Fancy Food Show Product Reviews for Meatless Monday

Hey food lovers! I'm still in New York City, so tonight (for Meatless Monday), Melyssa will talk about her favorite vegetarian and vegan offerings from the 2010 Fancy Food Show.

Crepini Cafe Gourmet Low-Fat Filled Crepes

I tried two types (Spinach Feta and Portobella Parmigiano) of these pre-filled and pre-rolled savory crepes and both were delicious! The texture of the crepe itself was fluffier than many I've gotten in restaurants.

Lucini Italia Cinque e' Cinque (Tuscan Chickpea Frittata)

I've never had anything like this before, but this frittata (which reminded me a bit of polenta) would make a great side or main course topped with marinara, parmigiana, and olive oil. Because its made of chickpea, its high in protein and fiber and low in fat. Plus it's vegan and gluten-free!

Hello Organic Ready to Eat Chana Masala 

This was nicely spiced and much more flavorful than most prepared Indian dishes I've tried. The chickpeas were whole and perfectly - not mushy or broken like I've found with some other brands (I'm talking about you, Trader Joes!)

Danielle Crispy Fruit and Veggie Chips

While there are 11 different chips to choose from, my favorite were the pumpkin and okra - two veggies I didn't even know were available in chip form.

Wing-Time Garlic Buffalo Wing Sauce

Sure, many people may use this on chicken, but I personally can't wait to try it on fried seitan strips! Hot and garlicy but not overpowering. A touch of Parmesan adds a perfect tangy finish.

Tasty Brand Organic Vegan "Superfruit" Fruit Snacks

It's near impossible to find gummies that aren't made with gelatin - let alone decent ones - but these are the best I've found so far! With no animal products, artificial colors, or high fructose corn syrup, they're much healthier than your average fruit snack, and though the "gumminess" is just slightly different from that of conventional versions, the flavor itself is fantastic - plus the Superfruit gummies are boosted with beneficial Acai berries.

Aloos Organic Pomegranate Aloe Juice

I've seen drinks like this before, but until today I'd only ever used aloe on skin burns. This juice was surprisingly delicious and so refreshing. Plus it's all-natural and contains no high fructose corn syrup so it's not too sweet. I was worried the aloe gel would be lumpy or feel strange to drink, but it went down easy and I kept re-filling my cup with more.

Rooibee Red Tea

In addition to the aloe juice, this was the one of the tastiest drinks I tried. The unsweetened version isn't too strong and has a subtle citrus finish, while the watermelon mint is the perfect cooling summer beverage. Once I find out where to buy these, I'll never touch Snapple again!

Stay tuned for many more of our favorites from the show, including the tastiest sauces, dips, marinades, cheeses, and ready-to-eat meals.

Fancy Food Show Part 1

Hey everyone - greetings from the Fancy Food Show in New York City. So far I've tasted lots of great natural and organic products from chocolates to cheeses to truffles to caviar, and I didn't even make it through one whole floor yet!

Look who I ran into walking around the show! Classic punk fans might recognize this drum legend: Marky Ramone. In addition to hosting a radio show on Sirius/XM, Marky is launching a line of his own pasta sauce, which is currently served at DBGB's restaurant in NYC. Unfortunately I didn't get to try any, as he didn't have a booth set up.

Tomorrow I'm going back for more, so stay tuned for an extensive list and review of my favorite new products coming soon.

Meatless Monday - Summer Grilling Edition

Chimichurri is a flavorful Argentinian herb-based sauce or marinade. It's great on chicken, steak, vegetables, fish, or even tofu, but for this Meatless Monday, I served it with grilled tempeh.

Grilled Tempeh with Chimichurri Sauce

1 package your favorite brand of tempeh
1 tbs. olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cut tempeh into medium sized squares or triangles. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Grill tempeh on either an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan on medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side until it begins to brown and grill marks appear. Top with chimichurri sauce - see recipe below.

Sauce:

1 cup fresh oregano, washed and dried with stems removed
1 cup fresh parsley, washed and dried with stems removed
3 tbs. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1/4 tsp. ground pepper or to taste
2 tbs. water (plus a little more if necessary)

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until it is a smooth puree. Add water one tbs. at a time if the sauce is too thick. Can be prepared 3-4 days ahead.

Grilled Yellow and Zucchini Squash with Herb Butter and Lemon

4 assorted organic and/or locally grown zucchini and yellow squashes
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs. your favorite brand or homemade garlic and herb butter
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Juice of one lemon
salt and ground pepper to taste

Slice the squashes lengthwise - not too thin. In a rectangular baking dish or a baggie, combine olive oil, salt, pepper, and the leaves from 2 of the thyme sprigs (discarding the stems). Add squash and toss to coat. This can be done ahead.

Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high. Cook squash 3-5 minutes per side depending on thickness, until softened. Place hot squash into a baking dish and top with herb butter, remaining thyme, and lemon juice.

Mixed Greens Salad with Beets, Goat Cheese, and Lemon Vinaigrette

1 package mixed mesclun greens or arugula blend
4 roasted beets, sliced (you can buy these prepared - Melissa's or Trader Joe's brand is good)
1/2 cup soft goat cheese
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Lemon vinaigrette (or dressing of your choice) to taste

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and serve with grilled tempeh and squash

Wine and Cheese Heaven

Wine and Cheese Pairing at Crossing Vineyards

The other night I went to a wine and cheese pairing class at Crossing Vineyards in Washington Crossing, PA. The vineyard was founded by Tom Sr. and Christine Carroll and inspired by their son, Tom Jr. (the vintner), who, from the age of 10, kept insisting "wouldn't [this property] make a great vineyard?" After living in California for years working as an actor and "self educating in viticulture and enology, Tom Jr. yearned to return to his roots. He called his parents one night at 3am and said he wanted to come home and start a vineyard and winery. Today, Crossing Vineyard is award-winning, and the whole Carroll family is active in the business.

Tom Carroll Sr, headed the class, which was held in a rustic but beautiful room on the winery's second floor. The wines and cheeses were elegantly laid out on a granite table. Carroll was knowledgeable and animated, speaking with his hands - you could really feel the passion for his craft. 

Although I am well-versed in pairing wine with food, I learned that pairing wine with cheese is a much more complex process. Cheese has many subtleties in its flavors which can be brought out when paired with the right wine. We sipped four different wines with four distinct  cheeses, and discussed the nuances of each.( cheeses should be brought to room temperature for up to 2hrs. before serving to really enhance their flavors.)

The wines we tasted each came from Crossing Vineyards:

2008 Riesling - " This semi-dry wine is bright and refreshing with floral highlights and aromas of ripe, tropical fruit."(award winning!)

Apple - "This delicious, semi-sweet wine has a fruity bouquet and is filled with the taste of freshly pressed Granny Smiths, Yorks and Winesaps. The finish is crisp and clean, with hints of honey and butterscotch."

Peach - "The flavor of tree-ripened peaches delicately splashes over your taste buds in this refreshing wine... fruity, medium-bodied and sweet."

Vintner's Select Red - "Finished in oak, this Meritage-style wine combines the rich, crimson-purple color of Merlot, the tannic backbone of a young Cabernet Sauvignon and the jammy-berry flavor of a well-balanced Cabernet Franc. The finish is full of ripe red and dark fruit, with hints of chocolate and spice."

Cheese selection for the evening:

Manchego - a sheep's milk cheese from the La Mancha region of Spain. Slightly salty and nutty with a mellow finish.

Ibores - A tangy Spanish goat's milk cheese rubbed in olive oil and pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika).

Black Diamond Cheddar - Aged Canadian cheese made from raw milk. An intense, full-flavored cheddar cheese with a fresh taste not found in many other cheddars.

Beemster - A triple-aged Gouda which was developed over 800 years ago in the Netherlands. Mature-tasting with a firm body, caramel color, and intense nutty flavor with a sweet finish. 

Although I enjoyed all of the cheeses, the Beemster was my favorite and seemed to pair well with each of the sweet wines, especially the Riesling, which was my preferred drink of the evening. I thought the Black Diamond Cheddar went best with the Vintner's Select Red.

A tip for those who tend to shy away from sweeter wines - try pairing them with a cheese with a sweet notes. The cheese evens out the sweetness in the wine, leaving you with great flavor. This is also true for pairing sweet wines with desserts. For example, I plan to make an apple or peach crostata to serve with the apple or peach wine.

Christine Carroll, owner, holding an award for their Riesling won in a California wine competition. 

The winery grounds:

Entrance to the wine shop/tasting room/barrel room

I only live a couple miles from this winery and my husband and I often visit on the weekend, buy a bottle of wine and a cheese plate, and relax on the patio. They also have a tent for events and weddings, and offer an outdoor summer music concert series from June through September, as well as ongoing wine education classes.

In honor of National Dairy Month (which we are in the middle of) here are a few of my favorite cheeses:

Sole Gran Queso - a hard Spanish cow's milk cheese with a grainy texture and sharp and nutty flavor. Try it with a quince or guava paste.

Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese - a California goat's milk cheese, "creamy and luscious with a subtle tangy flavor." Pairs well with a drizzle of chestnut or truffle honey.

D'Affinois - French double-cream cow's milk cheese similar to a Brie, but sweeter. Pairs excellently with fig jam - try Dalmatia Fig Spread.

Stilton with Apricot - Tangy Stilton cheese blended with the pleasant sweetness of fruit. Pairs well with Riesling or Viogner.

Local in the Bucks County, PA/Princeton, NJ area are cheeses from Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrenceville, NJ. This all-organic farm offers raw milk cheeses made on the premises as well as free-range eggs, grass-fed beef and lamb, and whey-fed pork. So far, my favorites are their Asiago and Herdsman. 

Meatless Monday Recipes - Tropical Quorn Cutlets and Italian Stuffed Portobellos

Coconut-Crusted Quorn Cutlets with Passion Fruit Sauce and Mango Salsa

1 package (4) Quorn Naked Cutlets, defrosted

1 cup organic shredded coconut (if you use unsweetened, toss it with a tbs. of sugar)

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 tsp. + one pinch salt

1/4 tsp. + one pinch pepper

1/2 tsp.+ one pinch garlic powder

1/8th tsp. curry powder (optional)

2 tbs. canola oil

1 tbs. Earth Balance buttery spread

2 free range organic eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl or on a large plate, mix coconut, panko, and spices and toss to combine. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add pinch of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dip each cutlet in egg mixture, then into coconut breading. Pat breading down into the cutlet with your hand. I re-dipped into egg and breading again for a thicker crust, but this is optional.

In a 9-10 inch skillet, heat oil and Earth Balance over medium heat. Add cutlets and cook each side until nicely brown. Transfer the skillet to pre-heated oven and continue to cook 7-10 minutes until warmed through.

Passion Fruit Sauce

1 tbs. Earth Balance

1 tsp. garlic-herb butter if you have it (I always keep it on hand and buy extra to store in the freezer)

1 cup frozen passion fruit juice concentrate (I used Goya brand, if you can't find this, you can use passion fruit juice from a can or bottle OR frozen mango juice concentrate can be substituted)

1 tbs. sweet chili sauce (found in the Asian or Ethnic aisle of your supermarket)

Melt Earth Balance and garlic-herb butter in a small saucepan. Add juice concentrate and sweet chili sauce. Cook on medium-high heat until slightly reduced. This takes 2-3 minutes. Serve on top of warm coconut quorn cutlets.

Quick Mango-Avocado Salsa

1-2 large mangoes, peeled and diced (depending how much you want to make)

1 large, ripe avocado, cubed

1/2 red pepper, diced (optional)

1-2 tsp. sweet chili & mango or plain sweet chili sauce (Blue Dragon is my favorite, you can find it in the Asian foods section)

1 tbs. fresh chopped cilantro (more or less to taste)

4 leaves fresh chopped mint (optional)

Juice of one lime

Toss all ingredients together gently and serve with above cutlets. This is also good with fish or chicken.

This meal would pair well with Thai, Jasmine, or Basmati rice.

Pesto Panko Stuffed Portobellos 

This my version of a recipe I saw on Grill It! With Bobby Flay

4 large portobello mushrooms, gently cleaned with a damp cloth* (you could also use baby bellas or another smaller mushroom to make this a party appetizer)

1-2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 cup panko or Italian breadcrumbs

1/2 cup prepared or home made pesto (see my recipe from this entry, or if you want to purchase it, I recommend Bear Pond basil pesto which you can find at Whole Foods)

2 tbs. fresh chopped parsley

3/4 cup Whole Foods shredded Paremsan Three Cheese Blend or your own fresh grated Parmesan

1-2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced into rounds (you will need 4 slices)

4 slices fresh mozzarella or fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine is the size you'll need)

salt to taste, if needed

pinch fresh ground pepper

*Portobello tip - gently remove the mushrooms stem and gills for more stuffing space 

These can be done on the grill, but I made them in the oven this time.

Preheat oven to Low-Broil. Brush olive oil on the the mushroom cap and season with a sprinkle of salt.

For stuffing: Combine breadcrumbs, pesto, parsley, shredded parmesan blend, and pepper (taste before adding salt - mine didn't need any because the pesto and cheese were salty enough). Mixture should be slightly moist and not too crumbly, if the mixture seems too dry, add up to 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil. Scoop mixture into hollowed-out mushroom caps. Top with a slice of fresh tomato and fresh mozzarella. Drizzle oil in the bottom of a baking dish and place mushrooms in, stuffing side up. Broil for about 10 minutes, until caps are soft and cheese begins to melt. If the mushrooms are not soft after 10 minutes, switch from low broil to bake at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes more.

Fun Foodie Facts

Good news for vegetarian Phillies fans - Citizen's Bank Park ranked #1 on PETA's list of "vegetarian-friendly major league stadiums." As of this season, they offer veggie burgers, faux-steak and faux-chicken sandwiches, mock crab cakes, hummus and pita, and even vegan rice krispie treats!

Rounding out the top 5 for vegetarian fare were 

AT&T Park - San Franciso Giants

Minute Maid Park - Houston Astros

Comerica Park - Detroit Tigers

Coors Field - Colorodo Rockies

Stay tuned for my review of a wine and cheese pairing that I attended at Crossing Vineyards and Winery in Washington Crossing, PA.

Day at the Beach

Yesterday the weather was beautiful in the tri-state area so I played hooky and drove to my favorite beach in Spring Lake, NJ (a little over an hour from my house). Even though it's only 25 minutes from where they shoot the MTV show "Jersey Shore," it's worlds away in terms of class and culture - you probably won't find Snooki here! Spring Lake is a picturesque, upscale, seaside town on the coast of New Jersey full of manicured lawns, gardens, pretty houses, bed and breakfasts, and even a lake (albeit man-made) in a small park near the center of town. The main street, Third Avenue, is dotted with quaint shops, boutiques, and restaurants. 

Unlike many other Jersey beaches, Spring Lake is cleaner and quieter, attracting more families and fewer boisterous teenagers. The long boardwalk (which lacks rides or a carnival-like atmosphere) starts in the beautiful neighboring town of Sea Girt and is perfect for fitness buffs or those seeking a more peaceful stroll.

I grabbed a take out lunch at one of my favorite delis, Tom Bailey's Market (303 Washington Ave, Spring Lake, NJ). Here you can enjoy huge, fresh sandwiches, some hot entrees, salads, cheeses, and a few gourmet items such as products from Stonewall Kitchen and Barefoot Contessa. This is also where I first found the best packaged chocolate chip cookies I've ever had from Tate's Bake Shop (headquarted in The Hamptons, where I will visit later this summer!)

I ordered a delicious sandwich with turkey, corned beef, Swiss, coleslaw, and Russian dressing (they call this a Sloppy Joe, though theirs has ham instead of corned beef). The market also features a selection of vegetarian sandwiches and entree selections. 

I ate outside in their newly-expanded patio area which you can see here: 

A new addition to the market - Tom Bailey's Grille (opening soon) - will featuring a more extensive dinner menu and table service. BYOB, but there is a wine shop across the street.

I also stopped in at Third Avenue Chocolate Shoppe (1118 Third Ave, Spring Lake, NJ) where candy maker Matt Magyar offers up delicious home made treats. I ate a few milk and dark chocolate caramel and rice crispy turtles (sorry no pictures, they didn't last long enough!). Magyar is a low-tech guy who doesn't even have a cell phone, let alone an official web site. The good news is, you can order treats for home delivery by calling (732) 449-7535.

Meatless Monday - Vegetarian Savory Herb Crepes

Savory Herb Crepes

1 cup flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

2 tbs. melted butter plus a little extra for the pan

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs (I used a mix of lemon thyme, oregano, parsley, and basil)

In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients except herbs until well-blended. Throw the herbs in last and store the batter in your refrigerator for about an hour. You can start on the fillings and sauce while you wait.

Heat a bit of butter in a crepe pan (or a small-medium sized nonstick skillet with shallow sides). Keep the heat fairly low or else the crepes will brown too quickly. Hold the pan with one hand and drop about 1/4 cup of batter in with the other. Swirl the pan around so the batter evenly covers the bottom in a thin layer.

Cook until bottom is just starting to brown. Flip crepe and cook the other side until it is also lightly browned. Repeat until you run out of batter. To keep crepes from sticking, I like to stack them with a sheet of wax paper in between each one. Keep in a slightly warm oven until you serve them.

Parmesan Mornay Sauce

2 heaping tbs. butter or Earth Balance buttery spread

2 heaping tbs. flour

1-2 cups milk (start with 1, but you may need more to thin it out)

1/2 - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (preferably Whole Foods Parmesan Blend)

About 1/8 tsp. (a couple grates on a microplane grater) nutmeg

Salt and ground pepper to taste

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. One it's melted, add flour and whisk to combine thoroughly. Whisk in milk, then salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Keep whisking gently as you let it cook over medium heat until it thickens, then add the cheese. If the sauce seems too thick, add more milk as needed.

Ricotta Filling

2 cups ricotta cheese

4 heaping tablespoons shredded Parmesan blend

1/8-1/4 tsp. salt (depending how salty your ricotta cheese is - I used organic part-skim and it seems to need more seasoning than others)

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and set aside. Warm for a few seconds in the microwave before filling crepes.

Vegetable Fillings

These can be mixed and matched depending on your preferences - pretty much any combination will be delicious!

Sliced cherry tomatos

Grilled or roasted asparagus spears

Sauteed mushrooms (see recipe below)

Arugula leaves

Basil pesto (either store bought or home made - there's a good recipe for it in this entry!)

Wine and Herb Sauteed Mushrooms

1 container white, button, or baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup Sherry or Port

1 tbs. herb butter (you can use regular butter too, but I like to keep Kerrygold Garlic & Herb Butter on hand at all times)

Pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a skillet, melt herb butter. over medium heat. Add mushrooms and Sherry or Port. Season with salt and pepper. Let the wine reduce and cook mushrooms until just soft.

When assembling crepes, spread a layer of pesto if you are using it, then a generous dollop of ricotta cheese. Add whatever combination of vegetables you'd like, then roll up and top with warm mornay sauce.

 Pesto, Ricotta, Tomato, Arugula

Ricotta, Sauteed Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus, Tomato

Wine Sips and Tips

These crepes pair nicely with Trader Joe's Honey Moon Viognier 2008. Viogner is a "rare, stylish grape with golden hues and amazing floral scents. This is a lush, full-bodied wine with peach, apricot, and honeysuckle aromas followed by luscious honey, mango, and nectar finish." It would also compliment Asian-flavors, roast chicken, and lobster.

Beer Buzz

Over the past few decades, larger breweries have been on the decline, giving way to many smaller artisan brewers popping up throughout the United States. The micro-brew revolution is in full swing, with over 1,500 independent producers using "alternative production methods" to craft imaginative new beers with unique flavors and higher alcohol contents that some are calling "the best beer[s] in the world." 

According to an article by Tom Strenk from Specialty Food Magazine, the Brewer's Association defines three types of breweries: craft, independent, and traditional. Craft breweries are small, with less than two-million barrels produced annually. The signature of a craft brewery is the re-inventing and re-interpretation of traditional beers, which are made with hops and barley. Artisan brewers today are more like vintners, experimenting with new flavor profiles and using ingredients like herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, grains, sugars, and chocolate. However, unlike vintners "who only make wine one yearly harvest at a time," micro-brewmasters craft their beverages "daily or weekly." Most brew a selection of beers that are available all year round, in addition to "seasonal and limited release." Currently, there are over 13,000 brands of beer available and 125 recognized styles.

(Specialty Food Magazine, May 2010)

There are four distinct flavors on the rise today:

"Bigger Flavored" - Maltier and hoppier than traditional beers like Budweiser or Miller.
A bolder beer is the Shakespeare Stout by Rogue Ales. A "rich, creamy head" - earthy flavor with chocolate and coffee notes. Pairs well with anything from beef to cheese to salad - or even vanilla ice cream.

India Pale Ale (IPA) - Golden-colored beers brewed with "aromatic and bitter hops."
Try a Bridgeport IPA - "Notes of citrus and pine, barley-malt and hops." Very smooth and creamy.

Barrel-Aged - Employs techniques common to wine making. Beers are fermented in different types of barrels (such as varieties of Oak or the most common - Bourbon) imparting the flavors of "vanilla, toast, spice, and other notes."

Examples include the Tommyknocker Oaked Butt Head Bock - Mahogany-colored with smokey oak, caramel, and malt flavors. 

Sour - Shockingly pungent, hit-or-miss vinegary beers produced by wild yeast fermentation.
Check out the Wisconsin Belgian Red from New Citrus Brewing Co. Cherry pie aromas blend with cinnamon and earthy notes."Sharp and puckery on the palate, finishes dry, fruity and clean for an excellent sweet and sour balance." Pairs well with cheeses such as Gouda, baby Swiss, triple cream brie, and mascarpone.

Local readers can try examples of these trendy new beers during Philly Beer Week. I am hoping to attend and will post the results of my beer sampling - so stay tuned!