Pecorino, pecorino.....and more pecorino
Customarily, I finish a pasta or even a risotto with a generous grating of Pecorino Romano rather than Parmesan. I love the earthy dimension this cheese adds to these dishes. However, Romano, my simple grating cheese, is only one style of Pecorino, a family of cheeses though differing in style are all made with sheep’s milk. Central Bottle Wine + Provisions recently offered a class that gave an in-depth look at this cheese family – in actuality, a feast of Pecorino. The outstanding selection was assembled by Central Bottle’s cheesemonger Stephanie Santos. Cheesemonger extraordinaire Matt Rubiner was to be a co-presenter of the class but car trouble left him stranded on the side of the Pike. However, Stephanie’s commanding knowledge of the cheeses enabled her to hold forth eloquently even in his absence. Pecorinos are made up and down the boot of Italy. The evening’s selections came from Sardinia, Tuscany, Campania and Sicily, ranging stylistically from young and fresh to aged to even smoked. The beer and wine selections – well received on their own and well paired with the cheeses – were a collaboration with Maureen Rubino, Central Bottle manager, and Liz Vilardi, resident wine guru, and featured both familiar Italian grapes and more esoteric varietals. The evening began on a casual note with Stephanie’s version of “Beer and Pretzels”, “Field Mouse’s Farewell” with Pecorino Pepato – Pecorino studded with peppercorns – the malt and grain in the ale playing wonderfully with the salt and spice in the cheese. And then it was on to serious tasting. Some highlights of the evening -
- While producers are important in the production of Pecorino, the “houses” or affineurs determine the quality of the cheeses – an old notion in Europe, only now gaining serious impetus in America. The two houses represented in the class – Guffanti and Casa Madaio – are the premier affineurs of Italian Pecorino.
- The most controversial cheese of the evening was the Fiore Sardo, a rustic smoked cheese that proved challenging to some. Yet the cheese’s extreme piquancy was mediated by the fruity, vibrant Argiolas Cannonau Rosato. ( Actually, I think the wine converted one of the guests to the pink side.)
- For those interested in pairing condiments with cheese, Stephanie accompanied the Ruffanti Marzalino with a wonderful New Zealand honey produced from the flowers of the rata tree. The honey is available at Follow the Honey in Harvard Square. Extremely delicious!
- My favorite pairing of the evening was the outlier. Right in the middle of the tasting was the incongruity of the class – a Pecorino from Bellweather Farm in Petaluma CA paired with the well oaked and ripe Chardonnay from Belle Pente in the Willamette Valley OR. Both were creamy and well balanced; together, it was the most elegant pairing of the class.
- While Stephanie’s choice of cheeses and her presentation made for a most informative and enjoyable class, an added bonus was the interaction of those attending. Class members spoke freely and animatedly about their likes and dislikes, what worked and what didn’t work – all resulting in a spirited conversation.
For those interested in deepening their knowledge of cheese, classes at Central Bottle provide the perfect opportunity – a relaxed friendly setting, well selected cheeses and spirits and a knowledgeable staff. The next class – a cheese and beer pairing – is happening on June 27th.
- The class selection
The cheeses and their accompaniments
Guffanti Pepato Siciliano with Pretty Things “Fieldmouse’s Farewell”
Guffanti Marzalino with Carfagna Ansonoco
Casa Madaio Cinerino with Valdiperti Fiano di Avellino
Bellweather Farms “San Andreas” with Belle Pente Chardonnay
Fiore Sardo with Argiolas Cannonau Rosato
Casa Madaio Calcagno with Sella e Mosca Cannonau
Guffanti Pecorino di Pienza Gran Riserva with Barbi Rosso di Montalcino
Central Bottle Wine + Provisions 194 Mass Ave Cambridge MA
by glenn and kristen on May 14, 2012
Frangipane Tart, Lemon Tart, Fruit Tart, Mascarpone Mousse Cup, Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake
GLENN – Once upon a time, brews got no respect – they were the Rodney Dangerfield of the spirits world. And food pairings incorporating beers? Beer and ale were only fit to accompany dogs and brats. Yet this scenario has now become clichéd. As the American craft beer movement gains momentum – elevating even venerable Belgium and German brews – new paradigms emerge. Beer dinners have become commonplace – various foods and beers do complement each other. Hipsters pair cheese with beer instead of that old standby wine (English plowmen were right). Restaurants have beer sommeliers. And now, here was an event pairing beer and dessert. When we were invited by Mindy Valone of CM Communications to be media guests at the beer and dessert pairing at Finale Desserterie and Bakery, I was intrigued. A guided tasting and discussion would be presented by Executive Pastry Chef Nicole Coady and Bryan Greene of the Craft Brewers Guild. Though I knew that I could handle the pastry portion of the evening and I’m certainly an enthusiastic beer drinker – the opportunity arose for our colleague, Kristen Sykes, to accompany me. Now Kristen, aka @BeerLady2, has craft beer bona fides – beer aficionado, avid home brewer, certified beer judge and founder of BABES (Boston Area Beer Enthusiasts). Now we had expertise on both fronts.
KRISTEN – When I was invited to join the Wine Dine With Us folks at a craft beer and pastry pairing, I jumped at the chance. I’ve led and participated in beer dinners and beer and chocolate pairings but never paired beer with pastry. There are over 100 styles of beer from light and wheaty, effervescent and hoppy, to dark and cloying. I was excited to see what styles Nicole and Bryan would pair with the pastry. I was also looking forward to sampling the local beers on offer, which included a brew from Maine and cider from New York. Truth be told, while the European beers selected were some of my favorites, it would have been great if the pairing included some of the more than a dozen local craft beers brewed in Boston or Massachusetts, many of which use local ingredients and are the freshest you can find anywhere!
GLENN – What makes a pairing succeed? It isn’t science or some culinary voodoo but rather taste – actual tasting – and actual trial and error. Factors such as acidity and sweetness play a part but a chef with an experienced palate, such as Chef Nicole Coady, will taste a wine or, in this case, a beer and decide what dessert may work with it. Further tasting of both beer and dessert together hones the final pairing. In planning this event, Byran Greene brought her a selection of beers to consider. As they sampled through them, Chef Coady would dash off to the pastry case and bring forth pastries that she felt were simpatico with the beer. Thus, a menu for the evening was created. For me, the desserts were all extremely well done and the beers all delicious. Two of the parings were outstanding. The first match-up of the evening, pairing cider with a frangipane tart, was excellent. The apple in the cider and the almond in the tart shone through. The cider, just a bit off dry, contrasted nicely with the slight bitterness of the almonds. My favorite pairing of the evening was between the German Aventinus – a Weissen Bock – and the mascarpone mousse cup. The beer highlighted the chocolate cup, the delicacy of the mousse contrasted with the heartiness of the brew but the pay off was the synergy between the beer and chocolate covered espresso bean. However, the pairing between the Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock and the mini chocolate peanut butter cupcake was also a strong contender for “Best of the Event”. The cupcake, though, was my favorite pastry: the chocolate cake moist and delicate (culinary note – Chef uses cake flour and both buttermilk and sour cream); the peanut butter icing extraordinary. In fact, one of my fellow bloggers inquired if the icing itself was available for purchase. For me, the evening pushed the boundaries of food and beverage pairing
KRISTEN – I agree with Glenn that the first pairing of the cider with the Fragipane Tart was well done. The cider, which uses Granny Smith apples, provided a tanginess that was complemented by the tartness of the raspberry that adorned the tart. The two types of champagne yeast used in the cider provided a dry finish that blended well with the bitterness of the almond in the tart. The second pairing of the lemon tart and the ever-popular Allagash White was a bit off. The velvetiness of the lemon tart was magnificent but bitterness of the beer could not match it. The alcohol of the beer was also a bit low (5%) for the intensity of the tart. Sam Calagione (founder of Dogfish Head Brewery) recommends in his book He Said Beer; She Said Wine that “creamy, sugary desserts such as lemon tarts should be paired with beers that are slightly higher in alcohol.” For future pairings I would recommend a beer around 7% ABV. I agree with Glenn that the pairing of the Aventinus with Marcapone Mousse Cup was well done. The rich, deep texture of this beer as well as its higher alcohol (8.2%) was well matched by the mousse. The pairing that stole the night for me was the Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock and mini chocolate peanut butter cupcake. The nuttiness of the peanut butter was a perfect match for the high alcohol brew (6.7%) and the dark fruit flavors of the beer were complimented nicely by the roastyness of the chocolate cupcake. Both Nicole and Bryan did a great job describing elements of the pastries and the beers. However, what was lacking was information on why a given beer was chosen for a given pastry, such as what elements the beer was meant to bring out of the pastry. This would have been educational and would have enhanced the parings even more!
The evening’s line-up
Exploring the World of Craft Beers
Original Sin Hard CiderPaired with a Frangipane Tart
Allagash WhitePaired with a Lemon Tart
Duvel Golden AlePaired with a Fresh Fruit Tart
AventinusPaired with a Mascarpone Mousse Cup
Ayinger Celebrator DoppelbockPaired with a Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake
by glenn and katrin on May 2, 2012
Languedoc – L’Aventure Languedoc
Languedoc , including Roussillon, is the largest wine producing region of not only France, but the world. However, only lately have sales of the region’s wines seen an uptick due to the increasingly favorable perception of the region. Though there have always been producers of quality wine here, the majority of wine was often poor plonk, much of it destined for the European wine lake. Now the situation is improving. Growers and winemakers, seeing the implications for them of the growing international wine trade, have started to turn the region around. Languedoc wines are both accessible and good value – key selling points for American wine buyers. To further promote the improved quality of Languedoc AOC wines, CIVL, the trade council representing these wines, is presenting for the first time L’Adventure Languedoc, a series of events for both consumers and the trade across the US. In Boston, the event was held at the Boston Conference Center, a wonderfully refurbished venue at the end of the Boston Fish Pier.
Since I’m a fan of the Piquepol grape, I was more than happy to have the opportunity to taste a variety of offerings from the appellation, Picpoul de Pinet, where the grape plays a starring role. The wines ranged from ultra racy to rich and full-bodied. My favorite of the lot was the 2010 Paul Mas Estates Picpoul de Pinet Grand Vin de Languedoc. In anticipation of summer, we zoomed in on rosés; my favorite the 2011 Château Sainte Eulalie Plaisir d’Eulalie Minervois. As for reds, I favored wines where Syrah was the dominant varietal. I thoroughly enjoyed the 2007 Pierre Gaillard Faugères Transhumance from the noted M. Gaillard, a vigneron based in the Northern Rhone but who now has a domaine in Languedoc. Also outstanding was the 2009 Hecht and Bannier Minervois. Katrin’s top five, in no particular order, were the 2009 Chateau Sainte Eulalie Minervois la Liviniére La Cantilene; the 2010 Paul Mas Estates Picpoul de Pinet Grand Vin de Languedoc; the 2007 Pierre Gaillard Faugères Transhumance; the 2011 Cave de Pomerols 100% Syrah – Sud de France Rosé; the 2011 Castelmaure Corbières Rosé.
Loire – Loire Valley Wines
The Loire Valley is no longer terra incognita to American wine buyers. Wines that have long been popular in France – Loire wines are the mainstay of the cartes de vin in French bistros – are now appreciated here and more easily found than ever. These wines represent a multitude of both white and red varietals and styles – racy or full-bodied whites, light or hearty reds, rosés both dry and off-dry and sparklers. Literally, in the Loire, there is something for every taste.
Like last year, the Loire Valley Wines trade show was held at the EMC Club at Fenway Park. Understandably, the venue competed with the wines, even more so since it was the day before the home opener. Yet, we were able to focus on the task at hand. First off, if ever we regretted not having an importer’s license, it was at this event. Most of the wines had no Massachusetts importers. And since we were merely press, our praise for the participants’ wines was faint indeed. We tasted racy Sauvignon Blancs with wonderful grapefruit zip; an obscure but delicious white varietal – Romorantin; both delicate Pinot Noirs and more robust iterations of this grape; spot-on renditions of Cabernet Franc; and sparkling Cremants de Loire that rivaled some Champagnes. We could taste but couldn’t buy out in the real world and consequently felt that we wouldn’t recommend wines unavailable in Massachusetts. Hopefully, some of these good quality wines found an importer and will be available in the future. At some point, we grabbed a glass of a particularly toothsome Cab Franc to savor and made our way to the outside seats to contemplate the Old Ballyard.
An interesting aspect of the show was the prominence – at least it seemed to us – of off-dry rosés. I initially felt this inclusion was misguided – Americans want dry wines. But do they? With the recent emergence of Muscat/Moscato, perhaps these rosés represent an emerging trend. And frankly, as one who doesn’t fear sugar, I found several quite captivating, perfect summer aperitifs.
Contemplating the Old Ballyard
by glenn on April 26, 2012
The Blue Ox 191 Oxford St. Lynn MA
One could watch the Food Network or attend a demo at Williams-Sonoma but the experience would not be particularly engaging but rather passive – couch potato passive and adoring audience passive. Frankly, one needs more zip in one’s culinary life and what better avenue to culinary engagement than attending a cooking demonstration with Chef Matt O’Neil at the Blue Ox in Lynn. Chef O’Neil periodically presents an evening’s program which offers a three course prix fixe menu during which he demo’s the main course. The Dinearound of which I’m a member has been to three of these demonstrations – the evening, thanks to Chef O’Neil’s entertaining yet highly informative teaching style, is that engaging. And, did I mention, the food is excellent. For a recent demonstration, Chef O’Neil created a dish using wild striped bass with a vegetable medley featuring several spring vegetables. (When I hear the phrase “vegetable medley” I think of those restos I worked in where uninspired chefs would offer sliced zucchini, yellow squash and carrots as a vegetable medley du jour. Not so here at the Blue Ox.)
Chef O’Neil’s dishes are just a bit complex. The striped bass dish featured not only the fish but the vegetable ragout upon which it sat and the tomato and chervil salad with truffle dressing which it was topped. But Chef deconstructed the whole creation into manageable components for the home chef. He began by talking about the spring vegetables he was using and how to prep them ahead of time. For those unfamilar with ramps or fresh fava beans, time to listen up. Next he discussed the striper – what to look for when buying the fish, how to breakdown a large piece into serving portions and then prepare those for cooking. Then onto the salad. For those unfamilar with chervil and truffles and truffle oil, he provided the lowdown. While he prepared the various components, we began the first course, the deeply flavored corn and crab chowder. Chef O’Neil never misses a beat – the dialogue and cooking are non-stop. While creating good cuisine may be paramount, communicating culinary information and technique is essential.
At the beginning of the demo, Chef recommended two wines, both California chardonnays. Actually, though, I wanted to try the Paul Hobbs “Crossbarn” which proved to be an excellent companion to both the chowder and the main course. And that main course? The fish was perfectly cooked with extra crispy skin; the vegetable medley a fresh taste of spring; and finishing the dish, the earthy tomato and truffle salad. The tart provided a sweet - but not too sweet - finish; though local strawberries and rhubarb are available at different times, we often think of this dessert as essential springtime.
For a bit of culinary education and adventure, get out of the city. Like Worcester, there’s life in Lynn – and it’s well worth the trip.
The next demo is May 22nd and seats are quite limited. More info here.
1st course
Corn & Crab Chowder
cilantro, mint
2nd course
Wild Striped Bass
sautéed ramps, fava beans, English peas, diced potato, chervil, tomato & truffle salad
3rd course
Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
vanilla sauce, whipped cream
by glenn on April 19, 2012
- The evening’s fare
The Evening’s Featured Pairings
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2006 Jackson Triggs Vidal (Niagara, Canada) – Finale’s Signature Cheesecake
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2009 Renwood Amador Ice Wine (California) – Strawberry Frangipane Tart
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2006 Selaks Marlborough (New Zealand) – Key Lime Tart
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2009 Cooper Mountain Vin Glacé (Willamette Valley, Oregon) – Lemon Tart
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2006 Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine (Niagara, Canada) – Crème Brulée
Winemakers have a repetoire of tricks to turn a sow’s ear of a wine into a silk purse commodity. Adding sugar to underripe grapes, removing water from thin bodied wines, removing alcohol from wines made from overly ripe grapes – all tricks of the hacker’s trade. Yet, in the case of ice wines, the greatest manipulater of all is Nature. By allowing already ripe grapes to hang on the vine until they freeze, the water inside the grapes crystallizes into ice and when pressed, the ultra-ripe grapes yield a concentrated juice. Where freezing temperatures are fickle or even non-existent, the grapes can be harvested late and then frozen mechanically. The resulting wine is ambrosial – full-bodied, sweet and acidic – the perfect partner to desserts and some cheeses.
As part of the ongoings series of special tastings at Finale Desserterie and Bakery, Chef Nicole Coady with the assistance of Tracy Burgess of HMS Walker presented an evening of Ice Wines paired with Finale’s outstanding desserts. I was fortunate to be invited by Mindy Valone of CM Communications to be a media guest. The evening began with Tracy giving an interesting and concise ”Ice Wine 101″. Chef Coady then explained the process she uses of matching wines with her desserts – tasting a wine and then pairing it with any number of items until she finds the best partners. Ice wines with their elevated levels of sugar and acidity marry well with desserts that are likewise sweet but also rich – think butter, eggs, cream. Moreover, desserts with high acidity also stand up well to the wines.
The ice wines chosen for the evening showcased the broad stylistic range of these wines. The two wines from Canada both made with the North American hybrid grape Vidal Blanc were traditional – harvested while frozen. The other three made with European varietals were mechanically frozen. And what a diverse lot! The Renwood Amador made in the Sierra Foothills is a blend of Zinfandel, Barbera and Viognier – ripe red fruit and a hint of peach. The Selaks Marlborough blends Reisling and Gewurtraminer for a particularly floral and citrus nose. The Cooper Mountain is straight Pinot Gris imparting a wonderful aroma of apples. The Inniskillin was the star of the evening – unctous and august. All the wines complimented or contrasted with the desserts with which they were paired. The Jackson Triggs highlighted the acidity and the creaminess of the cheesecake. The pretty pink Renwood worked well with the nuttiness of the frangipane and the sweetness of the strawberry. The Selaks and the Key Lime Tart – both sweet but tart - underscored the fruity raspberry component of the dessert. The Cooper Mountain and Lemon Tart produced a certain piquant but mellow experience. The Inniskillin and Crème Brulée were stellar – the acidity of the wine elevating the richness of the custard. The success of these pairings also lies in matching the level of sweetness in both dessert and wine.
An event at Finale is quite engaging. After introducing each wine and dessert combo, Chef Coady and Tracy would then go table-to-table discussing the pairing and its components with the guests. This interaction added a welcome personal touch to the evening.
The next special tasting events at Finale are quite intriguing – pairing craft beers with desserts. More info available on the website.
by glenn on April 6, 2012
From left to right - Greta's Fair Haven, Drunk Monk, Barely Buzzed, Vermont Shepherd, Point Reyes Blue
The Class Pairings
“Greta’s Fair Haven” – raw goat’s milk, Massachusetts + “Brettanomyces Lambicus“, Germany
”Drunk Monk” – raw cow’s milk, Connecticut + Sierra Nevada “Torpedo”, California (bonus cheese – “Dutch Farmstead”, Connecticut)
”Barely Buzzed” – pasteurized cow’s milk, Utah + “Cody’s Original North Shore Amber Ale”, Massachusetts
“Vermont Shepherd” – raw sheep’s milk, Vermont + Pretty Things “St. Botolph’s Town”, Massachusetts
”Point Reyes Blue” – raw cow’s milk, California + North Coast “ Old Rasputin”, California
Cheese and beer?
Shouldn’t that be cheese and wine?
The paradigm is cheese + wine = high brow whereas cheese + beer = low brow. Yet the paradigm has become worn, clichéd, all fusty and so twentieth century. With a burgeoning American artisanal cheese movement producing cheeses that rival or even surpass those of Europe and a burgeoning American craft beer movement, the time has come to consider cheese and beer as partners for pairing.
With this intent, Stephanie Santos, cheesemonger, and Dinah MacPhail, beer geek, presented the class “Cheese + Beer” at Central Bottle Wine + Provisions.
The tasting began with a bloomy rind goat cheese, “Ada’s Fair Haven”, paired with the sour and acidic German Lambic and concluded with the “Point Reyes Blue” paired with the august Imperial Stout, “Old Rasputin”. All cheeses in the tasting were from American producers. Some like the iconic David Major and Vermont Shepherd were in the forefront of the American artisanal cheese movement and others like Beehive Creamery in Utah are relative newcomers. Regardless of the cheesemaker’s tenure, all the cheeses were well crafted and revealed great depths of flavor. Credit must be given to Stephanie Santos who, due to her experience in fine dining, knows when a cheese is perfectly ripe and ready to be savored. With the exception of the Lambic, all brews were American and like the cheeses were made by both pioneers in the craft beer phenomena – Sierra Nevada - and recently emerging brewers – and local darlings – Pretty Things. Dinah MacPhail’s choices were spot on for the cheeses being tasted.
During the tasting, both presenters explained their rationale behind each pairings, elaborated on both the cheeses and the beers and then invited conversation about the match-ups.
And the verdict? There were converts in the class – beer and cheese ARE made for each other. That lowly ploughman’s lunch – farmhouse cheddar and a pint of bitter – can now be a thing of elevation. As for myself, I was converted awhile ago and it was heartening to see others embrace the idea that cheese and beer can be perfect partners.
Thanks to both Stephanie and Dinah for presenting such an interesting, informative and well curated class.
All cheeses and brews from the tasting are available at
Central Bottle Wine + Provisions 196 Mass Ave Cambridge MA
by glenn and katrin on March 29, 2012
Pairing Menu for Valrhona Chocolate and Port Tasting
White Chocolate Mousse Cup made with Valrhona Ivoire
Croft Pink
Milk Chocolate Mousse Cup made with Valrhona Jivara
Taylor 20 Year Old Tawny
Praline Feuilletine made with Valrhona Noisette Noir
Taylor 30 Year Old Tawny
Manjari Mini Pastry made with Valrhona Manjari
Warre’s 1999 LBV
Whoopie Pie made with Valrhona Guanaja
Graham’s “Six Grapes” Reserve Porto
GLENN – Chef Nicole Coady loves – really loves – Valrhona chocolate. Considered to be one of the world’s foremost chocolates, Chef Coady uses it to perfection in the desserts she creates for Finale. As part of the special tasting events she offers at the desserterie, she recently conducted a tasting of desserts incorporating Valrhona paired with assorted Ports. I say “conducted” since the event was very much a class in chocolate and its manufacture – an odyssey from ugly cacao pod to heavenly couverture - accompanied by samples of Chef Coady’s desserts which illustrate the range of Valrhona chocolates from white to bittersweet. The Ports she chose to pair with each dessert also represented a wide range – from the new-style Croft Pink to Ruby and Tawny. We were fortunate to be invited by Mindy Valone of CM Communications to be media guests at this chocolicious event.
KATRIN – Chef Coady’s excitement and energy is contagious, especially when it comes to chocolate and creating truly sublime desserts.
GLENN – As I said we were to some extent “in school” – but what a school! We were first offered a plate of the five type of chocolate used in the evening’s desserts - a piece of Valrhona to compare and contrast with a piece of the same type of chocolate from another manufacturer. This enabled us to discern the flavors in each of the chocolate’s unadulterated state. 
Next we tasted the dessert made from that chocolate and the accompanying port.Then the decision – did the pairing work for us or not. During our tasting, Chef Coady related her rationale for choosing a specific chocolate for a specific dessert and the extent to which she goes to get it right which means unacceptable desserts get trashed, expensive trash considering the price of chocolate.
KATRIN - Chef Coady makes the most incredible chocolate mousse. Both the white chocolate mousse and milk chocolate mousse were light as air, ethereal, smooth, and not overly sweet. Even though these delicate concoctions are simply divine, I would have a hard time picking out a favorite among the pairings. The flavors of the praline feuilletine and the 30 Year Old Tawny were fabulous together, but the super sweetness of the feuilletine made it difficult to eat more than one bite. The whoopie pie, though, left an impression and I can’t wait to go back and have it again. A light crispness on the outside and a soft, dense outside (kind of like a slightly undercooked brownie) with a light vanilla cream filling. Wow!
GLENN – Of the five pairings, two really stood out for me. First, the milk chocolate mousse paired with the 20 year old Tawny. The mousse, made with Valrhona Jivara, had none of the insipidness often associated with milk chocolate. Actually, it had a somewhat robust flavor that paired well with the elegance of the Port. The last pairing was for me the highlight of the evening. Chef’s Coady’s whoopie pie is spectacular. Though based on the bittersweet Valrhona Guanaja, Chef Coady rounds out the flavor with other chocolates. The result is a dessert with a substantial chocolate depth. Paired with this was the Graham’s “Six Grapes”, the lively fruit of the wine marrying exceedingly well with the rich chocolate.
KATRIN – Another fun, and tasty, event at Finale. Though overall I enjoyed it very much, there were a couple of things that I wish were different. First, at the last tasting of Bubbles and Bites, Chef Coady was accompanied by Jon Sherman, who talked about the wines that were being poured. I wondered how many attendees were familiar with Port and the different styles that are made. His knowledge would have complemented the lesson in chocolate, since Chef Coady did not really speak at all about the Ports. My second point is the pacing of the program. As I mentioned, Chef Coady is great at talking to all the tables, but there were a lot of attendees and there was significant time between pairings, making the evening drag on a bit.
Upcoming event at Finale that are of particular interest to dessertophiles are an ice wine and dessert tasting and a craft beer and dessert tasting. Details on the website.
