Wink

I have been wanting to try Wink in Austin for years now. It literally is down the street, and I've never made it surprisingly. Well hello to restaurant.com again, and an official good-bye dinner for my dear friend Casey. She was off East for her career promotion and the thing we do best together is eat. We headed to Wink and got ready for all the rumors of greatness to be true. The restaurant is split in two separate sections. The right entrance is for reservations, the left for the bar and other come and go seating. We sat at the bar, which may be the best seat in the house. We had the bartender at our beckon call to answer all questions drink related. We fortunately ended up sitting next to the Wine selector for the restaurant. He gave us suggestions and tastings from his perfect personal choices. Seriously good start and ultimate finish to the night. Back to the middle of the culinary story. The menu changes daily, so we jumped right into the night's offerings. We ordered the cheese plate of the bar menu. I swear I've never had a full on bad cheese plate. It was excellent of course with one of its favorite partners, wine. We chose a Malbec, well the only Malbec on the wine list. Affordable yet satisfying. Then we got down to business. Casey chose the Dayboat Scallops (arugula, pattypan squash, sorrel emulsion, lemon grass vinaigrette). Cooked to PERFECTION. Light, sweet, the bounce back but softness you should get with good execution. I chose the Braised Rabbit leg (herbed gnudi, baby squash, lemony peashoots, and squash blossoms). Stick a fork in me and call me DONE. This was one of the best food marriages I've had. The vows exchanged by each flavor made my tastebuds tear up with love and adoration. Excellent. The rabbit tender, the lemony peashoots such a surprise, and gnudi a new fav. We chose desserts as if it could get any better. Well soldier, it DID. Caps are needed for this one. We selected the El Rey Chocolate cake (warm flourless chocolate cake, el ray chocolate, zinfandel infused cherries), and the Lemon Meringue pot (tart lemon curd, crisp meringue cup, candied lemon zest and berries). The chocolate cake was fantastic, but let me say the meringue pot stole the show. One of the best desserts ever. So light, so tart, so creamy. The candied lemon zest was out of sight. I could snack on it all day long. Wink is definitely one of my top picks in Austin after the visit. Go in for a drink at the bar, but don't forget the dishes that you can experience. It's worth every bite.

Wink Restaurant
Twitter: @winkrestaurant

Brooklyn Laundry - A Moveable Feast

I had the absolute pleasure of attending "A Moveable Feast" this past weekend, with Brooklyn Laundry. What is Brooklyn Laundry you ask? It is a fantastic dining club and catering group, based in New York, which focuses on farm-to-table convivial meals and literary-inspired menus. Previous to their venture to Austin, the group meets once a month in different locations all over New York, with Chef Fiore Tedesco leading the culinary trail. Their first dinner outside New York happened to be in my fair city of Austin, and I jumped at the chance to try a dining group other than my own. Two dinners were created over a weekend and focused on Ernest Hemingway's, A Moveable Feast. The memoir is based on Hemingway's life in Paris in the 1920's. The book is a true dive into French wine and cuisine, with no detail left unturned or forgotten. The dinners Brooklyn Laundry created were over two nights, each with a little over 20 people. The first was hosted at a private home, the second at East Side Stages, an Austin office and stage space. I was fortunate enough to attend the second dinner, as I was celebrating the wedding of two wonderful friends the night before. I arrived at the east side location greatly anticipating what I was about to experience. I was graced with candle-lit stairs, a table with chilled beverages, and a warm greeting from Chef Tedesco himself. We briefly talked about the group, my history, and what was to come for the edible evening. As Chef returned to his final prep, I sipped on Lillet and Champagne (a cocktail Hemingway fancied), with the cool spring air as my background and a copy of Edible Austin in my hand. I had the chance to speak with Tedesco's wife, mother, and sister. All whom were incredibly lovely and welcoming. Slowly but surely, more quests continued to arrive. Many knew each other previously, and I was excited to meet others intrigued by the meal ahead. We soon sat down at a perfectly set long table with wildflowers and candles galore. Chef Tedesco welcomed the group and explained that each of the five courses was based on a passage of the book, and meant to mimic a dish Hemingway adored in Paris. The first course began with a re-creation of oysters. We were served Golden Tilefish ceviche with butter lettuce cups and french sorrel salad. A glass of 2009 Bieler Estate Rose accompanied the dish. It was heavenly. The sorrel salad left the palate clean and refreshed, while the ceviche cooled the senses with a salty twist. A perfect way to start the evening. We were next presented with Fried "Goujon" with sweet potatoes and baby turnips in a mint, caper and lemon butter. This served with a 2005 Drouhin Saint Veran. As a Southern girl, I appreciate anyone who serves something fried. Chef Tedesco did not disappoint. The batter was light, and fish moist. The vegetables complimented the fish with hearty ability. Delicious. Next came the Truffled roast quail with venison live pate and pommes a l'huile. The quail was created to showcase Hemingway's love for roast chicken lunch in Lyon. I felt the same love towards the quail. The pate was perfect. I usually have to leave a little behind, but with this one I devoured every bite. Not the least bit heavy or strong. It was served with a 2006 Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence. My absolute favorite of the night. It was spicy and robust, but sipped so easily. The last course before dessert was Seared Siika venison with spring onion and strawberry puree. Yes, your mouth should be watering. The uncommon combination of venison and strawberry thrilled every eater. The berries created a backdrop of suddle sweetness with the venison sweeping its way over the taste buds. We were served a 2007 Terre d'Ardoise Vieilles Vignes Carignan with the dish. To finish the evening off, as we were all smiling and satisfied, came dessert. Chef Tedesco called it 'Opium and Milk', a recreation from a passage in the book where Hemingway is told to give his friend a bit of opium when he needed it, and milk when he'd had enough. The dish was just as addictive, a Chocolate rose tart with poppy seed lavender ice cream. The ice cream was custom made by Amy's Ice Cream in town, and it was phenomenal. Lavender is one of my most favorite ingredients used in cooking, and I was so glad to see it incorporated in the dessert. The chocolate was perfectly dark and sweet. The crust flaky and buttery. The whole thing was exceptional, and I will miss it most of all. The dessert was served with your choice of fruit liqueur. Texas Hills Orange Moscato, Mirabelle Eau-De-Vie, or Framboise Eau-De-Vie. I chose the Mirablle (plum) and many others the Framboise (rasberry). Each could knock your socks off. As the scent punched at your noise, the flavor was surprisingly smooth. A great end to what was an unforgettable meal. Brooklyn Laundry will be returning to Austin sometime in December, and headed to Los Angeles next. It is not to miss. Take part in what should be the way we cook, dine, and enjoy. All ingredients from the dinner came from places in and around the city. Amy's Ice Cream, Boggy Creak Farms, Broken Arrow Ranch, Sweetish Hill Bakery, and Texas Quail Farms. Be sure to stay tuned to what Tedesco continues to achieve. He is a delight to be around, and continues to drape his Italian based passion on the mouths he feeds.

Brooklyn Laundry

Edible Austin

Amy's Ice Cream, Boggy Creek Farms, Broken Arrow Ranch, Sweetish Hill Bakery, Texas Quail Farm

Full-on Family Feast (Say it Five times Fast)

Christmas Day 2009 was not a disappointment for my family either. I wanted to cook, I wanted to challenge myself, and I wanted to do it for them. Luckily I had watched one of my favorite soft-spoken chefs, Ina Garten, earlier in the week and jotted down a recipe sure to delight. I made Roasted Chicken over homemade croutons, Roasted Veggies, Green Beans, Caramelized Shallots, and Homemade Profiteroles with ice cream and melted dark chocolate. Mmm, mmm, mmm. It was my first Roast Chicken, and luckily Ina's recipe was easy as pie. I stuffed the little birdie with 2 quartered lemons, salt & peppered inside and out, and rubbed with Olive Oil. I popped it in the oven at 425 for 1 hr. and 15 min. Looking back I would have thrown a little rosemary in there, and buttered the top. Who can go wrong with butter, seriously. Once it was done, I covered with foil for 15 more min. to let the juices set. Next I cubed some french bread, put some olive oil in a pan, tossed and toasted the cubes. Once the chicken was done, I placed it on the crumbs to absorb all the juices. Blanched green beans were next, which I put on the baking sheet with sliced red and yellow bell peppers. A little salt & pepper, olive oil, and into the oven at 425 for about 15-20 min. I was quite excited about the Caramelized Shallots. I've only dabbled with shallots in the past, but this was a full-on adventure. After peeling, I dribbled the garlic/onion cuties with a tablespoon of sugar, a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of butter that I melted all together on the stove. Those little things went on a baking sheet, and into the oven at 400 for 30 min. My next endeavor was Profiteroles. This was a last minute decision, influenced by left-over dark chocolate from Christmas Eve's feast. The dough could not be easier. I combined 1 stick of butter, 1 cup of milk, and a dash of salt on medium heat. Once melted, I added 2 cups of flour in the pot! I stirred and stirred until the mixture made a softer dough. Next the bundle of dough was thrown in a blender and I added four eggs. Pulsing that together, I placed in a large plastic baggie, cut the tip off and attempted 1 inch swirls. I dotted the tips with water and popped in the oven at 425 for 20 min. I left them for an additional 10 min. with the oven off. Once out, I slit the tops slightly to allow steam to escape. As soon as they were cooled I chopped off the tops, scooped Blue Bell White Chocolate Almond ice cream in them, put on the tops, and drizzled with dark chocolate. D-I-V-I-N-E. It was fantastic, we had a great time devouring everything. If you're hesitant about cooking, this is a great meal to conquer. Change the spices and flavors to make it your own. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Chocolate, Cheese & Beer

Christmas Eve 2009 was one tasty night for my family. While sharing a meal (of course), my Mom and I came up with a feast that would kick-off Christmas celebrations like no other. We knew we wanted the essentials: cheese, chocolate and some form of festive beverage. It was set, we traveled to Central Market in Austin and made our way down the check-list. With the ever so patient and knowledgeable Central Market staff, I picked four very different cheeses. I also decided to pick four different beers to sample with our meal. I wanted a range from light to dark. The beer/wine guy at Central Market knew just what I needed. My Mom finished the trip by getting 60% dark chocolate, which we were to melt for fondue (tastebuds watering yet?). The feast was complete with fruit for chocolate dipping, 'lil smokies in chili sauce and grape jelly (simple delicious sauce), and honey for the cheeses. It was fantastic, we couldn't get enough. If you decide to do the same, I highly recommend asking for suggestions, and stray from your ordinary picks. It was worth it for us. Here's hoping your holiday meals were just as tasty.

Central Market
Twitter: @CMFoodie

From left to right: Manchego DO. aged 12 months (nutty, light, so tasty); Sartoni Bella Vitano (Parmesan/Cheddar like cheese soaked in Raspberry Ale, different and good); Carr Valley Mobay (goat and ewe's milk seperated by vegetable ash, so delicious); 60% Brie (creamy, smooth, but pungent); Regular old Cheddar Cheese (my brother's addition)


From left to right: Zatec Czech Lager (light and smooth); Ayinger Bavarian Hefferveisen (refreshingly good), Anchor Steam Beer (from San Fran, hearty and tasty); Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale (dark, deep, and satisfying)