Snuggle Up with Comfort Food

Ingredients Café should have passed out warm blankets to complete the feel of their Comfort Food Wine-pairing Dinner on September 25. The festive and laid-back atmosphere encouraged the patrons to relax as if this were a family dinner with all pretenses dropped. The casual atmosphere and the theme seemed to spark Chef Tony Seguin to newer heights for his take on familiar comfort foods.
Pan-seared scallops accompanied by double-smoked bacon and cream corn opened the night’s festivities. They were pillow-y, sweet and with just enough smoky tang to make you crave another bite. It was paired with Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. It provided a tart fruitiness to the ensemble. Toothsome and cheesy, the Second Course’s risotto croquettes held dry sausage in their centers. The liberal use of Parmesan and the deep fryer made these the star of the night. They were paired with arugula and Twin Pine Farms heirloom tomatoes, and their presence reminded me that our days to get such tasty fresh produce are numbered, so I worked extra hard to remember their sweet and spicy nuances. The Whitehall Bommarito Cabernet Sauvignon served with this course had a fragrance of caramels. It was lovely and smooth, just like the candy.	Just a sample of the lovely wines we tasted at this dinner.
What could be more comforting than a nice, hot open-face roast beef sandwich served on a buttermilk biscuit with horseradish cream? Tony’s version utilized beef tenderloin that was so tender that we could tear it apart with our forks. Several diners asked Tony for his secret, and he readily answered that he lets the meat rest for as long an amount of time as he cooked it. For some reason, I still don’t think my roasts will ever turn out as yummy at home. The rich flavors were countered by the Whitehall Merlot that was served with it. The wine’s fruity flavors had a flinty edge to it, which emphasized the tang of the horseradish cream Another favorite comfort food found its way into the fourth course of the night – mashed potatoes. They were accompanied by a succulently moist roast chicken breast and roast vegetables. It was paired with a very smooth Avalon “Napa” Cabernet Sauvignon. For the finale, Chef Tony created a molten chocolate cake in a phyllo dough purse served with house-made malted milk ice cream. It was so lovely that the restaurant now has it on its regular dessert menu. I strongly suggest you try it out! Such a rich dessert deserved a rich wine to pair with it. The Whitehall Cabernet Sauvignon fit the bill with personality to spare. Join us next month for our Fall Fest Wine-pairing Dinner 6:30 pm, Tuesday, Oct. 30.