Two wine experts were on hand. Winemaker Todd Hamina of Oregon winery Biggio Hamina was pouring his 2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley and the 2011 Melon de Bourgogne. Biggio Hamina is a vineyard that focuses on mostly single-vintage, single varietal wines from single vineyards. Hamina told me he likes keeping the grapes separate so he can taste and compare: “I want to really learn about the flavors of the soil.”
I particularly loved the Melon de Bourgone, which Hamina told me is a grape that’s normally grown in the Muscadet region of France. I found it to be light and flavorful with creamy melon and citrus flavors. Hamina suggested pairing it with seafood, and I could see it accompanying crab cakes or other light crustacean dishes.
Biggio Hamina wines can be found at Ellwood Thompson's and Libbie Market, as well as on various restaurant menus around town. (Hamina also visited Dutch & Co. during dinner Thursday, sampling the same two wines.)
In addition, Chris Anderson, owner of Wine Lovers, which recently moved to the Shoppes at Wellesley where Patina is also located, was pouring four wines. I was thoroughly impressed with the Brandborg 2011 Riesling, which had the expected sweetness of a Riesling with lots of apple and pear flavors, but also some bright acidic lemon and citrus flavors that led to an interesting honey finish with a hint of tartness that left me wanting more. I also loved the Castello di Neive Santo Stefano Barbera D’Alba 2009, which was light and dry with complex fruit flavors.
Patina owner Greer Bernstein told me she chose BARK as the charity for this month’s event because some of her regulars were friends with the people who run the organization, plus she’s an animal lover. Past tastings have benefitted FeedMore and Central Virginia Horse Rescue. Bernstein says Patina probably will host another charity tasting in June and then take a break for the summer, resuming the events in September. To find out about the next event, like Patina on Facebook, or follow the Twitter feed @dinePatina.
The Republic owner Antonio Hawkins was served an “unlawful detainer” summons seeking $168,820.69 by May 23. According to Mark C. Shuford, the lawyer for building owner Matthew Appleget, the summons seeks both back rent (base rent, pro-rated taxes, and pro-rated insurance), as well as rent through the end of the lease, which terminates in October 2014. Attorney Charles Homiller, who is representing Hawkins and The Republic, says the majority of the amount alleged to be owed is for rent on the remainder of the lease. Homiller says, “We’re working with the landlord’s attorney to try to resolve it without having it go to court.” (Click here to see an earlier post on this.)
The chefs for Off-Broad Appetit at Pasture were announced this morning. Portland, Denver, Brooklyn and Washington, D.C., will be represented at the June 1 event, which is a benefit for FeedMore.
Cous Cous will reopen as The Well, serving what they call “New Rustic Cuisine,” with things like fish and chips, house-cured corned beef and fried oatmeal (!), plus craft cocktails. They'll be open for dinner only. (Richmond.com)
Groovy pizza chain restaurant Mellow Mushroom will open May 20 in Carytown in Plan 9's old space. (Richmond.com)
The owners of Luncheonette announced that they'll be ready to open in the former Bistro 104 space downtown within about two months. (Richmond.com)
Lunch will expand next door on Summit Avenue and serve dinner — at the newly named Supper. Many, many witticisms followed in the wake of the announcement and I'm sure many more are to come. (Richmond.com)
Owner Paul Keevil will serve British comfort food at Lulu’s in Shockoe bottom. (Richmond.com)
Food Network Star Malcolm Mitchell will be in the kitchen at Mint on May 15 at 6 p.m. with his pop-up event, the Promiscuous Palate.
Deep Run Roadhouse submitted an ABC application and will soon serve alcohol along with its barbecue. (Hint: A dry cider like the varieties Foggy Ridge makes are the perfect barbecue accompaniment). They also have plans to expand into the space next door. (Style Weekly)
It was 10 years ago when Julep's New Southern Cuisine first opened its doors. They'll celebrate with a wine dinner on May 20th. A five-course menu paired with Barboursville wine is planned, so reserve your cab to take you home accordingly. Tickets are $125.10. (RVANews)
Even more wine is coming to the area when Republic National Distributing Co. completes its planned expansion in Ashland. The new facility will be more than 200,000 square feet. (Richmond BizSense)
Nuevo Mexico is going to open a third location at 9 N. Fourth St., which has been home to Times Square, Bill’s Barbecue, Nine North Fourth and Fourth Street Diner. (Richmond BizSense)
And finally, Secco Wine Bar posted this news on Facebook: “Today is our 3rd Anniversary and we'd like to mark it with a bittersweet announcement: Starting next week, Secco will no longer serve lunch.” As of Monday, Secco’s hours will be 3 p.m. to midnight Monday to Friday and 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday. “Now for the ‘sweet’ part,” the post continues: “Drawing on the popularity of our BEER BRUNCH, we will now offer brunch EVERY Saturday and Sunday (starts 5/20)!”So long, from NYC, folks!
The chefs include:
Adam Sappington, owner and executive chef of the The Country Cat in Portland, Ore.
Rob Newton, owner and chef of Seersucker in New York City's Brooklyn borough.
Nicholas Sefanelli, chef at Bibiana in Washington, D.C.
Ruben Garcia, chef at minibar Jose Andres in Washington, D.C.
Justin Brunson, owner and chef of Old Major and owner of Denver Bacon Co., in Denver.
These chefs will present a "grazing feast" of dishes featuring local food producers from across Virginia, including Autumn Olive, Leaping Waters, College Run Farms, Sam Rust Seafood and Rappahannock River Oysters. Virginia wines, brews and other ingredients will be featured throughout the evening. Tickets are limited.
The owner of the building occupied by The Republic, Matthew Appleget, is suing Republic owner Antonio Hawkins for alleged back rent and remaining rent payments on the lease — $168,820.69 to be exact, according to the unlawful detainer summons that was posted on the restaurant’s front door.
Formal eviction proceedings have begun, says Mark C. Shuford, Appleget's lawyer. Hawkins has until the May 23 court date to pay the alleged sum. "I don't know if the tenant can do anything about it in time, but that's the day the two will go to court and hash it out," Shuford says.
The restaurant has been closed for several weeks.
Last Sunday, May 5, was Orthodox Easter, celebrated by those who follow the Julian calendar. This is a decades-long tradition in my Ukrainian family. My grandmother used to make the dinner, then my mother, and now it falls to me. One of these years, I will teach young Mark (my not-really-that-young nephew) who, I hope, will one day pass along the family tradition to the really-young Sophie, his daughter.
The Easter meal is a celebratory one, breaking the long fast of Lent, and tradition dictates a table full of foods rich in dairy and meat. It’s somewhat of a family joke that our Ukrainian Easter feast is pretty much a white and brown-toned meal: eggs, cottage cheese, babka (made with a special bottle of Daddy’s Crown Royal whiskey), kishka, kielbasa, and pork. The only color — and vegetable — is provided by the beets. We call it hreine, and one of the old Ukrainian cookbooks translates the name to tsvikly.
The beet-and-horseradish combination is a condiment, but we like it so much that I tend to make a vat of it when the whole family comes. It’s really tasty with salty meats and hard-cooked eggs. I eat it straight from the fridge.
Secrets for Success
- This is pretty simple to make, but takes a little time due to the juiciness of the beets. Don’t skimp on the time to drain the grated beets or you may end up with a lot of liquid in the final product. If you can drain the beets overnight, that’s even better.
- I usually grate beets by hand with a box grater rather than a food processor because I’d rather clean up one tool than all the processor’s parts. Let the flavors blend for several hours — this really makes a difference.
- Beet juice is notorious for staining. If you happen to get beet juice on your tablecloth, here’s how to remove the stain: First, get help — this work best with two people. In a kettle (you’ll need something with a spout), bring water to a boil. Remove from the heat. In the kitchen sink, one person holds the stained material over a bowl, pulled taut. The second person slowly pours the just-boiled water slowly on the stain, from a height of several inches to a foot. Be very careful not to splatter the water on the first person. The boiling water + the force from the water poured from the height = disappearing stain. It’s a miracle! This also works on berry stains. (Oh, the things, I learned at my mother’s knee.)
Orthodox Easter Beets
Yield: about 3 cups
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 15-ounce cans of whole beets, well-drained
Apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt
5-ounce jar of prepared horseradish
Make a simple syrup by combining the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and let boil for a minute or so. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. This can be done in advance.
Grate the beets on the large holes of a box grater. Careful! You don’t want to grate your fingers, too. Place the grated beets in a mesh strainer or a colander, and suspend it over a bowl. Drain the grated beets for at least two hours, more if you have the time.
When you’re ready to mix everything together, gently press down on the beets to extract any residual juice, then place the beets in a non-reactive bowl (glass or stainless steel work well here.)
This next part involves seasoning the beets to your taste. They are supposed to have a balance of sweet and sour (syrup and vinegar), with some heat (horseradish).
Start by adding equal amounts of simple syrup and vinegar — 2 tablespoons of each is a good start — tasting and adjusting until you have balance. Sprinkle on a good pinch of salt (you don’t need much). Start adding the horseradish, beginning with 1/3 of the jar. Add as much as you like to achieve a good level of heat. I am partial to the sinus-clearing level, so I usually add more, but that’s just me.
Now, chill the beets for six to eight hours, covered in the refrigerator. The flavors will blend so that you’ll need to taste the beets again before serving to readjust the sweet, sour and heat elements.
This is terrific with a good garlicky kielbasa.
© 2013 Lee Chaharyn. Lee is an eclectic mix of baker, cook, registered dietitian, writer, project manager, life-long learner, and traveler. She works at the University of Richmond.
