by Ester Harrison
Last Thursday night Dallas had a well timed break from the unusual Spring rain we’ve been getting. With nearly perfect weather, it was a great opportunity to taste some food and drinks at the Savor Dallas Wine Stroll. This event, probably one of the best attended for Savor Dallas, takes place in in the heart of the downtown Dallas Arts District.
The first venue visited was the Nasher Sculpture Center, a contemporary and modern sculpture museum designed by architect Renzo Piano. Thanks to the weather, Dallas Savor we were able to wander through the beautiful garden and enjoy treats from Hypnotic Donuts, the Dallas Farmer's Market, and Belbosco Fresh Truffles, to name a few. I love anything truffle, so of all these tasty bites, my favorite of the evening was the Fried Quail Egg Crostini with Shaved Italian Truffles. As for the wines, I was most interested in the Texas Wine selection that was available. Local Texas wine is gaining some leverage lately, with more vineyards and varieties popping up every year. Of the selection, I tried the Becker Vineyards 2013 Fascination, a blend of their Zinfandel, Malbec, and Merlot, which was very interesting. I also enjoyed sampling the Duchman Family Winery’s Aglianico wine.
The next stop was a couple of blocks away, at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Unfortunately there were only a few wine samples to speak of, as some had run out by the time we made over there. However, the Meyerson housed all of the liquor tastings. From amaretto to vodka and whiskey to rum there was a variety. The two that stuck out the most were St. Germaine's and High West’s Whiskey Campfire. The smokiness of the whiskey was really unique, while the St. Germaine elderflower cocktail was bright and refreshing. While excited by the liquor options at the Meyerson, I wished that were a few more interesting food options. To be fair, there were cheese and cracker arrangements displayed in a couple of key points, but by when we arrived (an hour into the event), the pickings were slim and the dishware was nonexistent.
Our last stop of the evening was at the Crow Collection of Asian Art. With a line leading out the door and our time running out, I decided to focus my attention on food vendors. Based on recommendation by some friends, we headed in and made a beeline for Kate Weiser Chocolates. I had sampled these treats before and knew that whatever she had prepared would be delicious, but the Key Lime Pie chocolates blew my mind. I’m not sure how she makes such artistic pieces and I don’t need to know as long as they are still available in Dallas! The second recommendation we had was for Texas Spice’s Mac and Cheese. Spicy, rich, and meaty, this was a deliciously complex take on household comfort meal. This tasting definitely left me with a craving to venture to Texas Spice and try more of their menu.
The night conquered, I was left with a serious craving for a great dessert. One of my favorite recipes is a Rich Chocolate Pot. This is not your light, airy dessert. It is chocolatey, dense and incredibly easy to make. In my opinion, it’s the perfect dessert recipe. Also, it only takes 4 simple ingredients- coconut milk, chocolate, vanilla, and an egg. Try it out and I am sure it will become your dinner party go-to.
Find the Recipe for the Rich Chocolate Pots here.