burlington, a home away from home

We just returned from a weekend getaway to Burlington, Vermont. Although the trip was supposed to be a simple weekend of chilling out, both literally and figuratively, with one of our favorite couples, Russ and Jen, it ended up being a celebration of my culinary senses! And, we even worked on our guest list during our drive since it was the only time when the radio and cell reception failed to occupy Nils's attention!

Russ works for Magic Hat and because of this, greeted us with tastes from growlers of their selections as soon as we arrived. Next, he offered an impromptu beer and cheese tasting. The cheeses were from the Cheese Trader market near their house and because the shapes of the chunks were"odd" they were marked down in price, and were definite steals! So much so, we made our own trip there before returning to Mass. I have been to a few brew fests, but I have never paired beers with food. I was very surprised at how the cheese and beer went so well together and the varied flavorings offered by each of Russ's pairings was delightful.

Later that evening, we dined on shared plates of bacon wrapped scallops; black angus sliders; shrimp and lobster risotto; mussels plucked from a garlic, leek, herb broth; roasted duck quesadilla. Although the food was something to blog about, it was the bottle of wine that Jen and I shared that was the meal's highlight. Marques de la Concordia 2004 Signa Reserva was a delicious bargain. Medium in body, acidity and tannin, it seduced with aromas of blackberry, strawberry, new oak, and black currant. This Rioja is 100% Tempranillo and proved a worthy companion to the eclectic plates on which we dined. Approachable tastes of spice and red fruit mingled in balance. And as I haven't selected a wine of the week for awhile, this wine proves to be the wine of the last few weeks for me!

The next day we had brunch at our usual haunt, Smoke Jack's. The bloody mary's are tangy and heated with the right amount of horseradish. We ordered mac n cheese for the table, which was smoky with chunks of bacon, gooey, and herbal, with a crispy crumble top. Although I ordered turkey hash with polenta and scrambled eggs, I ended up switching plates halfway through the meal with Nils since his turkey sandwich was a delight - warm, thinly sliced, paired perfectly with red onion slices and a creamy mayo spread that melted into the fresh crispy bread. The highlight of the meal was the spicy dense pumpkin bread served with a sweet butter spread. Toasty edges and a soft middle tempted each of us to slice into it many times over until all crumbs disappeared.

Later on we ordered pizza having felt so spoiled by the tastebud sensations of hours past...But, Nils and I have been slicing away at our cheese chunks very slowly trying to hold onto the remnants for as long as we can.

a taste / fenestra true red lot 21 (california)

Grab a glass at: Central Kitchen, Green Street Grill (Lot 20), Whole Foods (River Street)

Sniff: I discovered this wine because of its aroma. A friend who works at Central Kitchen was enjoying a glass, and when it passed by me during conversation, its perfume halted my input and I immediately asked what it was that she was drinking. The bottle her glass was poured from had been opened a few days earlier, and as a result had richer and deeper aromas than that of the bottle I purchased after trying a sip from her glass. Therefore, I compare the two: (3-day-old) - mellow with hints of stewed prunes, raisin, plum, spice, raspberry, cedar; (newbie) – wide awake with hints of red fruits like strawberry and raspberry and a touch of spice as well.

Taste: The 3-day-old hinted at a port-like flavor of raisins (perhaps a revelation of its Portuguese varietals) are along with dark fruits like blackberry along with spicy wood. The newbie mingles both red and dark fruits. Both are medium-bodied, medium(-) tannins, and a medium/developing finish.

Eat: I had just ravished a burger at O’Sully’s in Somerville so I was sipping for the sake of the wine only, but I noticed my girlfriends enjoying it with steak, salad and corn chowder. It definitely can stand up to meat, would pair well with pizza and perhaps some antipasti, but is low key enough as a solo sipper.

my life with bartender: wedding

The weeks following not only an engagement, but also my 31st birthday, have been quite hectic, and my blog has paid the price I’m afraid. Posts have been in the back of my mind, but the time, the time has been lacking. It is on this lazy Monday afternoon though that I find some solace, and have some bits to share.

Final Calm
The Friday night following our engagement, I met up with my friend Erika for some eats at Green Street Grill in Central Square, Cambridge. We opted for vegetarian dishes whose ingredients looked forward to fall while still paying homage to summer with squash of the summer and winter varieties, light pasta and spelt. While she quizzed me about my feelings about being engaged, we sipped from glasses of Pine Ridge’s 2005 Chenin Blanc/Viognier, which mingled comfortably in weight with that of the light pasta and hearty vegetables. Aromas of lemon zest, peach and hints of flowery petals wafted through our conversation between sips of this dry, medium acidic white boasting essences of melon and grapefruit. Our server exclaimed that it’s her favorite wine and seems to be a failsafe each vintage.

A Plan Trickles In
Although my intention was to wait a whole month before beginning the wedding planning, my mother had a different approach. She phoned me last Monday and spoke with more energy than I’ve heard from her in years about a possible location for the event. Poor lady has been waiting for so long, just the solidfied notion of the day must have been enough to jumpstart her wedding planner spirit. The spot is in Onset, Ma, which is approx 15 miles from Mattapoisett. A friend of my father’s owns the oceanfront house/property, and it was the first place my folks considered as they’ve been guests of his July 4 festivities. After hurricane force winds tore through the Cape on Saturday, Sunday welcomed us with clear sunny skies and mild Autumn temps. My folks picked us up and we drove leisurely through the back roads that led to Onset from Mattapoisett. My mother laughed at my color tabbed bridal magazines, which we reviewed together in the back of the car, with spoken warnings to Nils in the front seat, not to turn around…We pulled up to the drive that leads to the private neighborhood, and the leaves and branches strewn along the path added to the secret nature of our journey. Once we happened upon the house, I had my first “yes” moment, that I’ve been told by other brides-to-be occurs with “the dress” or “the location.” The property is open a spread out over a couple of acres until it meets the beach. A pond lingers to the right offering further options for photography. I kept looking at Nils to see if he was as awakened to the notion of having it there as I was. And, after we walked to the water’s edge, he leaded against the dock’s railing and we bothed answered my dad’s question of place in unison. What happens after a decision is that you need to immediately start making other decisions, which lead to more and more plans and decisions. Days shy of the one-month marker, we’re already thrown into the planning mix, and are having fun with it.

As we drove away from the house, my Dad wondered what to do next. My mom and I suggested walking around the little “main street” area to check out the B&B options for our guests and see what else could occupy some of their time. Along a single strip of road that skirts along the shore, we found two B&Bs that share the view and access to the beach across the street. One also houses a restaurant (where we tried great bloody mary’s!), a club and a tiki bar, which if all goes as planned will still be open the weekend of our wedding, and may even boast a heated pool…At both spots the staff was helpful and warm, rooms clean or in the process of (we actually bumped into the keeper and she showed us around many of the rooms, occupied soon before we had arrived). If we can secure the location then we’ll block off these two spots since they are next to each other, offer a great view and seem an enjoyable stay for those most important to us.

As I’ve also been struggling with a theme, I was very relieved to have another awe inspiring moment this weekend on Saturday, while drinking some beers with his hometown boys on a stormy afternoon. Our theme just popped in mind while sipping a blueberry beer. I do want to keep it a surprise though, but will assure you all that it is so “us” that when I thought of it, I had to contain my excitement with hands over mouth before telling Nils after the appropriate pause for effect :) I was nervous that my folks wouldn’t dig it as much as we do, but they are all for it, and even posed their own ideas in support of it. And, when we saw the beach house, it went from imaginable to possible. Next step, the lists…