Linda’s posterous

In September I'm going to hit a milestone. I'll be turning 50. And to celebrate, hubby and I will be opening this bottle of sherry that I've been holding on to for a few years. It's a 1959 Don PX (Pedro Ximenez) and it should be amazing! This should be the best thing about turning 50.

     

                                         

What a fantastic evening! Dinner at Matthew's is always a treat, but Bryan Page being there to present his wines made it that much more special.

For the first course we had Scallop and Mushrooms En Croute and Truffle Ramps Nage paired with Page "Le Nu" Chardonnay
The second course was Spring Morels with Asparagus and a Sherry Wine Emulsion paired with Revolver "Purgatory" Merlot
The third course: Five Spice Squab with Sweet Potato and Vanilla Date Puree paired with Revolver "The Fury" Cabernet Franc
The third course was Organic Beef Rib with Fois Gras-Spring Onion and Fiddlehead Ferns paired with Page Proprietary Red
And for dessert: Mint Chocolate Tart with Peppered Strawberry Salad and a Coco Lollipop paired with Page Stash

Everything was delicious!

           

This is Chef Dennis' last wine dinner for the season. He won't be doing another one until around September. But what a way to end a season!

The first course was Soft-shell Crab in Creamy Lobster Bisque paired with Gainey Sauvignon Blanc. Normally I'd think a Sauv Blanc would be too citrusy and vibrant for such a dish. But due to the 25% Semillon added to the wine, it gave it a nice, creamy mouthfeel and paired very nicely with the dish!

The second course was Coconut-Lemongrass Chicken with Thai-Basil Rice paired with Roshambo Imago Chardonnay. Chef Dennis' father picked the snow peas that garnished the rice that very morning, so they were very fresh. The chicken was tender, the rice was great, and the chardonnay was the perfect match.

The third course was Kansas City Pork "Rib" with Tortilla Slaw paired with Babich Pinot Noir. Several things to note about this course. First off, I'm not a fan of barbeque sauce. But this sauce on the pork was fantastic! It wasn't slathered on, which I think is what made it perfect for me. It was merely an enhancement to the meat. Secondly, I don't care for cole slaw. Again, Chef Dennis opened my eyes to a new possibility. It was the addition of the tortilla strips to a fresh mix of ingredients that made it perfect. And thirdly...the wine by itself was just okay. When paired with the pork, however, the smokiness of the sauce melded with the similar flavors in the wine. Delicious!

The fourth course was Katsu Ribeye with Yoghurt Cheese Stick and Shitake-Berry Compote paired with Rombauer Merlot and Bleasdale Shiraz. Can I just say...WOW! Two thumbs up on that pairing.

And last, but certainly not least, the dessert. Be careful not to drool here...Orange-Cream Cheese "Bear Claw" paired with Royal Tokaji Five Putonyos. Just look at the photo. I think it speaks volumes. It was even better than it looks in the photo. Flaky pastry, delicious filling, wonderful wine. Exceptional!

Many thanks for an enjoyable evening to the wonderful Blue Bamboo crew: Executive Chef Dennis Chan and Sous Chefs Michael Kimpland, Benjamin Combs, Christopher Eng, Lauren O'Grady, Shelby Cochrane and Tabatha Boone.

We're looking forward to September!

I just got asked to do a photography show featuring my "Fun With Corks" photo series. It will be Friday, April 24th at the Wine Warehouse at Atlantic Beach. I'm so tickled! Now I have to get busy and get some things framed.

                     

Chef Dennis Chan proved once again that he sets himself apart from the run-of-the-mill with another fantastic wine dinner. The wines were presented by Jay Godwin of Selected Brands. The menu:

Yam Cake with Savory Parmesan Creme paired with Star Tree Chardonnay - the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg?) in the yam cake were wonderful! The chardonnay was bright and vibrant, citrusy with a clean finish.

Grilled Pineapple and Crunchy Coconut Chicken Kebab paired with Springfield Estate wild Yeast Chardonnay - DElicious! And what a pairing! The pineapple in the kebab brought out the lovely tropical fruit flavors in the wine.

Jamaican Beef Patty paired with Star Tree Cabernet Sauvignon - this little thing packed a surprise punch. I tasted some spices, curry I think, but it didn't become apparent until almost after I'd finished it. Then my mouth sent out a 2 alarm call. No problem though, the Star Tree Cab quenched that fire. The cab had aromas of tar/asphalt and a little bit of a not-unpleasant zoo nose. Baked-fruit flavors and a full body. "Chewy" is a good word to describe it.

Flame-Charred Lamb Chop and Slow Simmered Stewed Carrots paired with Star Tree Syrah and Springfield Whole Berry Cabernet Sauvignon - there was a dipping sauce of Hickory smoked tomatoes, paprika, honey soy and dry BBQ that was just heaven. The lamb was cooked-to-perfection-rare and the carrots were simmered in a cabernet sauce. The syrah paired best with the lamb, and the cab with the carrots. It was the best. Words fail me. Really...you had to be there (and why weren't you???)

Pineapple Mango Dos Leches paired with Rudera Chenin Blanc Late Harvest - this is what my good friend JB calls a "moaner". 'Nuff said.

Thanks to Jay for showing some excellent wines, and to Executive Chef Dennis Chan and Sous Chefs Michael Kimpland, Max Vista, Christopher Eng, Lauren O'Grady, Alex Finley and Tabatha Boone for some spectacular cuisine!

Another fantastic wine dinner at Blue Bamboo. On the menu:

                             

Note: this wine was given to me as a gift.

I've been following the progress of a winemaker here on Posterous. Having owned a wine shop I would often leave tips and suggestions in the comments of his posts about various administrative aspects for his wine business. He thanked me by sending me a couple bottles. So here's my review.

"Plonk" is a British term for cheap or low quality wine. I can only assume that Michael (the winemaker) chose this name as an ironic gesture, because the first thing hubby said after his first sip was "this is anything but 'plonk'". And I have to agree. Plonk is a Syrah from the Paso Robles region of California. It's dark purple in color, almost inky black in fact. It has beautiful aromas of plums and dark fruits. The first thing I noticed on the palate was white pepper, followed by tangy, juicy ripe fruits. It has a nice, lengthy finish to it.

If this bottle is any indication of Michael's winemaking talents, I suspect he has a long future with Plonk.

I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight and we drank a bottle of Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2001 with it. We watched "Love in the Time of Cholera", and I have to say I was less than impressed with the movie. The plot was good, the acting was okay, but the old-age makeup job was pretty horrible. Fermina was supposed to be 72 years old, but her face had no wrinkles except around the eyes. Her cheeks were smooth as a baby's bottom. However, they managed to make her body look old, which didn't make sense.

Ah well, at least dinner and the wine were good :-D