Saturday, 17 August 2013

Gourmet Pantry

This week has been pretty busy. Monday night I went to the Gourmet Pantry for "Women and Wine" night. This is the first one they have held (the name is a work in progress) but I met some really interesting people. One was an author and local council woman so I got lots of info about things in the area and brought her book which is about the local area. I haven't had chance to read it yet but at a glance it looks really interesting. Though the group were a little cliche!
Drank the wine too quickly!
Some of the group

I had a fun chatting to people and at the end, a few of us just stood around talking and finishing off the bottles Quinton (the wine vendor) had left. There were some very nice wines but I have way too many as it is so restrained myself from buying more!
I hoped to get the bus back but just missed one so sat around waiting for the next (and last) bus, and playing with my camera.
VT campus at night
At the bus stop - proof Uni students are odd.
Then on Wednesday night I was back at the Gourmet Pantry for a Persian cooking class. It started at 6.00pm but by 4.30pm, my brain had well and truly died. So I left work and headed towards downtown. Every month in the downtown market square, they have "Jam in the Square". The market stays open later and there are food, beer and wine stalls with live music. I have been meaning to go for a while but haven't managed it until this week. So I sat listening to the live music (which was really good), watching very hyperactive kids having a great time dancing and drinking a lovely glass of Sangiovese from Villa Appalachia (now on my list of vineyards to visit). The square was great. I will definitely be going again!

Blacksburg market 
Live band
Glass from Villa Appalachia
After, I headed to the Gourmet Pantry. I have been to a few of the cooking class to get ideas but this was the best! The food was amazing. My favorite restaurant back in Preston was the Persian Palace before it closed so I am really happy to now have a few recipes I can make. Though not often, as saffron is super expensive.
The chef, Roya  
Clockwise - Saffron rice, Cucumber mint yogurt, Cucumber and tomato salad and Chicken Khoresh
Colorful
The full meal
I didn't get a picture of the kebab patties for the first course as I was really hungry. They disappeared very quickly. Nor of the saffron ice cream because once I started eating that, it was all gone! It was amazing!!!!! On the class night, I get a 10% discount. So after the ice cream, I HAD to buy saffron and a bunch of other spices. I have got to make the ice cream, possibly for when my parents come over in a few weeks. A really good night.  :-)

1 comment:

  1. Great blog! The information you provide is quiet helpful. We import the finest gourmet specialty foods from Online Gourmet Stores around the world, primarily the Middle East, Mediterranean region and Europe.

    ReplyDelete