Dining In: From the Plant to the Plate

Analise Gregory April 13, 2019

“Eat to enjoy, not eat to indulge.” - Chef Naomi Ra-El

Recently, my former high school classmate contacted me, and offered to host a private dinner for G & I at our home. I immediately accepted the opportunity to have Naomi’s Vegan Meets grace our kitchen and serve up our first vegan dinner. Naomi’s Vegan Meets is a plant based restaurant in the Hampton Roads area. They offer an array of amazing dishes that are affordable, healthy, and most importantly delicious.

*Chef Naomi grilling the portobello mushrooms and asparagus.*

The chef, Naomi Ra-El is amazing, and her passion for cooking is truly felt through her food. She is incredibly kind, talented, and an amazing chef. Naomi’s skills in the kitchen are fantastic, and she educated G and I so much on the vegan lifestyle.

One of the most amazing things about our private dinner experience, was that Chef Naomi brought all of her own ingredients, utensils, plates, pots, pans, and wine to pair with the meal. Also, she had the best conversation and made our in-home dinner experience so much fun. It made the entire dinner so enjoyable.

*Chef Naomi preparing the spinach artichoke dip appetizer.*

*Mashing the potatoes for the entree dish.*

*Preparing the spinach artichoke dip before putting it into the oven.*

The Opening Act

Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip with Garlic Herb Crostini

Spinach artichoke dip is one of my favorite appetizers, and when Chef Naomi informed me she’d be making a vegan version, I was thrilled. This dip was amazing, and tasted oh so delicious. The chef paired it with a garlic herb crostini which went perfectly with the creamy spinach artichoke dip.

*Vegan spinach and artichoke dip, with garlic butter crostini.*

The Headliner

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steak with Asparagus & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This entree was spectacular, and we did not miss the meat at all! The portobello mushroom was truly the star of the dish and had the best flavor. Also, the garlic mashed potatoes were so creamy. Chef Naomi included the skin in the mash, which added a great texture to the side as well. Overall, this meal was amazing and was the perfect dish to close out the evening with.

*Grilled portobello mushroom and asparagus, paired with garlic herb mashed potatoes.*

Our private dinner was such an amazing experience. Chef Naomi’s food is delicious, and she makes wonderful vegan dishes! She is all over the Hampton Roads area, and if you are local, please check her out.

If you would like to learn more about Chef Naomi Ra-El, visit her website!

XO,

Analise

Dining Out: Charlottesville, VA

Analise Gregory April 3, 2019

“Going to a restaurant is one of my keenest pleasures. Meeting someplace with old and new friends, ordering wine, eating food, surrounded by strangers, I think is the core of what it means to live a civilised life.” - Adam Gopnik

During G & I’s recent wedding anniversary getaway to Charlottesville, VA, we made it our mission to eat at really good restaurants. Charlottesville was my home for 4 years, during my undergraduate years at the University of Virginia. It was so nice going back to enjoy the city, and indulging in my favorite and brand new restaurants.

Today I’m sharing my spots for each meal of the day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Breakfast

MarieBette Café & Bakery

Recently, I read Virginia Foodie’s recent blog post, a full list of must-try restaurants in my home state. MarieBette was at the top of the list for Charlottesville. I absolutely could not wait to try it out. Carbs are my guilty pleasure, and I’ve been really wanting to indulge in some delicious pastries. The bakery is quaint and super packed, it was the hot spot on a quiet Sunday morning. We were in awe of all the fresh baked goods on display and the staff was so kind to us. We ordered several pastries to try out, and all of them were delicious. Also, we purchased a loaf of sourdough to take back home with us, and G and I are so glad we did.

Uncorked: Italy Edition

Analise Gregory March 25, 2019

“In vino veritas.” - Italian Proverb

This popular Italian proverb means “Wine makes people tell the truth” . Wine has played such a huge role on the Italian peninsula since ancient Roman times. During our trip in January we were able to experience some of the wines Italy had to offer, and we were not disappointed.

When we visited Italy, one of the highlights from our trip was visiting Rimessa Roscioli. The staff not only introduced us to some wonderful new wines, but gave us a spectacular history lesson on the Italian winemaking process. We were able to learn about some of the amazing wine regions around Italy as well. Our experience at the wine shop was spectacular, and we were so thrilled that they were able to ship us some lovely bottles back home.

Today I’m sharing what wines we enjoyed and purchased in Rome.

*Admiring all of the wines Rome has to offer.*

*Spending some quality time with Paola Carlomosti our lovely wine sommelier for the evening.*

What We Picked: Sparkling

Cascina Ronchi - This is a blend of Malvasia and Spergola varietals. The wine is well balanced, clean and crisp. The bubbly is the perfect compliment to any dish, especially seafood.
SoloUva - This 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 definitely cannot wait to enjoy this during the warmer months ahead.

*Getting acquainted with the Cascina Ronchi.*

*My new favorite bubbly the impeccable SoloUva.*

What We Picked: Reds

Castello Dei Rampolla Chianti - I was on the hunt for a Chianti wine during our visit, especially since it is my Dad’s favorite. So, when we tried this bottle, I knew it was the one. This wine is a blend, 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot - all of my favorite grapes. The wine is balanced and absolutely amazing.
Primitivo di Manduria - This wine is full bodied, but encompasses soft tannins. It has notes of red jam, cherries, raspberries, and blueberry. It would pair perfectly with cheese, and especially pasta.
Bressan Schioppettino - I was blown away by this wine, and it is undoubtedly one of the most unique wines I’ve ever had. It has notes of black pepper, blackberries, raspberries and bilberries. Also, the bouquet of the wine encompasses woody and musk aromatics. We really enjoyed this wine with the Cacio e Pepe dish paired at Rimessa.
Cascina delle Rose 2014 'Donna Elena' Barbera d'Alba - The notes of the wine exuded cherries, plums, tobacco, dark chocolate, and cinnamon. This wine is so incredibly well balanced, and we couldn’t wait to add it to our collection.

*Enjoying a red wine tasting at Rimessa.*

*The standout red, and our new favorite - 2013 Bressan Schioppettino.*

*The full red lineup: (L to R) Castello Dei Rampolla Chianti, Primitivo di Manduria, Bressan Schioppettino, Cascina delle Rose 2014 'Donna Elena' Barbera d'Alba*

What are some of your favorite wines? Share below!

XO, Analise

Recipe: Aged To Perfection

Analise Gregory March 12, 2019

“My favorite animal is steak.” - Fran Lebowitz

During the winter holiday, my husband began learning how to dry age steaks. G loves food shows, and learning how to make the best steaks, so he decided to take it up a notch and try this process at home.

To give you a little back story on dry aging, the technique began in the 1950s. The process allows the enzymes in the beef to naturally break down the muscle tissue. This results in improved texture and taste of the meat. The dry aging process is for the patient chef. G prefers the 45 day age, because the steak reaches it’s peak flavor.

Below G and I are sharing our experience with the dry aging process. Even though I do not eat red meat whatsoever, it’s been a cool experience watching my husband enjoy his new hobby, and I appreciate the labor of love.

Step 1: Dry Aging

G enjoys a good Ribeye, so he chose a rib roast from our local butcher. A Rib Roast contains the Ribeye steak.
Once we picked out our beef of choice, G immediately put the meat into a speciality dry aging bag. We then vacuumed sealed the bag to ensure that all the air is removed.
We then put it in a dedicated fridge, where the steak is placed on a wire rack and sits for 45 days. Placing the beef on a wire rack, helps moisture evaporate from all sides.

45 Day Dry Aged Rib Roast

Dining Out: Land & Sea Edition

Analise Gregory February 27, 2019

“A great restaurant is one that just makes you feel like you're not sure whether you went out or you came home and confuses you. If it can do both of those things at the same time, you're hooked.” - Danny Meyer

Enjoying a delicious meal at a wonderful restaurant is something that I really love. Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite dishes at a couple of great places that I frequent in my hometown.

Le Yaca

A lovely and exquisite restaurant that specializes in French cuisine.