Julie Hoskins prefers life on the culinary edge. In fact, the entire staff at Chic le Chef share the same say “let’s do it” first, consider the consequences later attitude.
For years the crew at this Hidden Valley Lake destination and catering operation prepared dinners matched to Lake County wines for events around the county. This month they began offering a special three course wine pairing menu at the restaurant — featuring a local winery each month, changing the lineup every weekend, all in addition to their regular schedule of menu stalwarts, daily specials and outside gigs..
Or, as Hoskins recalls it, they decided on the pairing series and then remembered that already overactive kitchen.
“We thought, ‘how’s this going to work?’” the Chic le Chef manager said.
Somehow they manage it quite well. Although still refining the weekend only service, the concept lends itself to improvisation. Each Friday and Saturday starting at 5 p.m. guests can select from the regular menu or choose the pairing option — a set, prix fixe dinner, each course paired to a specific wine.
The Chic le Chef team changes the menu each weekend and selects a new Lake County winery each month — Fults Family Vineyards through the end of October.
Last weekend the dinner opened with a salad of sauteed mushrooms and grilled corn over arugula, dressed with avocado, crisp tortilla strips and a little vinaigrette of roasted pepper. This was served with Fults Family’s crisp 2015 Chardonnay.
With sweet, salty, funky, tart and bitter components finding balance on the plate, they worked to calm the wine’s bright fruit and develop a rich, almost caramelized note between corn and Chardonnay.
The pairing proved the purpose of Chic le Chef’s dinner series. And that was just the first round.
“People sometimes order food that doesn’t go with a wine or wine that doesn’t go with the food and don’t realize it,” Hoskins explained. “We pay attention to the flavor profiles and the winemaker’s style.”
It is generally known that asparagus is keen to shred almost any wine, particularly reds. But there are many ingredients — and combinations of flavors — that will trip up a varietal.
“One wrong ingredient and you can make wine taste like vinegar,” Hoskins said. “You don’t want to do that.”
Challenges present in the entree round were self imposed. As Hoskins points out, “we get to go crazy and make what we want.” So upended an easy marriage of red wine and steak by added a chile rub, chipotle butter and grits soak in lime. And they made it work beautifully with the 2013 Fults Family Wildfire.
The dessert — a brule sabayon almost too gorgeous to eat — launched tart berries to quell the modestly sweet nature of a Fults Rose.
“That’s a small challenge,” Hoskins said, noting that Rose is not typically served at the end of a meal. “Some wineries don’t have a dessert wine.”
Still, it was an inspired choice, as the Rose developed an almost candied aspect while at the same time tugging on some of the earthier qualities hidden in the fruit.
This weekend — Oct. 14 and 15 — Hoskins, chefs Mario Monroy, Ian Anderson and the crew will substitute a Sauvignon Blanc for the Chardonnay, pairing it with a grilled shrimp salad riddled with fresh herbs. Braised short ribs and a cardamom panna cotta follow.
On Oct. 21-22 the Chardonnay returns, but Fults Family’s Twilight blend takes over in the entree round — a seared duck breast served alongside cherry compote. The dinner starts with bacon and oven dried Fuji apples and wraps with a spice cake.
By changing the menu each weekend, Chic le Chef is able to provide options — and to showcase the variety of dishes available to a wine.
“I like the idea of an entire month,” Hoskins said of the winemaker side of the equation. “There are so many different dishes we can come up with.”
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
