Wine Evenings at Restaurant 114 Faubourg St. Honore

By Paige Donner

At the epicenter of chic, where rue Fbg. St. Honoré meets Avenue Matignon in the shade of Paris’s Élysée gardens, is where you will find the restaurant 114 Faubourg.
As part of Le Bristol Hotel, but with a separate entrance and in an adjoining building, the lunch and dinner restaurant headed up by chef Eric Desbordes along with his chief Sommelier, Marco Pelletier, is altogether a destination unto itself.

Tomes can and likely will be written about the talented young chef’s French cuisine, but focus here is on the restaurant’s once-monthly Wine Tasting Evenings, held the first Monday of the month, to be precise.

In a city that gathers the best wines of one of the best wine-producing countries in the world, there is an unexpected and surprising dearth of good wine-tasting evenings organized for the amateur/enthusiast and/or the visiting tourist. A once-monthly excellent wine and tailored food-pairing evening open to 25 guests is hardly going to make a dent in what should be a huge demand for this type of food and wine evening event, but, at least it’s a start…

Marco Pelletier, an adoptive Parisian whose authentic Canadianisms pepper his oenological descriptions and explanations, shines as the evening’s champion organizer. He not only invites the winemakers to Paris so they can talk about their “treasures,” but also curates his wines with that delicate care that only a professional with great passion and reverence for his metier can muster.

Evenings start at around 7:30 with a tasting flight of four wines during which the winemaker shares tales about the vintages he’s pouring. The 114 Faubourg team takes care of hosting duties, which allows these extraordinary cultivators of French wines to simply elaborate the stories of their wines in the company of the people who have come to sip and savor their particular expressions of terroir.

According to Pelletier, there is no commercial element to the evening. The winemakers are not honored guests invited to “sell” their wines. “They just come to share the story behind the wines and vintages being poured for the evening. The winemakers are often small producers that I’ve usually already chosen to feature and work with or who have already worked with Le Bristol for a long time,” explains Pelletier. “These are the ‘Haute Couture’ of winegrowers.”

Article Author: Paige Donner 

Writer, Journalist, Filmmaker. Life Enthusiast. Paris Editor for BlackBook City Guides.

Read more: http://technorati.com/lifestyle/travel/article/wine-evenings-at-restaurant-114-rue/#ixzz1w6g4Kbg5

Plaza Athénée’s Alpine Pop-Up Restaurant

From the 28th of February to 10th March, Paris’s Hotel Plaza Athénée invites you to experience their Alpine-inspired Pop-Up restaurant.

Cuisine is inspired by the Rhone-Alpe region of France known as the Haut-Savoie with its Savoyarde regional cuisine. Think hearty, mountain cooking for cold nights and white winters!

The Wine Yacht

“We wanted to put our own unique spin on traditional food and wine pairing concepts” says Chef Natasha Harris.“Clients who book the yacht will be able to show their guests Vancouver from a new perspective, while learning about interesting wine and food combinations using local ingredients. It’s a great opportunity to showcase our city and what we are privileged to have here.” 

Created by Sunset Bay’s ISG accredited Executive Chef Natasha Harris, The Wine Yacht’s interactive group tasting sessions are designed to provide clients with an informative and unique custom tasting event while on board the “Sunset Bay II” private yacht. Each tasting station features premium wine varietals from BC and around the world, paired with small plates inspired by the corresponding wine’s region.

Insider Guide to the 8th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival

Sponsored Post

SAM THE COOKING GUY WANTS YOU TO CHECK OUT HIS INSIDER GUIDE TO THE FESTIVAL! San Diego’s beloved Sam the Cooking Guy has created a list of tips to help you master the 8th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival! As a seasoned Festival veteran for the last 7 years, Sam knows a thing or two about the event and wants to give you a sneak peak into the action-packed culinary week that only a foodie could appreciate.  Discover insider tips, top picks and must-sees at this year’s Grand Tasting.  CLICK HERE to view Sam’s full Insider Guide to the Festival.      Click PLAY to watch Sam the Cooking Guy mention the 2011 San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival   *LOCAL FOOD AND WINE * TWITTER.COM/LOCALFOODWINE FACEBOOK/LOCALFOODANDWINE Follow us On Tumblr  * Follow Us On Twitter * Like Us On Facebook ♥Chérie Du Vin

Champagne Bars In Paris – Top Picks On Black Book Magazine by Paige Donner

By Paige Donner 

[Originally published on Black Book Magazine]

Black Book – Best Champagne Bars Paris by Paige Donner screenshot Oct 4 2011

Read More On  Black Book Magazine

Fête de la Gastronomie

Foreword FROM THE MINISTER

The Fête de la Gastronomie is a festival that is not to be missed, and it will be taking place on the first day of autumn [Sept 23rd]. It will also have its own theme, uniting all the different events and initiatives taking place throughout the country. This year we have chosen Our Earth, because it generously allows us to work it, harvest its fruits, and use them for our food. Because man and earth are inseparable. More INFO

Everywhere you look there is something to do with gastronomy: in the media, in the increasingly imaginative dishes available in our restaurants…as though the whole idea were something new, whereas in fact it is no more than a tradition in a constant state of renewal, very much alive, and one that makes the most of our country’s dynamism, the foods we produce, and what we do with them. 

Gérard Bertrand Annual Jazz Fest Weekend, Sud de France

All photos by Paige Donner c. 2011.

The Gérard Bertrand annual Jazz Fest took place August 4th – 8th this summer at Château l’Hospitalet in Narbonne.  These photos are taken at Château l’Hospitalet just outside Narbonne.

To read more about Gérard Bertrand wines, his annual summer Jazz Fest and hisL’Art de Vivre Les Vins Du Sud, click on Gerard-Bertrand.com.

Watch the Local Food And Wine TV interview of Gérard Bertrand at his Cigalus Estate HERE.

Full Slideshow on Local Food And Wine.

Château l’Hospitalet. Festival de Jazz. Photos by Paige Donner c. Local Food And Wine.

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L’Avant Comptoir, Odéon, Paris

By Paige Donner

Small plates are a Spanish thing. They’re known as Tapas and they’re a great way to share a meal with friends. It’s also a great way to do wine tastings when you can share the bottles with a group or taste by the glass.

French “small plates” dining wasn’t heard of in Paris until L’Avant Comptoir opened its doors next to Le Comptoir du Relais, a restaurant that boasts a 6-month waiting list for reservations. But no reservations are needed here at L’Avant Comptoir. It’s the place to come before lunch or dinner to get an “appetizer.”

Hors d’oeuvres, however, is not what I would call these small plates. Out of respect for Chef and Proprietor Yves Camdeborde, I won’t call them French Tapas but I do think of them that way.

When I’m in Paris on assignment, there’s often no time to sit down to a meal. So I’ve gotten into the habit of popping into the closet-sized, standing-room-only boudoir of Basque-and Bearnais -inspired deliciousness where I can eat a couple plates like seared fois gras on a skewer, a wooden cutting board covered with amazing Carpaccio de Boeuf, wash it all down with a glass of Saint Chinian – or whatever the chef recommends to me that day – and am out the door in under 10 Euro and less than 20 minutes. (I even ate Boudin there once – and liked it!)

Of course, when I had a friend visiting recently, a pal who can’t pronounce Si’il Vous Plait to save his life but knows good food and has the charm to get what he wants, always, I had to drag him there. Compared to several sit-down, expensive meals, after an evening spent eating at L’Avant Comptoir, squashed between the elbows of our fellow gourmands-on-a-budget and up against the long pewter counter laden with fresh bread and the best butter in Paris, my Food Dude buddy couldn’t stop raving. We would have been back there for lunch and dinner and snacks every day if he had had his way. Every day!

The great thing, too, for Non-French speakers is that there are pictures of all the small plates hanging right above your head, in addition to the day’s specials, that you can mutely point to and you’re still sure to get what you want.

A Franco-American we chatted up there one evening confessed that L’Avant Comptoir is his favorite place in Paris because it’s the only place, he said, where people will talk to you openly and unreservedly.

This place just plain rocks. Once you go there, you will keep coming back AND it will always be on your Top 5 Paris Picks. Bon appetit!

L’Avant Comptoir, 9 carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006, Paris; 011-33-8-2610-1087. No reservations. Open daily.

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Beka’s 100% Chef Eco Logic

by: Paige Donner

 After taking a series of cooking classes in Paris last Winter, I realized that it was time to have some dinner parties chez moi to show off my new masterful (!) cooking skills. So when I realized that my one pan large enough to fry one egg in wouldn’t suffice for my dinner guests, I went shopping for new pots and pans.

The first thing I noticed was that since I’d last scoured the market, a whole new line of cookware had made its presence known on the store shelves. The most intriguing of these are the ceramic-lined cookware. I first did some window shopping in various department and specialty cooking stores and then placed my order with Beka whose Eco Beka line of 100% “Chef Eco-logic” line of ceramic-lined pots and pans had merited the 2009 prestigious Design Plus Award.

To really test the efficacy of the both products, I ordered one pan the identical size of the one pan I already had. My old pan was teflon-lined steel – not a cheap version but just last generation pan. The new shiny white pan from Eco Beka came lined with a beautiful slate gray ceramic.

It heats super fast, the hollow handle, metal, stays cool when cooking, I use a tiny drop of oil for non-stick and to steam vegetables I only use a 1/3 of the water.

What makes Eco Beka so efficient not to mention aesthetic?

• 100% environmentally friendly and worldwide exclusive treatment of eco hardened aluminum surfaces.
• PTFE and PFOA-free thanks to the water-based ceramic coating.
• No release of toxic substances – neither in production, nor when overheating.
• Natural color of the pan is preserved: no chemical dyes used
• Hollow, thermal handle: Fewer materials used which benefits the environment (this keeps the handle cool, unless used in the oven).
• Beka makes a whole range of Eco Beka. Take a look at the line of pots, pans and casseroles online.  

And two more things:  Super easy cleanup of the nonstick surface. Also, I swear that the fact that they sponsor the Top Chef  TV show had no bearing on my decision to purchase Chef Eco-logic 100%. After all, I’m not a Top Chef, I just pretend to be one when I’m cooking at home.

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Vegas Uncork’d ‘Toques Off to Paul Bocuse’ May 7

LAS VEGAS (April 2011) – Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit today released new details regarding “Toques Off to Paul Bocuse,” the lavish, multi-course dinner to be held Saturday, May 7, at MGM Grand. Joining previously announced chefs, Alain Ducasse, Hubert Keller, Joël Robuchon and Julian Serrano, will be Jean-Philippe Maury, Michael Mina, Bradley Ogden, Roland Passot, André Renard, Jacques Torres and J. Joho, all of whom will prepare delectable courses for this unforgettable evening.

Collectively, this group represents the brightest constellation of award-winning chefs gathered to prepare a formal meal. In honor of Bocuse and his giving spirit, Southern Nevada charity partners have been named as beneficiaries of the evening: Keep Memory Alive (the non-profit organization that supports Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, founded by Larry Ruvo, senior managing director of Southern Wine & Spirits) and the Wirtz Beverage Group’s culinary programs and scholarships at the College of Southern Nevada.

“This unprecedented event makes an important statement about Las Vegas as a culinary destination and Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit’s appeal not only to food lovers, but to the world’s greatest chefs themselves,” said Adam Rapoport, editor-in-chief, Bon Appétit. Uniting this stellar group of chefs is a shared admiration and appreciation for legendary chef Paul Bocuse. Creator of the Bocuse d’Or—the world’s most prestigious international culinary competition held annually in Lyon, France—Chef Bocuse has influenced generations of chefs around the world and multitudes of gastronomes they serve.

The evening’s program promises “Toques Off” attendees a momentous culinary experience set amidst evocative surroundings reminiscent of Paul Bocuse’s landmark French restaurants. Upon arrival at 7 p.m., guests will be greeted by an exceptional cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception featuring stations helmed personally by chefs J. Joho, Hubert Keller, Shawn McClain, Bradley Ogden and Julian Serrano. At 8 p.m., the doors to an elegantly appointed ballroom will open, where a meticulously conceived and prepared, four-course dinner, prepared by an impressive array of superstar chef pairings, awaits.

Chef duos already announced include Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon, who will prepare a cold appetizer, and Michael Mina and Roland Passot, who will present the entrée. Created exclusively for the evening’s program, a retrospective of Paul Bocuse’s life and illustrious career will be complemented by in-person anecdotes shared by his colleagues and friends. Concluding the evening, an elaborate dessert reception by renowned pâtissiers Jean-Philippe Maury and André Renard, as well as chocolatier Jacques Torres, will delight guests, leaving them with sweet memories of an evening spent in the company of culinary royalty.

Rob O’Keefe, executive director, Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit, adds, “Only the most exciting culinary destination in the world would dream of pulling off a tribute of this scale. We’re honored to pay homage to this icon of international gastronomy and delighted to be able to do so here in Las Vegas.” ABOUT VEGAS UNCORK’D BY BON APPÉTIT: Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit is a unique, four-day culinary extravaganza featuring 25 intimate luncheons, dinners, tastings and other immersive and entertaining culinary experiences.

Year after year, Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit draws gourmands, luxury travelers and extraordinary chefs from around the globe to Las Vegas, all lured by the prospect of partaking in this epic foodie extravaganza. Its five partner resorts include Bellagio, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Wynn | Encore; the event is made possible by its title sponsor, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, major sponsors Travelocity, Infiniti and other national brands. Among the famous names joining Bon Appétit magazine Editor-in-Chief Adam Rapoport at this year’s events are chefs Paul Bartolotta, Tom Colicchio, Alain Ducasse, Hubert Keller, Michael Mina, Rick Moonen, Bradley Ogden, Francois Payard, Joël Robuchon, Guy Savoy, Julian Serrano, Alex Stratta and many more. To purchase tickets, visitwww.VegasUncorked.com.

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Taste, taste and taste some more!

by Lauren Horlock

Lauren is the Winemaker at Hillier Creek Estates, Prince Edward County, Ontario www.hilliercreekestates.com

I love my job as a winemaker. People often say that they are jealous of what I get to do, and I don’t blame them- I get paid to drink wine! Well, sort of…

As a winemaker, the most important tools that I use in the winery are my sense of taste and smell. On a typical morning at work, you can easily find me glass in hand, tasting all of the tanks and barrels of wine.

I like to taste early in the morning because that is when my senses are the sharpest. Occasionally my boss or the vineyard manager will walk in and see me holding a glass of wine at 8:00am. They usually just shake their heads at me, but it never takes long before they too will have a glass in hand and are joining me for a tasting.  I bet I am one of the rare employees who are expected to have a corkscrew in my desk drawer.

I regularly taste my wines to look for any issues that may be developing, or to simply decide what I want to do next. When I taste, I first look at the wines clarity: it should be bright and clear in the glass without any haze or particles. The aromatics should be fresh and clean; the taste, pleasantly balanced on the palate. I do a lot of testing with my lab equipment, but the only way I know if a wine is ready to bottle is when I can’t put the glass down.

Some of my favourite wine tasting experiences take place outside of the winery. Last week I was able to take a road trip to my old stomping grounds in Niagara, where I was invited to help judge the prestigious Cuvee wine competition.

At first, I was a little intimidated and worried about attending. I felt a bit like an outsider, being the only County girl among 60 Niagara winemakers, but everyone was very friendly, and curious to know what their little brother wine region was up to. I warned them not to get too comfortable because we are growing fast with 35 wineries to date.

During the cuvee judging I had to (but wasn’t forced to) spend the entire day tasting some of the best wines in Ontario. We started at 8:30am and ended at 5:30 that evening. A total of 260 wines were entered into the competition. I never thought that tasting wine could be so exhausting! I spit out every taste, which I hated to do, but I wanted to be able to remember the experience and I knew it would be tough, even for me, to drink that much wine in one sitting.

During the tasting, I was lucky to sit next to two great winemakers. On my right was the charming winemaker from Peller Estates, Lawrence Buhler, and on my left, Sue Ann Staff, who I was able to chat up about her experiences opening her own winery in Niagara. I could definitely learn a lot from both of these people.

This is just one of the many great events that I am able to experience as a winemaker. I really couldn’t imagine doing any other occupation. Spending my days tasting wine is a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it!

[Read More from Lauren Horlock on her BLOG]

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Poule au Pot, Le Meurice

Poule au Pot

posted by Paige Donner

Le Meurice, the original Parisian Palace hotel, story reflects the history of France as well as Paris’cultural and gastronomic heritage…In 2009, Le Meurice’s 3 Michelin-starred Executive Chef Yannick Alléno launched his new “Terroir Parisian” menu, where all the ingredients are sourced locally, paying tribute the Ile-de-France region and its supplier.

Today it is now the turn of Camille Lesecq, voted Pastry Chef of the Year, to honour the Parisian roots with a delicious and original unique idea to celebrate Easter; the “Poule au Pot”! The “Poule au Pot” was originally instituted as the national dish of France by French King Henry IVwho wished that even the most humble of french families in his kingdom could at least have a’Poule-au-Pot’ on Sundays.

The pot was a large dish hanging above the fireplace, in which families would cook whatever came into their hands, “at the luck of the pot.” This chicken, which possible originally came from the Gâtinais area of France, now appears in theprestigious kitchens of 228 Rue de Rivoli and has been given back its glamour thanks to the talented Camille Lesecq.

Colourful, imaginative and amusing; the chicken’s plump beak is an invitation to taste! The body ismade from white chocolate and is decorated with vegetables made from almond paste, which inspires lovers of French tradition as well as delights and surprises children with its playful, creative design.

Through his passion for deserts, Camille Lesecq transmits the conviviality and authenticity of french cuisine and adds a touch of subtlety, humour and glamour. The “Poule au Pot” will be available at Le Dali restaurant from Monday 18 April until 25 April 2011, priced at 29 euros.

Reservations can be made at: 0033 1 44 58 10 44. The Poule au Pot by Camille Lesecq.

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Paris Chefs Embrace Local Food

Chef Yannick Alleno, Le Meurice, Triple Michelin Starred

Posted By Paige Donner

Several of Paris’s Starwood Group Hotels, in addition to independently-owned restaurants and cafes have dedicated their Spring menus to using exceptional, locally Ile-de-France sourced ingredients. Local here is defined as originating no farther than 200 km. outside of Paris. This both supports Ile-de-France regional growers and eliminates much of the negative environmental impact that long-distance transportation of food products requires.

At the Paris restaurants: L’Orénoc duMéridien Étoile,  the First at the Westin Paris-Vendôme and the Étoiles at the Sheraton Paris-Charles de Gaulle, you will find these specially crafted “Local” gastronomic menus that are being served in their main dining rooms, for room service and even for conferences and meetings.

In addition, at Le Meurice, the triple-Michelin-starred Chef Yannick Alléno has created a “mythical and savory” menu which he has dubbed « Terroir Parisien® » that he is serving for his lunch time guests.  A range of products he has sourced from nearby Ile-de-France villages including mint from la Forêt (52 km).

Similarly the new trendy Lafayette Organic on Grands Boulevards is featuring all organic produce and products from Ile de France. And if you choose to dine at the restaurant, Chez Bruno, you will have the chance to enjoy artisan coldcuts from Michel Ballereau,  of Sceaux (14 km), farm-raised chicken from Pouligny à Jouy in Morin (76 km), and fresh cheeses from the 30 Arpents Farm in Favières (41 km). And that’s not all, you will also get to try local honey from beekeeper Rémy Vanbremeersch and Carl Marletti’s artisanale pâtisseries. And when you find yourself in the Denfert Rochereau quarter with an appetite for some local flavor, stop in at Ghislaine Arabian’s restaurant, Les Petites Sorcières, where she is spotlighting the local produce of Claude and Catherine Gallienne from Neuville (67 km), and the fresh-baked breads of Parisien Jean-Luc Poujauran.

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Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival March 28th to April 3rd

VINESTARS OF WINE CELEBRATE 33 YEARS AT PLAYHOUSE WINE FESTIVAL
Meet the industry’s top international trendsetters and principal vintners

Vancouver, BC, February 21, 2011 – To mark its 33^rd year the 2011 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival will welcome some of the most progressive winemakers and winery leaders in the world. From pouring at the International Festival Tasting to hosting events, these vin-pioneers are set to satisfy curious neophytes and seasoned oenophiles with personal, one-on-one meet and greets. Appearances from the following wine world celebrities are just a few reasons to partake in the weeklong festivities.

DIVA(S) AT THE MET

What’s it like to be a woman in the grape trade? Vancouver-based sommelier and Playhouse Wine Festival host Daenna Van Mulligen (alias WineDiva), who has a decade-long list of wine tasting critiques in her purse, will be introducing an international group of female winemakers, proprietors and industry headmistresses at Diva(s) at the Met. Speakers include Ann Sperling, of British Columbia’s 86-year-old Sperling Vineyards; Mary Ann Yewen, Director of Freixenet, one of the top selling sparkling wines on the planet; and Mariola Varona, the North American Export Director of the multi-award-winning Bodegas Martín Códax, specializing in the Albariño grape. Among other dignitaries, these wine queens will dish on the coveted wines they represent, as well as the stories behind their successes as principal businesswomen in a traditionally male dominated industry.

With direction from the biggest wine diva of them all, attendees will also enjoy a selection of small bites prepared by Diva at the Met’s Executive Chef Quang Dang. Join this inspirational group of women on Tuesday, March 29^th at the Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver, 645 Howe Street, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.

THE LEGACY OF A SPANISH VISIONARY: MIGUEL TORRES

When it comes to describing Spanish wine icon Miguel A. Torres, “legendary” is an understatement. Arguably one of the most important families in the history of Spanish wine, Legacy of a Visionary is thepièce de résistance of Festival week. Miguel is the fourth generation of Torres to preside over the acclaimed and centuries-old Miguel Torres Winery, a published author several times over, Decantermagazine’s 2002 Man of the Year and Wine International magazine’s 2005 Personality of the Year.

Moderator Anthony Gismondi will be discussing Miguel’s influence and the Penedès region winery, whileguests are guided through a rare and diverse selection of wines from the Torres wineries in Spain, Chile and California.

One of the most anticipated events of the Festival, Legacy of a Visionary will held on Thursday, March 31^stat VCC East, meeting room 8, 999 Canada Place Way, from 5:00 – 6:45 pm.

GOOD GRACIOUS GRENACHE!

Join house wine’s Michelle Bouffard and Michaela Morris as they explore the grandeur and the many guises of Grenache. This lesser known, but surprisingly common grape, was baptized as “Garnacha” by the Spaniards and has ties to cheerful rosés, fuller-bodied reds (think: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Priorato and Rioja), and lusciously sweet elixirs. Prepare to taste some of its finest expressions hailing from Spain, France, California and Australia. Good Gracious Grenache! will be held on Saturday, April 2^nd, at VCC East, meeting room 1, 999 Canada Place Way, from 3:00 – 4:45 pm.

MEET YOUR MATCH

Finding the perfect wine is like finding the perfect partner, it takes the right introduction at the right time. Oeno-enthusiasts are promised that proverbial “spark” at this year’s much anticipated, Meet Your Matchevent. Chaperoned by master wine matchmaker and acclaimed wine writer, Anthony Gismondi, sippers will be invited to get up close and personal with the vinestars of the wine biz. These fascinating international winery principals are set to lead tasters first-hand through the intimate secrets of some of the world’s most outstanding wines and wineries. Presented in a format that allows small groups direct and personal interaction with Festival celebrities, each group will have about 6 minutes to taste the producer’s wine, hear their story and ask questions.

Included in the VIP list is proprietor Telmo Rodriguez, one of Spain’s most celebrated and animated winemakers. Telmo sought out forgotten vineyards for the purpose of recovery and cultivation of abandoned indigenous vines to rave reviews, consistently scoring 90+ points. Alvaro Palacios, widely considered to be propelling Spanish wine into the modern era, acquired his first vineyard, Finca Dofí, in 1990, and will be pouring cellared wines for Meet Your Match guests.

Known for his outstanding Syrahs and Cabernets, South African winemaker Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof will be returning to the Festival with his much lauded The Journeyman Franschhoek 2005. David Guimaraens, a sixth generation to Portugal’s Taylor Fladgate and Fonseca, is considered something of a winemaking genius at the international table. In December 2010, David released one of the world’s oldest ports, SCION, to a limited group of collectors and connoisseurs, which at 155 years old, may be one of the only wines to have survived the pre-Phylloxera era.

If these wine experts haven’t already satiated your taste buds, the event will also see Stefano Leone, International Export Director of Antinori; Louis Moreau, owner and winemaker of France’s Domaine Louis Moreau; British Colombia’s own Anthony von Mandl of Mission Hill Family Estate; Cristiano Van Zeller of Portugal’s Quinta do Vale Dona Maria; Californian winemaker Rick Sayre of Rodney Strong; Rupert Symington, Joint Managing Director of Symington Graham’s Port; and David Paterson of BC’s Tantalus Vineyards. Meet Your Match is scheduled on Saturday, April 2^nd at VCC East, meeting room 8, 999 Canada Place Way, from 5:00 – 6:45 pm.

ABOUT THE PLAYHOUSE WINE FESTIVAL

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, Canada’s premier wine show, runs from March 28^thto April 3^rd, 2011. The Playhouse Wine Festival is one of the biggest and oldest wine festival events in the world. In 2011, the theme region will be Spain and the global focus, Fortified Wine. The Festival features a week of special events including the Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction, wine seminars, wine minglers, winery dinners, and lunches and brunches at fine restaurants and hotels. The Playhouse Wine Festival is produced by the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival Society, which has three mandates: provide an informative, educational and entertaining wine experience for public and trade; be a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry and Festival partners; and raise funds for the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company. Since its inception in 1979, the Festival has raised over $7.2 million to enable Western Canada’s leading theatre company to mount 223 productions and develop extensive community outreach and educational programs.

The Shore Club generously presents the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.

 

 

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Le Comptoir de Tunisie

Le Comptoir de Tunisie, Paris

On a snowy, wintry day in December, a friend invited me for lunch. The address he gave was in the Palais Royal quarter of Paris, which is one of my favorites and also easy to get to. Normally. Not so easy, in fact, when snow has halted Paris’s bus service and sent all and sundry scurrying to the city’s connecting arteries, otherwise known as the Metro.

His description of Le Comptoir de Tunisie, could not have been more intriguing…nor enticing. Always one to be drawn to what might be a “Secret Garden” experience, the upstairs semi-private dining area of this spice shop, sounded like it was not just centrally located and exotic, but also off the beaten path.

Le Comptoir de Tunisie is indeed a secret garden that perches there on its white-cushioned and sofa decorated second storey, overlooking rue de Richelieu. It’s a taste of Tunisie in the heart of the Palais Royal/Louvre district of Paris.

There’s  no need for any translation of the menu, there is one dish offered for the noonday meal, the only meal the cosy dining room offers. On the day I dined with my friend, our meal started with a subtle and delicately spiced pumpkin soup. Watching the big fluffy snowflakes float down onto rue de Richelieu on that cold wintry Paris day, there wasn’t anything else in the world I would rather have been eating at that moment.

Equally as comforting was the fish that followed on its plate of couscous. The cook, a native Tunisian who didn’t seem to speak much French or English, explained through the Parisienne proprietress (whose daughter-in-law and granddaughter are Tunisienne) that she cooks the same meals that she used to for her family back home.

Wine is served with the meal. A delightful fruitcup flavored with orange blossoms and anise provides just the accent for the apres-repas. Though, if your hostess takes a fancy to you, she just might serve the dark, rich strong coffee with a plate of assorted Tunisian sweets, authentic and lightly epicee’.  Meal costs 15 Euro, before tax and tip.

Le Comptoir de Tunisie,  30 rue de Richelieu, 75001 Pariswww.lecomptoirdetunisie.com

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