Just Add Cheese & Poe's Kitchen Dinner Event

The fabulous ladies of Just Add Cheese, Jacki Mo and Meesh Z, teamed up with the talented Chef Brian Poe of Poe's Kitchen at The Rattlesnake to create an extravagant 5 course meal for their friends and blogger pals this past Wednesday evening. Invitees convened in the private event space on the second floor overlooking Boylston Street; it was great to catch up with Justin, Emily, Dan and Bianca and mingle with some of Jacki and Meesh's pals who were also dining with us!The evening kicked off with Pomegranate Jalapeno Sangria and Quail Tacos!The sangria was subtly sweet with a spicy kick; I love a cocktail that isn't afraid to bring some heat. The quail tacos came loaded with tender bites of the gamey bird, its distinct nutty flavor embraced a heaping topping of pumpkin and jalapeno salsa. These ended up being one of my favorite dishes of the night!The spicy sangria as well the innovative use of quail impressed the group as we continued to mingle around the bar while Chef's Jacki, Meesh and Poe got things done in the kitchen. They presented us next with an Asian inspired Tuna Tartare laced with hints of pickled ginger and marinated in a soy and chive vinaigrette. Finished with a refreshing wasabi sorbet, this imaginative ingredient managed to both kick up and cool down the tartare at the same time. The cubed portions tumbled over a crispy wonton laid with rectangular strips of seaweed. Quite the prelude, it was hard to believe we were only just getting started! I was already blown away by the chef's prowess (All three of them.) It was time to officially take our seats as the first course arrived. Back in the kitchen I had seen Chef Poe thinly slicing the apples on his mandolin for the Apple Carpaccio Salad, which were gently tossed with baby arugula in an apple cider champagne vinaigrette. This salad evoked a true sense of fall, the apples and the vinaigrette both crisp and comforting, were complimented by cinnamon sugar dusted cashews. The ever wonderful Great Hill Blue Cheese and a slice of crispy prosciutto added ideal contrast to make this a well rounded salad.The second course of Chanterelle Mushroom Quesadillas made with Cihuahua cheese, Chervil, foie gras and truffle salsa hit the spot. The luxurious truffle laced vegetables and delicately seared foie gras elevated your classic run-of-the-mill Mexican appetizer to something truly memorable. The Chile Rellenos for course number three were yet another inventive interpretation of a traditional Mexican dish, with a hint of Japanese fusion. Over a vibrant tequila sunrise orange emulsion mingling with a pool of 5 Spoke Creamery Cheese sauce sat tequila spiked duck stuffed Anaheim chiles dredged in a saffron citrus tempura. Plated to resemble a maki roll of sorts and topped with an orange basil salsa, these brought heat and intense nuances of flavor. I was feeling pretty stuffed as the entrees hit the table, a Green Chile Braised Pork Belly came topped with a tomato confit and sprinkled with wild boar bacon bits and cotija cheese. The pork belly was nicely braised and laced with a good amount of fat. It was a little too oily and heavy for my taste, but the accompanying ingredients helped balance this out. Up next - the "Roulette Round" was a pallet cleanser of zesty peaches and herbs, where someone gets the ghost chile. Thankfully, it was not me, but the group definitely had a lot of fun with this course. It succeeded in preparing our taste buds for an impeccable dessert of Plantain Churros. The deep fried tropical fruits look nothing like a traditional Spanish churro, but I'm all for loose interpretations that still manage to succeed taste wise. The crispy exerior encasing soft plantains was served alongside a heavenly cinnamon ice cream met with a thick and luscious zig zag of salted caramel, a taza chocolate cappuccino sauce coating and a sprinkle of coarse black sea salt. This was a most exciting end to a stellar dinner party. The dishes served to us this evening were evocative of a true creative spirit in the kitchen, where flavors and ingredients of fall were fused with innovative preparations. Many thanks to our amazing trio of chef-hosts for their generosity; providing guests with great food, drinks and fun!

Barcelona Cuisine | El Poble Espanyol

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blogging to dedicate an entire week to the food consumed while on vacation in Barcelona! This first meal coincides with an afternoon spent at El Poble Espanyol, an open-air architectural museum village constructed in 1929 for the International Exhibition.

Inside the walled community lies a full scale reproduction of Spain's symbolic buildings and places, fused with artisan workshops and boutiques, as well as restaurants and tapas bars.

El Poble is definitely an attraction geared towards tourism, albeit a fantastic one! There is a a €9,50 entrance fee and audio guided tours are offered for an additional €3.

I had a feeling the restaurants "inside" would be slightly more touristy than traditional, but it was later in the afternoon and we were starving.

The spacious patio at L'Albi which offered reasonably priced Catalan fare, felt like the perfect fit. (Photo borrowed from the website, linked above.)

We started the lunch festivities with a pitcher of Sangria.No matter how much Sangria we consumed on an almost daily basis (lots!) I never seemed to tire of this luscious fruit infused red wine libation. Neither did Adam. After a basket of bread and bowl of potato chips, the starter courses were delivered. I ordered a Queso Fresco y Chorizo. What I thought would be a simple platter of ham and cheese, was actually a pottery ramekin full of melted queso, delicately torched, containing rolled slices of ham within it. While the thick melted cheese was tasty, it became overwhelming after about 5 bites. Or maybe I'm so used to tapas size portions, that switching back to a hearty dish of a different cuisine had me thrown for a loop! My entree of Tortilla de Patatas was Spanish comfort food at it's very finest. A 1/2 inch thick wedge of fluffy eggs is loaded with fried potatoes and onions, and topped with a spicy chile pepper. Alongside was a substantial salad of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and shredded carrots and a serving of white rice. The rice was a rather starchy component to pair with the tortilla, and the salad and rice both lacked dressing and seasoning, respectively. Overall, the dish still satisfied, I wasn't expecting anything gourmet to being with.
For dessert, there was no going wrong with the Crema Catalana, essentially the Spanish/Catalan version of creme brulee. The base of a rich egg yolk custard is far creamier than a typical U.S. version, with a much more substantial layer of burnt caramelized sugar on top. This was definitely my favorite course! Most of our meals in Barcelona (as you will see in the forthcoming posts) consisted of modern tapas, so this lunch of traditional Catalan cuisine was without any comparison. (Unfortunately!) It seems we barely scratched the surface of what this city has to offer in terms of amazing foods.We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon on the airy L'Albi terrace and exploring the narrow winding streets of El Poble Espnanol. Warm weather and sangria pitchers at lunch seems a distant memory; so it's nice to reminisce on those intensely hot and sunny, blue skied, carefree days in Barcelona. Stay tuned this week for more of what we ate. The food only gets better!!

P.S. Happy Halloween!

Barcelona From Top to Bottom

A vivacious city with an unrestrained energy, bursting at the etched tile lined sidewalks with things to do and see, Barcelona offers both urban charm and and coastal beauty to her 1.7 million residents and a constant slew of globetrotters. From the eerily haunting twists and turns on the dark streets and medieval squares of the Barri Gothic, to the extraordinarily matchless Gaudi architecture, there is a constant sense of wonder and amazement instilled as you explore. The beauty extends far past the man made facades and what lies behind them, to the sparkling teal blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains of Tibidabo and Montjuïc.
Palm Tree lined harbor fronts sandwich beaches equally fit for sunbathing and partying, while mountain tops reached by funicular train and cable car provide stunning views of all that lie in their foothills. We opted to visit Montjuïc instead of Tibidabo, we felt as if this area had a little more to offer for our tastes, and we absolutely wanted to ride the gondola - or Telefuric as it is called in Spain. Technically not a mountain, but a broad hill with a flat top, it is home to the Castell de Montjuïc.We couldn't get enough of the commanding views of the city and had a fun time exploring the castell. No visit to Barcelona would be complete without a stroll down Las Ramblas, and stopping to enjoy a cava and a sangria along the way.
Las Ramblas is a famous promenade that starts at Placa Catalunya in the city center, and ends at the Columbus Monument at Port Vell.
The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc located in front of the Palau Nacional at Placa Espanya gathers a crowd on Thursday through Sunday evenings with a dazzling spectacle of water and lights set to music. Free shows are every 30 minutes (from 9pm-11pm) and definitely worth checking out.
Head to the Eixample (ay-shoomp-la) District, a large area of the city created in the late 19th century, its name meaning "expansion" in Catalan, to view the famous modernist buildings on the "Illa de la Discòrdia" or Block of Discord along Passeig de Gràcia. The architectural styles of the buildings are vastly different, clashing with not only each other, but the rest of the neighborhood as well. The most striking among them are Casa Batllo (above) designed and built by Catalonian Architect Antoni Gaudi and Casa Amatller (below) designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch. Just down the street is another prominent display of Gaudi Architecture Casa Mila or as it is more commonly known, La Pedrera.We toured both Casa Batllo and La Pedrera, each fascinating for their unconventional and completely irregular construction, displaying an organic style attributed to Gaudi's constant inspiration from nature. The roofs of these buildings are like an adults playground! But his most notorious work of all would have to be La Sagrada Família a Roman Catholic Church displaying his personal interpretation of Gothic architecture as it combines with curvilinear modernism. Perhaps the most intriguing fact is that the construction of La Sagrada Familia commenced in 1882 and currently, it is still being built. If that isn't enough, Gaudi also designed an entire park. Park Güell was originally a 15 hectare private garden estate, which was never finished. The public park is located further north of the city center in the Barri Gracia. Park Güell is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the longest park bench in the world. It is a completely stunning scene and a gorgeous example of how Gaudi blended architecture into natural surroundings. Finally, to round out the Gaudi experience, Palau Güell located just off Las Ramblas on Nou de la Rambla is worth a visit if you can dedicate time for another self guided tour. Here you learn about Gaudi's dynamic relationship to the wealthy Catalan Industrial Entrepreneur Eusebi Guell. Their business partnership and friendship resulted in years of collaboration and fostered much of Gaudi's inspiration behind this incredible mansion. The ceramic rooftop chimneys were probably one of my favorite parts, but the Palace in its entirety a sight to be seen. You'll want to leave plenty of time to spend in the aforementioned Barri Gothic. We wandered the tangled labyrinthe of streets in this ancient neighborhood both during the daytime and at night. While exploring the narrow corridors we stepped inside the Catedral de la Santa Cruz y Santa Eulalia (also known as the Barcelona Cathedral.) I decided to marvel at the interior from in front of the camera lens, it was absolutely breathtaking. Once I stepped into the garden, I captured a few shots of the fountains and palm trees. This church is extraordinary, I would definitely make it a point to wander inside; despite how many churches you may have already seen along your travels. ;)Art and history lovers have their choice of museums abound from one dedicated to Picasso (that houses his earlier sketches and lesser known paintings) to the Fundacio Joan Miro, the Museu d'Art Contemporani (MACBA), the Museu National D'art Modern (MNAC) and even a Museu de Historia dedicated to the cities two thousand year existence. After Madrid, we were feeling a little "museum-ed out", so we decided to focus in on just one, giving the Fundacio Joan Miro a few hours of our attention was completely worthwhile. I did not know much about Miro prior to the trip, but I grew to love his artwork immensely. His paintings and sculptures are equally though provoking and fascinating. I would have loved to visit all the other museums, but beach days at Barcelonetta, beers in the sun and Gaudi took precedence.Saving the best for last, the cuisine that is defined of course by the iconic tapas, both modern and classic, and just as notably, the famous seafood and rice dish of Paella, is remarkable.

The restaurants and tapas bars embody the spirit of the city, from trendy to traditional, Spanish to Catalan, eating out in Barcelona, specifically at the Michelin starred Comerc 24 was undoubtedly a highlight of the entire trip.

A visit to this beautiful, crazy, thrilling, spectacular city has everything an open minded European traveler can appreciate. Visually stunning buildings and streets steeped in both ancient history and art nouveau, Mediterranean beaches to soak up the hot sun during the day and experience the racy nightlife scene long after it goes down, combined with impressive museums and cathedrals and an eloquent culinary scene, Barcelona is the best of the best, in essence, five days of my life I will forever cherish.