Thursday, December 4, 2014

Report from ... Beaujolais Burger and Gamay Luncheon - August 26, 2014

I think the title really says it all here, so let's get right to the pictorial evidence of the afternoon and the festivities ...

Arrival at the Food Dudes in Toronto ...
is this really where I'm suppose to be
Yup, this looks like the place ... whew
A peak at the menus of both the food and wines being presented today ...
at first glance it looks really good

A quick look at the Cru wines being poured as the first part of the event:
looks like Fleurie, Moulin a Vent, Brouilly and Morgon ... gotta love Gamay
The point to today's tasting is to show how well Beaujolais goes with food
Many foods ...
Being that I'm already a convert to the Gamay grape and Beaujolais wines,
I'm already eying up my spot at the table with great anticipation

A quick look at the map and a little learning about the region:
- 12 Appellations make-up the region
- 10 Crus in Beaujolais which take 6000 hectares of the 18,000 under vine
- it is the 3rd most well-known region in the world, behind Bordeaux and Champagne
The table is set and I'm ready to dig into
whatever the folks at the Food Dudes are dishing out
Chef and Head Dude, Dan Frenette (partner in the Food Dudes)
leads us through each "course" before the hands-on main is prepared
Grilled pizza dough, wild mushrooms, caramelized onion, rosemary goat cheese mousse,
mozzarella, lemon dressed kale, grana podano, balsamic glaze
Blueberry cured salmon served on a potato rosti with everything cream cheese,
pickled shallots and compressed cucumbers
Red beet risotto cake, basil and goat cheese mousse
with wine pickled beets
Rack of lamb lollipops, served with mint and pecan crumble
and a balsamic caviar honey mustard glaze
Then it is down to the kitchen for the hands-on burger making
with Dan Frenette leading us through it
It all starts with these ingredients
Hand-mixed in this bowl

Formed into perfect patties
Grilled on the big grill

And of course, flipped at the perfect moment ...
man I wish this picture was scratch and sniff
In the building of the burger will be these
oven dried tomatoes
Here is the finished burger ... and it was delicious

Served with a couple of Beaujolais delights
As for the wines - these were my Top 5

Arnaud Aucoeur 2012 Morgon "Cote du Py"
aromas of sour and black cherry with a touch of cassis
blueberry, cherry, and blackberry middle palate with lovely acidity
(****+)
Villa Ponciago 2012 Beaujolais Villages
lovely and fruity with great cherry through and through,
perfectly Beaujolais with so much fruit it sings in the mouth
(****+)
Maison Coquard 2012 Fleurie "Fleurs du Printemps"
violets mix with pretty cherry aromas, then comes the juicy,
fruity cherry palate with hits of that floral - simple and elegant
(****)

Domaine Richard Rottiers 2011 Moulin a Vent
nose is blueberry skin, touch earthy with cassis and black cherry;
palate shows black cherry with hints of cassis and anise
(*** 1/2+)
Chateau de St. Lager 2011 Brouilly
ripe red cherry and blueberry balanced with nice acidity and sour cherry
(*** 1/2+)
There was also a video made of the event by the folks who put it on ... just so you can see all the cooking in moveable action:  http://youtu.be/dkcIgLVxTkQ


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