Justin Devillier

So we are hosting a wine tasting with Old World Winery in a Few weeks and I thought I would give everyone the lowdown. I tasted the wines last week and they are all very intriguing. A chardonnay that smelled like roasted coffee and tasted like butter pecan goodness and a 15.1% alcohol zinfandel on the sweet side so I am thinking chocolate dessert.

The menu is gonna be something like this:

smoked line caught sockeye salmon creme fraiche, salmon roe, dill, chive blini

steak tartare aioli, red wine mustard, quail egg

chicken rillettes apricot jam, chicken cracklin’

2007 “White Night” Rose

First Course

chilled roasted beets spiced pecans, smoked bacon, arugula, goat cheese

2008 “Bon Temps LaBlanc” Sauvignon Blanc

Second Course

kurobuta pork belly mezzaluna grilled gulf shrimp, fresh jalapenos, preserved lemon

2008 “Tweek Block” Chardonnay

Third Course

roasted duck breast carrot-ginger angnolotti, edamame, confit garlic

2005 Pinot Noir

Fourth Course

old fashoned chocolate pudding bourbon vanilla bean cream

2004 zinfandel

Price 60$ (all inclusive)

That’s where I am at now I may change a few things. We will see. Its gonna be a great night so come taste some great wine and food and hang out.

According to my very reliable cheese monger, the end of roquefort as we know it may be near. Apparently, in an attempt to strike back at the EU over their  policy of not importing cattle that has been genetically modified,  in his last hours at bat George W raised the duty on select EU imports. One of these included a 300% increase for roquefort. The beloved cave aged french sheep’s milk cheese (and feature on our apple and celery-root salad at LPG) will now cost us Chefs somewhere between $40-$60 a pound. But at that high of a price a lot of importers will probably just forgo the hassle of worrying about such a high cost inventory item and opt for other french blue cheeses. Although, there are a lot of great blue cheeses in the world and I am not the least bit concerned about finding one to fill the hole left by Roquefort,  I do know I will never be able to replace it. Maybe Mr. Obama can fix this after he fixes everything else. This will go into effect March 1st and I am going to have some sort of  au revoir to Roquefort at  the restaurant  the last week of this month.