Wine Club

I'm in one.  This past Thursday evening was the first gathering, and it was hosted by my fabulous friend Courtney who just moved to Chicago from NYC (by way of LA).  
Her theme was Malbec, so 20 of us brought a bottle of Malbec in the hopes of discovering some 'go-to' labels and meeting new friends.

The idea is that everyone tastes all the wines but truthfully, I couldn't stop drinking mine - Finca El Reposo, Vintage 2007.  This wine is from Mendoza, a region in Argentina that is quickly making a name for itself as one of the finest areas for producing Malbecs.  The taste is velvety and rich with intense flavors of blackberry and spice.  A wonderfully complex and balanced red wine that is extremely smooth... too smooth in fact =)

Can't wait for next month's gathering!

Ode to Quartino

I cannot believe it has taken me nearly one month to blog about Quartino!  This gem of a restaurant is part of the Gibsons family and serves up authentic Italian trattoria items including housemade salumi and pasta, Neopolitan pizzas and seasonal specialties.  There are more than 30 different Italian wine offerings, all hand-picked and served by the carafe. 

Tonight, I only slightly diverged from my traditional order by pairing the grilled zucchini (wrapped around sun-dried tomatoes and garnished with chopped parsley) with a pepperoni pizza.  I dream about this pizza.  It is the perfect combination of a thin, chewy crust with a mostly savory, slightly sweet tomato sauce.  The pepperoni is sliced paper-thin and topped with slightly-crispy Parmesan cheese.

Quartino is never hit or miss and has the perfect menu variety in offerings and size.  Did I mention it's a bargain and a half?! I've been known to go more than twice a week =)

Scrambled Eggs And Herbs

 

Sometimes there is nothing better than having breakfast for dinner.  From French toast to frittata, the variety is wide.  Tonight I made the first item I learned how to cook - scrambled eggs - slightly dressed up with chives and grated Mahon Curado, an aged Spanish cheese that has been rubbed with olive oil and paprika.

Because I recently finished In the Green Kitchen by Alice Waters (literally, cover to cover), my focus is on mastering basic techniques so I'm not a slave to instructions, recipes and cookbooks. Below are the easiest steps for the most perfect scrambled eggs... and let's be honest, it would be an embarrassing item to mess up!

Instructions

1. Crack 2 eggs into a bowl, add salt, pepper and your herb(s) of choice.  I'm partial to chives.
2. Heat cast-iron skillet over medium heat; when skillet is hot, add 1 tbsp of unsalted butter.
3. Beat eggs lightly and pour into pan when butter begins foaming.  Cook eggs until they begin to set and then stir gently and slowly until they are as loose or firm as you like.  Take them off heat before fully cooked and serve immediately.  Add additional chopped herbs of your choice.