The Hare Wine Co., Niagara on the Lake, ONT

The Hare Wine Co. Tasting Menu, June 2019

Had a fabulous tasting experience at The Hare Wine Co. in Niagara on the Lake, Canada. Jeremy was knowledgeable and intuitive with our palates, leading us to some wonderful new wines. We have never been fans of Cab Franc, but those at The Hare were complex and outstanding. We are new fans! We even returned the next day to enjoy a glass and a pizza on their patio, and to buy a bottle of our favorite. We will definitely be back next time in NOTL. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fabulous design. Their brochure, so adorable and well designed, is what made us visit. Every last detail in the estate, tasting room, bottle design, and distinction between collections is perfectly thought out and executed. We applaud the excellent design that supports their awesome wines!

Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Certified Organic at Frickaccio's

What do diatomaceous earth and fish bladders have in common? You'd have to have attended Monday night's Les Dames d'Escoffier meeting at Frickaccio's in Fairview Park to know!

Photo by Gloria Kemer

Frickaccio's Owner, Dame Terry Frick and Chef Todd Rothman prepared a fantastic evening for lucky Cleveland Dames, full of demonstrations and tips for healthy and delicious vegan cooking, served with vegan wine.

Vegan wine? Isn't all wine vegan? Actually, no it is not. Dame Maggie Harrison educated us on the various methods used to fine (or filter and clarify) wines, which include straining it through dried egg whites or, less commonly, dehydrated fish bladder. Vegan wines use an alternate method. When seeking out vegan or vegetarian wines, one should look for un-fined wines, however, this is not something one can simply find on the label. Maggie noted Barnivore.com as a terrific resource for vegan wine, beer and liquor.

Oh, and if you are looking for gluten-free wines, seek out unoaked varietals. Oak barrel produced wines use wheat paste.

Dinner consisted of an abundant progressive tasting menu, balancing between lighter and heartier dishes, with explanations of flavors, ingredients, and processes along the way. Dames tried various gluten-free and vegan breads and spreads, an organic veggie pizza bagel, Chef Todd's vegan version of a crab cake (made with shredded hearts of palm), portobello bisque, strawberry / hazelnut salad, vegan paprikash, and an almond milk "ice cream" and flourless chocolate cake.

At the conclusion of dinner, Terry demonstrated making fresh almond milk in the Vitamix.

She then took us on a tour of the new facility and kitchen, and introduced us to Helga, her workhorse of a mixer! Frickaccio's does all of its baking on-site and sends product out to its West Side Market store and retailers, including Heinen's, whom she cites as a terrific partner. Frickaccio's offers around 10 varieties of certified-organic pizza dough balls, including gluten-free They are also trying something new with the new location – an eat-in cafe. Chef Todd looks to introduce creative vegan fare to the cafe-style menu.

Thank you, Frickaccio's, for hosting such an interesting, informative, and tasty evening!

Wente Vineyards Wine Tasting

Enjoyed meeting Karl Wente, Fifth Generation Winemaker from Wente Vineyards this weekend at a wine tasting at West Point Market in Akron. Their limited production showcase wine The Nth Degree is OUT OF THIS WORLD. Karl was in town for an achievement award and stopped in at WPM for a wine tasting and bottle signing.

Pictured left to right – Linda Fletcher (Wine Consultant, West Point Market), Karl Wente Winemaker, Wente Vineyards) and Shara Foldi (Owner, Unity Design).

Wine, Cheese and Chocolate! The Best of Ohio

What a night! Thursday, April 26 the Cleveland chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier had its annual fundraiser, and as would be expected, it was rather tasty!

Four wineries, four cheesemakers, and four chocolatiers participated (listed below) and brought delightful, diverse samples for the 65 or so guests to taste and enjoy. The event was held at the beautiful Trevarrow Showroom in Parma, which made attendees eager to re-do their home kitchens! Guests circulated though five gorgeous kitchens, to taste some of the best wine, cheese and chocolate Ohio has to offer.

Wine
Ferrante Winery
Firelands Winery
Harpersfield Winery
South River Winery

Cheese
Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese
Kokoborrego Creamery
Lake Erie Creamery
Mackenzie Creamery

Chocolate
Coquette Patisserie
Emerald Necklace Inn & Tea Room
Pomona Chocolates
What's For Dessert?

Summed up by Programming Chair, Carol Hacker, "Attendees loved the opportunity to sample wonderful wines, cheeses and chocolates from independent local producers. The exposure benefits both sides and supports the link between farm and table. A delicious learning experience - what could be better?"

All event pictures are posted on the Les Dames d'Escoffier, Cleveland facebook page. If you missed this year's event, be sure to watch for next year's offering. Les Dames fundraisers are not to be missed!

Unity Design was a proud sponsor and designed the identity and all of the event promotions.

Players on Madison - Fall Menu and Wine Tasting

This night was not exactly for the vegetarian, so it was fortunate that Mr. B attended and not me! Here's what he had to say:

What a fantastic opportunity. Players on Madison Avenue in Lakewood had a private fall menu and wine tasting. I was fortunate to attend, for the small price of $10 (which they returned to me in the form of a $10 gift certificate to use on my next visit). Players is one of those restaurants that easily becomes one of your favorites. Easy on-site parking, a great cozy modern atmosphere, and super-attentive staff make the visit worthwhile every time. Oh and then there is the outstanding food! Thanks to Gary Lucarelli and Chef Anthony Romano for a fabulous, tasty evening!

So the event was a walk about and mingle while enjoying what seemed to be an endless variety of fall menu samplings. There were several wine stations showcasing a selection of wines. The atmosphere was fun and we all felt like vultures when the next round of samples came out. In no particular order, these are some of the enjoyed items.

Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Not just a piece, but a whole scallop perfectly cooked, perched on a corn fritter with a tomato coulis. This was one of my favorites. Just a touch of spice.

Roasted Chicken, Corn and Spinach Spring Rolls
Lightly crusted, loaded with chicken and almost delicate with an amazing heat from the sriracha thai dipping sauce.

Almond Encrusted Brie
Warm and delicious, served with a tasty apple-pear chutney.

A variety of thin crust pizzas circulated. All were fantastic. The classic Margherita, an earthy Roasted Portobello with chevre, and a fall flavor classic, Fried Butternut Squash with apples and sage.

Chicken Francais
Light and lemony with a distinct artichoke flavor.

From the wines, The Franciscan Cabernet was complex and bold, but a bit too dry for my tastes. Conundrum, a surprising white blend from California, was really fresh and crisp and easily my favorite of the evening. A Bourdeaux style red, Revelry “The Reveler” from Columbia Valley, Washington had that bold lush mouth feel that made it a favorite red.