L'Abbinamento Regional Wine Dinner at Stellina

Unfortunately, Stellina has closed.

Last month I went to an Italian wine dinner at Stellina Pasta Café with each course representing different regions of Italy. STLwinegirl, Angela Ortmann, provided the wine pairings with each course.

It’s so hard to pick favorites since each course was so uniquely different from each other.

As you may know by now, fish and bubbles are always my favorite pairings since both flavors are so light together.

The candied lemon was a sweet treat on the first course along with the Mascapone Ice Cream! I was amazed at the combination!

The lamb tenderloin was another favorite because the meat was so tender and came with a red wine risotto that was fantastic.

I had to pass on the Birkshire Braised Pork Cheek course, especially since it came with brussel sprouts as well.

Luckily, we finished up with a chocolate mousse surrounded by fruity flavors. Amazing.

Amuse:
Flounder Crudo made with Avocado, Cucumber, Apple, Prosecco Fluid Jelly, Puffed Cargo Rice
Paired with Anna Spinato Prosecco

VENETO:
Beet Terrine, Mascarpone Ice Cream, Extra Olive Oil Powder, Golden Beet Puree, Mizuna, Candied Lemon
Paired with Villa Erbice Soave Superiore

SICILY:
Black Olive Capellini
Squid Ink, Fried Anchovies, Pine Nut Brittle, Sweet Chili Sauce, Roasted Shallot Puree
Paired with Acate-Cerasuolo di Vitoria 2008

TUSCANY:
Lamb Tenderloin wrapped in Chicken Mousseline
Red Wine Risotto, Grilled Red Fire Lettuce, Carbonated Grapes, Lamb Demi
Paired with Tenuta Sticciano-Chianti DOCG “Casa La Fornace” 2009

PIEDMONT:
Braised Pork Cheeks, Brussel Sprouts, Cracklins, Sweet Potato Puree, Truffle Marshmallow, Jus
Paired with Riofava-Dolcetto d'Alba DOC 2009

DESSERT:
Chocolate Mousse, Candied Pineapple, Passionfruit Curd, Strawberry & Mint Salad, Roasted Pineapple & Strawberry Sorbet, Chocolate Rocks, Pound Cake Tuille
Paired with De Luca-Passito Rosso IGT “Gocce Del Conte Genoino” 2007

The only disappointment was that I did not get to try anything on Stellina’s original menu so I guess I will just have to go back! I have heard that the lasagna is very good…

Note: Stellina's chef, Jamey Tochtrop, is known for his hand-made agnolotti, a stuffed pasta with panchetta and leeks. To see how they are made, check out this blog post by City in a Jar!

Resources:

Photo by Angela Ortmann

Stellina Pasta Café = http://www.stellinapasta.com/

STLwinegirl = http://www.stlwinegirl.com

STLwinegirl Wine and Cheese Pairing Class

STLwinegirl, Angela Ortmann, is now hosting wine classes at BOTH Whole Foods locations and this month’s class was held out west in Town & Country. This class also had my favorite theme: pairing wine and cheese! I have to admit that I've tasted quite a few cheeses over the last few years, but I never get tired of trying more. There are always new combinations to try!

We started off with a light pairing with one of my favorites: Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam triple crème with a sparkling wine from Argentina. This pairing is something everyone can do at home! Triple crèmes are often popular and bubbles are always fun and refreshing.

I was surprised that the next cheese was a Gorgonzola Dolce because the more pungent cheeses are usually held until the end, but it was paired with a very sweet Traminette from Missouri. I understand that contrasting flavors are sometimes a good balance but the Gorgonzola was way too overpowering. I try to keep Gorgonzola and blue cheeses as small crumbles in a salad in order to rein in the flavor!

I really enjoyed the next two cheeses since both were firm in texture with quite a bit of kick to them, so of course they were paired with red wines. The Heartland Creamery Aged Gouda was paired with a Charles & Charles from Washington State. The Aged Manchego el Trigal was a bit overly salty but luckily it was paired with a spicy Rioja from Spain. With Rioja, I taste a strong pepper flavor so I figured “salt and pepper” must be a good fit!

The last cheese was a Sotocenere, or a truffle cheese, and was definitely the strongest of them all. It really needed a wine with high tannins, and the Chianti from Italy served that purpose well. Both cheese and wine were too much for me so I had to stop after a few bites and sips. I still prefer to stick with my sweet wines!

Resources:

STLwinegirl = http://www.stlwinegirl.com

Whole Foods Town & Country = http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/townandcountry/

Hamburger Mary's

I had heard about Hamburger Mary’s from my foodie friend Beth, who was familiar with the chain. We got the chance to try it out for the first time before seeing West Side Story at the Fox. We got there plenty early just in case, but Sundays don’t seem to be too busy and it was a good time to go. Since we were waiting on friends to join us, unfortunately, we got lost in a shift change or something because it took us a long time to find someone to help us.

At least this gave us a lot of time to look at the menu. Beth suggested the Lobster Mac, which surprised me because I was thinking about burgers all the way. We decided to be smart and split one of each! Much like Bailey’s Range, they give you a lot of “flavors” of burgers for you to pick from and then you can pick your meat: fancy Kobe beef for an extra $6, regular Angus beef, or even turkey, chicken, or fish! There is even a “Brat” patty but I’m not quite sure I’d ever be brave enough to try that.

I talked Beth into the Mushroom burger, although I don’t think there was all that much arm twisting involved. It probably didn’t help that I had a fantastic Mushroom burger at Bailey’s Range so I thought Hamburger Mary’s version was just alright. I prefer a swiss cheese on a mushroom burger so perhaps that was missing, but what it came down to is that the Lobster Mac was FANTASTIC and I would have to get that every time.

I got to try several types of fries and “Tasty Ta-Ta’s” thanks to my friends at the table and due to poor service and a mix up of orders at our table, we got to try the Fried Twinkes for dessert in honor of my friend’s Amy birthday. Talk about decadent! The best part is that they were covered in chocolate, but it was too rich for more than one or two bites after a greasy burger.

If you have plenty of time, you might want to give Hamburger Mary’s a try to say you’ve been but it’s mostly hype with the loud dance music and diner style “look and feel”. There are just too many other good burger places around town.

Resources:

Hamburger Mary’s = http://hamburgermarys.com/stlouis/

Acero

I was super excited about this month’s FEAST tasting (hosted by STLwinegirl, Angela Ortmann) because I had been to Acero a couple of years ago and loved it then, so I was definitely in need of a return visit. The best part of the tasting is that it featured some of the best dishes so I knew what to order for dinner afterwards. Also, all the wines on their list are strictly Italian with quite a few from the Tuscany region.

We started with bubbles and fish, an evenly matched pairing: Smoked Steelhead Trout Crudo with Cavit Prosecco Lunetta. The thinly sliced trout actually tasted like salmon to me and the tartness of the Prosecco helped to cut through the fishy flavor – a good balance.

Next was the Gnocco Fritto (meaning fried), which they call a “meat donut”. I really thought the meat would be inside the “donut” part because it looked like a fried ravioli, but instead the prosciutto was laid on top. I guess you don’t really want the “meat” to get fried too. With all that greasy flavor, it was a good thing that the wine had a crisp flavor to help cut through it. The Le Rote Vernaccia di San Gimignano is not oaky like a Chardonney but perhaps closer to a Chenin Blanc for me in taste.

My favorite course of the night was the Gnudi, a dumpling that tasted exactly like Gnocchi to me! The inside was creamy and dipped in a marinara sauce. This dish ended up being my starter for dinner. The wine paired with it was Zonin Chianti, a slightly dry red that helped to cut through the rich flavors of the gundi. I definitely would not drink Chianti by itself.

Another suggested pairing is the Chianti with the Tagliantelle, which is Acero’s homemade pasta: a fetticini noodle, mixed with wild mushrooms, in a very light cream sauce. Luckily, my friend Beth let me try a couple of bites and it was heavenly. The cream sauce did not overwhelm the dish and the fresh pasta and mushroom flavors really stood out. I definitely would go back just to order that. It’s quite filling so you wouldn’t need much of an appetizer.

The last pairing was a Polenta Bolognese with La Mozza I Perazzi Morellino di Scansano, a very dry red wine. I never would have thought to put polenta with a red, meat sauce, and it was a soupy combination. The meat sauce was a bit too strong for the polenta and the wine overpowered both of them. I am thinking the wine would go better with the rack of lamb, another recommended pairing, and I had my eye on my friend Tony’s order across the table. Just might have to order one of everything next time?

Upon recommendation, I knew I was going to order the Egg Raviolo as my main course for dinner that night. Just like it says, this dish is a giant ravioli with a raw egg on the inside so when you cut it open, the egg yolk runs everywhere. So rich and creamy, I really think it could be paired with either a dry white or red wine.

I had a request for dessert back at the office and so I picked out a couple to try. I thought I would bring in some tiramisu, but there wasn’t one listed on the menu. Instead, I picked out the Ricotta Cheesecake and the Panna Cotta, which is a eggless custard. Again, more thick, rich, creamy flavors that fill you up after just one bite! I was a little bit disappointed about the size of the dessert at first, but I really don’t think you could eat too much of either one of them because they are so filling.

Resources:

Acero = http://www.fialafood.com/acero/

FEAST magazine =http://www.feaststl.com/

STLwinegirl = http://www.stlwinegirl.com

Demun Oyster Bar

Unfortunately, this restaurant has closed.

I finally got to go to the Demun Oyster Bar for the first time thanks to a STLwinegirl Traveling Table event there after passing by it a few times on my way to Sasha’s Wine Bar. Even though the place is small, with an equally small kitchen, I was very impressed with the large, half circle bar surrounding the tray of oysters on ice.

The main thing that surprises me about oysters is that there are so many kinds! I guess I am naïve from living in the Midwest? The chalkboard on one wall lists the different types available along with their prices. On that night we started with a Mirada Oyster, which was paired with a Brut sparkling wine. Since oysters have such a slimy texture, it’s good to have the proper seasoning or drink to help wash them down.

Unfortunately, I’m not sure if the kitchen was able to handle serving a large party because the next course took a while to come out and one lonely oyster wasn’t quite enough as a starter, but I do admit that the Scallop, Lobster, and Asparagus Gratin was amazing. It came out in a small dish like a stew and the bread crumbs covered the huge chunks of seafood. The only problem is that it was so hot, I almost burned my mouth and I had to cut the chunks of lobster to get them to bite size pieces.

This is definitely something that should be on the menu, although at the appropriate size and temperature. I almost forgot about the wine since the seafood took away all the attention, but I was just happy to have a crisp Chenin Blanc from Vouvray, France to help cool me down. The flavors were very subtle to allow the fish to stand out.

I actually enjoyed the Snapper en Papiollote even more although I had never seen a dish come out in parchment before! It was much like unwrapping a present since the package contained another stew-like collection of seafood: a filet of snapper, clams, and mussels along with saffron and confit potatoes. This was paired with a Rose of Syrah from Chile, which had a little too much bite to it since the snapper was so light, but at the same time it did help cut the grease of the potatoes and the buttery flavor of the clams and mussels.

Unfortunately, I had to miss out on the dessert course but the pairing sounded wonderful: Grand Marnier Cheesecake Napolean with a Sauternes from Bordeaux, France.

Resources:

Demun Oyster Bar = http://www.facebook.com/demunoysterbar

STLwinegirl = http://www.stlwinegirl.com