This is one of the best videos I've yet seen released by a champagne house.
It's by Lanson and it previews their Black Label cuvée. It also introduces their new cellar master. It's brief and to the point. Every bit worth watching.
by Paige Donner
Inspired by the 250th anniversary of the house of Baccarat, Chef Guy Martin created Le Harcourt, an equally exquisite dessert to match the heritage of the crystal house and its emblematic crystal glass, Le Harcout.
Chef Guy Martin's restaurant, the Cristal Room is housed within the Baccarat Museum in Paris' chic and exclusive 16th arrondissement. The glass itself, Le Harcourt, was inspired by the chalice seen by King Louis-Philippe in 1841. For this dessert, full of wild and flavorful strawberries, the Chef and his team fashioned a white chocolate replica in the exact mold of this signature Baccarat crystal glass. This version, however, is edible!
A TIP: If ever you are in Paris and are searching for one of the city's most divinely romantic spots, it is here at the Cristal Room Baccarat on the Place des Etats-Unis.
by Paige Donner
In this episode of Paris GOODfood+wine you'll to hear all about a small French bird called the ortolan, considered a traditional culinary delicacy in some circles.
Next, Paris restaurant critic and book author Alec Lobrano joins us again to review the hot, trendy, new restaurant Porte 12 in Paris' 10th arrondissement.
Gabrielle Mondesire brings us her second installment from her interview of famed Parisian baker, Frédéric Lalos who goes a bit technical on us when he translates the fine art, and science, of fabulous bread baking.
To round up, I bring you an interview with Jonathan Bauer Monnaret, named Sommelier of The Year by the prestigious French food and wine magazine, Gault&Millau. He is the head sommelier at Spring restaurant in Paris' Les Halles district.
And to finish with a tasty bang, Emily Dilling, who is founder and editor of her blog, Paris Paysanne, takes us on a tour of the Daumesnil fresh market in Paris' 12th arrondissement.
Blog MashUp by Paige Donner
Colicchio announced recently that he will be MSNBC's first-ever food correspondent. He will also host his own weekly show, "Stirring the Pot," on MSNBC's new online channel Shift this spring.
A few weeks ago, he joined Senators Barbara Boxer and Richard Blumenthal and Representative Peter DeFazio as they reintroduced a genetic engineering food labeling bill.
Chef Tom Colicchio may be best known as the head judge on Bravo's "Top Chef," owner of a chain of restaurants and host of the new show, "Best New Restaurant." But the renowned chef is also dedicated to food policy reform. He co-founded Food Policy Action in 2012 to educate the public about food policy and to pressure politicians to reform the food system.
His solution for the impasse in Congress: "they need to sit down around the table and have a good meal. They need to break bread and have a discussion."
It's not only Congress that needs to sit down, eat a meal and talk about food. Everyone needs to. "Sitting down and asking questions about food is something that is missing right now," says Colicchio. "If you look at the last election, food never came up. Hunger barely came up. So let's have this discussion. Let's talk about food."
The chef points out that a lot of stories we hear about in the news are really food stories. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is a food story because "it affects the food chain, the fisheries and people's livelihoods that rely on those fisheries." Same goes for the "overuse of pesticides, which leach into the waterways and create a dead zone in the Gulf. Another food story."
"People are ready for that next conversation about food," says Colicchio. "People want to know what's in their food, they want to understand food safety, they want to understand social and economic issues around food and they want to fix hunger problems."
"This is a big deal," author Michael Pollan told the LA Times. "The fact is that people are deeply engaged by food stories, whether about food safety, nutrition, hunger, animal welfare, public health or the environment. Tom has a sufficiently broad grasp of the issues to connect the dots between food and all these issues."
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All-Star Chef Classic showcases renowned domestic and international chef talent in a series of interactive dining experiences, bringing over 3,500 fans 'kitchen-side' for unparalleled access to their favorite chefs—the first ever event showcase of its kind in the food festival landscape.
Six immersive, chef-led dining experiences will take place at L.A. LIVE's custom-built Event Deck, including the bespoke Restaurant Stadium and Chefs' Tasting Arena for a three-part Masters dinner series dedicated to French, British, and American talent; the Grill & Chill, a celebration of open-flame cooking; Kitchen Kids, a record-setting large-scale cooking class for kids and Cook for the Cure to spread awareness and benefit those fighting cancer and celebrate those who have won the battle.
The 2015 All-Star Chef Classic will include more than 25 internationally-renowned chefs and personalities:
Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec, Los Angeles), Inaki Aizpitarte (Le Chateaubriand, Paris), David Toutain (Restaurant David Toutain, Paris), Sven Chartier (Saturne, Paris), Nancy Silverton (Mozza, Los Angeles), Daniel Patterson (Coi, San Francisco), Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar, New York), Michael Cimarusti (Providence, Los Angeles), Jenn Louis(Lincoln, Portland), Suzanne Goin, (Lucques, Los Angeles), Waylynn Lucas (fonuts, Los Angeles), Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (Animal, Son of a Gun, Los Angeles), Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto, New York), David Lefevre (MB Post, Manhattan Beach), Aarón Sánchez (Paloma, Stamford), Wylie Dufresne (wd-50, Alder, New York), Suzanne Goin (AOC, Lucques, Tavern, Los Angeles), Josiah Citrin (Melisse, Los Angeles), Zoe Nathan (Huckleberry Café & Bakery, Santa Monica), Carolynn Spence (Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles), Mark Hix (Hix, London), James Lowe (Lyle's Restaurant, London), Daniel Doherty (Duck and Waffle, London), Skye Gyngell (Spring, London), and Bryn Williams (Odette's, London).
Celebrating the passion, innovation, and community of great food and cooking with the industry's most venerable personalities, the 2015 All-Star Chef Classic lineup includes:
Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 6 p.m. / Dinner Begins 7 p.m.
Prices: $275-$425
The "French Masters Dinner" features four of today's culinary leaders in French cuisine, hosted by Master of Ceremonies, Billy Harris. The chefs will prepare a five-course dinner for a select group of seated guests, along with an elegant pairing of French wine.
Featured chefs include:
• Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec, Los Angeles)
• Inaki Aizpitarte (Le Chateaubriand, Paris)
• David Toutain (Restaurant David Toutain, Paris)
• Sven Chartier (Saturne, Paris)
American Masters Dinner
Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 6 p.m. / Dinner Begins 7 p.m.
Cuisine for the Cure
Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 11:30 a.m. / Lunch Begins 12 p.m.
British Masters Dinner
Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 6 p.m. / Dinner Begins 7 p.m.
Kitchen Kids
Location: Restaurant Stadium at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
Doors Open 10 a.m. / Event Begins 10:30 a.m.
Location: Chefs' Tasting Arena
Doors Open 7 p.m.- 10 p.m.
Prices: $125-$225 – Special Price "France in LA" $100
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Featured chefs include:
• Michael Cimarusti (Providence, LA)
• Nancy Silverton (Mozza, Los Angeles)
• Waylynn Lucas (fonuts, Los Angeles)
• Jon Shook & Vinny Dotolo (Animal, Son of a Gun, Los Angeles)
• Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto, New York)
• David Lefevre (MB Post, Manhattan Beach)
• Aarón Sánchez (Paloma, Stamford)
• Wylie Dufresne (wd-50, Alder, New York)
• Suzanne Goin (AOC, Lucques, Tavern, Los Angeles)
• Josiah Citrin (Melisse, Los Angeles)
• Inaki Aizpitarte (Le Chateaubriand, Paris)
• Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec, Los Angeles)
• Carolynn Spence (Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles)
• Zoe Nathan (Huckleberry Café & Bakery, Santa Monica)
• Jenn Louis (Lincoln, Portland)
• Sherry Yard (Helms Bakery, Spago)
• Mark Hix (Hix, London)
