What an event we had tonight! I have to thank all of the people at Stonewall Kitchen for putting on such a wonderful event. Everything was perfect! Thank you again to all of our guests for sharing an evening with us. Tonight we had a Gluten Free Surf ‘n Turf menu, paired with wine – the Maine Way! A special thanks goes out to Jane St. Pierre, who was our chef instructor for the evening. The meal was over the top! Another special thanks goes out to Carla Snow, our sommelier for the evening, who did a wonderful job. Please take a look at her website A Grape Affair for more details on what she does! She blended the perfect wines with the perfect meal. If anyone would like a copy of tonights recipe packet, please send me an email at matthew.m.becker@gmail.com. Our first course was Pan Steamed Bang’s Island Mussels in a White Wine and Saffron broth with Parmesan Crisp Paired with Celestin Blondeau Sancerre Savignon Blanc, France. These were amazing, the broth was to die for. Our main course was a Slow-Cooked Beef Tenderloin topped with a Pink Peppercorn butter and Shrimp & Lobster Scamp of Garlic and Fresh Herbs. This was on top of Mashed Potato Gratin, with Haricot Verts Almondine (French string beans with almonds). This dish was paired with Tortoise Creek “Le Charmal” Syrah/Grenache, France. I must say, this was unreal. When they said, “Surf ‘n Turf – the Maine Way”, they weren’t kidding! It was brilliant. Now, on to the dessert…. I’ve been gluten free for over 20 years and this was one of the best desserts that I’ve had – Hazelnut Brown-Butter Brownies with House-Churned Coffee Ice Cream, paired with Guy Chaumont Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc Brut, France, an excellent sparkling wine that rivals the finest Champagne! I learned something new tonight about Champagne – if you pop the cork and the Champagne flows out, it means that the Champagne was not cold enough! Don’t store your Champagne in the refrigerator, but let it cool in the fridge for 3-4 hours before you open it, it will make all of the difference in the world!
Matt Becker Morgan Stanley
Live from Matt’s House
