Wine and Chocolate
I have the pleasure of doing wine and chocolate “pairings” at the hotel and I love doing them. It gives me the opportunity to talk about some of my favorite things including this fantastic city we live in! One of the great things about living in the Northwest is all the fantastic local product and talented people we get to work with.
Chef Ward and Sarah Hart
The daily selection at Alma chocolates
First on my list for a pairing is Alma Chocolate, owned by Sarah Hart. She is such a sweet person who has absolutely wonderful products but her caramels and her toffee are to die for. The salted lavender caramel and habanero chili caramel are fantastic but we also love her Chevre (goat cheese) and black pepper. To be perfectly honest we have not tasted any thing that we do not like. One thing that originally attracted me to her company is her commitment to sustainability. She uses only fair trade chocolate and local and organic products, which if you know any thing about us at the Doubletree is a perfect match. Sarah has a shop on S.E. 28th Ave. between Couch and Davis. Chef Ward and I took a trip over to her shop and she gave us the tour. One of her employees,Sabrina, created and made us a fantastic drink they call “chocolate cloud” which is similar to a cappuccino made with chocolate instead of espresso, absolute heaven. So if I was to pick a couple of her bonbons to use for a party it would have to be her salted lavender caramels, habenaro caramels and the Thai peanut butter cup ( so good). However,I would also have to get some of the peanutbutter/milk chocolate salt bark. Also I would grab some of her hazelnut toffee and mocha almond nibby which is a dark and slightly bitter bark. Check out her website www.almachocolate.com.
A new company that we just became aquainted with is Wingnut Confections, owned by David Beer. I met him at the Hollywood farmer’s market on one of my many visits and tried one of his habanero mole truffles. Delicious. So when I had another party come up I thought of him. His truffles are a completely different creature from Sarah’s so I believe they go well together. His are a more traditional ganache filled, so rich and decadent. He uses all local ingredients, fair trade chocolate, and they are even all vegan! I ordered the peppermint , Marion berry and the Pendleton rum hazelnut which had the perfect amount of rum to balance with the nuts. Absolutely wonderful! All of his truffles were very popular and my guests loved them. Wingnut Confections are available in a couple of places like Whole Foods and The Barefoot Sage or check out his website at www.wingnutconfections.com.
David Beer delivering Wingnut Confection truffles on his bicycle.
The company’s motto is “candy with a conscience” and he proves it here. He even delivers all the truffles on his bicycle!
So, last but not least we get to the wine! I have been using this one company called Troon from the very inception of these parties. They are a great vineyard in Applegate Valley. This company fell right in with our beliefs and practices. They are “Dedicated to Sustainable Farming and Environmental Stewardship” and are even “Salmon Safe”. So when I found out about them I thought “fantastic, this is just the right company”.
One sunny day I was driving back from the coast with my mother along highway 18 and what did I see in Carlton, Oregon, buy a sandwich board for a Troon tasting room. I was so excited! I thought I would have to go to Grants Pass to get to taste all the Troon wines! So I went in and met a sweet girl, Joni Johnson, who knows so much about her craft. I learned a lot from her just in that hour that we were there.
They have a wine called “Druid’s Fluid” that is fantastic. It is a table wine that is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet, Zinfandel and Syrah. It goes perfectly with these bonbons and truffles. I love serving this wine with it’s cute name and it’s great story which is that in 2000 there was a nitrogen deficiency in the soil which grew grapes that were not good, so they mixed them and it has sold great every year since. They also have a fantastic Insomniacs Port that goes well with chocolate. The sweetness of the Port holds up to the sweetness of the chocolate.
If you have the chance go out to Carlton Oregon, it’s only an hour away out highway 18. It’s a beautiful drive and there is a ton of tasting rooms. It would be a well spent day. The website to go the tasting room and to visit Joni is www.troonvineyard.com.
So of all the parties I have done I admit I have had only one lady that did not like these selections, mainly because she did not like any thing sweet. I served her a glass of local Pinot Noir and and gave her the dark chocolate nibby bark from Alma and she was still very happy. I hope you try some of these companies and like them as much as I do. I have never had any one yet disappointed.
Keep trying something new, and happy eating!
Michelle Girard- Sous Chef
.