A Perfect Wine For A Summer Wedding

Simply chill and serve out-of-doors!

Saturday night, David had asked if I wanted to pick up some wine to go along with dinner. He'd also said, You don't have to, but if you don't you might be sad... I considered it best to go out and pick up a bottle. David wanted either a riesling or something not dry. I didn't want a riesling, so I took the longish walk over to PJ Wine to see what I could see.

FIRST, I checked PJ's bargain bins and within minutes, I came across a one-liter bottle of grüner veltliner for a mere $10.97. Dry it was definitely not and I knew David was at least a slight fan of the varietal. It was in my sack and headed back home with me. After some sped up chilling in a salted ice bath, I poured out our first tastes. Very juicy with just a touch of effervescence. I'd said it'd be the perfect wine for an outdoor summer wedding to which David wholly agreed. Twenty minutes-or-so later, our grüner reached its ideal temperature. It paired well with our salty Ikea herring roe on crackers.

An Afternoon at Ikea

Last week, I joined my sister, Kim on an afternoon trip to Ikea to browse furniture for her new apartment. After snaking through Ikea's maze of merchandise, we stopped for lunch at the Ikea restaurant. I could hardly contain that it was the highlight of our trip...

 smoked salmon with lime-marinated vegetables

Kim's first time at the restaurant, I had to guide her through the process of picking up a tray, utensils and glasses. The first foods we passed at the grab-and-go cases were scrumptious-looking dishes of smoked salmon. I simply could not resist! I also picked up a small, fresh mesclun salad and a roll with butter. A simple, black coffee completed my meal.

Ikea marketplace was our next stop

The salmon plate was as delicious as it looked, if not more, and my mesclun salad was perfect! After downing the last of my coffee, Kim and I proceeded through the Ikea marketplace on our way out. We only had a moment to grab handfuls of goodies before rush hour traffic back into Manhattan would begin. I more or less managed to find all of my marketplace staples (although I didn't find any punschrulle).

cardamom crisp rolls, $2.49

Of course, I had to pick up some Ikea "caviar" at just $1.99 a piece and along with that, a tube of salmon spread, for $2.59. (I later found out that tångkorn is vegan caviar... explaining why it wasn't so good)

all you need is some crème fraîche and crackers!

I also picked up the largest wheel of cheese I'd ever bought--hushållsost (Swedish "household cheese"), for $17.99. Near the cardamom crisp rolls (David's favorite) I also found gooseberry preserves, for $3.99.

rare enough to be considered a luxury

Kim and I also picked out a few different chocolate bars, and a sleeve of butter cookies, before selecting last, but not least: Swedish meatballs for David.

Swedish meatballs, $6.99

When David and I first discovered Ikea's marketplace, several years ago, we'd both become instant fans. It's not uncommon for David, or I, to make a once-a-year "Ikea marketplace run"--it especially comes in handy when entertaining guests!

Ikea runs a free shuttle to their Elizabeth store, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am - 2:30pm, leaving from the Port Authority Bus Terminal

From Behind The OpenTable To...

Social Media + Service Director for a top chef! (but mum's the word as to who...)

An Italian Easter

Valpolicella "Ripasso"

Naturally, for my family's Easter celebration, I was put in charge of buying/bringing the wine. There are more red wine drinkers in my family than there are white (or sparkling) and I was trying to think of a red that would suit--both--a variety of foods and tastes. I thought a nice valpolicella would do.

Having just missed PJ Wine's open hours on Saturday (I attended an Easter Vigil mass, not realizing it would be three hours), I really had to scan the shelves at the corner liquor store for something decent. When I came across the above "ripasso" valpolicella, at $14.99, I thought it'd be a suitable pick. To round out my selection, I stopped at a second liquor store for a standard, but acceptable Chateau Ste. Michelle riesling and a bottle of extra dry Segura Viudas cava.

As usual, my family gathering consisted of a smorgasbord of foods and cuisines. Foremost, was my mother's homemade Vietnamese fried spring rolls (there's usually some kind of drama surrounding them--to this day, there are still seventy that somehow ended up "missing"), and Kim's beau, Chef Dejan made (mostly for Kim) goat cheese-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. There was also a turkey, ham and the usual sides... but two days later, I'm still enjoying my sister, Ashley and her boyfriend, Will's homemade lasagna! (taking home leftovers is also a part of our family gatherings)

Ashley & Will's Lasagna  

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs ground beef

1 ½ sausage (we used hot, but whatever you prefer)

32 oz container ricotta

1 lb mozzarella cheese

1 jar tomato sauce

1 box lasagna noodles

2 eggs

Italian seasoning

Adobo and Sazón seasonings

Preparation:  

• Remove sausage from its casing.
• Cook ground beef with Adobo and Sazón seasonings  (1 sm. package) until brown.
• Cook sausage (separate from beef); drain oil and combine sausage and beef.
• Add tomato sauce and let simmer for five minutes.
• Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions.
• Mix ricotta, eggs and Italian seasoning in a bowl.
• Grate cheese (if not already grated).
• Lay a light coat of meat sauce in the bottom of a lasagna pan; add noodles, slightly overlapping; add a thin layer of the ricotta mix; add another layer of meat sauce; add mozzarella; repeat three times.
• The final layer is only meat sauce and mozzarella. 

BAKE, covered, at 375° for twenty-five minutes, then uncovered for ten minutes until the mozzarella has melted.

The valpolicella was good (earthy on the nose and "rather dry" my sister, Teri, had said); it probably would have paired well with the lasagna, but I decided to imbibe the riesling since not many seemed to be touching it. (I actually had to go on a wine run to pick up more red and sparkling) I don't know if this valpolicella is one that's commonly available; but if you do see it, I do think it's worth picking up.