Chocolate
meets Malbec at Gaucho’s - Maud
Agyekumhene reports
|
Perfectly
Tempered Chocolatier and
designer of bespoke Argentina centric chocolates,
Kirsty Joly, came face to face with Jessica Closs
Gaucho’s Group Sommelier
to match a selection of chocolates with Malbec to
scintillate our taste buds. Participants were invited
to taste a slice of chocolate on its own, and then
the wine on its own and finally, the chocolate together
with the wine. It was obvious that the chocolate brings
outs the flavour of the wine. |
Phil chose four of his top selling Malbec:
• Selection G Malbec 2008/9 –
Domaire Vistalba 0 Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza
• Casa Marquery 2006/7 – La Consulta Uco Valley
de Mendoza
• Michel Torino Don David 2007/8 Cafayate Salta
• Schroeder Patagonian Select 2006/7
Malbec has a great selection of red wines from its vineyards
in North and South of Argentina.
For the matching, Kirsty provided 9 varieties
of chocolates to complete the Malbec. The chocolate were
matched in pairs to a glass of chosen Malbec.
• Jasmine Tea: made out of milk chocolate
ganache delicately infused with jasmine Tea finished rolled
in dark chocolate and decorated with a pink shimmer
• Blueberry Truffle: this is a combination
of blueberry, smooth caramel and hand rolled in a milk chocolate
shell.
• Masala Chai – Indian tea,
spiced with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and star anise which
was used to flavour the milk ganache and then decorated
with cocoa butter stripes. This had to be my favourite chocolate
of the night. It worked well on its own and even better
with Domaine Vistalba – Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza, the
chocolate just melted in your mouth
• Dark Chocolate Truffle: a smooth
dark chocolate ganache hand rolled on dark chocolate finished
with lashings of white chocolate.
• Lemon and Mint – a combination
of fresh lemon zest and mint infused to make a white chocolate
ganache enclosed in dark chocolate, decorated with yellow
coca butter speckles. Fantastic taste with the flavour of
mint working very well with the La Cosulta Uco Valley de
Mendoze.
• Passion Fruit – passion fruit
flavoured dark chocolate ganache encased in dark chocolate
• Strawberry & Balsamic –
balsamic vinegar with strawberries in a smooth white ganache
encased in dark chocolate and decorated with a pink shimmer.
This particular chocolate did not do much for me
• Orange and Cardamom – cream
infused with fresh orange zest and cardamom pods this was
combined with milk chocolate to make this a delicious ganache
enrobed in dark chocolate and decorated with orange and
white cocoa butter. This has a very strong orange taste
and worked very well with Schroeder ‘Petagonian Select’
2006/7.
Nevertheless,
my favourite Malbec on the night without a doubt had
to be the Selection ‘G’ Malbec 2008/9
Domaine Vistalba – Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza this
wine was very light and had a fresh taste to it and
complemented Masala Chai very well. It worked well
together or on its own, this obvious can be seen as
being biased as I do have a sweet tooth and the flavours
of Indian tea, spiced with cinnamon, cloves and ginger
just brings the freshness out topped with the milk
chocolate gnanache was truly a bonus. |
|
Gaucho is currently running Malbec and chocolate
tasting in their restaurants www.gauchorestaurants.com.
OTHER Food and Travel Features
The
Mystery of the Louis XIII Black Pearl
Loire Valley Gastronomy
Face-to-Face
with Chefs at work - Ideas for Dinner
Anyone who adores food and drink will appreciate that there
is more to eating well, fine dining and a balanced meal
than a ping pong between kitchen staff and head chefs. It
is also said that the way to any person’s heart is
through the stomach; so it goes without saying that the
way to any traveller delight is a very good meal.
Executive Traveller presents a group of skilled chefs from
Stuttgart, London and Vienna, whose food, skill and restaurant
are worth a mention in the art of food and drink.
The
minimal Nordic cuisine called Gourmet
Destination
- Copenhagen
Mission -
to combine food experience with meetings and incentives.
Lately, Copenhagen restaurants have been earning stars and
stripes from the French Michelin Guide, awarding them a
total of twelve stars! The city is more endowed with Michelin
stars than Rome, Madrid, Berlin, Milan, and Vienna. Let’s
face it, food is not something anyone can ignore during
a trip and certainly not when you organise meetings and
incentives for groups. Read
more
Need
to host an event but cannot cook? Find out how you can count
a Chef from the Executive Traveller Chefs Club. Just
ask.
Mouthwatering recipes from
top chefs
Choose from the drop down menu
|
back to home |
|
