Cameron winery Dinner with John Paul @ Local roots….
I will be the first one to tell you : Not everything works all the time … Sometime back a while ago i started this blog to record the journey and the people i came across ,the great culinary adventure into the north and the south , hopefully the east and west…
But like i said not everything works all the time … Despite the difficulties in the process perseverance prevails and everything finally comes together… This was something that we been looking forward for a while and it finally came together : Our first wine dinner at Local Roots ….
Everyone can tell you: Most chefs despite being encyclopedic about food knowledge ,for the most part don’t have extensive knowledge of wine.
Creating food for a wine dinner was a whole new experience to me… I had the distinct honor and fortune to work at Local roots where wine is as important to food and it has been really a blessing having staff on board that cares about wine and food … Doing a dinner with one of the best wine makers though from Oregon can really make you nervous… Especially when the wine you tasting is evolving with every step of the process…
We tasted :
Cameron “Abbey Ridge” chardonay 2008 Oregon
Cameron “Clos electrique” Blamc 2008 Oregon
Cameron “Clos electrique” Rouge 2008 Oregon
Cameron “Arleys Leap ” Pinot noir 2008 Oregon
Not shown in this sequence was a Cameron “Clos Electrique” Rouge 2001 Oregon
We tasted and tasted and every time new things came to mind , spices , textures, aromas… By the end of the tasting we have decided that we should brainstorm a few ideas but before that we should focus on each wine individually and the structure of the menu ..
The menu was a little more challenging at first but then ideas started coming through as soon as we saw what Mikuni and Fresh Origins send us… Needless to say it was like Christmas allover again…
The sequence and format of the dinner would remain the same as well , as for our guest chef dinners , a small introduction after passed small bites -amuse bouche- with the wine maker giving his thoughts and dinner to follow , course after course..
Amuse bouche …
John Paul made the introductions and was there to talk individually about each wine as the dinner progressed…
Then the dinner unfolded …
I
Hamachi crudo
Benne seed , lychee, Hearts of palm, pickled orchids
II
Roasted Scallops
Butterscotch miso,Bentons ham dashi, Maitake, wild spring onion
III
Trio of Rabbit
Farro Piccollo , Beets , Dandelions, pea shoots, fiddlehead ferns
IV
Lamb Loin wrapped in LR Lardo
Foraged lettuces and wild onions, Abalone mushrooms, leeks, lamb jus
V
Assortment of Cheese
Sweet Grass Dairy Camembert, split creek farm goat, Ash county Blue
We always accommodate customers even on special dinners with vegetarian options as well the most notable one though was this beautiful matsutake we seared then roasted in the wood fire oven and paired with wild foraged greens ….
The energy behind these dinners is something amazing … When you have so much talent and dedication around you, and the respective audience to showcase your food ,something extraordinary happens , its that feeling when every little step of the process comes together and the picture is finally complete …its an amazing feeling and chefs love every moment of it …
We are really blessed and humbled with having a great winemaker that captivated and inspired us with his words and truly made this dinner memorable …
This was our first Wine dinner and we are looking forward to even more in the future as well …
Thank you John Paul and Cameron Winery for the Honor….
