Food Find: Nanie Bell Artisan Cheese

While on assignment in Springtown, this Texas wine explorer made an exciting discovery.  And believe you me, it was quite a surprise, as it didn't come in a bottle or have anything to do with grapes.  Nanie Bell Artisan Cheese is handcrafted at La Buena Vida Vineyards Springtown by Dr. Bobby Smith, a legend in the world of Texas wine who has proved once again that he's still got a few aces up his sleeve after thirty-plus years in the business.  

"I don't let any grass grow under my feet, that's for sure!"

- Dr. Bobby Smith on finding even more ways to 

tempt Texas tastebuds 

after three decades of award-winning wine.

I went out to Dr. Bobby's place Saturday on a whim.  While I intended on visiting La Buena Vida Springtown at some point in the near future, my weekend was already earmarked for catching up on laundry and TiVo (even glamour girls like me make time for Sunday Food TV).  However, after speaking with the man for the better part of an hour Friday afternoon, I was charmed and more than a little curious about what was going on an hour to the west.  Dr. Bobby had mentioned that his Tempranillo was nearly ripe, hanging heavy on the vine, and that he was also whipping up a few batches of his new handmade cheese in preparation for the weekend.  Throw in a day of refreshingly cooler temps, and would you have been able to resist a road trip?

Visions of lush vines cradling black fruit and creamy fresh cheese danced in my head as I headed to La Buena Vida that day, and the visit could not have been more rewarding.  Dr. Bobby's wines will most certainly be explored in their own post soon (barrel samples of 20-year-old Port and newly-fermented Viognier still sparkling with spritz ... pinch me, FP - am I dreaming?), but today we're talkin' cheese.

And what a cheese it is.  Dr. Bobby describes Nanie Bell as a "Mexican-style fresh cheese", so I expected something along the lines of a Queso Fresco when we settled in for samples and a sip of Pinot Blanc.  To the contrary, this cheese was completely unique - soft and creamy with a pleasant wine-friendly tang.  Using his mother's recipe, Dr. Bobby and his grandson make the cheese by hand using fresh local organic cow's milk from Cleburne and a touch of garlic for savory depth.  Nanie Bell Spencer Smith, the original family cheesemaker, would surely be proud.

There is plenty to go around, even after I loaded up my own fridge with Nanie Bell.  It's great on its own, or makes for a decadent dinner when melted over a burger or folded into an omlette.   Right now, you can only get Nanie Bell at La Buena Vida Vineyards Springtown, but as we head into the milder weather of late summer and fall, what better excuse to hit the road?  There are some great little farm stands on the way as well, so have fun with a full afternoon of foraging.

Nanie Bell Artisan Cheese, $8

La Buena Vida Vineyards Springtown

817-220-4366

650 Vineyard Lane, Springtown

Open Weekends

(not to be confused with the Grapevine location - great place, but only loosely affiliated.  This cheese is not available there)

Wine of the Week

Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards

2006 Nebbia

It's hot out there, people.  Time to set aside the big, bold reds and focus on something cool, clean and refreshing.  Enter Nebbia, Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards' dry white blend that seems tailor-made for the dog days of summer.  

This winery is one of my absolute favorites, tucked in a cozy corner of the East Texas Piney Woods in a town called Pittsburg.  Owner and winemaker Jeff Sneed is a talented (and seriously hilarious) guy who knows his way around a vineyard - I'm also a fan of his Grand Reserve Meritage and Chardonnay.  Today, however, we'll stay focused on the smooth and luscious Nebbia.  Its notes of peaches and cream, touted on the label, really shine when the wine is served a little less than straight-out-the-fridge frosty.  Try it poolside or out on the deck; just make sure you've got good cell reception, so you can call and thank me :)

This friendly Nebbia and all of Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards wines are just a click away on the winery's website.  The prices are right, and your little box of heaven will arrive within days.  You could also make a day trip of it, and visit Jeff and his lovely wife Dana at their gorgeous vineyard and tasting room.  They even have sweet little cabins if you decide to sleep over.

www.lospinosranchvineyards.com

New Breakfast Obsession: Banana Chocolate Vivanno

For those of us that work an 8-5 Monday-Friday job, how often do you rush out the door in the morning without eating breakfast? If you’re me, it’s approximately 5 days a week, and the other two days you just sleep through breakfast. But somehow, I do make the time to stop at Starbucks almost every day.

The problem is—those pastries and muffins they sell at Starbucks really don’t appeal to me. They’re just sugar-laden obstacles in the way to getting my Triple Grande Soy Latte. So, basically, I end up drinking my breakfast every morning, and am starving by 10:30.

Starbucks, however, has introduced a new drink that has changed my life. It’s called the Banana Chocolate Vivanno, and it has revolutionized my breakfast routine. The shake combines a whole banana (Fruit! Actual, honest to goodness fruit!), 2% milk (Calcium!), bittersweet cocoa (Chocolate!), fiber powder (Powdered regularity!), and whey protein (Hello, South Beach!). But the best part is, if you ask, they will also blend in a shot of espresso (Caffeine!), making it the most well-rounded and efficient breakfast I’ve ever consumed.

On top of that, this is no uber-sweet and sugary Frappuccino. It’s actually relatively low in fat and calories (5 g/270 calories), especially considering that it works as a meal substitute. And with 6 grams of fiber and 21 grams of protein, it actually keeps you full all morning.

Thank you, Starbucks! You’ve once again earned my love, along with my $5 a day.

Saffron, pistachios, and orange peel--Oh, My!

This recipe was inspired by a trip I recently took to New York City. While I was there, an old friend of mine who now lives in Brooklyn introduced me to a small Afghani restaurant in the East Village. After just one meal, I was a believer!

My favorite dish that we tried was called Shireen Palow, which is a chicken and rice dish (think of it as an Afghani Paella) flavored with saffron, orange peel and apricots. A little sweet, a little spicy and a lot delicious--to me, this dish is comfort food defined. It seemed like it would be pretty simple to make myself, so when I got back to Big D, I scoured the net for recipes to help me try to duplicate this dish at home.

I have made versions of this dish five times since my trip (trying to perfect it to share with our DallasEats faithful), and I have to say, I don’t think either my husband or I are even the least bit sick of it yet. I am calling the final version of this dish “Orange Chicken and Rice with Exotic Spices” because I took some liberties with the traditional recipe, and thus it is more “inspired by Shireen Palow” than actual Shireen Palow. But whatever you call it, it’s freakin’ good.

*Please note--there is not nearly as much saffron in this recipe as there is in the pictured spoon. I'm not Rockefeller, people.

Orange Chicken and Rice with Exotic Spices

Ingredients:

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs


• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided


• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


• 1 tablespoon ground ginger (this looks like a lot, but it will help flavor the entire dish.


• 1 teaspoon allspice


• ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional)


• 2 tablespoons butter, divided


• 1 yellow onion, sliced into thin rings


• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed


• 2 garlic cloves, minced


• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes


• 1 tablespoon sugar


• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind (or the rind from one medium-sized orange)


• ½ Cup orange juice (or the juice of one medium-sized orange)


• 1 quart chicken broth


• 1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice


• 8-10 dried apricots, sliced


• 6 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Rub chicken down with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the pepper, ginger, and allspice. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook 5 minutes, browning on both sides. Don’t worry about cooking the chicken all the way through—it will be going back in the pot with the rice and will have plenty of time to get cooked through. Remove chicken from pan; cover with foil to keep warm.

In the same Dutch oven, melt the other tablespoon over butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 10 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. There will be lots of spice and brown bits from the chicken left in the bottom of the pan, so as you’re cooking the onions, try to scrape the bottom of the pan a little to loosen them. They will add a lot of flavor to the dish.

Once the onions are done, add saffron, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. The saffron will add its distinctive aroma and color to the dish, and the garlic and red pepper flakes will add a little kick.

Stir in sugar and rind; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, orange juice, broth, rice, and apricots; bring to a boil. Add the chicken that you set aside and cover, reducing heat to low/medium. Simmer 25-30 minutes or until rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Take the pot off the heat and add the pistachios. Let the pot stand off the heat for a few minutes before you serve.

I dare you to try not to go back for seconds...

Ladies Who Lunch: An Afternoon at Stephan Pyles

My tongue still tingles when I think back to my lunch at Stephan Pyles, a singular pleasure heightened by the truant thrill of indulging mid-day, lunching long and leisurely, rather than post-poning the pleasures of the table until after eight hours of work. 

 It was Mom's birthday, a reasonable (even virtuous) excuse to put away pens, to "shut down" instead of "restart", and silence all cell phones on a Friday afternoon.  We arrived at Stephan Pyles a primped and perfumed trio, Mom and I and a dear friend, and were seated in full view of the bustling open kitchen.  My companions remarked on the fluid ballet of efficiency on display behind the glass: "It's so busy in there, but so quiet!"  "They all move so fast, and don't spill a drop!"  Indeed, it was a sight to see, but not so intense as to distract from the bright, well-appointed dining room (full of good-looking groups) or the delicious decor of the table itself.

We started, as my research recommended, with ceviche.  To please all palates, we opted for the Sea Bass with Avocado and Tomatillo, and were delighted with the creamy twang of this Latin seafood salad.  As a respected reviewer recently commented, it did register as a close cousin of guacamole, but this is not to say it didn't dazzle.  Upon my return, I will most certainly try the versions featuring Sea Scallops or Bronzini, or perhaps the trio featuring three selections from the extensive ceviche menu.

The salad course is always a favorite of mine, and I award a special place in my hungry heart for restaurants that give leaves their props.  I ordered the Garden Greens with Really Good Olive Oil and - what do you know? - it was exactly so.  Fresh mixed greens arrived unadorned and were dressed a la minute at tableside by our server.  I was charmed by the tiny ampules he bore, and as he emptied each onto my salad, he announced its name. "Here is your Balsamic Vinegar Reduction," he intoned with a squeeze.  "And here, Miss, is the Really Good Olive Oil."  Amply annointed, I then salted my salad from the colorful selection in the center of the table.  I opted for clouded white Sea Salt, but could not resist flicking a few grains of Smoked Salt on my tongue as well, and was rewarded when the ebony crystals slowly melted into wisps of campfire and summer cookouts.

At entree time, the birthday girl was presented with a crisp flatbread pizza.  Its slightly-charred crust and scattering of smoked tomato, goat cheese and shrimp pleased her to no end; it was her perfect pie.  Our companion also enthused over her entree, the Kabocha Squash Gnocci, and I helped myself to a spoonful to see what the fuss was about.  Those precious pillows in silken sauce proved a comforting counterpart to the raciness of my Goat Cheese-Beet Tortellini.  The pasta packets' magenta filling was my first clue this dish would put a smile on my lips.  What a color!  It was the shade of Barbie's favorite shoes, of a surfer's trunks - of graffiti, not gastronomy.  I was tickled, and the flavors of earthy beets and goat cheese, ricotta salata and roasted red peppers evolved with each forkful, keeping me intrigued.

And, finally, what is a birthday meal without a celebratory dessert?  "Coffee and Donuts", Pyles-style, is a tower of freshly fried, powdered sugar-dusted donuts atop a dark and rich dip, surrounded by a pool of coffee creme brulee.  The donuts are classic, chewy to the tooth and melting on the tongue, and the mellow dip serves to heighten their delicate sweetness.  The brulee featured a perfect toffee-like burnt sugar crust, revealing a silken coffee custard beneath.  At the first spoonful I swooned; two bites and my eyelashes fluttered.  Mom called from across the table, "Honey?  Are you all right over there?"  I recovered, and I've been gushing over this deceptively simple dessert at happy hour and dinners, to my mailman and my bank teller, ever since.

So there you have it.  An indulgent mid-day meal (not to mention impeccable service and a choice table) shared with two of my favorite dining companions at one of Dallas' most revered restaurants.  While I doubt we'll be joining the likes of the Ladies Who Lunch anytime soon, it was a pleasure to play at their game for an afternoon at Stephan Pyles.