LIFFORD GRAND TASTING AT CATCH CALGARY

 

Guests of the Saverio Schralli/Lifford Grand Tasting at Catch

 Ruud Maasdam founder and winemaker at Staete Landt Wines

 A waiter pouring soup for the first course

A bottle of Santa Margherita Chianti Classico

 Bruno Zaratin of Santa Margherita

 Dessert at Catch

 A bottle of Chocalan Gran Reserva Blend 2007

 Aida Toro owner and manager of Vina Chocalan

Wine and spirits makers from Saverio Schralli/Lifford gathered at Catch restaurant in Calgary to showcase their respective brands, including:

Amity Vineyards (Oregon)
Viña Arboleda/Seña (Chile)
Boutinet (France)
Ca’ del Bosco (Italy) 
Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte (France)
Craggy Range Winery (New Zealand)

De Bortoli (Australia)  

Hollick Wines (Australia)  

Humberto Canale (Argentina)

Mitchell Wines (Australia)  

Rivera (Italy)  

Rocca Delle Macie (Italy)

Santa Margherita (Italy) 

Shingleback (Australia)  

Staete Landt (New Zealand)

Tenuta Il Poggione (Italy)  

Travaglini (Italy)  

Viña Echeverria (Chile)

Bowmore (Scotland)  

Forty Creek Whisky (Ontario)  

Luxardo (Italy)

U’Luvka Vodka (Poland)

CSL spoke with three brand representatives:

Ruud Maasdam founder and winemaker at Staete Landt Wines touted New Zealand as a "purist terroir.  If there are no rules then everything is game.  It is virgin land." Converting a former apple orchard into a winery in 1997, he has been exporting to Canada since his first harvest and currently produces approximately 12 000 cases a year.  "We are a boutique winery."

Bruno Zaratin of Santa Margherita grew up in Italy.  "I was raised on people congregating together in conviviality.  You become friends over a bottle of wine."  Santa Margherita, which he calls a wine that is recognized throughout the world has been devoted to the foreign market almost since its inception in the 1930s.  The turning point came in the 1960s with pinot grigio, an overnight success that catapulted the company to worldwide renown.

Aida Toro of Vina Chocalan in Chile believes that "everyone is excited about Chile and its potential.  Everyday new valleys are being discovered for winemaking."  Her family owned estate was founded 14 years ago in conjunction with her bottle maker father.  Though initially producing solely red wines, due to demand, the company has recently purchased land to product white wines. "My father is a wine lover and it was his dream to produce wine.  Chocalan is making dreams come true."

www.liffordwineagency.com
www.chocalanwines.com
www.staetelandt.co.nz
www.santamargherita.com

 

You may visit the NEW Spring 2012 digital edition of City Style and Living magazine (also available in print) at the following address (follow the three simple steps to access the full magazine, online) :

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AGCCOOKS: THE ART OF CUISINE 2012: A PHOTOSTORY

Framed pictures for the silent auction

What the chefs are keen on winning. The trophy: a giant whisk and flat spatula

The team from Moet, serving Hennessy Cognac, champagne and cocktails throughout the evening

Van Houtte coffee one of the sponsors for the evening. The brand also provided the secret ingredient: espresso dolce crema

Interactive art inside the AGC

The panel of judges for the evening: (left to right) John Gilchrist, Marc-André Royal, Don House, Michael Allemeier

The menu from Sky 360

The team from Sky 360

The chefs plating their second course

The appetizer: Espresso and cocoa rubbed duck magret with tortellini

The menu from Rush

The team from Rush

The team plating dessert: "rocky road"

Executive Chef at Rush, Dave Bohati shows off his cotton candy sugar mix using the secret ingredient, espresso

The menu from Hotel Arts: Raw Bar

The team from Raw Bar, including Chef Ausuma Mansy

The team chatting with some of the judges before the competition

The team huddles to discuss plating

Bacon wrapped Carmen Creek Bison boudin

The menu from Home Tasting Room

The team from Home Tasting Room (and Executive Chef Geoff Rogers with his ' eccentric spoon' in mouth)

Chef Rogers plating 'dirt' for his salad course

The menu from Charcut

The team (including Chef Dan Norcuot, in the middle) of Charcut

Plating the dishes

The team from Catch (including Chef Kyle Groves pictured in centre)

The chefs plating the appetizer

Cipollini onion veloute with cappucino foam

A closer look at the first course

Chef Groves plating the salad course

The salad included roasted red pepper with a goats cheese quenelle, pickled zucchini, eggplant puree, and truffle powder

A closer look at the beautiful second course

Plating the main course which used the second secret ingredient Carmen Creek Bison

Carmen creek Bison with cipollini onions, braised shortrib, tortellini

Dessert: buttermilk panna cotta

Judge Don House announces the eagerly anticipated winner of AGC Cooks 2012

Beating out the runner up by a mere 2 points was Chef Geoff Rogers of Home Tasting Room

THE EVENT: The annual fundraiser where the Art Gallery of Calgary (AGC) transforms into a kitchen stadium where six top chefs compete in a friendly culinary competition to benefit the Art Gallery of Calgary’s renowned Public and Education (Kindergarten to Grade 12) Programming.

THE CHEFS AND THEIR RESTAURANTS:

Chef Kyle Groves, Catch
Chef Dan Norcott, Charcut
Chef Ausuma Mansy, Raw Bar
Chef J.P. Gerritsen, Sky 360
Chef Dave Bohati, Rush
Chef Geoff Rogers, Home Tasting Room

THE CHALLENGE: Chefs must create a superior four-course meal featuring a secret ingredient. Each course is paired with wine.

THE SECRET INGREDIENTS: Van Houtte espresso dolce crema, Carmen Creek Bison

THE JUDGES: John Gilchrist, Marc-André Royal, Don House, Michael Allemeier

THE WINNERS:

AGCcooks People’s Choice Award: Chef Geoff Rogers at Home Tasting Room
AGCcooks Food Critic Award: Chef Geoff Rogers Home Tasting Room, Runner Up: Rush
AGCcooks Sommelier Award: Rush

www.artgallerycalgary.org

You may visit the NEW Spring 2012 digital edition of City Style and Living magazine (also available in print) at the following address (follow the three simple steps to access the full magazine, online) :

1) go to http://www.citystyleandliving.com
2) click on the 'front cover' image, on the left hand side of your screen
3) to flip through the e-magazine, click on the bottom right hand corner
of the magazine, just as you would our print magazine!

Follow us on twitter @CityStyleMag

COOKING CLASSES AT CATCH: A PHOTOJOURNEY

Welcome to Cooking Classes at Catch

General Manager, and always gracious host, Anthony Chalmers pours
guests a glass of cool prosecco

Bubbles are a nice introduction. All classes should start this way, don't you agree?

Executive Chef Kyle Groves shows guests how to properly shuck an oyster. These beauties were from the West Coast.

Chef Groves works hands on with a participant

Making hollandaise sauce with a quick and easy method: 3 egg yolks, 1 cup hot butter, a dash of tabasco and salt. Pour the butter in a slow stream into the eggs in a blender or food processor. Loosen with warm water if the mixture is too thick

Preparing the oysters for pan frying - simply dusting them with flour

Chef Groves with Chef Trevor assembling the oysters Rockerfeller

The oysters can go under the broiler at home or you can use a blow torch to get the sauce golden brown; either method works

As we sat up at the bar - the cooking class group feasted on the finished dishes of oyster Rockerfeller

First Course: Oysters Rockerfeller. The classic dish is simple to make

In preparation of the second course Chef Groves handmade ricotta again with a simple recipe that is easy to make at home. 2 quarts of whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice. First heat the milk and cream then add the lemon juice. The mixture will curdle simply separate the curds and whey.

Making the ricotta gnocchi

The dough comes together quickly by hand

The gnocchi ready for boiling - when they float to the top they are ready

Chef Groves shows off the spot prawns he gets from fisherman Steve

Tossing the pasta in a sauce of butter, shallots and dill

Second Course: Ricotta Gnocchni in a dill butter sauce with spot prawns

Anthony Chalmers paired this course with Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Usually, as Chalmers noted, New Zealand wines tend toward tart - but this paired well with this dish cutting the richness of the butter sauce.

Chef Groves believes firmly in seasoning the fish well - ling cod

For his interpretation of Meditteranean cassoulet Groves used olives, sundried tomatoes and artichokes to brighten the white beans

Chef Groves demonstrates how to test for the doneness of fish - simply prick with a knife and when it is just warm under the lip it is ready, if it is hot it is overcooked

Third Course: Ling Cod Cassoulet. Chef Groves believes that a simple touch like adding micro greens impresses guests at home, really adding to the presentation

For this course Chalmers paired it with a Slovenian Verus Pinot Gris - a beautiful combination from a little known wine region

Fourth Course: For dessert buttermilk panna cotta with citrus compote drizzled with Grand Marnier and served with a quenelle of the house made ricotta

Lastly Chalmers paired the dessert with Errazuriz late harvest sauvignon blanc a delicious and decadent ending. When pairing wine with desserts Chalmers advised selecting a wine that can hold up to the sweetness of the dessert.
Photography K&S Media Copyright 2012

You may visit the NEW Spring 2012 digital edition of City Style and Living magazine (also available in print) at the following address (follow the three simple steps to access the full magazine, online) :

1) go to http://www.citystyleandliving.com
2) click on the 'front cover' image, on the left hand side of your screen
3) to flip through the e-magazine, click on the bottom right hand corner
of the magazine, just as you would our print magazine!

Follow us on twitter @CityStyleMag