The Sunday Supper #euphoriagreenville

If I marked my lifetime by meals, there would be a few highlights: My mother's Thanksgivings; Maine lobster, steps away from where it was hauled in from the sea; a birthday dinner of fillet and Cabernet Sauvignon in a DC hotel; exotic Sunday family table dim-sum meals when I was the lone 白种人 at the table; and those nights when the larder seems bare, but we are able to find something to throw together and it always ends up delicious.  Magical, memorable meals that are milestones along the way.  Which brings me to euphoria's Sunday Night Supper -  that's on the list now. 

I went to euphoria alone.  Sure, I knew a few people from the industry, got to hang out with some great folks, had a terrific time at all of the events, but little did I know that at the Wyche Pavillion -  the shell of one of Greenville's oldest commercial buildings, on the banks of the Reedy River, I would have one of the most sublime meals of my life.

In a cosmic act of serendipity I found a seat next to Donna, a retired restaurant critic and across from my new foodie guru, Glenda McDaniel and her family.  Glenda, a realtor by trade from Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, knows NYC restaurants and chefs better than I do. She parties with Daniel Boulud  - "Danny". Glenda is a High Priestess in the foodie world, Chef Brock's publicist came over to the table to greet her (they are old friends).  Together with husband Terry and mother in-law Edna, they travel all over the world tasting their way through life.  They gave me tips on visiting the  Bocuse d'Or;  Manhattan's premier Bordeaux tasting event; and Knoxville's Baconfest! (and about the "Party like it's 1699" Night in Manhattan? I am simply green with envy!)  I want to start a blog and just call it "Following Glenda".

Le Creuset was the sponsor of the Sunday Supper and each serving dish was a beautiful example of their products.  I wanted one of each, and we all were sent home with an autographed Mini Cocotte (mine is purple!)

Let's get on to the food, music and drinks... I could hear the Weasel Creek String Band as I was walking to the pavilion.  It was sunset, and well, perfect. With Dean Watson on clawhammer banjo and vocals "The only banjo playin' stockbroker in SC!";  Steve McGaha on guitar and vocals;  Susan Cook  rocked it on standup Bass; and Marion Boatwright almost stole the show on fiddle and vocals. I don't know the name of the man playing washboard, he was the rhythm section, and he was excellent! This was "Heritage" music at its finest.  Bluegrass, mixed with some old time folk, and some rollicking popular standards from centuries past.  My feet were tapping even before I had taken a sip of anything alcoholic.

Drink:  I was met at the door by a waitress who handed me a Bernheim Champagne Cocktail (Bernheim wheat whiskey, ruby red grapefruit juice, Finest Call orgeat syrup, Fee Brothers cherry bitters and LaMarca Prosecco, garnished with a fresh sprig of rosemary) My first sip was delicious, but then I realized that it was the first time that I had tasted real grapefruit in three years.  I had to force myself to put my drink aside, because people with kidney transplants should not drink grapefruit juice - it messes with my immunosuppressives - so I switched to straight bourbon.


The waitstaff were amazing; a professional team who circulated with beer, cocktails and bourbon - Evan Williams Single Barrel Reserve.  They were cool and efficient (and I think having a pretty good time too!)





The food:  A South Carolina Low Country feast by Sean Brock, a James Beard Award Winning Chef; Mike Davis from Terra in Columbia SC;  Frank Lee from Maverick Southern Kitchens and the team from Greenville's High Cotton Maverick Bar and Grille.  There was some serious culinary power in the kitchen and it showed on the plates that were set before us. These were classic low country comfort foods elevated to haute cuisine with a down home twist.

Crispy Chicken Skins with hot sauce and honey....  I officially endorse crispy chicken skins.  They are like potato chips on crack. Seriously, that sauce was tingling and mouth wateringly sweet. Crunching it with deep fried chicken skin - WOW!

Salt and Vinegar Pork Rinds.  You know what, they go GREAT with Single Barrel Bourbon!

Crispy Pig Ears.  I will admit to having no idea what was on the platter as I chowed down.  To me, it was an Asian inspired lettuce wrap.  Glenda's husband Terry clued me in, and then I had a second one.  My first pig ears.  They aren't just dog treats after all...

Vegetables from GRB Farmer's Market.  Ok, so after all of that deep fried goodness, we had some veggies.  They were a crunch of a different kind and most welcome!

Assorted Charcuterie & Home Made Pickles (dilly beans, sweet and spicy red bell peppers, watermelon rinds and pickled Okra)....  mmmm the contrasting flavors of the meat with the crispy sweet and sour of the pickles.  Delicious!

Kimberly's Corn Crab Salad.  I want more.  I want more right now, three weeks later.  I want this salad at least once a month for the rest of my life. (it's good to want right???)

In the picture you can just see the Pama Manhattan cocktail pairing (Evan Williams Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon, Pama Pomegranate Liquor, Finest Call Simple Syrup, Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters) I will maybe admit to having two of these delicious Manhattans over the course of the evening....  (I came back from South Carolina with a new found taste for Bourbon)

It got better.  Cornmeal Dusted North Carolina Catfish atop fried cabbage and pickled peppers.  I am still boggled at how the cook staff and wait staff were able to cook and serve all of us and  have this taste like it just came off the stove at Grannie's house (Granny is one of the best cooks I know). It was crispy AND melt in your mouth delicious.  (Since I am writing this weeks later, that is NOT the bourbon talking!)

Our side dishes were beautiful.  Yellow squash casserole and Collard Greens.

There were pit beans!  Delicious, satisfying pit beans (after all, I am a yankee, and the culinary cousin to the Pit Bean, Boston Baked Beans are a go to comfort food for me). We were all getting into the spirit of the meal.  Glenda and Terry indulged us as we took pictures, gave hints on what would look good and were the best possible table companions a blogger could have.  We shared just one meal and I miss them.

Crackling Cornbread and White Lily Biscuits - they tasted just as good as they looked.

Roast Berkshire Pork Rack with Charleston Gold Rice Pilaf and Tomato gravy.  By the end of the evening the sun had set, we were stuffed to the point of bursting, but we found room for more.  The pork was delicious. You can tell that we were fading, the picture isn't very good.  The amazing food, company and bourbon were catching up with me. Donna was smart, between courses, she would take a walk around the pavilion. I learned so much from my dining companions.

I squeezed in some Peanut Butter Pie for dessert paired with Smoke Chocolate Milk Punch (Evan Williams honey bourbon, nutmeg, olive clove and smoked chocolate).  Hugs were given all around and sadly the evening came to an end.

The music and the food never stopped.  It was an amazing evening, one that I will recall fondly for the rest of my life.  And there was dancing...

A Slide Show:

Jazz Brunch #euphoriagreenville

Imagine that you have some great friends with a huge backyard, they're amazing cooks, have a well stocked bar, AND play instruments.  There you have the euphoria Sunday Jazz Brunch in a nutshell.  An informal yet spectacular representation of everything that we are craving, and some  that we didn't even know we wanted? (Bacon Bloody Mary anyone?)

Mark Rapp (Trumpet & Didgeridoo), Wycliff Gordon (Trombone) and their band-mates provided a brunch soundtrack of mixed modern and classic jazz (a didgeridoo was involved). The tents were humming with food stations, coffee stations, a Bloody Mary Lounge, and such a variety of food theater (they were just setting the stage for the Cook -Off). It was a great, relaxing Sunday Morning. I didn't stay long enough to hear Clemson's Gospel Choir.  This was a brunch that lasted from morning to afternoon... I was one of the early birds - I missed a lot.

There were two tents full of delicious food;  here are just a few examples:

Ruth's Chris Steak House: Shrimp and grits.  (I can never get enough Shrimp and Grits)

Duvall's Catering and Event Design had a crepe station.  I was enthralled.

Tito's Handmade Vodka had a Bloody Mary Lounge.  mmm Bacon Bloody Mary! (who knew?)







Rockstar Chef Daryl Schular (he catered Thursday night's  Songwriter's Recipe ) and his team at  Performance Food Service Milton's outdid themselves with maple cured bacon wrapped tenderloin of pork with creamy stone ground grits and crumbled goat cheese and truffle eggs.

Iced The Upstate Cupcake Cafe had a display of mini cupcakes that made me wish that I could eat all day...





As if cupcakes weren't enough, pastries from The Sugar Studio Bakery rounded it us all out...

So much food, so many amazing things to see, I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking...

Pairing Dinner: The Lazy Goat/Saintsbury Vineyard #euphoriagreenville

It was a beautiful evening. As the sunlight faded, we sat on the patio overlooking the Reedy River and Wyche Pavillion, sipping Cava and eating passed Hors d'oeuvres of Chorizo Empanadas and skewers of Salami, Cheese & Olives. Just inside, a tuxedoed chamber ensemble from the Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities were playing ; some of the proceeds from euphoria are funding their upcoming tour - these are some very talented high-schoolers.


Inside, our tables were set for groups of ten.  We sat down relative strangers, and by the end of the evening walked away as friends. There is something about sharing a meal with people.  A meal with wine by candlelight? That is almost transcendent.  As each course and pairing was introduced we got to know a bit more about each other.

First course:  Delicious and intense Butternut Squash Soup, from Chef Rory Golden of the Deerhurst Resort in Ontario, Canada.  Phillippa Ward, Partner (and daughter) at Saintsbury Winery introduced us to the pairing for the course: their Saintsbury Carneros Chardonnay `09 $20.00.   A rich, buttery soup with a hint of maple sweetness paired with a crisp, fruity California Chardonnay - the meal had begun.  Our conversations were just starting too - from health care, to America's Cup Racing, to NASCAR to religion  (but then again, isn't NASCAR a religion?); we were a diverse, yet single minded crowd - we were all there for the food and wine.  Me from NY, Jodie Jacobs from Chicago, a couple from Southern California who had read about euphoria in an in flight magazine, and three foodie couples from South Carolina.  All came for the food and wine; the fact that we had a wonderful evening was simple math: good food + good wine + good company = wonderful memories.

Second course:  Haley Bitterman, Corporate Executive Chef, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group gave us Crispy Petit Soft Shelled Crab with corn maque choux, pea tendrils and roasted red pepper remoulade sauce, paired with our "rosé" for the night  Saintsbury Vin Gris of Pinot Noir `10 $14.99 (sold out). Pairing the bright, fresh strawberry hints in the wine with the richness of the crab was an interesting experience.  When I looked to the woman on my left (she and her husband were from South Carolina and were serious foodies) we both admitted that we had never eaten soft shelled crab before.  It was a bonding moment.  The crab was intense and the vin gris was well matched.

By now, we had all been chatting, and my picture taking was under scrutiny.  (I'll admit to being lazy and using my blackberry over the Nikon) BUT it was great to know that at the end of our table hailing from Southern California was a serious amateur photographer, and she styled plates for us.  It was so much fun and almost like being at home, having the whole gang in on it. (I am so sorry that I did not write down names)


Third course: Bouillabaise with petit rouget, royal red prawn & cockels, preserved orange and saffron broth, rouille from the Lazy Goat's Executive Chef Victoria Moore. This is where we went modern.  None of us have ever had Bouillabaise with 1oz of broth. It was more like a spritzing on the fish (The picture was taken AFTER the broth was poured).  It was amusing.  Phillippa paired it with their Saintsbury Brown Ranch Chardonnay `07 $37.00.  Intense, provocative and conversation starting, this is when our table really got their foodie on.

Fourth Course:  The hands down hit at our table for the night. From the home team at the Lazy Goat, under chef Victoria Moore: Goat's Milk Ricotta Cheese Gnudi over sokey braised goat, ahi dolce peppers sultanas and pine nuts. Let's start with:  what is Gnudi?  I'll just say a delicious goat cheese dumpling/gnocchi and leave it at that.  The shredded goat soaked in sokey?  We, serious foodies were perplexed. And finally, two weeks later, I realized we were flying too high on Saintsbury wine to realize that it was a typo in the menu.  Smokey braised goat not sokey braised goat... even though it wasn't as exotic as we thought, it was still delicious. Paired with Saintbury Pinot Noir Carneros `08  $28.00, WOW.

Fifth course:  Seriously, did we think that Louisiana's Haley Bitterman, was going to top that Goat Cheese Gnudi?  Some at the table feel that she did with this Spice Rubbed Duck Breast with a citrus and cherry confit, mache, rich duck demi-glaze (would that rich duck be Scrooge McDuck perchance?) and a blood orange gastrique.  Seriously, those were some intense flavors to go with the duck. Paring it with the dark and spicy Saintsbury Lee Vineyard Pinot Noir Carneros `08  $40.00 worked really well.  The dark plum and tobacco undertones in the wine worked with the citrus and cherry on the duck. Even better was that we could had a vertical comparison between the previous Pinot Noir and this "fleshier" cousin.

Dessert:  We were bursting. In a touch of lightness, we were brought Musoka Maple Mousse with a bala cranberry biscotti and a raspberry port reduction. It was the perfect (not too) sweetness, and the textural differences were fun.

We ended the dinner with a quick twitter tutorial over dessert.   I was sitting next to Amy and Dr. Carson Rounds; we bonded over Twitter, BMWs and wine.  Here they are:  two euphoric faces of the evening, Dr. and Mrs. Rounds

Finally, the chefs came out to say hello.  We thanked them for a wonderful evening with a hearty round of applause.  I can't wait until next year, and I can't wait until the Lazy Goat Cookbook comes out.  I would love to make Gnudi, just to say that I made Gnudi....


A slideshow:

Tasting Showcase #euphoriagreenville

After a full day of  wine seminars, I didn't make it on time for euphoria's Tasting Showcase. The event was officially over; it had been from 11am - 4pm.  Even though it was well after 4pm when I got there, I was welcomed warmly by the diehards as they were breaking down the event.  I was famished, thanks to Soby's table, I had a delicious slider.  There were even pecan turtles to be had at another table. I scavenged some delicious food.

The wine and beer tents were bursting with hospitality. I had been tasting wine all day, and I had a pairing dinner that evening, so I refrained from drinking.  (you won't see me writing THAT very often!)  With 27 wine tables still surrounded, I stopped by at just a few old friends to say hello:  Pellegrini Winery,  Freixinet USA  and Flowers Winery.

I may not have done any tasting, but I did get some pictures.

Slideshow:

Wines of the Earth Seminar #euphoriagreenville

"Wines of the Earth" is an excellent play on words from the brilliant mind of Wayne Belding, MS. I knew that we were in for a treat when I walked in and say the power point set up.  How many times in your life did you wish that you could drink wine while sitting in a power point presentation? Well, if Wayne is your instructor, you'll be in good hands. (and drinking good wine)

Those eight glasses in the picture above represented a world tour.  There were some rock stars among them, notably the Amarone that was mistakenly shipped and replaced #5.

Wayne wrote the book Diving Into Wine - I haven't read it yet, but will link to my review once I do. It is great that he is a geologist by training.  How else would I have known about the secrets of Kimmeridgian soil?  He gave up maps & explanations, and then we talked wine:


Joseph Drouhin Chardonnay Premire Cru `08 $39.99
We start in France, Chablis, in the classic style.  Nuanced, with bold acid and a bit tart.  No oak, I loved that.  Hints of citrus (grapefruit? lemon), but also unripe pineapple.  This was a nice Chardonnay to sip as Wayne described the limestone in Kimmeridgian soil.

Allan Scott Millstone, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc `10 $14.99
From the famed Marlborough region of New Zealand, this was a mineral, yet grassy wine with a sweet finish.  It was great to taste the wine as Wayne discussed the growing areas and why wines tasted the way that the do.

Husch Gewurztraminer`09  $14.00
Anderson Valley, CA  This was an interesting "spicy" wine.  It was aromatic, had a substantial taste when I sipped it, but was not sweet.  It was dry.  It was an interesting example of a California Gewurztraminer.  A classic match with Asian food, it smelled like lychee, but the taste was more dry, and prepared to tone down/compliment spicy Asian food.

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett `06 $23.00
Of course, I loved this.  It was rich, sweet and slightly effervescent.  (I guess that the pros would call that a minerality) This was where Wayne explained German naming.  (I wish that I had taken better notes - but I was too busy drinking this wine!) Seriously, I dare you to walk into your corner wine shop and ask for a bottle of "Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett". (if they have it, you won't be disappointed.)

So we had been around the world in white wine.  (Although I was firmly still sipping in Germany)  It was time to enter the bonus round of our class, the reds, where a shipment error can sometimes be in our favor!

Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella  `06 $48.00
(30% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, 10% Molinara, Rossignola, Oseleta, Negrara, Dindarella) 15.5% ETOH
From the Veneto.  Wow. This was the first time that I have ever tasted Amarone.  I've read about it, I have friends that love it, but I had never tasted it before.  Dry, smells of fruit and alcohol.Wayne had some great pictures of grapes going through the drying process. He had some great stories about the making and exclusivity of Amarone; being made by using only the "Ears of the bunch" I never thought about the anatomy of a bunch of grapes but from now on, I will.


Elk Cove, Mt Richmond Pinot Noir `09 $45.99
Willamet Valley, Oregon (I'll be there next August!)
Wayne taught us why the Willakenzie soil in the Willamet Valley makes for good wine. (my word for the day... Jory Soil) This was a very light, dry Pinot Noir with very subtle fruit.

Mil Piedras Malbec `08 $9.99
I am a fan of Argentinian Malbec.  Wayne helped me to understand why.  Ripe, big, tannic, this wine was a great example of the region.  It was delicious.  It is the growing region, the sun and the heat that produce thicker skins and more color. What better to have with a luscious Argentinian Steak than a big, bold Argentinian Malbec? And you can't beat the price!

Finally, I have to admit that I sipped and dashed on this wine.  Which was unfortunate, because it came from my favorite region in the world, Piemonte, Italy.  But I was running late for euphoria's Grand Tasting, and I had just done six hours of wine tasting with no lunch... Sorry Wayne, I did not mean to run out on you.

My last wine of the afternoon:
Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco `07 DOCG $49.99
This is a celebration wine. A wine that we could easily be drinking 18 years from now. 14.5% ETOH, with deep dark tobacco flavor, and a dark fruit forward.  This wine is all about overwhelming your taste-buds. A classic representation of the area, is it wrong that I just wanted to keep my glass, grab the bottle, kill a wild boar and eat it with fresh truffles in between sips?

Instead, I dashed across the street for the last 15 mins of the Grand Tasting....

A slideshow from all the seminars that day: