Posted by Mathew Wright Contest#1 – Not open to residents of Vancouver IslandTwo return tickets on Harbour Air from downtown Vancouver direct to Comox on June17, 2011, returning June 19, 2011 (45 min flight)Two night’s accommodation in a one-bedroom suite with jacuzzi at the Crown Isle Golf& Resort Community, June 17-18, 2011 Two tickets to the Chefs’ Dinner on June 17, 2011 featuring chefs Robert Clark of CRestaurant in Vancouver; Andrew Springett of Black Rock Oceanside Resort in Ucluelet; Andrew Stigant of Crown Isle Golf & Resort Community; Garrett Schack of Vista 18 in Victoria; Richard Verhagen of Market Street Grill on Salt Spring Island and Belinda Jonesof Gatehouse Bistro in Cumberland Two tickets to the BCSF Festival Day event at Comox Marina Park, Saturday, June 18,2011 featuring cooking demos, live bands, the BC Oyster Shucking Championship, localfood and more Deadline to enter is May 1, 2011 Entry details at: http://www.bcshellfishfestival.ca/BCSF/weekendgetawaydetails.htmlContest#2 – Open to allTwo night’s accommodation at the Crown Isle Golf & Resort Community, June 17-18,2011Two tickets to the Chefs’ Dinner on June 17, 2011Two tickets to the BCSF Festival Day event at Comox Marina Park, Saturday, June 18,2011 featuring cooking demos, live bands, the BC Oyster Shucking Championship, localfood and more Deadline to enter is May 16, 2011Entry details at: http://www.discovercomoxvalley.com/promotions/contests.htmMore information about the festival and all the events taking place can be found on ourwebsite at www.bcshellfishfestival.ca and our FB Page at www.facebook.com/BCShellfishFestival.> B.C. Shellfish Festival
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
B.C. Shellfish Festival
B.C. Shellfish Festival
Posted by Mathew Wright Contest#1 – Not open to residents of Vancouver IslandTwo return tickets on Harbour Air from downtown Vancouver direct to Comox on June17, 2011, returning June 19, 2011 (45 min flight)Two night’s accommodation in a one-bedroom suite with jacuzzi at the Crown Isle Golf& Resort Community, June 17-18, 2011 Two tickets to the Chefs’ Dinner on June 17, 2011 featuring chefs Robert Clark of CRestaurant in Vancouver; Andrew Springett of Black Rock Oceanside Resort in Ucluelet; Andrew Stigant of Crown Isle Golf & Resort Community; Garrett Schack of Vista 18 in Victoria; Richard Verhagen of Market Street Grill on Salt Spring Island and Belinda Jonesof Gatehouse Bistro in Cumberland Two tickets to the BCSF Festival Day event at Comox Marina Park, Saturday, June 18,2011 featuring cooking demos, live bands, the BC Oyster Shucking Championship, localfood and more Deadline to enter is May 1, 2011 Entry details at: http://www.bcshellfishfestival.ca/BCSF/weekendgetawaydetails.htmlContest#2 – Open to allTwo night’s accommodation at the Crown Isle Golf & Resort Community, June 17-18,2011Two tickets to the Chefs’ Dinner on June 17, 2011Two tickets to the BCSF Festival Day event at Comox Marina Park, Saturday, June 18,2011 featuring cooking demos, live bands, the BC Oyster Shucking Championship, localfood and more Deadline to enter is May 16, 2011Entry details at: http://www.discovercomoxvalley.com/promotions/contests.htmMore information about the festival and all the events taking place can be found on ourwebsite at www.bcshellfishfestival.ca and our FB Page at www.facebook.com/BCShellfishFestival.> B.C. Shellfish Festival
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Sunday, March 13, 2011
Paris Chefs Embrace Local Food
- Chef Yannick Alleno, Le Meurice, Triple Michelin Starred
By Paige Donner
Several of Paris's Starwood Group Hotels, in addition to independently-owned restaurants and cafes have dedicated their Spring menus to using exceptional, locally Ile-de-France sourced ingredients. Local here is defined as originating no farther than 200 km. outside of Paris. This both supports Ile-de-France regional growers and eliminates much of the negative environmental impact that long-distance transportation of food products requires.
At the Paris restaurants: L'Orénoc duMéridien Étoile, the First at the Westin Paris-Vendôme and the Étoiles at the Sheraton Paris-Charles de Gaulle, you will find these specially crafted "Local" gastronomic menus that are being served in their main dining rooms, for room service and even for conferences and meetings.
In addition, at Le Meurice, the triple-Michelin-starred Chef Yannick Alléno has created a "mythical and savory" menu which he has dubbed « Terroir Parisien® » that he is serving for his lunch time guests. A range of products he has sourced from nearby Ile-de-France villages including mint from la Forêt (52 km).
Similarly the new trendy Lafayette Organic on Grands Boulevards is featuring all organic produce and products from Ile de France. And if you choose to dine at the restaurant, Chez Bruno, you will have the chance to enjoy artisan coldcuts from Michel Ballereau, of Sceaux (14 km), farm-raised chicken from Pouligny à Jouy in Morin (76 km), and fresh cheeses from the 30 Arpents Farm in Favières (41 km). And that's not all, you will also get to try local honey from beekeeper Rémy Vanbremeersch and Carl Marletti's artisanale pâtisseries. And when you find yourself in the Denfert Rochereau quarter with an appetite for some local flavor, stop in at Ghislaine Arabian's restaurant, Les Petites Sorcières, where she is spotlighting the local produce of Claude and Catherine Gallienne from Neuville (67 km), and the fresh-baked breads of Parisien Jean-Luc Poujauran.
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Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival March 28th to April 3rd
VINESTARS OF WINE CELEBRATE 33 YEARS AT PLAYHOUSE WINE FESTIVAL
Meet the industry’s top international trendsetters and principal vintners
Vancouver, BC, February 21, 2011 – To mark its 33rd year the 2011 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival will welcome some of the most progressive winemakers and winery leaders in the world. From pouring at the International Festival Tasting to hosting events, these vin-pioneers are set to satisfy curious neophytes and seasoned oenophiles with personal, one-on-one meet and greets. Appearances from the following wine world celebrities are just a few reasons to partake in the weeklong festivities.
DIVA(S) AT THE MET
What’s it like to be a woman in the grape trade? Vancouver-based sommelier and Playhouse Wine Festival host Daenna Van Mulligen(alias WineDiva), who has a decade-long list of wine tasting critiques in her purse, will be introducing an international group of female winemakers, proprietors and industry headmistresses at Diva(s) at the Met. Speakers include Ann Sperling, of British Columbia’s 86-year-old Sperling Vineyards; Mary Ann Yewen, Director of Freixenet, one of the top selling sparkling wines on the planet; and Mariola Varona, the North American Export Director of the multi-award-winning Bodegas Martín Códax, specializing in the Albariño grape. Among other dignitaries, these wine queens will dish on the coveted wines they represent, as well as the stories behind their successes as principal businesswomen in a traditionally male dominated industry.
With direction from the biggest wine diva of them all, attendees will also enjoy a selection of small bites prepared by Diva at the Met’s Executive Chef Quang Dang. Join this inspirational group of women on Tuesday, March 29th at the Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver, 645 Howe Street, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
THE LEGACY OF A SPANISH VISIONARY: MIGUEL TORRES
When it comes to describing Spanish wine icon Miguel A. Torres, “legendary” is an understatement. Arguably one of the most important families in the history of Spanish wine, Legacy of a Visionary is thepièce de résistance of Festival week. Miguel is the fourth generation of Torres to preside over the acclaimed and centuries-old Miguel Torres Winery, a published author several times over, Decantermagazine’s 2002 Man of the Year and Wine International magazine’s 2005 Personality of the Year.
Moderator Anthony Gismondi will be discussing Miguel’s influence and the Penedès region winery, whileguests are guided through a rare and diverse selection of wines from the Torres wineries in Spain, Chile and California.
One of the most anticipated events of the Festival, Legacy of a Visionary will held on Thursday, March 31stat VCC East, meeting room 8, 999 Canada Place Way, from 5:00 - 6:45 pm.
GOOD GRACIOUS GRENACHE!
Join house wine’s Michelle Bouffard and Michaela Morris as they explore the grandeur and the many guises of Grenache. This lesser known, but surprisingly common grape, was baptized as “Garnacha” by the Spaniards and has ties to cheerful rosés, fuller-bodied reds (think: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Priorato and Rioja), and lusciously sweet elixirs. Prepare to taste some of its finest expressions hailing from Spain, France, California and Australia. Good Gracious Grenache! will be held on Saturday, April 2nd, at VCC East, meeting room 1, 999 Canada Place Way, from 3:00 – 4:45 pm.
MEET YOUR MATCH
Finding the perfect wine is like finding the perfect partner, it takes the right introduction at the right time. Oeno-enthusiasts are promised that proverbial “spark” at this year’s much anticipated, Meet Your Matchevent. Chaperoned by master wine matchmaker and acclaimed wine writer, Anthony Gismondi, sippers will be invited to get up close and personal with the vinestars of the wine biz. These fascinating international winery principals are set to lead tasters first-hand through the intimate secrets of some of the world’s most outstanding wines and wineries. Presented in a format that allows small groups direct and personal interaction with Festival celebrities, each group will have about 6 minutes to taste the producer’s wine, hear their story and ask questions.
Included in the VIP list is proprietor Telmo Rodriguez, one of Spain’s most celebrated and animated winemakers. Telmo sought out forgotten vineyards for the purpose of recovery and cultivation of abandoned indigenous vines to rave reviews, consistently scoring 90+ points. Alvaro Palacios, widely considered to be propelling Spanish wine into the modern era, acquired his first vineyard, Finca Dofí, in 1990, and will be pouring cellared wines for Meet Your Match guests.
Known for his outstanding Syrahs and Cabernets, South African winemaker Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof will be returning to the Festival with his much lauded The Journeyman Franschhoek 2005. David Guimaraens, a sixth generation to Portugal’s Taylor Fladgate and Fonseca, is considered something of a winemaking genius at the international table. In December 2010, David released one of the world’s oldest ports, SCION, to a limited group of collectors and connoisseurs, which at 155 years old, may be one of the only wines to have survived the pre-Phylloxera era.
If these wine experts haven’t already satiated your taste buds, the event will also see Stefano Leone, International Export Director of Antinori; Louis Moreau, owner and winemaker of France’s Domaine Louis Moreau; British Colombia’s own Anthony von Mandl of Mission Hill Family Estate; Cristiano Van Zeller of Portugal’s Quinta do Vale Dona Maria; Californian winemaker Rick Sayre of Rodney Strong; Rupert Symington, Joint Managing Director of Symington Graham’s Port; and David Paterson of BC’s Tantalus Vineyards. Meet Your Match is scheduled on Saturday, April 2nd at VCC East, meeting room 8, 999 Canada Place Way, from 5:00 – 6:45 pm.
ABOUT THE PLAYHOUSE WINE FESTIVAL
The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, Canada’s premier wine show, runs from March 28thto April 3rd, 2011. The Playhouse Wine Festival is one of the biggest and oldest wine festival events in the world. In 2011, the theme region will be Spain and the global focus, Fortified Wine. The Festival features a week of special events including the Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction, wine seminars, wine minglers, winery dinners, and lunches and brunches at fine restaurants and hotels. The Playhouse Wine Festival is produced by the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival Society, which has three mandates: provide an informative, educational and entertaining wine experience for public and trade; be a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry and Festival partners; and raise funds for the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company. Since its inception in 1979, the Festival has raised over $7.2 million to enable Western Canada’s leading theatre company to mount 223 productions and develop extensive community outreach and educational programs.
The Shore Club generously presents the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.
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Winemaker's Cup 2011!!!
Oliver, B.C. The organizers of the Winemakers Cup announced today additional details for the fourth annual festival. The Winemakers Cup Ski Race is the World’s only annual ski challenge weekend for the wine industry and it takes place for the benefit of industry networking, peer camaraderie and palate appreciation.
The fourth annual weekend of festivities takes place March 25 to 27, 2011 at the resort of Spirit Ridge in Osoyoos and up on the ski hill of Mt. Baldy in B.C. Close to one hundred winemakers, cellar hands and vineyard managers, tasting room staff, restaurateurs, sommeliers and many other industry people will race head-to-head on the ski slopes and then drink wine, après-ski style while reliving the hilarious antics of the day.
They will be participating in several events as part of the weekend in the heart of the Okanagan, one of the world’s most scenic and beautiful wine regions.Today it was announced that the following organizations have confirmed their participation in the event, and their sponsorship of this important wine industry gathering: Cellar Tek, Title Sponsor of the Winemakers CupBDO, Sponsor of Saturday Evening Dinner and Awards BanquetViking Refrigeration, Sponsor of the hilarious “Agony of Defeat” video, Osoyoos Indian Band, Sponsor of the Lunch at Mount BaldyWestland Insurance, Sponsor of the Friday Night Winemakers ForumBMO, Trophy Sponsor for the Winemakers Cup
“We are looking forward to another great event this year” said Randy Jones, Proprietor of Title Sponsor Cellar Tek. “We appreciate everyone’s efforts in putting on such a fantastic gathering of the industry. With the great snow conditions that are at Mt. Baldy this year, this is going to be an exceptional year.”
Further, it was announced that Saturday night is Industry Night at Spirit Ridge. This social night is open to any and all people involved in the wine industry, regardless of whether they participated in the ski race or not.
“Come on out and rub shoulders with new and familiar acquaintances. It does not matter whether you ski or snowboard or not. Just come on out and have some fun” said Peter Glockner of Cellar Tek. Previous winners of the Winemakers Cup include: 2008 Bill Eggert, Winemaker, Fairview Cellars2009 Stephen Wyse, Winemaker, Young & Wyse 2010 Herb Alex, Cellarhand, Jackson-TriggsFull video from the race and the festivities from previous years are available at: http://www.paulcottonfilms.com/WinemakersCup.php.The events for the 2011 Winemakers’ Cup include: Friday March 25. Spirit Ridge Resort. 7 pm to 9 pm “Winemakers Forum”. Some special iconic guests from the Wine Industry will join their Okanagan peers for a blind-tasting session as well as an interesting panel discussion on trends & opportunities in the wine industry today.
No cost to join, just be sure to bring one bottle of wine donation per person.9 pm to midnight “The Wine Industry Hospitality Suite”. Come and rub shoulders and socialize with Winemakers, Cellarhands, Vineyard staff and other industry folk. .Saturday March 26, Mt. Baldy Ski Resort. Join us for a fun day on the slopes or on the deck enjoying the sun.
There will be a fun dual-slalom ski race with prizes being given out to Top Skier (Male & Female), Top Snowboarder (Male & Female), Top Telemarker, Best wipe-out and Worst times (Male & Female) as well as prizes for any kids that enter. Registration starts at 9 am. Race Starts at 11 am. BBQ & Hanging in the Sun at 1 pm. Free skiing or Après skiing all afternoon long.Snow bunnies/Lodge Skiers- BBQ Lunch and commemorative T-shirt: only $35.00.
Race participants: Lift ticket, Race participation, BBQ lunch and T-shirt: only $65.00. Race without Lift tickets (season pass holders): $45.00There will be optional snowshoeing lessons for anyone that would like to try it. Saturday Evening: Spirit Ridge Resort6:30 pm Sparkling wine reception.7:00-9:30 pm Winemakers Cup Awards Banquet. Includes a gourmet 3-course dinner, wine pairings, and awards presentation: Only $80 per person9:30 pm- 1:00 am. The Winemakers Cup After-party & Dance featuring the live music of “Double Magnum”. Cost only $20.00 per person plus one bottle of wine for admittance. Sunday March 27Free to check out and do whatever you want.
“We’re lucky in the Okanagan. We’re not only blessed with unique winemaking terroir, but we are the only region to have a ski area such as Mount Baldy in very close proximity to the vineyards,” says organizer Glenn Fawcett, president of Black Hills Estate Winery. “Making wine is hard work, and it’s good for all of us to get away from the grind and get together for some friendly ski competition, marked mostly by laughs.Fawcett says it’s also a chance to for the industry to connect and share ideas.
“Some of the most interesting conversations happen on a chairlift, up there in the fresh mountain air. The Winemakers Cup is a great catalyst for these conversations. It enables an exchange of ideas and information that outside of the day-to-day work environment in the wineries and vineyards," he says. It’s just a lot of fun to get the industry together for some laughs. And of course, you don’t have to be in the wine industry to come out for these events. Everyone is welcome.”
The Winemakers Cup was created and organized as a partnership between Black Hills Estate Winery, Mt. Baldy, and Spirit Ridge Resort.For tickets, call Jennifer at Spirit Ridge at (250) 495-5445, ext. 5003. If you’re interested in the race, spots are available right up to race day. For further information on the Winemakers Cup, go to www.spiritridge.ca/race . For information on Mount Baldy Ski Area, go to www.skibaldy.com .
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Monday, February 14, 2011
Mad Men And Cocktails - A Vintage Comeback
Cocktails in Paris at Le Royal Parc Monceau Vintage spirits and forgotten cocktails are quaffed anew. In a nod to tradition and technology, AMC's Mad Men Cocktail Culture smart phone app helps users master the forgotten art of cocktail mixing. And in a campaign throwback, Mr. Peanut, the iconic Planters Peanuts character, has begun to talk (the voice of Robert Downey Jr.) for the first time in the 94 years since he was first introduced with the hope of “charming” consumers. Vintage consumption is flourishing online and off. Call it the renaissance of retro, from once-passé décor aesthetics, to traditional barbershops for classic haircuts, to old fashioned sweets appealing to our inner child. Even the colors of yesteryear are back. Honeysuckle pink, specifically Pantone 18-2120 TCX, is the new-crowned hue of 2011. It recalls the lipstick our mothers wore, or maybe the tile in our ‘50s bathrooms. Crops of new restaurants pay homage to American culinary classics. Tapping revived interest in forgotten fruits, veggies and animal breeds, “heirloom” businesses offer rare vintage produce. Lost Nation Orchard in New Hampshire offers orchard shares of Russian apples that arrived in the U.S. back in the 19th century. Chatham Marketplace, a food co-op in North Carolina, sells vintage varieties labeled with histories of their origins. Meanwhile, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello holds an annual Heritage Harvest Festival, bringing back old-fashioned gardening, local food and preservation of heritage plants. Nostalgic travelers are ringing cash registers where happy memories were once made. Beset with budget cuts, the U.S. National Park Service hopes to inspire nostalgia with historic park brochures on its website, including a vintage 1913 one from Crater Lake National Park. Officials hope to evoke childhood memories of family vacations long past, when mom and dad might “see the USA in a Chevrolet” on a cross-country jaunt when gas was a quarter a gallon. Read MORE on KWE TWITTER.COM/LOCALFOODWINE
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Monday, February 7, 2011
Le Comptoir de Tunisie
On a snowy, wintry day in December, a friend invited me for lunch. The address he gave was in the Palais Royal quarter of Paris, which is one of my favorites and also easy to get to. Normally. Not so easy, in fact, when snow has halted Paris's bus service and sent all and sundry scurrying to the city's connecting arteries, otherwise known as the Metro.
His description of Le Comptoir de Tunisie, could not have been more intriguing...nor enticing. Always one to be drawn to what might be a "Secret Garden" experience, the upstairs semi-private dining area of this spice shop, sounded like it was not just centrally located and exotic, but also off the beaten path.
Le Comptoir de Tunisie is indeed a secret garden that perches there on its white-cushioned and sofa decorated second storey, overlooking rue de Richelieu. It's a taste of Tunisie in the heart of the Palais Royal/Louvre district of Paris.
There's no need for any translation of the menu, there is one dish offered for the noonday meal, the only meal the cosy dining room serves. On the day I dined with my friend, our meal started with a subtle and delicately spiced pumpkin soup. Watching the big fluffy snowflakes float down onto rue de Richelieu on that cold wintry Paris day, there wasn't anything else in the world I would rather have been eating at that moment.
Equally as comforting was the fish that followed on its plate of couscous. The cook, a native Tunisian who didn't seem to speak much French or Englsh, explained through the Parisienne proprietress (whose daughter-in-law and granddaughter are Tunisienne) that she cooks the same meals that she used to for her family back home.
Wine is served with the meal. A delightful fruitcup flavored with orange blossoms and anise provides just the accent for the apres-repas. Though, if your hostess takes a fancy to you, she just might serve the dark, rich strong coffee with a plate of assorted Tunisian sweets, authentic and lightly epicee'. Meal costs 15 Euro, before tax and tip.
Le Comptoir de Tunisie, 30 rue de Richelieu, 75001 Paris www.lecomptoirdetunisie.com
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Thursday, January 27, 2011
Bocuse d'Or 2011 Winner Is Rasmus Kofoed
THE WINNER OF THE BOCUSE D’OR 2011 IS RASMUS KOFOED – DENMARK
- 2011 Winner of Bocuse d'Or, Photo Francis Mainard
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(23-24 January 2011) Lyon, France Rasmus KOFOED, representing DENMARK, has won the Bocuse d’Or 2011 trophy and €20,000 in prize money.
Second place, Bocuse d’Argent : Tommy MYLLYMÄKI, representing SWEDEN, won the Silver Bocuse trophy 2011 and €15,000 in prize money.
Third place, Bocuse de Bronze : Gunnar HVARNES, representing NORWAY, won the Bronze Bocuse trophy 2011 and €10,000 in prize money.
- Competing entry at 2011 Bocuse d'Or Competition. Photo Francis Mainard.
Several special prizes were also awarded: - Prize for the ‘Best Commis’, awarded by the Bocuse d’Or Winner’s Academy: Kinari KOYAMA, Commis to Tatsuo NAKASU, JAPAN - Special ‘Fish’ prize: Franck GIOVANNINI, SWITZERLAND - Special ‘Meat’ prize: Jérôme JAEGLE, FRANCE - Prize for the best promotional campaign: GUATEMALA - Prize for the best Poster, as selected by visitors via the internet website:
SPAIN As part of the Sirha 2011 trade exhibition, performing in dedicated contest kitchens facing the public at the heart of the brand new Paul Bocuse hall, 24 chefs from all regions of the planet took up a major challenge: that of preparing within 5.35 hours, during an extraordinary show, two perfect dishes using the official products of the Bocuse d'Or 2011: Scottish lamb for the meat dish and Monkfish, Crab and Scottish Langoustine for the fish dish.
To judge the 24 candidates, the jury was composed of 24 influential chefs who are emblematic of each country represented, under the aegis of 3 exceptional presidents: Paul Bocuse, President Founder, Yannick Alleno, Honorary President (3* Chef at the Meurice, Silver Bocuse 1999) and Geir Skeie, President of the International Jury (Bocuse d’Or 2009)
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Win Tickets To Taste The World Vancouver
Save the date - February 22nd - because Vancouver Foodster is presenting their first ever Taste The World event in Vancouver. The foodie site, started almost a year and a half ago by Richard Wolak, is designating an evening to give Vancouverites even more of a chance to taste their diverse food cultures all in one place.
Win Tickets To Taste The World Vancouver! Click HERE!
Jason Browne, Alisha Mann, Roger Collins, Richard Wolak, Chef Culin David (from L to R)
On February 22nd we will be presenting Taste The World at Venue on Granville Street at 6pm.
Let your taste buds travel the globe with Vancouver Foodster and AM Ventures. Local restaurants represent 6 cities across the world to bring you interesting flavors, traditional decor and lots of entertainment all here in the heart of Vancouver’s downtown. Your food passport includes 6 mini-courses from each of the 6 unique restaurants. If you enjoy wine, get the food and wine passport combination and sample 6 flights of wine paired for your enjoyment.
The Restaurants that span the world include:
Atithi – (India)
Bentons Cheese – (France)
Calabash Bistro (Carribean)
Charm Modern Thai (Thailand)
Dona Cata (Mexico)
Fresh Local Wild (New York)
Participants can purchase a “Food & Wine Passport” to visit all regional tasting stations and enjoy wine pairings while DJs spin and live music plays on stage. Win two Food & Wine Passports (value $95 each)!
For a chance to win tickets to the Taste The World Vancouver event, go to Miss604.com...
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Saturday, January 15, 2011
Behind Mouton Rothschild's Chinese Label
By Jane Anson Read More on New Bordeaux, Jane's Blog As has been widely reported, Chateau Mouton Rothschild last week confirmed that its wine label for the 2008 vintage has been produced by a Chinese artist - namely Xu Lei, artistic director of Today Art Museum, Beijing’s leading contemporary art gallery, and a graduate from the prestigious Nanjing Academy of Fine Arts. I wrote the story for Decanter ( http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/508516/xu-lei-confirmed-as-mouton-2008-artist ) but thought I would go into a little more detail about how the artists are selected, and why Mouton is very much not jumping on the 'must get to China' bandwagon'. Most importantly, the label was not chosen by the management committee of Mouton, but entirely by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, as she does every year - and as of course her father did before her. I spoke with her on Saturday (by telephone) about her selection process, and she is very clear about her reasoning. 'I would never put an artist on the label unless I very much like their work, that is first and foremost my reasoning for selecting an artist. For this year, I was helped by the very charming Michael Goedhuis (an art dealer based in London and New York who specialises in Asian contemporary art www.goedhuiscontemporary.com) who suggested several suitable artists to me, and I made the decision from there.' It is worth pointing out that this is not the first time Mouton Rothschild has featured a Chinese artist on the label . Way back in 1996, before many of the classified growths of Bordeaux were even clocking up their Cathay Pacific airmiles getting over to Hong Kong and China, Baroness Rothschild asked renowned Chinese calligropher Gu Gan to create the label. Gu Gan has several works on display in the British Museum, and several of his paintings are reflections on the political and economic reforms in China over the past few decades. He now lectures on modern Chinese calligraphy and is president of the Society of Modern Calligraphy and Painting. During a long period spent in Europe, he visited Mouton in 1996 and created, in the Baroness' words, 'a beautiful, rather sombre calligraphic label. I felt, 15 years ago now, that it was the right time to ask a Chinese artist.' The 2008 label by Xu Lei is a figurative reworking of the classic Mouton emblem with a delicate ink drawing that depicts the famous ram standing between two halves of the moon. 'I like that is is figurative and abstract' said Baroness Rothschild. 'You can't be sure exactly what he wanted to express, and that gives it a haunting quality.' Unlike Gu Gan, Xu Lei did not visit Mouton in person, but studied the previous labels that had been created, and learnt about the wine through drinking it, and understanding the role that art has played in its character. Interestingly, Madame de Rothschild says, 'By looking at all that, an artist will understand what Mouton is. For me, the link between creating art and making wine is obvious. It is as important to me as it was to my father ever since 1945.' The Mouton Rothschild Artists label series began in 1924, and has seen a new label created every year since 1945. Artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol and Prince Charles have all featured. And, however noble the reasoning behind the selection of artist this year, it has certainly had an effect on prices. When speculation of a Chinese artist first surfaced in late 2009, the price immediately moved upwards from the opening £1800 per case to around £2200. Right now that seems like a bargain – recent weeks have seen the 2008 vintage trading at between £8,000-£10,000 per case.TWITTER.COM/LOCALFOODWINE
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