Penelope

I'd heard Penelope was a good place for a light lunch, but it took me a good year or so to make it there. I hit the place with two other lovely ladies, and as we were FAMISHED (it was a very late lunch, around 3pm), we started right away with the hummus platter ($8).

It was thick, and I mean suuuuuper thick, hummus. You could spread it with a knife almost like peanut butter. I would never have paired apples with hummus, but the tart bite of the green apple was a perfect combo of crunch and contrast to the creamy hummus.

I was told THE salad to order is the "When Veggie Met Sally" ($10), which comes with a crumbled veggie burger on top. I haven't eaten that many veggie burgers in my life, but I decided to do the whole when in Rome thing and go with the flow. It turned out to be a tasty decision. Fresh Romaine, tangy red onions, sweet dabs of goat cheese, and a surprisingly flavorful veggie burger, all tossed in a garlic-balsamic vinaigrette. Excellent choice!

We also opted to share a bottle of red to go with our easy, breezy afternoon. We chose the Herencia Tempranillo, which was a wonderful choice. It was light, bright, and smooth. Not too tannic, just enough fruitiness--this went well with everything! Even dessert..which was a Guiness-flavored chocolate cupcake with Bailey's Irish Cream frosting (yes, this was in March!)

I tried one bite of the cupcake, and it was moist, not dry, and the frosting tasted just like Bailey's, which is getting to be a good thing to me. I used to HATE that flavor, but it's growing on me, in other things. I still don't like the actual BIC, but if it's used to flavor something else, I'm learning to really enjoy it.

If you're in the neighborhood, definitely stop in for a light and flavorful lunch that's not too hard on your wallet, either!

Pindar Tour & Tasting

I arranged another Finer Things Club event for ABF & myself a few weekends ago--we signed up for a behind the scenes tour and tasting of Pindar, one of our favorite Long Island vineyards.

The geek in me enjoyed it a lot. We got to see the chilling tanks where they keep their whites, the machine that presses the grapes, and the back part of the field where they take all the leftover fruit, stems, etc and mix them into compost for future use. Pindar makes a point to be very green, and works with the locals as well to keep that movement going.

We tasted several wines right from the barrel, which I thought was pretty cool! The first was the Merlot, and let me tell you, while I am no wine conneissuer (ABF is a much better 'taster' than I), even I could tell this needed more time in the barrel. The tour guide told us it would be about another year or so before it was ready for bottling.

The vineyard owner and founder, Dr. Herodotus “Dan” Damianos (photo below, blue sweater, next to our tour guide & winemaker, Les Howard), also came along for the tour. He shared lots of interesting facts about how the barrels are made (a single oak barrel, usually made in France, can run up to 1200 each). We learned that a new oak barrel will be made to hold the vineyard's popular Sunflower Chardonnay, and once that wine has been aged, the barrel will then house another type of white, and finally a third type of white, before being retired.

We also learned how America gave France some starter vines more than a century ago after a fungus destroyed all of their vineyards, and how most French wine is technically (wink) American--how do you like that??

I could have sat all day listening to the how's and why's of winemaking, but it was time for our tasting back at the tasting room. We walked out into the bright, warm sunshine (it is CHILLY in that building!) and made our way across the property. The tasting room was PACKED, but they made space for us in the back area. We were anxious to get a chance to sample their reserve red, voted New York's Best Wine! While we waited we tried the sunflower Chardonnay, which I actually loved. Chardonnay is probably one of the last things I'll order normally, but this one was light, bright, sunny, even!

We also decided to take them up on the awesome offer of 5 bucks for a wedge of delicious cheese and crackers. You can't do all that tasting and not eat something! Well, apparently some people in our group could, but we couldn't.

One of the last tastings we had was of the reserve merlot, which won Best Red in New York, among other awards. This was AWESOME. It was rich, smooth, and you could definitely taste the difference between this wine and the younger reds. ABF & I both gave each other a look of surprise and appreciation--and we both agreed this wine was worth the slightly-higher price (it's around 27 dollars, I think, whereas most Pindar wines are around 10-15).

After all of our tastings, we made our way to the outdoor picnic area and ate the lunch we'd packed. I brought some of my homemade hummus, some delicious yogurt from Trader Joe's, and crackers and veggie slices. It was cool but sunny outside, and it was a good way to let the wine wear off before we hit the road again. We definitely enjoyed this afternoon, and we'll be back there again before long, especially to pick up 2 bottles of their awesome Reserve Merlot!

Homemade Hummus

See that not-at-all-intimidating assortment of ingredients? Those are all you need to make your very own hummus. In minutes!! For a handful of change!

It doesn't get much easier than this--throw your drained & rinsed beans in the food processor, add a healthy glug of tahini sauce, a few garlic cloves (I ran mine through the garlic press), and flip the switch! My friend Kwame was visiting, and it was definitely a taste-as-you-go sort of thing. I promise you, you cannot mess this up if you taste as you go. We added lemon juice, a bit of olive oil, and a few cranks of freshly ground pepper (which really added a wonderful depth!) and we were ready to snack.

The only thing I'd do differently results from a tip I came upon last week--someone recommended briefly boiling/blanching the beans to remove their hulls. This supposedly gives you a silkier texture. I'll try it next time just for kicks, but this version was super yummy and did not last long. Try it next time you're craving a salty, tangy, satisfying and HEALTHY snack!

Infuse This!

Behold my first attempt at infusing my own spirits! I heeded the advice of one CZ, a multitalented friend who knows her way around bartending. I wanted to infuse tequila for my Recession Recipes party, so I asked her advice and set out to make some magic.

Now, this is not the time to splurge on your alcohol. In fact, if ever there were a time to buy 'the cheap stuff,' this is it. My local liquor store doesn't have a huge selection of tequilas, but this was the cheapest one I found at about 20 dollars for the bottle. Not 'cheap' at first, but when you consider how many margaritas it makes, it definitely comes in as a super-saver.

Lesson #1 learned from this venture: do NOT attempt to pick up what is a 19-pound watermelon from a bin that is almost as tall as you are. I still have a stitch in my back, months later. Oy. Lesson #2, have towels on hand to sop up the extra liquid that will undoubtedly escape from your watermelon once you start hacking into it (also? This is FUN!)

Infusing couldn't be simpler. I chopped up the beautiful-looking watermelon, added a tablespoon or 2 of sugar (per CZ's suggestion), and poured the tequila over the chunks of fruit, which I'd put in a glass pitcher. I covered it with Saran wrap and left it out, at room temperature, for 2 days. I would have done it for longer, but 2 days before the party was my first chance to go get the watermelon.

The morning of the party, I removed the watermelon, reserved it in another container (for garnishes later), and strained the tequila.

This made such a difference! What a fruity, refreshing twist on tequila! We used it to make the margaritas at my party, and I had plenty leftover for the next week or two. I made myself a few more drinks over those weeks with the tequila, and it just kept getting better! Now that spring is here, I'll definitely be trying this with cantaloupe and other melons, and maybe I'll finally get around to that serrano tequila I've been meaning to make.

I highly recommend a fruit-infused liquor for your next shindig--or even if you have no company coming over at all! You're worth it! ;) Also, do pass along any other infusion suggestions!! Cheers!

Victor's Cafe, parte dos

While we enjoyed our savory dishes at Victor's, the group was unanimous that there was DEFINITELY room for dessert.

Ah, si, los postres!! Bring on the sweet stuff!!!

The dessert menu has an extensive, varied list of offerings. So many, in fact, that I was a bit overwhelmed. I waited to see what everyone else ordered so I could narrow down my choices. Jenna finally helped me out by offering to split the gorgeous guava cobbler if I shared my dessert. Look at this beauty!

Another popular dessert? The bruléed pineapple. I was thisclose to ordering it, because I love some broiled pineapple and brown sugar, but Sabrina was sitting next to me and offered to get that. What a stunning dessert! And as beautiful as it was, it was even tastier than it looked!

Flan, normally, is the absolute LAST thing I'd order for dessert. In fact, I'd rarely eat it for free. But this one lured me in with the promise of coconut. Also? I used to HATE coconut. Clearly my tastes are changing. I shared a few bites with Sabrina, who shared her pineapple awesomeness with me. It was good but not amazing. Better than regular flan, but I didn't even finish it all.

Beth ordered the churros, which came with 3 dipping sauces. They looked lovely, and she said the churros were good, but the sauces were disappointing. I was bummed to hear it, because the presentation had everyone's hopes up!

Of course, no dessert menu is complete without a molten chocolate cake. Emily was sitting to the left of me and shared a bite of hers. It was intense, serious, hard-core chocolate. Me gusta MUCHO!

And what's a meal in a Cuban restaurant without a cafe con leche? This was earthy, strong, and a wonderful cap to a great meal. Final recap? Seafood seems to be their strong suit, and you definitely need to save room for dessert. I'll go back for the snapper ceviche and guava cobbler!! Meet you there!

Victor's Cafe, parte uno

As I've mentioned before, my coworkers and I get treated to lunches out every few months or so by one of our supervisors. We all vote on a place to go and every time we've been fortunate to get to try delicious food and just relax and have a nice time. This visit was to Victor's Cafe in midtown. I hadn't been here in years, but I was more than happy to go back there!

We ordered a sample platter of appetizers. It included yucca fries, tostones (smashed, twice-fried plantains), ham croquettes, chorizo and sauteed veggies, and maybe even a tamale or two. I'm not a tamale fan, and yucca is too starchy for me, tho I tried a bite of the fry. I even skipped the tostones, because I much prefer the fried plantains (we'll see those soon enough!), so I stuck to the chorizo (yummmmmmmmmmm) and the croquette (also yummmmmm). The menu says this platter is for two people, but we shared it with at least 8 people (my sampling is to the right, above)!

THE star of the appetizers, however, and the one bite that will keep me coming back, was the Ceviche de Pargo, red snapper ceviche with lovely bits of mango and avocado and red onion and deliciousness propping up tender, tangy bits of soft, smooth fish. See how gorgeous it looks? It tastes a billion times better. Holy mouthfeel, batman. This is something I would never have ordered on my own, but I enjoyed it more than anything else on that table!

Victor's has a wide range of dishes, from seafood to vegetarian to steak, but all I wanted that day was a Cuban sandwich: a salty, tangy, satisfying Cuban sandwich. It runs about 11 dollars, and comes with vegetable chips. Mmm...ham, roasted pork, mustard, pickles, and melty Swiss cheese, all smooshed together into layer after scrumptious layer. I took half of this home for lunch the next day, and it was even more delicioso! I even enjoyed the chips, which were light and crunchy and airy.

I also got an order of the plantanos maduros (fried ripe/sweet plantains) to split with a coworker, though we ended up sharing them with everyone. These were yummy! Sweet but not too sweet.

The two men at the table (our group is mostly women) at the table ordered the special, whole fried branzino. You could also get it roasted, but the server recommended it fried. This was not only beautiful, it was astoundingly moist and delicious (yes, my boss offered me a bite, perhaps not knowing I'd so take him up on it!)

This beauty here is a mixed greens salad with Asian Pear, Manchego cheese, baby candycane beets, and grilled salmon, drizzled with a sherry vinaigrette. This got two thumbs up from both the women who ordered it.

My friend Mel ordered the chicken salad with chunks of mango. I thought it tasted good, but not amazing, and Mel says she probably wouldn't order it again. Unfortunately, she's allergic to seafood, or I would have slid that ceviche her way to make up for it!

Another gal from our group, Jenna, got the Enchiladas Camarones, Jumbo shrimp sauteed in a sauce of tomatoes, garlic, onions, peppers, thyme, and white wine, served with white sweet potato mash. I think she really enjoyed this! And she took the photo for me so I didn't have to lean all the way across the table--thanks, Jenna!

We also shared a lovely bottle of this Argentinian Malbec. I have had some not-so-great Malbecs, so I don't usually lean toward them. This, however, was lovely. The wine is fruity but strong, and its tannins grip your entire tongue with its tingly force. It was just a perfect complement to all dishes. And a nice segue into dessert...but that, dear readers, will have to wait for another post. My fingers are tired, and now I'm hungry after looking at all of these pictures.