Sandwiched between lunch and a few hours of work with Matt at the bakery, we took Cheryl out to Jefferson Vineyards to taste some wine – and pick up a few bottles for a recipe for me!
I didn’t taste, but it was still fun to be out there on a random Tuesday!
When I returned to the bakery, I found this amazing tote back that Lindsey had left!! Lindsey is a KERF reader who just got married and she had our cookies as favors in her out of town welcome bags. Coolest tote bag ever!
Ever tried giraffe meat? It tastes like bread ; )
While we worked, I had a bowl of soy milk and granola for a snack. So vanilla-y good!
When dinnertime arrived, we rounded up the troops and walked downtown to C & O!
This was our second visit [first during Restaurant Week] but our first real dinner there.
We started with rolls and butter – best part of a meal! Probably because you’re always the hungriest when the bread comes : )
And sipped the Gabrielle Rousse Cab Franc – so Virginia
I started with a great house salad of bibb lettuce and a mustard dressing. Loved this basic greenness.
Matt’s dad ordered the smoked dates with mascarpone cheese over celeriac remoulade. Matt and I shared a date – heavenly smoke!! I have to figure out how to make smoked dates at home..
Matt had an artichoke pate with crackers, pickles, olives and peppers. It was amazing too! Loved how lemony-creamy the pate was atop the salty crackers
For my main course, I ordered [local] pork – Porchetta – rolled up with spices and served over a bed of red quinoa, caramelized fennel & jicama, and mostarda. It was FAN-tastic! I especially loved the quinoa. I’ve been out of it for months – need to restock! It was perfectly cooked, and I loved the fruity sauce on the side.
To end our meal, Matt’s dad got a smashing sundae and shared with the table. This made me miss Trader Joe’s toasty almonds. Can’t wait for our TJ’s to open!
And to explain the opening photo: Mark and Cheryl looooove used bookstores and stumbled upon Daedalus Bookshop today. Daedalus just happens to be owned by Sandy, who used to own C&O [I think!]. After striking a conversation with Mark and Cheryl and finding out what book lovers they are, he wrote the note in the opening photo to send with them to the restaurant.
We were most definitely taken well care of : ) Great dinner!
{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }
Great bag!!!!
wow, look at that dinner! I’m totally doing the same tote bag, but Washington DC for my out of town guest
Sure looks like a step up from the usual weekday routine!
looks like a fabulous fall day!
Dinner sounds amazing! The flavors and textures must have been a culinary delight! I’m with you on the quinoa, I used up mine a few weeks ago and I need to get some soon! Enjoy the rest of you night Kath.
your salad does actually look really good, as does that dressing! And I love the giraffe! that’s so cute, what was that for??
The C&O definitely has some of my favorite food ever! Have you guy met Dave Simpson yet? Need to introduce you guys….
Can i forward this post to him? I know he’ll love to see it! I haven’t had the smoked dates but over restaurant week, they had smoked chickpeas that were out of the world amazing. Sounds like you had a wonderful day!
Oh cool!! Definitely send it to him!
Porchetta? Oh boy!
Man oh man, looks like a delicious dinner!! Those smoked dates sound interesting – I’d love to try something like that some time. Glad you had a nice time!
WOW – what a delectable looking dinner! I’m in awe. What a fantastic spread of food. Looks delicious!
Can’t come to your blog without becoming hungry. May your TJ’s open quickly!
Glad you like the bag
C&O and Jefferson Vineyards are two great choices for showing out of town guests a good time in Charlottesville. What a fun Tuesday!
Loved it!
what an amazing dinner! especially those stuffed dates.
love all of the fun things you plan for your out-of-town guests. wine tasting is a favorite of mine… unfortunately chicago isn’t crawling with vineyards
Great dinner! And I love the map tote – so unique and cute (including the giraffe!)
We have a ti’s coming soon too! This summer
omggg can’t wait. Good choice staying away from the wine, chica. Twisted Tuesday is not for everyone. 
I want my Tuesdays to be like this, devine! The stuffed dates sound amazing. And dessert.. I could definitely go for that!
Awesome dinner and time with everyone..looks awesome.
The giraffe…so cute!
And making smoked dates at home sounds like a good project to me
Mmm I want that sundae! Love almonds with ice cream!
The giraffe is way cute!
I just bought red quinoa for the first time and I’m really excited to try it out. T.J.’s is the best
Those smoked dates with mascarpone sound amazing!
What a cool giraffe!
Woow all that food looks delish.. mmm especially the dessert
love the giraffe too!
That food looks amazing and is so imaginative. I do not know what it all is but the idea of smoked dates with mascarpone sounds simply divine!
Sounds like you have a lovely day. You always seem to pack so much in. How do you have time to do everything you do and still keep your house as neat and tidy as you do?
You are amazing.
I am obsessed with that tote bag! So cute!
I met Lindsey on Monday night! She recognized me from KERF/my blog at a dance class.
Hey, thought you didn’t like quinoa?
I like the red kind ok!
Those smoked dates sound amazing!.. and the artichoke pate.. looks like a great meal
I always thought I didn’t like pork, but now that I’ve recently tried it and liked it, your dinner looks awesome to me!
I totally saw the “ever tried giraffe?” line before I scrolled to the picture with the bread. You got me for a quick second! haha
Dinner looks really delicious! I toasted some sliced almonds from TJ’s yesterday (to go on top of a tomato stew recipe I’m working on). I could.not.stop. eating them. So good!
I love the giraffe made out of bread!! So cute!
That restaurant looks beautiful! Dinner looked amazing and that sundae looked heavenly!
That tote bag is too cute! As is the (multigrain) bread giraffe! I just want to bite his little head right off
That all looks sooo wonderful!
“Ever tried giraffe meat? It tastes like bread” I couldn’t stop laughing.
All the food looked amazing…I always think you can tell a great restaurant by the bread it serves! Loved the ‘giraffe’ bread! I love a good ‘giggle’ first thing in the morning…
A giraffe loaf, I want one now!
My kids love giraffes, I better get some bread dough ready because they will be wanting to create that ASAP! BTW, my kids are KERF readers and love oatmeal. Your blog motivated me to start eating oatmeal a few years ago and I now eat it almost every morning. Thanks for being such a positive influence for my family. Your blog is the first one I read every morning. Your dinner looks delicious as usual. I had to google smoked dates and came up with some recipes for smoking them in a smoker or for stuffing them with smoked cheese and/or nuts, wrapping them in smoked bacon, and using smoked paprika. I may be experimenting with these along with the bread giraffe today! Thanks again for the inspiration!
Thanks so much Katie!
You’re welcome Kath! The kids loved the giraffe. My daughter says you are the second best bread baker ever (the first being me of course). She brought her new stuffed giraffe to breakfast this morning. Now we just need to start our blog, she says it should be called “The Best Cook Ever”. I have been dreaming about if for awhile, now I just need to make it a reality. Any advice on getting started?
Hahah – cute! Start with a regular Wordpress blog – just choose a really sleek and unique theme!
It all looks fantastic…and giraffe bread is just way too fun!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the giraffe!! I want to eat him!
Also – C&O looks incredible. It astounds me how many amazing places there are to eat at in Charlottesville!!
That tote is so adorable!
The food looks wonderful! I love quinoa! It is chock full of protein, and a healthy addition to any meal as well.
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Great idea to use GH cookies in out-of-town guest gifts. I think I’ll do the same (some day!)
No wine for Kath? Tongues are going to wag about…?
Yes! I feel like there have been some hints on here lately…I read HTP and had been noticing for weeks that she made a big deal out of mentioning that drinks she posted didn’t have alcohol or that certain foods were “safe” for her. Wasn’t surprised when she posted on Monday that she’s pregnant! Maybe that’s making me read too much into this, but I would love to see a baby KERFling.
Well you’re welcome to wonder, but that was my glass of wine I photographed on the left
Mark’s hand was just for an artistic shot
aww man, false alarm! I guess I was looking into it too much…so many bloggers having babies lately had me thinking you all had a pregnancy pact!
Curious what you think my hints are though?!
You had several posts awhile back about going to the gyno and possibly trying for a baby in the fall/winter and you’ve been mentioning a lot of “appointments” lately. Add in the fact that you made a point of pointing out that you didn’t taste the wine and I was getting suspicious! Guess I have to much time on my hands haha…
Ahhhhhh I didn’t even think about the fact that I didn’t taste at Jefferson! That was just cause I wasn’t in the mood. Hmm..I haven’t been to many appointments – I must be talking about meetings. But you are correct that we said we might start trying this fall/winter!
Kath, how can you live without your beer for 9 long months? :0
Maptotes are awesome. I have several! http://www.maptote.com
That dinner looks delish!
I think I missed the Trader Joe’s coming to CVille announcement……when is it due to open? How fantastic!!
I think next summer?
I always love to find a used book store in a town. You can find such treasures!
I love seeing a restaurant using quinoa! I hope that’s a trend that continues to spread!
Have to share my love for the giraffe…:) What inspired him? Some sort of new Thanksgiving mascot?
And that goblet makes the sundae look extra special. The toastiness of the almonds helps, too…
I don’t think I’d be able to eat that bread giraffe–too cute!
Oh, who am I kidding…bread is bread. YUMMMM.
No wine…..mmmmmmm?