Mucking about for the Amazing Race To Dinner 2012

Château Rauzan-Ségla

This event will feature rare wine directly flown from the chateau, as well as the presence of Château Rauzan-Ségla and Château Canon managing director and master chef.

This epicurean experience will showcase a multi-course menu specially created and prepared by Bruno Chevalier, Master Chef of Château Rauzan-Ségla and Château Canon, and complemented with wines personally selected by John Kolasa, managing director of both Châteaux. Among the wines served will be a rare 1966 Château Canon in magnum and the 1986 Château Rauzan-Ségla (rated at 96 points by Robert Parker.) The US$395 per person ticket (±R3K) will commence with a champagne reception.

The menu for the evening:

Hen consommé with foie gras, sliced scallops and truffles
CHÂTEAU CANON 2003, St Emilion, 1st Classified Growth
CHÂTEAU CANON 2000, St Emilion, 1st Classified Growth

Veal sweetbreads pan fried in hazelnut oil, lentils cooked with bacon and chanterelles
CHÂTEAU RAUZAN–SÉGLA 2001, Margaux Classified Growth
CHÂTEAU RAUZAN–SÉGLA 1995, Margaux Classified Growth

Warm lobster tail, chicken oyster, cèpes and toasted pine nuts
CHÂTEAU RAUZAN–SÉGLA 1989, Margaux Classified Growth
CHÂTEAU RAUZAN–SÉGLA 1986, Margaux Classified Growth

Roasted double loin lamb chop crusted with tarragon and almonds, barbajuan with lamb shoulder confit; artichoke heart stuffed with vegetables and Comté cheese
CHÂTEAU CANON 1998, St Emilion, 1st Classified Growth
CHÂTEAU CANON 1966, St Emilion, 1st Classified Growth

Kaffir lime cake with red fruits and rhubarb
CHÂTEAU ROUMIEU-LACOSTE 2006, Sauternes

This special event is part of the Halekulani Living luxury lifestyle series, which launched in 2006 offering events that cater to distinct interests and cultural desires of Halekulani’s guests and patrons.

Château Canon

(via HOTELSMag.com – By Jeff Weinstein on 1/26/2012)

]]> http://ymartiny.co.za/2011/11/30/my-sea-point/feed/ 0 http://ymartiny.co.za/2011/11/28/bokswynengel/ http://ymartiny.co.za/2011/11/28/bokswynengel/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:19:51 +0000 ymartiny http://ymartiny.co.za/?p=661 Sneeuengels se voet. Strandengles s’n ook. As jy die bevokste engel wil maak, is die ‘n bokswynengel. Dit verg baie om hierdie hoog onwaarskynlikke sending te voltooi:

- Eerste moet jy die perfekte glas hê; een met net die regte hoogte stam en ‘n weie genoeg glastulp om daardie opgebokste wyn die regte hoeveelheid lug te gee.

- Die atmosferiese druk moet presies dieselfde wees as op die dak van enige ses-vloer gebou in die stadbak van Kaapstad

- Die regte mengsel van alkohol aanpaksel en sediment van die wonderlikste lighte witwyn tot swaarder, ondrinkbare, rooiwyn. Dit dan alles het bygedra tot die skepping van dié perfte aangesig in ‘n glas en ook die selfs meer suksesvolle, jaarlikse (nou in sy tweede jaar) Bokswyntoekenings by die Penthouse on Long wat deur winetimes geborg word.

Mense het van hede en vere gekom om dié uitsonderlikke en unieke aangeleentheid by te woon. Die geliefde bekendes in die wynindustrie was daar, wyngoggas (wine bloggers), media, wynvlieë, en ook net plein gewone mense wat daarvan hou om die ou papsak ‘n drukkie te gee.

Die hysbak se deure het net na vyf-dertig oopgemaak om die hordes mense wat geduldig op die rooi tapyt gewag het, na die dak te vat. Na ‘n vinigge oriëntasie en registrasie was jy dan reg om in die rye bokse in te vaar. Tussen die opvang met bekende gesigte wat jy oor die jare bymekaar gemaak het, meestal met die hulp van die goeie mense (en gasheers) van winetimes en spitorswallow, en die ongelooflikke smulhappies van die  The Woodstock, moes jy ±20 bokse wit- en rooiwyn probeer, dit ‘n telling uit 10 gee, en daaroor Twiet om die telling te registreer. ‘10’ vir daardie boksie wat jou tong van vreugde laat sing en‘1’ vir daardie onbeskofte, asyn-tipe wyn wat jou kiewe laat hande klap tot in die nuwe jaar.

Ander struikelblokke vir elke beoordeellaar om ook te vermy, en om van nota te neem vir volgende jaar sodat jy betyds ‘n slukkie kan neem van elke wyn voor die aand verby is:

- Die kameraman, klankman and vermaaklikheids aanbieder wat ‘n hele ry wynbokse van toegang kan blokkeer

- Mense met tydelikke wyn-geïnduseerde Alzheimer se siekte wat drie keer dieseflde tottie draai en dieselfde bokswyn dan weer punte gee (en waarskynlik met ‘n ander telling)

- Op-maat-selfoon-snorvember-manvrou kompetiesies vir wie jy ook beoordeellaar moet speel

- Kraantjies wat verkeerde kant toe spyt

- Dronkies met nagblindheid

Dié partytjie, wat beslis die bees se ballas was, het natuurlik nie geëindig met die toekennings van die beste witwyn (Robertson Winery Sauvignon Blanc) en rooiwyn (Drostdy-hof Merlot 2010) nie. Daarna, is almal in hulle afslag rikki-karretjies na die immergewilde, Drie-eenheid (Trinity). Hoewel, na ek deur elke liewe bokswyn was, kon ek ongelukkig nie die jol verder aanpak nie. Toe gryp ek my komplimentêre lewertablette (Vital Liver Rescue tablets) en luister toe maar vir die innerlikke kapitalis wat my bed toe jaag.

Dit was ‘n paar dae later dat ek my skootrekenaar in die katebak ingegooi het en toe die glas hoor. In die donker hoek van die katebak het ek toe die dowe, rooi-gevlekte glas uitgelig en opgehou teen die sonlig. Op daardie oomblik het honderde stemme teen dieselfde tyd in eenvormigge lied uitgebreek wat my weer laat glo het in die krag wat ‘n doos kan hê.

Amarula recently ran a Retro & Renew competition for food and drinks bloggers, who were asked to compose a cocktail based on a classic recipe but given a new twist by adding the creamy Spirit of Africa to the mix.

The winning cocktail was Lover’s Revenge, a variation on the White Russian, devised by Clare Mack and professionally styled and shot for Amarula, along with five other recipes short-listed by the panel of judges for their originality, taste and suggested way of serving.

They are Nirvana by Chocolate ymartiny.co.za, Amarula Mint Music Muddle by Sue Northam (Samusicinlondon.blogspot.com), Dark Roast Amarula by Deidre Rosenberg (Love4adventure.co.za), Elephant Riviera by Sarah Fell (Onesmallseed.co.za) and Skew’s me by Juan Geel (Skew.co.za).

They will all soon be featured on Amarula’s website www.amarula.co.za.

Ingredients

30 ml Amarula

30 ml Count Pushkin Premium Imperial Vodka

30 ml Nachtmusik

3 scoops Woolworths Stracciatella Ice Cream

30 ml Stroh Rum

Crushed ice

Shavings of white and dark chocolate

Method

Mix the Amarula, Count Pushkin Premium Imperial Vodka, Nachtmusik and ice cream with crushed ice in a cocktail shaker, blender or sealed container.  Pour into a tumbler and garnish with shavings of white and dark chocolate.  Savour the cocktail and finish off with a shot of Stroh Rum.

Serves one.

My mother has to be the leading alcoholic personality in the southern hemisphere. I remember bergies (South African Pygmy Street Cowboys) standing in queues outside our house waiting for that half a glass that she would leave them, on purpose. Her children departed from her nipple only to reach for the neck of her favourite aperitif or digestif. It was during these early forming years that she introduced them to a liqueur, for which I would have an affinity for, like a child would for a favourite toy. It had to be the gentle looking giant elephant staring at you from the bottle. What child doesn’t adore animals, domestic or wild?

Before we start this adventure, please let me make one thing clear. Amarula Cream is not a liqueur (flavored alcoholic beverage) but actually a double distilled spirit. Drop that little fact at the next Tupperware party.

“Amarula Cream is a pure blend of nature’s fresh cream and the mysterious taste of the wild Marula fruit.” It is with this proclamation that I applied myself to their competition (more here).

With an early degree in alcoholic and associated mixers, these years of constant exposure regulated me into ‘Drinking with the Days’. A routine I apply to everyday drinking to keep it interesting and within the Rules of Moderation, in whichever way you interpret it. Eg. Fridays call for beer and tequila … and anything else that can be shooted, Saturdays for spirits and mixers, Sundays for Ciders (because mom had Ciders on Sundays after church), and Mondays to Thursdays wine would be the obvious constant catapult of consumption.

Other than moderately consuming beverages, enjoying fine food and cruising the strip on the weekend, I’m also fond of listening to good music (contemporary, alternative, rock or a combination thereof). For this competition then, I thought of combining my remarkable taste in Hot Contemporary Rock Music with my unique scheduled drinking habits in an effort to come up with new cocktails and shooters for a product aiming to make their brand just that, fresh and rocking, every weekday:

Sowetan Toilet – Monday

Maybe the most loved drink to shoot at any bar, despite its name. For the twist in this very popular classic, we drizzle Apple Sourz over all the ingredients and make it a “District 9 Toilet”, guaranteed to have you leaving the bar like the Prawn you will become. Also an awesome motivational elixir at any Monday Night Karaoke bar or club …

Ingredients: 3/4 banana liqueur - 1/4 Amarula Cream - Nachtmusik Chocolate Liqueur - Apple Sourz

Preparation: Start with banana liqueur, Amarula Cream and drop of Nachtmusik. Drizzle Apple Sourz over the open toilet and voila!

Song: Mad at Gravity – “Walk Away” – from the movie

Amarula, the Housewife & Eve – Tuesday

Originally created to be enjoyed after an African sunset, it is strongly recommended that the very well-off and affluent suburban housewife shake it up with their domestic assistant every Tuesday just before chaila time.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz Amarula Cream - 1/2 oz vodka - 1/2 oz lemon juice - 2 1/2 oz Litchi juice - 3/4 oz ruby red Grapefruit juice - Litchi fruit for garnish

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a shaker glass filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a coup glass. Garnish with litchi fruit on the rim and sing “Hesitate” by Stone Sour with that special someone you share most of the day with.

Nirvana by Chocolate – Wednesday

Previously Death by Chocolate was consumed mostly before hitting the night clubs and bars by inexperienced teen-bobbers looking for a chilling thrill. Nirvana by Chocolate however, would be for the more sophisticated palate and should be trayed up with Stroh Rum (in a separate shot obviously) to give you that midweek boost.

Ingredients: 1 oz vodka - 1.5 oz Amarula Cream - 1 oz Nachtmusik Chocolate Liqueur – 3 Scoops Stracciatella ice cream from Woolies - A Shot of Stroh Rum

Preparation: Blend all ingredients together with crushed ice and serve in a whisky glass. Garnish with shavings of white and dark chocolate. Have a shot of stroh rum afterwards to prepare you for the next coming.

Song: Foo Fighters – “Rope” – obviously … for so many reasons

Toasted Elephant Nuts – Thursday

Originally called Toasted Almond, a delightful combination of coffee and almond liqueurs originally made with a coffee infused liqueur or spirit. Now, you make this creamy concoction with Amarula Cream instead and it would be an even greater indulgence. By adding a shot of vodka, your Toasted Elephant Nuts turns any night spectacularly neon. To be enjoyed at any five star fine-dining establishment.

Ingredients: 1.5 oz amaretto - 1.5 oz Amarula Cream - 1 oz cream

Preparation: Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass and crack an almond in your mouth afterwards to honour the pachydermatous ancestors.

Song: Cage the Elephant – “Shake Me Down” – Perfect title for this drink and a great song!

The Cape Town Halfpipe – Friday

Created in honour of the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Halfpipe is an excellent addition to any Olympic party. These days though we prefer it served at any festival in Obz in honour of a different Half-Pipe.

Ingredients: 1 oz Lucid Absinthe - 1 oz Coffee Liqueur - 1 oz Amarula Cream - Vanilla pod for garnish

Preparation: In a rocks glass combine Lucid Absinthe, coffee liqueur and crème liqueur. Stir. Garnish with vanilla pod.

Song: Kings Of Leon – “Pyro” – Awesome video btw and quite an appropriate setting, considering all of the above.

Personally I preferred mine chilled for easy, neat consumption, next to a bottle of chardonnay in the fridge. Oh … or over hot Malva Pudding in the middle of winter.

There it is! Have fun trying out these cocktails and shooters and look out for the new Amarula Cream bottle: A legend is about to be reborn!

I wanted to arrange a tour to the farm and write about the farm first-hand and its wine. Instead I decided to rather wait until Wacky Wine later this year and try out cooking for a change. Urgh!

The website had two suggestions: A meal that would serve 4 to 8 (are you freak’n insane?!) and the other for a party starter – do I look like Martha Stewart?! Chicken, pancetta, cheese and mushroom featured in the first recipe mentioned and I thought it a good idea to surf the internet for a meal that would be more simple and geared towards my style of eating at home. Not that an instant-meal are any ‘style’ to go by but they are quick and easy with little physical participation required; the closest to going out for dinner. I eventually found this recipe.

The next undertaking was to find the ingredients. Schlep Epic!© Three Woolworths Stores on Main Road ,Sea Point (St Johns’ is still my favourite) and I found all the ingredients including the ‘Left-Over Chicken’ – I had to bamboozle a bit and improvise here as no sound person eats left-over chicken (have you ever seen a diarrhea tsunami?) so I got half of a grilled chicken from the rotisserie section.

Two hours later I was ready to start my cuisine carnival. Just by the way, don’t try a Nigella or Jamie food prep and presentation if you do not have the relevant components carefully combined and constructed. The salad type summer dish turned out to be a pasta engulfed chicken dish … with salad on the side. Judging by the picture, I still think mine came out more tastier and presentable.

Foodies have so much more fun!

Anyway, back to the intention of this gastronomical gala: The Weltevrede Vanilla Chardonnay. Ah yes, the wine which made swallowing the food so much more … undemanding. I loved the way the coconut-ty vanilla pods exploded once the saltiness of the parmesan and pancetta dissipated. The cream (I used a double portion) seemed to politely compliment that of the wine. The bottle didn’t last long. This very affordable bottle of wine (at R45 ea) got its very interesting notes from is accounted to a combination of soaking up the Karoo sun through its leaves and digging its roots deep into the porous limestone it was grown in to produce the very unique taste.



As the night drew on I couldn’t stop but plan the next trip in June where Weltevrede will not only top the list due to the fact that they have the best breakfast but also due to the fact that they are able to produce some of the area’s best balanced and flavorsome wines.

Ingredients

150 ml double cream

piece of parmesan rind

85 g pancetta, or smoked bacon, sliced, rind removed finely sliced and reserved

sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper

200 g spaghetti, or linguine

2 tbsp light olive oil

100 g Portobello or field mushrooms, sliced

140 g chicken, left-over roast

50 g mixed leaves, (rocket or spinach), roughly chopped

2 tbsp parmesan, freshly grated

Method

1. Place the cream, Parmesan cheese and bacon rind in a medium, heavy-based saucepan. Bring to a gentle bubble and reduce for 5-6 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add in the spaghetti and cook for 4-5 minutes or until al-dente. Drain.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy-based frying pan or wok. Add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then the pancetta. Fry briskly, stirring often, until the pancetta is crispy.

4. Add in the remaining olive oil and the mushrooms and fry, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add in the drained spaghetti and toss well. Strain the reduced cream into the pan and add in the cooked chicken.

6. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss thoroughly again.

7. Toss in the mixed leaves, divide among 2 warmed deep bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve at once.