Today’s an anniversary. On August 9, 2018, Lorie Smith opened up Vines on Broadway, and our street suddenly became a genuinely cheery place. What sunshine she brought to our neighborhood, and our city, and everyone who met her.
Sigh. Even though she’s left this mortal coil, and Vines is closed, we all still have fond memories. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, see my earlier posts here and here.
To commemorate Lorie and celebrate what would have been the third anniversary of Vines, today I’m posting her secret(?) recipe for the famous “Vines Balls.” It’s something she and some of her friends/waiters made up one night using things they had on hand. Once they tried it, they knew they had a keeper. As far as Lorie could tell (based on internet searches), these were a wholly original creation, and all hers. She was tremendously proud of them. She had a sign in the front parlor at Vines: “Ask about our balls.”
Here’s what I wrote about them a few years ago:
And at some point, you’ll have to “ask about our balls.” One night last winter, Lorie and her friends were in the kitchen experimenting with making white-chocolate-dipped bonbons, and they produced a completely unique combination of creamy, tangy, sweet, rich, crunchy, chewy flavors and textures. She kept going around to her customers, asking them, “try one, and tell me what you think is in it.” Few people could guess, because the flavors blend so mysteriously and so well. I won’t tell you what’s in them, but it’s a very tasty, not-too-sweet, grown-up truffle—and “unique” does mean “there are absolutely no others like it.”
It’s the same basic idea as for Oreo cookie balls, little truffles made by combining three dozen pulverized Oreos with an 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese, rolled into 1-inch balls, which you freeze for about 10 minutes, then dip into 16 ounces of chocolate (melted) (it helps to use a toothpick to dip them) and set aside to harden (and keep ’em refrigerated after that). Lorie made these Oreo balls occasionally at Vines, usually later in the evening, after most people had eaten. She’d bring a tray around and ask people to have one. Often, she used white chocolate for the dipping.
So what’s in the famous Vines Balls? It’s really simple: goat cheese, chopped dates, and chopped pecans, dipped in white chocolate. Use the basic technique as for the Oreo balls recipe. I never got any official quantities, and she may never had written it down.
Heady with success, Lorie and her friends tried to think of a name for their creation. “A Date with a Nutty Goat” was one top contender.
These goat cheese–pecan–date–white chocolate balls were a perfect little sweet for her wine-and-appetizer bar. Indulgent, but small. Sweet, but not cloying. Rich, but bright. The ingredients balance each other well, so that no one ingredient overwhelms the others. Definitely a grown-up dessert.
It was fun to hear people’s guesses about what was in them. The guesses were all over the place. One friend of mine shocked me by guessing cilantro might be in it. When I first tasted them—standing in the little kitchen at Vines—I got the goat cheese and pecans right, but then I guessed that the chewy, fruity pieces were dried cranberries. Bzzzt!
Anyway, tonight Sue and I are gonna have a few of the famous Vines Balls after a snacky meal with a rich red wine. We’ll toast to the memory of Lorie, and then we’ll watch a movie or something.
The Famous Vines of Broadway Goat Cheese Balls
(a.k.a. “A Date with a Nutty Goat”)
- 8 oz. goat cheese (chèvre)
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dates
- 12 oz. white chocolate for melting
Blend together the goat cheese, pecans, and dates: pulsing it in a food processor works well. Don’t overdo it. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls, place them on a tray, and put them in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. While those are chilling, melt the chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Line a tray with wax paper or prepare a rack. Dip the balls into the chocolate (a toothpick works well for this operation) and set aside to harden. Keep the balls refrigerated. Will keep for about a week, if they last that long. Makes about 18–20.
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