Catering Chronicles – Food for Thought

We’re pretty sure we’ll have you at “Wine Flights, Live Music, and Light Bites”. If you have never experienced the Casino San Clemente, here is your chance. Join us for an afternoon of wine, food, music, and art. Ticket sales benefit The Boys & Girls Club and are available HERE.

Wine paired dinners are probably one of my favorite things. I love that someone else has put all of the thought into the flavors of the food and which wines compliment them. I just get to sit back and enjoy. This week I had the fortune to attend an Italian wine dinner at one of the hottest new spots in Orange County, ECCO. This chic, down to earth new eatery is known for it’s fabulous food, especially their pizzas. Our dinner took place out on their patio and the Executive Chef Kris Kirk came out with each course and explained the combinations and flavors to us. It was truly charming.

I love the look of the rustic wood tables.  A five course menu was prepared for us. PLUS an Intermezzo (to cleanse our palates).

The Antipasto course was a lovely Prosecco paired with a trio of Bruscetta. My favorite was a fava bean puree.

Primo course was a gorgeous Shaved Heirloom Beet Salad, with Buratta (my favorite cheese) pistachios, and arugula. This was paired with a light, but flavorful Phigin Pinot Grigio, Friuli.

The Secondi course was a Seafood Risotto with shrimp, scallops, calamari, and parsley. Paired with a Massolino Dolcetto from Piedmont. Perfectly paired spiciness.

Well I think you all know how I feel about Intermezzo. This was a tasty little Lemoncello Granita… perfect!

The Terzo course was a Wood Grilled Filet Mignon with spinach, portobello mushrooms, and Gorgonzola (I die)! Perfectly paired with my favorite wine of the evening, a Valle Reale San Calisto, Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo.

Lastly, Dolce. A lightly sweet Ricotta Cheescake with an apricot vanilla bean sauce paired with the most fragrant Donnafugata Ben Rye Passito.

Here’s the sweetest little treat that was given to us as we were leaving. How lovely it was to have a yummy biscotti with my morning coffee. Truly a most enjoyable evening. You know I am watching for their next one.

Great food, spectacular wine and a good cause. Every year I look forward to attending The Long Beach Grand Cru. The Long Beach Grand Cru is a benefit for the Legal Aid Foundation Los Angeles.  It’s a fun filled evening out on the grounds of Rainbow Lagoon. Live music and entertaining conversation is everywhere. Did I mention Award winning wine? Where else can you go , have a Winemaker of an Award Winning wine pour for you and raise a glass along side you? It was my lucky day… my favorite wine, poured by my favorite winemaker. Tom Stolpman from Stolpman Vineyards was pouring his prized wines and sharing the complexities of each. I’ll write this venture off as education.

I had to post the above picture because it made me giggle. Back in the old days, when I sold wine and French Futures, the public consumed large amounts of “jug” wine. It tickled me that Carlo Rossi entered the competition. There is a silent auction with something for everyone. I am now the lucky owner of a signed Laker Jersey and a Muhammad Ali poster.

The food is amazing. Restaurants, Bakeries, Hotels, and even Trader Joe’s sharing their specialties. Wine is also paired at each food station.

A couple of my favorites were the Latin flavors. Paella from Sevilla and a corn and crab tamale.

Sake’s were even represented. They were paired with sushi’s and oysters on the half shell.

My partner in crime, educating me on some of the wines I have never experienced. He has a great nose.

Probably one of the most enjoyable evenings at Rainbow Lagoon.