Pascal’s Epicerie: Perfect fare that’s easy to take home for the holidays

Pascal OhlatsBy Amanda Samaan

For food and wine connoisseurs – you know that a great meal is well thought out. It is a joint venture for the senses – the wine that boosts the fine taste of a meal carefully prepared, And, who has the time to craft such an artful meal? Why, Pascal Olhats, of course.

Outdoing himself again, Pascal has carefully crafted the Epicerie by Pascal, located just off the 73 on Bristol Street, Newport Beach, next door to his well-known dining establishment Tradition by Pascal, that has received a No. 1 rating as the top restaurant in Orange County by Zagat for the past 10 years.

This delightful upscale deli-style café offers a great variety of foods, beautifully prepared, for on the go diners. Among their most popular dishes are the chilled pesto pasta and broiled chicken sandwich. (We think the brie sandwich is also a winner!) And there is a wonderful array of cheeses, from which to choose. Customers can also indulge in the extensive selection of wines in the wine shop.

Food lovers can enjoy any of the easy-to-prepare dishes and desserts with the cafe's versatile Ardeche Chardonnay, a white wine that pairs perfectly with Pascal’s Osso Bucco. Or if you prefer a red wine to complement a salmon lunch or a lamb dinner, Pascal’s arrangement of Cahors or Chateau Forlouis pair well with these tasty dishes.

You can take any of their ready-to-go fare home - perfect for the upcoming busy holiday season.

Choose your favorite wine from Pascal and pair it with this tasty recipe for Spinach Quiche:

Spinach Quiche
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1 cup Pet evaporated milk
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1pkg. (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
1/2 cup diced ham and/or chopped onion
1 prepared deep-dish piecrust, frozen

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and red pepper. Squeeze spinach until almost dry. Stir spinach and ham or onion into egg mixture. Pour into a frozen pie crust. Season with salt and pepper, to desired taste. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven on a preheated baking sheet for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 6 servings.
Variation: Top quiche with tomatoes and sprigs of fresh basil, if desired, for added color.

Amanda Samaan is a contributing writer to the Daily Voice.