VISA INFINITE EXCLUSIVE BRUNCH WITH EXECUTIVE CHEFS GEOFF ROGERS AND XAVIER LACAZE AT HOME TASTING ROOM

 

Executive Chef Geoff Rogers of Home Tasting Room and Executive Chef Xavier Lacaze of Muse Restaurants plating canapes

Broek Acres pork belly, apple gougere served as canape

Live music provided by Rick Climans Jazz Group

 

Chilled heirloom tomato gazpacho, pickled cucumbers, Turkish olive oil served with Myer Rose 2010 Okanagan Valley

 

A chef preparing cheese scones in the kitchen

Rabbit terrine, wild mushrooms, huckleberry preserve paired with Joie Riesling, 2010 Okanagan Valley

 
A busy kitchen scene

Seared Canadian scallops, cauliflower puree anchovy pesto paired with Painted Rock Chardonnay 2008 Okanagan Valley

 

Wild spring salmon "papillote" spring vegetables, carrot ginger broth paired with Greata Ranch Pinot Noir 2007 Okanagan Valley

 

Chef Rogers carving up the whole roast suckling pig 

 

Chef Rogers and a chef plating up the suckling pig

 Chef Lacaze at the other end of the restaurant serving up another whole roast suckling pig

Whole roast suckling pig, house condiments, preserves and breads served with Sandhill One, Small Lots, Phantom Creek Vineyard 2009 Okanagan Valley

 

A selection of Canadian Cheese: Petit Connaisseur Brie, Damafro Inc, Saint-Damase, Quebec; Sylvan Star Grizzly Gouda, Sylvan Star Cheese, Alberta; Devil's Rock Creamery Blue Cheese, Thornloe Cheese, Ontario

 

Plates ready for the last touches of dessert

 

 

 Lemon zest and cream cheese mousse, fresh marinated strawberries semolina sponge cake

Chefs Lacaze (left) and Rogers (right) with host Don House (centre)

Calgary's Home Tasting Room hosted a Visa Infinite Exclusive Brunch on June 3 2012.  A crowd dressed in pastel hues entered Home Tasting Room to the soothing sounds of the ultra talented Rick Climans Jazz Group duo, for a collaboration between executive chef Geoff Rogers of Home Tasting Room and Executive Chef Xavier Lacaze of Muse Restaurant and former Top Chef Canada (S2) contestant.  

Two long communal tables punctuated with kelly green chairs were filled with eager diners. Guests anticipated the whole roast suckling pig, which was basted hourly the night before by Chef Rogers and was one of the highlights of the brunch, with diners requesting extra crisp skin and seconds.  The cellophane-like 'papillote' salmon, elicited cooing and the plastic papillote was cut at the table with the chefs adding hollandaise and maldon salt to each guests plate.  

This brunch was a relaxing way to spend a Sunday, and a great team effort by both Chefs.

www.visainfinite.ca

www.hometastingroom.ca
www.muserestaurant.ca

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY COPYRIGHT K&S MEDIA 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

VISA INFINITE BRUNCH SERIES: HOME TASTING ROOM WITH EXECUTIVE CHEF GEOFF ROGERS AND GUEST XAVIER LACAZE

BRUNCH SERIES: Home Tasting Room with Executive Chef Geoff Rogers and Guest Chef Xavier Lacaze

WHEN: Sunday, June 3, 2012 11 am

WHERE: Home Tasting Room, Main Floor, 110 8th Avenue SW, Calgary

COST: $75 per person (includes sparkling wine reception, wine, food and gratuity; taxes extra).

WHAT: Join Home Tasting Room Executive Chef Geoff Rogers and his guest, Top Chef Canada Season 2
contender Xavier Lacaze of Muse Restaurant and Lounge, for a collaborative brunch spectacular,
with matching wines presented by Wine of British Columbia, exclusively for Visa Infinite cardholders.
Opening to much acclaim just one year ago — and taking the runner-up spot in Avenue magazine’s
pick of best new restaurant for 2012 — Home Tasting Room has made its mark with intensely sincere
artisan-crafted and sustainable ingredients, a comfortable and welcoming vibe, and dishes that are
at once decidedly “homey” and subtly innovative.

WHO: Join the Home Tasting Room team and Chef Lacaze for a delicious brunch in a
convivial atmosphere, with carefully chosen wines from Wines of British Columbia. Esteemed food
writer John Gilchrist will guide diners through the dishes and techniques. Guests will receive a gift
bag containing a premium item from Le Creuset and the Dairy Farmers of Canada. (One gift bag per
couple or individual ticket holder.)

TO ATTEND: Seating is limited. Call 1-888-711-9399 today to reserve your place at the table. For additional details visit www.visainfinite.ca


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

RUSH WITH NEW ZEALAND WINEMAKERS

WHEN: Wednesday, May 2 , 2012 6:30 pm

WHERE: Rush, 100, 207 9th Ave. SW, Calgary

COST: $145 per person (includes sparkling wine reception, wine, food and gratuity; taxes extra).

WHAT: Join Chef Dave Bohati at Rush, along with visiting winemakers from New Zealand, for a special
wine-themed dinner and sparkling wine reception highlighted by the inventive contemporary menu
that has made Rush one of the city’s top dining draws, exclusively for Visa Infinite cardholders.  A dinner at Rush is always an unforgettable experience — the attention to guests’ needs, the opulent and elegant décor, the obsession with perfection in the kitchen. Rush took the number three spot on enRoute magazine’s 2009 list of top new restaurants, and the kitchen continues to innovate under the guidance of Chef Bohati, who manipulates pristine items like octopus, lobster, sweetbreads and foie gras into taste treats infused with global flavours.

WHO: Rush will host winemakers from New Zealand with a multi-course dinner
designed to showcase a carefully chosen selection of wines from Yealands Estate, Mud House,
Huia Vineyards, Rock Ferry and Oyster Bay. Guests will receive a gift bag containing a premium
item from Le Creuset and the Dairy Farmers of Canada. (One gift bag per couple or individual
ticket holder.)

TO ATTEND: Seating is limited. Call 1-888-711-9399 today to reserve your place at the table.
For additional details visit www.visainfinite.ca



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

INSTAGRAM EFFECT FOR VISA INFINITE BRUNCH AT RIVER CAFE

Canapes: River Cafe fresh baked selection of pastries (pictured); House cured pork Lonzino; Fresh shucked west coast oysters

Pairing: N.V. Gaston Chiquet Champagne Cuvee de Reserve Brut

Course: Lois Lake Steelhead Trout Lox Acadian sustainable caviar, smoked chevre, blood orange, celery leaf

Pairing: N.V. Franck Peillot Vin du Bugey-Montagnieu Petillant Brut

Course: Wild Pacific Blue Cod and 64 degree Farm Egg parsnip rosti, Nova Scotia lobster vinaigrette

Pairing: Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay

Course: wood Grilled Royal Farms Elk Striploin porcini and quinoa porridge huckleberry jus

Pairing: Montes Alpha Syrah, Apalta Valley, Chile

On a snowy February morning, guests turned up to sip sparkling wine, and feast upon brunch staples such as lox, eggs, and pastries.

With fresh shucked oysters reminiscent of the coast, a roaring fire and wine pairings with nearly every course - there were ample ways to warm up.

https://visainfinite.ca

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

VISA INFINITE EXCLUSIVE DINNER AT ALLOY

The dining series is presented by Visa Infinite

Alloy's bold red signage

Alloy emblazoned on a glass door

The wine dinner also featured New Zealand Wine

Uri Heilik, owner of Alloy

Cheese expert Reg Hendrickson of the Dairy Farmers of Canada

At a reception before the dinner guests sampled a selection of Canadian cheese

A lovely blue cheese

Tomato and cucumber yogurt chilli tomato concasse served as appetizers

A server from Alloy with mussels

A closer look at the baked New Zealand Mussels proscuitto bearnaise

Guests gathered at tables to await the Visa Infinite dining experience

Guests chatted with winemakers, many of whom had come directly from New Zealand

Guests enjoying the reception hour where a wine tasting of seven New Zealand wines was on offer

The crowd at Alloy

The decor at Alloy is fresh and reminiscent of spring time

Rogelio Herrera owner and chef at Alloy in the kitchen

The menu for the evening

Sheep's cheese mousse and oven dried kiwi salad sauvignon blanc vinaigrette served with Jackson Estate Stich Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Oven roasted New Zealand Blue nose sea bass "All Blacks" risotto lobster crema sauteed rapini served with Marisco Kings Thorn Pinot Gris 2010

Grilled New Zealand lamb chop "colonial goose" souffle tomato and spinach avocado oil served with Babich Reserve Syrah 2007

Roasted New Zealand venison striploin grilled yam puree karaka black berry glaze double smoked bacon crisp served with Waitiri Creek Pinot Noir 2008

Chocolate and strawberry pavlova vanilla cream mint syrup served Te Kairanga Runholder Chardonnay

Another look at the dessert

Representatives from the several New Zealand wineries were present. Pictured here with chef Herrera

The exclusive Visa Infinite dinner (where the pitch in the room got increasingly loud as the night progressed), took place at Alloy Dining room in Southwest Calgary. New Zealand wine producers joined the eager crowd in a 5 course menu that focused on New Zealand produce (Karaka blackberries; who knew?).

Cheese and Oyster Bay sparkling wine greeted guests, as they entered the room. An exceptionally delicious array of Canadian cheese from the Dairy Farmers of Canada was on display to taste (our favourite was the blue cheese).

Chef Herrera and his team prepared an outstanding, well seasoned, well thought out, and well balanced menu. The use of signature New Zealand ingredients was well integrated throughout the meal. The innovative use of Japanese black rice, (instead of arborio or carnaroli) to make the risotto, paired with an ultra light lobster crema was innovative and bright. While, the sheeps cheese mousse salad was perfectly dressed, and not to acidic, pairing with the Jackson Estate sauvignon blanc beautifully.

Every dish was, as noted above, well seasoned (this simple skill is easy to take for granted but difficult to perfect), allowing the New Zealand wine portfolio to shine through.

The finale to the meal, a light and refreshing pavlova with sweet strawberries was an excellent salute to New Zealand.

visainfinite.ca
alloydining.com
www.citystyleandliving.com

VISA INFINITE DINNER AT RIVER CAFE

CSL was invited to the exclusive Visa Infinite/ River Café dinner series. Guests were greeted with glasses of Veuve Clicquot yellow label and charcuterie tasting including Chef Pohorelic’s favourite- house made 17 Month Berkshire Prosciutto, Duck Liver Pate, Fresh Lamb Merguez.

Throughout out five course meal diners enjoyed commentary from John Gilchrist and the always delightful David Walker (100 wines by David Walker).

Keep check the CSL website to check out for more photo’s from the event:

http://www.citystyleandliving.com/food

http://www.visainfinite.ca/

copyright K&S Media 2010