Okanagan Food And Wine

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Episode 36: 2017 Bordeaux, Chef Sylvestre Wahid & Boneshaker Doughnuts Paris

by Paige Donner

For our April in Paris Goodfood+wine show, we take you this month to the city's first freshmade doughnut shop, Boneshaker Doughnuts; we bring you with us on a tête-a-tête with a 3^rd generation Bordeaux château wine expert who tells us about her 2017s just in time for En Primeur; And, lastly, but most certainly not least, you join me for a sit-down with Chef Sylvestre Wahid, the 2-star Michelin chef whose 10-table dining room called Restaurant Sylvestre on rue St. Dominique, offers truly luxury dining and spares no detail in the service, the setting or the cuisine.

photos by Paige Donner, more on FoodWine.photography

So relax, kick up your feet, pour yourself a glass of whatever is tugging at your taste buds this minute, and join us for yet another episode of Paris GOODfood+wine where we introduce you to some of France's finest wine and food entrepreneurs and experts.

chateau de parenchere 2017 cropped IMG_6037

photos by Paige Donner, more on FoodWine.photography

We'll begin the show with Julia Gazaniol whose grandfather purchased Château de Parenchère in 1958. For most wine estates in Bordeaux, 2017 was an especially difficult year, climatically speaking. Many estates lost anywhere from 50 – 80% of their grapes due to late frosts. It was the smallest Bordeaux harvest since 1945. However, as Julia will explain to us in greater detail, the quality remains quite good..

Fresh-baked Paris Doughnuts by Boneshaker Doughnuts on rue d'Aboukir Paris 75002

Boneshaker Bacon Doughnut for Paris GOODfood+wine

ALL MUSIC FREE OF RIGHTS COURTESY FREESOUNDTRACKMUSIC.COM Joerg Schnitzler Kepler 62 System AND GROOVY PARIS JAZZ BY BENSOUNDMUSIC.COM FOR SHOW INTRO AND OUTRO.
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Listen to Paris GOOD food + wine on :

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Media Engagements, speaking and collaborations: contact PaigeDonner.info

Paris Food And Wine

Parisfoodandwine.net

iTunes - Paris GOODfood+wine

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Episode 35: Grand Café Tortoni, Chef Arbalaez & Olivier Giraud

by Paige Donner

If there was ever an episode of Paris GOODfood+wine that will make you want to book the next flight to Paris, it's this one.

Victoire de Taillac Grand Café Tortoni photo by Paigefoodwine Instagram

First up, we have the utterly charming and so very humble, Victoire de Taillac who is the co-owner, along with her husband, of Le Grand Café Tortoni. It's newly opened in the Upper Marais on rue Saintonge and here she gives us the very colorful backgrounder on why every schoolchild in France has already heard of Le Grand Cafe Tortoni.

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Then, we take a little intermission break and speak with a local Parisian celebrity, namely Olivier Giraud. He's the star performer of the one-man show, How To Become Parisian In One Hour. He's amused and delighted audiences since first performing his hour-long routine at the Théâtre des Nouveautés in the Grand Boulevard district of Paris just about 8 years ago now.

Lastly, we turn to the Parisian-by-way-of-Colombia young chef, Juan Arbalaez who was so inspired by lemons that he named his newest restaurant Limon. He'll tell us all about that here on the show.

So, get ready for yet another enticing, appetizing, delicious and tempting episode of Paris GOODfood+wine.

All music free of rights courtesy FreeSoundtrackMusic.com FunkMe by Mike Vekris 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 /

Media Engagements, speaking and collaborations: contact http://PaigeDonner.info

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Episode 34: Marché des Enfants Rouges & Savennières AOC Loire Valley

by Paige Donner

For our 34th Episode of Paris GOODfood+wine, we focus on the Marché des Enfants Rouges located in Paris' Upper Marais as Julie Collas, star of the one-woman show, OMG, She's Parisienne!, takes us on a walk through this fabled Paris covered market.

We then turn to Evelyn de Pontbriand, the president of Savennières AOC in the Loire Valley and owner of the prestigious domain, Château Closel, to tell us all about this distinct white wine made from Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley of France.

Julie Collas, star of the one-woman show, OMG, She's Parisienne! pictured here at the Marché des Enfants-Rouges in the Upper Marais, Paris

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The Savennières AOC region of France's Loire Valley

Show Script:

Marche' des Enfants Rouges

The Marché des Enfants Rouges - the name in English translates to "Market of the Red Children" - is Paris' oldest covered market

It was established in 1628 and refers to the children clothed in red (the color of charity) who were cared for in a nearby orphanage.

The market offers fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers ,bread, cheese, wine, but is most well known for its market stand restaurants where shoppers can buy prepared meals and dine on site in a lively atmosphere.

My interview with Julie Collas, the mastermind behind OMG She's Parisienne, a stand-up show that plays every weekend here in Paris, took place here at the Marché des Enfants Rouges. One recent Friday evening. we shared a glass of wine at the charming wine bar, BiboVino on the rue Charlot side of the Marché.

Le Marché des Enfants Rouges is located at 39 Rue de Bretagne in the Marais, the (3rd) arrondissement.

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We then turn to a very distinct Loire Valley appellation called Savennieres. It's known for its Chenin Blanc grown in schist – or shale – soils and is typically more full-bodied than dry Vouvray,

Savennieres is situated on the north bank of the Loire River, in the Anjou-Saumur subregion near Angers.

It is generally a dry white wine as we'll see in my interview with Evelyn de Pontbriand who is the president of the Savennieres AOC and the owner of Domaine Closel, Though, as Madame de Pontbriand explains, it can also be sweet as well as sparkling.

There are three Appellation d'origine contrôlées (AOCs) for Savennières wine:

Savennières, covering most of the vineyards, and then the enclaves Savennières-Roche-aux-Moines and Savennières-Coulée-de-Serrant.

The area allowed for Savennières AOC spreads over 3 hills on the northwest bank of the Loire and totals about 300 hectares ( or 740 acres), situated in three villages: Savennières, Bouchemaine and La Poissonnière.

Of these, about 146 hectares are actually planted with vineyards.Savennières-Roche-aux-Moines covers 33 hectares (82 acres) and Savennières-Coulée-de-Serrant covers 7 hectares (17 acres).

Savennières was originally defined as an AOC in 1952, which was then revised in 1996 to introduce designations for sweet wines.

To have more information on the Academie du Chenin, international Chenin Blanc lovers network, Chenin Blanc think tank visit our website: www.academieduchenin.org Use with no moderation #cheninblanc #chenincheninchenin #drinkchenin #cheninday

All music free of rights courtesy FreeSoundtrackMusic.com 'Crystalline City by Steve Lowther 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 /

Media Engagements, speaking and collaborations: contact http://PaigeDonner.info

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Episode 33: L’Académie du Vin & Willi’s Wine Bar on Paris GOODfood+wine

by Paige Donner

For our January Paris GOODfood+wine show we're talking all about wine. This show's inspiration came from the announcement that Steven Spurrier was resuscitating L'Académie du Vin. So, of course, I reached out to his longtime friend here in Paris, Mark Williamson, owner of the legendary Willi's Wine Bar, to get the scoop. He suggested I talk directly with Mr. Spurrier when he was next in town and Voilà, the interview.

First, though, I sat down with Mark Williamson at his elegant Maceo restaurant which is just a few doors down from Willi's Wine Bar there on rue des Petits Champs just behind the Palais Royal. He filled me in on all sorts of fun tidbits including his Willi's Art Club poster initiative and what it means to be a Rhône Ranger.

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Le Vin. Shared pleasure & amitié. Simplement. - image courtesy ©Willi's Wine Bar - To purchase posters click HERE

Mr Spurrier then joined us at the bar and gave me some backstory about L'Académie du Vin and why now is the perfect time to lift it back up and out onto a global stage. He also tells a little bit about his own sparkling wine from Southern England, a venture he and his wife began a few decades ago, now.

So, sit back and relax and enjoy another episode of Paris GOOD food+wine, and if you're truly lucky, you'll be sipping on a glass filled with one of your favorites.

Oh and by the way, cheers to 2018 New Year's resolutions – mine is to drink more fine wines. What's yours?

All music free of rights courtesy FreeSoundtrackMusic.com 'Breaking Squares' by Mike Vekris 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 /

Media Engagements, speaking and collaborations: contact http://PaigeDonner.info

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Episode 32: Caféotheque, Caféologie, Terres de Café by Paris GOOD food+wine

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

Friday, December 8, 2017

French Wines With Soul Château Coutet AOC Barsac and Deux Sauternes

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.

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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.
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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).