in an attempt to build my oenological knowledge - and therefore
legitimacy as a food blogger - i have completed a wine education course. five
weeks of delicious, continuously flowing wines, and a 5-course deg to
finish with finely selected pairings. at $150 this is a right bargain. the guys
from annandale cellars [consider linking to Annandale cellars website] offer
this course in the hope of inducing amateurs like myself into their world of
wine (and into their store). they also seek to establish themselves as a wealth
of viticulturist knowledge and first point of call if we ever need
help picking out a bottle (or case) in the future.
the wine tasting course, including the final dinner, is kindly hosted at
blancmange restaurant. there is much discussion of the
true pronunciation of the name bləˈmɒnʒ, bləˈmɑːndʒ,or the
french pronounciation blɑ̃mɑ̃ʒe (phoentic representations kindly
borrowed from wiki). on the final evening, we are dropped at the front
door, ready to drown ourselves in fine alcoholic beverages
and gorge on what's predicted to be
an ɑ̃mɑ̃ʒe-ing feast.
to start, a glass of moussamoussettes (muscatdo), vin de france made
from cabernet franc grapes. the aperitif has a beautifully soft fizz and light
acidity- a smooth welcome to the evening’s festivities.
entree is a salad of fresh figs, hazelnuts, goat’s curd and spinach,
drizzled with a gorgeous honey dressing. the figs are some of the best i've
tasted this season and the goat’s curd is sensually creamy. i only wish there
was more on my plate. to match, we are offered ‘the yard’, sauvignon blanc from
pemberton, wa. the wine lives up to its touted reputation as the perfect
pairing with goats curd, refreshing our palettes between each bite.
 |
| figs w/ hazelnuts, goat's curd, spinach and honey dressing |
next are seared scallops with celeriac puree and crispy speck. as one
diner rightly points out, seafood and pork is always a winning combination, and
no less tonight. the innovative touch of the fried, perhaps tempura brussels
sprout leaves is a playful accompaniment to the other proteins. i was
one of the only kids in our family who loved their brussels sprouts, my
grandfather cooked them for us by the crateful much to the other grandkid's terror.
these crisp delicate leaves are a far departure from the regular
serving of stodgy, over-boiled sprouts, so much so that i bet even my cousins
would devour them.
 |
| scallops w/ celeraic puree, crispy speck and brussel sprout leaves |
and the course keep coming… as my stomach approaches bursting point, we
are served braised beef cheeks with soft polenta cime-di-rapa (an italian
bitter green) and horseradish. i’m yet to be taken by polenta, but this
specimen is beautiful with the softly-tender beef cheeks. the horseradish is an
interesting accompaniment and excites my palate, but ultimately
a little too much for me combined with the bitterness of the cime-di-rapa. we
drink a full-bodied barolo, the strong tannins
marrying harmoniously with the richness of the slow-cooked cheeks.
to finish (thank goodness) an 18 month english cheddar served with green
tomato chutney. the cheese is rich and crumbles onto your tongue where it
dissolves into a nutty creaminess. to accompany we drink one of the most
indulgent and delicious beverages known to man - pedro ximinez (cue another
argument about pronunciation). i'm lubricated enough by this stage to repeat
the sultry name over and over again in my ridiculously poor spanish accent
'pedrooh hhhgggimenethhh'. fortunately everyone else at the table is too
engaged with the drink and plate in front of them to take notice of my drunken
antics.
 |
| english cheddar w/ green tomato chutney |
our sommelier has brought us a special treat to conclude the evening.
fortified grenache - paired with a gorgeously thick chocolate truffle.
combined, it’s like the best cherry ripe on earth - the perfectly over-the-top
end to what has been a ridiculous gastronomic and viticultural adventure!
 |
| chocolate truffle, accompanied by fortified grenache |
bashful of our gluttony, we say goodbye to our new wine-wanking friends
and sneak out the door. debate about the pronouncing of blancmange continues,
but we're all in agreement that tonight's food and wine whilst excessive in
quantity (i don't believe i've ever drunk 12 different wines in a night), was
sublime in taste. we will be back, blancmange! hopefully you can settle our
feud and stomachs once more.
annandale cellars wine education course: http://www.annandalecellars.com.au/templates/annandale_content.aspx?pageID=420
blancmange
1 station street, petersham
p: 9568 4644
http://restaurantblancmange.com.au/
blancmange
1 station street, petersham
p: 9568 4644
http://restaurantblancmange.com.au/
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