Five Finds on Friday: Erin Scala
by Charlottesville29
Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Erin Scala, the sommelier, New York Times acclaimed podcaster, and wine writer, who was once named one of Wine Enthusiast’s 40 Under 40 Tastemakers, and now runs her own wine shop: In Vino Veritas. A longtime student of wine, Scala was a great asset to Fleurie, Petit Pois, and other restaurants, but this is the first store full of Scala’s favorite hand-selected wines – a treasure trove for wine lovers. Plus, thanks to Scala’s industry contacts, the shop offers special tasting opportunities, like today’s with Portuguese winemaker Filipa Pato, from 4:30 – close. Subscribe to the shop’s newsletter to stay up to date. Scala’s picks:
1) Tomato Bisque at Milli Coffee Roasters. “Served with grilled toast points. This is my winter treat— it’s a super rich, heartwarming tomato soup.”
2) Kouign Amann at Bizou. “Each Sunday brunch service, Vincent makes just a few of these classic pastries from near his hometown in Brittany. You can find a few different versions around town (like the kouignette at MarieBette) but Vincent’s is closer to the large, rustic bread the dish’s inventor, Yves-René Scordia (Douarnenez), made in the late 1800s. The crispy, buttery, sweet edges are the perfect pairing with just about anything from Bizou’s value-priced bubbles list. Vincent says ‘it’s all about the butter.'”
3) Heirloom Tomatoes from Radical Roots Farm. “When the farmer’s market is active, I make a beeline to their tent and fill up a basket with delicious things to eat— but it’s always mostly tomatoes. With a little olive oil and sea salt, they are the best!”
4) Bread at Back 40. “Chef Tucker Yoder has a sourdough that’s been going for years. It’s especially awesome when he makes homemade butter to go with it.”
5) Sweet Tea Caramels from La Vache Mircrocreamery. “Warning: you can’t eat just one.”