Wine at home

   Had friends over for dinner recently. We shared some pretty good wines!

Upcoming Wine Dinner

   Mark your calendar- I will be hosting a wine dinner at Cafe Pasta (cafepasta.com) on March 20. 

  Part of the draw is a partnership with the new shop on State Street, Rhyme and Reason, an artisan chocolate maker. We will be pairing the chocolate dessert course with zinfandel.

Another Great Meal at Pangaea!

   My wife and I went to Pangaea (pangaeabistro.com) after the Neil Diamond matinee at Tanger Center ("A Beautiful Noise"). Another great meal!

   Bartender Alexis Rosas is a wizard. 

This is The Cuban or "Old Havana." It's based on dark rum, and it is wonderful!

Scallops Rockefeller is one of my favorite first courses.

Yucca Balls are filled with melted cheese. Another favorite.

(You get five. I ate two of them before I remembered to take a photo.)

My main couse was Cioppino. Mixed seafoods in tomato broth, with grilled bread.

My wife got Mussels, her favorite. 

  The concept here is based on cuisines from around the world, a reflection of Chef/partner Carlos Roman's international experience. He studied culinary arts at Santana International School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts in Puerto Rico. In 2010, he became a chef at the Ritz Carlton in San Juan, subsequently moving to Ritz Carltons in Aruba, Atlanta-Buckhead, Santa Barbara, and Thailand, as well as the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort. 

  Floor manager/partner Juan Cirino studied culinary arts in high school in Puerto Rico. He was lead bartender at the Condado Plaza by Hilton before he moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He and Chef Roman were friends in high school. After relocation to Greensboro, he was General Manager at the well-regarded White and Wood for six years.

  This is a winning team!

Blue Denim

 A return to one of my favorite restaurants, Blue Denim (217 South Elm Street, Greensboro, 336-676-5689, bluedenimgso.com). Chef-proprietor Jody Morphis earned his chops cooking in restaurants in New Orleans after growing up in Louisiana. This food is just in his DNA!

We started with Crawfish Beignets. The crisp exterior gives way to an interior studded with bits of crawfish that stand out in their own right. Comeback sauce is a variation on remoulade, a perfect extension of the flavors. 

Usually, my wife and I get different entrees, so we can share and taste. But the Cioppino at the next table looked and smelled so good, we could not pass it up. Jumbo shrimp, large scallops, and mussels swim in a wonderful tomato sauce, soaked up with crisp baguette slices.

Banana Pudding is novel in appearance and rendition. A caramelized half banana sticks out of vanilla pot de crème, requiring a bit of navigation, but the taste justifies the effort. 

Blue Denim is a real asset to downtown Greensboro!

Ridge Shrimp and Oyster

     Returned to Ridge Shrimp and Oyster (2205L Oak Ridge Rd, Oak Ridge, NC 27310, 336-298-7102) recently. Search Facebook for their posts, including a photo of the chalkboard menu. This is one of the best seafood restaurants in the Triad!

Flounder Sesame is a personal favorite, shown here with slaw and hushpuppies.

                                        Blackened Mahi Veracruz comes with fried grits cakes.

Grilled Scallops also came with fried grits cakes, this time in a cream sauce.

Odeh's Mediterranean Kitchen

I wrote about Odeh's for YES! Weekly in the 11/6/24 edition. See this link for the online version: 

https://issuu.com/yesweekly/docs/11.6.24

(3805 Tinsley Dr #111, High Point 27265, (336) 905-7071, odehsmediterraneankitchen.com)

My wife and I went back on Tuesday for dinner. 

We started with a Cauliflower appetizer. Caution- this is intense, heavy on the lemon juice.

The Greek Salad is light and refreshing.

Beef Bourginon is hearty. I recommend ordering this over rice. Mashed potatoes are the alternative, and they are good, but the dish itself already has plenty of potatoes in it, along with carrots and onions.

This is Blackened Mahi Mahi. The spices are light in impact, adding flavor but not overpowering the natural taste of the fish. A pineapple salsa lends a fruity supplement, well-matched to the spices. The risotto is as good as any I have had, anywhere.

These dishes appear on a supplemental menu. If servers only give you one menu, ask for the one with the specials. A couple of other seafoods appear as well. Read the full article for more detail. This place has earned a very popular following. Count me among Odeh's fans!

MJ's

 OK, I screwed up! My wife and I were just going out for dinner, no work, no posting intended. I forgot to take my cell phone, but I did not go back and get it because this wasn't supposed to be a working dinner, just for pleasure. That's why we picked MJ's. It's one of the places we go back to just because we like it.

Then I have a meal that is well worth a post, deserving of praise, but I don't have photos! Apologies. 

The Calamari here ranks among the best- crisp crust, with sliced jalapeno peppers thrown in and fried along with the squid, and the remoulade sauce is just-right-tangy-spicy.

I had Seared Tuna, which displayed no gristle, all red and tender. My wife got her favorite- Short Ribs- fork tender and deeply flavored.

Then what happens- a guy I have been following for years, Andy Hopper, comes out of the kitchen to say "Hello." He is originally from Greensboro, but I knew him when he was chef at restaurants in Atlantic Beach. Then I lost track. (We left the beach several years ago.) He is now cooking at MJ's. 

So, to an already established favorite, we add a renewed acquaintance, joining Chef Tad and Rachel Engstrom. Here's to many more favorite meals!

Bourbon Expo at The Katharine

     The Katharine (katharinebrasserie.com) in Winston-Salem hosted another bourbon expo last week- on October 3. Tasting stations were set up in several rooms on one of the high floors, in an exhibition space.

    Light food was provided as well. As usual, The Katharine’s kitchen knocked it out. Lamb Meatballs were robust in flavor. Duck Wings struck me as something of a novelty- never seen them in an area restaurant. In this case, the skin was very crisp, the flavor pronounced. Chanterelle Rarebit combined the flavors of earthy mushrooms with cheese toasts. Barbecue Potato Chips rounded out the small bites, on self serve from a table in the hall.

Lamb Meatballs

Duck Wings

Chanterelle Rarebit

BBQ Potato Chips

Several coolers provided cold water, essential, I think, for the occasion. Most bourbon tastes better when softened just a little with cold water. I found that to be the case consistently in these tastings. Pours were about ¼ ounce. Even at that low level, it’s a good idea to pace yourself. Sipping this many samples can surprise you.

Many of Kentucky’s big name producers were represented. 

Products from Buffalo Trace consistently impress me. Their bourbon is hard to find in the Triad, but when you see it, grab a bottle. It’s worth the search. They also showed Traveller whiskey, a new product developed in collaboration with singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton. It turned out to be a personal favorite in the expo. Sazerac Rye is another favorite, easily accessible in the Triad, one I keep on hand at home until it runs out. The Buffalo Trace tour is highly recommended as well, and you don’t have to take the tour in order to visit the tasting room!

Bourbon is distilled from corn mash, sometimes with mash from wheat, rye, or barley added.

Scotch, on the other hand, is distilled from barley. Dalmore showed three versions: single malt, cask, aged 12 and 15 years, finished in 30-year-old Sherry casks, along with a Reserve, aged in tawny port wine casks.

Horse Soldier bourbon has a fascinating back story. This is produced by a group of retired special forces guys who were featured in the movie “Twelve Strong.” They were the first 12 Americans into Afghanistan after 9/11. They really did ride into war on horseback- the only mode of transportation that existed then, in that location.

Maker’s Mark, one of the really big Kentucky outfits, showed their big seller, SIV, plus No. 46, aged in French oak, as well as Private Selection KSR ’23 at 108.9 proof. Potent!

The Clover is Tennessee bourbon. Yes, some bourbon is made outside Kentucky. There’s no law against it. These products take their name from legendary golfer Bobby Jones. His mother gave him a four-leaf medallion, which he is reported to have carried with him for luck in every match.

Speaking of products distilled outside Kentucky, how about way outside Kentucky? Amrut whiskies are made in India. The company was founded in 1948 in Bangalore. They make quite a wide range of single malts, plus rum and gin. For this event, they provided tastes of two single malts, plus a barrel proof bourbon.

Another personal favorite was Penelope, alas, never seen (at least by me) in these parts. Representatives told me they were working on availability at least in Winston-Salem, maybe Greensboro. They make an 80 proof bourbon, which I really like. They also showed the Architect, aged in French oak, and a barrel strength bourbon. I know this is not a standard observation among bourbon devotees, but I find that I like the lower alcohol products best. I just get more flavor, and not surprisingly, less alcohol taste.

Yellowstone bourbon is not named for the television show. On the contrary, the company was established in 1872, and these products are named in honor of the nation’s first public lands. They presented two 100 proof bourbons, one of which is aged in rum casks, and a 93 proof one.

Bet you can figure out where Wyoming whiskies are made. They capitalize on the area’s wide temperature ranges to enhance the aging process. Ingredients are sourced locally. The family also raises cattle.

          Woodford Reserve is another one of Kentucky’s pedigreed houses. My wife and I enjoyed our tour there last fall. It’s one of the area’s historic sites, a designated National Historic Landmark. They showed four products, all widely available in the Triad: their Straight Bourbon Whiskey, their rye, a malt, and their wheat version (my favorite of their products).

          Wild Turkey is famous enough in its own right; it doesn’t need an introduction. Russell’s shared a table with them, exhibiting a six and a ten year old, plus a single barrel version.

          Angel’s Envy. Be still my beating heart. I’m not going to say this is my absolute favorite- there are too many other good bourbons out there. But if I were going to be stranded on a desert island, these are the ones I would want for company! It’s the lower level of alcohol and the higher level of flavor- from aging in rum or port wine casks- that does it for me.

        George Dickel provided tastes of two of their elite bourbons- Three Chamber and Cascade Hollow, as well as a rye and a bottled in bond. 

        Blade and Bow is a product of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, founded in 1935. According to their website, it is “named after the two parts of a skeleton key, the blade shaft and the ornate bow, … a tribute to the five keys that once hung on the door of the … distillery. These keys [represent] the five steps of crafting bourbon—grains, yeast, fermentation, distillation and aging. But more importantly, they grew to symbolize the southern traditions of hospitality, warmth and enjoying the finer things in life.”

          We close our tasting visit with a tribute to Uncle Nearest, another Tennessee product, named after the formerly enslaved man, Nathan "Nearest" Green, who taught a young Jack Daniel the craft of distilling. The 1884 is a small batch whiskey, 93 proof., named in honor of the year he retired. The 1856 is 100 proof; named for the year he perfected what is known as The Lincoln County process. They also shared a 100 proof rye.

Baconessence

 We had the Baconessence food truck serve our neighborhood for another block party this week. Their food is really good! Highlights: Lobster Rolls, everybody's favorite, just as good as the ones I had in Maine, I swear! And a new dish, Bacon and Smoked Sausage Jambalaya. It's not just about bacon, but the bacon is great. Highly recommended!

I have unretired (again)!

 Can't seem to get this retirement thing right. I keep going back to work, albeit in situations where I can still have a good time and control my own schedule.

I passed the NC Real Estate Broker's exam on the first try. Joined Kim Mathis and Associates at Keller Williams One. Kim was my student when she was in the eighth grade. Now she's my boss!

I am hosting an Open House this afternoon (Sunday, September 1) in Oak Ridge at 5809 Willow Way. This is a gorgeous home with screened porch, a brick patio, and a chef level kitchen. Priced at $729,900. Come see me and this great property! Click below for listing information:

https://kwone.yourkwoffice.com/property/5809-Willow-Way-Court-Oak-Ridge-NC-27310/1889719017299072