12/11/2007 Wine Dinner at Midwest Culinary Institute

The Summit Room at Midwest Culinary Institute
Sensational Wine Dinner
December 11, 2007
Chef Arthur Leech

Tuesday, December 11, 2007 marked the inaugural Wine Dinner at Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. As part of the planning team, I worked with College administration, Samantha Smith (from E&J Gallo Winery) and Carmen Parks (formerly of Rondo’s restaurant) to organize this, the first of our monthly Wine Dinners. It was gratifying to see this event come to life, and to have it so well-attended (somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 people attended the event).

Chef Arthur Leech provided the following menu, paired with wines by Samantha Smith.

Hors d’Oeuvres
Barefoot Brut Champagne

Spicy Asian Pepper Seared Wild Caught Salmon with a fresh thyme lemon vinaigrette
Martin Codax Albarino, 2006

Granny Smith Apple Chestnut Soup with Saffron Creme Fraiche
Bridlewood Reserve Viognier, 2006

Duck Confit & Roasted Mushroom Potato Lasagna resting on sauteed baby spinach and raspberry braised beets
MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir, 2006
&
Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley, 2004

Cheese Sampling of Brie, Compote, French Blue, and Manchego drizzled with Mission Fig Syrup
Bridlewood Reserve Syrah, 2003

Peach, Apple, and Golden Raisin Rustic Tarts with moscato and honey reduction, creme anglaise
Moscato, N.V.

The meal was neither too conservative nor too ‘wild’, which was appropriate for the first time. We, as a planning committee, needed to begin to understand our audience and where their tastes are.