0 French Champagne!

Red Fruits with Rose Champagne, watercolor, 9" x 11"
Yesterday I learned I can drink rose champagne with red fruity, chocolatie desserts. Do you LOVE REAL French Champagne?
You would have adored yesterday's French Comite Champagne tasting in Hotel Plaza's ballroom...
You got a chance to speak directly to 30 champagne makers from Rheims and Epernay...
They were happy to explain to you with passion the whys and wherefores of their brand's characteristics...
You got just a slug to taste, but after many slugs...hmmm

Of course you can 'nose' champagne to enhale the aromas, floral or fruity - as long as you have a tall glass and wait for the bubbles to quiet...

Don't forget to SPIT and do not drink up to the last drop or you'll never make it around the room in one piece (like some people)

Cleanse your palate with a plain cracker occasionally...

Pommery guides me in tasting a 'flight' of three - their most recent, one a few years older and their vintage Champagne from 2004 - simply divine. But I forgot to spit. Too divine to waste...

I paid later for my enthusiasm when I sit down momentarily, then got up leaving my purse and CAMERA on the chaise! I looked for my lipstick but my bag and camera were missing. I raced back and hotel security cames up to me, "Are you missing something Miss?" MON DIEU! Thank Gawd women wear lipstick.

Isn't this Belle Epoque bottle of Rose beautiful?

Isn't this red fruit and chocolate tarte perfect to go with the Rose. But it was not served at the tasting.

Excellent French fromage et fruits were...

What's YOUR favorite Champagne? Some people drink it every night. Why not? There are so many to choose from. Do try a different brand next time...

BONJOUR FRENCH CHAMPAGNE!

0 KINGS OF PASTRY! 2

Last night I had to eat macarons...
Et les chocolats...
And drink champagne...
At the opening screening of the KINGS OF PASTRY!
Remember I told you about the KINGS OF PASTRY back in August.
Well it's here at last!
After the film, filmmakers, Chris Hededus and D. A. Pennebaker took questions. I couldn't resist asking,
"However did you get permission from the French Meilleur Ouvriers de France (or MOF) society to make this film?!"
It was not easy.
They had to wait until the very last minute for permission. Even then it was day-by-day up-for-grabs wait to see if they would be invited back the following day to shoot during the 3-day concours. The chance their equipment or even their very presence could disturb the competing chefs or their creations was a major concern. On the last and final day they were given a tiny boxed-area to shoot the film.
C'est comme ca.
Yet in the end the MOF was very pleased to have the competition filmed for posterity. No one had ever attempted it before.
After the film we trooped over to nearby Jacques Torres Chocolate for the post-film soiree...
You feel you are inside a giant cocoa bean...
Ah les macarons et chocolats...
I got to meet the amazing unflappable star and MOF contender of Kings of Pastry, chef Jacquy Pfeiffer sans whites/out of his chef's jacket. Chef Pfeiffer is founder of The French Pastry School in Chicago.
The wives of the MOF contenders are very much heroines in their own right - Mme. Pfeiffer stands by her man as ever.
MOF winner (at the mere age of 26) Jacques Torres tries to explain why there are no female contenders for the MOF...ahem
Jacques is now Dean of pastry at the French Culinary Institute and where there are plenty of female contenders onboard. I drew Jacques 1st business card when he was still head pastry chef at Le Cirque. I used to hang out at his station and get sample nibbles - the good ole days..

Jacques did marry his own chocolatier.

Sotha Kuhn, former head chef at Le Cirque was there chatting with FCI Dean, Alain Sailhac...

New York restauranteur, Danny Meyer was there...

Three-time contender for the MOF, Stephane Treand was telling me how it really does take 3 tries to get it right. To know exactly where everything you need is to win the race to the finish line. And it is a race against the clock. And to be able to express your own unique point of view to win over all the judges. Remember the judges have to eat at least 16 desserts. How do you get yours to stand out above the other contenders?

Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer created this cinematic chocolatey sculpture for the party.

KINGS OF PASTRY will be opening near you soon.

Don't miss the excitement, the thrills, the tears, the laughter.

And watch the trailer again in case you're undecided...

And don't forget if you in Washington DC, do come have some macarons with me at the opening at the Alliance Francaise svp tomorrow night!