Sandwiches and Raku

We visited the Visual Arts Center for First Fridays and learned a bit about the art of Raku pottery. We selected a bisque pot or bowl, dipped it in a glaze, let it dry, and loaded it into a kiln.

While the kiln was firing, we strolled up to Olio to have dinner. A Secco-Bertani Valpoicello Ripasso accompanied a couple of yummy sandwiches - a Sicilian - hot soprasatta, capocolla ham, and provolone with hot cherry peppers on ciabatta and a Proscuitto di Parma with fresh mozzarella, basil, greens, red pepper, olive oil and balsamic on ciabatta.

Sicilian with Black Bean and Corn Salad

Parma di Proscuitto with Tuscan White Bean Salad

After eating we returned to the art center for the real show - opening the kiln and cooling the pots.

Opening the Kiln

Transferring glowing pots to metal cans, then trowing sawdust over the pot and closing the lid so the pots can cool.

As the pots cool, they produce a lot of smoke.

It only takes about 15 minutes for the pots to cool.

As the pots cool, the glaze produces a crackled effect. We then cleaned them up with water and comet scrub and took them home!

Lots of fun for a Friday evening.

Olio - Simple Deliciousness

When I walked into Olio on West Main it occurred to me that I had never eaten here for a regular dinner. I attended a local food bloggers gathering quite a while ago and I enjoyed a wine dinner (at a very reasonable price). So, despite previous visits it felt like a first time experience.

We arrived very early. As we made our way to the counter to look at various offerings and peruse the menu, one of the staff warmly greeted us. As we took our time figuring out dinner options, the other staff members made sure we knew they were ready to take our order or answer any questions (they were busy preparing items for a reception and didn't want to ignore us).

The menu offered lots of sandwich options, salads, and some pizzas. Then we turned the menu over and spotted entrees available after 4 PM. Upon further deliberation I ordered the Italian Picnic ($8.49) - house-roasted turkey, granny-smith apple, fig jam, cheese with garlic aioli on baguette.

Quite delicious. The sandwich normally comes with Taleggio, but I am not a fan of this cheese (although the concept sounds yummy and I'm sure it would be a great match for other diners). Swiss was suggested as an alternative and it worked well. I liked the crunch of the apple. The turkey was plentiful and the bread had a pleasing crunchy crust. The star of the show was named Fig. The jam added the perfect sweet touch.

My hubby selected the Baked Pasta a la Vodka with Meatballs ($10.95) - penne pasta with chunky tomato sauce, four large meatballs, and parmesan and provolone cheeses melted on top. The meal came with one side dish and grilled bread. He decided on the white bean and roasted tomatoes as the accompinament.

The pasta was a generous portion with dense herb-flavored meatballs. The meatballs had been placed on top of the pasta (to allow for a vegetarian option) and baked. We wished a bit of sauce and cheese had been placed on top of the meatballs to meld the meat with the dish. No matter, still wonderfully delicious. And the white bean salad was delightful. Chopped herbs and a tad of vinegar added to large cooked white beans and tomatoes. Tasty and particularly pleasing as a side dish for summer.

Olio caters, runs a market with specialty items (likethe fig jam) and wine and beer. Wine can be enjoyed with dinner. We were able to select from any item on the wine racks. Most of the bottles we looked at ranged in the $25 - $30 range. We selected a Morgan Syrah/Grenache blend from Monterey, CA.

As we enjoyed our meal several folks came in for take out. A wine tasting was set up featuring white, red, and sparkling options. Regulars popped in to say hello.

Olio offers simple deliciousness in a comfortably casual environment.

Indian Wine Dinner at Olio

Olio located on Main St. in The Fan hosted an unusual and gutsy wine dinner featuring Indian cuisine. The price: $30 per person.

About 30 diners attended. Jason Savedoff provided the menu and Carol Colby from Republic National served up the wine.

As Carol pointed out pairing Indian food with its myriad flavors and intense heat to wine can be tricky, but Olio was up to the task.

To start we had S.A. Prum "Essence" Riesling, Germany with Raita Yogurt Sauce, Grilled Vegetables, and Bread (Naan). This turned out to be out favorite wine for the nice. Light and fruity, but not too cloying on the palate. The raita sauce was subtle, but we liked the shaved slivers of veggies in the sauce, especially the red onions.

Next was J. Lohr Vineyards "Wildflower" Monterey County, CA with Vegetable/Potato Samosa Dumpling and Tamarind Chutney Sauce. The wine was an interesting blend of Valdiguie (a relative of the gamay grape), Petit Verdot, and Riesling. I was not a fan of this wine on its own, but it paired beautifully with the samosa and tamarind chutney. My husband, on the other hand, liked the wine by itself and did not like it with the samosa.

The main dish featured Edmeades Zinfandel, Mendocino County, CA with Chicken Tikka Masala and Naan. I really liked the chicken and all of us liked the sauce so much that we ran out of naan to sop it up. The Zin was fairly fruity and while it paired with the chicken dish, if the entree had been any hotter/spicier the Zin would not have been a good choice. Hats off to Jason and Carol for recognizing this subtlety.

To end we had Michele Chiarlo "Nivole" Moscato d'Asti, Italy with Green Tea Cheesecake with Fortune Cookie Crust. Who can get mad at Moscato d'Asti? Sweet, fizzy, and a shoe-in for dessert. A fortune accompanied the cheesecake which was a nice touch. The cheesecake was good - truly baked, not mouse-like, but we were not able to pick up any green tea flavor.

We had a wonderful time. Met some foodies and explored an unusual branch of food and wine pairing. The price was more than right and we were served enough food to satisfy. A couple of wishes and this may be due to the price. The wine pours were a bit skimpy. The glasses were fairly small and we were served a 1/4 to 1/3 of a glass for each course. The small pour for the dessert was fine, but I would have preferred a 1/3 to 1/2 glass for the other courses. This way, I could sample before the food, drink with the course, and then finish without the food to compare to the original taste. Because we were served family style there were no clearing of plates before dessert. At the end of the 3rd course I had raita sauce, tamarind chutney, and tikka masala vying for space. Because the tastes were so different, picking up any leftover sauce from another dish would have greatly impacted the food and wine pairing.

Despite a couple of wishes, this wine dinner was a bargain for the money. The atmosphere was bright and casual and a great way to learn about pairing food and wine. I recommend that you check it out.

A Big Shout Out to RVA Foodie and All of You Fabulous Eating Richmond Bloggers!

Many thanks to RVA Foodie who persisted and finally got the whole gaggle of  Eating Richmond Bloggers together for an evening of meet and greet. And hats off to Jason at Olio and all of his staff for being gracious hosts and serving up delicious food!

And Richmond Dish - I loved talking wine with you! So much fun.

Eating Bird Food and Richmond, Food for Thought have great write ups, so please check them out.

For sustenance on this evening, I went for the PROSCIUTTO di PARMA $8.95 prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, basil, greens, red peppers, olive oil & balsamic on ciabatta, and hubby tried ITALIAN TUNA SALAD $10.95 avocado, apples, red onion, tomato & zucchini with balsamic dressing. Delish! And Olio offered some great wine gems, including a 2006 Bourgogne from Shaps and Roucher-Sarrazin.

An elegant Burgundy that I did not think I would see again when it vacated the shelves at Kroger a couple of years ago. Not only was it pleasing, the price was the retail rack price (as are all of the wines for imbibing). I heard that the beer prices were unbeatable, too.

So, go experience Olio for yourself. I hope to try a bottle of Santenay in the near future...