Eat First

Destination NYWCC: FLX/NY food, wine and fun

 Life's short. Eat dessert first?

Woo-hoo! Another weekend is upon us. But we’re still savoring the soul-satisfying day trip and leisurely lunch we had last weekend in the Finger Lakes.

For Christmas, we received a gift certificate to the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua. As happens with gift certificates sometimes, its expiration date was nearing.

We visited the website and considered signing up for a culinary class or kitchen skills workshop. There are plenty of them, including pie making, bread baking and farm-to-table outing and meal prep in the center’s state-of-the-art kitchen.

In the end, we decided to make a reservation at the Taste of New York restaurant. The restaurant had just introduced its early fall menu, which still features many summer flavors.

Among the things we enjoyed:  

Wine flight ($12; choose three) with Anthony Road dry Riesling, Long Point Ciera (semi-dry rose) and Dr. Frank Old Vine Pinot Noir. I would be happy to have a bottle of each of these wines in our cellar. Robert’s beer flight ($8; choose four) featured a couple pale ales and an interesting fruit ale (blueberry) from Long Island.

Cold smoked salmon with capers, red onion, radishes and arugula salad ($11).

White pizza with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, caramelized onion, pepper Flakes and garlic oil ($11).

Chilled gazpacho with basil, cilantro, avocado and heirloom tomato, swirled with spiced sour cream ($8).

Butternut squash ‘flan’ on a thin layer of spice cake, garnished with what appeared to be browned bits of candied ginger. A dessert made to match the changing seasons.

Canandaigua is a great walking town on a nice day (don’t miss the historic boat houses at the city pier), and we intentionally parked a distance from the NYWCC, in the shopping distance on South Main Street, knowing a walk after lunch would be in order.

It wasn’t our first trip to the New York Wine and Culinary Center, and it definitely won’t be our last. Thank you, Eileen and Dave, for a great day!

The New York Wine and Culinary Center is at 800 S. Main St., Canandaigua, overlooking the pier. Information: 585-394-7070.

 

EatingDelicious at Zabroso (thanks LivingSocial!)

Sometimes we tire of the frequent e-blasts in our inbox from LivingSocial and Groupon. But we don’t want to miss out on a good thing (Hello! tasty restaurant deals) and act fast when we see a discount on a restaurant we’re already fans of or want to try.

When a half-off food deal at Zabroso arrived one morning (pay $30 for $60 worth of food), we clicked “buy now’’ so quickly the keyboard was smoking.

Zabroso – derived from the Spanish word sabroso, meaning delicious – is one of the most original and creative restaurants in Central New York. Its calling card is authentic Spanish and Latin American cuisine, prepared with care and flair by chef-owner Ruben Lopez, a native of Puerto Rico and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. 

We decided to put our Zabroso voucher towards a special dinner for Robert’s birthday and sample a smorgasbord of tapas -- small plates of anything and everything – olives, cured meats, seafood, paella, croquettes, you name it -- as a meal. 

We sipped glasses of red wine and fruity housemade sangria, toasted life and birthdays, mulled our options and shared a succession of plates and bites. Among the highlights: 

Papas Bravas: More than a month after our dinner, the memory of Chef Ruben’s crispy potatoes and aioli (a savory, garlicky mayonnaise) makes Robert smile and declare: “The best potatoes…I’ve had… in my entire LIFE!’’

Roasted beet salad: Warm goat cheese, roasted beets and almonds, crowned with spring greens. Can you say wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Did not want to share!

Grilled asparagus with Serrano ham and truffle oil: Another feast for the eyes and taste buds.

Meat and seafood, in one bowl: Chorizo (a chili and garlic flavored sausage) and clams. The dish was slightly sweet, thanks to the clams, and slightly spicy, thanks to the sausage, with broth to mop up with a crusty roll.

Chef Ruben's flan (traditional Spanish custard with creme caramel) is, in a word, outstanding. And Robert was delighted with his Latin-flavored birthday cake: Coconut and Spiced Rum Tres Leches (meaning "three milks''), a moist, dense sponge cake served with grilled pineapple salsa. Hold the candles.

Tapas prices at Zabroso range from $4 to $12 per plate. We shared six, in all, not including dessert. Our waitress said most diners order three to five apiece for passing and sharing with the table.

Our LivingSocial voucher covered a portion of this special dinner. After the discount was applied, our tab came to $37, plus $20 tip. Was it worth it? Absolutely. The Zabroso dining experience lives up to its name: Delicious.

Next time, we’ll skip the small plates in favor of a big, fat pan of one of Chef Ruben’s signature paellas. And we’ll be keeping an eye out for more daily dining deals!

Zabroso is open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday and for lunch on Fridays. Brunch is also served Sundays, depending on the season. The restaurant is in the historic Oneida Community Mansion House, 170 Kenwood Ave., Oneida (Sherrill). Check the website for more information or call 315-363-3360.

 

How do you like them apple fritters!

 
For those who like their apples a little more dolled up and calorie-laden, we recommend a Saturday or Sunday excursion to O'Neill's Orchards, in LaFayette.

The U-pick orchard and retail store are open Monday to Friday, but the kitchen at O'Neill's is open on Saturday and Sundays only. It turns out some of the best fritters we've ever had: brown and crispy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside and not too sweet, despite a generous dusting of cinnamon sugar.

Sort of like fried dough, with apple chunks inside.

Also on the menu:  apple cider donuts, hot mulled cider and applewood smoked BBQ.

Get yourself to 4872 Route 20, LaFayette. Information: 315-677-9407.

Adams Acres: How do you like them ORGANIC apples?

 An apple a day keeps the doctor away. We’ve heard that old adage all our lives.

Health and medical researchers say a diet that contains apples can help protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis, lower our cholesterol, aid in weight loss and reduce the risk of breast, lung, liver and colon cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, among other things.

Is it true, that old adage? Who knows. What we DO know is that apples are crunchy and juicy and fun to eat. They taste great and are one of the most versatile fruits around. Eat them out of hand. Slice them into salads. Bake them in a classic pie or tart. Mill them into sauce. Saute them and serve them on the side of pork and other meats.

Eve knew what she was doing when she tempted Adam with an apple!

A nice day, changing seasons and appetites – and the desire for something healthy and easy to toss into our lunch bags – lured us to Adams Acres Sunday to pick apples, specifically Honeycrisp apples. 

Adams Acres is family owned and operated orchard specializing in organically grown apples. Owner Bill Adams described to us the varieties available – Liberty, a tart baking apple; Spartan, a sweet eating apple similar to McIntosh; and Honeycrisp, which needs no introduction. “Everyone loves them,’’ Bill said, pointing us to the Honeycrisp trees.

Trees towards the front of the orchard tend to be picked over, so we made our way to the back of the orchard. There, we found trees laden with big, beautiful apples – and branches so heavy with them that some had fallen to the ground.

The Adams have about three acres of apples, planted in 2008. The varieties they selected thrive in Central New York’s fickle climate and under organic farming practices.

Adams Acres is one of just a few farms in New York State to offer organic U-pick apples. Bring your reusable shopping bag and fill ‘er up! A retail stand is under construction on the premises.

All varieties cost $1.25 per pound – a small price to pay for food that originates so close to home and is so thoughtfully grown.

Adams Acres is at 7047 Sevier Road, Jamesville, between Route 91 and Sweet Road. Take Route 91 three miles south of the village of Jamesville and watch for signs. Orchard hours are Saturday and Sunday only, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Information:  315-498-6654.