2 April 2013 April Fool’s Food Nightmare

April Fool’s Food Nightmare

April 2, 2013 By
Kim and Chuck

Kim and Chuck

As you all know, yesterday was April Fool’s Day, the day to play pranks on unsuspecting folks. I want to share how four of my so-called “friends” played a day-long, foodie nightmare prank on me yesterday.

Nancy and Me

Nancy and Me

All four banded together to tag me on Facebook at restaurants I’d not frequent. Throughout the day, I was tagged 34 times by them at culinary palaces like KFC, Shoney’s, Guy’s American Kitchen, Friendly’s and more. Folks who know me well, hopefully, knew I was being pranked. Folks who didn’t, likely thought I was bordering on white trash bulimia.

I suspect the “mastermind” behind the prank was my friend Chuck who then rallied his wife Kim and my friends Nancy and Danny.

Danny

Danny of Eat with Dan

The day FINALLY ended with Kim posting this on my Facebook wall:

“Happy April Fool’s Day, Veronique! Thanks for being such a great sport on all our fun check-ins today! If we didn’t love you, we wouldn’t have picked on you! 😀 Hopefully, with the frequency people knew you weren’t really at any of these places. Now enjoy your sack of sliders from White Castle and take pleasure in knowing tomorrow is not April 1st”.

Well played “pals”! Happy April 2nd.

Veronique

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1 April 2013 Northern New Jersey Wine Tasting Fundraiser – Save a Lab Rescue

Northern New Jersey Wine Tasting Fundraiser – Save a Lab Rescue

April 1, 2013 By

Labrador_RetrieverAs I’ve written about before, I belong to the Northern NJ Wine MeetUp Group, a fun group of wine aficionados who gather most months to pay homage to the grape.

I just received word of a really neat (and worthy) wine tasting fundraiser that I felt was important to share. Ten months, one of the event coordinators, Bob, began volunteering at a group that rescues dogs that are going to be put down, mostly from shelters in the south. That group is called the Save a Lab Rescue and what they do is quarantine the dogs, get them fully vetted, spayed or neutered, micro-chipped and then moved to a foster home until they get placed in a forever home. Bob has fostered 7 dogs since Labor Day.

About the fundraising event:

Includes 25 wines for tasting and an abundance of hors d’oeuvres. All the wines being poured will also be available for purchase.

Saturday, May 11 – 4pm to 8pm

Tree Tavern – 17 Park St., Wanaque, NJ 07465

$37 per Ticket

If you can’t make the event, please consider going to the www.SaveALabNC.com and making a tax deductible donation.

For complete details about the event and to join our group, click here.

About Save a Lab Rescue:

All-volunteer, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of displaced Labrador Retrievers and Labrador Retriever mixes.

We rescue Labradors that are in danger of being euthanized at animal shelters or that are in situations that are abusive, neglectful and or harmful. Save A Lab Rescue provides all necessary veterinary care for its rescued Labradors and transports them to approved foster homes, where they are cared for until they are adopted. The organization conducts a thorough screening process of its prospective adopters, and seeks to place its rescued Labradors into approved, permanent adoptive homes.

How You Can Help: We are always in need of adopters and fosters! Donations are also extremely critical to our operation, as adoption fees only offset a portion of the expenses we incur in vetting and transporting our rescued Labradors. Please email us at info@SaveALabNC.com if you would like to help.

You can literally help to save the life of a lab in need!

If you can’t adopt – foster, If you can’t foster – sponsor, If you can’t sponsor – volunteer,

If you can’t volunteer – donate, if you can’t donate – educate, network, and cross-post,

EVERYONE CAN DO SOMETHING, Large or Small to Save a Life!

www.SaveALabNC.com or www.facebook.com/Save.A.Lab

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28 March 2013 Campo Viejo Offers a Chance to Win Trip to Spain

Campo Viejo Offers a Chance to Win Trip to Spain

March 28, 2013 By

photographer-shadowCampo Viejo, the second largest Spanish wine brand in the U.S.*, is running a contest called Capture the Vibrancy. The contest lets shutterbugs upload photos that capture the vivacity of American cities.

Folks are asked to submit a photo that best embodies the flavor of their city for the opportunity to win a five-day trip to Rioja, a VIP tour of the award-winning winery and a professional photography class during their stay in the stunning region.

Photo entries will be open for public voting for ten days once the submission appears on the Capture the Vibrancy Facebook tab (facebook.com/CampoViejoWine). At the end of the contest period, the ten entries with the highest number of votes will be selected as finalists and will be awarded a photography accessory package to help further develop their skills. A panel of judges will determine the most striking and expressive image from the top ten entries to be announced as the grand prizewinner.

Applicants are encouraged to visit Campo Viejo’s Facebook page to submit their original photo(s) between March 1st and April 30th (one unique entry per person per week). Ten finalists will be determined by voting on or before May 16th, with the grand prizewinner announced on or around May 29th. The grand prize includes round trip airfare and a five-day, four-night stay for two in Spain, which is valued at approximately $5,000.

*Campo Viejo is ranked the second largest by $ volume in the U.S., according to Nielsen XAOC+Liquor, end 2/2/13.

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21 March 2013 How Many Wine Glasses is Too Many?

How Many Wine Glasses is Too Many?

March 21, 2013 By

I must admit that I have a healthy collection of wine glasses. I have ‘good’ casual party wine glasses and ‘great’ dinner party wine glasses. My collection features glasses for: Cabernet Sauvignon, Rielsing, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Champagne and dessert wines.

Here’s a poster with tons of various wine glasses especially designed for specific grapes.

Wine Glass Poster

 

Too much? How many kinds of wine glasses do you have at home?

Filed Under: Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With: ,
18 March 2013 Buick Discovery Tour

Buick Discovery Tour

March 18, 2013 By

Here’s a recap of the Buick Discovery Tour event I attended on Saturday as published by Devil Gourmet – http://bit.ly/15VMHmf

Psilakis and Me

Chef Michael Psilakis and Me

Looks fun, doesn’t it?

Have a great week,

Veronique

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2 March 2013 New York Wine Expo 2013

New York Wine Expo 2013

March 2, 2013 By
Finger Lakes Wines

Finger Lakes Wines

Last night, I attended the New York Wine Expo, an event featuring over 600 wines by 150+ producers. Most of the wines were served at tables grouped together by country, which made it simple to maneuver.

Esporao

Esporao

I’ll admit that I sampled a lot of wines. Some were great, some nice and some I’ll be okay just trying once. While I enjoyed many, here are some worth mentioning:

  • Fulcrum Wines – the three Pinot Noirs poured were outstanding. Just everything a solid California Pinot should taste like. The jewel in the crown is the aptly-named, Gap’s Crown.
  • 2009 Esporao Reserva Red – nice velvety mouth feel, bright red fruit with a little oaky finish.
  • 2011 Altitudes Ixsir White – who knew I’d enjoy Lebanese wines this much? Of the four delicious wines poured at the Ixsir table, this one was the favorite with its big floral nose and bright fruity flavors.
  • 2011 Rutherford Wine Company Predator – the first sniff of this Old Vine Zinfandel screamed – BACON! Just a delicious Zin with all a Zin should be – big, bold, chewy, peppery, and in this case, smoky. All this for $12-$13.
  • Finger Lakes pavilion – was fun reliving my latest Finger Lakes wine country visit through the sipping of some of the wines. Always nice are the Red Newt Dry Riesling and Circle Riesling, the Red Tail Ridge Semi-Dry and the Fox Run Lemberger.
  • Cavazza Prosecco Spumante DOC Extra Dry – perhaps the best Prosecco I’ve had. Crisp, perfect dry finish.

CrowdAmid a sea of wines were some food companies showcasing their goods. Among some favorites were:

  • Chocolate Springs – A boutique chocolate shop from Lenox, Massachusetts headed by Joshua Needleman, creator and chocolatier. I had the opportunity to sample the Culinary Institute of America graduate’s decadent salted caramels coated with a rich, thin chocolate coating. The treats were incredible.
  • Backyard Farms – I live in the Garden State, a place with the most succulent tomatoes in the country, right? I’m thinking that perhaps I might have tasted one of the best tomatoes EVER, last night at the Backyard Farms booth – straight from…Maine! Tomatoes from this vendor are superior in flavor to others, partly because tomatoes are left on the vine to fully ripen before being picked.

ProseccoThe crowd was relatively young and the room was busy but not uncomfortably crowded. Two minor hiccups were the lack of bottled water, unless I simply missed it, and the long, winding line of folks waiting to enter the expo.

Overall, it was a nice evening with many opportunities to sample wines from around the world, some available for tasting exclusively at this event.

Make a point to attend this event in 2014 when the expo returns to the Big Apple.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
23 February 2013 Open That Bottle Night – Just Do It

Open That Bottle Night – Just Do It

February 23, 2013 By

La Fiole du Pape Chateauneuf du PapePalate Press, the online wine magazine, will be hosting Open That Bottle Night tonight, February 23rd. Dottie Gaiter will be the host and Palate Press encourages drinkers to share their wine stories via:

Open That Bottle Night is an occasion to uncork those wines that you’ve been saving for a special occasion but can’t seem to find an occasion special enough for. Simply select a bottle that has significance to you, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive wine.

I may just go nuts and uncork my distorted, kitschy La Fiole du Pape Chateauneuf du Pape as it reminds me of a wine my family “splurged” on when I was a kid in Quebec. I’ve had a bottle in my cellar for years that I think might be just what I need to feel that special connection.

However you decide to celebrate Open That Bottle Night, share it with someone special and please, share your thoughts with me!

Cheers,

Veronique

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19 February 2013 Mitsuwa Marketplace

Mitsuwa Marketplace

February 19, 2013 By
Japanese Rice with Roe

Japanese Rice with Roe

Yesterday, I had a day off and as we’d promised each other for weeks now, fellow meat-product aficionado and New Jersey food photographer/blogger Danny of Eat with Dan and I went to lunch at one of his favorites, Mitsuwa Marketplace.

Situated on the west side of the Hudson River in Edgewater, New Jersey, Mitsuwa Marketplace is a shopping center straight out of Tokyo.

Mitsuwa Marketplace encompasses a vast selection of Japanese groceries, an extensive wine, beer and sake department and a delicious variety of Japanese foods at cafeteria-style Restaurant Row.

Ramen with Pork Belly

Ramen with Pork Belly

Danny and I first walked around the produce and meat/fish departments to my amazement. After we passed the 20-foot long grocery cooler with sashimi-grade fish and seafood, I remember telling Danny “This is Disney for foodies”. What an incredible array of top-quality grocery items.

Black Sesame Ice Cream

Black Sesame Ice Cream

After our tour, Danny introduced me to his favorite food counters where we got lunch. We opted for the popular Santoka for a bowl of ramen noodles with sides of rice topped with salmon roe and a soy hard-boiled egg. The ramen bowl featured pork belly and hen-of-the-wood mushrooms. The ramen noodles were cooked perfectly, just a bit chewy, and the pork-laced broth was out-of-this-world. The side of rice looked innocent enough, but as I got a chopstickful, I realized how delicious the rice was and what a pleasant brininess the roe offered the slightly sticky rice. Stuff foodie dreams are made of.

Japanes Bakery

Japanese Bakery

The noodles inspired me and I went back to the grocery store to buy all I’d need to fix ramen and udon at home. I even bought the biggest king trumpet mushrooms I’d ever seen.

Take Home Groceries

Take Home Groceries

We ended our adventure with a Japanese pastry and a cup of black sesame ice cream, one of the best ice creams I’ve had.

I’m forever grateful to Danny for introducing me to Mitsuwa Marketplace and for sharing a special foodie journey.

595 River Road, Edgewater, NJ 07020

TEL: (201) 941-9113

Open 7 days/week

Grocery Store: 9:30AM – 9:00PM

Restaurants: 11:00AM – 8:00PM

Filed Under: Asian, Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , ,
2 February 2013 New York Wine Expo Discount Code

New York Wine Expo Discount Code

February 2, 2013 By

NY Wine Expo (2)Friends, I’m helping The New York Wine Expo again this year to get the word out about the popular event held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan from March 1 – 3, 2013..

Now who doesn’t want a chance to sip over 600 wines from more than 150 wineries from around the world? Nobody I know!

There are two Grand Tastings wine fans can attend either Friday March 1st from 6PM until 10PM or Saturday March 2nd from 1PM until 5PM.

As a fan of Food and Wine Chickie, you can take $15 off Friday or Saturday tickets by using promo code “wineblog” when you purchase your tickets online.

The event features informative seminars including one focused on cool climate wines of the Finger Lakes at 12PM on Saturday.

If you plan to attend, let me know so we can meet in person! Leave a comment on my Facebook page, send me a note on Twitter or simply comment on this blog post. I’ll be there Saturday.

Cheers,

Veronique

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20 January 2013 New Year’s Eve Tasting Dinner

New Year’s Eve Tasting Dinner

January 20, 2013 By
Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

I know this post is somewhat delayed but I still wanted to share the dinner menu and recipes for the dishes I served at my New Year’s Eve tasting dinner. Each course was masterly paired with wines selected from my cellar by our friend Chuck.

Cheese Course

Cheese Course

Nine courses, nine people, eighty-one plates, lots of prep and tons of fun piecing it all together.

  1. Smoked Salmon Lollipop
  2. Bruschetta with shaved Parmesan
  3. Roasted Beet Salad with Chevre
  4. Tomato Basil Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwich
  5. Coquilles Saint Jacques
  6. Risotto with Grilled Asparagus
  7. Beef short ribs with Mashed Potatoes
  8. Cheese course
  9. Chocolate Bombe and Dark Chocolate Truffle
Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

If the idea of serving a tasting menu at your next dinner party sounds fun, the key to success, in my opinion, if to be as organized as possible. Here’s how I like to do that:

Risotto with Grilled Asparagus

Risotto with Grilled Asparagus

  • Design a menu with all the courses listed. Ensure the accompaniments are also listed.
  • Make a detailed grocery list. Note the name of the dish the ingredients refer back to in parenthesis. For example:  1 bundle of asparagus (risotto), bittersweet chocolate (truffles).
  • Create a prep list detailing what dishes or components can be made or prepped ahead of time. Leave as few things to the last minute as possible.
  • The day of the dinner party, tape your menu along with assembly directions to a wall near your prep area. This will make it easy for you to view what comes next without having to find the piece of paper among the chaos.
  • If at all possible, assign a nearby room as your prep station. This is where your dishes will be stacked, accompaniments stored and, if available, a toaster oven or heating element placed to reheat foods at the last moment.
  • Engage the help of friends! In my case, asking my girlfriends to plate with me and our friend Chuck to pour the wines saved me time and allowed me to focus on the food.
  • Print your menu along with the wines being poured and give a copy to your guests. It’s entertaining and keeps your guests in the loop on what’s coming next.
  • Have fun and sit to eat with your guests!!!
Filed Under: American, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , , ,
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