Small Batch Bourbon Tasting

Harvest Restaurant, St Louis, MO - Small Batch Bourbon Tasting and Dinner to Boot!

The internets are a wonderful thing when they bring an endless parade of tempting local wine, beer, and spirit events to my email inbox. I have been pleasantly surprised by the variety and number of events that are being held on a fairly frequent basis in the metropolitan area and have begun selecting events with a more practised eye. To that end, when I was on the receiving end of Harvest's January newsletter and spotted a Bourbon / Appetizer pairing on the one Wednesday night Jason didn't have to work late, I was on it faster than a Disney foodie freak on Food & Wine Festival special event booking day!

For a mere $30 per person, the restaurant was hosting a local spirit expert who would provide eight small batch bourbon tastings, each paired with a yummy appetizer to prevent guests from falling out of their chairs in a drunken stupor. I took a big risk attending something like this in the middle of the week - one never knows what will set off that goblin bastard what lives in my intestinal tract - but spirit tastings are much harder to come by in Stinktown and we've only recently discovered the joy of bourbon, so I rolled the dice and on this night came out a winner!

There were about 25 people in attendance, which surprised us - in a good way. It's nice to know that there are others out there who enjoy this kind of stuff ... hopefully it will encourage local restaurants to continue offering events like these which are both educational and drunkenly delicious!! We tasted the bourbons in groups of three because table space was at a premium. Taking pictures of all the shots was rather pointless because they all looked the same, but I did take one and will include it here just for fun.

Here are the bourbons we sampled with tasting note information:

Conecuh Ridge: 90-Proof; Aged 6 years; Dark Amber; Tastes of Butterscotch and Sugar Maple Candy

Four Roses Small Batch: 90-Proof; Aged 6 years; Medium Amber / Dark Gold; Tastes Spicy with Sweet, Fruity Notes

Four Roses Single Barrel: 100-Proof; Aged 9 years; Deep Amber; Tastes of Honey, Maple Syrup, and Cocoa with hints of Ripe Plum and Nutmeg

Jefferson's (a personal favorite of Jay & Bendy): 82-Proof; Aged 8 years; Amber; Tastes of Vanilla, Caramel, and Dried Fruit (pairs wonderfully with mulled cider!)

Jefferson's Reserve: 90-Proof; Aged 15 years; Deep Amber; Tastes of Vanilla, Raisins; Caramel and Butterscotch

Old Pogue: 91-Proof; Aged 9 years; Medium Amber / Pale Bronze; Tastes of Maple, Caramel, Plum, and Sweet Corn

Rowan's Creek: 100-Proof; Aged 12 years; Deep Amber; Tastes of Honey, Vanilla, Citrus, Caramel, Cinnamon, and Molasses

Noah's Mill: 114-Proof; Aged 15 years; Deep Copper; Tastes of Butterscotch, Vanilla, Citrus, Pecans, and Brown Sugar

And then we were told that we were going to get a sample of pure Rye Whiskey that the distributor had just received that morning - hot damn! Bonus Booze is one of our favorite daily life surprises!!!

Bonus Booze: High West Whiskey Rendezvous Rye; 92-Proof; Age Confused because it's a blend of a 6-year 95% Rye and a 16-year 80% Rye; Amber; Tastes of Spicy Cinnamon, Caramel, Honey, Mint, and Vanilla. This baby won a double gold medal at the 2008 World Spirits Competition ... just another reason I wish we lived somewhere other than Stinktown. An interesting note about this Rye - it's made in Park City, Utah. Maybe I'm the only one who thought it was odd that in a fairly dry state someone has established a first-rate distillery ... but then again maybe it's not so odd after all - Lynchburg, Tennessee is a dry county and they push out barrels and barrels of Jack Daniels on a daily basis.

Jay and I were in complete agreement about the bourbons that we liked best: Jefferson's, Four Roses Small Batch, and the Rendezvous Rye. We liked the Rye so much that we bought a bottle at the end of the event because, as I rather tipsily explained to Jay, this would allow us to make the perfect sazerac at home since we already have the Absinthe and the Peychaud's bitters! Jay told me later that he was quite impressed with my ability to recall the drink recipe after downing all that bourbon, especially since I'm so forgetful in everyday life. Perhaps bourbon has amazing restorative powers when it comes to my memory?!

Bourbon times three!


Our appetizers for the evening were wonderful and creative; I will list them out and then give you the pleasure of looking at the pretty pictures - they are listed in the order in which they were served.

Maple Cured Smoked Trout Salad with Preserved Lemon; Rosemary Grilled Chicken Salad with Belgian Endive and Blood Orange; Harvest's Specialty Canadian Bacon on a Toasted English Muffin with Brick Cheddar and a Quail Egg; Smoked Venison Sausage on Crispy Grits with Dried Cherry Relish; Butternut Squash Custard with Parmesan Crisp and Balsamic Reduction; Pork Rillettes on a Garlic Crouton with Apple Butter; Honey-Vanilla Foie Gras Terrine on Brioche Toast with Candied Orange Zest; and Candied Bacon with a Toasted Pecan Gremolata.

Jay and I agreed that most of these were pretty good; of them all we thought the Butternut Squash Custard was the least memorable - it was just very bland and no amount of balsamic could save it. From my perspective I didn't care for the Rosemary Grilled Chicken Salad (too many nuts) nor did I like the Pork Rillette which just had a very strange taste to me that was not at all pleasant. The winners of the night were the miniature Quail Eggs Benedict, the Foie Gras Terrine, and the Candied Bacon!!

Trout Salad on a Chip and Chicken Salad on Endive


Same as the above but look at the Quail Egg Benedict!


Butternut Squash Custard, Pork Rillette, and Venison Sausage


Candied Bacon and Foie Gras Terrine


The Quail Egg Benedict was amazing ... in part because of its dollhouse-like serving size, but also because the taste was simply incredible. Everyone at our table agreed that it was just a wonderful little treat and we all would have liked to have had more. Unfortunately the appetizers were limited to one each, per guest. The Candied Bacon was actually more like a slab of pork belly but this was amazingly good - the perfect mix of sweet and salt - and not at all fatty like the pork belly that the Leather Meat Puppet served at his signature dinner back in October. And was I ever pleasantly surprised by the Foie Gras Terrine! When we tried terrine at Bistro Paris a few years back neither one of us cared much for it ... cold liver gacked us both out and we decided that our preference was for seared fatty liver, preferably served with some fruit. I don't know why we liked this version so much, unless it was because it was served at room temperature; all I know is that it had a wonderful, mild flavor with just a hint of sweetness and it was so smooth and buttery that I'd be willing to eat it again!

I mentioned earlier in this post that we were able to purchase a bottle of the Rye - the gentleman leading the tasting was no dummy ... give people a minimum of eight half-ounce shots of bourbon with an option to try more of their favorite(s) and they will invariably want to buy something at the end of the event! He gave everyone a $5 per bottle discount for each purchase so we bought the Rye and we bought another bottle of Jefferson's because we had exhausted our supply mulling cider for everyone over the holidays.

Bendy saves her biggest smile for booze!

I have to admit, it wasn't in our original plans to stay and have dinner at Harvest that night, but Jay and I both felt that it was in our best interests to do so. See, after the first three shots of bourbon we were both "feelin' fine!" I distinctly remember saying that I wasn't even cold any longer. After the next three shots and a refill on the Four Roses Small Batch I looked across the table at three Jasons and said, "Buddy, if we don't stay for dinner I don't think I'm going to know which one of you to go home with."

And just like that it was settled. Luckily we were seated right away and it was our good fortune that Harvest was offering their Restaurant Week special which was any three menu items for $25 or any four menu items for $30 - that's a steal! And Harvest is one of the best restaurants in the St. Louis area - it won't wow you with its decor but the service and menu more than make up for its plain appearance. And isn't that what we all want?

Of course it is! And for any of you friendies out there who may happen into Stinktown some day ... if you have the time, get yourself to Harvest for a wonderful meal made with fresh local ingredients - it will be worth the visit.

As for our dinner, for some reason Jay and I both decided that we needed more alcohol ... like we hadn't already had enough ... hahaa! Jay opted for a glass of red wine but I spotted a specialty drink on the cocktail menu and had to order it: The Highlands Scotch Cooler! It was made with Glenfiddich 12-year Scotch, Lillet, Navan Vanilla Liqueur, and a splash of Grand Marnier and served on the rocks. This was a terrific drink and as soon as I get my hands on some Lillet I'm going to try making it here at the house - who doesn't like a drink that's comprised of four different types of alcohol???

Highlands Scotch Cooler

To start the meal, Jay and I both ordered soup ... I went with the Butternut Squash Soup with an Apple Muffin and Cinnamon Creme Fraiche. Jason requested the other soup on the menu that evening: Smoked Cauliflower Soup with Pickled Vegetables and Olive Crostini. Oh, imagine the horror when the waitress had to tell Jay that they were out of the Cauliflower soup!!! I felt bad for him because once again, something he tried to order while we were out was suddenly unavailable, but Jay is a trooper and just switched to the Butternut Squash soup instead. And I don't think he was disappointed because this soup was wonderfully rich and delicate, although a little more like a puree than an actual soup. Regardless, it was warm and sweet and spicy and so delicious that we were both trying to find acceptable ways to lick our respective bowls clean.

Harvest also provided wonderful fresh, warm bread for us to enjoy with two different spreads: Bean Paste (tastes like Hummus!) and Brown Sugar Butter (tastes like Yum!).

Bean Paste Spread and Brown Sugar Butter

Fresh Bread


Amazing Butternut Squash Soup


When it came time to select our second course there was never any doubt as to what I was going to select: MEAT BUTTER!!! Yes Virginia, there's still a Stinktown restaurant with the stones to serve foie gras!! So I ordered the Pan Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Brioche French Toast, Candied Kumquats, and Star Anise Gastrique. What can I possibly say to convey to you all the depths of my digestive joy? We haven't had foie gras since April 2009 and this was just as good, just as smooth, just as buttery, as we hoped it would be. Our only complaint was that there wasn't more on the plate because we both wanted to eat it!

Foie Gras ... is that a celestial choir I hear?


Jay selected the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese made with Fontina Cheese and Creamy Lobster Sauce. I have to say, although I'm not a big fan of lobster in general this was really tasty. It was very creamy but not sticky and had nice chunks of lobster meat and just a hint of spice. If meat butter hadn't been available I would have chosen this as my runner-up appetizer.

Lobstah Mac-n-Cheese


While waiting for our entrees to arrive, Jay and I were being silly (what's new?) and we each posed with a bottle of the bourbon we'd purchased. Only Jason's was worth sharing - mine was just scary. Here you see him listening to the sweet, siren song of Jefferson's ...

What's that? You want me to drink you???


Jason selected the Heirloom Pork Mixed Grill which included Pork Tenderloin, Braised Pork Belly, and Choucroute with Cinnamon Sauce and Apple Butter. I had a taste of the tenderloin and thought it was amazing - tender and bursting with spicy sweetness!

Pork Trifecta!


I decided to order Harvest's evening special for my dinner: Beef Tenderloin with Spinach and Parmesan Cheese Polenta. There were also two sauces, one of which I believe was a wine reduction, but I requested them served on the side since the Crohn goblin is not a fan of sauce (he doesn't seem to mind bourbon, though!). The meat was prepared medium, just as I'd requested, and it was wonderfully flavorful and tender. And the polenta was awesome - creamy with just a hint of cheesy bite to it. I only finished half of this - the eight appetizers from the bourbon pairing finally caught up with me I suppose!

Beef Tenderloin and Polenta


Harvest is famous for their amazing bread pudding and on any other night we would have ordered some along with a cheese plate, but even remorseless eating machines have a threshold, and we'd reached it. Still, it was an amazing meal and a really fun and informative bourbon tasting. We skipped away from Harvest that night as warm and happy as it's possible to be in Stinktown in January with snow falling from the skies. Harvest remains one of the best small, locally owned restaurants in St. Louis - we give it our highest rating: Monstrous Fine!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year my dear food-n-booze loving friends! My wish for you all is that 2010 be a year filled with love, laughter, prosperity, good health, and fabulously tasty food and drink.

Jay and I were recently forced to change up some of our vacation plans for this year due to work issues, so much to our disappointment we had to cancel the September 2010 transatlantic cruise leaving from Barcelona, Spain docking in Port Canaveral, Florida two weeks later. This was a rather bitter pill to swallow but it has been sweetened somewhat by the plans we've tentatively put together for the upcoming year.

February 2010 - we're going to San Diego to visit with our DIS-friendie Kabuki and her wonderful hubby Jason. We've never been to San Diego and Jay's never even been to California. Things we're planning to do: Sunday brunch at the Hotel de Coronado, seeing the sights in Balboa Park, and a day-trip to Disneyland!!! We can't wait to see our friends and visit a new city!!

May 2010 - we're spending a week in Vegas for the hubby's 40th birthday! We've also planned it so that we will be there during Vegas Uncorked so we will have an opportunity to experience a totally different food and wine festival. For his big birthday giftie, I'm taking Jay to the Mansion for dinner. The Mansion is Joel Robuchon's oooh-la-la restaurant at the MGM Grand - this place has been awarded three Michelin stars, that's how good it is. There is no question about what we're having for dinner: the sixteen-course tasting menu! Oink Oink, baby; Bendy loves you!!

We're also planning on dining at Stripsteak (that sounds naughty, doesn't it?); Fleur de Lys (Hubert Keller); Serendipity; a fabulous sushi place as yet to be determined, and the rest is up in the air. We may even try to attend the Grand Tasting event through Vegas Uncorked ... it's supposed to be pretty damn good!

October 2010 - the return visit to WDW and Epcot's 15th Annual Food & Wine Festival that wasn't supposed to happen because we were going to be on a cruise. We've got ten nights booked at our all-time favorite October stomping grounds: The Beach Club Villas!!! Our annual passes don't expire until the end of the month and we've got some Southwest Airlines gift cards to pay for airfare - this trip was just meant to be. No milestone birthday this year so I'm not ordering a custom-made birthday cake or hosting a wee get-together, but rumor has it that there are Ditch meets in the works already. Jay and I will be more than happy to join everybody in the Ditch for a margarita or five ... I promise not to spill water all over everything this time!

Big hugs and best wishes to you all - make 2010 the best year you can and don't forget to laugh!

Did Someone Say Food? And Beer? Sign Us Up!!!

Food & Beer Pairing; Provisions Gourmet Market; Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Having previously tried one of the wonderful Food & Wine pairing classes being offered by Provisions Market in conjunction with Angela Ortmann (http://www.stlwinegirl.com/), Jay and I were more than happy to hand over the remnants of our vacation fund in order to experience the same type of format paired with glorious beer. Once again, the price per person to attend was $25, an incredible bargain considering the tastiness of the food and the generosity of the beer samples ... of which there were seven.

The first beer of the evening was their reception beer ; this made Jay and me both very happy because we didn't even know there was going to be a reception. They offered everyone a small glass of Bell's Winter White Ale - Bell's is located in Michigan, in case you were curious. This beer was nice and light but also had a bit of spice to it - it tasted great. And the staff was terrific about offering refills to those guests who wanted a bit more. Bravo and thank you for your generosity!

The Winter White was the only beer that I neglected to photograph - abject apologies to you all for my shortcomings!

Our first course once had all managed to seat ourselves was a Fontina & Arugula Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette paired with Cantillion Saint-Lamivus (Belgium). They served the beer in a champagne flute and you will see from the picture below that it looks a bit like a sparking wine - it reminded me of a darker, heavier, more sour version of Rosa Regale. It's actually a Lambic and definitely had a tart, sour taste that I found unappealing. However, once paired with the blackberry vinaigrette used on the salad it transformed into a very smooth, lightly fruity tasting beverage that I really enjoyed.

This was the first time I'd ever tried a Lambic, which is brewed only in a certain region of Belgium near Brussels. The beer is produced by spontaneous fermentation if my notes are correct, and that is what gives the stuff its distinctive dry, somewhat sour taste.

Silence of the Lambics


Fontina & Arugula Salad


Our second course featured two beers, both IPAs, paired with Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. I am not a fan of IPAs - India Pale Ale - they are usually bitter and very hoppy and I just don't enjoy the flavor. We were served two of them to demonstrate a point, which was that while most IPAs need food to mellow their intensity some actually are drinkable (and tastier) without food. Color me surprised when I tested this theory and found it to be true. Who would have guessed that the Scientific Method could be applied to beer tasting? HAHAHA!!

The first beer pictured below is Southern Tier IPA (New York) - this one was puckered fish-lips bitter. To each his own but I don't see how people can drink a beer like this without some kind of food to cut that taste. The second beer pictured is the Avery DugganA Double IPA (Colorado) - and for some reason I liked this one a lot better on its own than I did with food. Just call me a fickle mush head.

Southern Tier IPA

Avery DuganA Double IPA


The first IPA definitely tasted better with food, especially something spicy like the gumbo pictured next. While the flavor of this dish was good, I didn't really care for it and thought the rice was undercooked. It was my least favorite dish of the entire evening. Strangely enough the second IPA didn't taste nearly as good to me with food as it did without. Like I said, earlier ... fickle mush head!

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo


Next up was Wiener Schnitzel with Gruyere Spatzle paired with Great Divide Tripel Belgian Style Ale (Colorado). The beer is pictured below and was one of our favorites - initially sweet it had a slightly bitter aftertaste which wasn't nearly as noticeable with food.

Great Divide Tripel


You will no doubt notice that I neglected to mention a third food item with our wiener schnitzel. Actually I didn't forget - there was no mention of a fried egg anywhere on the menu and it was a complete surprise. The presentation reminded us of a dinner item we had at Le Atelier in Las Vegas last year in a deconstructed / reconstructed kind of way! And just to show you all that I harbor no illusions about myself ... I thought wiener schnitzel was some kind of sausage ... I had no idea that it was some kind of flat meat dipped in bread crumbs and fried. You can laugh - I did - but since I don't eat German food all I can tell you is that the word wiener only means one thing in my world and it's usually prefaced by the words Oscar Meyer!

I loved the egg and thought the schnitzel was OK - the spatzle wasn't very good. By the time it was served it had congealed a bit and was lukewarm. In a word: gacky!

Wiener Schnitzel, Spatzle & Egg


Our fourth and favorite course came next: Baby Bison Burger with Tomato Relish paired with Morke Beer Here Pumpernickel Porter (Denmark). When Jay and I think porter we usually think dessert, so this pairing surprised us but it worked really well. And thumbs up on the bison burger because it was awesome - tender, juicy, and flavorful without being overpowering. The sweetness of the tomato relish worked really well with the porter. Once grilling season gets here (c'mon May!!!) I think we're going to have to try grilling some of Jay's signature ground-round wine burgers with a side of porter!

Pumpernickel Porter

Bison Burger with Cheese

The evening finished with dessert: Chocolate Bread Pudding with Vanilla Bean Mousse paired with Dieu du Ciel "Aphrodisiac" (Quebec). I had high hopes for this dessert and was a little disappointed - the bread pudding was pre-formed into something resembling a cupcake and its texture was cakey rather than light and custardy as I've come to expect. And you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought vanilla cream mousse was ... ummmm, I dunno, vanilla in color as well as taste. That mousse looked and tasted an awful lot like chocolate to me! It was good but not nearly as good as it could have been; then again, for the price, I shouldn't really complain too much. As for the beer, it was served two ways: slightly warmed and in a cute little plastic coffee cup and chilled in a champagne flute. The point behind doing this was to draw our attention to the fact that the aroma and taste of the same beer were very different when served at varying temperatures and can be used to complement food accordingly. It was a cool idea that we'd never considered but I guess it makes a lot of sense now that I think about it since the Europeans don't usually drink their beer chilled like we crazy Amerikanskis do.

Warmed beer

Chilled Beer

Chocolate Bread Pudding with "Vanilla" Mousse


They gave away cool beer glasses as door prizes - everyone was told to grope the underside of his / her chair and those lucky few would win a giftie. Woo hooty hoo ... Jason and I both had a golden ticket! We were nice, though, and gave one away to some people sitting at the table next to us - no need to be greedy after all. So check out our cool pair of glasses below!

We also bought two bottles of beer from the evenings program: The Great Divide Tripel and the Pumpernickel Porter. We also bought a full-sized bottle of Navan because I tried it last month while we were on vacation and liked it so much I needed to have some for our home bar. Navan is made by Grand Marnier - it's Madagascar Vanilla infused Cognac and it's quite the taste treat, especially if warmed up just a wee bit to release the vanilla. And it smells really good, too!

Tripel

Porter

Navan

Sushi in Stinktown - We Have a Winner!!!

After what has felt like an eternity, Jay and I finally found a decent sushi place not very far from our homestead on the outer fringes of Stinktown. Kitaro Bistro of Japan has been in business for at least a year but for some reason we never dined there - probably because of our snooty bias against purveyors of sushi in Stinktown, most of whom just can't compare with the fishie culinary joys we've experienced in Florida. The restaurant has a sushi bar as well as a main dining room and a hibachi area. They also have an extensive bar menu with a nice selection of sakes, which we will no doubt have to sample when we pay them another visit.

Honestly, we didn't know whether to laugh or cry when we first entered the restaurant - the hostess asked us if we were there for the all-you-can-eat buffet.

BLEH, NO!!!

We're here for sushi and nothing but sushi; seat us at the bar and let us rrrrrevel in the rrrrrrraw and wrrrrrigling fishes that taste so good nobody can eat just one order. It was really kind of sad ... all the patrons there were gorging themselves at the buffet which was mostly fried foods, some of which I'm not even sure were Japanese. Jay and I were the only two people at the sushi bar and apparently the only two people in the entire restaurant ordering sushi. And let me tell you ... we ordered sushi!!

Actually, before we ordered sushi we ordered a drink - a potent and very tasty beverage called the Volcano for Two. For the bargain price of $13 we were served a huge bowl filled with light rum, dark rum, triple sec, pineapple & orange juices, Meyers dark rum, Creme de Almond, and a splash of Flaming Bacardi. It's hard to tell from the pictures I took, but the shot of rum was ON FIYAH!!!

We loved this drink - it was potent and tasty and so much fun to share, especially with straws that were something like two feet long.





Once the alcohol was taken care of, we placed the first of our two sushi orders. In the picture below there is salmon, tuna, and hamachi nigiri, a spicy tuna roll (four pieces on either side of the platter near the nigiri), a pink lady roll (four pieces on either side on the back of the platter), and a rainbow roll.

The Spicy Tuna Roll included tuna, cucumber, green onion, mayo, smelt roe, and spicy sauce. It was very good and not nearly as spicy as I thought it was going to be. The Rainbow Roll, which is something we order almost every time we go out for sushi, was a traditional California Roll wrapped with salmon, shrimp, tuna, red snapper, and avocado. While this was tasty, I thought it was actually the weakest entry on the plate; it just didn't wow me like it has when we've tried it at other sushi places. However, the Pink Lady Roll made up for it - the roll was smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, tamago, and black caviar wrapped in soybean nori instead of seaweed. I am a big fan of the soybean wrapper because it's much easier on my tender tummy and we always try to order at least one roll like this when we can. Our only complaint with this particular roll was that it was a bit heavy on the cream cheese, which we though overpowered the rest of the ingredients. The nigiri, by the way, was everything that I hoped it could be and more.

We were so happy with the first batch of fishie goodness that Jay and I decided to place a second order ... cause we're incredible hogs and that's just how we roll. The picture below includes another soybean nori roll - the Yellow Rock, which was crab rolled with crab, smelt roe, scallion, and spicy sauce. This was good, but for some reason this time it was incredibly spicy so I didn't eat much of it - I don't think Jay minded finishing this one on his own. We also ordered two more pieces of tuna nigiri, two pieces of smoked salmon nigiri, and one piece of eel nigiri. The tuna was wonderful - sweet and light - but I didn't like the smoked salmon at all; it was too salty and fishy for me. And while I'm not opposed to eel I don't really like it very much so Jay had that one all to himself as well.

The last item we ordered was all for the hubby because I knew he wanted to try something weird and scary that I wouldn't necessarily enjoy. To that end he chose the King Kong Roll which was soft shell crab, cooked shrimp, asparagus, crab stick, and radish sprouts topped with eel sauce and spicy mayo. He loved this and said it was incredibly tasty. I, of course, didn't try it; my favorite type of sushi remains nigiri and I don't care for rolls that have a lot of sauce ... I am not, and never have been, a sauce kind-of-girl. But for those of you who enjoy some sauciness with your fishies this would be a terrific selection for you.

All in all we felt that Kitaro gave us everything we've been looking for in a local sushi joint - good service, fresh fish, and lots of variety. We definitely plan on dining here again when we start jonesin for the raw fishies again.

Spanish Wine Dinner

Ya Ya's EuroBistro - Saturday, September 26th, 2009; Chesterfield, MO

After years of traveling to other cities for wine dinners and booze tastings and yum-yums and generally tasty treats, I finally realized that Stinktown might actually have a few establishments that offered similar culinary entertainments. My research over the past six months or so has led us to some wonderful meals as well as some that we'd just as soon never speak of again. This particular dinner came to my attention, through of all places, the Stinkown Post Dispatch. Somewhat skeptical I called the restaurant only to find out that yes ... they were hosting a five-course dinner for $55 per person and miracle of miracles it was going to be held on a Saturday night!!!

Well, split us in half and call us a party of four because this time we're bringing friends!

And of course, being the worry-wart that I am, I promptly began to develop knots in my tummy: what if we'd just convinced Anila and her hubby to join us for a dinner that turned out to be something awful like that night at Soulards; what if they totally hated the meal; what if the restaurant served the wine in the wrong glasses??? My fault ... it would totally be my fault because I've been going on forever about how cool it would be if the four of us could share one of these dinners and if it bombed there would be no one to blame but me since I'd chosen it.

I have Grimace to thank for the over-developed sense of responsibility and the accompanying digestive ulcerations.

Just wanted everyone to understand why I was so anxious for this evening to go well. And it did, but we'll get to that momentarily. First, I'd like to share some really cool pictures of the weather at our house that afternoon about an hour before we left. Or, given the way the Crohn goblin has been this month, you might say that the photos are representative of the turmoil in my intestinal tract - haha!!

Stormy Weather ... where's Billie Holiday when you need her?





The storm didn't end up being nearly as bad as it looked - no cloud rotation thank goodness - but it produced some wicked lightning and thunder and a heavy downpour for about 30 minutes. Two of the neighborhood kids were out playing stick-ball while this unfolded and another child, only about four years old, was driving her motorized kiddie jeep around the cul-de-sac while holding an umbrella over her head. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the sight - on the one hand she presented a really comical image, but on the other hand that umbrella was an electrical conductor that could turn her into baby-shish-ka-bob in a heartbeat. What happened to the days of parents telling their children it's not safe to play outdoors in a thunderstorm, especially with lightning forking across the sky?

Thankfully no one on our street was turned into a Post Toastie by a random lightning strike on this day. Jay and I were able to leave the confines of outer Stinktown and cross the river with light hearts and empty bellies. Anila and Artan were already pulled up to the bar by the time Jay and I arrived, and we quickly joined them. Jay started the evening off with STELLLLLLAAAAA and I opted for a Manhattan. Mmmm, the bartender made a wonderful drink - not flat or flavorless or weak - strong with just a hint of sweetness.

There is one thing about these dinners that annoys me and it's this: they all indicate that there is a reception in the thirty minutes leading up to dinner being served, yet the only reception I've ever seen has been the party at the bar that Jay and I and our friends make. The word reception implies that there may be a free drink in the offing or perhaps a platter of passed yummies - if you're really lucky maybe it will be both; but to arrive in time for the reception only to find there isn't one is as frustrating as walking with a rubber crutch.

After spending some time chatting with our friends, we decided that we should grab a table and were promptly seated by one of the wait staff at a lovely, comfy booth that easily sat all four of us. I asked permission to post a picture of Anila and Artan so everyone can see what a handsome couple they are. Anila and I met at work - we've been in the same department for just over six years - and she is a great co-worker and friend. She and her hubby are originally from Albania and the history geek in me always wants to pepper them with questions about life in the former Soviet Union but then I worry that I'm being too nosy so I don't ask very much. They are also very accomplished and talented cooks; take it from Jay and Bendy, who have been treated to a meal ala' Anila and Artan, these two could open a restaurant and knock your socks off with their culinary and artistic skill. Jay and I are decent cooks, but these two put us to shame - they can cook.



It's Jay and Bendy ... getting ready for a pre-Food and Wine Festival gastronomic test run!



The first wine of the evening was Vina Esmerelda and for all intents and purposes was a Moscato. I found this to be an interesting choice because in our world, Moscato is usually a dessert wine ... not always, mind you, but a lot of the time. It wasn't a bad wine, but because it was being served in the "joker" glass ... read: not Reidel or even a proper flute or Riesling glass ... it didn't have much of an aroma. I didn't find the taste very appealing either, until the first course arrived.

And speaking of the first course, it was just what you might expect for a Spanish wine dinner: Tapas! In the picture way below all this text you will see a plate with four items - from left to right they are: Spanish Flatbread, Caracoles on Tomato Toast; Crab and Chiles; and Cured Ham with Peaches. In regard to the last item the menu indicates peaches but we all agreed that we were served pears rather than peaches, which are pretty much out of season by now.

While I liked the flatbread, I did have to pick out the anchovies and pass them over to Jay. I tried anchovies a long time ago and just didn't care for them - too salty and too hairy. I didn't touch the tomato bread tapas at all because it was loaded with s-car-go and Bendy doesn't do snails. Checking out was was left on my plate I reached for the folded, thinly sliced cucumber stuffed with crab and garnished with a cute little cherry tomato slice. Confidently I popped that whole sucker into my mouth and proceeded to chew. I then felt it was my sworn obligation to warn my tablemates that that crab had been spicy and I did so, while coughing and wheezing and drinking lots of cool water.

They all looked at me like I was a fool ... which I am.

"It's supposed to be spicy - it reads on the menu that it's crab and chiles."

"I guess I forgot. I didn't see any chiles when I picked it up."

Jay points at his plate and says, "That red garnish is a chile slice."

My eyes bugged out of my head and I said, "I thought it was a baby tomato! I ate the whole thing!"

The rest of the table dissolved into laughter. And who can blame them? I swear it was an innocent mistake. For one thing, I don't eat chiles because the Crohn goblin and spicy foods loathe each other and I don't like the aftereffects of their intestinal smackdown. For another, the lighting was a little on the dim side and I really don't see well; I think that mistaking a chile slice for a cherry tomato slice is perfectly reasonable for a woman who can't see past the end of her nose without prescription magnifying glasses. Once I was able to breathe properly I laughed, too; and we all agreed that the tapas was a lovely and unexpectedly amusing start to the meal. It was flavorful and colorful and definitely had us looking forward to the next course.

Our second course was listed as Missouri Aquaculture; this translated to the following: Fresh Water Blue Shrimp, Golden Trout, Heirloom Tomatoes (no chiles?), Late Summer Beans, Saffron, Chiles (I knew it was too good to be true!) and Olive Oil. This was served with a wine called Nora Albarino - a Spanish white wine that pairs really well with seafood. It was on the dry side but I find that as I get older I like that in a white wine.

As for the dish, I had a hard time eating it because the shrimp was still in the shell - it was a generous portion for sure but it didn't take long for Jay and I to decide that I'd better pass on this one or I was likely to end up eating shrimp shells because of the dim lighting. And eating a shell usually leads to disaster the likes of which you do not want to hear about. I really enjoyed the trout - it was light and sweet and a real taste treat. Jay liked this course a lot, especially the giant shrimp which he said was crispity and crunchity with lots of creepy feelers attached for effect.



A little surprise showed up at the table after we had finished the second course. It certainly didn't qualify as a palette cleanser ... I suppose we could call it a reverse amuse bouche. You can't tell from the picture below, and neither can I, but we were each served a skewer that had lightly breaded lamb tongue, lamb balls, and lamb liver.

Yes, I said balls ... as in this lamb was of the male persuasion.

I am not a big lamb eater ... just don't care much for the taste which to my relatively unsophisticated palette has a very strong, pronounced, almost gamey flavor. But I'd promised Jay that I would at least try everything placed before me this evening and so I went ahead and took a nibble of the tongue. It wasn't bad ... almost reminded me a bit of foie gras. Next up ... the balls! These were also surprisingly good; pardon the cliche but they tasted like chicken. And finally, the liver which was dense and heavy and just not to my liking one single bit.

Jay commented that the liver was quite distinct in flavor - something that people would either like or not like ... no middle ground. And in case you were wondering ... he liked the liver just fine as well as the other two "leftover" pieces that we Americans typically don't want anything to do with.



The third course was Ozark Mushrooms: Shiitake & Oyster Varieties with Aged Cows Milk Gouda, Farm Egg, and Smoked Pimenton Essence served with a Sierra Cantabria Rioja. Awwwww, crap! I may have agreed to try everything but I draw the line at mushrooms ... I already swallowed a chile by mistake and I just ate the private parts off a lamb, surely that counts for something? I hate mushrooms ... loathe, despise and abhor them ... never shall they cross my lips.

I will admit that I did enjoy the presentation, however; first the bowl with all the ingredients was placed before us and we were sternly advised not to touch anything because the the soup was on its way. Then our server returned with a tray of small, metal creamer pots and proceeded to pour steaming, mushroom-ey broth into the bowls. I did take a small taste of the broth and found it far too salty and rich for my taste; Jay finished two bowls of soup and pronounced them "so shroomy; so good!"

The wine, for what it's worth was a fruity Spanish red with what seemed to me a medium body; I really enjoyed it and thought it tasted great even without food.

The fourth course was Heritage Pork: Slow Cooked Pork, Heirloom Legumes, Handcrafted Bacon, Spanish Chorizo, and Wilted Greens served with Abadia Retuerta Rivola. By the way, the Stinktown translation for this dish is "Fancy Schmancy Pork and Beans." I took three shots of this one because it contained so much stuff that it was impossible to show it all with one picture.

This was really tasty and a very imaginative take on a traditional American comfort food; I especially enjoyed the chorizo sausage which Jay introduced me to a few years ago - it's spicy, but it's a mild spice and it has great flavor. Jay ended up finishing much of this course for me because it was just a little too rich and heavy for me and my tender tummy. The wine ... the rivola ... was excellent; a deep, dark red with lots of fruit and spice. It was definitely heavier than the previous red but I still liked it quite a bit. For you wine drinkers out there who enjoy big red wines I think you would like this one.

And finally there was the conclusion: Dessert Tapas which included Honey Nougat, Almond Cookies, Blue Cheese, and Raisin Ganache with Sandeman Oloroso Sherry. Jay and I also each ordered a cappuccino and they were fabulous - those almond cookies tasted great after soaking in their cappuccino bath. I don't recall much about the nougat but the ganache was too sweet and lumpy. And I know you guys will think I'm yanking your chains but I actually liked the blue cheese with the sherry the best of everything on my plate. And let me tell you about the sherry ... it was bliss! I'm not usually a fan of sherry ... I prefer tawny port ... but this was lovely. A gorgeous amber color with hints of gold, I thought it tasted like warm honey - smooth and slightly sweet. I would definitely buy a bottle of this to keep in the house ... as soon as space becomes available!

We were among the last guests to leave that night - the chef stopped by to talk with us for a bit; he was especially interested to know our thoughts on the surprise plate of "spare parts." The manager also stopped by to tell us that they were hosting a German Beer Dinner in late October. At first Jay and I were tempted to reserve a spot, but the menu is way too weird and funky for me to enjoy. We are holding out for the dinner Ya Ya's is supposed to host in November that will feature French wines ... we loves us some French wines baby, so as long as Jay doesn't have to work we're going to strap on our feedbags and chow down! We're hopeful that Anila and Artan will want to join us for this next culinary adventure ... I will do my best not to embarrass myself or them by eating garnishes best left undigested.

All I can say is that this is the best wine dinner Jay and I have attended since we went to one that Oceano Bistro hosted back in April. Everything was as good as I hoped it could be - wonderful and attentive service; imaginative and well prepared food; great presentation; and a personable management team. Ya Ya's is on our short list, and that's saying something, especially in Stinktown.