Atmosphere Makes for a Memorable Meal at Houmas House

by Sydney Blanchard

What makes for a great meal?

I'm sure anyone you ask will answer this question differently,  but I'd argue many favorite food memories have less to do with what was served and more to do with the people sharing the meal. 

It might be the Southerner in me speaking, but few things beat a meal blanketed by the warm shroud of friendly conversation and banter.

Back in September, the Bite and Booze team (with the delightful addition of Rue Rusike) had the opportunity to dine at one of the finest restaurants in the area with Houmas House owner Kevin Kelly.

Latil's Landing is situated on the Houmas House Plantation grounds, both a tourism hotspot and highly coveted wedding and event venue. 

Executive chef Andrew Foster, Jr.'s menu is ambitious, flavorful, and it tastes like home. They're doing something that feels really special at Houmas House.

We started off the evening with appetizers. I had the crispy pork belly covered in Houmas House honey. The crispy, salty pork was complimented by the honey with perfect subtlety. 

Crispy pork belly with Houmas House Beehive honey

Next came the scallop and foie gras "sandwich." Seared foie gras nested between two rosemary seasoned scallops. Generally scallops are not my favorite, but the corn coulis made all the difference. 

Scallop and foie gras sandwich

For the soup course, we had the famous crawfish, corn, and curried pumpkin bisque. This, to me, was the highlight of the meal. The pumpkin worked well with the spicy, salty crawfish tails. This is something I would love to try to recreate at home. 

Curried pumpkin bisque with crawfish and corn

Onto the beets, Blair's favorite root vegetable (and one of mine). The salad was composed of jumbo lump crab meat tossed with a lemon basil dressing with sweet roasted beets and organic greens. I found the crab and beet combination a bit weird, but in a delicious way.

Roasted beet and crab salad

If there's anything Latil's Landing is great at, it's pretty plating. All of the entrees and event the desserts featured a pop of color courtesy of an orchid flower. I opted for the grilled, butter basted filet mignon with parmesan potatoes, Burgundy mushrooms, and Abita root beer demi-glace. It was as tasty as it was gorgeous.

Filet mignon at Latil's Landing

Last, though thoroughly stuffed, we indulged in dessert. For me, that meant chocolate bourbon cake with coffee bourbon syrup. How could I say no?

Chocolate bourbon cake

Sure, the Latin's Landing dinner we shared was a culinary delight, but taking the time to enjoy a meal with friends is the real pleasure. If you haven't toured the neatly manicured grounds at Houmas House, sipped cocktails at The Carriage House, or dined at Latil's Landing, you're missing out!

Put it all on 18 Steak

A couple of weeks ago my Chief Confusion Coordinator, Blair Loup, and I got the chance to sit down to a wonderful feast at L’Auberge Baton Rouge’s 18 Steak with their PR Manager, Julie Collins. Hanging out with Julie at the Stadium Bar & Grill’s Jameson Dinner in March proved to be a lovely dining experience, so naturally we were pumped to get the invite to try out 18 Steak! I’ve had the fortune of being treated to some amazing meals at the Ember Grille & Wine Bar at the L’Auberge in Lake Charles a few times, so I eagerly anticipated what 18 Steak would have to offer. I had been to 18 Steak a couple times for private events like the Mount Gay Rum Dinner, but this would be my first time to eat off the regular menu.

The evening began at the bar where the ladies and I each enjoyed an Old Fashioned made with George Dickel Whisky - good stuff if you haven’t tried it. The dining room features something of a whiskey barrel theme. You can tell a lot of thought, creative use of whiskey barrels, and attention to detail went into its construction. Julie set us up with a really nice booth overlooking the river and the party commenced. By party, I mean I looked through their iPad wine list for days. The impressive selection entertained me for quite a while. Chef Samantha Foglesong grabbed my attention right away with some creative appetizers. I highly recommend stopping by to check out what Chef is slinging. Who knows... maybe you’ll see me there. I’ll be the guy with the Cowboy Ribeye sitting between two ladies gabbing and giggling about Harry Potter nonsense. At least, that's what happened on this occasion, but I loved it. 

Foie gras is essentially a fattened duck or goose liver that can be prepared in a number of ways. Pictured below is 18 Steak's take on liver and onions. Foie gras can be a texture problem for some, but the taste of this particular dish is well balanced. The fattiness of the liver combined with the crunch of the foie gras crouton and pickled onions sends a pop of flavors and consistencies to the palate. I enjoyed the pickling of the onions. It helped brighten up the heavy flavor of the foie gras.

Liver & Onions: Seared Foie Gras, Foie Gras Crouton, and Pickled Onions

The Lobster Spring Rolls were presented beautifully. The colors from the vegetables on the plate really made the dish stand out visually. Our server suggested we treat the spring roll as the filling in a lettuce wrap. This lit up the flavors inside the roll and made for a refreshing starter to our meal.

Lobster Spring Roll with Bok Choy and Cilantro

18 Steak tops their crab cake with a creamy lump crab ravigote. The crab cake featured a perfectly crunchy shell while maintaining a pleasantly succulent inside. Combined with the cool, creamy ravigote, the crab cake had all the elements of savory seasonings and textures you could ask for.

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with Ground Mustard and Crab Ravigote 

The Corn Macque Choux is a classic dish at a southerner's gathering, but 18 Steak has given this classic a delightful makeover. The rich spiciness of tasso adds a new level of zing to this already delightfully zesty side dish. Presented in a corn husk, this is dish is a must-order for me.

Sweet Corn Maque Choux 

I'm a big fan of oysters so I had to try to the fried Gulf oysters Rockefellar! The oysters were skillfully fried with a nice crunch and juicy center. The wilted, creamy spinach underneath complimented the crunch of the oysters. If you're an oyster fan, you won't want to pass this one up.

Gulf Oysters with Rockefeller Pernod, Wilted Spinach, and Ricotta Salata 

New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp is a familiar flavor. Sometimes when outside of New Orleans recreating this classic is tricky, but 18 Steak hit the nail on the head. Jumbo Gulf shrimp were cloaked in a decadent, savory sauce and topped with buttery breadsticks. Definitely dip the breadsticks in the buttery mixture.

Wood Grilled BBQ Shrimp with Lobster Dumplings and Rustic Stone Focaccia Breadsticks 

"Where have you been all my life?" is the first thought that crossed my mind when I took a bite of the 18 Steak mac n' cheese. Not only was the macaroni thick and creamy, but the tasso ham added a pleasant saltiness and spiciness to the dish. On top is basically a fried cheese puff. Before you go thinking "that's too much cheese," please stop yourself. There is no way a dish with cheese in its name can have too much cheese. Also, the crunchiness of the crouton really adds something special to the much loved comfort food. If you try it and still think it's too much, send it my way.

Macaroni and Cheese with Tasso Ham and Fontina Stuffed Crouton

Julie had the Wagyu flatiron steak. Wagyu is a breed of Japanese cows and is known for it's intense and consistent marbling. This marbling helps create an extremely juicy steak. Pictured below is the Wagyu Flatiron with a Bleu Cheese Crust, a "Steak Enhancer" at 18 Steak and a harmonious pairing.

12 oz. Flat Iron Wagyu Steak aged for 45 Days and grilled over Mesquite, Hickory and Pecan woods with a Bleu Cheese Crust

While there were some incredible looking dishes to tempt me, I had to go for the steak. My top choice in steaks is pretty much always a bone ribeye. This time I went with the center cut ribeye. A nice sear on the outside out a charred crust on the gorgeous prime steak and I included some foie gras butter on the side.

16 oz. Center Cut Ribeye aged for 45 days and grilled over Mesquite, Hickory and Pecan woods with Foie Gras Butter

Bite and Booze Bonus: Seriously... don't skip on the Macaroni or the Corn Maque Choux - they might change your life. Also try the Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fresh Sage, Brown Butter and Maple Syrup... a little sweet and very savory.

Going with the Grain Pop Up Dinner in Crowley, LA

One of the many large silos at the Cajun Country Rice Mill
in Crowley, LA

A few weeks ago, Cajun Country Rice and Louisiana Cookin’Magazine got together to throw a pop up dinner at the rice mill in Crowley. What’s unique about this dinner is not only the pop up style preparation, but that each dish incorporated a different grain from Cajun Country Rice, a local company which is in its third generation of ownership. This is the first dinner centered on rice that I've had the pleasure of attending, and what Chef Justin Girouard, one of Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine’s “Chefs to Watch” and executive chef at The FrenchPress in Lafayette, created with the Cajun Country Rice products truly impressed!

 

Inside the Cajun Country Rice Mill
where the grains are separated from the hulls

What’s better than taking a tour of a rice mill? Taking a tour of the mill with a drink in my hand, of course. Each guest got to see the inner workings of the mill and learned more than we thought possible about rice. There is so much to know about everything they do with rice in the way of feed, alcohol adjuncts, and of course, food. After the tour we made our way to the table to sit down to an incredibly creative and delicious meal. While each dish boasted unique elements, the coriander-seared Gulf tuna with coconut lobster fried rice rose to the top as my favorite of the evening. Keep an eye out for dinners like this in the future, because you won't want to miss them!

Cornmeal and Rice Flour Fried Oysters

Foie Gras Dirty Rice Croquettes

Cajun Country Rice "Tabouleh" Stuffed Quail Salad with Baby Arugula, Feta, Marinated Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Coriander-Seared Gulf Tuna with Coconut Lobster Fried Rice

Roasted Duck Breast with Duck Rice Dressing, White Asparagus, Braised Kale, and a Sauce Meurette

Cajun Country Rice Pudding

Bite and Booze Bonus: If you're looking for some booze that uses long-grain rice from Crowley, LA, look no further than the Donner-Peltier Distillery's Oryza Vodka and Gin. You can grab both of these at Calandro's Supermarket!

Social's Small Batch Bourbon Dinner: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Calandro's Supermarket

Bourbon Menu at Social

Typically speaking, my Whisk(e)y Wednesday posts consist of reviews of bourbons, Scotches, Irish whiskey, and more whiskeys and whiskies from around the globe. Today, however, I'm going in a different direction. On Monday I had the pleasure of attending a Small Batch Bourbon Dinner at Social in Lafayette. The southern table and bar themed restaurant invited me to be their guest for the evening and experience chef Marc Krampe's creations as well as some world class whiskey.

The meal started with George T. Stagg and seared foie gras. A bourbon aged at least 15 years from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, the Stagg clocks in at a walloping 137 proof. This bad boy is tough to drink straight but if you do it'll put some hair on your chest. With a few dashes of water it really starts to open up with rich flavors of tobacco, cherries, and luscious charred oak. The seared foie gras with bourbon infused cherries proved to be an ideal counter to the strong whiskey which could cut through the fatty liver. Served with frisse, honey infused creme fraiche, and smoked trout roe, the dish got us off to a great start.

Our second course, came with the Black Maple Hill bourbon, which isn't actually a distillery itself. They instead source their whiskey from other distilleries and release a different batch each year under the Black Maple Hill label. This particular whiskey, rumored to be from the Heaven Hill distillery, did not come with anywhere near the firepower of the Stagg. A fair amount tamer, I could sip it straight and pick up some nice hints of honey and cloves. It worked very well with the Asian inspired seafood option of the night: filets of wood fired anago, which is actually eel, atop a puree and sprinkled with spiced hazelnut dust and puffed sushi rice. The textures took the dish to another level with sweet, smoky, smooth and crunchy all combined in every bite.

Seared Foie Gras, House Smoked Trout Roe, Honey Creme Fraiche, Bourbon Infused Cherries, Frisee

Brick Oven Anago, Spiced Hazelnut Dust, Puffed Sushi Rice, Kinome

The real superstar of the evening came next. Well, the food version, anyway. And the whiskey wasn't bad either. The Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye is another whiskey out of Buffalo Trace's Antique Collection. The rye is bold and spicy with many of the cinnamon notes that you want in a rye. Apple pie on the nose and fire on the tongue, it is easy to see why the Handy is such a sought after bottle. To counter that spice, chef put together a very contemporary twist on a homestyle dish. The lamb neck bourguinon featured succulent and tender shredded lamb meat atop a puree of charred celery root. To add to the dish in the the very traditional way, chef threw in some fingerling potatoes that were wonderfully cooked in fat and dusted in salt, along with a mushroom oil and carrot foam. Yes, a carrot foam. Most likely a carrot infused cream that then went through an iSi whip. We'll be doing stuff like this at an upcoming Triumph Kitchen pop-up dinner, if you are interested. The flavors and again the textures all worked extremely well in the bowl of deliciousness. This is modern comfort food at its finest. I want more. Now.

Lamb Neck Bourguinon, Charred Celery Root Puree, Confit Fingerling Potatoes, Mushroom Oil, Carrot Foam

Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year

The meal concluded with the real prize of the whiskey portfolio. The Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Straight Kentucky Bourbon. This is pretty much the mecca of bourbon out there right now. Getting a bottle is like winning the lottery. Seriously, Calandro's Supermarket had a raffle to decided who got the right to purchase one of two (2) bottles they got allocated this year. And they were lucky to get the right to sell those two. Pappy 23 tastes like what a bourbon should taste like. Vanilla, oak, sweet corn, subtle spice, balance, complexity... it is all there. It is overproofed but it drinks fine neat. It isn't wound up too tight that you need to loosen it up before you can drink it. It is like driving a luxury car of the liquor world... you realize the hype when you get behind the wheel. When the whiskey hits your tongue, you know it is special. Sure, it is excessively hyped and there are other bourbon out there that are really good and not as hard to find. Some of that hype is worthy though. Most of it is due to scarcity and trendiness. But still, it is insanely good. As was the dessert, for the record. To compliment a lot of the tones of the whiskey, the sweet caramel dessert with fruity figs partnered wonderfully with the amaretti cookie crisps that provided a nice crunch. All in all, great whiskey, and a tremendous meal. Next time they do a dinner like this, you don't want to miss it!

Creme Caramel, Fig and Baby Walnut Compote, Amaretti Cookie Crisps

Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a blog post series on Bite and Booze sponsored by Calandro's Supermarket. Calandro's has one of Baton Rouge's best selections of bourbon, Scotch, Irish, and other whisk(e)ys as well as wine and craft beer. This WW feature was scored by Jay Ducote, Eric Ducote, and Jeremy Spikes. Scores are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, and Balance and Complexity using our own proprietary scoring system. Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale. Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100 rather than an academic range where 70 is passing and anything less is failing. A 50 should be considered a very mediocre whisk(e)y (though not undrinkable) while anything below 20 is absolute horse piss and anything above 80 is rather extraordinary and anything above 90 is world class.

Ember Grille and Winebar at L'Auberge Lake Charles

Gator Bite with Spiced Bayou Rum

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit the southwestern Louisiana city of Lake Charles. I've driven through the city countless times before on my to Houston and back from Baton Rouge, but other than a few stops at Darrell's for a Darrell's Special poboy (one of the greatest sandwiches in the world, by the way) and a handful of says at the L'Auberge property, I had never truly experienced the culture of Lake Charles. On the night I arrived with other food and travel writers we were greeted and treated to dinner at the Ember Grille and Winebar at our host hotel of the aforementioned L'Auberge Casino and Resort. The casino-driven destination is a one-stop-shop for a weekend getaway with a gaming floor, golf course, lazy river, spa, and plenty of culinary options. The Ember Steakhouse is the finest of them all and, having eaten there once before, I knew I'd be in for a treat! Upon arrival I met Trey Litel from Louisiana Spirits in nearby Lacassine and got a taste of his Bayou Rum in a refreshing cocktail. The Gator Bite had similar qualities to rum punch but utilized the spiced Bayou Rum to give it an extra Louisiana flair. After getting the night started with the cocktail, I readied myself for the onslaught of food that was about to come.

Foie Gras with Goat Cheese Stuffed French Toast

The barrage began with a round of appetizers that highlight the menu of Ember. We started with an amuse of lobster salad on endive. To the right is seared foie gras with goat cheese stuffed French toast and bourbon maple syrup. The dish seemed like an odd pairing but it worked incredibly well as savory richness met sweet richness to form an uncommon combination of succulence that needs to be experienced. Also present in the small plates round were the lamb lollipops that have been on Ember's menu since it opened as well as butternut squash ravioli stuffed with more foie gras and shaved white truffle on top. Quail and waffles were also presented as a play on the chicken dish but with a rosemary and roasted garlic waffle, micro cilantro, and vanilla syrup. To round out the appetizers we had the dish below, a pecan smoked bacon wrapped shrimp tossed in barbecue sauce with stone ground grits and white cheddar! All of the appetizers were incredible, and most of the table started to feel full after that course, but we had to power through three more courses of gastronomic delight like the pros we are!

Pecan Smoked Bacon Wrapped Shrimp over White Cheddar Stone Ground Grits

A Trio of the House's Most Popular Salads

To lighten things up our next course had a trio of the house's most popular salads. Starting on the left we enjoyed the mixed greens with Granny Smith apples and balsamic vinaigrette. Next up came a tuna tartare with avocado and cucumber carpaccio. Finally the Maytag blue cheese wedge with bacon crumbles filled the last spot. All three tasting portions were spot on with flavor profiles and pairings. I'd love to eat more salad courses like this!

After the salad my phone died and I had to put it on a charger for the next couple of courses. Needless to say, I didn't get many more pictures of the meal, but such is life! We had several main courses come out of the kitchen and on to our table. A piece of halibut accompanied by a porcini mushroom, port, and sherry reduction produced a lovely seafood option. I've loved halibut ever since I went fishing in Alaska in 2010! We also had a smoked rabbit loin

stuffed with panchetta over mashed potatoes. It packed a punch of flavor with the smokiness and tenderness of the rabbit. A couple side items came out as well like truffle mac and cheese and grilled asparagus. But the real highlight of the meal was a 40oz prime tomahawk ribeye, partially seen in the picture of me gnawing at the bone below. The gorgeous steak had a succulent flavor with superb marbling as it was cooked to a beautiful medium rare temperature. Thanks to Kerry Anderson at L'Auberge for snapping the photo!

Jay Gnaws on the Tomahawk Ribeye

Desserts by Chef Bill Foltz

As we moved to dessert I got my phone off the charger and was able to get a few more pictures. "Screw a trio," must have been the thoughts of pastry chef Bill Foltz as he came out with four tastings of signature desserts at L'Auberge. This guy has won serious pastry contests before, so I was pretty excited to eat his desserts which most definitely did not disappoint. On the left is the Key West, a key lime custard whipped cream with pound cake and mango. A little taste of the tropics, I could have eaten much more of that, but alas I just had to move on to the chocolate skillet cake with cream and caramel that sat to the right. Following that dish of gluttony came my favorite of the dessert options because of its originality, a citrus cheese cake mousse with pistachio twill and cherry sauce. The temperatures and textures all played off each other for a tremendous burst of flavor. Finally we had a creme brulee torched on the table.

The entire meal may have put me in a food coma, but all I had to do afterwards was sleep then wake up and eat again all day. I'll have more of that to come because the following day included dining around Lake Charles complete with a horse and carriage ride, a Mardi Gras museum, and much more!

Heading to NYC: Ruffino's James Beard Preview Dinner

Katherine Lagow and I at the James Beard Preview Dinner

Chef Peter Sclafani, Ruffin Rodrigue, and everyone at Ruffino's have earned my round of applause.  Chef Peter has been selected to cook at the James Beard House in New York City, and I had a lucky spot at the 'Central Park' table at Ruffino's for the preview dinner.  “Cooking at the Beard House has been on my bucket list ever since I donned my first chef’s hat,” said Sclafani, Co-Owner and Executive Chef at Ruffino’s. “I am truly humbled that they have asked me to cook there, and I am exceedingly proud to represent Baton Rouge and Louisiana on the most prestigious stage in the American culinary landscape.”  The dinner in NYC will be this Saturday, April 6, 2013.  Chef Sclafini's take on 'French Creole meets Italian' is a winner, and I'm certain that it will please the palate of all who have the fortunate ticket to the amazing dinner.  Here's a little of what they're in for as Ruffino's brings Louisiana up north!

Hors D'oeuvres: Grits and Grillades

The hors d'oeuvres were served with a little bubbly to get the night started.  The Mionetto Prosecco NV got everyone's palates ready for the onslaught of Louisiana-inspired goodies.  Shrimp corndogs with honey mustard, crawfish arancini, charbroiled oysters, and a corn and crab shooter rounded out a bevy of seafood small bites.  All were fantastic.  The grits and grillades, pictured above in the Asian spoon, were right on the money.  I could have eaten a dozen of them!

Crab Cheesecake

For the first sit down course, Chef Peter pulled out one of his classic dishes: crab cheesecake.  The cheesecake is loaded with Louisiana crab meat and plated with all sorts of delicious sauces and crumbles.  I'm embarrassed to say that I hadn't ever had his signature crab cheesecake before.  Next time I'm there, I'll be looking out for it as an appetizer!

Heirloom Tomato "Caprese" Salad

Chef Peter is bringing a new twist to his award winning caprese salad course with him to New York.  The dish, which features heirloom tomatoes, burrata cheese, and balsamic caviar, will now also feature some foie gras mousse as well.  The foie gras is inside the burrata cheese, and when all mixed together, provides and excellent additional flavor to the exquisite tomatoes and the novelty of the sphere-ified 25-year-old balsamic vinegar.

Braised Mississippi Rabbit with Gnocchi

The third course of the dinner service brought on a locally inspired dish with plenty of Italian flare.  The braised rabbit is cooked down with plenty of aromatic vegetables until it is tender and rich with flavor.  The gnocchi, a popular Italian potato pasta, are fluffy and soak up plenty stock.  This is a comfort dish that I could eat a whole bowl of as a meal, but it worked even better as a course in this delightful dinner.

Head-to-Toe Pork

The James Beard preview dinner's main entree consisted of pork two ways.  Pork cheeks, one of the most succulent cuts of pork in existence, were served with Benton's bacon jam along side a butternut squash puree.  Also joining the plate were a pair of pork trotter tortellini.  The pork trotters are from the feet of the pig, and also provide good eating when cooked the right way.  Everything on this plate worked the right way.  From the tenderness of the pork to the flavor combinations with the bacon and butternut squash, I couldn't get enough.  Really.  I had to steal some off of the plate next to me!

Chicory Cafe Au Lait Panna Cotta with Chocolate Chip Beignets

Naturally, the Creole-Italian dessert featured coffee.  The delicious chicory panna cotta played with me senses and the bitterness of the coffee danced with the creaminess and sweetness of the gelatin-based dessert.  The beignets, when dipped in the chocolate sauce, added a nice change of texture to the dish.  I definitely left satisfied and filled to the brim.  Those folks in New York are in for a treat!

Driven by its mission “to celebrate, nurture and preserve America’s diverse culinary heritage and future,” the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to exploring the way food enriches our lives. The Foundation maintains the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. A cookbook author and teacher, James Beard was a champion of American cuisine who helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled for Peter, and for our restaurant, to be invited to the Beard House,” said Ruffino’s co-owner Ruffin Rodrigue, who manages the front of the house and operations for the restaurant. “This is truly an amazing honor, and you can bet Peter will be pulling out all the stops to make April 6th a night that New York City won’t soon forget!”  I agree with Ruffin.  If he can pull off the dinner in NYC like he did for us at the preview dinner on his home turf, he'll be making Baton Rouge and all of Louisiana proud, that's for sure.

ChefDance at Sundance

Beetroot Macaroon, Foie Gras, Sherry Reduction

While I didn't get to watch any films at the Sundance Film Festival, nor did I do any skiing on the famous Park City slopes, I did get to attend one event worthy of noting (other than the party at which I cooked).  MorningStar Farms ChefDance, a series of celebrity-chef crafted dinners at Sundance, clearly has made a name for itself as the go-to culinary event during the festival.  Each night, a different chef takes center-stage to put on a multi-course dinner offering for celebrities, festival attendees, and members of the culinary media.  Fortunately for me, I fell into one of those categories!  The crowd at ChefDance was huge.  I spied the likes of Tony Danza as I found my seat, and after some cocktails from the Snake Oil Cocktail Company and a brief delay, food started to come out of the kitchen.  Chef Shawn Armstrong led the brigade to create a stellar menu for the multitude of diners.

Snake Oil Cocktail Co's Bulleit Bourbon Beverage

Aspen Smoked Salmon, Blood Orange, Avocado Cream, Tangerine Lace, Citrus Creme Fraiche

Parsnip Cream & Crisp, Sugar Cured Pork Belly, Seasonal Mushrooms, Oregon White Truffle, Micro Chive, Green Onion Oil, MorningStar Farms "Chix" Pea Powder

Femme Fatale: Bulleit Bourbon, Smoked Maple-Chicory Soda,  Dried Apple Chip

Lamb "Ribeye", Charcoal Tortellini, Local Honey Glazed Butternut Squash, Puffed Black Barley, Roasted Brussels Sprout Petals, Black Garlic

Ginger Graham Crusted Sweet Potato Cupcake filled with Cinnamon Honey Creme Brulee, topped with Orange Whipped Cream and Candied Pumpkin Seeds

On the whole, the meal was quite extraordinary.  Despite the long wait time and lengthy dinner service, each course impressed me enough to stay in my seat until the end.  The macaroon had a savory element with sweetness from the sherry redux.  The salmon may have been the best course, though I'll never argue with lamb or pork belly.  Both of those dishes were outstanding as well, and the lamb came out cooked beautifully, especially considering the crowd of 300+ plates that went out.  The cupcake was a creation of Megan Brown from Sweet Tooth Fairy, winner of Cupcake Wars.  It may not quite have been one of Christina Stephen's cupcakes, but it was really damn delicious!

I'm definitely glad that I got to experience MorningStar Farms ChefDance while in Park City.  Hopefully I'll be back again... perhaps even as a chef.  Hey, you can always tweet @chefdance and let them know that @biteandbooze should be there next year!