Live Life, Eat Right

Homemade Fettuccine. Garlic Scapes. Asparagus. Cherry & Golden Tomatoes. Spinach. Mushrooms. Herbs.

It’s officially almost Summer…and you know what that means?

PRODUCE-IS-A-PLENTY!!

Over the weekend I put on a spread for Father’s Day Dinner– Salad with Dijon-Shallot Vinaigrette. Flank Steak with Scallion-Herb Chimichurri.  Baby Back Ribs. Rosemary-Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs and Legs. Herb Potato Salad. Caprese & Roasted-Garlic with Rosemary Flatbreads.

We didn’t have any leftover meat or flatbread, however; we had a full stock of veggies in the refrigerator.

There are only SO many salads one can make. It was pasta time. I decided to throw some of the veggies into a “sauce” along with leftover chimichurri.

Pasta was made. *Sigh* I love fresh pasta and the Kitchen Aid attachment is the best investment I’ve ever made. I’ve been making pasta about once a week and it just keeps on tasting better. The entire process is soothing and comes with a delicious reward.

A healthy dose of Parmesan and a dash of fresh parsley–dinner is served.

Bon Appetit!

Nora

Hello lover. How luxurious does that look?

“Spaghetti and Meatballs” was something of a staple-dinner in my house as a child. My twin brother in I were overactive and constantly hungry. For my busy mom, dinner could be made (and whining-hungry-child-syndrome minimized) in 3-steps:

Boil pasta. Defrost meatballs. Reheat jarred sauce.

Served with a crusty, doughy loaf of hot Italian bread, this was a meal that never failed to fill my stomach and comfort my soul.

Now, I’m all about the easy dinner, however; there’s nothing quite like “pasta therapy”. I find great solace and satisfaction from making my own noodles. The ingredients are simple. The process is soothing. The results are sinful. I feel like a culinary goddess.

Homemade Meatballs. Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce. Fresh Herbs. Grated Parmesan. Wine.

A few hours later and bliss is served.

What’s for dinner tonight?

Pasta Proud,

Nora

Last week I had two consecutive days off from work! UNHEARD of in the restaurant world. I wanted to make the most of my time, study wine and COOK! It’s funny, even though I’m in the kitchen everyday at work, I find myself sorely missing the art of cooking. The simple pleasure of leisurely crafting something at home, the thought behind the meal and the love of the people you ultimately share it with—it’s a priceless process. With temperatures rising into the 90′s I wanted to make something uncomplicated, light and refreshing.

I also really wanted to make pasta. I had a moment driving to work, reflecting on frustrations and the craziness of life. I began to think:

“Why cant life be more like pasta? It’s straight forward and delightfully satisfying. Three ingredients: flour, water and egg, lead to endless possibilities.”

What I failed to recognize was that it is all of the complexities that paint the pasta canvas that make the simple treat shine. I laced my pasta with a sauce of garlic, shallots, olive oil, white wine, lemon zest,  Parmesan cheese, chives, red pepper flake and parsley. Topped with seared sea scallops. Served with a side of roasted asparagus.

A meal fit for a dry, acidic white wine. I turned to the food-friendly Sancerre  (Eastern Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc.). I purchased Reserve Durand Sancerre, 2012–falling in the $15-$20 price range. This wine had notes of fresh lemon, white grapefruit and chalk on the nose. A great pair for seared white seafood dishes and anything lemon+garlic+butter. I will surely be keeping my eye out for Sancerre this Summer.

Sancerrely Yours,

Nora

Grilled Lemon-Garlic Chicken Breast. Basil Cavatelli Salad with White Bean, Sun-dried Tomato, Artichoke Heart, Arugula, Olive, Lemon.

Studying for the Certified Specialist of Wine Exam has made my trips to the wine store extremely difficult. There are so many regions I’ve been exploring through readings and my interests are forever changing. That being said it is officially Sum-sum-summertime! Heavy foods and bold, tannic wines just don’t seem appealing to me right now. I want crisp. I want acidic. I want fruit!

In the past I’ve been very blind with my “Summer Wine” selection. I have the tendency to go after fruity Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand or Dry Rieslings from The Finger Lakes (my local duty!). Served chilled, these are undoubtedly all great, easy drinking wines for Summer, however; I wanted to be adventurous this year and explore new pairings. I turned to a genre of wine I’ve often been timid to buy in the past: Rosé.

Being indecisive with my dinner plans, I bought two bottles of rosé to try this Summer one from Cotes-du-Rhone and one from Provence (both well known rose wine producers–check out that color difference!!). Admittedly, I’ve always been hesitant to buy rosé wines because of my own ignorance. I did not know about different styles or producers, and …well…I always though they were sweet, strawberry and fruity–a wine for spritzers and punch.

FALSE. FALSE. FALSE. Ignorance is NOT bliss…I’ve been missing out on some fantastic wines! Plus, there are some GREAT rosés from Provence that are extremely affordable!

I made basil cavatelli.

And tossed it into a cold salad of white beans, marinated sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, arugula, basil, lemon and kalamata olives. Topped with grilled lemon garlic-chicken breast and a few capers. I thought the strong flavors of this dish would be a great match for the bolder of the two wines, and paired my meal with 2012 Chateau de Trinquevedel Taval Rosé. The Taval AOC is the only Cotes-du-Rhone appellation that exclusively produces rosé wines. Some of the major varietals from the area include: Grenache, Mourverde, Syrah, Cinsaut, Clairette and Carignan. I was pleasantly surprised by the body of this wine–medium-plus with ripe cherry, fresh red fruit flavors and minerality. The finish was lingering and dry. Certainly a wine that makes you think a bit. I think I’ll be trying out more rose wines this summer.

On a sweeter note, this has nothing to do with my food-wine pairing, however; I feel obligated to share a picture of the most perfect cannoli ever. Rich ricotta cheese (not too sweet), laced with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips in a rich, firm outer pastry…It soothed my soul and made everything right in the world. My roommates brought this home from La Patisserie. I never wanted it to end and nearly licked the crumbs off the plate. *sigh* I want more.

Drink Pink,

Nora

2010 La Cana Albarino, Rias Baixas

Fish, Fish, Fishey-Fish-Fish. I love the time of year when the snow plow goes into hibernation and fresh fish truck visits out weekly market! It is magical. An elegant meal can be made in minutes with fish as the star.  A quick saute in olive oil, a refreshing splash of lemon and drizzle of warm butter—BOOM! POW! Dinner is served.

I’ve been doing a whole lot of this, so quick dinners are essential. The wine studies have been going well as I prepare to take the Certified Specialist of Wine Exam through the Society of Wine Educators in June (Wish me luck!). Naturally after studying and studying all things wine, I needed a pairing for dinner time!

Pan-Seared Halibut with Lemon-Butter Sauce. Garlicky-Spinach. Wild Rice Pilaf. Bursting Cherry Tomatoes.

A fish like halibut CRAVES acidity. A squeeze of lemon is simply not enough! I decided to take an adventure to Spain and a taste of Albarino for our meal. In the province of Galicia in the Northwest corner of Spain (bordering Portugal), the Rias Baixas is home to some incredible Albarino–a dry white wine with extremely high acidity, perfect for fish! The 2010 La Cana Albarino was full of citrus fruits–lemon, lemon peel, white grapefruit and lime. A bit of richness of green walnuts and fresh grassy herbs. The fruit and acidity balance nicely on the palate. This wine complimented the meaty halibut and the acidity cut through the butter sauce I dressed it with. Yum.

Not familiar with Spanish wines? If you find yourself at the wine store looking for Albarino–search the label for “Rias Baixas”. This area is home to some of the best!

Wineing,

Nora