Dining In: Quarantine Brunch & Bubbles, Part II

“What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?” - Anthony Bourdain

Following up from last week’s Quarantine Brunch & Bubbles, Part I I’m sharing two more of my favorite brunch items! If you love to indulge in a sweet treat during the morning time, then this post is totally for you.

I’m sharing two simple recipes that you can try at your next breakfast meal.


Cinnamon Rolls with Crumbled Bacon Bits and Pecans

This recipe is so easy, and lots of fun to make. We used our favorite canned cinnamon rolls from Trader Joe’s! What I love about these cinnamon rolls is that they are not overly sweet. There are five rolls that come in each can, including a pack of icing.

I love baking the rolls in a cast iron - butter the pan a little so that the rolls do not stick. Also, bake the rolls according to the package instructions, and when your treats are nice and golden brown, then you know they are ready to be eaten! Also, adding various toppings to your rolls can be fun - chocolate chips, pecans, or bacon bits - totally take it to the next level!

Cast iron cinnamon rolls with crumbled bacon bits

Cast iron cinnamon rolls with crumbled bacon bits

Jean Vesselle

Jean Vesselle is one of my absolute favorite bottles of champagne. It is 100% Pinot Noir, pressed lightly pink, and has the most beautiful hue. The champagne is aged for 3 years in the bottle before release, so it has an amazing structure to it. You’ll get notes of red fruit, specifically strawberry, as well as green fruit, apple to be exact. This lovely champs has a creaminess to it, and is such a delight to drink. Jean Veselle is more on the expensive side and costs around $65, but it so totally worth it! Personally, I always keep a bottle of this around for a special celebration.

Jean Vesselle - Brut Oeil de Perdrix NV

Jean Vesselle - Brut Oeil de Perdrix NV


French Toast with Apple Compote

French toast is always the answer when you have a few slices of bread leftover from the week! My husband loves french toast, and when I make it we always add a fruit compote on top, for this recipe we used granny smith apples.


What You’ll Need:

Granny Smith Apple Compote

  • 1 tablespoons of butter

  • 2 cups peeled and diced granny smith apples (roughly ½ inch)

  • ½ cup packed brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Step 1: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium to high heat.

Step 2: Add apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon to the skillet, let the combined ingredients cook for about 15 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Once all of the ingredients have cooked, remove the skillet from heat, and allow it to cool.


What You’ll Need:

French Toast

serves 2 people

  • 4 slices of brioche bread

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

  • 3 tablespoons of milk

  • 1 tablespoon of butter

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Step 2: Begin soaking the slices of brioche in the mixture, and let sit for 60 seconds. During this time, heat a large skillet, add butter, and begin transferring the egg soaked bread to the pan.

Step 3: Let the brioche sear for about 3 mins on each side or until you see a nice crust form on the bread.

Pro Tip: Add a little bit of butter as needed to ensure that the bread does not stick to the skillet, as you flip each slice of brioche.

Step 4: Once the french toast has a good sear, transfer it out of the skillet, and plate it. Add the apple compote on top, and some toasted pecans if you like!

Step 5: Enjoy!

A stack of brioche french toast topped with apple compote and pecans.

A stack of brioche french toast topped with apple compote and pecans.

Charles de Marques Brut

This champagne is a staple at Trader Joe’s. If you are looking for something a little bit more reasonably priced, this bottle is around $20, and is a steal. It’s 60% Meunier and 40% Pinot Noir, this bottle is from a family owned producer as well.

The Charles de Marques Bruit has a lot of green fruit notes, specifically green apple and pear. Also, there is a lot of toast on this champagne, as well as some yeast notes. In addition you’ll get some almond and brioche notes as well.

For the price this bottle shows some unique complexity, and is a joy to drink!

Charles de Marques Brut

Charles de Marques Brut


Share some of your favorite brunch and bubbles combos in the comments below! Enjoy!

XO, Analise

Dining In: Quarantine Brunch & Bubbles, Part I

“Drama is very important in life: You have to come on with a bang. You never want to go out with a whimper. Everything can have drama if it's done right. Even a pancake.” - Julia Child

Pancakes are one of my favorite brunch items, and with Mother’s Day this weekend, what a perfect way to celebrate the woman in your life, than making her a delicious meal. The breakfast items I’m sharing today are so easy to make!

I truly love making buttermilk pancakes in a cast iron pan - it gives these cakes a perfect crispy edge, while cooking them evenly. I’m sharing my two easy pancake dishes that will take your traditional pancakes dishes to the next level.


Cast Iron Buttermilk Pancakes + Crumbled Bacon Bits

Pancakes and bacon are the perfect combo for brunch! I love chopping my bacon bits and adding them on top a stack of pancakes - you’ll get a nice crispy salty crunch in your bites!

If you are worried about time, and do not want to make your pancake mix from scratch, the following two boxed mixes are my favorite:

Also, adding in a few dashes of cinnamon and vanilla to your mix totally takes the pancakes up a notch!

Stack of buttermilk pancakes with bacon bits.

Stack of buttermilk pancakes with bacon bits.

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Champagne is always the answer, especially for brunch! I love pairing bubbles with my brunch meals - Prosecco, Sparkling Rosé, and Champagne are all excellent choices. This Pierre Pallard, is a bit on the higher end, but such a wonderful bottle to enjoy if you want to splurge a bit! The grape is Chardonnay for this Champagne, it is bright, acidic, and wonderful compliment to this dish.

An amazing bottle of champagne from Tinto Wine & Cheese Downtown.

An amazing bottle of champagne from Tinto Wine & Cheese Downtown.


Jumbo Cast Iron Pancake + Fried Chicken Breast with Toasted Pecans

Not a pro at flipping a ton of pancakes or want to share it amongst your loved ones? Well, the jumbo cast iron pancake is for you! You can fill your buttered cast iron with batter - leave it plain, add berries, chocolate chips, or nuts! Then, pop the jumbo pancake into the oven at 450 degrees for about 10-15 mins. Let the pancake cool, cut it into sections and serve!

I love a sweet and savory brunch meal, and frying a panko crusted chicken breast with chopped pecans is the perfect addition to this dish. The crunchy, sweet, salty, and toasty notes are this dish are so well balanced, creating the perfect meal!

A divided jumbo cast iron pancake, with a fried chicken breast, topped with toasted chopped pecans.

A divided jumbo cast iron pancake, with a fried chicken breast, topped with toasted chopped pecans.

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My favorite pairing for this dish is the lovely cuvée, Thibaut Janisson, made of 100% Chardonnay grapes. It has aromas of pear and apple. This is a great balance with the nutty notes of the dish, as this bubbly is very crisp, vibrant, and refreshing.

A lovely bottle of Blanc de Chardonnay, Virginia Sparkling Wine.

A lovely bottle of Blanc de Chardonnay, Virginia Sparkling Wine.

XO, Analise

Uncorked: Chicago Edition

“Too much of anything is bad. Too much Champagne is just right.” - Mark Twain

Our trip to Chicago during the last week of October was so much fun. The food was spectacular, but the cute wine bars and shops were just simply fantastic. Each person we met at each stop was just so helpful. They went above and beyond to make our experience really enjoyable.

I’m sharing my top three spots for wine and champagne in Chicago!


Pops for Champagne

Neighborhood: River North

Pops is legendary and has been open for more than 30 years. It is located in the River North neighborhood, and was a quick walk from our hotel at the St. Jane. One thing I love about Pops is that they focus on smaller production champagnes, which is really nice because you feel like you are getting something super special from this place. You are not able to pick up these champagnes in your local grocery store, which is what makes this place shine so much! Everything is super unique and new, so our experience was one of a kind. The service was fantastic, and our waitress recommended a wonderful selection for me to try. Also, they have wonderfully crafted cocktails, which G indulged in. This place is quaint, warm, and was the perfect way to wrap up our evening. If we ever visit Chicago again, we will definitely be making our way back to this spot, it was that wonderful.

What makes this place special?: Unique champagnes that you cannot find anywhere else.

Pops for Champagne in the River North neighborhood.

Pops for Champagne in the River North neighborhood.

Enjoying a glass of champagne.

Enjoying a glass of champagne.

A peek into Pops.

A peek into Pops.


The Wine Bar at the Walnut Room

Neighborhood: The Loop

The legendary Walnut Room was the first restaurant ever opened in a department store. This place holds a special place in my heart, as the Walnut Room was a spot I’ve visited with my family in the past. I was so happy to share this experience with G and take him to a place I love. The restaurant and wine bar are located in Macy’s, which was formally known as Marshall Fields. This spot is tucked away in the theatre district, and the interior of this place is gorgeous with wood paneling all around. During our visit, the staff and interior decorators were actually transforming the restaurant to their breathtaking holiday theme. It was so cool to watch them flip the space and prepare for the upcoming Christmas season. The staff was so kind, attentive, and immediately sat us at their wine bar. They have a great variety of cocktails, champagnes, and even their own curated reserve wines.

What makes this place special?: It’s the first restaurant ever opened in a department store.

Sipping at The Walnut Room

Sipping at The Walnut Room

The Walnut Room’s reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Walnut Room’s reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.


Eataly

Neighborhood: The Magnificent Mile

Eataly came highly recommended by a coworker, and I was super happy to visit this market. What’s so cool about this spot is that you can enjoy Italian cuisine in the store. There are a few restaurants, various stands that sell coffee, pastries, chocolate, and so much more. Also, there is a lovely little wine bar on the second floor as well. Their wine selection is expansive, and there was so much to choose from! The wine options totally brought me back to my trip to Rome earlier this year, and I was so excited to pick a bottle to enjoy. Instead of enjoying the wine and food at the market, we opted to select a bottle of red to take back to the hotel. Also, I was super impressed with the price points for their wine at Eataly. The wine prices ranged from $15 all the way upwards of $75. The food that was being served looked so delicious, and if G and I weren’t so full from lunch earlier in the day we would have definitely stayed for a bite to eat. We will definitely return back to this spot in a future visit to Chicago.

What makes this place special?: There are 23 unique eateries, 6 private event spaces, a cooking school, and a market.

Walking up to Eataly.

Walking up to Eataly.

The amazing wine selection at Eataly.

The amazing wine selection at Eataly.

An amazing selection of fabulous Italian wine.

An amazing selection of fabulous Italian wine.

XO, Analise

Uncorked: Reds & Bubbles

“Wine is bottled poetry.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

Red wine and champagne are my two favorite types of wines, and both really hold a special place in my heart, as well as our wine cabinet. I make it a mission at least once a month to pick up new bottles at a local wine shop. One of my favorite activities is tasting and trying out new wines - it’s so nice to stumble upon selections that staff members hand pick for you.

As the weather begins to get a little bit cooler, I’m stocking up on a few of my favorite varietals for the season ahead. Today, I am sharing four wines that I’ve been really enjoying lately - two reds, and two champagnes.

2017 Sidekick Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Sidekick Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Sidekick Cabernet Sauvignon

The inner comic book nerd in me totally gravitated towards this bottle. How cool is the graphic novel inspired artwork on this?! I absolutely thought the idea was brilliant, and could not wait to taste this lovely Cabernet Sauvignon. For less than $20 a bottle, it is pretty enjoyable, and had notes of cedar, mocha, plum, tobacco, and licorice.

The wine is most certainly bold and tastes of dark berries. This Cab is high in tannin, well bodied, balanced fruit, and the acid is a little lower than most Cabernets - which I really loved. You can enjoy this wine by itself, with a burger or any chicken dish.

Hello World Petit Verdot

Hello World Petit Verdot

Hello World Petit Verdot

It is so rare to find a delicious 100% Petit Verdot, but this bottle totally lived up to my expectations. Also, this wine is super reasonably priced at $20. What is absolutely so neat about this wine is that it’s aged in both stainless steel and oak barrels.

The Petit Verdot has aromas of bananas, cherry, and leather. This wine has spicy notes, strong tannins and the finish lingers on in such a great way. The perfect pairing for this would be cheese, or some type of rich meat dish like grilled steak or lamb.

SoloUva Franciacorta Brut

SoloUva

SoloUva

Remember that time I went to Italy, and picked up this lovely bottle of champs? Well, this is still a favorite of mine. I’m so happy that G and I picked up several bottles of this bubbly during our vacation in Rome to bring back home.

This champagne is a Chardonnay grape and is aged in stainless steel for approximately 36 months. Also, this wine is vegan, which is so unique for a bubbly. I love absolutely pairing this with oysters, or any seafood related dish.

Alain Vincey Champagne Brut Rosé

Alain Vincey Champagne Brut Rosé

Alain Vincey Champagne Brut Rosé

This french champagne is so delicious, it is a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, and 40% Chardonnay with 20% Pinot Meunie, and truly does not disappoint. The bottle of bubbly is refined, and has aromas of berries - strawberry, cranberry, and raspberry to be exact. It has notes of orange, pistachio, and has a light toast as well.

One of my favorite things about this champagne is that it is crisp, gentle on the palate, bone-dry, light, and has a slight mineral note to it as well. I was actually super impressed that this bottle averaged around $50, when other high end champagnes typically hover closer to the $100+ threshold mark. This bottle is the perfect pairing to pork, salmon, and mild or soft cheese.

XO, Analise