6-course tasting menu

[Bazza]

Here's one to get your cullinary minds working.
Im doing a 6-course wine tasting at the restaurant in April and would welcome your suggestions on the wine pairings. Here is the menu;

English asparagus with melted butter and parmesan shavings

Chicken liver parfait with red onion chutney

Lemon sorbet

Seared scallops with lime and coriander

Confit duck with madiera jus, wilted spinach sauteed new potato

Apple tarte tatin with creme fraiche

Our wine supplier is organising the evening and they are insisting on choosing the wines. I am hoping they get it right!

[chefzell]

Love the menu. Tasting menus rock!

I am not much into drinking wines. I use wines a lot when I cook. I use an amarone (very rich) wine for my osso bucco, otherwise its mostly dry wines.

I will say that I had a tasting menu once and the Chef selected a sweet wine for the first two courses, followed by an amarone wine and by the fourth course I was too full. So, I would stay away from sweet or rich wines for the first two courses.

Chef Dan
Kitchen University

[kuan]

I'd go:

1) Pinot Grigio

2) Gewurtztraminer

3) Shot of vodka

4) Sauvignon Blanc

5) Zinfandel

6) Eiswein

[Bazza]

Thanks Kuan, I am still waiting for them to come back to me with their wine pairings. There is talk of a Chablis with the scallops and Roja with the duck at the moment.

[AndyG]

Wine of fermented scallops.

Ducks roasting over an open fire.

Chestnuts biting your toes.

Although I said it before

Merry Chardonnay and Happy Hofbrau

[AndyG]

Just picturing the ducks flying off 'cuz they don't like the open fire.

[chefjune]

Course by course, here's what I would pair with your food choices:

English asparagus with melted butter and parmesan shavings: Blanc de Blanc Champagne. Ruinart if you can get it.

Chicken liver parfait with red onion chutney: Krug Grand Cuvée Champagne

Lemon sorbet

Seared scallops with lime and coriander: continue with the Krug, or choose a Grand Cru Chablis.... with your lime and coriander, I'd like a Blanchot

Confit duck with madiera jus, wilted spinach sauteed new potato; Oregon Pinot Noir

Apple tarte tatin with creme fraiche Sauternes or Barsac

I hope you'll report back the pairings your supplier provides you with.

Bon Appétit!

[annud]

Originally Posted by kuan

I'd go:

3) Shot of vodka

Lol, with lemon sorbet? Or maybe a gin and tonic...either way I'm there...

[boar_d_laze]

The champagne suggestion for the Asparagus was an excellent one, but tough to follow. So too is the fresh-mown grassiness of asparagus itself. Flip the order. Let the asparagus cut through the lingering richness of the pate, then send the sorbet to cut through the asparagus and champagne. You'll also see the symmetry of sherry - sparkling wine - sparkling water - (spicy) Riesling - (rich) Rijoa - Orange Muscat. I think this makes a lot more sense.

1) Pate -- Can I suggest a few walnuts, blue-cheese stuffed olives and grapes on the plate as well? Chilled manzanilla sherry,choose from La Ina, La Cigarrera, or La Gitana (Espana, Jerez)

2) Asparagus -- Scharffenberger Brut NV (California, Anderson Valley)

3) Sorbet -- Chilled, sparkling water. See if you can get old fashioned seltzer siphons and celebrate simplicity!

4) Scallops in lime -- Johannisberg Riesling, Chateau Ste Michelle Eroica 2006 (Washington State)

5) Duck -- Gran Riserva Riojas have become very pricey. Your supplier is probably going to be looking for a good riserva, of which there are many excellent wines. I also thought of suggesting a different region. But, I'd like to suggest a wonderful, and wonderfully affordable Gran Riserva. It's a real giant killer! Campo Viejo Gran Riserva 1997 (Espana, Rioja).

6) Tarte Tatin -- you and your hosts will love Quady dessert wines. Tattoo the name in backwards letters across your forehead, so you can read it when you shave. The Orange Muscat grape is good beyond belief -- especially with desserts of reasonable sweetness and richness, such as yours. Quady Essensia Orange Muscat 2005 (California, Madera)

Let us know how it finalizes,
BDL

[firerose0801]

Compliments on the menu! I think that the shot of vodka (if it was good vodka) would actually work really well with the lemon sorbet. Lemon and vodka tend to go very well togeather.

[chefjune]

Originally Posted by firerose0801

Compliments on the menu! I think that the shot of vodka (if it was good vodka) would actually work really well with the lemon sorbet. Lemon and vodka tend to go very well togeather.

They do, indeed. Imho, however, vodka is a palate-killer, as opposed to cleanser.

[Bazza]

Sorry to go quiet on this one for so long. After lengthy discussions with a Prima Donna of a sommelier who was trying to run my restaurant, the evening is now called off. However, I am planning to do it anyway, under my own steam. Now, because of the delay I will probably miss the English asparagus season and will be looking to replace that course. The scallops will be replaced with fillet of sea bass. I agree Chef that the pate should come first as it will make a punchy entrance but now I have two fish courses in close succession.

These are my ideas so far

1. Chicken liver parfait with red onion chutney.
Shiraz

2. Thinking tian of crab/chilli/lemon/avocado here, is this too much fish?
Riesling

3. Lemon sorbet

4. Sea bass, marsh samphire and buerre blanc.
Sancerre

5. Confit duck, madeira jus, sauteed new potatoes and wilted spinach.
Crozes Hermitage

6. Apple tarte tatin with creme fraiche
Red Muscat

[chefjune]

Originally Posted by Bazza

Sorry to go quiet on this one for so long. After lengthy discussions with a Prima Donna of a sommelier who was trying to run my restaurant, the evening is now called off. However, I am planning to do it anyway, under my own steam. Now, because of the delay I will probably miss the English asparagus season and will be looking to replace that course. The scallops will be replaced with fillet of sea bass. I agree Chef that the pate should come first as it will make a punchy entrance but now I have two fish courses in close succession.

These are my ideas so far

1. Chicken liver parfait with red onion chutney.
Shiraz

2. Thinking tian of crab/chilli/lemon/avocado here, is this too much fish?
Riesling

3. Lemon sorbet

4. Sea bass, marsh samphire and buerre blanc.
Sancerre

5. Confit duck, madeira jus, sauteed new potatoes and wilted spinach.
Crozes Hermitage

6. Apple tarte tatin with creme fraiche
Red Muscat

I love the menu! I might do an Auslese Riesling with the chicken liver parfait. (Gawd, I love that stuff! Have you ever done it with duck livers? It is truly over the top!)

Remember that e comes before U in beurre blanc!

Also, Tarte Tatin IS made with apple. You don't need to specify the fruit unless you are using something else. One of my top 10 desserts of all time!

[boar_d_laze]

Too much fish? Not too much for me. Espeically when you consider one's a shell fish and the other a finny guy. Still, you're spider sense is tingling. It might be a good idea to pay attention. .

What I do question is the lemon in the crab, followed by the lemon sorbet, followed by the combination of Sancerre with beurre blanc. As you know, some Sancerres have a lot of citrus character -- tending towards grapefruit and lemon. Then there's the question of whether you make your beurre with vinegar or lemon.

IMO you should should change at least one of the citrus notes.

Analyzing your courses for weight and flavor-characteristics and wines they run:

1. Pate: Rich. Mellow + Sweet (onion) contrast. Wine -- dryish, with lots of fruit.
2. Crab: Light. Mild spice/citrus + Buttery (avocado) contrast. Wine -- flower-spice, more than a hint of sweet.
3. Lemon Sorbet: Very light. Citrus + Sweet contrast. Wine -- none (I still suggest serving sparkling water with your sorbet).
4. Bass: Light side of medium. Buttery + acid (citrus?) contrast. Wine -- possibly strong citrus note. BTW, this fish, the beurre blanc, the "sea asparagus" and this wine is a wonderful combination. Quel Loire. Great thinking in my book.
5. Duck: This is so wonderful, why bother analyzing it?
6. Tarte: Ditto. (But I still vote for the Orange Muscat .)

1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are all wonderful choices. So, yeah. Swap 2 out for something else.

BDL

[kuan]

Is your tarte tatin "rustic" or refined? I mean are there those characteristic burnt spots on the crust?