Slow Smoked Pork Shoulder with a Barbecue Rag Sauce

Hello friends.  Today we are going a little off script.  No photos, no wine pairing (although I will offer some suggestions).  Yesterday, Chef Sue smoked a pork shoulder basted with a barbecue rag sauce that was absolutely heavenly.  Although we did not intend this as one of our normal wine pairings (and therefore no photos and no wine pairing assessment), the smoked pork shoulder was just too good to keep to myself.

If you decide to try this preparation, there are a number of wines that I would recommend.  Here is my list of potentially good choices:

• Pinot Noir
• A red Bordeaux or a Bordeaux style blend
• Syrah/Shiraz
• Cabernet Franc
• Chenin Blanc
• Chardonnay
• Sauvignon Blanc

Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in Pork shoulder
• 2 cups cider vinegar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper for rag sauce
• Salt and pepper for seasoning the pork shoulder

Preparation

1. Preheat smoker to 200-225 degrees
2. Generously season pork shoulder with salt and pepper and place in smoker.
3. Combine all non-pork ingredients to make a basting sauce also known as a rag sauce (the masters of BBQ often apply their basting sauce with a new clean rag mop or kitchen rag – hence a rag sauce).
4. Every half hour, brush basting sauce over the pork shoulder with a basting brush or your choice of clean rag.
5. Continue cooking in smoker until you reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees.  Plan on approximately one hour per pound.
6. Allow pork shoulder to rest, covered with a towel, for ½ hour.
7. Serve with any leftover rag sauce on the side.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Barrel Tasting at Delaplane Cellars

On Saturday, 10 March, I had the pleasure of being invited to Delaplane Cellars for a barrel tasting.  The event was hosted by owner and winemaker Jim Dolphin.  The guests included a group of local wine bloggers...great idea, invite some wine writers, introduce new wines, and let us run off to say nice things.  This idea matched perfectly with my cardboard sign I use while working the intersections in DC -  “Will work for food...with a nice wine pairing...a Bordeaux blend is preferred.”  Jim came through with a grand slam on the Bordeaux blend - so I am working.

This was my first opportunity to sample wine in a barrel tasting format.  Quite honestly, I did not know what to expect.  Would the tasting foretell of wonderful things to come (but not quite ready)? How would the wine taste in comparison to bottled wine?  Along with answering these questions, I learned a great deal at this event.  My number one takeaway was that Delaplane Cellars will soon be bottling wines that not only live up to the wonderful wines that have preceded them, but are pressing forward with releases that exceed past performance.

Here are the wines we tasted:

• 2010 Delaplane (Merlot 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 33 13%, Cabernet Franc 16 ⅔%)
• 2010 Williams Gap (Cabernet Sauvignon 31%, Merlot 30%, Cabernet Franc 27%, Petit Verdot 12%)
• 2010 Springlot (Cabernet Sauvignon 29%, Cabernet Franc 40%, Merlot 17%, Petit Verdot 14%)
• 2010 Syrah
• 2010 Tannat (with a special appearance by the 2009 Tannat for comparison)
• 2011 Petit Manseng Late Harvest

Each of the Bordeaux blends (first three) were exceptional.  However, both Chef Sue and I were in unqualified agreement that the 2010 Williams Gap was the star of the show.  If Jim had offered to accept my grossly overburdened credit card, I would have pre-ordered a case on the spot.  When Delaplane Cellars releases this wine, I encourage you to race to the winery and make your purchase.  Once the word gets out, this wine will sell quickly.

I have a couple of bottles of the 2009 Williams Gap in my cellar and am quite pleased with it.  However, the resemblance between the 2009 and 2010 Williams Gap ends at the name.  In my opinion, the 2010 is a far superior wine and a real pleasure to drink.  As I was enjoying it, my mind was already wandering to food pairing.  This wine is exceptionally food friendly with deep, silky rich flavors and well balanced acidity...a food pairing dream.

Another standout of the tasting, and quite possibly an equal to the Williams Gap (althought completely different flavor profile), was the 2010 Tannat.  I recently tasted the Delaplane Cellars 2009 Tannat and found it to be a wonderful wine.  However, with tannins still running a bit strong, I decided to let it cellar for a couple years with the promise of something spectacular.  The 2010 Tannat features more restrained tannins and is drinking well now.  Like its older brother, the 2010 will likely mature nicely over the next few years - if you can resist the temptation of a wine that is drinkable today.

In addition to tasting and learning about the upcoming wines from Delaplane Cellars, I learned a good deal from my fellow wine writers.  As we were chit-chatting and getting to know each other (and our slices of the wine pie) I found that I was in good company, but held a slightly different view of wine.  Most of the attending wine writers were honest-to-god oenophiles. Their depth and breadth of knowledge regarding Virginia wines, vintages, challenges, specific vineyards, aspect, alliances, grudges, politics, climate, etc., far exceeded my own and was quite impressive.  

In complement to their devotion, understanding, and reporting on the details of the Virginia wine industry, I focus on pairing.  While I certainly enjoy and appreciate this depth of understanding, my focus is that of finding great wines to pair with great food.  Don’t get me wrong, I love wine for its solitary beauty, but my holy grail is discovering the perfect match that sums to a combination greater than its parts.  Gratefully, my fellow writers appreciated my approach to wine as much as I appreciated their impressive knowledge.  They were each exceedingly pleasant and offered to assist in my search for the best of Virginia wines.  Stand by, I will be introducing my new friends in future posts.

Toward the end of the evening, I had the pleasure of spending a few moments talking with Betsy, Jim’s partner in crime and self proclaimed kitchen honcho (she used another term, but I have enjoyed some of her work, and will not let her get away with such self-deprication).  During our brief conversation, I mentioned to Betsy my appreciation of the seriousness they apply to their wine making - one aspect of which is reflected in an elegant and understated label.  Little did I know, but this minor compliment sparked a lengthy discussion of the difficulties associated with labeling.  I will avoid all the bloody details, but I learned a great deal of the difficulty in producing a wine label that adheres to the standards of integrity at Delaplane.

In short, all of Delaplane Cellar’s wines are named and labeled with the vineyard that produced the fruit.  This stands in stark contrast to wineries that do not make clear the source, or possibly even import fruit or juice from around the country or the world while not informing the consumer.  Delaplane cellars also labels with the percentage of each varietal used in their blends...not a common feature (particularly for those who have something to hide).  I came away with a new appreciation for the difficulty (mostly regulatory) in producing a wine label with the standard of integrity at Delaplane Cellars.  I appreciate the cost and effort, and hope the regulators will mature into a reasoned approach that allows Virginia wineries to be forthright with consumers while not imposing undue burden.

Finally, I would like to thank Jim and Betsy Dolphin (and of course Jacqui!) for a wonderful evening.  It was educational, fun, and most of all, very tasty.  Thank you.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Red Wine Pepper Steak over Asian Potato Pancakes Paired with 2009 Barrel Oak Winery Reserve Virginia Cabernet Franc

With Peking duck on the menu earlier last week, I decided to stick with the Asian theme for this pairing and prepare my interpretation of pepper steak and an Asian influenced potato pancake.  I am a huge fan of potato pancakes and appreciate them for their flexibility in adapting to nearly any ethnic cuisine with just a few amendments – your creativity is the only limitation.

My pepper steak preparation diverges from many of the recipes you will find by the addition of water chestnuts, three varieties of peppers, and substitution of stewed tomatoes and red wine for the more traditional beef broth.  The Asian influenced potato pancakes uses a common approach with the addition of scallions, cilantro, and wasabe powder.  These modifications led to a sauce intended to complement the wine pairing, and potato pancakes that add a distinct Asian flavor rather than the more pedestrian flavor of a plain potato pancake.  Our dinner crowd was pleased with the results. 

My pairing choice for this meal was the 2009 Barrel Oak Winery Reserve Virginia Cabernet Franc. And just for fun, Golf Buddy Steve brought a 2009 Rosenblum Cellars Vintner’s Cuvee California Syrah. With two wines to compare and contrast with the meal, our fun was easily doubled. Part of our delight came from dissecting the meal and all the possible combinations of food components and wine. But first, here are some tasting notes:

The 2009 Barrel Oak Winery Reserve Virginia Cabernet Franc starts with a bold perfume laden nose that belies the the full body and deep flavors of black cherry sprinkled with cracked pepper. The long and satisfying finish returns to the floral perfume found in the nose with a hint of smoke and oak.

The 2009 Rosenblum Cellars Vintner’s Cuvee California Syrah winemakers tasting notes: Dark and rustic, our 2009 Syrah Cuvée shows a distinctly old-world profile. Classic Rhône-style characteristics of meat, leather and spice are married with the native richness of California fruit. Black-cherry and currant aromas carry meaty soy notes and high spices in the nose. The intensity of the fruit comes through on the palate, with juicy layers of boysenberry, cassis, dark plum and a touch of anise. This smooth, succulent palate is wrapped up with grippy tannins that hold the flavors for a lengthy, satisfying finish.

While both wines were an excellent choice for the pairing, as we looked at different components of the meal, we found the Cabernet Franc with a slice of beef was the best choice. On the other hand, a forkful of potato pancake (with peppers, onions, and water chestnut) paired best with the Rosenblum Syrah. With a fully loaded fork containing each of the dish components, both wines worked equally well.

If you care to view this pairing as a bi-coastal wine throw down, our conclusion was a pleasurable draw.  While many believe Virginia wines continue to seek a distinct identity, I am convinced there are plenty of gems to be found.  I plan to find each of these gems and have already discovered several wineries hitting home runs across their portfolio.

Recipes

Pepper Steak

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds top sirloin beef cut to roughly 2-3 inch strips 1/4 inch thick
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, sliced thin
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 green bell peppers, sliced thin
• 1 red bell peppers, sliced thin
• 1 yellow bell peppers, sliced thin
• 1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preparation

1. Slice the beef.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium high and add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion is tender.
3. Remove onions and add beef strips until browned.
4. Add remaining ingredients, stir to incorporate all ingredients, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Asian Potato Pancakes

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes. I prefer to scrub them and leave unpeeled.
• 1 large onion
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 4 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons wasabe powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 9 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Using grater or food processor, coarsely grate potatoes and onion.
2. Transfer to colander, allow to drain. Then press to force out remaining liquid.
3. Transfer mixture to large bowl, add eggs, scallions, cilantro, flour, salt, wasabe powder, and pepper. Stir gently to combine.
4. In large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, heat 3 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking.
5. Drop 1/2 cup portions batter into pan and gently flatten each into 4-5 inch diameter pancakes.
6. Fry, turning once, until well browned on both sides.
7. Fry remaining pancakes adding oil as necessary.
8. Keep warm until ready to serve.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Thanksgiving Wine Pairing Recommendations

If you are planning a traditional Thanksgiving feast, wine pairing can be a daunting challenge.  Why such a daunting task?  Simple – Thanksgiving meals are typically overflowing with a tremendous variety of flavors including sweet, savory, buttery, acidity, a variety of vegetables, turkey, and ham – all complicated by varying preparations.

So where to start?  You could focus your pairing on the meat, the sauces, or the sides.  This remains challenging with the variety of flavors on the table.  One approach to Thanksgiving wine pairing is the tried and true traditional pairings.  These consist of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wines.

Any of these traditional thanksgiving wines will provide solid results.  But what if you want to be more adventuresome?  Another fun approach would be to have multiple wines.  Yeah!  More wine!  Using this method, you might consider a variety of wines to pair with different parts of the meal.

Here are a few recommendations to consider for the traditional trio and the less trodden path:

• Although you may not be a fan of oaky Chardonnay, the buttery components of the meal form a nice balance with a nicely oaked Chardonnay.  Look for one with healthy acidity.
• Think Riesling to complement the sweet components of the meal.
• If you decide on the tried and true Pinot Noir, focus on fruity bottle with some spice.
• Syrah – the spiciness, acidity, and fruit will work with most of the meal with the exception of the sweet dishes.
• Pinot Gris offers nice acidity to balance the richness of many dishes.  The pronounced fruit and heftier body distinguish it from Pinot Grigio.  Stay away from the Pinot Grigio – it will not stand up the most of the meal.  The same is true of most Sauvignon Blancs – they will fall flat with their relatively light body.
• If you decide to go with Champagne or sparkling wine – don’t go cheap – you need a wine with some healthy yeast, body, and nutty flavors to complement the turkey and the vegetables.
• The highly versatile Viognier is a great choice to pair with a variety of vegetables.
• If you have a heavy fried component such as a fried turkey – avoid the reds.  The combination could feel like a lead balloon.
• If you smoke your turkey or ham, an oaky Chardonnay is a good complementary choice, but a smoky red with a medium body such as a Merlot, Grenache, Syrah or Shiraz (nice fruit contrast) would complement the smoked meat while offering a pleasant fruit contrast.
• If your menu includes a spicy glazed ham, match it with a moderate alcohol Zinfandel.  The normal high alcohol levels of Zins can not only lead to more expressive family conversation, but can intensify the spice in an undesirable way.  A Rioja, Tempranillo, heavier bodied Pinot Noir or a Syrah would also be a good choice.
• Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie – try a Muscat, lightly effervescent Moscato , White Port, or Tawny Port.
• For a chocolate based dessert, a Ruby Port or a Late Bottled Vintage Port will make you smile.

Live on the edge.  Go with the non-traditional approach, and pair your feast with several wines.  Experiment a little and let your holiday guests enjoy a diversion from the traditional one wine fits all formula.  Always remember balance is the key – we don’t want the wine to upstage the feast, nor do we want it to be a footnote.

At the request of my children, we will be drawing outside the lines for Thanksgiving. Our meal will be no less diverse, but will be entirely drawn from the rich culinary tradition of Italy.  Be sure I will share all the fun details.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Craig

Malbec Braised Short Ribs and Pureed Vegetables, Garlic Mashed Potatoes Pearl Mozzrella and Grape Tomatoes with Basil Dressing Paired with 2006 Benziger Family Winery North Coast Syrah

I want to make braised short ribs.  Once again I have been foiled by Chef Sue.  I am working on a Chianti braised short rib recipe and am about to give it a ride.  Just as I am about to fire up the range, Chef Sue announced her plan for braised short ribs with red wine and pureed vegetables.  Fortunately, I am a serious fan of braised short ribs, and just because we will have them again next week will not hurt my feelings.

My feelings for braised short ribs run deep.  Because they are cooked at a low temperature (225 degrees F) for a long time, the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, the sauce reduces nicely, and the meat has plenty of time to take on the flavors in the braising liquid.  Honestly, it is difficult to do something wrong and even the most timid of budding chefs can prepare this with ease.  Add to this my mid-western heritage and the combination of garlic potatoes and garden fresh tomatoes with a basil dressing means I’m back to my meat and potato roots – but oh so much better than my childhood memories.

I should mention that this meal was in honor of our good friend gun-slinger Teji who left the next day for her assignment as the Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Prague.  It was a real pleasure for all of us to send Teji off in good form – and provide good reason for her to come back.

I will be honest with you and tell you that the wine selection for this pairing was not only an attempt to choose the right wine, but with the crowd joining us for dinner I needed two bottles.  I descended the elevator to the Cavernous Corl Wine Vault to find a selection for which I had at least two bottles.  I had several choices and settled on the 2006 Benziger Family Winery North Coast Syrah.  Here are the tasting notes from the wine maker:

“Our 2006 North Coast Syrah boasts earthy aromas of tobacco and herbs. In the mouth, dark fruit flavors of ripe plum and black raspberry linger on the palate. A long finish leads way to hints of pepper and spice.”

I am completely onboard with the earthy aromas, but I sensed earth and mushrooms, not so much the tobacco.  Being a cigar smoker, you would think I could detect the aromas of tobacco…but I did not.  We definitely agreed on the plum, but we also picked up the hint of dark ripe cherries.  I agree with the notes on the finish – long with subtle notes of pepper and spice.  This wine is smooth with mild tannins and is a beautifully balanced fruit bomb.  At $11 per bottle it is an EXCEPTIONAL value and will make my list of favorite wines for exceptional flavor, a wonderful wine for pairing with food, and remarkable value.  This wine is only available from the winery.  You can order it at www.benziger.com.

The body of the braised short ribs and the Syrah were perfectly matched.  The acidity of the Syrah is moderate and fortunately the braised short ribs did not demand high acidity.  The plum and dark cherry flavors were a perfect compliment to the deep rich flavors in the meat and vegetable puree, and the complexity of the flavors in the food were equally matched by the layers of flavors on the menu.  This is a very nice pairing I highly endorse.

Recipes

Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine and Pureed Vegetables

The recipe for the braised short ribs came from Epicurious.com.  Here is the link:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Braised-Short-Ribs-with-Red-Wine-and-Pureed-Vegetables-235843?mbid=ipapp.  Of course, in the Corl kitchen, no recipe goes without some mucking about.  Here are a couple minor modifications made by Chef Sue:

• The sage was replaced by the frawns of two fennel bulbs.
• The chicken broth was replaced with equal parts wine and water – can’t go wrong with more wine!
• Chef Sue substituted a Malbec for the recommended wine.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 10 potatoes
• 10 cloves roasted garlic
• ½ stick butter
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Really?  You can make mashed potatoes!  Boil the potatoes, mash, and combine the rest of the ingredients.  Enjoy the goodness of garlic!

Pearl Mozzarella and Grape Tomatoes with Basil Dressing

Ingredients

• Equal amounts of grape tomatoes and pearl mozzarella sufficient to feed your crowd
• 1 ½ cups basil leaves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• An imprecise amount of olive oil

Preparation

1. Combine the basil leaves and salt in a small food processor.
2. Process the basil leaves on pulse while drizzling in olive oil.
3. Continue to add olive oil until it is a bit “looser” than pesto.
4. Poor dressing over tomatoes and mozzarella and toss to cover evenly.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig

Coffee and Beer Marinated Steak with Truffle Parsnips Paired with 2004 McClean Vineyards Estate Private Reserve Paso Robles Syrah

Welcome to a special Memorial Day weekend edition of Craig’s Grape Adventure.  I don’t normally post on the weekend, because my handy Google Stats tell me that most of you are enjoying a bit of escapism while at work during the week.  No worries, I won’t let your little secret out.

Grilling is a time honored tradition in the U.S. over the Memorial Day weekend.  In case you have not yet completed your menu for the weekend, this pairing may provide an interesting twist on the traditional.  Chef Sue and I tested it last night with absolutely mouth watering results.

In the interest of full disclosure and appropriate credits, this recipe comes from Whats Cookin – Food With Taste.  I highly recommend you sign up for their free newsletter that conveniently shows up in your inbox twice a week with some deliciously unique recipes.  Thanks a bunch to the folks at Whats Cookin for an endless stream of inspiration.

It goes without saying that Chef Sue and I cannot take any recipe at face value.  In this case we stayed pretty true to the Whats Cookin recipe for Coffee Steaks Under the Influence, but made a few modifications mostly out of convenience and a little intuition.  Follow the link for the original recipe.  I have parenthetically noted our modifications in the recipe at the end of the post.

The Food

I was drawn to this recipe out of idle curiosity – a coffee and beer based marinade – really?  My curiosity was rewarded with a wonderful blend of flavors.  Although the marinade and the rub include a number of ingredients, the coffee was clearly the headliner.  The coffee, toasted on the surface of the steak was a perfect addition to the steak.  It was not overwhelming and added a very pleasant nutty coffee note to each bite.  This earthiness melded perfectly with the truffle parsnips chosen to fill out the plate.

The Pairing

Normally I would discuss the wine a bit before getting to the pairing.  However, in this case I am simply too anxious to get to the heart of the matter.  The pairing was spectacular.  We have already established that the steak and parsnips feature a wonderful nutty earthiness with plenty of umami to bring smiles to the faces of even grumpy old men.  The 2004 McClean Vineyards Estate Private Reserve Paso Robles Syrah precisely complemented these flavors with deep flavors of chocolate (chocolate and coffee – YES!) plumb, and a pleasant spiciness which added a delicious peppery coating to the steak.  At $28 per bottle, this wine is well worth every penny to pair with the fruit of your grilling efforts.

The Recipe 

Coffee Steak Under the Influence

The following recipe is presented in it's original form. Chef Sue's modifications and other notes are parenthetically noted.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces heavy beer. I used Yuengling Black And Tan, but any dark preferably craft beer will work.
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Crystal Hot Sauce
• 3 boneless strip steaks (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), trimmed of fat (Chef Sue chose London Broil cut in Barney Rubble thickness - honestly, use your favorite steaks, its all good.)
• 3 tablespoons fine ground dark roast coffee
• 1 tablespoon pure chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Preparation

The Night Before: Mix the beer, Worcestershire sauce and Crystal Hot Sauce in a large freezer zipper lock bag. Put the steaks in the bag, seal it shut, then refrigerate overnight. (Chef Sue combined ALL the ingredients in the marinade - they all made sense in the marinade and she could not resist the temptation. Rather than marinade overnight, Chef Sue let the steaks marinade for about 4 hours.)

Grilling Day: Mix the other ingredients in a bowl. Take the steaks out of the marinade, discarding the marinade. Pat dry the steaks with paper towels, then dampen with vegetable oil. Coat the steaks with the spicy mix, patting in gently with your fingers.

Pre-heat the grill. If you’re using a propane grill, high heat is good. Grill the steaks until they have a dark crust. Two minutes on each side for medium rare (depending on thickness of steaks). Four minutes per side for medium. (As designated grill master at our secret Potomac lair affectionately known as the Crab Shack, my grilling method is slightly different. Because we used the Barney Rubble cut (think hugely thick Brontosaurus steaks), I grilled on high heat with my tried and true process of 2.5 minutes, rotate 90 degrees for another 2.5 minutes, flip for 2.5 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees for another 2.5 minutes. This process results in those oh so beautiful grill branding marks and beautifully pink medium rare steaks. The timing is completely dependent on the steak thickness which may require some minor adjustment. Use a meat thermometer and adjust your grilling time to get an internal temperature of 130 to 140 degrees F. Legal disclaimer: USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees. If grilling steak to 130 degrees is the riskiest activity in my life, I can live with that. For my palate, the more you head in the direction of well done, the greater the loss of flavor. When you remove the steak from the grill, allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing/plating. The internal temperature will continue to rise during this resting period and the juices will redistribute throughout the steak ensuring a plump juicy piece of meat.)

Truffle Parsnips

Ingredients

1. 4 medium parsnips (cleaned, pealed and cubed)
2. 3 small red potatoes (cubed)
3. 1/4 cup cream cheese
4. 2 oz. butter
5. Truffle salt to taste
6. Green onions (chopped as garnish)

Preparation

1. Boil parsnips and potatoes until fork tender.
2. Mash parsnips and potatoes in a bowl along with the cream cheese and butter.
3. Season with truffle salt to taste.
4. Plate and garnish with green onions.

Enjoy your grilling, and have a great Memorial Day weekend.

In vino veritas, buen provecho.

Craig