I was happily invited to the first Zagat Present dinner, “An Evening in Alsace at L’Espalier,” where chefs and sommeliers thoroughly explained five courses and wine pairings with expertise with interesting facts and entertaining humor. Before starting the dinner, we were treated with a delightful amuse-bouche with incredible flavor; salmon, roe, creme fraiche, and dill foam. On the side was a crispy chip with foie gras mousse. I love how the bright flavors of such a small bite can jolt your taste buds to life.

First was an hors d’oeuvre of Tarte Flambée with Caviar paired with Lucien Albrecht, Brut Rosé, Cremant d’Alsace. The subtle savoriness of the tarte with a hint of saltiness from the caviar was a great way to segue into the array of flavors that were soon to be experienced.

First course was a Hudson Valley foie gras terrine with ash-roasted duck, pickled rhubarb and consommé. Served with a fruit and nut bread, this was a fabulous variety of textures; smooth and chewy, rich and gamey. The diverse components made for a unique and interesting dish where the forethought of it is much appreciated. The foie gras terrine was paired with a 2008 Schoenheitz, “Linsenberg” Riesling. 

The second course was Georges Bank Cod with Lobster and Maine Crab Emulsion, served with White Asparagus and paired with a 2006 Zind Humbrecht, “Clos Hausere” Riesling. With a beautifully crispy sear, the cod was amazingly moist and tender and the lobster was very sweet. The light flavors of this seafood dish were balanced perfectly, matching the wonderfully soft and refined presentation. The visual appeal was just as lovely as the taste.

The third course was Hay Roasted Rabbit with House Sausage, Black Pepper Spaetzle, Foraged Mushrooms and Charred Ramps. This was paired with a 2005 F.E. Trimbach, “Reserve Personelle” Pinor Noir. The tenderness of the rabbit was out of this world and the chewiness of the spaetzle was absolutely scrumptious. With the earthiness of the mushrooms? Forget about it! This hearty dish was definitely one of my favorites. I would love to have this meal again on a cold evening with the same glass of Pinot Noir.

And here is where we started the painful transition towards the end of the meal, with a very pungent and sharp Muenster that was paired with a 2009 Weinbach, Reserve Personnelle” Gewurztraminer. Served with a sweet bread and thinly sliced green apples, this is a cheese all stinky cheese lovers dream about. Against the soft texture is a rind that crackles upon biting. Yum!

And last was the dessert; Kugelhopf Pain Perdu with Vanilla Ice Cream. De-li-cious. Fantastic! It is part cake part bread with a slight crunch on the outside and raisins soaked in various alcohols. With the simple and complex taste of smooth vanilla ice cream, the components of the dish complimented each other very well.

It is safe to say that Zagat Present’s “An Evening in Alsace” was a successful dinner that showcased unforgettably elegant Alsatian food and wine. Thank you Zagat for this wonderful treat! It was lovely getting to know Alsace, France bite by delectable bite.

Disclosure: Meal was paid for by other party

Although I’m blown away by the food and seafood shows each year, there were some very memorable exhibits, specifically this year.

Behold! The highlights of the 2012 New England Food Show and the International Boston Seafood Show.

Meet Francisco Carrasco, aka Franco, the president of Ham-Cheese-Wine. He has been cutting cured hams like these beauties from Cinco Jotas for over 15 years. Saul Sola, the VP of Sales from Osborne, explained exactly why one pound of this cured ham costs a retail price of $150. The ham comes from pure-bread Iberian pigs, black pigs, from the woodlands of Spain which allows them to be in an open range. Their unbeatable flavor comes from an acorn diet during their fattening period. Depending on which part of the pig is used, the curing process takes an astonishing 24-36 months.

Cinco Jotas is pretty expensive and takes a very long time to cure, but flavors never lie. It is worth every dollar and second.

The art of cutting ham is something I have not conquered yet. Franco looked pretty disappointed with my monstrously, uneven, severed piece of meat. Look how happy my expression is and then look at his appalled face. I will be better next year, I promise!

Have you ever had an unforgettable apple salsa? Or a confusingly sweet, unsweetened apple butter? Meet Rick Card and C. Waite Maclin. Waite is the founder of Pastor Chuck Orchards in Portland, Maine. In 2009, Waite was awarded Maine’s “Food Producer of the Year” for his phenomenal involvement with the Maine Food Producers Alliance who work together to better their state’s food production and manufacturing industry. With plenty of natural, gluten-free and sugar-free products, Pastor Chuck Orchards has worked hard to successfully make its way to Whole Foods Markets.

The apple butter was one of my favorites at the show. It is for the health conscious, naturally delicious loving and folks that enjoy simply great tasting food. It was an absolute pleasure meeting you, Waite and Rick!

High protein gelato? That’s a first. One serving of Forte has 15 grams of protein with only 2.5 grams of fat. And to top it off, it is all-natural. By Figo Brands, I was very surprised with the smooth, thick and creamy texture of their chocolate gelato. This is a delicious source of nutrition for children, seniors, athletes, and many others. You don’t even have to be health-conscious driven to enjoy this.

There is nothing more sad than a soufflé struggling to rise. Fortunately, Chef Yves Bainier has the recipe to an authentic soufflé that comes in sweet and savory flavors like dulce de leche and cheese with broccoli and onions. I’m not sure if the secret ingredient is his French accent or his impressive culinary expertise, but if it means that I only have to go to a Whole Foods Market and put a few frozen soufflés in the oven for 20 minutes, count me in. Who can debate with a beautifully cooked soufflé with such impressive height? Most of all, less work for me. Thanks, Chef Y Bainier!

And this is some darn good Bixby Bar. By an up-and-coming company, Bixby & Co., some very creative ideas are brought to real, tasty life. How would you like to try To The Nines? It’s a bar dipped in white chocolate, filled with Goji Berries, pistachios, almonds and cardamom. A very interesting combination of ingredients that somehow work together in a harmoniously balanced way. Other bars include intriguing ingredients like chipotle and Telicherry black pepper. I can’t wait to get my hands on those! I think they would be great gifts for people that appreciate unique eats.

And ending all of this with the Black Cherry ice cream, one of the 24 flavors extracted from one machine…

The 2012 New England Food Show and the International Boston Seafood Show were a big hit once again. Plenty of parking lots overflowed with cars, valet parking was full, and people even had to take shuttles to get to an available lot from far away (that took forever!) So next year, I will come early and prepared - so should you, exhibitors! Like the Chairman of Iron Chef always says, “a la cuisine!”

See everyone again in 2013!

Google Places and Booze In Boston really did a great job on choosing Saloon as the host for a whiskey tasting. Although the entrance of the establishment is small, humble, and very modest, it hides something that is truly bold and beautiful.

Saloon‘s vibe, decor, brown liquors and local beers make a bold statement it set out to make: calling “reference to a time when drinks were serious and uncomplicated,” with a focus on what it was like before the prohibition. With dark wooden tables and leather booths studded with antique golden accents, it’s like you dive directly into 1920, where wearing a sleek fedora never felt more appropriate. The American whiskeys were paired perfectly with the classy era’s setting.

The proper way to taste whiskey, we all learned, was to part your lips as you smelled the aromas of it. The flavors hit the back of your tongue, giving you an introduction to what to expect. After, take a sip to coat your tongue. And lastly, take a second sip, swirl it around your mouth and after you swallow it, exhale. When you exhale, you will feel how spicy the notes are, if there are nutty flavors or maybe subtle fruit flavors. Also, you can dilute the drink with a few drops of water.

The first tasting was Riverboat’s Unfiltered Rye Whiskey from Kentucky. Aged for less than four years, it is young a young whiskey with extremely lively flavors. Full of rye spices, hints of dried fruit and a bit of roasted nuts, you could taste the earthy oak flavors in the finish.

Unfiltered Rye Whiskey by Riverboat - 40% abv, 80 proof

The second tasting was Willet’s Genuine Old Line Sour Mash also from Kentucky. This one was definitely different from the first. Although you could still taste the spiciness of rye, it was more subtle than the first. There were also tingly mint notes as well as cloves. The dark and earthy tones made it more complex.

Willett's Genuine Old Line Sour Mash - ~55% abv, 110 proof

The last whiskey was my favorite, and also recommended as a good introduction to newbies like me. From Tennessee, barreled, aged and hand bottled, the first thing I noticed was that it smelled like dark chocolate and caramel. With traces of vanilla, cinnamon and malted barley, I believe this is the one that will segue me into understanding and appreciating whiskey much more.

Benjamin's Prichard's Single Malt Whiskey - 40% abv, 80 proof

Thank you Google Places and Booze In Boston for such a wonderful night!

Here’s the recap:

Eric and Valerie of Booze In Boston

Burns of Nacho Average Blog and Shannon of Marketing Julep

Avid wine, whiskey and beer tasters, including Erica from Boston Rookie

Adri Cowan, Google Boston’s Community Manager

Graham (great blog about his running events and races) and Dara (entertainingly humorous blog you should check out)

And Saloon, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again soon. With over 130 brown liquors, local beers and yummy cocktails like the Old Pal, I am officially a fan and you can be sure I will be spreading the love. Until the next time!

Here’s a recap of the wonderful event that took place last night, all the fabulous people I met and, of course, the food.

Adri Cowan - Google Boston's Community Manager. Thank you for such a great time!

Photographers, ballet dancers, foodies with neuroscience degrees... you name a skill, they have it!

Cocktail party held inside of the fireside room of Catalyst

House made charcuterie

Seared scallops with bacon relish

Butterscotch pudding

Meet Joe! The most patient waiter with the steadiest hands all photographers love.

My favorite discussion topic! Sushi.

 And what a wonderful night it was. Thank you Google Places and Zagat! I had a blast.

Also, a very special thank you to Catalyst and the great service you provided to ensure we all had a fun, carefree time. Your establishment is absolutely beautiful! I’m so happy to hear that you are thinking of hosting wedding receptions. Readers, the open spaced rooms are gorgeous, the ceilings are high, and the walls can be folded  to make one grand venue. I think this is a great idea and hope they make it official! (Engaged Lily, are you reading this?)

Private room

Wall separators opened for one large private room

And seriously, who else grows pineapples inside their restaurant?

I look forward to seeing you again, Catalyst!

Some of our favorites:
(click on winery names for official site)

Stingy Jack’s Pumpkin Wine by Les Trois Emme Winery
8 Knight Rd., New Marlborough, MA
(413) 717-2385

Neige Premiere Ice Cider by La Face Cachée de la Pomme
617 Route 202
Hemmingford (Québec) Canada
(450) 247-2899

Check out how ice wines are made from their website. So interesting!

Massachusetts Farm Wineries & Growers Association
Offering chocolate raspberry wines and more, the MFWGA has a great idea for a day trip. They handed out brochures with Massachusetts wineries you can visit. You receive a stamp for each visit and after 15 stamps are collected, you are entered into a drawing for a cellar full of Massachusetts wine! Visit the website for more information.

This next one was unbelievable. It is a naturally sweet wine produced in Greece that tastes like the nectar of lychees.

Muscat de Limnos 2007 by Limnos Wines

A pale, clean and bright wine that has scents of roses, white blossoms, fennel and fruit is the:

Viore Rueda by The Pierpont Group LLC (no website)
Lexington, MA
(781) 860-0031

Mead wines, I now love! Honey and wine sounds like a combination that can’t be beat.

Our favorite mead wine was:

Kurt’s Apple Pie by Moonlight Meadery
23 Londonderry Road, Unit #17
Londonderry, NH 03053
(603) 216-2162 

The sweet mixture of red and white wine took my friend and I by surprise with delight.

Apollonia by Lambouri Winery 
P.O. Box 59016
4825 Platres, Limassol-Cyprus
+357 7000 9463

Mama Micki’s All Natural Bakery was absolutely great! She has such a friendly personality that attracts everyone to her delicious cookies. Vegan cookies, cookies with flax seeds… a new addition to the small list of healthy foods I actually like!

Mama Micki’s All Natural Bakery
18 Village Lane
Scituate, MA 02066
(781) 545-1208 

Ladies and gentlemen… meet the man that has made cheese so good, I will order a dozen of them online. Tempting your taste buds with flavored cheese like champagne, buffalo wing hot sauce cheddar, triple cream bergenost, and much more, this cheese below takes the prize:

Steakhouse Onion Cheese by Yancey’s Fancy
857 Main Road
Corfu, NY 14036
1-888-700-5257 for direct mail orders 

There were a million and one things to see, do and taste at the Boston Wine Expo! I had a spectacular time trying all the lovely wines from different countries, tasting a variety of foods and seeing a number of great kitchen gadgets.

Without a doubt, I will be attending the 2013 Boston Wine Expo- even if we all have to watch the game at the expo like below: