Holy Cow, It's Vegan!

A few days ago, my dear friend and I attended a special wine dinner event which benefitted the Outer Banks SPCA. What better combination!! Wine and dogs. Seriously. Right up my alley.

As if that wasn't enough, this event was put on at one of my favorite restaurants, The Salt Box Café, owned and operated by two of the most down-to-earth, compassionate human beings I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. True food geniuses.

Hubs and I love the Salt Box. It's a tiny little place off the beaten path where your taste buds are awakened and taken on an adventure every time you take a bite.  The brunch is top notch, the lunches are like no other and the dinners set the bar so high that no one on my barrier island could ever come close to a match. We have been fortunate enough over the last two years to frequent the Salt Box quite often and are grateful to call this husband and wife team our friends.

I often tell Chefs Randolph and Amanda that I try food at their restaurant that I would never even contemplate trying anywhere else. Not only do I try it, but I am amazed each and every time because not only is the presentation strikingly beautiful, but the taste is pure magic. When I don't know what I want to eat, I often pick the most unique item on the menu or we ask Chef Randolph to surprise us.

Well, The Salt Box Cafe did it again. Without a second thought, I knew I needed to be at this wine dinner. I have gone to their wine dinners before and am always in awe. But this one was different. This one was all vegan.

Yep, vegan.

No meat. That doesn't bother me that much really.

No dairy. No cheese. That instantly makes me sad.

I am not a vegan but I joke with Chef Amanda that if anyone could turn me vegan it would be her. I have purposely chosen vegan dishes off of the Salt Box menu in the past as my meal selection and have been floored by the incredible flavor each time. So, to say I was excited and intrigued by attending a vegan wine dinner was an understatement.

 Oh yeah, and all of the dishes were paired with a vegan wine from the Yalumba Winery Y Series.

Yalumba Winery is in the southern part of Australia in the Barossa Valley wine region.

Course One: Roasted Beef Carpaccio

white bean avocado hummus/cumin/chili/lime

Beets. I hate beets.

I hate the texture. I hate the smell. I hate the taste.

When I see a beet, I instantly am reminded of my grandmother cooking them in a big pot on the stove at our summer cottage at Colonial Beach. They smelled up the whole place and it was wretched.

She and Dad loved them and we'd get fresh ones from Mr. Hicks who had a garden right behind us. Bleh.

When I saw beets and tomatoes on a plate with an avocado hummus, I instantly thought, why ruin the avocado and tomatoes with these evil things? To my surprise, this dish was simply mouth-watering delicious. The combination of the beet, tomato and avocado together was just divine.

This yumminess was paired with a Vermentino which upon first sniff reminded me of an Alsatian wine. That hint of petroleum on the nose does it every time. Very crisp and clean - reminiscent of a Sauvignon Blanc, actually, without the overbearing grapefruit disgustingness. (Yes, that's a word. Ok, maybe not, but it should be.)

The beet carpaccio toned down the Vermentino quite a bit.

Excellent pairing.

Course Two:  Korean BBQ Cauliflower

pickled nappa cabbage/spiced peanuts

I hate cauliflower.

I especially hate the texture and don't think that it has any taste at all.

(I'm seeing an early theme that I'm not sure I like here.) 

But, the beets surprised me so maybe the little white trees would as well.

I do use riced cauliflower in the place of rice in some dishes but again, overall it's just pretty bland.

One bite of this dish and .....WOW!

I could have eaten 100 more of these spicy little nuggets of love. In fact, I'd wager to say this was my favorite dish of the night. The pickled cabbage, the crunchy nuts with a little kick and the BBQ flavoring on the cauliflower.....pure deliciousness.

This dish was paired with a Riesling that honestly didn't have much aroma at all. However, it was just the right balance of dry and sweet and simply delightful with the course. If an orange and a lemon had a baby, it would be this wine. Very refreshing. I could seriously enjoy this on a 90-degree day while on a boat, loving the fact that I live at the beach.

As my wine partner-in-crime said, upon first sip of this wine, "That's my porch!"

Indeed.

Course Three: Miso Glazed Eggplant "Scallop"

ginger, soy and coconut risotto/charred shishito peppers

I love scallops. I sear them as a special treat and just melt away in the goodness.

This dish was pleasing to the eye and while I love scallops, I wasn't sure if I'd like "scallop".

Well, guess what? I did!

The eggplant wasn't mushy as it usually is after it's cooked. Perhaps when I cook eggplant, I don't do something right. I've had miso soup before and could actually taste a really nice hint of miso in this dish. The risotto was the star of the show and I could have shoveled a big ole bowl of it down!

This dish was paired with a Sauvignon Blanc and I am happy to say it did not smell or taste like a typical Sav Blanc. No grapefruit overload!! Yay! It had an aroma of fresh cut limes and, upon first sip, I instantly wanted a lemon cookie. After taking a bite of "scallop", the wine lingered with a flowery aftertaste. 

 Very nice pairing.

Course Four:  Mango Chickpea Curry

smoked basmati rice/mint coconut yogurt

I like mangos. I like chickpeas. I love Indian curry.

There was nothing wrong with this dish but it did not "wow" me as the previous ones had. Perhaps, that's why I realized, upon blogging, that I didn't take a photo of this course

Oh well.

Instead, let's focus on the wine that was paired with this dish.

Viognier.

(Vee-on-yay)

Years ago, a friend of mine who is a master sommelier referred to a Viognier as a "Chardonnay that couldn't". I always remember that because I tend to agree.

I don't hate Viogniers. I just wouldn't ever choose one.

Yalumba's Y Series Viognier changed my mind.

Had I not know this was a Viognier, I would have sworn it was a Chardonnay.

It smelled of butter and oak. This was the first wine of the night that I took my time before I even took a single sip. The aroma was so enjoyable that I just didn't want to stop inhaling it. I haven't had wine like that in a while.
Once I did take a sip, I was even happier. Toasted bread. Very balanced.

There is no way this is a Viognier. Maybe it was labeled incorrectly.

Hands down, the best wine of the night regardless.

Course Five:  Green Lentil Pate with Toasted Crostini

portabello mushrooms/tomato demi

This is the course where you would normally have a filet or a venison tenderloin or even elk.

But I was eating lentils and mushrooms instead.

I never thought I'd say it, but it was pretty damn yummy. 

 Mushrooms are my friends.

I never ate them as a kid but that's probably because my parents didn't like them (or were scared of them) so they didn't keep them around. I'm not sure when I first had a mushroom but I know I really  enjoy them now and cook with them quite often.

I have to admit, I'm not sure about lentils. What exactly is a lentil? I'm not sure. I know it's a legume. Legume is a fun word to say. But other than that, I don't think I've ever had a lentil before tonight.  Would I have known it was a lentil if not told? Nope. Will I seek out lentils now? Nope.

Was this entire combination flavorful and a perfect bite? Sure was.

Yalumba's Cabernet Sauvignon was paired with this course and while it was jammy and smelled of tobacco and spice, it was a lot lighter Cab than I would choose. 

I love Cabs. Big, meaty, complex, chewy Cabs.

 This was extremely light and enjoyable, but just not my kind of Cab.

If I don't feel like I need to scrape the roof of my mouth, then it's not my Cab.

Course Six:  Date and Nut Fudge Brownie

coconut whip/dark chocolate ganache/hazelnuts/almonds/hibiscus

Hubs and I enjoy desserts but we try not to eat them much. I am doing my best to cut back or even cut out my sugar intake completely. But the one time we splurge on dessert is when we go to the Salt Box because Chef Amanda is a dessert Goddess.

Chef Amanda had me at chocolate, coconut and hazelnut with this course.

The richness of the ganache balanced perfectly with the lightness of the coconut whip and a hint of sweet from the hibiscus. The nuts gave the perfect crunch to top off this lovely dessert!

A typical Aussie Shiraz was paired with dessert. The Shiraz smelled of roasted tomatoes with cherry glaze on top and its taste reminded me of a dessert wine. Way too sweet for me but a wonderful pairing with this decadent dessert.

I have often thought about removing meat from my diet and I have successfully cut back from what I used to eat. When I truly think about it, it would be very easy to do - for health reasons and to honor my love for animals. Going completely plant-based or vegan is something that would prove more challenging to me but if the Sprinkle Chefs keep making this kind of food taste this incredible, it may not be so difficult after all!

"People who love to eat are always the best people." — Julia Child