Guilty Pleasures: A Decadent Duo of Desserts & Wine Pairings at Café Boulud, Palm Beach!

What's more decadent than dessert after lunch, you ask? Dessert after lunch with wine pairings! I recently had the pleasure of indulging in this delicious duo created by Chef Pâtissier, Arnaud Chavigny at Café Boulud Palm Beach, paired with the perfect wines to match.

The Chocolate Peanut Bar with peanut crémeux, hazelnut  dacquoise and chocolate sorbet had a rich, chocolaty consistency and fabulous texture - definitely a chocolate lover's dream! It paired beautifully with The Rare Wine Company's New York Malmsey Madeira Special Reserve and its luscious, sweet flavors of chocolate, toffee and dates. The second selection was the perfect contrast to the decadent chocolate, the Key Lime Revival with homemade graham crumb, meringue and pink grapefruit sorbet was light, flavorful and divine. It paired very nicely with the 2008 Charles Hours Uroulat Jurançon with its notes of citrus, apples and spice, light sweetness and lovely acidity.

This was definitely a "Guilty Pleasure" I will not soon forget! Next time you're out and decide to indulge in dessert, ask your Sommelier or server for a wine to pair with - your sweet tooth will thank you.

Cheers,

 

The "Other Bordeaux" at Café Boulud Palm Beach with Renowned Sommelier Daniel Johnnes!

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Daniel Johnnes, renowned Sommelier and Wine Director of Daniel Boulud's Dinex Group, the epicurean empire that encompasses such world class restaurants as Daniel, DB Bistro, DBGB, Café Boulud and Bar Boulud. While impressive enough, that description does not really tell the whole story. Prior to joining Chef Boulud in 2005, Johnnes was the Wine Director of Montrachet, a New York City institution, and for 20 years did much to promote French wine, most notably Burgundy, to his loyal clientele. In addition, this confirmed Francophile is also an author, importer and the organizer of the epic Burgundy fête, La Paulée de New York which celebrated its tenth anniversary last year. I think Frank Prial summed it up best, "To describe Daniel Johnnes as a sommelier would be like describing Stephen Sondheim as a piano player. There's a bit more to it."

Mr. Johnnes was in town co-hosting a wine dinner with Café Boulud Chef Sommelier Mariya Kovacheva entitled, "The 'Other' Bordeaux." The evening focused on wines from smaller, family owned estates in this much lauded wine region created by "people who are really connected to the land." Although best know for his obsession with Burgundy, Johnnes decided to champion the cause for these vins bordelais a year and half ago. "There are two worlds of Bordeaux," he explained, "the wines that are an elitist traded commodity, and those you should drink and enjoy." The wines poured this evening fell squarely into the latter category and, according to Johnnes, best embodied "the quality, committment and tradition of winemaking" from this region. While Bordeaux generally conjures images of dust covered bottles tucked away in a musty wine cellar, these selections represent wines of "great value" that are ready for drinking and are intended simply, "to give pleasure." Chateaux featured at this evening's dinner included Château Jean Faux, Château de Clotte, Château Saint Julian and Château Beauséjour.

The first wine of the evening was the Château Jean Faux, Bordeaux Rosé 2009. This salmon-colored gem, a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, was rife with notes of raspberry and rhubarb and was rather substantial for a rosé. This medium-bodied beauty paired nicely with a Galantine de Poulet et Pistache with red currant mustard and rhubarb-endive salad prepared by the very talented, not to mention James Beard nominated, Chef de Cuisine Zach Bell.

The next course was paired with two wine selections, the Château de Clotte, Côtes de Castillon 2006 and the Château Saint Julian, Bordeaux Supérieur 2006. The Château de Clotte (30% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc & 10% Malbec) had perfumey aromas of black currants, rose petals and spice. It was well balanced with nicely integrated tannins and a lovely, lingering finish. The Château Saint Julian (60% Merlot 20% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Cabernet Franc) was a bit different with a meaty, gamey nose and notes of blackberry, licorice and coffee on the palate. While different from the first wine, it was also well-structured with approachable tannins. These two selections were a nice introduction to the "other" side of Bordeaux and were paired with Truite en Vin Rouge (Trout in Red Wine) with leek confit and crispy Madrange Ham.

The third course was also paired with a duo of wines, the Château Beauséjour, Montagne-Saint Emilion 2007 and the Château Jean Faux, Bordeaux Supérieur 2007. The Beausejour (50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Franc) had a nose of red currant, spice and cocoa and noticeably bigger tannins than the 2006's. This was a fabulous food-pairing wine that could have benefited from even a few more years in the bottle, although it was thoroughly enjoyable now. The Château Jean Faux (80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc) had aromas of rose petals and spice with flavors of black currant, cherry and clove. It was less tannic than the Beausejour and I'd have to say it was my favorite wine of the evening. Both wines paired nicely with Jamison Farm Lamb Loin with porcini mushroon marmalade, coco beans and spiced shallot confit. 

Tonight's wine selections did much to dispel the image of those dusty, cellared bottles and were approachable, enjoyable and affordable (all retail for under $30), making the "Other Bordeaux" a place I look forward to visiting more often. A big thank you to Daniel Johnnes for taking the time to chat with me. After touching down at PBIA that very morning, he was on the first flight back to New York the next day to tend to Dinex's newest establishments, Boulud Sud and Épicerie, which had opened, literally, the day before! Mr. Johnnes did reveal the dates for the 11th Annual La Paulée de New York which will take place February 24-25th, 2012 - details to follow. Also, if you live in South Florida, you will not want to miss Café Boulud's upcoming wine dinner "The Spanish Wines of Galicia" on Thursday, June 9th featuring wines from internationally known importer Eric Solomon's portfolio. I hope to see you there!

Cheers,

Fabulous Find: Chef Clay Conley's Buccan in Palm Beach!

Smoked Salmon Carpaccio

I was very reluctant to write this post in the same way I am reluctant to give out the name of my favorite hairdresser...simply because when word gets out about something fabulous, everybody wants to try it! Such is the case with Palm Beach's newest dining option, Buccan (boo-kahn). This "progressive American grill" has only been open a few short months but, I am happy to report, it is nothing short of fabulous and at a (relatively) reasonable price point!

Buccan is the concept of gastronomically gifted Chef Clay Conley, formerly of Azul at Miami's posh Mandarin Oriental, who also worked under the tutelage of Todd English for over a decade, becoming Culinary Director for all 18 restaurants at the age of 29. Conley has finally stepped out on his own with Buccan which is a native South American and Caribbean name for a wooden framework on which meat was roasted or smoked, similar to a barbecue. The concept is a refreshing change to the Palm Beach culinary scene with its relaxed yet sophisticated Hamptons-esque decor that includes a vibrant bar scene, cozy "living room" lounge area, communal dining table and dining room complete with Chef's tables adjacent to the kitchen. 

Moi & Chef Clay Conley

The focus of the menu is its mouth watering small plates, served tapas style under headings such as "Raw," ""Crispy," "Flour and Water" (pasta), and "Wood-Fire Roasted" but there is a section of "Large Plates" as well if you're so inclined. Favorites included the Mushroom flatbread with Marsala-glazed onions, gruyere & black truffle vinaigrette; Shortrib empanadas with salsa criolla and aji amarillo; Spring pea risotto with seared bay scallops, mushroom vinaigrette & truffle; and Bacon wrapped tuna with sherry gastric, fava beans & grilled baby Vidalia onions. Believe me, I could go on!

Bacon Wrapped Tuna & Baby Vidalias

The menu is printed daily to reflect any changes Chef Conley deems necessary and the restaurant supports local farmers and  "sustainability efforts." The "By the Glass" wine list also has a lovely selection of both Old and New World offerings (maybe a few too many Chardonnays but who's counting) and some creative specialty cocktails including the Chez Suzette (elderflower liqueur, lemon and sparkling rose) as well as the Buccan T (vodka, black tea, cranberry, citrus, basil and agave nectar).

Buccan is located at 350 S. County Road on the corner of Australian Avenue in the space formerly occupied by Beach Bistro and Galaxy Grille. Next time you are headed up to Palm Beach, pack your appetite in your Louis Vuitton handbag and give it a try - I'd love to hear what you think!

Cheers,

It's Official: The Glamorous Gourmet is a Certified Sommelier!

You may have noticed I have been delinquent in my posting lately and I have missed you all very much! I had a very good reason though, I have been studying for my Certified Sommelier Exam which was Tuesday, April 19th. While a decidedly grueling day that I would never want to repeat, I am happy to report - I passed! After the events of the past 6 months (hip surgery, ongoing recovery, losing my 15 year old dachshund, Katie) it is a very welcome accomplishment.

After completing the first level of this certification in 2008, I finally decided to tackle the second level (out of four) of this widely respected organization whose credentials are recognized worldwide. The Court of Master Sommeliers was originally established to encourage high standards of beverage knowledge and service in hotels and restaurants with education as their primary goal. The first Master Sommelier examination was held in the United Kingdom in 1969 and by April 1977, the Court was established as the premier international examining body. Over the four decades since the first examination, only 180 candidates have earned the Master Sommelier Diploma - the fourth and ultimate level. There are 112 Master Sommeliers in North America, of those, just 17 are women.

Sylvie Gervais, Cary Combine & I - Certified Sommeliers!

The Certified Sommelier exam consisted of three parts: a blind tasting, a written theory exam and a practical service demonstration. With only a 45% pass rate, it holds examinees to a very high standard in each area. While the primary focus of the exam was wine, emphasis was also placed on liquors, cocktails and food and wine pairings. I have to say, I had no idea there were THAT many cocktail recipes in existence, although my husband Steve was quick to confirm it!  Being primarily a wine drinker, prior to studying I didn't really know a Pimm's Cup from a Harvey Wallbanger. Now, I am happy to report, I definitely know my Gibson from my Rob Roy! While preparing for the exam, I was fortunate to have attended study sessions with two amazing Master Sommeliers, Virginia Philip and Juan Gomez of The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach where the exam was given. They were extremely encouraging not to mention infinitely knowledgeable (seriously, they are awe-inspiring)! All in all, it was a wonderful, albeit intense learning opportunity I am grateful for having experienced. I am also grateful for good friends, two of whom took the exam the same day. I am happy to report they also passed - Congratulations, Cary and Sylvie!

We  celebrated with a bottle of Champagne at the Breaker's beautifully appointed Tapestry Bar and then proceeded to Delray Beach for more bubbly and other wines including a 2003 J. Moreau & Fils Chablis Grand Cru "Le Clos," 2007 Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, 2001 Caymus Special Selection and a 2005 Château de Pez Saint-Estéphe Bordeaux. I guess I should mention we had some help polishing off all that great wine! I'm looking forward to some more great bottles this weekend and I hope everyone has a lovely and blessed Easter!
Cheers,