www.urbanworks.com

I am extremely excited about this new wine experience called Urban Works that premiered it opening at the Plaza District Festival here in Oklahom City,  and the 14th the full and complete opening will include tapas. Humm!!!  My first experience trying the wine was at the state fair. I had a chance to taste a couple of their wines and I must say that I was dudly impression by the selections that they have to offer.  Okay, so lets talk about a couple of my favoirte wines. The Pinotage had the smell of African berries very strong and robust. Taking a sip of the wine made my heart goes pitter patter, with the slight hints of mushroom.  Beeries and mushrooms; nothting get better than that! Secondly the Aglianico which currently is the only grape produced here in Okc. This wine goes perfectly wth any itlalian dishes, egglpant parmesan or spaghetti.  They have so many other wines that goes will with any food or just drinkng a wine of your choice. I know that will find your own wonderful at this wines featured at this winery that you can take home bragging to your friends about. Please visit them I am so excited and so will you be, also

Foodie Film Festival at Oklahoma City Museum of Art

The Foodie Film Festival feature a unique pairing of food, they added cheese and beer.  I would like to go through with you ever single pairing that I had and the uniqueness I gather from each station.  First, griled Plum Marinated Pork Tenderloin paired with La Peral Blue Cheese from Spain and Redhook Pilsner Beer.  The Redhook Pilsner is a crisp golden lager that is modeled after historic beers originally made in Plzen, Czechoslovakia. The intensity of the blue cheese that musk slight bitterness paired well with the sweet marinated pork.  The Pilsner has flavor hints of apple and apricots that paired nicely with the La Peral Blue Cheese and the Grilled Plum Marinated Pork Tenderloin.

Secondly, Pan Asian Style Beef Tenderloin with Blu Del Moncenisio, Blue Cheese from Italy and RedHook Longerhammer IPA.
Its characteristics are bitterness and piney citrus aroma flavor. The Asian dish had strong flavor of lemongrass and of course soy sauce and the Longhammer just brought out all those bold favor that combined together harmionously.  The Blu Del Moncensio mushed well with the soy sauce flavor with in accordance the cheese was slight sweet but tart.

Thirdly, BBQ Baby Back Rib with Prima Donna - Appenzeller, Gouda - Swiss, Netherlands.

Redhook ESB is an Amber Beer.  The brew has a slight caramel malt sweetness and the smoke flavor of the ribs definitely brought out this flavor.  The Prima Donna is a delicious has a slighty sweet flavor

Fourth, Crab Cake with Beermat, Switzerland and Redhook WIT
Redhook has hints of citrus, grain and lively yeast. The crabcake has red pepper and garlic which master the flavor of the beer with it grain yest citrus flavor and the cheese complimented it well

Fifth, Chicken Roulade with Fiscalini Bandaged- Cheddar United States: Cantalet Cheddar and Widmer Brothers Drifter  Pale Ale. This beer is know for it intense citrus flavors and aroma. Its gives a crisp, clean, and quenching finish, yet able to keeep it smooth balanced. The artichoke goes well with the bitterness of the caramel flavor cheddar and the beer satisfied the bacon with the bitterness of it star anise flavor, and slight grapefruit.

This has yet been one of the most interesting and diverse pairings I have ever tried...

forty under forty

Central Oklahoma's Young Professional!!
Example: David Bernstein won an award tonight as an under Forty Professional, through his efforts with the Philharmonic Assoicate Board, Bernstein has raised awarnesss for young professional. Since he has been on board the growth of the board grew from 5 to 20.  He also is the Vice President-Investment planning, Estate planning, and Insurance and Mortgage Finance. 

The event was sponsored by Boulevard Brewery which is a beer company. What makes this brewery special that its become one of the largest specialty brewers in the Midwest. I must say I was more interested in the food, and my I say they had a decent choice of hor dourves and it pleasured me very much! Lets start with the variety... Salmon croquette on a wheat bread toast point.  Spring roll with chicken and a chunky peanuty sauce. Proscuitto wrapped in lettuce and green pear.  Shrimp in a fortunate cookie cone. Sliced dried beef with pickled red onion on a toast point.  A spicy tomato puree in a cucumber/garlic.  Panko crusted fritter with curry rice and green pepper

Including with the hor douvers the wines that were served were Woodbridge Savignon Blanc and a YellowTail shiraz. Which the Yellow Tail from Austrialia I found to be very high acidity and extreme high alcohol volume tasting which I believe Yellow Tail produces at least 14% in alcohol more than the majority of wines produced. The WoodBridge Savignon Blanc lack in personality but it was free and did the job so who really complaining. 

Overall, it was an honor for me to be there with successful individual who have worked hard and accomplished something under the age of forty!  So there is hope for me yet...

The Vegetables were madly delicious with the garlic herb aioli  and the cheese selection was absolutely amazing. Red sundried tomato goat cheese, with a citrus goat cheese that all amazing paired well together with Ritz cracker.

The Cupcakes I had was extremely delicious a vanilla coconut with chocolate Icing... nothing gets better than that

Chef David Henry

David Henry, winner of the food competiition held by the Oklahoma Restaurant Association and sponsored by the Oswalt Restaurant supply comany.  Davd can date back the beginning of his days in that kitchen at tender age of ten years. His mother being a food/beverage director, gave him an edge right here in  OKC. He got his first job opening and closing a local mom and pop restaurant. A majority of his training in the culinary career came from working with Alain Buthion at LaBaquette located right in the heart of OKC from 2000-2007 where his technique and knowledge of French food grew to the point where he was able to do the apprentichship at the Coach House and work under Kurt Fleischfresser and then eventually move to the Lobby Bar to creating his own tasting menu that goes along with pairing wine. David Henry uses new techniques to advances his cooking skills and I am excited to see the new menu he has that will go with the growing oklahoma industry of wine and food pairing right here in  oklahoma and its future strength

The Food Convention

The Metro Tech Horiticulture class has the opportunity to attend the Oklahoma Restauarant Association sponsored Food Convention at the Cox Convention Center. There was the opportunity to try Mio product and also there was a cook-off conducted by Oswalt

Redland Juice Company

Last week Mrs. Jona Squire Horticulture class took a field trip to Norman, Oklahoma to visit the Redland Juice Company.  Redland Juice Company is a vineyard that specializes in growing grapes that produce non-alcohol grape juice that you can enjoy either through cooking or drinking. While visiting the vineyard we learn that she specialized in growing four types of grapes in which are chardonnay, merlot, golden muscat, and reisling.  Also the vineyard owner produce juices from these grapes, which are not grown at the home site that are Chardonnel, Chambourcin, and Concord. The mission of Redland Juice Company is 100% natural grape juices.  To prevent the grapes from fermenting alcohol she picks the grapes from the vines and immediately freezing them thus prevent the bacteria and sugar producing alcohol.

Thus, producing:

*Pure, Natural Grape Juices
*Only, Alcohol Free Juices
*Fresh, Single Strenght Juices
*With Added Water or Sugar

The three juices that our Horticulture tried were the Golden Muscat grape juice which feature flavor of heavy white with lots of apple-like tartness. Secondly, Merlot grape juice hinted in sweet red flavor with intense cherry/ berry and pepper flavors.  Thirdly, Concord grape juice is a wonderful american red grape juice you remember as a kid. Also the company imports sparkling grape juice from Italy and it is tasty.  My favorite is the Peach Sparkling Grape Juice and the best part of the juice is the sizzling fuzz that just rolls down your throat. 

I would recommend anyone who want to try pure and delicious grape juice from this vineyard.
Take I-35 to Hwy 77 road, 3.2 miles to 108th, 1 mile east 100 yard to the vineyard driveway

The website is http://redlandjuice.com/rjcaboutus.htm

Pinto Bean Gravy

Soak Pinto Beans in water overnight
the next day cook the beans with salted pork, braised short ribs, garlic, black peper and pickled jalapeno juice

Braised short ribs: seared both sides of short ribs and add mirapoix, garlic, and chicken stock let cook for at least 3 hours in oven 375 degree and then let cool down and add meat too beans

Add braised short ribs (pulled the meat off the bones) to the beans also
Cook beans for two hours and then let the beans cool down
Strain the liquid from the pinto bean and cool down

Make a roux which includes butter and flour
equal parts equivalent of the butter and flour
add the cooled down liquid to the roux and let simmer
add the meat to the gravy and serve with whatever is your preference

A great idea is to use it to smother steak or Fried Chicken