smile and say CHEESE: organic selections

Here are my picks for fantastic organic cheeses from around the world:

Coastal Cheddar Though this is not technically an organic cheese, it is made using ancient local methods—fresh milk from pampered cows who gaze out at the sea in the South of England. What sets this cheddar apart is a slightly milder and sweeter taste—and a crunch, from what appears to be salt but is actually a reaction of the cheese making process. The photo shows the cheeses maturing in a cave, which you can tour, if you are so inclined.

Latteria Perezin In the Middle Ages, farmers in Italy were obliged to give half of their produce to landlords for use of the farms. This inspired clever cloaking practices, like the hay shown here, and resulted in adding unique aromas and flavors. In my opinion, this looks marvelous plated. Called caciottona, it also comes wrapped in walnut leaves or with a peppery crust. It will last six months in its vacuum-packed state. This cheese is distributed in the US by Atalanta Corp, who carry an astonishing variety of excellent cheese, including the Parmeggiano Reggiano below.

5Spoke Creamery Did you know that only raw milk retains the enzyme that allows for more calcium absorption and digestion of lactose? That is just one of the benefits of the raw milk cheeses from 5spoke—besides their superior taste. Alan Glustoff, founder and cheesemaker sees cycling as the best way to see the world and thus named his company 5spoke. Try the Herbal Jack, which in addition to the chives and herbs has my favorite ingredient: garlic!
www.5spokecreamery.com

Casearia di Sant’Anna The family that started making this Parmeggiano Reggiano decided in 1959 that they were going to make their cheese with the best milk. So, they let their cows graze on the fields of three organic farms. You can really taste the centuries-old flavors in this traditional cheese.

organicspamagazine.com

MAR/APR 09 ORGANIC SPA MAGAZINE ARTICLE
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"the ultimate organic cheese board"

ROASTED NUTS RECIPE / Go nuts!

Just nuts can be a little boring. Spice up the next batch with these seasonings for an extra-special treat! San-J has a new line of organic tamari sauces made from 100% soybeans, meaning gluten-free.
TAMARI ROASTED NUTS
1 1/2 lb. walnuts, pecans and cashews
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
spice mix:
1/2 tsp. each: salt, ground ginger, ground chili powder
1/4 tsp. each: ground black pepper, ground coriander, ground cloves
1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. San-J Organic Tamari
1 lime, juiced
Preheat oven to 325°F. Place the nuts in a large bowl and pour boiling water over the nuts to cover. Blanch for one minute and drain well in a large strainer. Place the hot nuts in a large mixing bowl and combine with the sugar and vegetable oil. Mix well and let rest for 10 minutes. Pour the nuts in a single layer onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until the nuts are uniformly brown and crispy. Remove the nuts to a bowl and toss with remaining ingredients. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet to cool. When completely cool, store in an airtight container.

Cook Zen Pot / Fast Forward

I had a ball trying this gadget out and if you are into instant gratification, you will instantly be hooked. Machiko Chiba, who is well known in Japan, invented this pot that works in the microwave. This device allows you to use less oil, cook meat in its own juices and maintain vitamins that would normally be washed away with boiling. It’s companion cookbook, Cook Zen, features 80 Asian-style recipes that can be a springboard for creativity. There is a slight learning curve—I played with the amount of liquids and sweeteners, reducing the amounts in most cases, and had to adjust the timing to my microwave. Then I got creative. I cooked a mini-roast beef in 4 minutes, sliced it thinly, topped some garlic toasts, and added a a tiny dollop of a mixture of horseradish, dijon, and sour cream. Eggplant with miso sauce was a delightfully sweet side dish, the eggplant was cooked to perfection in merely three minutes. After soaking for one hour, I completed a batch of sushi rice in 18 minutes—no fanning. The possibilities are endless as to what you can roll up with the rice, and if you are fearful of serving raw fish, then do what I did—incorporate the recipe for ground chicken with wasabi soy sauce and lengths of cucumber. Here’s a super-healthy selection from the cookbook.
SORAMAME (Fava Beans)
1/4 lb fresh fava beans (in the pod)
Pinch of salt
Shell and lightly wash the beans, and place in the Cook Zen. Cover and heat on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes with the steam holes closed. Transfer the beans to a sieve and run under cool water. Peel the outer skin of the beans (which will be practically falling off) and lightly salt.

PARTY RECIPE / Mid-East-Mex Hummus

For an unforgettable twist to traditional hummus, try this recipe from Chef Ignacio Granda del Gallego. He is the executive chef at the Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya in Mexico. This delicious dish arrived as the amuse bouche at the resort’s spa cafe. My bouche was tantalizingly amused! The addition of the chipotle paste adds a serious kick and the shaved Reggiano Parmesan supplies a dry, salty surpise. If you are pressed for time, start with store-bought hummus.
1 lb. cooked garbanzo beans
1 tbsp. tahini
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. of chipotle paste
1 tsp. lemon juice
Salt
Paprika
Sliced baguette
Cilantro-infused olive oil
Blend the first five ingredients until you have a smooth puree. Salt to taste. Before serving, place in a bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika. To each baguette slice, add a line of the cilantro-infused olive oil.

Pestos with Panache / Pesto Presto

Consider this a mandatory item for your freezer: Pestos with Panache. Owner Lauren Stewart has created an inspired line of revolutionary flavor combinations, including Proscuitto and Smoked Almond, Succulent Strawberry, and is putting the final touches on two exotic new flavors. One taste will cast all doubts aside! See the website for recipes, including this wonderful tug-of-war of sweet and savory. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
PUMPKIN CHIPOTLE RAVIOLI Filling:
1 container of Pumpkin Chilpotle Pesto
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup assorted dried fruit, chopped
1 cup crushed Amaretti (or macaroon) cookies
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup Asiago cheese, grated
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
dash pepper
Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
15 fresh sage leaves
Ravioli:
2 packages wonton wrappers (100 wrappers)
1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
Filling: Combine filling ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup cookie crumbs for topping.
Sauce: In a sauté pan, heat butter on high heat until foam subsides. Remove from heat and add sage leaves. Set aside and keep warm.
To assemble ravioli: Moisten a wonton skin with water. Place another skin on top and press to seal. Put a spoonful of filling on dough, moisten edges, and fold over to make a triangle, sealing edges. Cook in a large pot of rapidly boiling water for about 3 and1/2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to warm sage butter. Top with grated asiago and crushed cookies.

RECIPE / luscious LAMB

I adapted this recipe from Healthy Food, Healthy You, which is one of my go-to cookbooks, and jam-packed with unusual and intriguing combinations. Almost every recipe is accompanied by a photo, which is mandatory for my favorite cookbooks, which I end up using more as a visual stimulus than anything else. (Amazon, and Alibris have some used copies, get one!)
I tweaked the spiced lamb burger recipe, and loved the results. Into ground lamb I added:
small cubes of roasted butternut squash, mashed (make sure you have a sharp knife—it is a royal pain to cut because the squash is so hard, but totally worth the effort in the end.)
cumin
corainder
chile powder
cayenne
salt
pepper
minced onion
and lots of cilantro.
Fried the burgers up in a pan, with some olive oil.
Two serving versions: Place on top of mashed sweet potatoes with a green salad. Or, mix with whole wheat pasta and top with fresh fennel tops from baby fennel bulbs.

organicspamagazine.com

JAN/FEB 09 ORGANIC SPA MAGAZINE ARTICLE
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"unexpected taste combinations"

RECIPE / leafy chicken bites

EXPERIMENT: This dish is healthy, pretty, and substantial at the same time, which is the combination I am always looking for when serving guests, as the alcohol is flowing and we all want to stay beautiful. It starts out with breaded chicken cutlets, which are then cut into bite-sized pieces and wrapped in fresh spinach leaves. Adding a tiny spoonful of chutney before wrapping adds a densely-sweet spark. (click on photo to enlarge)
First, I marinated the cutlets in: sour cream, lots of cumin, fresh squeezed garlic, lots of lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne and a little Piri Piri condiment from Vervacious. Normally, I would have used yogurt in the marinade, but I had the sour cream and did not feel like leaving the apartment. So, the sour cream went in for the test. If you have ever marinated chicken in yogurt, you know that it changes the texture--meaning, it sort of pulverizes it, making it very soft and blown up. I am sure Harold McGee has a perfect scientific explanation for this...
To make the bread crumbs, I used a frozen leftover baguette, and grated it using a box grater (which is a mini workout). To the crumbs I added: grated Locatelli romano cheese, freshly crushed coriander seeds (more arm exercise, remember to switch arms), lots of oregano, amd Simply Organic garlic pepper.
After about 3 hours of marinating time I dipped the chicken with its creamy coating right into the breadcrumbs, seeing if I really needed to add egg. (Next time I will add the egg, because some of the crumbs began to fall off while frying.) Fried them in olive oil, and set on a paper towel to blot and get firm.
When they cooled off a bit, I took the spinach leaves and made the rolls. It tasted pretty good just like that, but my taste buds were craving a little surprise, which is when I decided to add the chutney. I had Stonewall Kitchen's Old Farmhouse Chutney, but also recommend The Virginia Chutney Co, which I wrote up in my Organic Spa Magazine column's March/April '09 issue.
Oh, and I think the sour cream worked just as well as yogurt, as far as softening...

Hip Hostess NYC: NOW on Facebook

The Hip Hostess has a travel photo log on Facebook. See HipHostess Nyc for the full picture.

Lever House WINE CLUB / bordeaux

BASICS Bordeaux is made up mostly of large vineyards that grow and produce the wines. The label Mis en Bouteille au Château means “bottled at the chateau.” These glamorous reds are extremely refined and age gracefully. Bordeaux is governed by a set of regulations known as Appellation Contrôlée (AC). Almost all red Bordeaux is blended. Red wine grape varieties are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. White varieties are: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. 2005 seems to be the year everyone talks about as the best. Ranks: Cru Bourgeois, then Cru Bourgeois Superieur, then Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel.
PICKS I described this as “easy” and “perfect” the 2005 Chateau Lascombes Margaux ($80). A tie for second place: 2004 Les Fiefs de Lagrange Saint Julien, which was still a little young, ready next year, and 2003 medoc Chateau Looudenne Cru Bourgeois Superieur ($19). Others worth mentioning: 2004 Chateau Cantemerle Haut Medoc ($55), priced right and is a classic example; Chateau Haut-Beausejour, Sainte-Estephe Cru Bourgeois ($22), smack finish, from more limestone in soil; Chateau de Pez, Sainte-Estephe Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel ($28), very earthy, like a wet forest; 2002 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou Saint Julien, full bodied, a masculine wine to drink while relaxing or before going to bed. See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / australia

BASICS Australia grows a huge assortment of grapes. A lot of their vineyards must irrigate because of low rainfall, however terroirs are starting to be mapped out in certain areas. Adelaide Hills is a cool climate area that is getting a lot of attention now. South of Adelaide is Clarendon Hills, old-school producers with 10 vineyards: Brookman, Hickinbotham, Sandown, Blewitt Springs, Clarendon, Liandra, Piggott Range, Romas, Astralis and Kangarilla.
PICKS Loved Giaconda, a 2006 chardonnay by Natua Vineyard, from Victoria, the best by far. A decent, good drinking everyday white was Jim Barry Silly Mid On, from Adelaide Hills, also a 2006. We tried 5 wines by Clarendon Hills, which were all good: two grenaches were my favorites, a 2004 Blewitt Springs, and a 2003 Hickinbotham; a syrah 2004 Moritz, very full and fruity, great to drink on its own; a merlot 2004 Brookman had a nice bite to the finish, and a great cabernet sauvignon called Sandown, 2004. See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / spain

BASICS Spain’s famous grape is called Temperanillo, which creates a wine of low acidity and less of an alcoholic content, and is used to make riojas. The term Crianza is applied to a rioja when it has spent one year in a cask, and is at least three years old. The grape is usually blended with other reds, such as Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. White varieties: Godello, Albariño, Treixadura, Verdejo, Malvasía.
PICKS The two whites that impressed me were the 2006 Viña Godeval, from the Valdeorras region, made from the godello grape, which was heavy with a sweet touch of honey, and the 2006 Naia from Rueda, which was nice and crisp, acidic on the tounge, with a hint of almonds and a great smell. It was my first choice for the whites, made from the verdejo grape, which is considered to be the finest for white. Of the reds, the 2006 Valtosca, Syrah from Jumilla made the cut, which tasted like the most appealing cough syrup you could ever have—and I mean that in the most complimentary way—so soothing and sweet. It’s soil is high in minerals. The 2005 Alto Moncayo Veraton made with 100% grenache from Campo de Borja is grown in the high mountains on super old vines—my tasting notes only say “yum”—plus I really love the label, which is a mosaic of all the colors of the soil. See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

RECIPE / strawberry gazpacho with basil

Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park created a buzz at the sub-zero showroom in May with this refreshing and delicious recipe for gazpacho:
STRAWBERRY GAZPACHO WITH BASIL
4 med strawberries
4 oz olive oil
2 oz country bread
Sprig of thyme
1 clove garlic
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 pounds of strawberries, plus 4 med strawberries
3 oz tomato juice
1 1/2 oz red wine vinegar
Hot sauce
crouton garnish:
1 slice country bread, diced in 1/4” cubes
1 TB olive oil
1 sprig of thyme
1 clove garlic
salt
to finish:
Extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper
4 basil leaves
1. Make ahead for garnish: cut 4 strawberries into quarters, place on parchment. Let dry in 195º oven for about 2 hours.
2. Toast the country bread in a pan with 1 oz of the olive oil, thyme, and garlic until golden brown.
3. Dice the rest of the ingredients, combine with tomato juice, vinegar and rest of olive oil. Marinate for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature.
4. Put everything in blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a china cup.
5. Season with a couple drops of hot sauce.
6. To make croutons for garnish: Toast bread with olive oil, thyme and crushed garlic in sauté pan. Season with salt.
7. To create dish: ladle the soup in a cold bowl. Garnish with croutons, 4 diced fresh strawberries and the dried strawberries. Finish with basil, drizzle with olive oil and crushed black pepper.

Sub-Zero / a showroom that cooks

One of my favorite restaurants in NYC, Eleven Madison Park, did a live cooking demo at the Sub-Zero showroom during the ICFF show with Chef Daniel Humm. They featured a recipe for Strawberry Gazpacho with Basil (see recipe) which was refreshing and an interesting departure from tradition. This showroom has to be seen to be believed, and has on-going cooking demos hosted by Chef Coleman Titelbaum. See the website for the schedule and to make a reservation at an upcoming cooking demo.

Good Earth COFFEE + Rowenta Coffee Maker / perfect pair

I love good design and I adore organization. This Rowenta coffee maker, designed by Jasper Morrison, defines both with its sleek and efficient design which puts all the necessary parts where you need them. I wish everything in life were like this. Under the lid are the filters, scoop and removable basket. All that’s missing is a good organic coffee. Enter Good Earth, the maker of great organic teas with a new line of organic coffees. My favorite, Mystic Blend, is a dark roast that has an extremely smooth, balanced flavor that will get you and your guests goin’!

organicspamagazine.com

WINTER ORGANIC SPA MAGAZINE ARTICLE
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"matching sweets to drinks to scent"

RESTAURANT WEEK / Amalia

This restaurant scores points with me for its beautiful design, which included a mosaic staircase and lace-patterned bar, both illuminated. I was accompanied by my charming friend, Vera Eisenberg, a.k.a. "the strudel queen". You have, no doubt, seen her artful food stylings on various Food Network shows. The Restaurant Week menu was interestingly divided into 2 categories, one featured an assortment of "bar food", where you were able to sample 4 small plates, which is the route my friend chose. I stuck with tradition, and had an appetizer of watermelon gazpacho, which tasted exactly as you would expect—like a sweet, juicy, summer melon. For the main course, I sampled the short ribs, which was an extremely rich, delicious and decadent contrast to the soup, which made it all the more enjoyable. For dessert, my chocolate sorbet seemed a little washed out. But then again, I find eating sweets at the end of a meal unnecessary. Vera had the panna cotta dessert, which I believe was flavored with lavender—that had a light, slippery texture and was nicely sweet. We visited this restaurant after attending a delicious sauvignon blanc wine tasting at Morrell's, which we enjoyed so much that we giddily and tipsily ordered 3 cases to be delivered to our homes! If you want to get in on wine tastings in your area check out this link.

RESTAURANT Denver: 1515 Market St / fine dining meets honky tonk

1515 Market Street, Denver, CO I ended my trip in Denver on a high note, food-wise that is. This place had a split personality, consisting of a funky bar downstairs and a dining area with fancy glassed-in wine room upstairs. I must have arrived at an odd hour (9:30?)—as the serious diners upstairs were on their way out and the serious drinkers downstairs had not yet arrived. Faced with the option of dining categorically solo, I almost chose to exit, but then opted to sit in the downstairs bar—which totally worked in my favor. I had the super cool and friendly staff all to myself and at my beck and call. My luck continued with my picks from the menu. The dandelion salad was extremely fresh and vibrant, with perfectly balanced tastes of bitter and sweet and textures of crunchy and creamy. They did not skimp on the portion of the Three Styles of Duck, which consisted of a confit leg, spring roll, and rendered breast. I don’t think my photo does justice to the Pollock-like styling of the dish whose components' flavors played to each other so beautifully. Having been so impressed by the offerings so far, I re-examined the menu and came across Cold Caesar Salad SOUP with bacon foam, croutons, tomato concassés, and caesar dressing. What? How did I miss this item? Though I had already done two courses, I decided that I HAD to try this, and was more than pleased with the outcome. This soup all-of-a-sudden made gazpacho obsolete, and upped the ante for sophisticated summer fare. My compliments to Chef Chris Laramie.

RECIPE / avocado chicken salad

Why not substitute avocado for mayo the next time you do a chicken salad? You’d be adding unsaturated fat, and a combination of 20 vitamins and minerals. Plus it tastes great. Chop up a baby yellow squash, some roasted yellow pepper and a grilled lemon chicken breast. Scoop out half of a really ripe avocado, mash it into the chopped mix, add a dash of cayenne pepper. If you don’t have the squash, a chopped up cucumber (remove seeds) would add a refreshing twist.

Lever House WINE CLUB / champagne

PICKS I must say this was my favorite of all the tastings, and they were all grand. From Pommery, the driest and peachiest of the lot, we had the Reims Brut Royal, the 1998 Brut Grand Cru, and the Reims Brut Rose. Krug MV was slightly heavier on the tounge and had hints of walnuts and smooth bubbles. Ruinart Rose had a superb taste, but was a little flat to me. My absolute favorites were all from Louis Roederer, the Reims Brut Premier was quite bubbly, the Blanc de Blanc was smoother, with finer bubbles, and the 2002 Reims Brut Vintage Rose was tops—due to its excessive evaporation, it literally danced in your mouth! Almost like drinking air. Check out their beautiful website to see how they grow the grapes. Very educational! See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / burgundy

BASICS The region produces Pinot Noir for red wine and Chardonnay for white. Burgundy is composed of small-scale growers. Négociants, who do not own a vineyard, but have stakes in rows of grapes, finish and bottle the wines. Terroir refers to the soil, the climate, and the angle to the sun, which gives specific characteristics to the wine and is how the wine is classified. Grand Cru is considered the best and must age for 5 to 7 years. Premier Cru is second and must age for 3 to 5 years. Villages must age for 2 to 4 years, and is sometimes blended.
PICKS Of the whites, I really liked the 2006 Puligny-Montrachet, Jean Marc Boillot, a nice winter white, with a vanilla, perfumey smell. Out of the reds, the 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin Emile Geantet was smooth, with a “dirty” smell—this would be great decanted along with a steak. Everyone in the group was raving about the Domaine Chanson Beaune Greves, which comes from a single vineyard. See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / napa cabernets

PICKS What can I say? I lost my notes from this tasting, but have photos of my favorites. I remember vividly, how I was in reverie over the 2004 Reverie; Honig, a vineyard that developed sustainable practices for the area, like using solar power, reducing water usage, and composting the skins, got my vote for their 2004 from Bartolucci Vineyard; and the 2004 Opus One came in as my third choice. Arnaud’s vote was for V Madrone, made by Christopher Tilley. With super cherry and plum notes, it concentrates on terroir from Napa floor and shows great potential for aging! See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / learning the easy way

I didn’t know much about wine, except that I truly enjoy drinking it. So, this past winter, that lack of knowledge prompted me to join the Lever House Wine Club, conceived and hosted by sommelier Arnaud Devulder. The 15-week experience turned out to be divine, housed in the ultra-cool back room at Lever House. Each week, a different group of learned and sophisticated guests would savor Arnaud’s cavalier, yet informative, presentations into the many worlds of wine. Arnaud had a knack for mixing expensive wines with surprising picks for everyday enjoyment, under $20. Tasting was done in an ascending sequence, leading to a crescendo, which allowed your brain to grasp the basic flavors, yet focus on the subtle differences. Arnaud has intimate knowledge of his subject, having lived at various vineyards, and can speak about it on any level—be it about the sensual qualities or knowing the specifics on terroir, winemaking practices, and prices. See my recaps of each session for some basic facts about the various regions and my favorites of each tasting. I can’t wait for the next session! Check out arnaud.com for information on the next phase of the club.

RECIPE / LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

You can enjoy this pretty little cake from Chef Jennifer Jasinski at Bistro Vendôme, in Denver, or employ your own baking talents, wherever you are...

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 lb butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 tbl vanilla extract
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 Combine and sift first 4 ingredients.
2 In mixer with paddle attachment, place butter and sugar, mix until smooth. Slowly add each egg and mix until incorporated.
3 Into mixture, alternate between adding flour mix and buttermilk, mix until smooth. Add vanilla and poppy seed and continue to mix.
4 Take a cake pan and spray with coating. Pour mixture into the pan so it is about 1.5 inches high. Bake at 325ºF for 15 minutes or until cake bounces back to touch,

White Chocolate Mousse Topping
1lb 6 oz white chocolate
1 cup strawberry puree
1cup heavy cream
3 1/2 sheets gelatin, softened
1 quart heavy cream
1 Chop chocolate and place in mixing bowl.
2 Heat puree and cup of cream together, pour over chocolate and mix with a whisk
3 Add gelatin and continue to whisk and cool.
4 Place the quart of heavy cream in a mixer bowl and whip until medium peeks are formed.
5 Slowly fold the chocolate into the cream mixture until fully incorporated, chill until it completely sets up.

To assemble: Cut desired shape out of cake and brush with simple syrup. Pipe mousse mix on top of cake and garnish with fresh strawberries.

Rioja RESTAURANT / Denver

Rioja, Denver, CO The team of Chef Jennifer Jasinski and partner Beth Gruitch are wowing downtown Denver and pulling out all the culinary stops with Rioja. Jennifer makes each dish a work of art with complex pairings that impress and delight. Her experience with opening restaurants for Wolfgang Puck inspired her to design the open kitchen, which is a hotbed of activity and pulls you into the excitement of the prep. Whereas Bistro Vendôme (see OUT+ABOUT), their sister restaurant, offers comforting french fare, the dishes in Rioja are a unique taste experience. For instance, the tartare here was made with tuna accompanied by marinated apple and fennel salad and crispy apple chips. All the homemade pastas are to die for! Try the candied lemon gnocchi with butter poached crab or her signature dish—a duo of artichoke tortelloni which is stuffed with goat cheese and artichoke mousse, sits in an artichoke broth, and even has artichoke chips! Cocktails also offer distinctive flavor combinations. For those who prefer slightly tart drinks, there’s the Pomeginger (see photo), made with vodka, pomegranate juice, ginger, and twist of lemon. I could go on and on, but I insist you try it for yourself. Bring your appetite and your loved ones here for a special celebration, or just make one up!

Denver: BISTRO VENDOME / magnifique!

Bistro Vendôme, Denver, CO For a taste of France via Denver come to Bistro Vendôme. Chef Jennifer Jasinski and partner Beth Gruitch will coddle you with their combination of warm hospitality and great fare for a positively memorable night out. Jennifer, who for 10 years opened restaurants for Wolfgang Puck, has a way with proteins, and as a sworn carnivore, I was thrilled to sample a gorgeous array of charcuterie and pates, followed by a steak tartare topped with quail egg (see photo), and still had room to savor the pepper-seared foie gras served on an onion tart with sauteed peaches. A salad of roasted yellow beets rounded out the meal, whose ingredients were unbelievablly flavorful and came from nearby farms. Speaking of which, Jennifer uses as one of her vendors a cutting-edge aeroponic farm called Grow Anywhere (see photos). Owner Mark Haberer developed the growing techniques, which use no soil or pesticides, and whose greens can be cut and shipped to the restaurant in a matter of hours. His array of greens, sprouts, and mini vegetables were used in many of the dishes at Bistro Vendome, and the team’s other successful restaurant, Rioja (see OUT+ABOUT). And for all you bakers out there, Jennifer shared her recipe for Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. This sumptuous little cake’s poppy seeds add a surprising crunch and has an ultra-light white chocolate mousse topping, which was welcome treat at the end of the meat-fest. See EXPERTISE section for recipe.

MY NIGHT OUT WITH BOB / gramercy park sampler

I am extremely fortunate to have a neighbor, whose company I adore, and whose tastes and desires I share. We have identical apartments and are both in the process of finishing a renovation and decorating the space, which is the subject of endless discussion and debate. This is the first in a series of our meanderings, which I stake out as research for future entertaining venues and inspiration for design. On Thursday, July 31, we began our evening at 8, with a cocktail and snack at Wakiya. The place was pretty packed so we parked ourselves along the banquets at the entrance, giving us a straight view of the center of the restaurant, which was bedecked by long red tassles. It seemed kind of strange to have a row of tables in this area, but people didn’t seem to mind. Our choice of the passion fruit/mango martini was a good one, cool and refreshing, and as it was quite dark, I took a few sips before I noticed that there was a slice of star fruit garnish, which I thought was a nice touch. From the dim sum menu, we ordered the shrimp and chive plus the shrimp and chicken dumplings, the latter was the hands-down winner. The decor was a bit too “wintery” for our taste, the darkness a downer on such a beautiful summer evening, so we made a move to Japonais for part two of our evening. As we entered the crowded bar area, two seats became immediately available, which I always take as a good sign. We continued our sampling with lobster spring rolls with mango relish and blood orange vinaigrette, which is a favorite of mine. A flaky crust surrounds a chunky tube of lobster, which comes to the table piping hot. So delicious and satisfying, we got a second order. Also good was the Spicy Mono, an octopus roll topped with spicy tuna tartare and sweet eel sauce. For our nightcap, we headed over to Veritas, where we winded down with the staff. As usual, we were lovingly hosted and entertained by manager Tim Bellardo. Yoshi Takemura recommended a 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley, Cliff Lede, which ranked highly as the perfect summer wine. We will be back for dinner soon...

Modern FLATWARE by Maarten Baptist / eat joyfully

I have been looking for years for a set of flatware that has a beautiful and unique design and is a pleasure to hold—not too heavy, not too light. On a recent trip to Denver, I finally found my unalloyed dream at Z Modern, in a design by Maarten Baptist of WAT design. This elegant and futuristic-looking set was $40 a place setting, and has the bonus of a great mouth feel when using the spoons and a knife that successfully carves into whatever you put in front of it.

Coasters by Francisca Prieto / *

Use these enameled asterisks as coasters, saucers, or under a hot plate. Industrial designer Francisca Prieto takes inspiration from typography from her time as a graphic designer and puts the shapes to good use.

FELT WALL PANELS / quiet, please!

Whether or not you have a space that needs to be insulated from sound, these wall panels designed by Anne Kyyro Quinn will add a sculptural, organic touch. What is it about felt that automatically speaks comfort? It has a certain allure that makes you want to touch it—sophisticated, yet laid back. She also makes a line of pillows, runner and placemats. that can soften any surface.

HEALTHY SNACK / ladies’ bite

I like to experiment with different things I have in the fridge, and in the name of eliminating waste, I will be open to trying unusual pairings. This test for a healthy snack turned out surprisingly well, so I thought I should record it for future get togethers. I took a Pink Lady apple and cut it into thin slices. Pink Ladies are a gorgeous bright reddish-pink and are very sweet with a slightly lemony tang. Next, I spread some goat cheese on the slices, using a brand called Il Tommasino from Italy. On top, I sprinkled a little garlic/pepper mix from Simply Organic mixes, then placed a couple of thin slices of mild onion and roasted yellow pepper. And there you have it. Rather than use an already roasted pepper from a jar, I like to sit a pepper on one of the burners while I am cooking something else, then put it in a baggie to use in salads, on a sandwich, or to add flavor to a sauce. To me, it has a cleaner, sweeter taste. Recently, I placed an already cut lemon into the baggie with the pepper to save space. Although it was not even touching the pepper, when I cut a wedge to put in my glass of water, it gave it a little zip. Food for thought...

LIGHTING by MOLO / presto chango!

For your next outdoor event, add these futuristic indoor/outdoor lights that can instantly change into the 3 shapes shown, and anything in between with a quick manipulation. Molo makes these out of a highly durable polyethylene non-woven textile which cannot tear, is water-resistant and 100% recyclable.