Ingredients Cafe celebrated the arrival of summer with another extraordinary wine dinner on June 21. This time the “5 Course/ 10 Wine” menu matched Chefs Ben and Tony’s culinary creations with wines expertly chosen by Brad Weiss from the North Oaks WineStreet Spirits.

With vintages from California, France and Germany on the agenda, Brad took the 35 patrons on a merry wine adventure, spiced with insider information and educational tips. The Chefs also introduced every course, and they highlighted the local purveyors that made the meal possible.

Brad and Brian Clark, from the Bloomington WineStreet Spirits, met the diners at their tables to pour the first glass, a 2003 Domaine Neveu Sancerre “Le Manoir” Vielles Vignes. This crisp white started the night off well because it left the mouth feeling clean, without an aftertaste.

Chef Ben describes the next course

The bounty of summer shined through every course, beginning with the sweet and crisp flavors of the first course, a Peekey Toe crab and jicama cannelloni served with a jumble of fresh pea shoots and a lemony beurre blanc. The two whites that were poured complemented the offering in different ways. The 2002 Chateau Woltner “Ritchie Vineyard” Chardonnay amplified the butteriness of the beurre blanc while the 2002 Louis Jadot Chassagne Montrachet Blanc brought out the freshness of the crunchy jicama.

The soup course proved that wine pairings is truly an adventure. Brad chose two reds, a 2001 Emilio Moro “Ribera Del Duero,” and a 2001 Chateau Fortia “Cuvee Baron” Chateauneuf Du Pape, and expected them to counter any spiciness found in the chilled avocado soup topped with spiced mango salsa and mint. Because the soup was more like mint infused velvet rather than a salsa firecracker, the Vielles Vignes that Brad poured at the beginning of the night came to the rescue, buoying the subtle flavors.

The initial wine pairing was not considered a disaster, however, because the rich flavors were enjoyable on their own and helped bolster many fledging wine taster palates’ sense of what flavors bring harmony or discordance to a food.  

This special harmony was restored with the first entrée, a duet of duck paired with a duet of exceptional wines, a 1996 Chateau Cos D’Estournel St. Estephe and a 1995 Beausajour Becot St. Emilion Grand Cru. Again, both wines brought out hidden aspects in the food. The robust roasted breast with a palate cleansing celery root salad and truffle vinaigrette was rounded out by the St. Estephe and the final nutmeg-like flavor left in your mouth after tasting the confit was carried on by the savoriness of the St. Emilion.

Although Chef Ben explained the second entrée was his take on a simple pizza dinner, the creation he put before us was nothing like the old familiar standby. Tender slices of roasted beef tenderloin rested on an artfully grilled portabella mushroom topped with pungent Backwoods bleu cheese. It was surrounded by a swirl of roasted tomato vinaigrette that was smoky and perfect.

Patrons applaud the chefs and presenters

Brad poured two “cabs” to complement this rustic fare, a 2001 Ladera “Lone Canyon” Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2001 Robert Pecota Cabernet Sauvignon “Kara’s Vineyard.” Both are examples of some of California’s best vintners and how their location affects the flavor of the wine. The first was practically sweet when paired with the beef, and the second transformed the marinated portabella with cheese into a woodsy centerpiece.

As a finale, Chefs Ben and Tony gifted each patron with a ray of summer on a plate: strawberry sorbet drizzled with vanilla sabayon and served in a freeform almond tuile cup. The sorbet burst with icy fruit and the sabayon was so masterfully whipped that it continued to puff as it was positioned on the plate and entwined with a pomegranate reduction.

The 2001 Bergstrasse Auerbacher Furstenlager Riesling Auslese Brad poured to serve with dessert was a rare treat for Americans. Usually, this fig-sweet wine is not shipped outside of Germany, but WineStreet managed to procure a few cases. And again, it was well worth the effort simply to pair it with the sorbet, giving its fruitiness even more sparkle.

Make your reservations now for the next wine dinner on Tuesday, July 19. Chefs Ben and Tony are keeping the menu under wraps, but we can be sure it will take advantage of all the great produce available at our local farmer's markets.

Servers enjoyed sampling the courses, too