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Chef’s Best: The Pusateri Cowan Experience

Chef’s Best: The Pusateri Cowan Experience by Mass Foodies at UxLocale

The seventh installment of the ever-growing Chef’s Best dinner series at UXLocale celebrated the humble memories and attachment to family cuisine and the innate culinary skills of Chef Elaine Pusateri Cowan.

UXLocale is a newcomer to the infrequent food scene of Uxbridge, MA and it has proclaimed itself as a destination eatery. Combining the picturesque backdrop of rolling green hills and mother nature with a sincere menu of Italian influenced cuisine, UXLocale is a one-of-kind twist on modern country. “These are the dishes that have been built through my family and every dish is connected to a specific experience, tradition or celebration,” said Chef Pusateri Cowan. From grandma’s original recipes to her son’s perfectly thumbed gnocchi, Chef Pusateri Cowan’s menu for Chef’s Best gave us a private seat at her family table.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Sausage & Vodka Sauce: House-made Italian sausage & gnocchi, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, Asiago, Pecorino Romano, vodka, cream.
Ricotta Gnocchi with Sausage & Vodka Sauce: House-made Italian sausage & gnocchi, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, Asiago, Pecorino Romano, vodka, cream.

Unlike past Chef’s Best, the menu was undisclosed prior to the event, leaving eventgoers in high anticipation of what to expect.  But UXLocale delivered a night of memorable dishes, insightful discussion about the influence of family and the value of passionate cooking. From the beginning, Chef Pusateri Cowan, introduced the elegance and simplicity behind Italian cuisine.

Starting with the Antipasto Di Mare Misto – a dish comprised of tender calamari, plump shrimp and sweet Vidalia onions marinated for three days in a lemony vinaigrette paired with crispy fried smelts over hollandaise – it was an instant palette awakening. The crispiness of the fried smelts and the freshness of the plump shrimp and tender calamari created a smooth transition to the richness of the Oyster Mushroom French Onion Soup – a soup combined of braised blue and white oyster mushrooms, caramelized onions in a rich marrow broth topped with crostini of their house-made bread and melted gruyere. The Oyster Mushroom French Soup reiterated Chef Pusateri Cowan’s emphasis on locally sourced foods and the need for fresh ingredients. “We have partnered with Lettuce Be Local, to ensure freshness in our dishes and expand our menu options with great finds from local farms by Lynn Stromberg,” said Chef Pusateri Cowan. Paired with the Domaine de la Guintrandy Cotes du Rhone Vielle Vignes, a wine from the south of France, it enhanced the richness of the Oyster Mushroom French Onion Soup with a smoky and spicy after taste.

Followed by an extensive dive into the world of homemade dough, fresh tomato sauces and rare toppings, the Trio Di Pizza could have stood as the main dish of the evening. Presenting three pizzas to a table, the sounds of utter enjoyment could be heard throughout the room. The Margherita – a pizza of fresh crushed Pomodoro tomatoes, mozzarella, freshly torn basil, and hint of oregano –  was the first pizza. Refreshing the taste palettes, it provided a unique connection between the Funghi Pizza – a pizza comprised of Gruyere, thinly sliced apple, rosemary-infused Portobello mushrooms and caramelized onions – the Spinaci Mostarda – a pizza of spinach sautéed in garlic, yellow and black mustard seeds, ricotta “kisses” and drizzle of honey – and a glass of La Stoppa Trebbiolo Rosso.

The Roasted Chioggia Beet Salad – a salad of roasted Chioggia beets over a bed of dressed arugula topped with a crumble of chevre and freshly snipped micro-greens – harmonized effortlessly with a glass of Haut Marin Les Fossils Blanc, giving an extra hint of freshness through a floral and honeysuckle flavor. “The beets were a must for this dish. They are beautiful and look like a kaleidoscope,” said Chef Pusateri Cowan.

As the final entrée dish, Chef Pusateri Cowan presented a Ricotta Gnocchi with Sausage and Vodka Sauce – a dish with an extra delicate touch from her son and sous-chef, Chad, as he thumbed the individual gnocchi to emphasize the innate culinary skills behind the Pusateri Cowan family. A house-made Italian sausage and gnocchi with crushed tomatoes, rosemary, Asiago, Pecorino Romano and Vodka cream was the dish of the night, adding in a breath of fresh air with every bite. Paired with a Francesco Rinaldi Dolcetto d’Alba Roussot – a red wine from Piedmont, in Northern Italy, founded in 1870s – the dish infused an earthy flavor and resonated with the sentiments that align with comfort dishes.

While nights in Italy, finisce tutto a tarallucci e vino, at UXLocale the night ended with a French press and Ricotta Pie. Labeled as the “Italian Cheesecake,” the Ricotta Pie was a smooth, cheesy and creamy cake slash pie highlighted with hints of lemon and it was a flawless transition to the night’s end.

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Charles Krug Wine Dinner at One Eleven Chop House

Charles Krug Wine Dinner at the One Eleven Chop House

The third of the five wines served at One Eleven Chop House’s February 25 Charles Krug wine dinner on Tuesday, February 25 was called Generations.

The story behind Generations is this. Peter Mondavi who bought Charles Krug Winery, the oldest operating winery in Napa Valley, always liked tradition. He preferred single varietal wines. He thought that a Cabernet should be made of 95 percent Cabernet grapes, even though you’re only required to have 75 percent to call it a cab.

Peter’s sons Peter Jr. and Marc spent years convincing him to put Generations, which is made with 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, seven percent Malbec, five percent Petit Verdot, and five percent Merlot, on the roster. Eventually the Charles Krug visionary relented and allowed the Bordeaux blend’s release in 1991.

This full-bodied glass with its spice and its blackberry notes signified a turn for dinners as well.

Charles Krug Wine Dinner at the One Eleven Chop HouseAfter enjoying a White Buck Goat Cheese nestled in a phyllo cup with house-made grapefruit preserve and a pear-walnut oil garnish and devouring the Ora King Salmon with roasted mushrooms, honey-glazed beets, and a red Zinfandel port balsamic, they served a lemon sorbet with a single raspberry. While the 2014 St. Helena Sauvignon Blanc and the 2013 Carneros Pinot Noir were delicious, the second half of the night took an immediate elevation when Duck Sous Vide and the comfortingly satisfying Generations were served.

The duck, which was paired with sweet potatoes, crispy Brussel sprout leaves, and vanilla purged cherries, didn’t need any accompaniment other than the wine. This piece of meat could stand on its own. The fork and the knife seemed to slow things down a bit too.

The technique known as sous vide—the method of cooking food in airtight plastic bags placed in temperature-controlled water—was the perfect way to avoid overcooking the duck meat. In this process, the duck skin protected the meat resulting in an evenly tender piece.

Generations was a spectacular wine that pulled you away from the street light’s announcement that little white flakes were falling down outside and transported you to St. Helena, one of the most beautiful places in the world.

The two estate wines served with the next course turned the street light into the California countryside sun—at that point we all forgot which coast we were on.

The first of the two wines was the 2012 Howell Mountain Cabernet made with 80 percent Cabernet, 18 percent Petit Verdot, and two percent Merlot. This velvety, rich wine was a favorite at my table, only to be outdone by the next wine: the 2012 Vintage Selection Cabernet Sauvignon.

According to United Liquors Wine Rep Shirlee Stein, who introduced each wine as they were poured, the Vintage Selection rarely leaves the vineyard. The wine comprised of 95 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, three percent Malbec, and two percent Petit Verdot, was first produced in 1944 when the Mondavi family purchased the Charles Krug Vineyard. The full-bodied wine had notes of vanilla and blackberry. While Shirlee and the tasting notes said the wine has blackberry and coffee aromas, to me the nose is more like a portal to Napa.

The Duo of Venison, which was a rotisserie roasted leg and grilled sausage, came out after they poured both the 2012 Howell Mountain Family Reserve Cabernet and the 2012 Vintage Selection Cabernet. Our two venisons came with currant braised red cabbage and potato pancakes.

While the dinner was fantastic, it wasn’t the evening’s star. Each course was well executed without overpowering the palette or overshadowing the wine.

Some wine dinners work to pair dishes with wines. This art is incredibility difficult because people’s preferences range dramatically. I’ve seen tables in Napa summon the sommelier to ask, “What were you thinking with this pairing?!” Many times it’s more enjoyable to pick wines that speak for themselves without focusing too much on evoking the taste explosion of a transcendent pairing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this format. We learned about one winery in St. Helena—Charles Krug—and imbibed beautiful wine. The night finished with coffee and a Dark Chocolate Dipped Cheesecake.

The One Eleven Chop House Spring wine dinner series is sold out but space is available in their Fall series.