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Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Mouthful Photos: The Capital Grille's Generous Pour Wine Event
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 5:23 PM
The Capital Grille has officially launched their Generous Pour Wine Event, which is running July 12 though September 4, 2011. The new event invites guests to pair their dinner with however many of the nine wines picked for Generous Pour wine menu for a price of $25. It is pretty generous, huh? (Read more about the event here.)
I attended a preview event Monday night during which I, along with other food writers around the nation, attended a webcast with their Master Sommelier George Milotes. George introduced the nine wines he carefully selected for the Generous Pour Wine Event, which includes both new and vintage wines from around the globe. It took him one year to develop this specific wine menu (!). George also surprised us by saying it is now hip among sommeliers to serve red wine with seafood. For The Capital Grille's Cedar Planked Salmon, he recommends both the Byron Pinot Noir and the Chateau St. Jean, Belle Terre.
During the preview event, I was also lucky enough to sample the wines paired with a multitude of hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts. Our server was extremely knowledgeable about all the wines and was able to suggest excellent pairings for us.
I've broken it all down though photos...
HORS D'OEUVRES:
Food News BlackFinn Saloon becomes more than burgers
Posted By Tommy Werner on Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 11:25 AM
Sandwiches and fries may be the traditional fare for football and draft beer, but BlackFinn Saloon's revamping brings an eclectic and hip cuisine to game day. In addition to the menu, the EpiCentre restaurant also has a redesigned saloon and patio.
Mouthful Photos from Table 274
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 11:03 AM
Located in the old Charley's location in Cotswold Village Shops is the new restaurant Table 274. (Read Tricia Childress' review here.)
The restaurant features items from local farms and amongst its offerings are an assortment of starter salads, soups, cheese plates, small plates (seared pork belly, beet pasta ravioli, scallops, mussels, etc), burgers, flat breads, pastas, and larger protein-heavy entrees. As you can see, there is a bit of everything on the menu.
When I stopped by for dinner, the meal started with an overly buttery bun that bordered on being a biscuit. The service was spotty, but I could tell the server was earnestly trying.
For my meal, I went with a salad and mussels. The bib wedge salad was pretty standard - lettuce, bacon crumble, a few spiced pecans, red onion, and buttermilk blue cheese dressing ($7). Dressing was pretty tasty – my dining companions ended up dipping random pieces of toast into it throughout the meal.
The mussels come in three varieties – saffron, basil tomato, and white wine. I went with the mussels in white wine sauce ($10). Served with two large pieces of toasted bread, the sauce was flavorful and the dish was decent. My only wish was that the mussels be a bit meatier.
Dessert was the best part of the meal. The peach crisp was served warm with a heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top.
Table 274
274 S. Sharon Amity Road
Charlotte, NC 28211
704-817-9721
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Recipe / Priscilla Tsai / Dessert Summery strawberry shortcake
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Strawberries are popping up at grocery stores at great prices right now, so pick up a few quarts and make some fabulous strawberry shortcake.
Here's an oldie but goody strawberry shortcake recipe from Betty Crocker. It's totally a cheater's recipe using Bisquick mix, but it's easy and good, so who cares. Just don't tell anyone.
You can make individual shortcakes or make one giant biscuit and then just cut it into wedges like I did (this way is easier).
I was a super cheater and even used whipped cream from the can instead of whipping my own from scratch. Shhh.... It's our secret.
Classic Strawberry Shortcakes
Courtesy of Betty Crocker
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 quart (4 cups) strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup whipping cream
Directions:
Heat oven to 425°F. In large bowl, mix strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside. (* It's best if you let the strawberries and sugar sit for a day in the fridge)
In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, 3 tablespoons sugar and the butter until soft dough forms. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by 6 spoonfuls. (*or to makes one large shortcake, lightly spread batter in a 8" cake pan)
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
Split warm shortcakes; fill and top with strawberries and whipped cream.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Food News / free food July 9: Free Italian Ice at the new Rita's
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 5:03 PM
The new Rita's Italian Ice in Plaza Midwood is celebrating its grand opening with free regular-size Italian ice cups for all guests who visit between 12 pm and 10 pm this Saturday, July 9.
Get there early – the first 100 people through the door on Saturday will also get free ice for one full year.
1308-A The Plaza
Charlotte, NC 28205
(704) 464-7482
Recipe / Priscilla Tsai / Breakfast Breakfast strata with spinach and Gruyère
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 10:53 AM
This delicious breakfast strata with spinach and Gruyere was served at a bridal shower I recently attended. Baked in a square casserole dish, it comes out of the oven brimming with bubbly cheese. Not only did we bridesmaids enjoy it during the bridal shower brunch, we also pulled it out again at 1 am for a post-partying snack.
It's a good thing the bride's mother was so nice to share the recipe with me because I just can't get enough of it. It's fantastic.
Stratas, not to be confused with frittatas (egg-based dishes like big baked omelettes) or quiches (egg-based dishes in pastry shells), are characterized by their baked layers of bread and cheese, and an egg custard sauce. It's sort of like a savory bread pudding I guess.
This recipe calls for dried or toasted slices of French bread. To save some time and also to avoid turning on the oven, I just sliced the bread a day before use and left the slices on a baking sheet in the cold oven overnight to dry out. You want to make sure to use dried-out bread so that it gives your strata some structure.
After resting a night in the fridge, the strata can be pulled out of the fridge, baked and be ready to serve within 1 hour and 20 minutes, which makes it a great dish to serve guests for a weekend brunch. All the mess and clean-up can be done the day before.
One more note, though the recipe calls for 8 tablespoons of butter – I was able to get away with just 4 tablespoons.
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Dorie Greenspan's Tiramisu Cake
This layered cake is definitely a "pick-me-up" with a little booze and caffeine.
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Eating With Your Dollars: The best fast food money can buy 14
The Food Babe talks juicing.
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Back of the Box: Hershey's Kisses Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies 1
