagged With: ,
1 June 2010 Cheese Around the World

Cheese Around the World

June 1, 2010 By

Last weekend, I held a dinner party where I had folks from all over the world. Typically, I like to have some semblance of a theme to my parties: all beef, Greek, fondue, hors d’oeuvres, etc. This time, I opted to make everyone feel at home by doing a cheese platter where everyone’s nationality was celebrated.

Cheese by Country

Cheese by Country

I featured the following:

  • Canadian Cheddar – from Quebec, my hometown
  • Dutch Aged Gouda – aged 5 years, crumbly and perfect for my guy
  • Danish Havarti – creamy and nutty
  • Swedish Vasterbotten – parmesan-like but softer and milder
  • English / Isle of Man – Manx Cheddar Cheese
  • USA (NY) – soft, creamy brie
  • USA (Wisconsin) – Dunbarton Blue – THE perfect blue
  • USA (New Jersey) – Sheep’s milk ricotta from fabulous Valley Shepherd Creamery

Using my computer, I made tiny flags to represent each country’s flag that I glued to a toothpick. I could then easy identify which cheese was from which country.

The result – everyone felt at home, comfortable and able to share stories of his/her country, food and traditions.

Please share your neat party ideas!

Filed Under: Cheese, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
28 May 2010 5 Things to Contemplate This Memorial Day

5 Things to Contemplate This Memorial Day

May 28, 2010 By

With Memorial Day and weekend coming up, I’ve been contemplating what this holiday means, or should mean to me.

Sure, I’m happy about the long weekend, having dear friends over and hosting a couple dinner parties, but I’m trying to make this holiday ‘count’ for me this year. Here are five things I vow to focus on this Memorial Day:

1)  Our Troops and Their Families

I just saw The Messenger, starring Woody Harrelson, this weekend and it was a novel way of not only looking at the war from our troops’ perspective but from the view of the families of the soldiers fighting. I no longer have anyone in my immediate circle fighting in the war, but want to take some time to really think about what those men and women are seeing and experiencing and how that affects the ones who come home and the families of the ones who don’t.

2)  My Friends

I have five friends coming into town to spend the holiday weekend with us and I also want to take some time to relive some of the good, and not so good, memories of the years we’ve been friends and where that might take us in the future now that we live far apart.

3)  The Food

I want the food I’ll prepare for my friends and family to remind me of where I’ve come from, special meals I’ve shared with people dear to me and family recipes I’ve cherished over the years.

4)  The Wine

Having recently returned from Napa and Sonoma, I’ve decided to buy American wines from the kind folks who I met during my fantastic stay. Some of the ones I’ll be uncorking:

5)  The Future

I’m a planner by nature, so I have a plan for the far future: retirement funds, new cars for my nieces when they turn 16, plan to move to New Hampshire and raise goats and grow alfalfa (okay, that’s a maybe), but I want to spend some time figuring out is where to go with my food and wine blogging and social media consulting. Must-Get-Things-Figured-out!

A very safe and happy holiday weekend to all my friends, fans and even foes. Hope this post will have you reflecting a bit and appreciate all the memories from the past and the memories you’ll be making over the holiday.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With:
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