Great Red Wine from Australia

Well the truth be known Nutmeg loves wine of any color.  However, Ginger is the expert; he studies the trends knows the prices, understands the value by region, buys at the right price....  Nutmeg is clueless - expect when it comes to anything from Alsace which should be drunk in limited quantities.  Actually, come to think of it so should wine from Switzerland, India and Israel.  In any case it is a good thing that Ginger left a full wine fridge while he is at school so Nutmeg cannot make too many mistakes.  Some of her favorites are from way "down under" (Australia) by Glaetzer Wines: http://www.glaetzer.com/about/vineyards.asp.  Not only is Ben Glaetzer cute he makes great wine.  Check out the following line-up:

• Amon-Ra
• Anaperenna
• Glaetzer Shiraz
  
• Bishop
• Wallace

All very yummy!!

Definitely, two thumbs up on the Nutmeg scale (no idea what that is on the Wine Spectator - but if you are interested go to their web site).

Nutmeg's Favorites

Just a quick note to say Nutmeg has many failures in the kitchen but those are never published.  She looks forward to your feedback!

For the love of Fennel!

Nutmeg loves Fennel which is a bit strange because she hates anise, sambuca and black licorice (the red stuff is ok but really is just red dye and sugar).  In any case this recipe caught her eye. 

Fennel Mustard:

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add 3 cups chopped fennel, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 25 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup white wine vinegar and cook uncovered, until the fennel is tender, approximately 15 minutes.  Transfer the contents of the skillet to a blender.  Add 1 tbsp dry mustard powder and puree.  Scrape the contents into a bowl and cool.  Stir in 2 tsp whole-grain mustard and season with salt.  TASTE it! - If it is too sharp for your taste add some honey or honey mustard.  Transfer to jars and refrigerate.

Great for fall dises like roast pork or chicken.

Enjoy!

Halibut

Nutmeg is spending a bit of time on her own this year (and next) as Ginger is away studying or so he says.  So Nutmeg would like to introduce her friend Cinnamon, as a girl still has to eat, explore and drink a bit of wine. 

Now about Cinnamon; it's interesting as one could describe her as an old soul.  No NOT because she is old!!!  Cinnamon is grounded, well balanced and a bit of a freaky artsy type.  An interesting read is Wikapedia's definition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon) here are some key points of interest:

• Cinnamon has been known from remote antiquity
• The first mention of a particular spice in the Old Testament is of cinnamon
• Before the foundation of Cairo, Alexandria was the Mediterranean shipping port of cinnamon
• Indonesian rafts transported cinnamon (known in Indonesia as kayu manis- literally "sweet wood") on a "cinnamon route"

Anyway that all goes to prove Nutmeg's feeling that this freaky artsy friend has either lived a long time or had many lives.

What the hell does that have to do with Halibut??

Well the gals went to Divino Wine & Cheese Bistro for dinner last night.  The special was Halibut "sous vide" which did not mean anything to them either.  Basically, it is a boil in a bag technique.  Well the problem was the waitress did a terrific job of selling the gals on the special....but there was only one left.  So Cinnamon had halibut cheeks which taste a bit like scallops although drier and Nutmeg got the special (she did share a bit!).  In any case Divino does not disappoint, packed on a Wednesday night and the heirloom tomato with boccocini salad was really good too!

Thanks again to lovely Cinnamon who picked up the tab!!

Fall is Soup Time

Nutmeg has a bit of time on her hands this fall and this is one of her new favorites:


Pear, Fennel & Acorn Squash

1 small fennel bulb
3 shallots (I used 1/2 an onion)
1.5 tbsp olive oil
2 pears cored and cubed
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger (crushed) or to taste
2 medium acorn squashes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup coconut milk
Salt & pepper to taste

Saute fennel and shallots in pan with 1 Tbsp oil until lightly brown.  Add the remaining oil and the pears.  Saute for another 1-2 minutes.

In a large pot, combine the stock, ginger, cinnamon and squash.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  When the squash is almost cooked, add the pear mxture, coconut milk, salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and blend.

Note:  mild curry  can be added as well (optional).

Enjoy! 

Nutmeg is not a brunch person, as you may have gathered coffee is important and generally speaking bunch buffet restaurants are not known for their coffee. Here are some great make at home recipes that follow are great for weekends for a big group or for two. Serve with good coffee and enjoy!

Baked Cinnamon-Apple French Toast

6 medium apples (an assortment works well)

2 tbsp unsalted butter (cut in chunks)

½ cup light brown sugar

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

8 slices thickly sliced toast (we used raisin bread) – be creative here

8 large eggs

½ cup sugar (we skipped this)

3 ½ cups milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Peel, core and cut the apples into ¼ inch slices. Heat butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until it starts to foam. Add the apples and cook them until tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Lightly toast the bread. Cut the toast slices in half to make triangles. Butter a 9X13 inch baking dish, and arrange the bread in two rows, overlapping the dish.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl; then whisk in the sugar, milk and vanilla to make a custard. Pour the custard over the bread and spoon the apples over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the baking disk and bake for 50-60 minutes, until the custard is set and does not shimmy when you shake the pan. It will puff up and brown slightly. Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Serves about 8.

High Protein Oatmeal Pancakes

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup egg whites

1 large banana

¼ cup blueberries

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp vanilla extract

To make the batter put all the ingredients into the blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Heat a small pan over medium heat and lightly spray it with olive oil.

Pour enough batter into the pan so it covers most of the pan’s surface. Turn the pancake over once bubbles appear – about 5 minutes. When one side is cooked, the other side should cook a bit faster – about 3 minutes.

You can eat them right away with your favorite toppings (Ginger’s is Vermont maple syrup) or put them in the refrigerator and heat them in the toaster the next day. They will last for 4 days in the fridge.

Makes about 5 pancakes so increase the quantities for a bigger crowd.

Bermuda Notes

Ok so a little island time was LONG over due as Nutmeg pointed out it has been nine (9) years since we had been to an island and over 25 since her last visit to Bermuda!!! Bermuda is one of the most cosmopolitan of all the Atlantic/Caribbean islands with the British influence, global bank presence and established wealth it is not hard to imagine a fabulous vacation spot. The food was definitely tourist focused and priced accordingly, although we were not there long enough to find all of them we are certain there are some special spots. An almost hidden gem is Harry’s, located in an office complex by the Hamilton marina. This place has a great patio on a quiet cul de sac at the end of the marina. Great bar menu – must try the salt and pepper shrimp and the tuna carpaccio. They have a great cocktail selection and attentive wait staff. There is no danger of leaving hungry or thirsty from this place. We understand Friday afternoons this place rocks, for happy hour(s)...

Coffee research in Bermuda was disappointing. Hamilton has a few places that serve espresso including the Hamilton Princess coffee shop which you should avoid unless absolutely desperate. The first place we tried on a recommendation was the coffee bar inside Miles Market, the lattes (marginal at best) were prepared by two baristas who were more interested in talking on the phone than serving. The next day we ventured further to the Common Ground which can be found in an alleyway just off Front Street. The lattes were definitely a step up from the day before although a bit milky. The food however gets good ratings; Ginger had their breakfast sandwich – basically a BLT with egg. It was fresh and well prepared. They also serve crepes which looked great – read: we screwed up by not trying those. The place that gets the highest ratings is Rock Island on Reid Street (one back from Front). Nutmeg thought it was worth a try on Sunday morning to see if we could find “the” coffee spot. However, it was an unsuccessful mission – nothing is open in Hamilton on Sunday mornings in fact the Juice and Java shop on Front Street opens at 2pm Sundays. Which led Nutmeg back to the aforementioned Hamilton coffee shop with a line-up out the door of hotel guests and islanders who just finished their road bike rides – literally this is the only coffee shop open and the coffee was terrible. So we suppose the lesson is either sleep in or stop drinking coffee when in Bermuda.

The island is small and very easily explored. The ferry and bus system work in tandem and you can easily get from Hamilton to either end of the island in about 60 minutes. There are 2-4 bus options each way and several ferry options on week days. Do make a point of checking museum and fort opening schedules before you go as we discovered Fort St Catherine is only open on weekdays. We would recommend at least half a day at the Royal Naval Dockyard; spend the money to explore the Bermuda Maritime Museum and the Commissioner's House. The Dockyards is also the port for the cruise ships visiting the island so expect a high level of tourist shops and associated prices.

St George’s on the other end (east) of the island, it is a step back in time to the 19^th century in fact it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This tiny port still has cobbled streets and alleyways. There are a few interesting shops and restaurants. Make sure to visit Tobacco Bay and have a swim or a drink overlooking the ocean. You can get to St George’s by ferry on weekdays or on any one of 4 buses everyday of the week.

Golfers love Bermuda there are multiple courses with varied terrain and price points. We were fortunate to play the Mid-Ocean Club and Port Royal (future home of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf). Mid-Ocean is a classic old course, with plenty of trouble along the way and would definitely be a challenging walk. Port Royal is undergoing a massive renovation for the Grand Slam, it was in good shape – there is lots of sand and it is not easy for the average golfer, although is much more open than Mid-Ocean. We did visit Tuckers Point which is adjacent to Mid-Ocean. They have fabulous grounds, tennis, semi-private beach and a beautiful golf course with very similar terrain to Mid-Ocean (in some cases the holes almost run parallel.

Let’s talk about dinner in Bermuda:

As you probably know by know Nutmeg does her research in this department. Coconuts in The Reefs Hotel had received several reviews from a disparate group of people so it sounded like a must try. The setting is fabulous you literally walk from the road to the water’s edge and dine on the patio overlooking the surf or if you so chose at a table on the sand. The tip off should have been the $75 pre-fix dinner – that should have screamed TOURIST to us. The food was OK, the service OK. Our recommendation is go for a cocktail and check out the view/scene. The do have another fabulous patio overlooking the ocean and the beach, at road level. This too would be a good spot for a drink.

On our last night we tried The Waterlog Inn, which is associated with the Southampton Princess. It is a classic steakhouse. The food and service were both very good. The place was packed, likely with those disappointed by Coconuts. Ginger would recommend this place based on wine and food. Nutmeg sits on the fence as the restaurant could be in any big American city.

We did not try and should have The Dining Room at Gibbs Hill Lighthouse. Here are some fast facts on the lighthouse itself. Constructed in 1844 the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse is the oldest cast iron lighthouse in the world. The hill on which the lighthouse stands is 245 feet high while the lighthouse itself measures 117 feet. A 1,000 watt bulb sits inside a lens revolving in a trough of 1,200 pounds of mercury. The light beam it emits can be seen by ships 40 miles away and from a distance of 120 miles by a plane flying at 10,000 feet. So you get the picture the lighthouse is on a hill and the outdoor restaurant has likely the best views on the island. Try it and let us know.

So Nutmeg is adamant that her research time was way too short to truly do the level of study required we will plan a return trip.