CHEFS TALENTS SHOWN BRIGHTLY BY THEIR CHOICE OF FOODS AND CREATIVITY.

The Artisan Culinary Lounge, located inside the Ridpath Hotel in Spokane, Wash., was home to the first ever Premier Chefs Northwest Fusion Wine Dinner, held Sept. 9, 2007. Cuisine Northwest Executive Chef Gonzo Carrillo paired up with Moxie’s Owner/Executive Chef Ian Wingate and showcased a magnificent five-course meal. Guest Sommelier Sam Lange’s wine selections, which accompanied the dishes, were right on target.

The RECEPTION was only a peek of what was to come throughout the night in terms of flavorful, inventive and creative dishes, not to mention their perfect accompaniment of wines. The appetizer, Golden Yukon Potato Cake with Pan-seared Ahi, was served with local Spokane winery Mountain Dome Sparkling Brut. The FIRST COURSE consisted of a truly delectable Crab Trio to include Tempura Soft-shelled Crab, Dungeoness Crab Cakes and Crab Louie, paired with Walla Walla winery Long Shadows‘ Poet Riesling, which was smooth, and not as sweet and tart as most Rieslings. The SECOND COURSE included a Duck Salad with a Sweet Chili Basil Vinaigrette and paired with another local wine—-Lone Canary’s Sauvignon Blanc ‘04. The THIRD COURSE offered patrons a Seared Chilean Sea Bass and Glazed Pork with Mushrooms, served with Oregon winery Panther Creek Cellars‘ Pinot Noir ‘03. The FOURTH COURSE was made up of Beef Tenderloin with Wild Mushroom Strudel, Pan-seared Foiegras and Sweet Potato Polenta with a Huckleberry Demi. This course was paired with Walla Walla winery Dunham Cellars‘ Syrah ‘o4. The FIFTH AND FINAL COURSE, dessert, was a Trio of Seasonal Fruit Crisp paired with L’Ecole #41 Semillon Ice Wine ‘03 from Walla Walla.

From beginning to end, the food, the wine and the atmosphere were incredible. Each wine was the perfect accompaniment to the creative dishes fashioned by chefs Gonzo and Ian. Host and Guest Sommelier Sam Lange, former Beverly’s Master Sommelier, truly shined in showing his pairing expertise, for every wine paired beautifully with the dishes they supported.

And there’s more to come from Cuisine Northwest … Chef Gonzo will be partnering with other chefs from the area and beyond for future Premier Chefs Northwest Fusion Wine Dinners, so be sure not to miss them. I know I won’t.

For more information on upcoming Premier Chefs Northwest Fusion Wine Dinners, call:

(509) 747-2224

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 at 4:40 pm and is filed under Editor Picks, Events, Food Finds, Wine Dinners, Wine Finds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.