Chef Myers Featured in Beemster’s Chef Series

My badass buddy (Pic ©Edgar Rodas)

You know who’s badass? Chef Travis Myers is badass. I have touted long and ad nauseum how much man-love I have for this guy. He is kicking butt on the culinary front, makes my favorite restaurant, Willows Bistro, tick and is just a swell guy all-around. He was recently featured in Beemster Cheese’s blog, Beemster’s Chef Series. Instead of me trying to come up with fantastic things to say about it, I’ll just let you read it instead. You can do that HERE.

Congratulations, Chef!

Twin City Hive’s New Direction

I know the title may be a little misleading. Twin City Hive isn’t exactly going in a new direction as much as repaving the road they were already Segwaying on. When TCH first opened in 2014, they were a combination of Segway tours, coffee and chocolate; the Segway tours being the big attraction and the coffee and chocolate being a residual bonus. Focus changed as the coffee and desserts took a precedence, as did the principal cast of players in the TCH’s, well, “hive.”

The main chocolatier of the business moved on and the two other partners in the business, Joey Burdette and Terry Miller decided to set their priority to the coffee and chocolate. This also led to a bit of a scramble to locate suppliers of artisan chocolate companies. However, it was standard or stock chocolate that were factory made. That left little room for experimentation.2016-10-04-18-02-16

Joey says, “We’ve had a couple of different artisan chocolate companies, throughout the US, that we purchased from. One is in Vermont, another is in St. Louis and another is in Minnesota. They were all delicious but what we found is that people coming in wanted to specify, ‘what about this and what about this?’ And, they were all great ideas but because we weren’t making them, we couldn’t control the process.”

TCH has already been doing its own chocolate bars, starting earlier this year. They call it the Icon Bar and it is a representation of the old RJ Reynolds building, now the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel and Katharine Brasserie & Bar Restaurant. Production for the Icon Bar had to be upped because the demand grew. So, they opted to acquire a space to do their bars in. This opened the door, also, for them to explore their very own line of chocolate truffles, a return to their roots and original concept. Which, somehow, brings this post full circle to where I began.

Joey has started the professional chocolatier program through the Ecole Chocolat out of Vancouver, BC, Canada. It’s a three month online course that will get him “Professional Chocolatier” status and enable him to work on being a “Master Chocolatier,” a renown status that he can earn from matriculating at numerous specialty schools throughout the world.

So, not only will the Twin City Hive truffles be delicious, they will be made from a (first) professional and then Master Chocolatier. Okay, great, you say, but what does that mean? Earlier I mentioned that there was demand for specialty, specific kinds of truffles. Perhaps you want chili and lavender truffles or honey and cardamom or other mind-blowing combinations of flavors? Well, with TCH making their own chocolates, they can experiment and create the chocolates that you like or can dream up. When buying from outside vendors, the buyer is bound by the vendors’ selections. These are made here, in WSNC.

I was able to try the salted caramel (with sea salt from my native state of West Virginia… yeah, it’s a long story), honey cinnamon, and Texas Pete. They were beautiful, decorative and most importantly, delicious. There will be more flavors over time. Joey says he’s having fun playing around with recipes and ideas in their Dept. of Agriculture approved kitchen. The production will continue to grow as he finishes the chocolatier program. The biggest challenge for him is managing the store, managing the cooking and managing school, its work and its schedule. It’s vigorous and is challenging. Right now, he’s just adding more in the day, which is saying a good bit because he has already been slammed. But, it’s good for the business’ future and is rewarding in the fact that he’s enjoying the learning and implementation.

There are TCH truffles available, now, at the counter of the shop and I would highly recommend having some. Joey’s a smart and innovative guy and I can’t wait to try new concoctions as they come from his imagination. You can try your own, along with proprietary blends of tea and gourmet coffees by visiting Twin City Hive at 301 Brookstown Ave. in Winston-Salem. They have a lovely coffee lounge, with couches and cozy seating, a conference room that is available for public use, many tables for working and a nice, welcoming patio. And, of course, fine chocolates.

Slàinte!

Willow’s Bistro to Hold Wine Dinner with JOLO Winery & Vineyards

Willow Bistro‘s chef-extraordinaire, Chef Travis Myers is teaming up with JOLO Winery & Vineyards out of Pilot willows-logo_optMountain to present a wine dinner on Tuesday, May 31, at 7pm. This is a warmup for their presentation at the NC Food & Wine University at the Salute! Wine Festival on Saturday, June 4.

The featured menu is a four-course treat that features Chef Travis’ culinary genius with the delicious vino from JOLO. The menu is as follows:

First Course
Panzanella with Pickled Shrimp
Charred baguettes, shaved red onion, pickled ramps, fire roasted tomatoes,
local seasonal vegetables, lemon caper vinaigrette. This will be paired with the 2015 JOLO Pink.

Fish Course
Salmon & Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Risotto, Gnomestead Hallow oyster mushroom, English peas, crispy pancetta. This will be paired with 2015 Golden Hallows.

Meat Course
Apple-wood Bacon wrapped Filet
Grilled portobello, Harmony Ridge Farms wilted dino kale, potatoes dauphinoise
Fair Share Farms micro garnet mustard, smoked tomato vin. This will be paired with 2015 Pilot Fog

Dessert Course
Lemon Pound Cake
Macerated blackberry & raspberry compote, vanilla Chantilly cream, JOLO sangria gelato. Paired with 2015 JOLO Sangria.

Tickets for this wine dinner event are $65 per person. You can purchase tickets by calling 336-293-4601.

Willow’s Bistro is located at 300 S Liberty St, Suite 100, in downtown Winston-Salem. It is part of the #SOB40 group of restaurants.

My experience with Chef Travis is that he doesn’t slouch in the kitchen and his meals are always top-notch and special. The tasting events are no exception. In fact, the tasting events allow Chef Travis to show off a bit, dig in and cook scrumptious items and then come from the back to address the Willow’s diners about the tasty art that he and his crew make. The service staff are always attentive and they do so with a warming smile. If you’ve not attended such an event with Chef Travis or at Willow’s in general, treat yourself; you will not be disappointed. The menu does look delicious.

l_joloWine making has been a lifelong dream turned reality for entrepreneurs and wine enthusiasts JW and Kristen Ray. They each left a life of working for someone else to make this dream come true. You can visit them for tastings most Thursdays through Sundays, 11:30am to 3:30pm with tapas. There are other special events happening, as well. Check out their calendar on their website. They are located 219 JOLO Winery Lane, Pilot Mountain. 1-855-JOLOWINE or 336-614-0030.

The Food Pairing Series: DiLisio’s Wine Dinner

We had the opportunity to sit among friends, in an intimate setting for the latest DiLisio’s Italian Restaurant Wine Dinner. Usually these dinners are for upwards of 60 people. For this dinner, there were only 18 people. I think this made the dinner more accessible from both the house’s perspective and the diners’. First, there’s the cosmetic upfitting that Tony and Maria did to the restaurant the week prior. The DiLisios changed the color scheme to a warmer earth-toned theme and moved away from the sometimes drab and dull white that has been the motif since the beginning. They replaced the floors and installed sound baffling on the ceilings and walls to help eliminate the abundance of noise the flat-surfaced walls admeasure at times.

However, the true star of this remodel is the new bar area. They have simultaneously eliminated a less-than-attractive register area and the need to wade through waiting patrons to get to the “hostess” in order to obtain a place in line. In doing so, they created an aesthetically beautiful structure that allows for a few eating seats, a place to service the imbibing and allow for draft beer, a sure attraction. Add this to the fantastic fare that DiLisio’s is known for and you have a win-win. But, we’re here to talk about the pairing, so let’s.

The dinner leaned a little heavy on the seafood and that’s a good thing. In fact, the first three full courses were seafood based. The wine pairings were on point and whether they stood on their own or not, their accompanying the foods they were with, molto bene!

First Course: Insalada Di Gamberi with Arugula Scaglei di Parmigiano Limone Extra Vergine di Oliva

2016-03-14 09.50.42An arugula salad sounds basic enough, but add generous portions of shrimp and heap some shaved Parmesan cheese to the top and it jumps tall buildings in a single bound. Add the lemon extra virgin olive oil and it flies to the moon. It’s amazing how so simple a thing can be so extraordinary. The citrus on top of the shrimp reminded me of ceviche, even though I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the preparation process. And, the citrus wasn’t quaint, it was a full immersion of flavor that took the shrimp, cheese and arugula, all of which are quite flavor-potent in their own rights, for a joyride.

This is paired with Domaine Laurent Miquel Albarino from France. The wine was fair on its own but the citrus and cheese in the salad were even more vivid when paired with this wine. For a first course, it was amazing how plentiful and powerful it was.

Second Course: Ostriche served with Panna Acida and Caviar

Ostriche is Italian for oysters, not ostrich. Three deliciously fleshy oysters, prepared raw with a dab of red roe caviar on each. A tangy creme fraiche dolloped on the plate made a great team when added to 2016-03-14 09.52.42the roe-topped oysters. But, really, what made it near perfect was the addition of the seaweed salad that separated them by position but brought them to a perfect harmonious union. I have become quite fond of this particular style of seaweed and its pickled tang with chewy texture sat on the oyster with the caviar and creme fraiche like royalty upon thrones. The flavor was just as majestic. Some of the guests were a little hesitant because the oysters were raw, which, was good news for me because my near neighbors allowed me to finish off what they weren’t keen to. I believe I had around nine total.

The ostriche was paired with Echo Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand. This light and airy white wine made it easy for the seaweed and creme fraiche to envelop the oysters and caviar creating a party on the half shell.

Interlude: Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon

2016-03-14 09.54.27Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong! Sure, it is a cantaloupe that has thinly sliced Italian ham draped over it like it was putting it to bed. But, you add the dark and rich balsamic gastrique to the ensemble and you get a salty-sweet explosion that I really don’t believe your taste buds are ready for. There was more than one person “oohing and ahhing” over this course. It is meant as a palate cleanser and the melon does its job, all while showing you its new friends’ tricks along the way. Okay, simple yes. Plain? No way.

Third Course: Swordfish Involtino with Pane Profumato a Limone with a Marscarpone Orange Risotto

Ah, the steak-like swordfish. Cooked nicely; not too done and not under done. This sitting on some of the creamiest, yet firm risotto that I can remember having tangy from the marscarpone and orange. A 2016-03-14 09.55.48blood orange sits to the side with the crusty bread. As I have said before, the perfect secret ingredient is the microgreens. Earthy and bright, these tiny leaves pack quite a wallop. I think the microgreens are a wonderful compliment to almost any savory dish, here’s no exception. Meld the earthy and bright with the swordfish and lemon-tinged roulade; almost plate licking good.

This was paired with Treanna White Blend, Central Coast. 50% Marsanne, 50% Viognier grapes. I will be honest that I really did not like this wine. At least, not on its own. However, when I took a bite of the risotto, swordfish roulade and microgreens and then sipped this wine, it opened my mind and taste buds to its true potential. It is not a wine that I would go out of my way to drink but if I’m having swordfish with creamy risotto, then I may give it another try.

Fourth Course: Spezzatino di Carne with a Chef Vegetable Blend

Tony DiLisio described this as Italian Filet while spezzatino di carne actually means “stew meat.” I will say it was quite tender. It was cooked closer to medium/medium-well and I would have rather it be medium-rare, but other 2016-03-14 09.56.51than that, its seasoning and texture was spot on. The only thing that kept it from perfect was the temperature and in the long run, that was not an issue. The beef was placed on top of nicely seasoned potatoes along with pickled carrots and, you guessed it, more microgreens.

The pairing for this was Ferrari-Carano “Siena,” Sonoma, a delicious jammy red with a good bit of blackberry, raspberry, vanilla and a bit of darker flavors, those of cocoa and licorice. I have always been a white wine drinker but I have found that there are many reds that I have started to grow quite fond of; especially when having it with red meat. The fruit-forward jamminess compliments the savory beef and vegetables. This is a marriage made in paradise. I will not say that the wine was the highlight of the meal but it was certainly a major contributor.

Fifth Course: Caprese Bianca with Almond Coulis

2016-03-18 19.45.50

©Jillian Hernandez

A moist cake with lemon with a thin, syrupy, almond sauce and edible flowers. It was sweet but not too. The almond coulis mixed with the edible flowers was a nice touch with the cake. This was not my favorite dish of the evening but desserts rarely are. That, however is not to say that I did not enjoy it or that there was anything bad about it. It is fitting that it had an almond coulis as the pairing was almond as well.

The pairing was with the JFJ Almond Brut, California. This is some sparkling white that is fully infused with almond flavor. I had this wine once before and liked it so much I purchased two bottles of it. The almond flavor was flowing abundantly between the coulis and the wine. The cake almost got lost in the mix, but that is not a bad thing, either. The nutty profiles were the stars of this course and with good measure. If you have the chance to have the JFJ, especially when you have other almondy things in the mix, you should certainly jump at that chance.

Tony DiLisio is a fantastic chef. He has a cadre of professionals in the kitchen with him. Maria DiLisio’s servers are loyal and attentive and top-notch. Together this team knows how to bring you finest in food pairings; the best Italian food and wine pairings. Each of their pairing dinners are something new, different and honest. These dinners are where Tony shows off. DiLisio’s everyday fare is exactly what it should be. An Italian meal that is honest, delicious and authentic. Sometimes, Italian (as well as other specialized cuisines) restaurateurs have the tendency to try to “jazz” up the wheel when the wheel is perfect the way it is. When I go for Italian, I want the spaghetti, lasagna, picatta, caccitore, amici and other like meals to be “authentic” and true; not jazzy. I would never call DiLisio’s plain, just “delightfully right.” But, as I said, these meals are Tony’s time to shine. He creates works of art that we are able to, and happy to put into our mouths. The portions are not huge and they are not meant to be.

The one thing I will say about these wine dinners is when they pour the wine, until that course is over, they will continue to fill your glass when you finish it until you tell them to stop. Most places give you a tasting and then you are done with it. Not here, and thankfully so. As I said before, all of these wines were spot-on, whether on their own or paired. Bravo, Tony, il amico mio! Fantastico!

I write this Food Pairing Series with the idea of highlighting the chefs, restaurateurs and other merchants that make this area wonderful for food. You should know where to find the best food and drink when it is out there waiting to be tasted. You can find more about DiLisio’s by visiting their website here. They are on Twitter (@medilisios) and Instagram (@dilisios). DiLisio’s does not accept reservations but if you need to call in an order or ask questions, you can reach them at 336-546-7202.

Bon appetit! or should I say: Buon appetito!!

#SOB40

The Food Pairing Series: The Willow’s Bistro Bourbon Dinner

Within a month, we were privy to not one but two amazing bourbon dinners in our little culinary hideaway, Winston-Salem, NC or as we locals like to call it, WSNC. This time we delve into Chef Travis Myers’ bourbon wonderland event at Willow’s Bistro. These drinks and cocktails were from the Jim Beam family of bourbons and the food pairings were right on point, making it a fantastic marriage of goodness. Chef Myers has taken Chef Will Kingery’s vision of Willow’s Bistro and enhanced Will’s baby to blossom into a foodie paradise. Let’s look at this pairing dinner.

Amuse Bouche: Country-Style Cajun Gumbo

Take pork belly mix it 2016-03-17 09.38.34with seafood, scallions and a spicy gumbo broth, toss in a dollop of white rice and what do you have? Yumminess, that’s what. The salty pork with spicy broth was a great marriage of the earthy flavor. Oysters and scallions took the earthy to a lovely place in the sea with herbal essence and made the dish pop. The dish wasn’t overly spicy as Stephanie was afraid it would be since it is “Cajun.” Any self-respecting Cajun would want to pat Chef Travis on the back, I’m sure. A great starter, indeed.

This was paired with a Jim Beam Apple Mule which was fresh muddled mint, apple cider and Jim Beam Apple Whiskey all topped with ginger beer. When you take this drink and let it mix with the spicy gumbo, your tongue is at conflict with itself, but that’s a good thing. The cool crisp with the savory spice sends your taste buds into a flavor frenzy and really, what could be better?

Rabbit Rillettes

Hunter Farms mutsu apples and cherry compote, charred bread, house pickles, candied pistachio, Lusty Monk grain mustard and Fair Share Farms microgreens. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: microgreens, while usually a 2016-03-17 09.40.14minor addition, can take a relatively understated dish and turn it out like a debutante at her ball. That’s exactly what happens here, other than the dish wasn’t understated. It was a clever re-imagining of rabbit. The rabbit was ground and served pate style beneath the charred bread, covered with the compote with the pickles strategically placed between bread pieces and then dollop of mustard to the side. The microgreens, along with the pistachios, were scattered about the plate, in a controlled chaos. The rabbit wasn’t gamey but light and tasty. Take a piece of the bread, place a bit of rabbit on it, a small bit of pickle and compote and, trust me, you only need a small bit of the mustard and you have yourself a treat. Follow that up with a candied pistachio chaser and you’re in business. The mustard is delicious but if you put a lot in your mouth at one time, you’ll clear up, not only your sinuses, but any future sinus problem you may have in the next two weeks. But, that flavor is amazing, especially with that rabbit.

This was paired with a Basil Berry Martini which is fresh muddled basil and blueberries, Basil Hayden’s bourbon, fresh squeezed lime juice and simple syrup. They served it in a dainty little martini glass with a single blueberry. It was better than a lot of berry martinis that I’ve had. Understandably, you have to go light on these pairing dinners but I could have used a bit more of this one. It cooled off the mustard if you got too much. And the berry aspect went well with the rabbit, as well.

New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp, Grit Cakes and Chives

Grit cakes made from Old Mill of Guilford Stone-ground Grits covered with a pair of shrimp properly smothered in a bourbon-infused barbecue sauce and sprinkled with chives. The sauce was tangy and easy, not too heavy. The 2016-03-17 09.41.54shrimp was firm but tender and the chives have an herbal lightening-up of the glazing you had with the sauce.  The Old Mill of Guilford grit cakes offered the texture you needed with the shrimp and those cakes were delicious. I’ve only come into grit maturity in the last three or four years and I love it when I find something that rocks me like these cakes. It was on the bottom of the pile but I think it was the best supporting actor in the dish. The only bad thing about having the tails left on the shrimp is: with a dinner like this, I find it improper to pick up the tails and suck the leftover meat from it.

This was paired with Willow’s Twisted Old Fashioned made with Maker’s 46. Combine the Maker’s 46 with a crushed brown sugar cube, Crude orange & fig bitters, muddled orange slice and Bordeaux cherries topped with a splash of soda. The Old Fashioned is my absolute favorite classic cocktail and when I can get it made with new elements or with a few twists and turns in its concocting, that’s even better. This is especially true when you have it with a dish like the barbecued shrimp. Delicious.

Blood Orange & Beet braised Lamb Neck, Rice Grits, Dirty Style Barrel Aged Bourbon Gastrique

Border Springs lamb neck, succulent, delicious, tender. I don’t know how many more words I could fit in to describe this lamb. Combine that with the Anson Mills Carolina rice grits and you have a savory textured delight that is 2016-03-17 09.43.41doused in a blood orange and beet sauce. Then surround it with a bourbon gastrique and this is a party in your mouth. But, guess what makes it all spectaculicious? That’s right, microgreens. I’m telling you, if you’re not on the microgreens train, no matter the style, you’re truly missing a treat. These babies really bring everything to a head and your dishes, and those who taste them, will thank you for it. There was nothing left on my plate when I finished this dish.

Another twist on a classic cocktail, this dish was paired with “Not Your Father’s Manhattan.” This was made with Baker’s Bourbon, dry vermouth, Crude lavender bitters all shaken with a cherry and garnished with a lemon twist. This was also served in the itsy-bitsy martini glass. A thing of beauty. I think the lavender bitters was the over-the-edge push on this one. The bitter  (not the bitters) flavor of this drink was a perfectly compliment to the rice grit and lamb neck dish. A wonderful dish.

Palate Cleanser

The palate cleanser for the evening was called The Sunbeam. Gray and Jessica, Willow’s mixologists/bartenders 2016-03-17 09.44.58for the evening, took good ol’ Jim Beam and mixed it with local WSNC staple Sunshine Drink and juice from one to two limes. Light and refreshing with the patented “Pick Me Up” from the Sunshine with the grand old taste of Jim Beam’s classic bourbon and you were ripped and ready to hit the next course. It didn’t hurt that it was a delicious beverage.

Venison Loin w/Juniper Salt, Fig-Bourbon Gastrique, Black Trumpet Mushroom, Bacon Jam, Potato Pave ‘Tater Tots’ and Microgreens

When I was growing up, my father (who is still an avid deer hunter) would bring home deer meat and my mother would fry it up beyond recognition and I could never figure out why I hated it so. I steered far away from venison until way after I’d reached adulthood. When I realized that I like my steak and most other non-fowl meats at most cooked medium (I prefer most red meat to be rare/medium-rare), I decided to give venison another chance. I had it as our 2016-03-17 09.47.40wedding dinner in Edinburgh, Scotland and I loved it. Now, I try it anywhere I have say in its cooked temperature or know the chef will not steer me wrong. This venison loin was made with juniper salt and cooked just medium rare. It was drizzled with the fig-bourbon gastrique and was fantastic with the bacon jam that accompanied it. That brought an extra saltiness to the deer. The potato pavé style tater tots were very flavorful for potatoes. I think sometimes potatoes have a tendency to just be plain. These weren’t plain and weren’t typical tater tots if that’s what you are looking for. Tater tots tend to be squishy and mushy. These tots were firm. Not a huge fan of mushrooms of any kind so I can’t really comment on those but what I can comment on: microgreens from Fair Share Farms! Add them to the bacon jam and the deer and that’s earthy, salty and savory all in one package. Très magnifique!

This is paired with a Willow’s staple: The Capone. The bartenders smoke each glass individually over hickory chips then add Booker’s bourbon, maple honey simple syrup, Crude smoke & salt bitters and top it with ginger ale and peppered bacon. Holy smokes (pun intended)!! Bacon, maple, honey, smoke? All that in itself would be perfect but then add some Booker’s on top and you’ve got yourself “Amazing in a Glass.” All that with the venison? There are no words.

Olive Oil Cake, Bourbon Caramel, Buttermilk Ice Cream, Glass Pecan Soil, Fig Syrup

The big finish. Two mini olive oil muffin/cupcakes. Between them lays a scoop of buttermilk ice cream and they’re all covered with a flavorful caramel made from bourbon and a fig syrup? Oh yes. Scattered upon these treats is a soil 2016-03-17 09.49.04made of pecan glass in which Chef Travis told how they made but I was too busy eating the cake and marveling over the drink pairing to remember what he said. The cakes were moist, as you’d expect something made of olive oil to be and the caramel was buttery, again, as you’d expect. It was a little thick and sticky but the flavor was spot on. I mentioned the drink pairing:

It was a Bourbon Float. Read that again, a bourbon float. One made of Jim Beam Single Barrel Bourbon mixed with Uncle Scott’s Root Beer (non-alcoholic) and throw in a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The ice cream frothed right up as it does in a root beer float and then you get the kick of the single barrel bourbon in there, as well. Don’t forget the fluffy whipped cream garnish, either. A sweet ending to a great night of food and bourbons.

I don’t want to leave off the fact that Lele Nguyen and her staff were on top of everything and we never wanted for a new eating utensil or a water refresher or whatever our needs were. The kitchen staff were functioning like a well oiled-machine and Chef Travis and his team seemed to be having fun. Gray and Jessica, again, getting that many drinks out in such a timely manner, was a feat in and of itself. Kudos to the entire Willow’s crew for making the night memorable. And thanks to Beam Suntory Brands for having such beautiful bourbons for our entertainment. The portions of this dinner were just right; not too heavy, not too big, not too much bourbon (with all that we had). Stephanie and I felt like we left satisfied, well-fed and not over-stuffed. The food was all delicious and just shows the genius that Chef Travis Myers is. Chef Will Kingery has to be proud.

Chef Travis has a lot of ideas and plans to have a lot of themed dinners. You can visit Willow’s Facebook Page to find out more about these dinners (for some reason their website isn’t working). Willow’s Bistro is located at 300 S. Liberty Street, Suite 125 in Winston-Salem. Their phone number is (336) 293-4601. Another great resource for all things good happening at Willow’s Bistro is to follow Chef Travis on Twitter and Instagram both @Chef_Myers

One last thing, anytime you’re tagging Willow’s, Chef Travis or anything to do with the restaurants, be sure to include the hashtag: #SOB40 (South of Business 40). Bon appetit!

The Willow’s Wine Dinner Part II

When we last left off, we had imbibed three good wines and some delicious oysters, goat cheese truffles and tilefish with lamb belly at Chef Travis Myers‘ wine dinner at Willow’s Bistro. This time we’ll start off from the second course and on through to dessert. Let’s do it.

Second Course: Crispy Skin

Harmony Ridge Farms Duck Confit Leg with Chef John Bobby‘s (Rooster’s: A Noble Grille) andouille & gnocchi hash, Shore Farm Organic‘s bok choy, more of Fair Share Farms delicious mircogreens, an apricot & cherry mostarda with Lusty Monk Mustard. This was paired with Hartford ‘Russian River’ Pinot Noir.

In the past, I’ve not been a fan of duck. I don’t like dark meat fowl as a general rule. WillowsDinner4However, I have found over the last bit, that I like duck confit (which means it’s cooked in its own fat), perhaps because of the fat. The closer to the bone the meat, the darker it is. This was a very meaty piece of bird and didn’t hold too much of the dark flavor that I don’t like. Again, a good thing. The mostarda with the Lusty Monk Mustard was a great ‘sauce’ to go with the gamy bird. I did wish there was more of the bok choy, but, again, the secret weapon of the dish was the inclusion of the microgreens. It’s amazing how much difference that itty-bitty plant can make. There’s a strong yet subtle (if that’s possible) flavor that rushes out from the microgreens. Overall, one of my favorite dishes of the night. Definitely, my favorite wine of the evening. I’ve always been a white and sweet wine kind of guy but both Stephanie and I agree that we’re becoming real fans of Pinot Noir. This one, was jammy and we really liked that.There was definite fruit flavor here and it went perfectly with the duck. I kind of wish it had been the wine for the main course.

Palate Cleanser: Moss Farms Granny Smith & Calvados Sorbet

WillowsDinner5Made with Cloister Honey‘s wildflower honey, Sea Love Sea Salt and an apple crisp garnish. This was a perfect palate cleanser. Cool, flavorful, sweet and that little sliver of crisp apple was surprisingly apple-y. I didn’t expect that to have as much flavor as thin it was, but it was great. It did its job, cleansed the palate, gave a sweet break from the savory and wine and prepared us for the main course. No alcohol was included in this course, and rightly so.

Main Course: Carolina Bison 3-hour Braised Short Ribs

The large block of tender bison was accented with a cauliflower puree and wilted Dino kale, roasted parsnips, Let It Grow Produce‘s persimmon preserves, Fair Share Farms microgreens, Sea Love Sea Salt and a savory, natural jus. This is paired with a Ferrari-Carano ‘Trésor’ Red.

The kale with this dish was unusual for me. I find kale to be somewhat offensive, usually, but with the savoriness of the jus and the cauliflower puree, it was more there for flavorful texture than anything else, at least to me. The toasted parsnips are like crunchy WillowsDinner6curly-cues. The bison fell apart as I cut it to take a bite. Its temperature was perfect. Once again, the secret weapon was the microgreens. I know you’re tired of hearing me go on about the microgreens but they are truly an amazing supercharge to the savory dishes we’ve encountered tonight. While we did like the ‘Trésor’ Red, it didn’t have the same depth of flavor as the Hartford Pinot Noir. I mentioned this, but I would have rather had that with this, but the Ferrari-Carano wasn’t a bad choice. It did bring the bison to the forefront and set its profile off. Great dish, Chef.

Dessert Course: Sticky Toffee Cake

Red molasses ice cream, Willow’s candied pecan soil, date gastrique, orange zest, vanilla & date sablès and a pickled Bradford Watermelon rind. It was paired with Gloria Ferrer‘s ‘Va de Vi.’

WillowsDinner7The watermelon rind was chewy and tart. I do think it was at odds with the overall dessert, but it didn’t offend the idea, at all. The red molasses ice cream was hard to keep on the “cookie” top as both slid from the “soil” base and the ice cream was starting to melt. I think the ice cream was the star of this dish, though. So, melting or not; sliding or not, the ice cream was fantastic. The ‘Va de Vi’ is a bubbly blend of the Pinot Noir grape and chardonnay with just a hint of moscato. It went well with the sweeter fruits in the dessert.

We have been privileged to have been involved with so many tastings lately. I don’t report on them to say, ‘hey look what we did’ as much as I am trying to  bring awareness to the beautiful and exquisitely flavored dishes that the chefs in our town are creating. Those chefs taking their visions and creating masterpieces of gastronomical proportions are the ones that stand out; the ones I highlight. As Chuck King, from American Premium Beverage said during this event: “this gives the chef’s a chance to show off,” and I think he’s absolutely correct.

These are called wine dinners but it’s more about the food, in my eyes (and mouth). I will say that Chuck did a great job in picking the right vino accompaniment, though. But, the real star is the food. I believe my two favorite dishes were the fish course (because of the lamb belly) and the duck confit. The duck may move ahead slightly just because of the Pinot Noir. Much thanks to Chef Will Kingery and Chef Myers for being the gracious hosts they are. Much thanks, too, to the talented kitchen staff, the bartenders, the dish washers and the awesome servers that were always there to make sure that our waters were filled, our silverware was always replaced and when minute errors happen, they were the ones to make things right (there was only one little snafu that’s not even worth mentioning, it was that minute). Willow’s is a class act and this was their way of showing off. So, I say show off!!

Willow’s Bistro is located at 300 South Liberty Street, Suite 125 in Downtown Winston-Salem. Keep an eye on their Facebook page, Chef Myers and Chef Will’s Twitter and/or Instagram pages and you’ll know when the next pairing dinner will be.