"Under the Sea 4-Wine Flight Food and Wine Pairing Dinner" with Chef James Lupia was the calling card. We were seated at three long, family-style tables in a smallish room with a huge , raised demonstration area that included bent mirrors on the ceiling and a TV over the stovetop so that you could see a little better. There were about 50 people there, and it was pretty squished. My back was partially to the chef, and I had to turn in my chair quite a bit to see what was going on. There was a group of five women sitting beside us that talked throughout the entire time, drowning out much of what the chef and the wine expert had to say, which was quite disappointing and not to say a little frustrating. Oh well.
I learned a few little tricks and new ideas, but for the most part, although Chef James was fun and interesting to listen to, he expected everyone to know what he was talking about (he knew many people attending were returnees) so he did quite a bit with no explanation, which was a little disconcerting. We WERE given the recipes, and pens were provided so we could take notes, although there wasn't much room on the table to do so.
I wish I'd taken more photos, the one I do have was taken by my hostess of the evening, my friend Claudia. It was her birthday, and I didn't even know it until halfway through the evening. That, too, was a bit disappointing.
First course: Orange-Tossed Crab Bruschetta with Red Onion and Tomato Pesto on Grilled Sourdough.
The bread was soggy and limp, needed to be cooked for a much longer time. The topping was very tasty, but you had to eat this with a knife and fork because said topping was really crumbly and kept falling off the bread. I wonder what you could add to hold it all together a little more?
Second course: Triple Brie Shrimp, Crab, & Bay Scallop Chowder
This was my favorite of the evening. It was perfect. I was afraid I wouldn't like all the Brie that was added, but the tastes at the end were perfect. It came out much thinner than I'd expected, which was a good thing. Yummy.
Third course part one: Shrimp Risotto Primavera with Sundried Tomatoes
What a lot of work it is to make risotto! Stirring nonstop for 20 minutes sure doesn't do it for me, although it was tasty. I would've liked more primavera....not enough veggies, too much rice.
Third course part tow: Parmesan & Garlic-Tossed Oven-Roasted Asparagus
Too much Parmesan for me, scads of it. The asparagus was really tasty, I'm sure in part because of the garlic.
Third course part three, the main course: Crab-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Sauce Mornay
I learned how to stuff a chicken breast after slicing it horizontally. I watched him make a roux, and turn it into a sauce. Good things. They cooked the chicken downstairs in a big oven and then brought it up. It was too dry, not enough stuffing, and cool in the middle. However, I learned a lot for this course, and think I'd like to try something similar.
Fourth course/dessert course: Grand Marnier Chocolate Macadamia Nut Brownies with Milk Chocolate Frosting & Vanilla Ice Cream
Nice, really nice. The Frosting was to-die-for yummy, thick, creamy and chocolaty. Fairly easy to make, too. I don't enjoy nuts in food, and the macadamia nuts in the brownies didn't change that for me. The brownie would have been extra-yummy without them. The small scoop of vanilla ice cream was perfect and accompanied the brownie perfectly.
I'd sure love to have a mini-dinner party!
Each course was paired with a reasonably-priced wine.
The first, was Quinta de Chocapalha Arinto Branco Lisboa 2014 ($13.99). This white wine I found very citrusy and acidic. I only took a couple of sips.
Wine #2 was Fiuza Alvarinho Portugal 2015 ($14.99) The second of three white wines, this was good, and dry. Since I'm not a dry-wine lover it too, several sips to accommodate my palate, but I was delighted to finish the glass.
Wine #3 was Semeli Feast White 2016 ($12.99) With my limited taste, I found this very similar to wine #2, and enjoyed it. A bit drier than I like, I had no problem finishing the glass.
Wine #4 was a red: Achaia Clauss Mavrodaphne of Patras ($11.99) a desert wine, reminded me of what I THINK port or sherry would taste like. It's dry but a shot of sweetness accompanies every sip. Ater three good sips I decided I didn't really care for it. I've never really overly enjoyed red wines, but I'll keep trying!
It's a bit expensive, but add in the entertainment and wine and it's worth it. Would I go again? Yes, just for the experience. Maybe it would encourage me to cook a little more, because I've thought a lot about how I could change the recipes to accommodate my likes and dislikes, which was fun. And I LOVE kitchen gadgets...and my current kitchen, although tiny, is much more amenable to cooking that any of my previous kitchens!
The Kitchen Shoppe and Cooking School
101 Shady Lane
Carlisle, PA 17013
717-243-0906
www.kitchenshoppe.com
And you can sign up online....
