Okanagan Food And Wine: December 2017

by Paige Donner

Episode 32 of Paris GOODfood+wine is all about coffee. But not just any coffee - these are two of Paris' premier specialty coffee roasters and their passion for coffee transcends the everyday ordinary cup o' joe...

Click HERE to WATCH VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhXBk5ifRgU

Cafe. Coffee. Cafeotheque. Cafeologie. Terres de Cafe. Terroir du cafe...

These are terms, some of which you've frequently probably already have heard, and a few which might sound new.

NO matter. This episode of Paris GOODfood+wine is all about the coffee renaissance that has taken place here in Paris these past oh, decade or so.

We'll be speaking with the matriarch of this Parisian specialty coffee cult who is, in fact, the former Guatemalan Ambassador to France. She and her daughter run the much loved Caféotheque right on the quai de l'Hôtel de Ville, just across the bridge from Île St. Louis in the center of Paris.

photos by Paige Donner / FoodWine.Photography © 2017

Gloria Montenegro and her lovely daughter, Christina, have just released a book they co-authored together about coffee. It's called Caféologie and they wrote it not just in French but also on a strict deadline that has the book out just in time for holiday gift giving. By the time you're done listening to my conversation with them, all of those coffee terms will sound like old hat. You can find more information about La Caféotheque by going to their website or facebook page at La Caféotheque.

We'll also hear from Lionel Pinot who is one of the principal team members of Terres de Cafe. That's a café that has quickly earned its cult status reputation here in Paris for its premium sourced specialty coffees.

Lionel has a background in wine, which serves him perfectly well when it comes to tasting coffee. He'll explain more about that during our interview.

So, as we coast into yet another Parisian winter and Christmas holiday season, snuggle up by the fire( or at least the heater) with your hands cupped around a nice steaming mug o' joe, and listen in on how Paris became the capital of supremely sourced, specialty coffees and micro-roasters.

This episode of Paris GOODfood+wine has been brought to you by Paris Food And Wine. You can find out more about our events and food+wine pairing seminars like Perfect Pairings food+wine by visiting the website, parisfoodandwine.net.

If you have an event, a restaurant opening, a story to tell in pictures, contact us at FoodWine.Photography. We're happy to provide you with a quote for photography services.

I'm Paige Donner, the host and producer of Paris GOODfood+wine.

Here's wishing all our listeners a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hannukah and Kwanzaa and anything else you and your loved ones celebrate at the end of the year.

See you next in 2018!

Enjoy yet another delicious episode here of Paris GOODfood+wine.

All music free of rights courtesy FreeSoundtrackMusic.com "Mocha Guitar" by Rick Dickert and Groovy Paris Jazz by BensoundMusic.com for show Intro and Outro.
To contact Paige Donner for speaking/hosting/producing paigedonner.info
For more info about Paris GOODfood+wine and a complete show lineup go to localfoodandwine.wordpress.com
And our website parisfoodandwine.net
Instagram @paigefoodwine Twitter @parisfoodwine

Listen to Paris GOOD food + wine on :

iTunes – Paris GOODfood+wine /

Prints available by contacting http://PaigeDonner.info

by Paige Donner

Christmastime is the perfect time to enjoy a bottle of AOC Barsac, a French appellation devoted to the production of sweet wine, with a distinguishing accent of freshness. Château Coutet is one of the region's outstanding wine producers and what's more, this French wine has soul.

Mind you, many French wines do. Have soul that is. But this one is especially solid, and especially for the holidays. And, by the way, it is a 1ère Grand Cru Classé 1855, too. AND it (the 2014 vintage) was N° 3 in Wine Spec's Top 10 of 2017.

close_up_of_coutet_1997_1_20130530_1061558432

chateau coutet with tasting notes 11772562898974

The appellation "Barsac", located on the left bank of the Ciron, is also part of the Sauternes appellation. This means that all Barsacs are Sauternes, but not all Sauternes are entitled to the appellation Barsac. An original soil characteristic justifies the existence of this appellation and the fact that it is being differentiated from other Sauternes... (Microclimate): At the end of summer, the combination of the rivers' cold water and winds creates a thick fog in the morning, covering the vineyards and being retained by the Landes forest, farther south. Thanks to the humidity it brings, this fog promotes the development of the famous fungus, Botrytis cinerea, in the vines and on ripe berries. At midday, the fog evaporates by the action of sunlight and wind, and thus allows for the berries to dry and for their sugar to concentrate. This so-called "Noble Rot" is the result of this peculiar phenomenon occurring in the Sauternes appellation.
LEARN MORE

What To Pair?

People often think of sweet wines as the go-to pairing with desserts. But, frankly, that is often a bit too much sweet-on-sweet. Best to pair these stellar wines with the aperitif, while cracking walnuts, Brazil nuts and almonds-in-the-shell while you sit by the fire with friends and family.

To really dazzle, you can serve with a dish of perfectly succulent St. Jacques (scallops) or lobster, basted richly in their juices - at least that is what Philippe Baly, owner and GM of this esteemed estate, assures. I will have to try that pairing one day soon for myself... Or pair with some nice cheese, like a Roquefort or an aged Comté. If you must try pairing with a dessert, go for a less sweet nut tart or lightly sweetened fruit such as a stewed pear in honey for example. For me, this wine is the dessert. So either I enjoy it as an aperitif, while the smells of the roasting, honey basted ham is still wafting from the warm kitchen (every lady know that dessert can and often does come before the meal) , or I sip it instead of dessert, as a sweet finish to my meal. If you do this, try tantalizing the tastebuds even further with a square of dark, minimum 70% cacao, dark chocolate.

Château Coutet

Sauternes

White grape varieties

Sémillon: native to Sauternes, apricot & smoky aromas
Sauvignon blanc: citrus notes
Muscadelle: spiciness for complexity

Château de Fargues harvests their nobly rotted bounty grape by grape. And you can tell instantly in the glass. Honeyed elixir, candied apricots... this is a classic, beautiful Sauternes. Château Doisy-Védrines is another example of gold in a glass and also is a Grand Cru Classé en 1855.

For the most part, Sauternes wines have a more intense liquor, a deeper opulence, a richer sweetness (than their Barsac neighbors) - all largely due to the way their gravel soils catch the heat of the sun and reflect it back up to the grapes.

In France, the classic holiday pairing is Sauternes with foie gras. And when you serve that foie gras on little wedges of spice cake, a breadier form of our gingerbread, well, then you know you are respecting tradition, and all for good reason. Add just a tiny dab of fig confiture and Voilà... you will feel to the manor borne...

These two Sauternes are excellent choices and perfect accompaniment for holiday meals. And the ever so nice thing about these French wines with soul is that they are even more enjoyable when shared with loved ones (or at least good friends).