~ Chefs In the City ~ featuring Chef Erv & Chef Karl
I am sure I am not alone when I say that dinner parties are one of my favourite things to throw and be a part of.
Friday night Tony and I threw a dinner party for a few friends and we had a spectacular evening of wine, food and conversation. Erv & Karl, our Chefs in the City, brought all the f
ood and cooked a grand 5 course dinner.(Right: Chef Karl prepping avocado)
We had a 5 course dinner that included starting off with an avocado salad, matched with a Peller Estates Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. The picture to your left on the top is of Karl getting the avocado ready for course numero uno. The Sauvignon Blanc had a nice light taste that really brought out the avocado and lightly dressed greens.
We then moved onto a scallop and shrimp ceviche which is chilled seafood salad that gets marinated for a few hours in fresh lime and lemon juice - just delicious if you are a seafood fan. With this dish I served Hillebrand Estates Showcase Riesling (a Silver medal winner at he Ontario Wine Awards). The Acidity in the Riesling balanced nicely with the acidity of the lime and lemon juice.
(Above: Chef Erv checking lamb before dinner )
While we finished up our ceviche, Erv, Sous Chef at Centro Restaurant (at Yonge & Egg) perfected our main course, herb crusted rack of lamb, with eggplant, barley, salted green beans and steamed rapini. You can see Irv in the above picture roasting the Lamb. For the lamb I had a great bottle of Trius Cabernet Sauvignon that had medium body which is what you want when matching anything with lamb, because it is a delicate meat choice.Our fourth Course was dessert, and because we all
devoured the delicious Creme Brulee so fast, I didn't have time to take pictures!! Surprisingly, someone ended up bringing a bottle of RosemountShiraz that had the jammyness and fruit tastes that meshed really well with the Creme Brulee.Our last course were homemade chocolate Hazelnut cookies - that were TO DIE FOR!!
Erv & Karl, did an amazing job putting together an amazing menu for our entire dinner party.To your upper left is the final main course product that was just out of this world!
Lot of people find entertaining difficult and stressful, but it can really be a very rewarding experience. Bringing one of your friends in (or a couple of them) to use their talents,i.e. Cooking, wine pairing, baking etc, can be a big relief for you as a host(ess).
Cheers!
Ange
~ Sante 2008 ~Toronto International Wine Festival
Be sure to make it out to Sante this year!
Check out Steve Thurlow as he celebrates Sante 2008 with a cheers tribute!
For more information visit Sante Wine Festival
For more information visit Sante Wine Festival
Sante 08
Uploaded by iYellowWineClub
~Gino's Vino
&
Gino's Pizza~
Now I'm sure you're uber curious by the name of this post as to what I am going to be talking about. Well firstly, let me tell you a few things.
My Grandfather just recently turned 80 years old and it was a big celebration. Ever
since I can remember wine has always been a big part of our Italian family holiday traditions. My Grandpa Gene has always made his own wine, and our entire family drinks it while eating pasta, pizza, or making homemade sausage. For his 80th birthday my sister and I made him these labels for his homemade wine. The picture includes my grandma, grandpa, me and my sisters as well as my cousins. Gino's Vino's was a great name for his wine so we put it on a label for him! He makes his own vino but he also has his little bambino's on the cover. Boy did he love it!!!
Eating a Gino's Pizza and popping open Gino's Vino makes me dream of the day I finally can make it to Italy!
Check out the Gino's Pizza website here
&
Gino's Pizza~
Now I'm sure you're uber curious by the name of this post as to what I am going to be talking about. Well firstly, let me tell you a few things.
My Grandfather just recently turned 80 years old and it was a big celebration. Ever
since I can remember wine has always been a big part of our Italian family holiday traditions. My Grandpa Gene has always made his own wine, and our entire family drinks it while eating pasta, pizza, or making homemade sausage. For his 80th birthday my sister and I made him these labels for his homemade wine. The picture includes my grandma, grandpa, me and my sisters as well as my cousins. Gino's Vino's was a great name for his wine so we put it on a label for him! He makes his own vino but he also has his little bambino's on the cover. Boy did he love it!!!
CJ Gino’s Pizza Bar & Grill
2067 Dundas Street West
Toronto ON M6R 1W8
The other reason for this article is that there is a great pizzeria in downtown Toronto called Gino's Pizza- and being that my first job was at a pizzeria and I am Italian I know my pizza's!!! Plus the fact that I pretty well live on wine and pizza makes this post perfect and fitting for me. This Gino's makes the best pizza in the city - and no it is not a chain it is a small business on Dundas West and the deliver to boot!
I should also say that a Niagara Baco Noir goes just fabulously with their homemade pizzas that are amazing no matter what you get on them.
I should also say that a Niagara Baco Noir goes just fabulously with their homemade pizzas that are amazing no matter what you get on them.
Eating a Gino's Pizza and popping open Gino's Vino makes me dream of the day I finally can make it to Italy!
Check out the Gino's Pizza website here