Napa Vineyards

Words cannot describe Napa Valley, California. And I learned this weekend that pictures (surprisingly) cannot do it justice either. My sweet, sweet cousins invited me and Alex for three days that proved to be nothing less than perfect.

We spent our hours soaking in sunsets from the hammock, picking figs & heirloom tomatoes for an afternoon harvest, enjoying abundant dinners with family and new friends, exploring Valley towns pastry by pastry (Alex bought me the Model Bakery cookbook after falling in love with their English muffins)...

...And tasting our way through Napa, glass by glass.

Before our sun-filled afternoon at Solage Calistoga Resort (my favorite stay of all time on family vacations), we stopped at Kelly Fleming Winery on Picket Road, which is rumored to be the most beautiful vineyard in all of Napa. The lovely Colleen escorted us through their estate with one-of-a-kind natural stone caves and gorgeous wood-beamed ceilings. We snacked on fruits and olives from their vineyard while tasting four consistently fantastic wines. I most enjoyed their Sauvignon Blanc and blended cabernet, "Big Pour."

Cornerstone Vineyards is founded & owned by family friends in Memphis, so a tasting was a must. Robert, our kind connoisseur, shared six wines with us from Cornerstone and its partner label, Stepping Stone. We loved the Syrah most! And the people behind the company, of course.

Not to mention, the art gallery-turned-tasting room is located in the prime spot of downtown Yountville across from infamous Bouchon Bakery (I died over the salted caramel latte and strawberry almond croissant) and countless gourmet restaurants, including Redd Wood (which I will critique soon!). You must go for not only the wine, but also the location!

The final tasting of our Napa weekend was veritably breathtaking. Stagecoach Vineyards is positioned ten miles into Soda Canyon. We were driven to the "look out" tasting pavilion in the center of the vineyard. While little Jude ran around the pavilion playing with the perfectly purple grapes (which will be harvested later this month), the rest of us tasted truly beautiful wines from 2007 on.

It was an exquisite weekend, to say the least. If only my carry-on had room for a few bottles!

Frost Bake Shop (Memphis)

Psst. Memphians. Guess what?

Frost Bake Shop opens TODAY!

I have been followed the family-owned operation on Facebook and driven by its new Laurelwood storefront all summer long in hopes that construction could end early. However, I was honored to be invited early this week to the original Bartlett kitchen to try their buzz-worthy treats.

The term "homemade" has clearly been taken for granted in the recent craze of consumerism and mass production. Frost Bake Shop brings its meaning back home. In the Frost kitchen, you will not find cake mixes, shortening or store-bought frosting. Instead, you'll find dedicated employees zesting oranges, whipping buttercream with only cream cheese and butter and mixing a consistent, moist batter.

My favorite part soon arrived...the tasting.

I tried strawberry, banana and chocolate cupcakes AND a tiramisu.

The photo shows just a glimpse of the moist cake with light buttercream dollops. Did you know that each batch of banana cupcakes has one pound of bananas and walnuts? The strawberry batch has one pound of strawberries in each, too. You can't get more "legit" than that in the baking world.

I understand that you have to be a coffee fan to truly enjoy a slice of tiramisu, but this homemade beauty has got it goin' on. Each lady finger is hand-dipped in espresso. The mascarpone is airy and sweet (I could eat in alone with a spoon), and the cocoa powder is a lovely touch on top. I would never think to order tiramisu at a traditional cake shop, but this blew my expectations out of the water.

Visit Frost Bake Shop in the Laurelwood Shopping Center today! Their bright and cheery storefront has everything you need: cupcakes, cakes, pies, coffee, comfy seating and a wonderful staff. Take care of your sweet tooth and tell me what you think!

Hog and Hominy Lunch (Memphis)

Oops. Maybe you've also noticed that I've already critiqued Hog & Hominy once last winter (here). The trendy Memphis restaurant, which was written up in the New York Times this summer, has become more and more of a favorite every time I enter. 

Why does it deserve a second round on Caramelized? Well, last week marked my first lunch visit with an almost entirely different menu. Also, the awesome hostess reads my blog and was sweet enough to compliment it. Thanks, Charlotte! Lastly, these pictures are just too good not to share.

Here is what Alex, Caroline and I took full advantage of on H&H's lunch menu:

The summer squash farmers side with brown butter, herbs and garlic. The multi-colored veggies were well roasted, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I couldn't get enough.

The Baia pizza. This pie reminded me more of a margherita than the menu's Margherita itself! Juicy cherry tomatoes were way better than a typical marinara spread, and huge slices of garlic added a pop to every bite. The chili oil, or olio santo, took this one up a notch in the spice category. We didn't leave one crumb on the tray.

I fell in a whole lotta love with my Lata Love sandwich. Shrimp, benton bacon, lettuce and tomato on super buttery bread. ORDER THIS, trust me. The shrimp tastes like lobster and the bacon is super crispy. My tip? Add fried egg. It enhances the sandwich by lightyears.

Make the most of your next lunch break, fellow Memphians!

Gibb's Country Store (Learned)

Before I describe the most redneck, rockin’ ribeye I have ever tried, I must attempt to set the scene for you.

Learned, Mississippi is located approximately 11 minutes away from my summer camp in Utica. [Note: Learned is pronounced “learn-Ed,” not “learned” that were taught in grammar school.] At camp last Saturday, our Mississippi-raised, extremely sarcastic, beloved camp director came over to my parents and me during lunch.

“You’ve gotta go to Gibb’s tonight for dinner. It’s only 10 minutes away, and they have the best filet and lamb I’ve ever had.”

Immediately, we judged. We had never witnessed true civilization between our summer camp and the more populated suburbs of Jackson, Mississippi.  Plus, in all of our years visiting Jacobs Camp, we had never heard of the place. Nevertheless, we weren’t a fan of camp’s red beans and rice any way, so we got in the car and drove on over to Gibb’s. We had to write a check out to Camp in order to get enough cash since Gibb's only accepts cash. There aren't any ATM's around there, I assure you.

We knew we had arrived when cars were lined up the “Main Street” of Learned. We had heard that Gibb’s is only open for dinner on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, so demand clearly existed. My dad struggled to find a parking place surrounding the faded labeled “Gibb’s & Sons” country store, whose timid wooden structure and rocking chair-covered, wrap-around porch were somehow still standing.

The community-table dining style was adorable amidst the grocery store items covering the walls. Yes, we were convinced that the same Spam can had been sitting on the shelf behind me for at least twenty years.

The menu was small but covered the basics; that is, until we asked the waitress for specials. Alwaysask the waiter for specials when you dine at Gibb’s! They managed to have fresh squash from the backyard garden and four different kinds of fish from the Gulf.

All of us started with the salad. They were served on flower-lined paper plates—ultimate classiness—with pickled asparagus, tomatoes and onions. The homemade comeback sauce, served in Dixie cups (the kind you’d use for mouthwash at home), was great.

Julia, Mom and I ordered the filet, Alex got the rib eye, and Dad got the red fish. Holy moly. We were in disbelief. The quality was not just satisfactory for Learned…it was unbelievable for the whole state of Mississippi, if not the whole Delta.

I am not exaggerating when I claim that we seriously loved everything, especially the red fish. It was seasoned well and cooked to a flaky perfection. My favorite side was the yellow squash side with smothered onions. The sweet potato with syrup, butter and brown sugar came in a close second.

While I can’t imagine any of you will be in that neck of the woods anytime soon, keep Gibb’s on your radar. It’s a hidden treasure.

La Cucina de Garga (Florence)

Mama’s Italian cooking has never been so freakin’ fantastic.

During our Florence weekend last month, Hannah made our reservation to La Cucina de Garga just in time to witness the sunset at Boboli Gardens and Piazzale Michelangelo minutes beforehand. When we walked into a bar to buy a bottle of wine, the bartender even gave us three free wine glasses to take along with us. Talk about a unique but appropriate souvenir. And, not to mention, the perfect prop for a photo!

The eclectic restaurant’s turquoise and floral storefront stuck out in the cobblestone alley. We walked in ready to experience a classically divine Italian meal. We received that and so much more: excellent service, free foccacia and dessert, and so many laughable moments between the three of us.

As expected, we began with two key ingredients: bread and wine. Our endearing waiter brought us salted focaccia and followed up with a focaccia bruschetta with olive oil and marinara on the house.

Our appetizer, calamari con avocado y pomodorini, was a bright mix of sautéed calamari, avocado, cherry tomatoes and lemon dressing. I'd pick this over fried calamari any day.

Pictured above was the winner: linguine with clams. Not a single noodle sat on my plate after ten minutes. The light olive oil and garlic added so much zest to a classic. In fact, when I asked for parmesan, the waiter lightly scolded me for wanting to add cheese to a perfectly refined dish. He said the cheese would ruin my appreciation for the existing flavors! Interesting, huh.

Gotta love Italy.

Bread and Roses (Paris)

In the heart of the Madeleine/Concorde districts, Paris meets Beverly Hills. Designer boutiques and frilly cafés welcome the classiest array of Parisians and tourists. Needless to say, I felt a bit out of place arriving in my white jeans and tank, but Bread and Roses' reputation and gorgeous menu convinced us to enter. We wanted to splurge on a delicious salad and chic lunch experience. And we got just that.

Although the mediterranean vegetable tart is a typical entreé, we split it three-ways as an appetizer. The rich goat cheese, buttery pastry crust and lightly roasted veggies combined effortlessly. The fresh fig slice on top was a sweet extra touch.

The restaurant is also known for its fine salads. I had trouble choosing between the ten options because, honestly, every single one sounded delicious. Madison and Hannah both ordered the grande salade of shrimp, avocado, grapefruit, haricot verdes and grilled chicken. The vinaigrette was super light, highlighting each ingredient well. I enjoyed the buratta des pouilles salad, which was served deconstructed to showcase each element. The red, green and yellow field tomatoes were beautiful, the olive tapenade was addicting, and the bundled buratta in olive oil was gooey yet mild. My only complaint was the dryness of the cornbread, but I just used the table bread instead.

We loved our lunch so much...we had to come back for breakfast!

They're known from their brioche (tea bread), and now I see why. It's like a buttery, flaky version of challah. I couldn't get enough of it. The portion was so large, Hannah, her mom and I couldn't even finish it!

The fresh pressed orange juice was delightful. Bread & Roses stresses that they do not make this juice before it is ordered! I believe it. It tasted just like my orange-grapefruit pressed juice at Colette earlier in the week. I wish Paris adopted the concept of free refills...

Ah, the scone. This Bread & Roses specialty is served with strawberry jam, butter and real whipped cream. The pastry is dense but sweet with huge raisins. I was demanded to try a scone before leaving Paris, and I'm so glad it was my final meal before heading to the airport!