HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - Chef Patrick Evans Hylton shares some great Eats + Drinks finds and a delicious nacho recipe.
CHEERS TO WILLIAMSBURG WINERY
2018 WESSEX HUNDRED PETIT VERDOT
We love Williamsburg Winery and the offerings from winemaker Matthew Meyer.
One of his vintages is the 2018 Wessex Hundred Petit Verdot. This wine is 100 percent Petit Verdot grapes. Matthew says it is a very well-balanced wine of many layers, offering some soft, elegant notes of fresh berries, apple, pear, cherry, and currants.
These nuances continue with an Old World earthiness with a touch of olives and succulent plants. Then comes a smokey minerality that blends well with the cocoa, creamy vanilla and bright tannins.
The oak is well integrated into all the various layers of the wine and adds a nice component to the long finish, says Matthew.
I’d pair with steak and other cuts of rich, red meat or piquant and sharp cheeses.
Wine comes from Williamsburg Winery; visit www.WilliamsburgWinery.com
NATIONAL TORTILLA CHIP DAY
CELEBRATE WITH WALKING NACHOS
It’s National Tortilla Chip Day coming up on Feb. 24.
We’re celebrating with a riff on Frito Pie, sometimes called Walking Tacos
Our tasty treat is Walking Nachos, and is easy to make. We like to use flexible silicone bowls or make a folded aluminum foil bowl and add a layer of crushed tortilla chips.
To that we add a generous amount of piping hot chili. We add a handful of shredded cheese and garnish with sliced, pickled jalapeños.
Serve with a spoon and you can walk around eating your nachos.
Although we like to keep it simple, you could add pico de gallo or salsa, chopped onion, sliced olives, chopped cilantro, or sour cream if you like.
FABULOUS FOOD FIND
PAN SEARED SALMON ALA CHRISTO
Motsie’s Sea Grille is a favorite restaurant of ours. Tom and Lisa Jones are well known in Virginia Beach, having owned Stoley’s for years before opening Motsie’s, named after Tom’s grandmother.
On a recent visit I tried the Pan Seared Salmon A La Christo. The salmon was served pan seared with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and capers in a garlic butter sauce. It was moist and tender, and I enjoyed every bite.
The dish comes with two sides. From a selection of a half-dozen offerings I picked sautéed garlic spinach and a small house salad with blue cheese dressing.
For more on Motsie’s Sea Grille, visit www.MotsiesSeaGrille.com
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