Hump Day Food Porn…Roasted Lamb Chops with Garlic and Herbs

Just a little something to brighten your day and make you hungry for dinner.  Garlic and herb rubbed, seared and roasted lamb chops, cooked to a perfect medium rare on a bed of herbed couscous.  We duplicated our past recipe last weekend, adding a bit more minced garlic and lots of rosemary, parsley, thyme and fresh oregano.  Recipe here.

We’re Tasting: Spring Sangria at our 8th Anniversary Dinner

Sunday night we celebrated the 8th anniversary of Dallas Uncorked, my little baby (as anything you work so hard at immediately becomes like a child). With flowing flutes of Cava from Segura Viudas and stellar glasses of Numanthia and Termes we toasted the success of the past 8 years and cheered in anticipation and excitement for years to come.  We have hosted a lot of tastings, made a lot of dinners, opened a lot of bottles and made many friends over the past 8 years, thank you to all of those who have supported us and continue to as we bring unique, educational wine events to our members throughout the Dallas community.

This year was all about Spain, so what better way to start than with a light and refreshing glass of Sangria.  I didn’t want it to be too heavy so we opted to use a Spanish Rose of Garnacha as the base, and took a little help from Spain’s Italian friends with the addition of a bottle of Moscato to bring in a bit of sweetness, and Spain’s French friends with a half a bottle of Calvados apple liqueur and a cup of Cointreau orange liqueur.  Add in fresh citrus, berries and soda and you are sure to please any crowd, especially those in the mood for a celebration.  More on the dinner to come, but for now, the recipe.

Recipe:

Spring Sangria
(made 50+ 8 oz servings)
3 750 ml bottles Rose wine (we used a Rose of Garnacha)
2 750 ml bottles Moscato wine
2 cups Calvados
1 cup Cointreau
1 liter lemon-lime soda
2 liters club soda
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Fresh berries, lemon slices and lime slices for garnish

Preparation:
Stir all of the liquid together in a large container and refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.   We had such a large crowd that we wanted to make sure everyone got some fruit so we added the fruit to each glass; if adjusting for a smaller crowd add the fruit to the pitcher and muddle it a bit before adding ice to help it break down into the sangria.  Serve over ice in rocks glasses.

Chef Andrew Ormsby and I enjoying a pre-dinner sangria

Dallas Uncorked 8th Anniversary Dinner…Almost Sold Out

We are so thrilled to celebrate Dallas Uncorked’s 8th anniversary on April 29th with our buddy Chef Andrew Ormsby featuring incredible, delicate and simply delicious Numanthia wine and bright and bubbly Cava from Segura Viudas as we enjoy a night dedicated to the beauty, intrigue and flavors of Spain.

I just returned from Spain a few weeks ago, there on an assemblage (or the art of blending wine) journey with Segura Viudas, an incredible Cava house which uses the traditional Champagne method in the production of its Spanish sparklers.  It is easy to see why do many people fall in love with Spain, Barcelona in particular, as the vibrant city lured me in with its stunning architecture, friendly personalities and, obviously, delicious Catalan cuisine and fantastic Spanish wine from Penedes to Priorat, and Toro to La Mancha.

Our celebration will bring some of the excitement, sounds, colors and flavors of Spain to Dallas in a long table dinner for Dallas Uncorked’s 8th anniversary, with proceeds from the evening going to Charity:Water and The Meadow’s Museum at SMU.   We only have about 10 tickets left so don’t delay as this will be a night to remember, and one that will help you fall in love with Spain like I did.  Tickets available here.

We’re Enjoying: The Soul Of a Chef….And What Makes a Chef a Chef?

 

Last July when we enjoyed some R&R in the gorgeous Hawaiian sunshine on the Big Island, we both devoured Grant Achatz’s Life On The Line.  I read it in about 3 days, I think Gary read it in 5.  Thoughtful, funny, emotional and truly inspirational.  If ever you get down on your life, read what this incredible chef went through to not only survive, but survive to continue his life’s work as a chef, clearly rising to be one of the very best in the country.  A fantastic read for anyone who loves the behind the scenes world of a chef, or who can appreciate passion and drive, and how those two things can lead you to do amazing things.

Though not as tragic, but certainly as thoughtful, this trip I am reading Michael Ruhlman’s The Soul of a Chef: The Journey Towards Perfection.  Published over 10 years ago, this isn’t a new book by any means, but one I have been looking at on my shelf for a while and just hadn’t gotten around to reading yet.  I am partially pleased I hadn’t read it until now as segments of the book that may have seemed exaggerated in the past, I now understand and appreciate, seeing that his observations are completely spot on, especially when discussing The French Laundry.

The book takes you on this journey towards perfection, and what perfection for a chef really means.  Is it being able to demonstrate French technique flawlessly?  Is it running a successful restaurant?  Is it winning awards?  Is it a little bit of all of the above?  Or, is it, in the very simplest form, making food that tastes good, looks good and brings people together to enjoy?  The debate is still out on this, especially as we have moved from the world of humble, highly trained chefs who never dreamed of entering a dining room during service, to celebrity chef/restauranteurs who rarely cook on their line because they are schmoozing the crowd and to a time where anyone with a perky smile and a funny personality being able to get their own show on Food Network to demonstrate how someone might cook a leg of lamb or make a poached pear.

I cook….I cook a lot….I cook a lot for other people….I cook a lot for chefs….but I would never dream of calling myself a chef….I don’t even like to call myself a cook, rather would prefer an entertainer or as I have graciously been referred to, an accommodating host with the gift of hospitality.  I cook to make other people happy, it is a way I show how much I care, and one of the key reasons Gary and I have worked for so long.  We love to entertain, cooking for our friends and family shows our love for them.  And, I have too much respect for chefs, many who are friends, who have made their life’s work the art and craft of cooking.  Follow the jump for more…..

We’re Exploring: Las Vegas…Baby

A few weeks ago Gary and I decided to take a quick weekend escape to Las Vegas.  Just a few days….nothing too crazy, just a fun opportunity to gamble a bit, play some blackjack, play some slots, enjoy a great dinner and, since we didn’t realize when we booked the trip what weekend it was, watch the Academy Awards in the comfort of our suite.  I did book us a suite at the all suite Vdara Hotel in City Center.  Still relatively new, and completely smoke free, we loved it.  Big, beautiful and very comfortably for our big Oscar night.

We arrived around 5pm on Saturday, after a few Admirals Club cocktails and a quick flight to Sin City, just in time to check in, change and have a drink at The Cosmopolitan before heading over for our dinner reservation.

All anyone has talked about lately was The Cosmopolitan Hotel.  My sister stayed their recently and said everything was over the top and beautiful, which walking inside the contemporary hotel proved to be true with crystals and LED lights everywhere.

We find what I described as “a bar suspended in the sky” to a cocktail waitress as we wandered around looking for a drink.  I had seen a picture of it in Bon Appetite a few months ago and wanted to try it.  In actuality, it does look like a dangling chandelier covered in crystals that you sit inside of, looking out onto the casino and shops around the hotel.

Very cool and ultra chic….
We enjoy one to be best, extraordinarily dirty Belvedere martinis at the twinkling chandelier bar in the sky and head to dinner.