3 Years and a Blue Moon, Again

Three years ago this week (8/27/09) I began ForknCork.  With not much of an idea about what I would blog, I set forth and let the creative process develop.  It's been a very rewarding experience, and one wholly self-indulgent.  Rather than reflect on posts of the last three years, I decided that in observance of tomorrow's Blue Moon, I would re-post my Blue Moon post from October, 2010.    It's a tribute to really rare wines, delicious food and very good friends.  That pretty much sums up, for me, what ForknCork has been about.  Enjoy.

A "blue moon" is one of those over-used superlatives indicating something so rare and so fancy-pants that everyone should take note.  I admit it's both fun, but trite to use, but then my friends and I didn't really consider that when we dubbed what we thought was a once in a lifetime opportunity to taste uber-rare wines, while attempting to pair lofty cuisine worthy of their pedigree, would be the first of...more?

While a true lunar blue moon occurs when there is a second full moon in a calendar month (that's about 7 times every 19 years), we truly thought our opportunity was more akin to the mythical type (you know- like almost never?) than the literal.  Yet, math was on our side.

Last year, I blogged a dinner amongst these same friends that documented the very scenario above.  Given the enormity of it's rareness, we thought we were not likely to see one again, any time soon.  It featured some of the most precious and sought after wines in the world- including a 1975 Chateau d'Yquem, multiple first growth bordeaux, a 1963 Vintage Taylor Port and a 1919 Chateau Haut Brion, all provided by a passionate food and wine lover simply because he saw the enthusiasm with which we produced the first menu.  It was, like the first time 10 years earlier, a night to remember. 

Two months ago I got the call that our benefactor was coming back to town for business, and he wanted to do it all again, just 14 months later.  As with the first two times, he chose 12 wines from his expansive and impressive cellar, emailed us the selections, and then shipped them overnight with painstaking care.  Except this time, we had not six weeks to prepare a menu and line up our game plan, but three.   

When faced with the prospect of pairing world-class wines from first-rate vintages, you don't think about busting out the molecular gastronomy and culinary bells and whistles.  It's all about the classics.  Example:  a pairing from the first dinner 10 years earlier, which will forever be indelled in my memory, was as simple as it was brilliant.  A 1962 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti "La Tache" was paired with a locally raised, braised rabbit leg with parsnips and local mushrooms.  Simple.  The rabbit was simmered until "confit tender". 

It wasn't until days before our seafood purveyor, of all sources, queried whether we'd be interested in taking some fresh Maine wild blueberries that were being brought in by the same guys who were shipping day-boat halibut.  The answer was a resounding, "DUH?".  And so, to bridge that all important gap between what could be a white wine course or a red wine course, we added the berries to our braising juices and let them simmer.  The result defines the term "sublime" (there was another impressive Burgundy paired with the dish from an equally impressive producer and vintage- but, the la Tache was so incredibly on point, and our elementary rabbit dish was so wonderfully complementary, that it silenced our group).  Its extraordinary complexity and delicateness commanded a moment for us to regroup our thoughts before continuing.  The perfect balance of components, married with a harmony of fruitiness, acidity and earthiness leaves me swooning to this day.  Such is the power of the classics.

Sticking with that formula, a forward team that consisted of just myself and my surrogate "chef brother" Paul met one steamy, humid Sunday eve last month to handle the latest challenge.  We gathered our notes on the latest round of wines, and, to lend some inspiration, we opened and reverently sipped a 1990 Chateau Latour.  As is common, we aligned the wines in order of likely service and fleshed out an outline of the basics:  main component and main flavor profile.  With 12 wines slated for consumption, we decided to pour two per course, with the dinner lasting at least six courses (supplementary wines are often added by equally passionate attendees).  But, we knew the crux of how it would all go down.  We had only three days after that to consult a couple other possible chef friends who would participate to fine tune and finalize the menu, order our special ingredients and prep.  All this while working our full-time jobs, managing our personal lives and performing our duties as Pere de la Maison.  Challenging? Yes.  Fun? Of course!  Nerve racking?  Well... you answer.  The previous two dinners had consisted of no more than 10 attendees, and the most recent was looking more like 7 or 8.  No matter, it like the others, had to be perfect.

Why does great wine command such respect and awe?  Like architecture, it's man's greatest achievement of harnessing nature to produce a product solely for the purpose of his pleasure.  

The menu was finalized and the pieces fit into place, as they so often do.  Pairing food and wine is an art, yes- but, it also becomes an exercise in common sense.  Delicate wines require delicate preparations, aggressive ones need a little push.  Never repeat ingredients.  Create diversity of textures and temperatures.  Contrast and complement.  Multiple courses should build in intensity then back down- begin gentle, finish gently.  Leave the table sated, not stuffed.

Despite how it may read, the following menu and wines were the final choices, and they followed all the guidelines above.  The pictures, of course, tell the real story.

Warm up: A little pre-game with Charles Gardet & Co.

1st Course
Ragout of Veal Sweetbreads “Blanquette”- with beech mushroom, local sweet corn, tarragon and veal jus (not pictured)

2000 Chevalier Montrachet~ Bouchard Pere et Fils
2000 Montrachet Marquis de la Guiche~ Joseph Drouhin

2nd Course
Braised Oxtail over quinoa and Doctor Martin lima beans - with thyme infused braising juices

1989 Chateau Mouton Rothschild~ Paulliac
1989 Chateau Lafite Rothschild~ Paulliac

A little "fuzzy", I know- but trust me. 

3rd Course
Crispy Colorado Lamb Rillettes – risotto style “potatoes” and hen of the woods mushrooms

(Rillettes in prep stage)

1990 Chateau Latour~ Paulliac
1966 Chateau Gruaud Larose~ St. Julien (not pictured)


Fourth Course
Pink Peppercorn Crusted New Zealand Veal Rack - truffle scented heirloom eggplant and lingonberry demi glace

1995 Colgin~ Cabernet Sauvignon
2000 Inflagrante SQN~ Syrah

5th CourseCoconut Milk and Rum Braised Short Rib
With mole sauce and savory baked ricotta

2003 Harlan Estate~ Cabernet Sauvignon  
2006 Erna Schein “Fat Boy”

6th CourseRoasted Black Mission Fig – gorgonzola dolce, pulverized prosciutto, pistachio and honey

1971 Chateau d'Yquem~ Sauternes

7th CourseChocolate Espresso Pot d’crème with blackberry

1963 Graham's Vintage Porto

Chef Contributors: 
Paul Bouchard, Matt Crist and Robert Lhulier
Wine Inspiration:
D. Paige and Ron Bouchard

July Chef's Table: Inspiration

For a chef, stepping outside the comfort zone to dine at a space that is hailed as one of the world's best restaurants can be both exhilarating and unsettling.  There is a certain truth to the question chefs get all the time:  "Are you super critical of food when you go out to eat?"  There are two answers.  I am not when I am dining where I know what I'm going to get.  I am, when there is an enormous amount of hype about said meal.  It's like going to meet your idol:  what if they're an ass?  I can safely say that was not the case last month when dining at Eleven Madison Park in New York City.  

This is not a tribute menu to that meal, nor was it meant in any way to mimic a technique or style.  Simply put, this was the first Chef's Table after having eaten at EMP.  And, between the always pristine produce of Haskell's SIW Farms, just-out-of-the-water seafood and the double digit courses from my New York experience, it became a meal based on inspiration. 

THE CHEF’S TABLE

at the

UNIVERSITY and WHIST CLUB

of WILMINGTON

JULY 21, 2012

RECEPTION

ROCK SHRIMP

CORN

Mumm Cordon Rouge, Brut NV

Warm corn fritter with corn "butter" and baby basil.  Like the "grid" used to choose courses at EMP, I wanted the individual items to focus on only one ingredient and really sing.  The bi-colored corn from Haskell's was sticky with sugar when husked.

HORS D’OEUVRE

RABBIT TENDERLOIN and FIG

CRISP NORI, SOY GLAZE

Imagine the sweetness of fresh water eel; rabbit was wrapped in nori with fig jam and seared.  Sweetened soy and micro beet greens bridge the flavors

FIRST COURSE

MASSACHUSETTES ROCKFISH

CAVIAR SAMPLING, SHAVED KOHLRABI

Pascal Jolivet Sancerre, 2009

I've been doing a variation of a sashimi in this manner.  I don't like to duplicate Chef's Table dishes, but when the quality of fish is so superior, it's hard to treat the fish any other way.  Here three types of tobiko, and one of our own:  persimmon-yuzu beads had all the pop and salt of a real caviar, but with a burst of citrus.

SECOND COURSE

COLD WATER LOBSTER

HIJIKI SALAD, CELERY HEARTS,

Talbott, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, 2010

 Far tastier than it photographed, a sous-vide lobster tail is placed atop hijiki seaweed seasoned with sesame and lotus; braised celery hearts hide beneath, adding a mellow curry flavor, and a reduced lobster stock is emulsified and spooned over the completed dish.  The oak on the wine was subtle, but just enough to grab the nuttiness of the seaweed.

INTERMEZZO

PIMM’S CUP AND GINGER

 One of several inspirations from our dinner was this intermezzo based on a cocktail.  It contained the French spirit "Suze" (largely unavailable in the US) with Italian bitters, ginger and mint.  Our version was made with Pimm's Cup, cucumber water, fresh ginger and orange bitters.  Remarkably floral and refreshing.

MAIN

DUCK BREAST

APRICOT, FOIE GRAS, WHIPPED POTATO

Marchesi Antinori Badia a Passignano Riserva,

Chianti Classico, 2006

 Seared breast of duck with apricot glaze; torchon of foie gras, fava bean and foie gras whipped potatoes.  Toasted lemon thyme and fennel seed crust.  If I never have the lavender honey duck at EMP again, I'll always have this dish to remember it by.  

CHEESE

“SIW FARMS” TOMATOES AND WARM MOZZARELLA

MELON CARPACCIO, SMOKED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

 So, what's so special about a caprese salad?  When the mozzarella is made moments before it's served (and still warm), followed by heirloom toybox varietal tomatoes, sweet melon and smoked tomato vinaigrette, it becomes special.

DESSERT

“DANCE OF THE SUGARPLUMS”

FIG AND PLUM TARTLET, BUTTERMILK ICE CREAM

Moet et Chandon, Imperial, N.V.

 SIW Farms comes through again with sugar plums and figs, layered in buttery, rich pastry with a scoop of buttermilk ice cream (hiding) and cinnamon tuile.  Served warm, naturally.

MIGNARDISES

HAZELNUT ROCHER, STRAWBERRY COOKIE

 Next Month:  A Tribute to Julia Child

August 15 will have been Julia's 100th Birthday.  We'll be creating a special Chef's Table menu that pays tribute to the dishes and cuisine Julia popularized in her books and television cooking appearances.  

Spring Comes to Dinner

The Chef's Table at University Whist Club had been on hiatus, but last night it returned with a seasonal flourish. Here's what was on the table.

May 24, 2012

Reception

Lobster Medallions on Brioche with Strawberry-Mango Relish

Roast Beef and Lettuce Wrap with Jicama Slaw and Horseradish

Roederer L’Ermitage Brut, NV

Amuse Bouche

Black Bass Tiradito

finger limes, avocado, celery seed oil

Steeger St. Jost Riesling, Kabinett Halbtrocken Wingut,

Ratzenberger, 2010

Persimmon Vinegar and Mirin, Tangerine Lace and Pink Peppercorn

First Course

Southern Fried Soft-Shell Crab

smoked ham gravy

Darioush Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2010

The smell of this dish was intoxicating.

Second Course

Guinea Hen Breast and Foie Gras

summer truffles

Ponzi, Pinot Noir, Reserve, Willamette, Oregon, 2003

(not pictured) 

Intermezzo

Kumquat and Honey Sorbet

Main

Korean Style Beef Short Rib

pickled heirloom vegetables

Domaine Combier, Crozes-Hermitage “Clos des Grives”, 2009

Layers of flavor; rubbed, braised and then charred with bean paste.  The greens were the tops of the mini veg.

Cheese

Brillat Savarin and Mission Fig

toasted hazelnuts

Simple; delicious.

Dessert

Blackberry-Rhubarb Crepe

orange zest syrup

Roero Brachetto “Fosso della Rosa”, Giovanni Almondo, 2011

(not pictured)

Mignardises

Coffee-Chocolate tartlet and pistachio madeleine

Happy New Year

Farewell, 2011! 

It was another interesting year for food, celebrity cook-types, wine, The Phils and of course, music.

A VERY quick wrap of some of my 2011 favorites.  

Dinner at Amis after ONE of the blizzards in February.  Guinness Export: first time in the states since- 1940s? Dope.  Eleven Madison Park and Rotis cookbooks.  

In concert, Aimee Mann, OMD and English Beat.  On TV: Portlandia, Workaholics, and Beavis and Butthead.  

2011 Philadelphia Phillies- 102 wins, 5th consecutive NLE Championship.  And on that note, Vance Worley's pitching.  Wilson Valdez's winning pitching effort in the 19th against the Reds! What the WHAT? Cliff Lee's first major league HR.  Hunter Pence (Good Game! Let's Go Eat!).  And following it all on Twitter was pretty fun, too.  

Beer got more delicious.  Produce got more local.  Good cheese became more available.  In addition to my 4 year old's penchant for seaweed, olives, bacon, salmon, and soba, we added shrimp and octopus!  Three or four dozen delicious Sunday dinners at M&D's (right?).  

The Chef's Table revival at the UWC.  Shigoku oysters from the West Coast (holy mother of God- over the top).  Foie gras and shrimp toast together in one dish.  Scallop dumpling and squab consomme.  Amazing locally foraged mushrooms- and monstrous porcini from Oregon. Kabocha squash (don't know how I missed this).  Barely Buzzed coffee-rubbed cheddar from Bee-Hive Cheese Co.  And, home-made Orange Grappa from Italy.  

Domestic sparkling from Argyle in Oregon and Gruet in New Mexico.  Robert Stemmler Pinot Noir, Estate.  Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc. Mission Estate Pinot Noir.  Barricadiero, carried all the way back from Italy (MiMi!).  Just about every wine I drank from Moore Brothers, especially the wines from Mas Amiel.  

Gabrielle Hamilton's Blood, Bones and Butter and the return of non-fussy food. Amazon's Cloud Player and Kindle App. for the Android.  

I caved in and for the first time watched episodes of Top Chef: Texas and Harry Potter.  I liked both.  

To anyone I cooked with, ate with or drank with in 2011, I'm looking forward to lots more in 2012.