Culinary School – Week Sixteen – Wine

Wine tasting is always fun… I have been a few times in Napa with my girl friends from college and then we did it again this past weekend at Culinary School. Not only did we try 10 different wines ranging from Prosecco to a full bodied Shiraz that is said to “Body Slam Your Toungue” but we were each responsible for bringing in an appetizer that would be paired with a wine. Needless to say there was a ton of food… and lots of wine… and we all had a fabulous time learning about wine and experiencing how the flavors in our appetizers were brought out by the wines.

First up we tried a 2007 Col de Salici Prosecco from Italy… and it was by far on of my favorites of the evening.

It was paired with a spanikota…

As well as a Cajun Stuffed Mushroom with Red Bell Peppers…. so delicious!

Next we tried a Domaine de Cherrier Sancerre from France which is a perfect match for most anything with Goat Cheese!

Here is a goat cheese cheesecake in a shredded filo dough anise topped with fennel and pimmento. How beautiful does that look?
Next we tried another one of my favorites, Gini Soave Classico from Italy.

This was paired with my flatbread pizza topped with a basil spinach pesto, goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes. The pesto in the dish complimented the wine perfectly!

Also paired with the wine was a Shrimp Ceviche on a tortilla chip topped with red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and serrano peppers. Really really delicious 🙂

This Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc from California was another favorite of the evening (can you tell I like White Wine?)

It was paired with this rice cake topped with an asian salas and sauteed shrimp. The salsa was amazing and I am going to make it again myself just to eat by itself with a big spoon! It consisted of avocado, green onion, seasame oil, red pepper, jicama, ginger and cilantro.

Also paired with the California wine was a crab cake with tarragon tartar sauce. Everything about this little bite was delicious… the tarragon sauce was packed full of flavors like dill, capers, granny smith appels, pickels, onions and lemon juice!

The last White Wine of the evening was this dessert wine from Germany, a Gerhard Riesling Kabinett… which I LOVED… but I think I was alone in this… not everyone liked such a sweet wine.

This went fabulously with a brie topped with a peach and bell pepper bruschetta. SOOOO SOOO yummy! The topping was marinated in a champagne vinegar and consisted of red onion, green onion, peach, and bell peppers.

The only Rose we tried was this Table Creek from Paso Robles…

Which compliment this grilled meditterean chicken salad on endive with roasted red pepper aioli and grilled balsamic red onions.

I started to slow down around this point… in terms of the wine… never would I slow down for food 🙂 This Felsina Chianti from Italy was a huge hit with the red wine lovers…

Paired with the Chianti was an oven roasted turkey with goat cheese on puff pastry. Even though I am not a red wine lover you could tell that it complimented the roasted turkey and brought out some delicious flavors!
This grilled eggplant salad in a baked lavash cup topped with filet mignon and garnished with dill was a huge hit! I loved every last bite of this… and went back for seconds at the end of the night 🙂 This was paired with a michelle Cab Sav from Horse Heaven Hills Washington… which I did not get a pic of… shame on me 🙂

The second to last wine of the evening was this La Creme Pinot Noir from Monterey CA

It was paired with a Moroccan Beef Bastille (not pictured – I’m telling ya… by the end of the night it was hard to keep up with all the wine, food and pictures) and it was also paired with this Shrimp Fritter… which might I add was AMAZING.

The Shrimp Fritter was made by one of my fellow students Chito… and Chito is probably the happiest man in the world and we all love him so much! Chito brings in fabulous Phillipino food for us to try all the time just out of the kindness of his heart… and for that I will always love him 🙂

The last wine of the evening was this Luchador Shiraz from Australia which will literally… I kid you not… BODY SLAM YOUR TOUGNUE. holy crap… this wine had flavor! I took the smallest sip in the world and it was a fiesta in my mouth. I mean just look at that label…

The label alone scares me 🙂 Those Australians make some strong wine! Pair this with your heavier dishes because it will wipe out the flavor of any light dish!

Next up on the Culinary School Agenda is LOBSTER… which means we are into our third and last trimester of school! It will be graduation before we know it… and then I am going to have to go to pastry school or something so I can continue to share my culinary education with you~ (I am sure my family will love it when I ask them for a check for another round of culinary classes… just kidding mom, dad, grams and granps… no need to ignore my phone calls)