I found out last week that due to circumstances beyond her control, a friend of mine could not attend a chocolate class she had signed up for weeks ago. There was no opportunity for a refund so she asked if I would go instead (and report back with recipes and notes, of course).

I had never attended a Southern Season cooking class before, so I didn’t know what to expect. It turns out that this was not a hands-on class, but more of a classroom style setting; in fact, I felt like I was witnessing the taping of a cooking show. Thankfully, the chef, Nick Malgieri, was entertaining and insightful when it came to preparing a few chocolate treats, involving the audience whenever possible.

It also helped that we were plied with generous pours of both tawny port and cream sherry during the two-hour class. Wheee!

Recipes included:

• Cocoa Nib Brownies (absolutely sinful)
• Devilsfood Bombe (light and creamy, delicious)
• Chocolate Walnut Tart Scented with Orange (too orangey, but lovely texture and crust)
• Lemon Scented Chocolate Macaroons (sticky and good)
• Loretta’s Chocolate Cake (crusty top, warm interior with semi-sweet flavor)

I learned a few new tricks and penned copious notes and additional details to the recipes for my friend (and for me!)

The classes are pricey, although not outrageously so; I think they would make an excellent gift. :)

We spent yesterday indoors avoiding the cold and rainy weather, but come dinnertime Eric suggested a few options to get us away from our computers. We settled on Parizade, located in Erwin Square in Durham.

Our first impression was positive, large paintings covered the walls and the open kitchen was bustling. We ordered a bottle of Spanish cava (sparkling wine) and the gnocchi appetizer to begin our meal. The delicate gnocchi were clearly fresh and the mix of roasted chicken broth and pancetta were just salty and hearty enough. Plus, it was the perfect portion to split for a starter.

I surprised Eric by getting a pasta dish as my main course, but the combination of salmon and artichokes in a tarragon cream sauce sounded too good to pass up. Eric ordered the bolognaise with beef tenderloin and pancetta. Both dishes were delicious and chock full of the advertised ingredients. I can’t tell you how annoyed I get when I have to hunt for the tasty elements supposedly included in my entree. My cream sauce just coated the pasta, so I got all the flavor without the cloying, thick texture of some creamy sauces.

We ended the evening with a monster slice of the 3-Chocolate Torte, and even though we aren’t typically big fans of orange flavored chocolate, the flavor was subtle and overall rich and tasty.

The service was also stellar, our champagne glasses were never empty and Michael was even kind enough to keep us updated on the Davidson/Kansas score. :)

Overall, atmosphere and food were great, I would definitely make it back here in the near future.

I made a whole batch of this so I would be set for an easy and tasty lunch for the next few days. It’s adapted slightly from a Cooking Light recipe from January 2001.

White Bean Soup with Bacon

2 tsps olive oil
1/2 cup bacon, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, chopped
3/4 cup carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups water
1 tsp chicken-flavored “Better Than Bullion”
2 (19 oz) cans white beans, undrained
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsps fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsp sherry
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly grated

Combine water and Better Than Bullion and blend well.

Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat and add the bacon. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add the water, beans, bay leaves and broth mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer, partially covered for 20-25 minutes. Add the parsley, sherry and black pepper and cook another minute. Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Blend soup briefly with an immersion mixer to the desired consistency.

Makes 4 servings.

Our last post about San Diego (until we go back that is). :)

JRDN—Eric ate here last June, so we made a point to have dinner here on this trip. The food was very tasty, but I think our waitress was having an off night. One of my sides was wrong (quickly fixed) and Eric’s flat iron steak took forever to come out. Thankfully, the steak was still delicious. Our waitress wound up giving us an extra bottle of wine because of the mistakes, so we came out happy, albeit slightly sauced. The atmosphere of this place is very chic and modern. A wave design constantly changes color on the main dining room wall; this is one of those places where it is impossible to be overdressed on a Friday night.

The Eggery—As this place was located a block from our hotel, we ate here twice for breakfast. I had the best eggs benedict ever here on our second visit. Even though the place was completely packed, somehow my poached eggs came out perfectly cooked. Plus, they were sitting on toasted english muffins, a generous portion of avocado, dolloped with hollandaise sauce and sprinkled with crispy bacon. Yum. I didn’t hear Eric complain about his croissant breakfast sandwich, so it must have been good as well. :)

World Famous—This busy place right on the beach was actually attached to our hotel and although it took forever to get a table (we were watching this sunset unfold while we waited, so it could have been worse), the service was friendly and the food was good. I had a very surreal experience when our waitress introduced herself as “Leandra.” I suppose the novelty of meeting someone who shares your name wears off quickly for people with common names (Eric is very used to this), but I rarely meet other women with my name, so that was a nice surprise. My bacon-wrapped scallops and lobster bisque were both very tasty. Eric’s chicken ceasar salad was equally tasty.

Coronado Brewing Company—After our stint in Balboa Park we headed over to a brewery in Coronado. One of the nicest things about San Diego is that everything is close, so it only took us ten minutes to get from Balboa park to the brewery. Obviously the thing we were looking forward to most was the beer and I was disappointed when I discovered that they were all out of their dark beers. In winter! Grrr! Thankfully, the Mermaid’s Red Ale hit the spot and Eric really enjoyed the Islandweizen. We split an order of Spicy Potato Flautas and a Hawaiian calzone, both tasty. We left completely full and with a new pint glass for our collection.

Mission Cafe—This place is known for it’s comfy atmosphere and hearty breakfasts and our meal did not disappoint. Eric managed to almost finish his Mission French Toast even while nibbling the rosemary potatoes off my plate. I enjoyed the chicken apple sausage and fresh rosemary bread and a never ending mug of very strong coffee. All the breakfast places along the beach are busy, so you definitely need to get here early unless you want to wait for a while, even during the week!

As you may have noticed, we wrote about breakfast and dinner above, but not lunch. With a big breakfast we often aren’t hungry until dinner, and since breakfasts are typically cheaper then lunch, we’ll often eat two meals with a small afternoon snack when traveling.

Considering we have only four years of high school German between the two of us, it was a good thing the transportation system in Zurich was so easy to follow. Even though we were only there for two days, we each bought a 72 hour ZurichCard that allowed us unlimited transportation on all the city trams, travel to and from the airport, a 90 minute cruise on Lake Zurich, and a train ride west to Uteliburg to fantastic views of the surrounding countryside.

The ZurichCard was 34CHF or about $30 and we used it constantly, taking advantage of many of the benefits in the short time we had. For example, while we don’t typically mind a lot of walking, it was February, windy, we only had two days and frankly, didn’t want to spend them getting from site to site, even in a small city. The ease of tram travel in Zurich was incredible. We never had to wait more than a few minutes and maps were posted everywhere. Interestingly, the trams and trains work on an honor system and I kept ours handy even though we were never once asked to show a ticket.

The ZurichCard also gets you free entrance into a whole slew of museums, but we only had time for one, the Kunsthaus.

Matisse, Chagall, Picasso, Dali, Monet, DaVinci… the collections in this place were stunning. Additionally, the special exhibit of fashion photography by Steichen was an unexpected highlight. You simply have to go here if you find yourself in Zurich.

We also took a ferry trip to several points along Lake Zurich and while it was nice to sit and watch the scenery go by, this trip would be much nicer in warmer weather. We froze.

Also a chilly trek, but stunning nonetheless, was the train ride to Uteliburg and subsequent hike to see the city from above.

Those aren’t clouds in the distance, folks, those are the Swiss Alps with Lake Zurich winding south in the foreground.

In short, we probably would have done a number of these things without the ZurichCard, but we eliminated the need to constantly buy and validate tram and train passes. If you add up the cost of all these activities, the card more than paid for itself in just two days, which made it completely worth it for us.

Two things high on our list of things to do while in Zurich for 46 hours was to get ourselves some swiss fondue and taste some swiss chocolate.

First up, the chocolate…

Sprungli’s flagship store on the Bahnhofstrasse is a sight to behold. We visited on a Saturday and it was wall-to-wall people. Thankfully, we gathered our wits enough to get two pieces of luxemburgerli, their signature treat, two flavored meringue cookies with a chocolate center. We tried to go back for more on Sunday, but the place was closed… so, while significantly less glamorous, we bought more at the airport shop instead.

We also popped into Coop, a huge department store, to score some chocolate bars for gifts. Considering these were also closed on Sunday (it turned out), I’m thankful we made the time!

We saved the fondue experience for our last night and we picked the most well-known fondue place in town, Adler’s Swiss Chuchi. As soon as we entered the place the smell accosted us. I can’t say it was bad, necessarily, but I love cheese… but, it was, well, definitely overwhelming. Thankfully, we got used to the strong fragrance of the place and quickly found ourselves wedged between two other couples surrounded by hot implements. (I quickly wondered how I would look stripping down to a tank top in the middle of February.)

Eric ordered the traditional fondue and I went for the raclette, a do-it-yourself project with melted swiss cheese, a sack of boiled potatoes, and tiny mushrooms that squeaked on the hot grill. After sneaking peeks at the couple next to us, I finally got the hang of seasoning and putting all the ingredients together. Meanwhile Eric was in a delighted cheese fog with a huge smile on his face.

Needless to say, we were very impressed with the quality of the swiss cheese and chocolate.

Because we visit New York state (specifically Long Island) at least once a year, we often don’t give much though to where we eat. Our trip over the holidays was almost two weeks this time, so we had plenty of time to visit two new places and revisit some others.

Mama’s Restaurant, Oakdale—Often after arriving into Islip we meet Eric’s Aunt Joy for lunch or dinner and this is one of our favorite spots. The pasta and seafood did not disappoint although my dad is convinced that they water down their liquor bottles. Therefore, sticking with wine and skipping martinis would be recommended. Eric ordered his favorite, chicken parm, and I enjoyed a lobster ravioli in pink sauce.

The Jamesport Country Kitchen, Jamesport—We stopped here after a morning of wine tasting for a quick snack. This is a very small, but cheerfully-lit place on the main road. Eric’s omelet was delicious and my tomato basil soup hit the spot. My Dad and Lynn split a flounder sandwich that was very tasty as well. Three of us ordered a Long Island chardonnay with lunch and they certainly don’t skip on the amount of wine.

Jedediah Hawkin’s Inn & Restaurant, Jamesport—This was the first time any of us had been here for dinner and while the service and appetizers were wonderful, the entrées left us disappointed. The setting is an old house, so the dining room is spread out over several rooms, which gives the place a more cozy feel. They had many Long Island wines on the menu, including one we had tried and liked earlier in the day. The oysters and ceviche appetizers were wonderful but my venison was just okay. The meat was perfectly cooked but the sauce was bland and the rice it was served with was an unappetizing shade of gray.

Hi-Life, New York City—One night we met Eric’s brother and his girlfriend in the city for dinner. This restaurant was a quick walk from their place and I think we were all a little surprised that they managed to do so many dishes well. Sushi, mac and cheese, chicken satay, tuna steak, crab cakes, and pasta were all well-done. Their specialty martini (a raspberry tart) was delicious as well.

The Frisky Oyster, Greenport—For New Years eve, the ceiling was completely covered in red and white helium balloons sporting streamers that you had to navigate through to make it to your table. Everything from the drinks to the main course was fantastic. I ordered the heirloom tomato and goat cheese fondue while Eric had the chicken quesadilla appetizer. Three of us got the ribeye steak for dinner and it was blackened nicely and cooked perfectly. We were the second people there for the early seating but the place was completely packed by the time we left. Highly recommended.

(Promise you’ll keep it to one, okay? Two did me in… I finally feel human again after an Aleve, a latte, and a shower.)

A few months ago, I had an incredible ginger cocktail at Piedmont in downtown Durham. I also had a variation at 115 Midtowne in September as well. And since I like the occasional martini at home, I set out to find the ingredients to make my own. After a few test runs, I finally discovered the right combination of spicy and sweet.

Leandra’s Ginger Martini

1.5 oz Grey Goose vodka
1.5 oz ginger ale soda
1/2 Tbsp ginger juice
1 tsp granulated sugar

Combine the ginger juice and sugar and stir to make a paste. Combine vodka, ginger ale, and ginger mixture into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake lightly and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Eric and I have been visiting Long Island wineries for as long as we’ve been together and we’ve seen many changes in the last ten years. While some wines have certainly increased in quality, one major negative is that all wineries now charge a pretty hefty fee to try their wine. Some places refund the tasting fee if you purchase wine, but others don’t. At least in Santa Ynez, California you get a complimentary wine glass, no such luck here in NY.

Roanoke Vineyards—By far our best experience, Rich Pisacano poured us some lovely wines, our favorites being the reserve Merlot from 2005 2004, Blend 1, and the 2006 Chardonnay. All these wines were lovely now, but would be even better after some decanting and cellar-time. The tasting fees were reasonable and happily waived after we bought two cases of wine. I would definitely recommend this winery for a pleasant tasting atmosphere of some nicely crafted wines.

Palmer Vineyards—One of the bigger wineries on Long Island, but their wines were solid. The three-flight tastes were generous, my favorite red was the Cabernet Franc. Eric liked the White Riesling best, followed closely by the Gewurztraminer. The two kids pouring the wine were personable but didn’t seem to know that much about the wines.

Martha Clara Vineyards—We really enjoyed ourselves here three years ago but along with the increase in building size came an increase in tasting fees and a decrease in quality. The pours were very tiny (they had those cut-off spouts that gave us about 1/2 oz pours) and the setting was impersonal. You have to walk through a large shop to get to the tasting room, which lets me know where their heads are. Disappointing at best. Their sparkling wines are decent.

Jamesport Vineyards—We ran into another baffling tasting fee here, there was an extra $2 charge for a shared tasting on top of the $6-$8 fee. In other words, to share the exact same pour with Eric I would be charged more. Are you kidding me? We bought the 2002 Riesling at the local wine shop which we really enjoyed but Eric had a very different opinion about the 2005. I thought the Pinot Noir was passable but the Merlot and Cab were sub-par.

Bedell Cellars Vineyards—On this visit we discovered that our favorite raspberry dessert wine will be discontinued after this batch is sold. Strangely, it is also bottled by their sister vineyard Corey Creek now. Bedell was also the only place that required we pay up front for tasting and then didn’t credit us the tasting when we bought four bottles of wine. Personally, I think if I buy $80 worth of your wine, the least you could do would be to credit me the $10 tasting fee for four small samples. This place was recommended for their ‘05 Merlots which were completely sold out. Figures.

Nothing jump started the holidays better than my gram’s cookies. Every year she made copious amounts of russian teaballs and these buttery cookies with a half a pecan on top, delicious!

We haven’t had the joy of these cookies in a few years, so I searched through her old wooden recipe box and found the (surprisingly easy) directions. I think I did them justice. :)

Russian Teaballs

1 lb butter, softened
6 Tbsp granulated sugar
4 cups flour, sifted
1 lb grated almonds (I just grind them in a food processor until finely chopped)
powdered sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter in a stand mixer on medium speed, add granulated sugar. Gradually add sifted flour, you will probably have to scrape the sides of the mixer as you go. (I switched from the whisk to the paddle attachment about halfway through, but I think you could start with the paddle and save yourself some time.) Add the grated almonds and incorporate completely.

Form little balls (about 2 Tbsp dough per ball) and place on ungreased baking sheets, about 20 to a sheet. The idea is to end up with round cookies, so I freeze the dough balls on the cookie sheets for about 10 minutes before putting them in the oven so they don’t flatten out when baked.

Bake for 16 minutes, flipping the cookies over after 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, this will allow the cookies to firm up a bit, they are very crumbly when hot. While still warm, gently roll in a dish of powdered sugar to coat. I store these in layers with wax paper in between, but wait until completely cooled to box them up.

Makes about 80 cookies.