Sausage Party...

Yes, it's true. Last Sunday afternoon, I was the only girl at the party...sitting at a table with 5 boys.

  

You see, Running Bum threw a party at his house (in honor of one of his friends on his 60th birthday). And, a few weeks ago, the marketing people at al fresco sent me some coupons to try their product and show it to all of you. So to help out on the food preparation, and because I sensed it was a good opportunity to try the different flavor options, I skewered up the sausages with a colorful bunch of vegetables, and we threw them on the grill.

   

The varieties we sampled are pictured below:  

The sausage and vegetable kabobs were the perfect way to try the different flavors. The Sweet Italian sausages had a red and green bell pepper flavor, the Roasted Garlic had a more mild flavor, and our favorite, the Roasted Pepper and Asiago had a great red bell pepper flavor with just a touch of cheese. The sausages were flavorful enough on their own, so I am happy we tried them this way and not disguised in a complicated recipe. The bonus is that each sausage is an average of 140 calories. And I am always looking for a calorie bargain.

  

It was fun afternoon. The party guests are all runners, and it was very entertaining to hear their stories, since I am kind of a beginner at the sport. All the food we served was Paleo, because two of the guests besides RB and myself already follow the diet. We also dined on pork and blueberry meatballs (recipe to come), a huge salad, and prosciutto-wrapped melon. Dessert was some 80% chocolate and bacon-wrapped dates. RB and I really love to entertain and cook for others!

 

To learn more about al fresco, you can find them on Facebook here, and you can follow them on twitter here.

Cakegrrl's BevMo 5¢ Wine Sale Picks!!

 Last Wednesday night, I was a guest at the Arden Beverages and More (BevMo!) for a media event to help promote the 5¢ Wine Sale. This sale has become a reoccurring marketing tool in which BevMo! sells a particular wine for a certain price (for example $12.99) and the customer can purchase the second bottle of wine for 5¢.

This is the first sale of the year and it runs until March 18th. It will feature over 250 wines from labels such as Francis Ford Coppola, Kuleto Estate, and Chalone Vineyard. The bottles will range all over the board in price from as low as $7 to as high as $70 per 750mL bottle. So, if you are a high roller and buying by the case, that means you can get one case of wine at full price and the second case for only 60 cents. 

How did the 5 cent sale begin? Why don't you submit your own creative story? Head over to the BevMo! facebook page and tell them how you think the 5¢ Sale all began. On March 18th, BevMo will pick a winner, and that person will receive a $50 discount card.

Now for a little tasting and my favorites of the evening! I stand behind my picks and recommend them for you to try as well.

The first wine we sampled was the 2010 Arco Magiore Pinot Grigio ($14.99). It was one of my favorites, slightly apricot-ish/peachy, yet fairly dry. Great wine for summer or with a light fish dish.

The next one was a 2009 Silverado Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc (price not listed in my notes) from Napa. It was a total grapefruit bomb, so if that's your style, you would like this one (BF, are you listening?). It would be awesome with Thai food, sushi, or some other sort of seafood.

Oooh, well played BevMo!... getting interesting with a Torrontes. This is a 2011 Ceibo Torrontes ($19.99)--an Argentinian wine, and for me tastes like kind of a mix between Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. The big difference (once again, for me) is that a Torrontes usually smells very floral/"perfumey" compared to a Chardonnay. When I say "perfumey", I mean it in a good way. ;) It's also crisp like a Pinot Grigio, so that is why I drew that comparison. Totally worth a try.

The next two wines are some I ended up choosing to take home with me. First is the 2010 Francis Ford Coppola Director's Chardonnay ($19.99). It is pretty true to a classic Napa Chardonnay: Green apple and light buttery oak. And I kind of (not so secretly) love that style of Chardonnay.

My next favorite wine was the 2009 Schug Pinot Noir. It's a great bargain at $24.99, and then when you get the 2nd bottle at five cents, it's a steal. And, I will let you in on a little secret: This wine tastes even better in my Riedel Pinot Noir glass. It's what I drank last night with dinner. :) It's light to medium bodied and has a lovely bouquet of strawberries and cherries.

Next up, a 2009 Trailhead Zinfandel ($24.99), which for me for the price was just ok, but if you chop it in half with the benefit of the 5¢ Sale, it becomes more than fair. Normally this would probably not be an optimal everyday drinker, but when you cut the price in half, it's totally a pizza wine!

Next on the list is a 2009 Ranch 32 Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.99). It’s a good little wine and scored 90 points with Wilfred Wong. It’s not overly tannic and pretty much a “drink it now” sort of wine. It’s probably not going to improve all that much with age, but hey... Have some fun and buy 2 with the 5¢ Sale, drink one now, and lay one down for later. ;)

I am not sure why we tasted this one last, because it was not really much on the sweet side. It was a Cava Brut Rose by Campo Viejo ($16.99). OK, after thinking about it a bit, maybe I do know why you would drink it last. Because it would be awesome with strawberries and a cheese plate!!

Snacks provided to us by BevMo! were a Picot Brie cheese, Jarlsberg (love) cheese, Carr's Biscuits, La Panzanella mini crackers, and Columbus Dry Salami.

You can find BevMo! on Facebook here and on twitter here. Long live the 5¢ Sale!

Valentine's Food & Drink Picks!!

Here are a few things I have tried lately that sort of fall into the Valentine's category, and since today happens to be Valentine's Day, I would like to share them with you.

Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa

This brand new liqueur combines Patrón Silver tequila, the light essence of coffee and the richness of chocolate.

Distilled at 60 proof, Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa is less sweet than many other coffee liqueurs, and a mix of coffee, chocolate and tequila.

The label and outer box for Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa are dressed in red. You can find Patrón on Facebook here.

Xan Confections

Xan Confections was started by Susan Johnson and Kerry Johnson Anthony of Susan’s Healthy Gourmet. With the combination of chocolatiering creativity and Kerry and Susan’s vision of healthy, Xan created indulgent artisan chocolates, caramels, and other handcrafted treats using distinctive flavors with only the finest, all-natural ingredients. Many of the Xan products are gluten-free. I was sent a few of the CocoXan products to try, a line of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate European-style truffles paired with a selection of nutritionally enhanced ingredients.

The five new product lines include fortified ingredients targeting wellness, heart, brain, pre-natal and pre-menstrual health.

Nutritional enhancements in selected products include vegetarian Life’s DHA, Wellmune WGP, folic acid, a proprietary blend of Vitamins A, C, D3, and E, chasteberry, bilberry, CoQ10 and Kaneka QH.

You can find them on Facebook here and on twitter here.

Oren's Kitchen

Perhaps my favorite line of samples I have been sent lately is the nut packages from Oren's Kitchen. There are four different varieties: Rosemary Almonds, Smoked Paprika Pecans, Indian Ajwain Cashews, and Coconut Chili Macadamias. My favorite are the macadamias. The nut mix is a blend of toasted and shaved coconut, macadamia nuts, some honey for sweetness, and dried Full Belly Farms red chilies are added for a little flavor kick. They are so addictive I could probably eat 2 or 3 bags in one sitting. ;) To order, you can go to their website here.

You can find them on Facebook here and on twitter here.

Emanuel Andrén Chocolates

Emanuel Andrén Chocolates (www.emanuelandren.com) are crafted in the small town of Lilla Edet, located just southwest of Stockholm. The family-owned company has been producing confections since 1868, with recipes passed down from generation to generation. Emanuel Andrén, who has followed in his great-great-great-great-grandfather’s footsteps, transformed the family business since becoming CEO in 2002. Today, Emanuel Andrén Chocolates is recognized as some of the world’s most luxurious chocolates and truffles, each of which is deemed a work of art, with Andrén being named “Pastry Chef of The Year” in his country.

Red Carpet was featured at the 54th and 50th Grammy Awards. The Red Carpet collection makes your successes memorable with elegant chocolate creations that celebrate any occasion.

Rich and Robust is an extraordinary luscious sensory-provoking confection created from a selection of the finest spirits and tobacco with a taste of distinction.

Royal Tribute a Swedish inspired array of noble flavors reaching a new level of sophistication and designed in honor of Sweden Royalty.

Rustic Harmony offers chocolate lovers the creamy and delicious union of chocolate and cheese with a touch of sweet fruit marmalade.

Swedish Strawberries offer fresh aromatic summer berries captured in their purest form to seduce every palate.

You can like Emanuel Andrén on Facebook here, and follow on twitter here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sacramento's Dine Downtown Week: Mayahuel and the best steak ever!!

Hello Sacramento! Welcome to Dine Downtown week! I just want to take a moment of your time to recommend a restaurant that might not yet be that well known. It's called Mayahuel (pronounced Ma-Ha-Kwell) and it's located diagonally from one of my other favorite restaurants, Ella. You've heard of Ella, right?

OK, well back to Mayahuel and Dine Downtown. It starts today and you must try this restaurant. First, they brought out this soup. It was made with nopales, and a little on the spicy side. It was kind of like an amuse bouche. 

During this time, the BF and I made our wine selection for the evening--yes, you can get decent wine in a Mexican restaurant--the Napa Toro Chardonnay. Feel free to like them on Facebook now. ;) Because it was actually pretty good wine. 

I have to give a shout out to our server, Franscisco. He was the epitome of service. So polite, and so genuinely kind.

After meeting us, he presented the two appetizer choices from the Dine Downtown menu. First, was the Eclipse de Sol: it was composed of beets, orange rings in a citrus sauce with pickled onions, peanuts and a touch of oregano. 

Then came the soup, called Flor de Calabaza con Perfume de Tequila: a Creamy Squash Blossom soup with infused tequila. Yes, please! It was topped with tortilla strips, providing a pleasant crunch.

And now, for the stunning entrées. And I am not kidding here, they WERE stunning. I was so blown away with the flavors, the amount of food on the plate, and how perfect everything was cooked.

First, my BF ordered the Mixiotes de Pollo en Adobo Huasteco: Chicken and mushrooms with nopales in a Cascabel & Pasilla chile Adobo sauce, served with white rice and Mexican zucchini slices. The chicken was super tender and the sauce was mild, yet incredibly flavorful. As you can see, the portion was very generous. The wine we chose previously (the Napa Toro Chardonnay) was a great complement to this dish.

And then, let me present to you, the best steak I have ever had in a restaurant, the Ojo de Costilla con Costra de Chorizo Rib eye steak with a chorizo crust, on a bed of seasoned mushrooms in an adobo salsa. I was literally cutting my steak with my fork. It was exquisite, and I am not exaggerating. If you only try one thing off the menu at Mayahuel, please give this a go, (order it rare or medium rare). It will knock your little stockings off! I didn't even mention the chorizo. It was so flavorful and added another dimension to the meal.

And then out came the mariachi band... they were wonderful and the crowd was loving it. I was so pleased to see the restaurant packed around us and everyone was in a convivial mood.

Then it was time for dessert. First, our server Francisco, brought out the Pastel de Queso y Chayote (a Chayote cheese cake and mole in chocolate sauce). Mole is a perfect addition to a dessert because of its components and texture. The chayote works in the dessert because it's a squash and has an inherent slightly sweet taste and tender texture. That being said, I don't think you're gonna find this at the Cheesecake Factory, folks, only at Mayahuel! (Thanks to the BF for tasting the sugary treats).

The other dessert option was the Flan de Chile Ancho. It was a flan made with ancho chiles of all things, and finished with Grand Marnier. It has a beautiful strawberry and blueberry garnish. The BF tells me the combination of the ancho and the Grand Marnier was uniquely flavorful.

So, not only do you get the food I just showed you above, but for the $30, included at the end of the meal, is the 1/2 ounce tequila tasting. Our bartender, Oscar, was extremely knowledgeable and passionate, and had a true encyclopedic knowledge of tequila.

The tequila we tried was the Jose Cuervo Platino, and it was served in a champagne flute in order to provide the best tasting experience. It's truly the stemware that makes all the difference in a tasting. It can really bring out the oaky and fruity notes of a particular wine or beverage. What a nice little digestif, and it was such a treat to get some background information on tequila from Oscar.

If you haven't been to Mayahuel Tequila Museo, you are missing out on a true downtown gem. Dine Downtown week kicks off Monday, January 9th and runs through Wednesday, January 18th. This event is a great way to try out some of Sacramento's finest.

Mayahuel is on Facebook here and on twitter here. To make reservations, you can call them at or check them out on Open Table here.

Sacramento's Dine Downtown Week: Make Blue Prynt Part of Your Plans!

Sacramento's Dine Downtown week kicks off on Monday, January 9th and runs through January 18th, 2012. For 10 days only, local chefs will create special three-course dinner menus for only $30 per person.

“Whether you’re a foodie, experienced restaurateur or someone looking for a little excitement in your diet, Dine Downtown is a great reason to venture out and dine at variety of restaurants that you wouldn’t normally try.” said Megan Emmerling of the Downtown Partnership. “From fine dining restaurants to casual neighborhood spots, we love seeing the participating restaurants flourish during the 10 days of Dine Downtown.”

Last night, I was fortunate enough to preview the menu that Chef Jason Lockard has created for Blue Prynt Restaurant. Before I even show pictures or describe the dishes, I can tell you that the amount of food you get for $30 makes Blue Prynt a steal. Also, it was a lot of fun to go to a place brand new to me, and to see that their menu was widely accessible to people on different diets.

(Click on the image to enlarge).

To begin our meal, we chose the St. Supery Élu, and chatted about the wine with our server Gary (bonus points to Blue Prynt for knowledgable waitstaff). The evening was already off to a great start because the BF and I love to talk wine!! The Élu is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, and was an excellent choice to pair with the main course that was to come.

I wanted to mention that if you opt for the $30 prix fixe, you'll also get big basket of warm garlic bread. My BF and I are gluten-free, so we passed on it in order to leave room for the other courses.

The BF ordered the oysters on the half shell, served with a spicy Thai dressing...

And I ordered the shrimp cocktail, lemon poached jumbo prawns served with a fresh grated horseradish cocktail sauce. I didn't eat a lot of the sauce, because I love fresh seafood by itself, but I really liked that kicked up horseradish flavor!

The additional appetizer option is a Mushroom Basket and is described on the menu as "a mix of sautéed Dragon Gourmet Mushrooms on a bed of house made rosemary garlic bread topped with creamy goat cheese and wrapped in a cumin dusted phyllo dough"

Now do I have your attention? :)

Not only did the prix fixe option include bread and an appetizer, we also had a salad/soup option.
There is a seafood chowder on the menu for a soup choice, but I went with a Caesar Salad, and BF went with a spring mix salad with dill and caper dressing.

For dinner we both ordered the "King of New York", a 12-ounce choice cut strip loin with a crown royal and royal trumpet mushroom chasseur sauce, and served with blue cheese mashed potatoes and green beans. The mashed potatoes aren't truly allowed in my diet, but I still had a few bites of them to try. I really loved the incorporation of blue cheese. I boxed the rest up to make room for the thick cut of steak on my plate! Beef and mushrooms is one of my favorite flavor combinations. So classic and never goes out of style, so good move by the Chef to include it on the Dine Downtown menu. Also, I want to explain that we each got a full entrée for our main course (one 12-ounce strip each) and did not have to share this plate. The BF polished his entire meal off Adam Richman style, but I don't think I made it through 5 ounces before I threw in the towel. 

We also ordered the same thing for dessert (chocolate covered strawberries), so this picture represents what one person receives. We took the other portion home to enjoy later with The Improviser.

The Dine Downtown menu kicks off Monday, but why wait for that? Head into Blue Prynt for dinner tonight. They have a great mix of art on the walls, and even have Chimay on tap! 

Also, there is a Gin Tasting coming up on February 3rd for $12, as well as a Crab Feed on February 11th ($35 for all you can eat.) And if you want to just swing by after a long day at the office, here's a link to their Happy Hour menu. 

Blue Prynt's Facebook page is located here and you can follow them on twitter here.

For a full list of the Dine Downtown participating restaurants and their menus, you can click here.

Evergreen Escapes Wacky Quacky Holiday Lights and Wine Tour

Are you in Seattle for Christmas/New Years or will you be traveling there? If so, I want to tell you about a fantastic holiday venture that will delight any food and wine lover! The Wacky Quacky Holiday Lights and Wine Tour!

Evergreen Escapes has teamed with Ride the Ducks of Seattle, Fall Line Winery, and Maven Meals for a ride through downtown Seattle to view the prettiest light displays, followed by the ultimate food and wine experience at the Fall Line tasting room.

Lights Tour: This is the ceiling of the vehicle. All decked out for the holidays!! The vehicle is semi-open, so bundle up and cover up with the blankets provided in the vehicle (the DUKW 'Duck' -- an amphibious landing craft developed by the U.S. Army during World War II) on the tour.

This is Macy's display, which is right across from the Mayflower Park Hotel where we stayed.

Trees in Occidental Park were dressed in sweaters!

De-boarding the amphibious. I loved this kid's Angry Birds hat.

Then it was into a HEATED caravan :) and onto Fall Line Winery for the food and wine pairing (don't worry, the kid was not on the wine portion of the tour and only there for the duck!)

 

The winery name: The owner of Fall Line, Tim Sorenson, and his wife Nancy Rivenburgh are both avid skiers, and the name Fall Line worked because a perfectly balanced skier will leave behind a "fall line" on a slope.

 

After 4 years of winemaking studies and apprenticeship, they founded Fall Line Winery in June 2003 and in 2004, moved it to the South Seattle neighborhood of Georgetown (its present location.)

Really cool map of Washington AVA's was on the wall.

The tasting room was decorated so pretty with lights and little herb baskets (containing rosemary and sage). The lights in the room were turned down and the tables were lit with candles.

Food (provided by Seattle's Maven Meals) and wine for the evening were set up at three stations. The first station (the Snoqualmic Pass Station) featured this table of appetizers which included locally made Beecher's Cheeses, cured meats, an olive tapenade, and a roasted vegetable spread. The wines for this course included a 2008 Red Mountain Artz Vineyard Bordeaux-Style Blend and a 2008 Yakima Valley Boushey Vinyeard Bordeaux-Style Blend.

 

Tim Sorenson, the winemaker.

At the Crystal Mountain Station, a Carnival Squash Lasagna layered with a sage bechamel sauce and cheeses was served with a garlicky grilled broccoli. This pairing included two more wines, the 2008 Red Willow Vineyard - Yakima Valley and a 2009 El Otro - Yakima Valley Tempranillo with which the BF absolutely fell in love (before he found out it was rated 92 points in Wine Advocate)!

Station 3 was Hurricane Ridge and a Brandied Cranberry Short Rib served with Whipped Garlic Red Skin Potatoes. We sampled this dish while sipping a 2009 Exhibition - Yakima Valley (my favorite wine besides the Tempranillo served at the earlier station, and a blend of 46% cabernet franc, 34% merlot, 16% cabernet sauvignon, 4% tempranillo). The last wine of the evening was the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - Yakima Valley.

Dessert was a duo of Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and a Bittersweet Chocolate Cake. They went over very well with the crowd around me as I had another glass of the Exhibition instead. I really want to stress that no one was left hungry and the portions were sizable. If there was something left on the table and you wanted another taste, you were welcome to have it. The same goes for the wines.

And here's Tim at the end of the evening, adding up all the wine my BF bought!
A whole case of Tempranillo, and another case of mixed wine.

Do you want to get in on this tour and wine/food tasting fun?? There are still seats remaining for December 23rd and December 30th! You can book your experience here. Also, if you are a participant on the Holiday Lights and Wine tour, you will receive a 15% discount on a purchase of three bottles of wine or more.

You can find Evergreen Escapes on Facebook here and on twitter here.

Ride the Ducks is on Facebook here and on twitter here.

Fall Line Winery's Facebook page is here.

Maven Meals is on Facebook here and on twitter here.