Vicky | Heirloom DC

Memorial Day Weekend on the Cob

May 28, 2016 By Vicky Leave a Comment

Finally. The first unofficial week of summer is here. Memorial Day weekend marks the debut of your grill, and the chance to fill your (hopefully) sunny D.C. backyard with the smell of barbecue and the sound of happy guests.

Whether you’re the host or bringing a delicious bite to a friend’s, our spicy charred corn on the cob will be sure to please the crowd.

_{Photo by Renee Hollingshead}

The Recipe: Mini Chili-Dusted Corn On The Cob

You need some veggies to complement to your juicy BBQ meats. Corn is sweet, in season, and tastes amazing cooked right on the grill.

All you need is fresh corn on the cob and a few zesty spices. Peel the husk off of the corn carefully. (You’ll need it for your presentation!) Chop each cob up into three to four pieces. Dust with salt, pepper, and red chili powder. Squeeze some lemon on top for a pop of flavor.

Grill until slightly charred and serve juicy, crisp, and piping hot.

The Presentation: Corn Husk Canoes

_{Photo by Renee Hollingshead}

Now the fun part. If you’ve tried any of our appetizers at Heirloom, you know we’re all about presentation. We love seasonal and natural accents for decor.

Leave your ceramic platter behind and grab those corn husks. Lay your mini corn on the cobs across the flattened husks, and serve on a wooden platter. This rustic look will give your BBQ an authentic southern feel.

We know your guests will love this traditional corn on the cob dish with a twist of Heirloom spice and style. Feeling inspired? Let’s get started on a menu for your next summer bbq!

Rosé Every {Thurs}day: Belleruche Rosé

May 26, 2016 By Vicky Leave a Comment

Week two of our Rosé tasting. We’ve been looking forward to this all week! There is some tough competition, as we truly enjoyed the Valdo Brut Rosé last week.

Let us begin…
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This week we are featuring: Belleruche Rosé

A bit about this Rosé. The winemakers describe it as such:

Chapoutier’s Belleruche Rosé is made from a blend of Grenache (roughly 75%), with smaller amounts of Cinsaut (Cinsault), and Syrah. The Grenache in this food-friendly wine gives it bright red stone fruit flavors and beautiful color, while the Cinsaut gives its delicate strawberry aroma and the Syrah its body, making it a great pairing even for the intense flavors of seafood.” (read more here)

This Rosé is on the paler side of scarlet. This color is obtained through the ancient process of débourbage, where the grape must (juice) is allowed to settle for a period of 24 hours.

On to the Thursday ritual. Pop, pour, and sip. We sip, and we take a second.

Right away we can taste how dry this Rosé is. Three words we would use to describe the flavor: dry, crisp, & unexpectedly tart. This Rosé definitely identifies with the wine side of the Rosé family. We imagine the perfect setting to be drinking this is in Santorini, overlooking the beautiful city and unbelievably blue water of the Aegean Sea with the sun slowly setting on the island.

We thought we would pair this with a delicious seafood bite. Seared Scallops with a little Mango and Pineapple Chile on top.

_{Photo by Ashley Hafstead}

The Recipe:

Scallops

The Pineapple Aji Chile Sauce: Diced Pineapple, Cilantro, Scallions, Green Chiles

The Mango Salsa: 1 Mango, Onion, Cilantro and Lime

Salt and Pepper to taste

Let’s start with the chile sauce. We diced up some pineapple, chopped up a few scallions and cilantro and tossed them into a food processor to create a puree. Taste and add what you would like to balance out the flavors. We like ours a little spicy, so we added some extra green chiles. Once you are satisfied, set aside.

Our way of making the mango salsa is similar to our chile puree sauce. We shredded some mango and onion, chopped up cilantro and added all three ingredients into the bowl. Mixing these together with our hands, we squeeze in the lime juice. Go ahead and add a little more onion for a little kick, or some Mango to keep it a little sweeter. Set aside.

Rinse your scallops with cold water and pat dry. While the scallops dry, go ahead and put your oven on hot while adding a little bit of oil and butter. You want to wait until you see the pan smoking to put your scallops onto the heat. Add a little bit of salt and pepper to the scallops. Place the scallops onto your pan, making sure that they are not touching. You’ll have to monitor the heat on these, as you only need to sear each for about 1 1/2 minutes. Make sure that the scallops have a golden crust and remove from the pan.

At this point, you are probably excited to combine all three parts of your dish. Place the scallops on a plate, take a pinch of your mango salsa on top of the scallops, and take a spoon to drizzle your pineapple chile puree. Take a bite, and enjoy.

How delicious is that?

Take away: would we drink this again? Probably. Our final rating: we give it a 5/10. Would we eat the scallops again? ten more please. Thank you for joining us this week! We are excited to pop and share with you again next week. We hope that you enjoy your Rosé every day of this Memorial Day Weekend. See you again next Thursday…Cheers!

Refresh for Summer: Veggie Style

May 25, 2016 By Vicky Leave a Comment

Summer is just a few days of sunshine away, and we having been taking advantage of all of the fresh veggies around. We thought we would share with you some of our favorite veggies and the benefits on munching on these colorful bites!

Eat Your Beets

_{Photo by Abby Jiu}

Not only are beets totally nutritious, but they’re one of our favorite trending vegetables this spring. Vitamin C, fiber, and minerals like potassium boost your immune system, while
manganese strengthens and detoxes your bones, liver, and kidneys.

Beets are thick and filling, so they’re a great base for a homemade fruit juice. Beet salads are a sweet and healthy treat, as are Beet chips. For a dose of protein, crush up your beets and mix them with quinoa. It’s the most delicious natural sweetener you’ll ever eat!

We Heart Artichokes

Salty and delicious, artichokes help detoxify your liver while helping you break down food more effectively. High in fiber, they also keep your digestive system healthy and on track.

Artichokes are delicious when marinated or grilled with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Or just simply steam your artichoke and enjoy as is. There’s enough flavor in there to keep you satisfied!

Under The Sea (weed)

_{Photo by Wanderlust}

Some people shy away from this super food. If you’ve ever had a seaweed salad as a side dish for your sushi, you know just how delicious this undersea green can be.

Making your own seaweed salad is simple: just soak seaweed under water for five minutes. Then mix with vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Toss well and top with sesame seeds, scallions, and cilantro. Enjoy–and reap the benefits of one of the most nutrient-dense plants in the world. Plus, you’ll also enjoy the additional benefit of strengthening your skin, hair, and nails. Who couldn’t enjoy that?

Incorporate these these three vegetables into your weekly diet, and you’ll be glowing and healthy just in time for Memorial Day weekend. Cheers to a happy and healthy spring!

Rosé Every {Thurs}Day, Valdo Brut Rosé

May 19, 2016 By Vicky Leave a Comment

We love Rosé, this is true. We love Rosé everyday, but we especially enjoy a glass on Thursdays to get our tastebuds ready for the weekend.

So, since we love being the hostesses with the mostesses, we are here present to your our new micro series: Rosé Every {Thurs}day, where each Thursday we combine our love for tasty bites and meals with our love for Rosé. We will share with you our thoughts on a Rosé and then give you a recipe that we think seasonally compliments it. We hope that you can join us! {comment away!}

Let the tasting begin.

This week we are featuring: Valdo Brut Rosé

A bit about this Rosé. The Rosé is created from the perfect blend of two typical Italian vines, the Sicilian black berry Nerello Mascalese, and Glera, the fruity grapes from the Veneto region. The winemakers describe it as such:

“The bouquet has fine and elegant blossoms, with a consistent presence of raspberry. The palate has a tickling fine perlage of minute bubbles; pleasant round warm flavor with a charming fruity aroma. The whirlwind of sensations generated by this excellent Rosé wine from the Valdo expertise, is pure delight.” (read more here)

The Rosé itself is beautiful. A deep scarlet color with complimentary bubbles throughout the bottle.

Pop, pour, and sip. We sip, and we take a second.

We both smile, this is a good one. Three words we would use to describe the flavor: fruity, crisp, & floral, just as the winemakers described. You can definitely taste the Prosecco side to this Rosé. It is not overpoweringly sweet as some Rosés can be, which we enjoyed. We imagine the perfect setting to be drinking this is in the late afternoon as the sun is going down over the beach, a little breeze, and a little bubbly.

On that note…..as the summer approaches, we think that this Rosé will pair perfectly with locally sourced Crab salad in mini Cucumber bowls.

The Recipe:

Locally Sourced Lump Maryland Crab (6.4 ounces)

Cucumbers (3 or 4)

Cilantro, finely minced (0.71 ounces)

Red onion, finely minced (1/4 of the whole)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

Salt to taste

Go ahead and cut up the Cucumber into about 2/3-inch pieces. Scoop out a good amount of the insides with a melon scoop to make it easy. Add a taste of salt, and put aside.

Combine all of the ingredients for the crab salad, and give it a taste. Balance out the tastes, and violá! Add the crab to your little Cucumber bowls and serve.

Take away: would we drink this again? Yes, probably the whole bottle next time. Our final rating: we give it a 7/10. We are excited to pop and share with you again soon, and hoped that you enjoyed it too! We hope to see you again next Thursday…Cheers!

DIY: White Peach Sangria

May 13, 2016 By Vicky Leave a Comment

We’ve grown a little tired of all of the clouds and the rain. We decided that it is time to celebrate the fruits, juices, and taste of sweet summertime by creating our own little bit of sunshine for our weekend.

We introduce: White Peach Sangria

As we do here at Heirloom, we made this a custom recipe. Having a little taste along the way helped us to perfect the perfect balance of all of the fresh flavors 😉

The Ingredients:

One bottle of your favorite dry Sauvignon Blanc
3 ounces brandy (a little more, a little less depending on your preference)
1 cup organic orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
2 ounce simple syrup (we prefer to make it ourselves, rather than buy it)
3 ounces peach puree
Fresh peaches, oranges, green apples sliced

The Steps:

Measure out your juices and brandy. Pour them into your pitcher.

Time for the simple syrup. Measure out equal parts water and sugar. We decided to do about 5 ounces of each just in case we wanted to add a little extra. Boil the water and add the sugar, stirring it until it dissolves. Viola! Let the simple syrup cool, and then go ahead and give it a taste to make sure it is just your right amount of sweet. Add in your preferred amount to the pitcher.

Next is the peach puree. Go ahead and peel and pit 3 peaches. Dice these up a bit and throw them into your food processor with a little bit of pineapple juice. Blend until smooth. Measure out your desired portion (note: the more you put in, the peachier it will be).

You’re almost there! Time to cut up your desired fruit. The amount you choose to add in to the pitcher is up to you. We like a good mix of flavor and colors to make the sangria look extra pretty.

Now is the fun part, give it a taste. If you’re happy with your creation, throw everything into your pitcher and let it soak up for about 8 hours. If you can hold off, try to let it soak overnight.And finally, time to Enjoy.

Once it is ready, pour into clear glasses and garnish with the fruit of your choice. We chose to garnish with dragon fruit because, well, that’s just our style.