Tuesday 6/5.. be there or be hungry!

Attention central Jerseyians!! This Tuesday, Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza in Edison will be hosting a 4 course craft beer dinner.  Tickets for the event are $30 and include a four course meal and beer pairings from Flying Fish Brewing Company. Bring your friends and enjoy some good food and a night out; because any time pizza and beer get together it's a good time. For all you Dexterous Dining fans, I will be there signing autographs (just kidding). But seriously, I will be there and so should you! 

If you're interested, here's the det's: Anthony's is located at 80 Parsonage Road, across from the Menlo Mall.  To purchase tickets call Coop at (732) 744-1500. 

Keep your wallets full and your mouths happy!
<3 DD

Copyright © 2012 Christine Van Arsdalen. All Rights Reserved

Wednesday’s Wine of the Week

Almost every week around Wednesday I venture into my local liquor store, Steele’s Wine Cellar, in search of my wine pick.  Located in the tiny town of Montgomery NJ, this liquor store, or wine store as I like to call it, has wines for all shapes, sizes and budgets.  This is pretty big considering I live in the sticks of NJ where your neighbors are cows and the most exciting thing to do is go to Shop Rite or the ONE local bar.  The best part is they’re not afraid to give you a recommendation, and I have yet to have them recommend a bad bottle.  So this morning I walked in before work.  I know, going to a liquor store in the morning is frowned upon but hey it’s 5 o’clock somewhere right?  Being almost late for work, I asked the owner, Justin,  what he thought about a bottle I had being staring at for a good five minutes ( I am not a morning person; thinking before 10 am is like trying to put a square beg in a round hole).  The bottle, a Chilean Wine called Chono Sauvingon Blanc, had a description that was a bit out of the ordinary.  Generally when a wine is described hints of blackberry and minerals I run in the other direction, but given the recommendation from the owner, and my lack of time I paid and was on my way.  I busted the bottle out later on with the home-made Tacos Al Pastor and Gauc my mom and I made (we like to be adventurous with our culinary endeavors).   It was a great pairing with the bold and spicy flavor of the Mexican food.  When I tasted it, I almost fell off my chair.  It probably would have taken all the kings horses and all the kings men to put me together again. The blackberry the description boasted was actually very subtle and gave it just a little bit of sweetness that offset the minerally taste.  I was also pleasantly surprised when the minerally taste that they described wasn’t the usual kind of sour flavor that makes your face pucker like you just did a tequila shot, but a nice rich bodied undertone.  There was also subtle hints of citrus and guava; it had a very well rounded flavor; kind of like the nerdy jock of wines.  I must say it put a cork in my qualms with minerally white wines, and proved that Chile produces way more than good looking men.  Don’t get me wrong, if I could have both I would probably die from sheer joy, but this bottle alone is enough to make Eeyore smile.

Keep your wallets full and your mouth happy
<3 DD

Copyright © 2012 Christine Van Arsdalen. All Rights Reserved

Wednesday’s Wine of the Week

 I can honestly say that this week’s wine wins the award for most fun to say and best back story.  In fact it was its name, Tussock Jumper, that made me want to buy it.  I mean you can’t walk past a wine named Tussock Jumper and not buy it; it sounds like something drunk people yell out a party, i.e. a good time.  To top it off the label had a sheep with a sweater, which I came to find out was the sheep behind the wine.  According to the story Tussock Jumper was a wine loving sheep who wanted to use only native varietals. Naturally since they seemed to have a quirky and slightly ridiculous sense of humor like myself, I had to find out what this wine was about.  The color of it was probably the lightest of ever seen, it was barely yellow.  At first sip the wine reminded me of candied bacon, possibly because I had just devoured a bacon cheeseburger (don’t judge I like my beef), but it had a sweet yet slightly smoky taste.  On second sip I tasted more of a fruity mix.  It was tropical with a hint of pear, tangerine and kiwi.  Of course it had my attention of this point so I had to keep drinking.  I mean if I had stopped at two sips I wouldn’t be able to tell all of you how it tasted.  So after 3 sips it kind of grew on me like that bag your mom gets you that seems fugly but then goes with most of your outfits.  I will definitely be buying a bottle again.  It seems like a great bottle to eat with a carton of lo mein while sitting around with your friends.  Anyone who wants to try a wine that is one of a kind I suggest you try this one!

Keep your wallets full and your mouth happy
<3 DD

Copyright © 2012 Christine Van Arsdalen. All Rights Reserved

Happy Hour at Ruth’s Chris

                This Friday I found myself in King of Prussia PA hunting down a dress for my sister’s graduation.  Surprisingly it was not as easy to find a dress as it thought it would be, but that is beside the point.  What started as a potential disaster ended up turning into a blessing in disguise. Thanks my sister’s inability to properly use Google we ended up at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.  Normally, I would steer clear of the upscale pricy steakhouse (yes that was supposed to be a pun) but their $7 happy hour makes it affordable for the underpaid college graduates of America like me. Their menu has mostly beef options, but they also have a few seafood choices.  While this might not be the best choice for a vegetarian for those of us of the carnivorous persuasion it’s a dream come true.  One of the best choices on the menu is USDA with fries burger for $7. Talk about a deal, that’s like fast food prices.  Spoiler alert: I didn’t order the burger; while it was tempting, I was saving my weekly burger allotment for the next day.  My sister and I shared spicy lobster bites, seared Ahi Tuna and Osso Bucco ravioli. The ravioli were a bit of a splurge at $13 (they weren’t on the happy hour menu) but they were with every penny.  These tender veal filled pockets were smothered in a light and buttery Osso Bucco sauce.   It was a delicious play on the classic Italian dish, keeping all the flavors of the veal dish while incorporating the comforting starchiness of pasta.  The lobster bites were fried and covered in a spicy cream sauce.  I never would have thought fry lobster but thank Neptune they think out of the box.  The coating was light and had a kick that was a nice complement to the sweetness of the lobster.  The tuna was sushi grade (is there any other grade) and deserves an A+.  You could really taste the freshness of the fish; it had a light sear and a slightly salty and acidic sauce that tied it all together.   Top that off with a pomegranate martini and you got a fiesta; or at least a finger licking good feast. 

Keep your wallets full and your mouth happy 

<3 DD

Copyright © 2012 Christine Van Arsdalen. All Rights Reserved

Wednesday's wine of the Week

This week’s wine is kind of a mutt, much like me.  Like its title, Ensemble, it is a symphony that both incorporates and highlights different varietals; a real crowd pleaser for fans of white wines.  It combines the best qualities of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, which happen to be two of my favorite types.  This wine is nothing but net so to speak.  It doesn’t have that sort of metal aftertaste that can be found in some wines (that taste that gives you the "ick this is hard to swallow" face; it starts clean and ends clean like a swish.  The flavor isn’t muddied or distorted, just fresh and fruity. In fact you can taste a unique orange note that most other white wines don’t have.  As far as wines go, that’s about as rare as finding Waldo.  Of course you can also taste the usual suspects; peach, tropical fruit etc. but it does it with a twist.  It really breaks the mold of traditional whites, giving you a surprise orangey aftertaste at the end of every sip.  Yes, I am aware it is no stick on tattoo from the bottom the cereal box, but it is still pretty exciting.  One sip and you’ll be riding on the good ship lollipop.  That doesn’t mean you’re going to drown in a sea of sugar, the sweetness is more of a subtle note that compliments the other flavors.  Somehow, it reminds me of my personality in a bottle; a unique, original, sweet, crazy mix that no one has ever seen before.  I know that may sound intimidating, but rest assure that I am somewhat perfectly normal.  Surprisingly, I think this wine would go best with spicy foods or Asian Cuisine.  It has a light, bright (insert 90’s toy jingle here) flavor that would provide a nice compliment to bold flavors.  If I haven’t sold you yet I should mention that this party in a bottle only cost about $13.  So go try it people, you know you want to!


Keep your wallets full and your mouths happy!
<3 DD














Copyright © 2012 Christine Van Arsdalen. All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday’s Wine of the Week

    Today I stopped in my local liquor store in search of a wine my sister had recommended.  While to my disappointment they didn’t have what I was looking for, they had something just as good.  It was one of those moments where you can hear Mick Jagger in your earing singing “You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes well you might find you get what you need.”  I would like to thank the rock God’s for giving me what I needed.  There I was standing amidst hoards of wine and this bottle caught my eye; mainly because it was one of the few bottles that had a description below.  Clearly my selection process is very complex.  At any rate I liked the description, so I decided to give it a whirl.  It was love at first sip! My mouth was filled with a fruity bright and slightly figgy flavored surprise.  Before I get ahead of myself, I should probably mention that this wonderful wine is entitled Sean Minor Sauvignon Blanc and a bottle of this pure deliciousness will only cost you about $15.00 depending on the store.  So getting back to singing its praises like a Sunday church choir; there is a strong grapefruity note to the body give it a bold crisp aroma.  The after sip is where the real party happens though.  As the citrus wears off your left with a deeper more rich finish with notes of melon and fig.  It leaves you with a very smooth and delightful taste in your mouth. This bottle really packs a big punch for its little price tag. Like Jessie J says “it’s not about the money.”   To me it seems like it would fantastically with a rich fish like a tuna, a slab of pork, or a peppery arugula salad; I guess you’ll just have to buy a bottle and try it on for size.   Happy drinking folks!

Keep your wallets full and your mouths happy!
<3 DD

Copyright © 2012 Christine Van Arsdalen. All Rights Reserved.

Tapas Tuesday’s at Mediterra

                One of my favorite Tuesday night spots is a fantastic place in Princeton NJ.  At first glance you may think it is just another "hoy faloy" place with food so small you have to fill up on the bread basket.  Like the rest of Princeton, the front of the building is dressed to impress.  Big glass doors, outdoor stone patio, the works.  However if you venture inside you will find that they have surprisingly affordable options for those of us with shallow pockets. While they do have a great basket of bread, they also have $2 tapas with the purchase of a drink every day of the week.  Now I know what you’re thinking, $2 tapas is probably fried cheese and buffalo wings; but these tapas include things tuna tartar, salmon ceviche, and meatballs (aka abondigas, my favorite Spanish word because it’s just so darn fun to say).  But wait, there’s more! Act before 6pm and their entire tapa menu is just eight quarters.  Unlike most places where they put their cheapest options on special, every single tapa is just $2. Yes I know I sound like one of those annoying car commercials that keep saying the same thing; but this deal is so good no amount of repetition can do it justice.  There aren’t many things you can get for that cheap any more.  In today’s market it’s like the fabled penny candy your grandparents talk about; lots of choices, little price tag. 

Needless to say I went on a tapas spree. My sister, my mother and I ordered the tartar, ceviche, clams, and abondigas.  Being a lover of all things raw, including steak and eggs (GASP), I was incredibly excited about the tartar, ceviche, and the clams.  And rightly so, it was so good it made me want to jump up and say “OLE!” or do a tap(a) dance.  You could really taste the freshness of the fish.   It was light and delicate and just kind of melted away like a snowman in the sunshine. They all had a light citrus drizzle which gave the dishes a little kick. It was like a little flamenco dance in your mouth. I have had these dishes about 10 times and I still adore them!  What can I say; I’m a glutton for punishment (by good food).

The abondigas (come on just try saying it out loud; you know you want to) were surprisingly light and fluffy.  I’ve had meatballs that would be better used for batting practice or meatball fights, but these were light little succulent balls of beefy goodness.  They were cheesy and slightly salty and smothered in a tangy sweet tomato sauce; so delicious I was convinced they secretly had my grandma working in the kitchen.

The three of us also split a Pumpkin Crusted Cedar Planked Branzino entrée.  It was flaky and salty and nutty and delicious.  Not to mention the portion size was huge.  It may take two to tango, but it took 3 to eat the dish.  So after 3 hours we were so full I needed to be rolled out like the meatballs.  And then there was the bill, which would seem more ominous if most of our meal hadn’t cost $2.  The grand total... $75 with tax for 3 people including  beverages; which comes to $25 per person. We all left the restaurant with very happy stomachs and baccounts that night!

Keep your wallets full and your mouths happy
<3 DD

Copyright © 2012 Christine Van Arsdalen. All Rights Reserved.

Wednesdays Wine of the Week

                 In a wine of the week first I am writing about a wine while sipping it.  Talk about multi-tasking! Not surprising it is a white wine (I am clearly not much of a red wine drinker), that is rather crisp with a grapefruit finish.  It cost me only $11.99 at the liquor store.. added bonus.  It has a classy taste without the classy pricetag. So what is this mystery wine? It goes by the name of Ecco Domani Pino Grigio.  Even the name sounds good, like an exciting afternoon through the countryside on a Vespa in Italy.  It tastes like one too, very refreshing, light, and just a hint of playful sweetness.  At the risk of hurting other wines feelings this may be my favorite wine of the week so far.  I had it this evening with salmon burgers (that I made myself!) and it was a great compliment to the flavor of the fish.  I would also like to add that I make a phenomenal salmon burger, but don’t ask me for the recipe I don’t use them. To me cooking (and drinking) should be expressive and interpretive. It should bring out your personality and passion. Cooking is meant to be done with feeling, recipe’s are just too rigid for me J.

Like my cooking, this wine is a combination of different elements that sing when they are put together.  It is a mix of tropical fruit and grapes and citrus that engulfs your tongue in deliciousness.  It’s bright and lively like a 5 year old girl that won’t shut up yet surprisingly smooth.  I give this wine a gold star!

Keep your wallets full and your mouths happy

<3 DD

Copyright  © 2012 Christine Van Arsdalen. All Rights Reserved.