I'll gladly
carry on with my musings about the snowstorm, and
share the outcome of the "Fork Me, Spoon Me"
event with you.
Snow in the City
Weekends mean long hours at work for those of us
in the restaurant business. When I arrived at the
restaurant that Saturday, it was a beautiful day.
By the time I went home 14 hours later, it was snowing
at a record rate. By the time I left home for work
the next morning, NYC was under a blanket of snow
that was at mid-thigh as I trudged to the subway
(even if I had a car, it wasn't going anywhere for
days). If this were a weekday it would be a snow
emergency, bringing the "city that never sleeps"
to a grinding halt. But, since it was Sunday, NYC
became a winter wonderland of sledding in the park,
cross-country skiing down the wide, unplowed avenues,
and snowmen instead of doormen.
So, what is a New Yorker to do when they find themselves
snowed in and without taxi service on a lazy Sunday
in February? Well, it's Sunday in New York so the
NY Times is a given - plenty of reading material
to get you through the day and few excuses not to
read it in its entirety. And, there's nothing better
than reading the Times in bed - except reading the
Times in bed with a loved one; and since you've
got all day… you get the picture! Now the only
thing left to think about is sustenance… food,
bubbles! Sunday brunch, to be exact - piping hot
coffee, fluffy, buttery blueberry pancakes, vanilla-laced
French toast, aromatic omelets, mimosas. How convenient
that this is NYC and brunch is usually just around
the corner, no matter where you live! After satiating
one appetite, a short trudge through knee-deep snow
is all it takes to complete the circle - back to
your warm bed for more reading and whatever those
bubbles inspire. You can always order out for dinner.
VinEducation presents Fork Me, Spoon Me
On Tuesday, February 21, we gathered a group of
25 sophisticated NYC singles at VinoVino, an eclectic
new Tribeca enoteca for an evening of artisanal
wines, aphrodisiac cuisine, and stimulating conversation.
We began the evening with a bit of "J"
bubbly spiked with a choice of saffron infusion
or peach nectar, and cones of truffle-butter popcorn.
After some mingle-time, the guests were shown to
the wine bar where I featured a selection of tasty
bites based on recipes from "Fork Me, Spoon
Me…," the recipe I contributed to the
book, rosemary chicken skewers. We paired three
different love bites with two white wines (a sexy
Sancerre and a bold Viognier), three more with two
red wines (a sassy Aussie Shiraz and a velvety rich
Amarone), and ending with Amy's now-famous chocolate
smothered brie paired with both a tawny port and
a Proseco (aromas of the slightest hint of Juicy
Fruit!). Each round of pairings was accompanied
by a discussion of the aphrodisiac qualities of
each food item, brief readings from the book, and
a lot of blushing on my part as the guests probed,
good naturedly, for details about the sensual nature
of the flesh of a ripe peach and the bodily resemblance
of the heart of a fresh fig.
Many new friends were made, the groundwork was laid
for a series of bi-monthly themed events at VinoVino,
and I sold out of books - an all-around smashing
success!
Menu from VinEducation event
Truffle Popcorn
Choice of Saffron Flirtations or Bellini
Made with "J" Sparkling Wine
Round
1
Rosemary Chicken Skewers
Minted Shrimp Crostini
Honey Almonds
Sancerre and Viognier
Round
2
Fig and Mascarpone on Triple Gingerbread
Chile Rubbed Beef with Mango Aioli on Focaccia
Honey Almonds
Syrah and Amarone
Round
3
Chocolate Smothered Brie
Vanilla Milk Shakes with Crushed Malted Milk Ball
Rim
Honey Almonds
Proseco and Port
