Wine Pairing: Watermelon Caprese Salad and Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay

Summertime calls for light, refreshing recipes, and this one is not only vibrant in color but it packs a lot of flavor! 

 

 Watermelon Caprese Salad

• 1/4 large watermelon, chopped
• Handful of chopped fresh basil
• One ball of buffalo mozzerella, torn or chopped into bite size pieces
• Balsamic glaze
• One large pinch of coarse sea salt

Basically just combine the first three ingredients in a bowl, drizzle with the balsamic glaze and add your pinch of sea salt. It's a great summertime side dish or appetizer, especially when grilling out. And the wine pairing? Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay.

This is a great Chardonnay with flavors of tropical fruit, grapefruit, lemon and lime peel. There's a hint of vanilla and cinnamon spice. Many people like to forego Chardonnays for summer and lean toward lighter grapes like Sauvignon Blanc when the temperatures rise. I like a good "SB" but I am a Chardonnay girl at heart and I think this wine goes nicely with the salad. Cheers to summertime and easy recipes, which mean less time in the kitchen and more time laying out by the pool!

Memorial Day Specials at Carmel Café

The holiday weekend is almost here. Are you looking to entertain out-of-town guests without firing up the backyard grill? On Memorial Day, all Carmel Cafe locations are offering their special $5 menu, all day long. Check out all these tasty bites and sips you can enjoy for just $5! And for a look at their cuisine, check out my post about their spring 2013 menu, which is still being offered right now.

$5 Wines:

• Sangre de Toro, White (Parellada), Catalunya Spain 
• Villa Pozzi, Moscato, Sicily Italy
•  Caposaldo, Pinot Grigio, Veneto Italy 
• A-Mano, Primitivo (Zinfandel), Puglia Italy 
• Sangre de Toro, Red Blend (Grenache & Carinena), Catalunya Spain 

$5 Appetizers:

• Shrimp & Mango Flatbread
• Tomato Margherita Flatbread 
• Grilled Lemon Chicken & Artichoke Flatbread 
• Calamari Frites
• Mini Mezze Platter

$5 Cocktails:

• Seasonal Cocktail: Carmel Spring Tea
• Cosmopolitan
• Lemon Drop
• Skinny Poma-tini  
• Vodka-tini

I have a soft spot in my heart for Carmel Cafe as I love so many of their small plates. The mini mezze platter and the calamari frites, listed above, are two of my favorites. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Mothers' Day Brunch at Pelagia Trattoria

For Mothers' Day this year, we enjoyed a fabulous brunch as guests of Pelagia Trattoria at the International Mall. Pelagia Trattoria offers a full view of an open kitchen, and the space is decorated with vibrant hand-painted tiles, custom ironwork, and bright, jewel-toned, glass light fixtures lend an elegant Mediterranean feel.

We had a wonderful meal and celebrated two amazing mothers: my mom and my mother-in-law.

 

This was my salad plate, chockfull of grilled vegetables, olive tapenade and hummus, smoked salmon with capers, tomatoes and red onion, tuna nicoise salad, a kumato tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad with microgreens, and a Medditeranean salad. I had a few delicious bites of each!

A full raw bar is part of the brunch at Pelagia, including crab claw clusters, shrimp cocktail and clams on the halfshell. Oyster lovers, fear not. Fresh oysters abound on the raw bar (they are just not my personal favorite, so they're not pictured here!)

This is my Mom's brunch plate. She liked the chicken piccata and the variety of salads.

My mother-in-law's plate. Her favorites were the crab cakes (center.) These were miniature versions of their regular crab cakes, which I absolutely love.

This photo was taken when I sampled Pelagia's new spring 2013 menu.

 

The buffet spanned the entire restaurant and the area usually reserved for private dining. It's seemingly endless! Brunch is not a "regular" thing at Pelagia, it only happens every once in awhile for holidays or special occasions. But stay tuned to their Facebook page and web site as there will be more brunches to come this year and after enjoying the brunch here, I can promise that it is a 'do-not miss' experience. In the meantime, definitely check our Pelagia for dinner or happy hour. It is one of my favorites in the Tampa area.

Wine Wednesday: The Light Grape

Summer time is upon us (especially in Florida!) and it's pretty much beach season. Time to let your heavy red wines stay put on the wine rack and go with something light and refereshing. Enter this new discovery: The Light Grape's White Blend.

 

This wine is a blend of six different white grapes: Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. It has fresh fruit flavors with hints of citrus. And the best part?

 

 It's only 80 calories per 5 oz glass. A light, refreshing wine you can enjoy without guilt! For a food paring, I would probably recommend dishes on the lighter side to complement the citrus flavors in the wine. Maybe sushi, grilled shrimp or an Asian-inspired salad with cilantro or other fresh herbs.

Like the Light Grape wines on Facebook here. They're on Twitter at @TheLightGrape. Happy Cheers to "skinny" wines for summertime. And Wine Wednesday!

A Day of Giving Back at Feeding America Tampa Bay

A lot of the time, I am "hungry." I spend a lot of time thinking about which meals to cook, and sometimes I find myself daydreaming about which restaurants I would like to try next. This, I know for certain, is not real hunger.  I feel fortunate that this past Saturday, by taking part in North Highland's Day of Giving Back, that I was given an opportunity to learn more about the very real problem of hunger -- and what's being done about this major issue by an organization called Feeding America Tampa Bay.

 

My friend Megan works for North Highland and she got a group of us together to work alongside her coworkers in the Tampa location of this great organization, a resource to 600 charities that run some type of program to combat hunger.   

We learned that across the country, one in six people struggles with hunger.  That totals 50 million Americans. Our group spent the afternoon sorting through donated food to be provided to families in need.  Sorting involved sifting through boxes upon boxes of food donated by grocery stores and families toward this cause. The idea is simple:  to discard any food that is expired, opened, or damaged.

 

Boxes of food are then packed up and stocked in their warehouse to then be provided to people struggling with hunger in Tampa and the surrounding areas. Of the 509,000 people in West Central Florida who are unsure where their next meal will come from, Feeding America Tampa Bay last year provided food to more than 400,000 people.  


I was impressed by the scope of this facility and the dedication of the team working there on Saturday. It was a time for me to reflect on what being hungry really means and to realize that I am very lucky to be in a position to give back and help people who need it.

 

I encourage you to get a group together to work a 3-hour shift here at their facility, which is located in Ybor..  Most of us can afford to take 3 hours of a weekend now and then to give back. I think it's great that companies are getting groups of employees together to make a difference in this way.  In 2012 the goal for volunteer hours at Feeding America is 100,000. Last year they reached 73,000. They can do it with your help!

Mothers' Day Brunch in Tampa: a Roundup

Mothers' Day is this Sunday, May 12. In my opinion, there's no better way to show your mom she is special than taking her to a fabulous brunch. Sunday Brunch is not just a meal, it's an event.  It can last for hours and be family time well-spent, sharing stories from the past and catching up on recent happenings in each others' lives. Here's my round-up of a few places in Tampa that are hosting Mothers' Day Brunch, including menus, times and prices.  It's sure to be a busy day for dining out, so make your reservations early! Happy Mothers' Day to all the moms out there.

1. Pelagia Trattoria’s Mother’s Day Buffet  
Pelagia is located in the Renaissance Hotel at 4200 Jim Walter Blvd.

Pelagia offers an enticing array of dishes throughout the day. Kids can create custom pancakes at the Make-Mom-a-Pancake station until 5 p.m. Mother’s Day buffet selections include a carving station with oven-roasted turkey, prime rib with Pelagia rub and fruit-stuffed pork loin. There will be a chilled seafood selection of lemon-poached shrimp, crab claw and Gulf oysters. A cold buffet features Caesar salad, organic greens, poached pears with spinach, blue cheese and candied nuts, tortellini salad with grilled vegetables, tandoori chicken salad, Asian slaw with rock shrimp and more. The hot buffet will have applewood smoked bacon and pork sausage, traditional Eggs Benedict, Pelagia's signature crab cakes, sauteed vegetables, assorted pizzas, Cajun grilled salmon with fruit salsa and more. Plus an array of fresh fruits, sliced Italian meats, assorted cheeses, breads, pastries, spreads and smoked salmon.

Time: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (brunch, lunch or dinner)
For Mother’s Day reservations, call 813-313-3235 or go to www.pelagiatrattoria.com.
Price:  $49 per person for adults / $18 per person for children, ages 3-12,
exclusive of gratuity.

2. Armani’s Extravagant Champagne Brunch
Armani's is located in the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, 2900 Bayport Dr.

Sure to satisfy the most discerning palate, diners can start by selecting from Armani’s famous antipasto misto, a selection of artisan imported cheeses and cured meats, grilled vegetables, and frutti di mare: grilled calamari, scallop ceviche, smoked seafood and  a caviar bar.  In addition to a "scallopini station," other brunch favorites will be served, such as asiago mushroom and spinach omelets, poached eggs Sardou, chocolate croissants and stuffed French toast as well as a variety of pastas. A decadent dessert display will feature both traditional and modern pastries, sweets and Italian gelatos.  Diners will also enjoy bellinis de prosecco and Domaine Chandon's Etoile Rose. 

Time: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Price: $90 adults / $34.50 per child ages 6 to 11, exclusive of gratuity.  
Children under five are free.  
3. Aqua Tampa Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch
Located in the Westin Tampa, 7627 W. Courtney Campbell Causeway

 At Aqua selections will include an artisanal cheese display with toasted baguettes, fresh honey, dried fruits, candied pistachios, sliced smoked salmon, bagel chips, sheared eggs, fried capers and crème fraiche, chef’s omelet station, Eggs Benedict, brioche french toast sticks served with a fruit compote and Vermont maple syrup. For the seafood lovers: shrimp with spicy cocktail red shrimp ceviche, oysters on the half shell, steamed P.E.I. mussels in a spicy tomato broth,
The menu also includes traditional honey glazed ham, roasted leg of lamb, grilled chicken with marinated artichokes and lemon caper sauce, garlic and herb roasted beef with madeira jus and roasted vegetables, cedar plank seared atlantic salmon with mango relish.
Time: 11a.m. – 3 p.m.
Price: $49.95 adults / $15.95 children 10 & under


4. Carmel Cafe
Locations in South Tampa, Carollwood and Clearwater

The brunch at Carmel Cafe is not a buffet, but definitely worthy of a mention! Try brunch favorites like citrus-kissed French Toast L'Orange or, from their dinner menu, sample new spring items such as Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi with blood orange infused cherries and toasted almonds.  Signature brunchtime cocktails include their new "Spring Tea."
Time: Brunch menu  offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., dinner menu available all day.
Price: Prices are moderate, but vary as this is not a buffet brunch

Photos from restaurant web sites.

Wine Wednesday:Chateau Ste Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

It's Wine Wednesday! In a recent dinner at Fleming's I was introduced to Chateau Ste Michelle's Canoe Ridge Chardonnay and their Horse Heaven Hills Sauvignon Blanc. I really enjoyed both of thee Washington state wines, so this week I wanted to showcase a red from this vineyard: Chateau Ste Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 2% Syrah and 1% Malbec. There are flavors of black currant and hints of sage. It's an "Old World" style cab in every way.

In 2010 the Canoe Ridge area, adjacent to the Columbia River, had a mild spring and cool summer, which resulted in harvest starting three weeks later than normal. Luckily, a warmer fall allowed the grapes to ripen to maturity.  Aside from the delicious flavor of this wine, I love the fact that the grapes come from Horse Heaven Hills. Doesn't that just sound like a romantic place for your wine to be harvested?

I enjoyed this wine with friends paired with a meat and cheese platter of dry salami and Canadian cheddar, aged three years and super sharp, but being an just about any food. It is 14.5% alcohol by volume.

 Happy Wine Wednesday!