Doug leads the way on our French journey
Spring is always a special time of the year for some in-depth tasting of French wines. Two springs ago forkandcorkdivine hosted our very own “Judgment of Paris” 40th Anniversary event which was an event I will never forget! Forty years earlier, May 24, 1976, Steven Spurrier gathered together a group of distinguished French wine critics and professionals and had them blind taste 12 “unknown” California wines paired with 12 highly revered French wines. The astonishing results went down in history – the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was the highest rated white and the 1973 Stags Leap Wine Cellar SLV beat out the French reds! Forty years later on May 22,2016 14 brave winelover foodie friends gathered together in our home with eager anticipation and some trepidation to participate in a five hour event – 12 courses and 20 bottles of California and French wine, all wineries of which were included in that infamous Paris Judgment. We survived the event and are able to tell the story for many years to come, but how do we top that? That particular event was one for the record books in our winelover history!
When I read that Wine Enthusiast Magazine selected the Sud Ouest, Southwest France, as their “Wine Region of the Year” for 2017, I knew that my next wine research project and adventure had arrived. Fortunately a few of our very supportive wine and foodie friends agreed to go on this adventure with Chuck and me — as long as we stopped off in one of their favorite French wine regions on the way — the Southern Rhone Valley and Provence. Being a lover of most things French, I eagerly agreed. I am always up for a good challenge. We quickly realized that one wine pairing dinner would not cover all of the wines that should be represented, so we agreed to make it a two-dinner event! Now that was another first for us. Our wine and foodie friends, Doug and Anita Jenkins, graciously agreed to host the Rhone event in April, and Chuck and I would follow up with the Southwest France event in May. Sound like a major undertaking to you? Yes it was, but with a lot of planning, preparation and passion for the food and wine, it was truly a labor of love. And that is how 8 friends got to enjoy 24 fabulous French wines paired up with 10 courses of food in the spring of 2018 right here in Southwest Florida.
After coordinating many wine and food events in my lifetime, my professional food management expertise automatically kicks in. There has to be a carefully well thought out plan! My first step always is to research the particular wine region and learn about their wines. This time I knew would be studying about some old friends (Rhone Valley) and making some new ones (SudOuest). After the research comes the article about what I have learned. I had twice as much work to do this time – two articles! You can read the results for yourself. Both articles were previously posted at www.forkandcorkdivine.com: (1) The Southern Rhone and Provence……….If “forkandcorkdivine” went to France (4.15.18) and (2) The Sud Ouest……If “forkandcorkdivine” went to France. (5.7.18)
The next task is to select the wines, then prepare a menu that showcases these wines, be representative of each region and use as many authentic ingredients as possible while fitting within the culinary skills of our foodie friends. Easy to do you say? Not a simple task. And then there is the challenge of trying to source those wines and food ingredients. This is where internet shopping always plays a large role. Somehow we always manage to pull it off – and amazingly well, I must say! As one of our guests said “Coming to one of your (forkandcorkdivine) wine dinners is like taking a trip to Disneyland.” I took that as a major compliment.
Here are the final versions of our French menus and the wines that paired so well with them. The Jenkins hosted the Southern Rhone event: Doug sourced the wines while Anita planned and prepared the food items with a small amount of assistance from my culinary skills. Chuck and I planned, prepared and hosted the Sud Ouest Southwest event with some much appreciated culinary assistance from Anita’s kitchen. You can read more about the wines in my previous articles.
French Culinary Conspirators Linda and Anita
French Wines and Cuisine of the Southern Rhone Valley and Provence
April 22, 2018
Welcome
Clairette de Die Brut Mousseux, Saint Crois, Drome
Foodie note: The foie gras torchon and ice wine jelly made a perfect amuse bouche for dinner. A torchon means “dish towel” in French since foie gras was traditionally wrapped in a kitchen towel for cooking. Today plastic, vacuum seal and sous vide are used by D’Artagnan to make their torchon.
L’Aperitif
Domaine Pierre Gaillard “Dans la Neige” Southern Rhone, 2015
White blend of Viognier, Marsanne, Rousanne
Figues Farcies aux Noix walnut stuffed figs
Olives de Provence
Morbier Fromage semi-soft cows’ milk cheese
Domaine des Carteresses Tavel Rosé, 2016 93 pts WE
50% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 13% Clairette, 12% Picpoul, 10% Syrah
Choux aux Anchois anchovy puffs by Linda
Les Entrées
Clos St. Magdeleine Cassis Blanc, Provence, 2015
40% Marsanne, 30% Ugni Blanc, 25% Clairette, 5% Bourboulenc
Soupe au Pistou Seasonal vegetable soup with pesto
Foodie note: Use fresh seasonal vegetables and top with fresh basil pesto. A perfect light soup course.
Provençal Olive Fougasse Provençal flat bread by Linda
Foodie note: Fougasse is the French version of focaccia bread. Add some herbs, make it rustic looking and it is delicious. The traditional shape is a leaf or a stalk of wheat.
Secret Vines La Garrigue Rosé, Côtes de Provence, 2016
40% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 25% Syrah, 5% Carignon
Poivrons Farci au Thon Piquillo peppers stuffed with tuna
La Plat Principal
Jerome Bressy Domaine Gourt de Mautens, 2011
Southern Rhone Red, IGP Vaucluse, 96 Pts
70% Grenache and blend of Carrignon, Mourvέdre, Syrah, Counoise,
Cinsault, Vaccarèse and Terret Noir
Domaine Les Palliers Terrasse du Diable Gigondas, 2010
93 Pts RP 90% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Clairette
Xavier Vins Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Anonyme, 2010
95 pts RP Southern Rhone Blend of Grenache, Mourvέdre and Syrah
Famille Perrin Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2010
96 pts WS/WE & 95 pts RP #8 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2013
30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 5% Cinsault
Gigot de l’Agneau
Haricots Tarbais
Tomates au Four Gratin d’Aubergines
Roasted leg of lamb served with garlic and herb white beans,
baked tomatoes Provence-style and eggplant custard gratin
Le Dessert
Domaine de la Pigeade Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, 2012
100% Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains
Gâteau de Beaumes-de-Venise aux Raisins
A French grape cake popular in the Vaucluse
Bleu d’Auvergne Fromage
Foodie note: This delicious one layer cake, made with grapes and Beaumes-de-Venise wine, is named after the town in the Vaucluse and the sweet fortified wine produced there.
www.forkandcorkdivine.com 4.21.18.LR
Part of the French winelover team
Wines and Cuisine of Southwest France “Welcome to the Sud Ouest”
May 20, 2018
Welcome
Saint-Hilaire Blanc de Blanc Brut Blanquette de Limoux AOP 2015, Languedoc-Roussillon Wine Region
Mauzac 90%, Chenin Blanc 5%, Chardonnay 5%
Note for our winelover friends: The Blanquette de Limoux sparkling wine was the perfect bridge from our Southern Rhone/Provence dinner to our Sud Ouest dinner. This particular AOP is in Languedoc, a wine region we cross over traveling southwest.
L’Apέritif
Mont Gravet Côtes de Gascogne IGP 2016, Colombard
Pintxos – a Duo of Mini Basque-Style Tapas
Smoked salmon with a hard cooked egg slice and Manchego cheese with roasted cherry tomatoes on French baguette slices
Foodie note: The French Basque area has a Spanish personality since it straddles the mountain border with Spain making tapas-style small plates a perfect opener.
L’ Entrέe
Domaine De Souch Jurançon Sec, Jurançon AOP 2012
Gros Mansang 70%, Petite Mansang 20%, Corbu 10%
Coquilles St. Jacques, Sauce Mandarine
Foodie note: Find a recipe for this and make it! Our guests did everything but lick the sauce off the plate. Absolutely delicious scallop dish that was perfect with the Jurancon Sec. Tangerine juice is key. Do not substitute! If you prefer, contact me and I’ll send you the recipe.
A Taste of Garonne & Tarn
Seigneurs de Peyreville Côte de Millau AOP 2015
Syrah, Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fer Servadou
Causse Marines Gaillac Peyrouzelles, Gaillac AOP 2015
Braucol, Syrah, Alicante, Prunelard, Jurançon Noir
Le Roc La Folle Noire D’Ambat, Nέgrette, Fronton AOP 2015
Salade à la Quercy
Gesiers confit, magret de seche fume, and torchon of foie gras on a bed of greens with walnuts, tomatoes and roasted walnut oil dressing with baguette
Foodie note: The ingredients in this particular Quercy salad version make it a perfect representation of the region. Our wine pairings further confirmed that “what grows together goes together”.
The Winemakers of Cahors AOP
Three Lot River “Families of the Vine”
Philippe Bernède Clos La Coutale Cahors, Malbec 80%, Merlot 20%, 2015
Jean-Luc Baldès Malbec Du Clos Triguedina, Malbec 100%, 2012
Yves and Martine Jouffreau Clos De Gamot, Malbec 100%, 2008
Cassoulet de Toulouse à la Linda
Petite cassoulet with duck confit and Toulouse sausage
Foodie note: Paula Wolfert is a world famous cookbook author who specializes in the Mediterranean area. Her recipes are authentic and will bring the food of the region to your kitchen. Several of our dishes were prepared from her “Cooking of South-West France” cookbook.
Pyrέnέes
Domaine Moureou Madiran AOP, 2014
Tannat 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%
Domaine Arretxea Irouléquy AOP, Basque, 2010
Tannat 66%, Cabernet Franc 17%, Cabernet Sauvignon 17%
Poulet à la Basquaise
Chicken with red and green peppers, tomatoes, jambon de Bayonne and rice pilaf
Foodie note: Piment d’Espelette is made from a pepper grown in Espelette in the Pyrenees. It is almost considered “mandatory” to have it on your table and cook with it in that region. It’s expensive but you won’t regret having it in your spice collection. You definitely shouldn’t make Basque chicken without it. The Jambon de Bayonne is the French version of prosciutto. It’s in Paula’s recipe, too. Keeping it authentic!!!!!
Some of Bergerac’s Best Kept Sweet Secrets
Domaine de la Guillonie Monbazillac AOP 2013
Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle
Chateau Richard Saussignac AOP 2013
Sémillon 70%, Muscadelle 25%, Sauvignon Blanc 5%
Le Fromage et Le Dessert
Roquefort, Goat Cheese with Honey, P’tit Basque & Fig Jam
Basque Cake de la Cuisine d’Anita
Foodie note: Gateau Basque is traditional in the Basque region. It is usually filled with either pastry cream or jam. Anita filled hers with a layer of jam and it was delicious. The top layer surface was scored in a diamond pattern. My picture does not do it justice! P’tit Basque cheese is 100% pure sheep’s milk cheese produced in the Basque region of the Pyrenees Mountains. 
Your hosts Chuck and Linda
www.forkandcorkdivine.com 5.12.18 LR
Another “forkandcorkdivine” wine dinner event is now history, and this time it was a two night event! In my opinion the wines were all spectacular. As I predicted, we were reunited with some old friends – the wines of Southern Rhone Valley and Provence – while making a lot of new acquaintances in the Sud Ouest. It is easy to see why Wine Enthusiast Magazine selected Southwest France as the “Wine Region of 2017”. The criteria for selection were all met as far as I am concerned – quality wines made by winemakers with vision, authenticity and commitment to sustainable excellence.
We especially enjoyed Gigondas, Vaucluse IGP and Chateauneuf-du-Papes from Southern Rhone and Madiran Tannat and those fabulous Cahor Malbecs from the Southwest. They never get old or boring!
These wines all fell into the “new acquaintance” category for me: Clairette de Die sparkling wine, Cassis Blanc (Provence), Beaume-de-Venise dessert wine, Blanquette de Limoux sparkling wine (Languedoc), Jurancon Sec and Irouleguy (Pyrenees), Cote de Millau, Gaillac, Negrette, (all Garonne & Tarn) and Monbazillac and Saussignac Dessert wines from Bergerac. I will happily drink all of them again……….and hopefully soon!
My friend Anita can already cook all things French, but I definitely expanded my culinary expertise! I made my first fougasse, anchovy puffs, cassoulet and salad Quercy. The fougasse and puffs were fairly simple and I’ll make them again soon, but I must confess my love for all those duck parts is not huge. From duck confit, to gesiers confit to magret de seche fume – I prepared them all. Just because they are not my personal favorites does not mean that I don’t prepare them for my foodie friends who do love them! The cassoulet took three days to prepare, and I was determined to conquer it. It was a labor of love! The results were good; however, it will be quite awhile before I give it another go. Anita’s culinary skills shine brightly – her French dishes are always delicious. For that matter all of her dishes are delicious! It was a pleasure to collaborate with Anita and Doug for our trip to France.
The French spring wine dinners are now just a memory, the pictures taken and recorded for history and my forkandcorkdivine articles complete. So what is next? Of course there is another adventure on the way. Stay tuned………..it will be here soon!
L.Rakos 6.18.18
lfrakos@gmail.com
