Tallahassee Bound? You have to try this place!

Do you have plans to visit Tallahassee, Florida in the near future? Maybe you'll be driving through on your way to visit Mickey and Minnie? Any venture that takes you through Tallahassee should include a stop at Cypress Restaurant for dinner. The orchestrated evening starts immediately as you enter the front door. The inside is decorated well, with a calming effect that is totally conducive to an ultimate dining experience.

We were celebrating a birthday for a very special lady, so we were there to enjoy the evening. I was amused (and impressed) with the layout of their menu. It was divided in sections labeled: LITTLE DISH (appetizers and salads), BOWLS (soups) and BIG DISH (entrees). We ordered a couple of appetizers, specials of the day: Foie Gras and Oysters. For entrees, we ordered Pan-Seared Mangrove Snapper, Sugar Cane Mopped Ribeye, some other fish specials of the day, and the Grilled Lobster Tail Paella. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal, I especially relished the Paella.

Our server, Jonathan, was fantastic! He was quick to answer any questions and was very nice to suggest items to all of us. He steered me in the right direction for sure (Paella). He even made sure that our special birthday lady was given a beautiful birthday dessert. All of this, with flawless presentation! If you have the opportunity to dine at this establishment, please request Jonathan. You'll have a wonderful dining experience.

They are located at:

320 East Tennessee Street

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

(850) 513-1100

You can visit them on the web at: www.cypressrestaurant.com

Cheers,

Gary

You did it… No, you did… Maybe he did it… Or her!

Ever want to have a fun dinner party that involves all of your guests? How about hosting your very own Murder Mystery Dinner? You won’t believe the abundance of information on the web to get you started! One hint: Google it…

I’ve been invited (and so excited to attend) to one in the next couple of weeks. It is called “Pasta, Passion and Pistols”. You can find information (free) on the web or you can purchase them in kits. The kits provide character summaries as well as menus, recipes, invitations, etc. The possibilities are endless! So, next time you want an exciting evening that adds humor and suspense, try a Murder Mystery!

Cheers!

K Syrah...Syrah!

I found this wine that you’ll love! It had a catchy name, so I tried it. Sometimes, it is all in a name, right? I pulled the cork on this one, and immediately poured a glass. Didn’t do much for me at the time, so I decided to let it hang out a while.

I was cooking at the time, so letting it sit on the counter for a few minutes was easy to do. Most times, I’m so tempted to start sipping that it seems like an eternity to let a wine breathe. But, I was able to restrain myself and let it rest for 30 minutes. Wow! What a difference that made. It was like night and day.

This is definitely a wine that you’d want to decant. Don’t worry about purchasing an expensive wine decanter (if you don’t already have one). Sometimes, I use two water pitchers and pour the wine back and forth into each pitcher to let it breathe. And, I have a few of those cheaper (or more economical) wine decanters you can purchase anywhere.

This one is very smooth!

You can find K Vinters on the web at: http://www.kvintners.com/

Cheers!

Easy French! (Food, not the Language). Barefoot Contessa Rocks!

This is probably the easiest Beef Bourguignon recipe out there! I’m a huge fan of Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) on the Food Network. This is her recipe! I’ve cooked a ton of her recipes and they all come out great. I love her! So, I wanted to pass this one to you in hopes that you’d give it a try when craving French food! Enjoy!

Beef Bourguignon

Copyright Ina Garten, All rights reserved

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

1 hr 15 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil

8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced

2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks

2 yellow onions, sliced

2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)

1/2 cup Cognac

1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir

1 can (2 cups) beef broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 pound frozen whole onions

1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For serving:

Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

Orlando dines Prix Fixe for the month of September!

Orlando’s best restaurants at unbeatable prices.

Satisfy your craving for affordable cuisine during Orlando Magical Dining Month, a culinary celebration sure to please your palate and your wallet. Throughout September, select Central Florida restaurants will offer three-course, prix fixe dinners for $20 or $30. Indulge your inner gourmet with an appetizer, entrée and dessert at a variety of casual bistros and upscale dining destinations. Try a different eatery every week. Or every day!

Restaurants will donate $1 from each meal to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

Check out the website for more information and to review the list of participating restaurants:

http://www.orlandoinfo.com/magicaldining/index.cfm

Make your reservations using OpenTable

Cheers!

Gary

Headed to Vermont? Check this out!

If you've ever wanted to go to a ski resort in Vermont, do I have the place for you! It is called Stowe Mountain Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. You won't believe this place. We took a gamble and chose this place from our GPS; can you believe that? And, how lucky were we? We felt like we hit the jackpot.

We secured a room for the evening (only had two left), and settled in to rest a bit before getting dressed for dinner. We had reservations, but went a few minutes early to check out the bar area. It is more than you'd imagine was in a ski lodge. All of the typical appointments only heightened. The bar area looked to be a curve, almost a half circle. The entire top was copper that actually showed the rings where glasses had been sitting. It totally gave it more character; you'd have to see it to appreciate it.

They had an impressive wine list (by the bottle or glass), and even had some of their wines on special (by the bottle) because they were adjusting their wine cellar to offer new/different selections. Now, that's what I call progressive! And, any establishment that offers Jordan Cabernet by the bottle gets my vote!

We settled at our table, which overlooked the outdoor fire pit (which was burning). I had no idea what to expect, but I knew the surroundings were awesome. I started with the Foie Gras Mousse, which was served with crostini and a fruit reduction. My entree choice was a Rack of Lamb with wilted greens and Truffled Mac 'n Cheese! Wow! It was probably the best lamb I have eaten. They actually list many Vermont farms in the area on their menu. All of their menu items (meats, cheeses, etc.) come from these local farmers. It was a treat to know that too. I finished the evening with a wonderful dessert. It was chocolate mousse in a chocolate tart with a white chocolate topping, all of this sitting in a salted caramel sauce. It was divine! The perfect complement of salty/sweet, it was the perfect finish to a perfect evening.

We were only there one night, so before we checked out the next day we decided to have breakfast. The coffee was superb, and the breakfast was even better. I ordered the Eggs Benedict. The eggs were poached flawlessly, and it was probably the best hollandaise sauce I have ever eaten.

This is a MUST if you travel to Vermont. Don't go just during skiing season either, they have activities all year long! In fact, you'd probably want to avoid Christmas week and President's Day week (those are two extremely busy times for the ski lodges). Other than that, take a trip to VT. You will love it.

They are located at:

7412 Mountain Road

Stowe, Vermont 05672

(800) 253-3560

You can visit them on the web at: www.stowemountainlodge.com

Cheers,

Gary

Domaine St-JACQUES

Over the labor day weekend, we decided to take a trip to Albany, NY. While there, we drove north and explored upstate New York and it's beauty. The road sign that teased us with the mileage to Montreal made us decide to keep going. We entered Montreal and had lunch at a little cafe on the street. After some exploring on foot, we decided to get back in the car and head back to New York.

On our way, we saw a sign advertising a winery! Well, who wouldn't want to see that, right? So, we made the exit and drove down some country roads in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. And, there it was! The cutest winery/vineyard you've ever seen. We walked around outside for a few minutes before entering the boutique. There, we found an adorable husband/wife team hosting some tastings to other guests. We enjoyed the building, the equipment, the bottles of wine stacked up in beautiful cabinetry and the french conversation in progress, although we didn't understand a word of it.

The gentleman walked up to us, said something in French and we just looked at him for a second and started to speak in our Southern Drawl English y'all. He quickly scurried away to get his wife. She could speak some english, enough for us to ask a few questions and to sample some wine. They were delightful! The gentleman even escorted the two of us to the cellar to show us the wine storage and all the equipment used to cork, seal & label each bottle. It was definitely a treat.

We purchased a bottle of their red wine and a bottle of their ICE red wine. Both are extraordinary! If you are ever in Canada, just past the border coming in from New York, you must visit this winery. They even let you walk around the vineyard and enjoy all of the surroundings.

Their contact info is:

Domaine St-JACQUES

615 Boul Edouard VII

St-Jacques-le-Mineur (Quebec) Canada

They offer:

Guided tours and tasting

Product on sale at the vineyard.

Only 20 minutes from Champlain bridge!

www.domainest-jacques.com

Cheers!

Gary

Purpose of this Blog!

Hello everyone!

I don't claim to be a wine expert, nor do I claim to be a top-notch chef. However, I can pick out a decent wine and pair it with some wonderful food that I've prepared. Cooking is my passion and it brings me great joy. I travel a good bit, even around the general area where I reside. I'm always looking for new and exciting places to dine!

With that said, the purpose of this blog is to give you the information that I've found. I'll tell you all about great places to eat around this country, share some great wine finds with you and even offer recipes on this site. I'll also give you tips for easy entertaining! Who wouldn't want that?

By reading this blog on a regular basis, you won't have to visit the mediocre establishments. I'll do that for you. This blog won't be used to criticize those less-than-desirable places, but it will be used for a much more positive approach to your grand dining experiences! I'll only send you to the places I think you'd enjoy.

So, if you are curious about a certain city (or region), just send me a note and I'll try to get back to you with some suggestions. If I haven't been there, I'll be honest and tell you that. So, enjoy this blog and I hope to see you here often!

Cheers!

Gary