I arrived the day the 2006 Beaujolais Nouveau was released. First stop the Seine St. Denis neighborhood Brassiere where Chef George had the appropriate daily fare to accompany the release...
I finally got it! It's no better there than here. What was I thinking? I thought go to France taste it in it's region and some sort of phenomenal palate experience would emerge...NOT! It's the same there as here, meaning it's a commercial ploy to celebrate...which in my mind isn't such a bad idea...after all we all deserve celebrations...
As my days in Paris continued, I found myself dragging home bottles of Beaujolais to taste...Oddly enough after tasting 6 or 7 different ones the one I liked most was the one no one could purchase because it was a special bottle from my friend's employer. It seems her Japanese based company wanted to celebrate the Beaujolais Nouveau release in a BIG way! So, they bought 700,000 cases of prepared to taste wine to ship to Japan...wasn't I lucky to get in on this tasting? This one was very different from the rest...it didn't have the dry empty body with the fake perfume aroma that distracts your palate and leave you wanting to spit... It was rounder more friendly fruitier...food friendly...Now that I think of it was it enhanced to resemble a Merlot??? I am no expert, it's just an observation.
As for the others, I tasted at the Musee Rodin, at a cafe at the Auber metro stop across from the Galeries Layfette, on the bullet train to London, as well as the numerous bottles I brought to Michelle and Frank's house from the Carre Four (french version of a Big K...only with cool french foods ...more about that later). They all had one thing in common for me...They are meant to be chilled and served with a hearty flavored dish... and perhaps tasted once to say, Yes indeed I did try the 2000 something release...
Looking back to my first Beaujolais Nouveau experience...While having lunch with Janet Yaseen, the wife of the head of the US Chaines Des Rotisseries, in a Soho Brasserie in NY, back in the 80's ( I was 20 something), she chose a Beaujolais to accompany of chaucouterie style meal. When she asked for it to be chilled, I thought it's red why would you do that...clearly I had not been spending enough time in wine cellar at the restaurant I then worked at in Houston, Charlie's 517 (known for it's Grand Master Wine List rating)... Janet the gracious hostess she was began to teach me...then she took me through their wine cellar...We should all have basements to create wine cellars...think of the cheeses and sausages we could store! It was only one of my memories from this trip to NY in my 20's...When I do Champagne I'll tell you about the day Crystal was released and Pierre Franey introducing me to the NY culinary world and Joe Baum the man who built the then World Trade Towers...that's later.
Back to Paris, Well you can't say I didn't try to find that perfect Beaujolais Nouveau...it all went to Japan...I am beginning to see a pattern. So there is no Beaujolais Nouveau on my Taste of France menu that will be served next Tuesday, Dec 12th. When I called Jessica, my friend and our GM to say the Georges Beouf Beaujolais is awful, she laughed and said "You didn't have to go to France to find that out. Did you?" I thought, geez...she's right it's a novelty for those you need a reason in November...as though the other releases aren't enough! I still say, the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau is a Great reason to celebrate!
For those of you who would like to attend our Taste of France, please call soon, we may have to do a second seating...I had no idea how popular Traditional French Cuisine was...or perhaps how deeply it is missed by many here in Hawaii.
Here's the menu...PS a few of the wines are winging their to Hawaii as we speak. Those are the surprise wines that will be coupled against other French wines found here in Hawaii...yes a dual tasting. Two wines per course on our 9 course French dinner. BTW, this will be fun to see test the Metro's cellar master's selection against our local French selection we tasted only yesterday...
Amuse Bouche
Kir Royal
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Foie Gras de Maison
Nicholas Feuillates, Brut N.V. Champagne
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Coquilles St Jacques
Trilogy of Scallop, Quenelle & Prawn Citrus Butter
Triennes Viognier, Provence
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Escargots De Bourgogne en Croute
Escargot in Garlic Butter With Pastry Cap
Routas, Rouviere, Provence
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Trou Normand
Sorbet de Pommes Vertes
Calvados
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Cassoulet Toulousain
White Bean Casserole With Confit of Duck, Lamb, Pork
Domaine Michel Gros, Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Bourgogne
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Lapin au Vin Rouge
Braised Rabbit in Red Wine
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Brie Meaux et Frissée
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Tarte Tatin, Profiterole, Mousse au Chocolat
Upside Down Apple Tart, Cream Puff, Chocolate Mousse
Cremant de Bourgogne, Brut
$105
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