Tatiana in Wonderland: James Beard House
An evening of fine dining took place at the James Beard House this month with Le Malt’s Spring plates on the menu. Selected by members of the James Beard Foundation, the New Jersey spirit and wine lounge was chosen to hold an exclusive “Malt Luxury” dinner with their Executive Chef Duke Estime leading the kitchen.
I arrived at the Beard House a little before seven and met with the ladies from Diaz Schloss Communications. I always have a great time at Diaz Schloss events and love catching up with their team. The weather for the night said there was a slight chance of showers, but we were rain free and enjoyed the warmer weather. We started the dinner by sipping on drinks made with Mezcal Joven and Glenfiddich in the garden with the other guests. I preferred the Glenfiddich drink over the Mezcal since I’m not too crazy about the smoky taste of Mezcal. I loved that inside each drink was an ice cube made with a hibiscus petal frozen inside, it looked so pretty. Since Le Malt is known for their spirits, it was only necessary to have each course paired with the perfect drink.
Dinner started with a Chilean Sea Bass Brothmade with spinach, basil, and cilantro. The warm broth had a slight spice that brought out the flavors of the delicate fish. It paired nicely with the glass of Castello Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio 2013, a great way to cleanse our palettes from the light course. Following the broth, we were served a Haitian Djon Djon Risotto with Wild Mushrooms. The impeccable (and my favorite) plate of the evening reminded me of comfort food: warm and soft; you want to eat it slowly and enjoy every last bite. The vegetarian plate was paired with a glass of Tinazzi Amarone della Valpolicella 2010....Read More