Battle of the Champions

Here are a few photos from the February 20th beer-wine pairing dinner at NECI on Main in Montpelier, Vt.

The so-called "Battle of the Champions" was the experience of a good-natured, course-by-course, beer versus wine-pairing competition between specially selected craft-beer libations from the Three Penny Taproom by co-owner Scott Kerner, and wines from the NECI reserve cellar chosen by Jeff Roberts, paired with a unique menu.

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Scott has devoted his life to sharing great beer; and Roberts has a long-standing romance with wine, and both are passionate about which elixir pairs better with food — and, late 2012 both decided they were willing to  prove it

Kerner and Roberts have collaborated on beer-and-cheese pairings previously, but for this event they collaborated with NECI to host the event and  invited friends and colleagues to dinner and serve as judges.

Chef Instructors from New England Culinary Institute helped prepare
the seven-course feast which started with "Oysters and Pearls paired
with Oatmeal Stout from Quebec and a champagne from Taittinger.

Guests and judges conversed and compared notes with the
beer/wine expert competitors and the chefs.

Gracious hospitality was proved by service class students
from NECI.


For a nice article about the event check out the story in 7days:
http://www.7dvt.com/2012beer-wine-food-pairing

Menus Inspired by Chef-authored Cookbooks - part 1

Ever felt the excitement to discover, or for the first time become aware of, something of significance, in a new field of personal interest, and then realize the entire world already knows about it? Welcome to Culinary Education.

Someplace in California there's a wonderful restaurant named the French Laundry whose chef, Thomas Keller, is well-known and well regarded in the culinary world. Keller is considered a celebrity-chef, like it or not, a term that has become very in vogue in the past few years. He also has an other restaurant, the namesake of his beautiful cookbook; entitled 'Ad Hoc at Home.'

Some folks are not enthralled by the entire celebrity-chef trend, fad, business or what have you. But I should think anyone interested in the culinary world can learn from, and become inspired by, exploring chef-authored cookbooks and by reading the biographies of successful chefs.

Recently, the chefs of cuisine at New England Culinary Institute, inspired by Thomas Keller's cookbook 'Ad Hoc at Home,' introduced a new celebrity chef-inspired menu series at the school's casual fine-dinning outlet, NECI on Main, serving contemporary New World Farm-to-Table fare. Professionally staffed, the restaurant also serves as a production class for the students working in the kitchen under the direction of instructor/chefs.

The photograph above illustrates the February 2012 Thomas Keller celebrity chef cookbook inspired menu, served at NECI on Main and prepared by instructor/chef Jeffrey Andre and his students in the Farm-to-Table class. The menu of slow roasted pork loin and cream of celery soup was selected by NECI chef Paul Sorgule.

Books courtesy of Rivendell Books in Montpelier, Vt.