Even Chicago celebrity chef Gale Gand, famed for her pastry creations and Food Network show "Sweet Dreams," has to face her own kitchen crisis every now and then.
Last Tuesday, I was with Gand at her popular flagship top-notch Chicago restaurant Tru, which she opened with then-husband Chef Rick Tramonto in 1999, to gather with a group of select guests for a dinner honoring the 155th anniversary of California's Mirassou Winery and sixth-generation winemaker David Mirassou, who began his career sweeping floors in the wine warehouses.
Mirassou has partnered with Gand and a group of the nation's most noted culinary experts for a exclusive online cookbook featuring wine-paired recipes available at mirassou.com.
As for Gand's "kitchen crisis," she had planned a splashy big dessert finish to the seven course dinner to feature her special apricot tarte tan served with Mirassou Winery's prized Riesling wine.
However, nectarines had to fill the bill for her tarts' filling.
"All I can say is that it's not been a great season for apricots," said a smiling Gand, who earlier in the evening admitted she's trying to learn how to both "Twitter and Facebook with friends and fans."
"We began planning this menu months and months ago and at the time, apricots seemed like such a great ideal."
The ever bubbly and outspoken Gand - who lives in Wheeling, Ill., with her second husband of six years, Jimmy Seidita, an environmental project manager - said she was excited to host the wine dinner which provided a challenge for dreaming just the ideal entree, soup and appetizer creations.
"So often, it's the wine that is being matched to the food served," Gand said.
"This time, I was provided with the list of wines from Mirassou and was able to work with my staff to build our menu and flavors to perfectly complement the wines to be paired with each course."
Gand, who began her career as a pastry chef at Chicago's famed Pump Room, created a parade of courses for Mirassou Winery unmatched by anything I've ever tasted, given the contrasts and flavor combinations chosen. (This was also my first time eating at Tru.)
The first course was fish, featuring Nova Scotia Halibut (subbed for Alaskan Halibut) with a leek emulsion, reduced chardonnay and bacon vinaigrette served with Mirassou's Pinot Grigio. Next up, a soup-inspired tribute course featuring floating peeky toe crab salad with cucumber and tomato water and paired with Mirassou's Sauvignon Blanc. Other courses also served up included quinoa crusted scallops with broccoli, chantrelle mushrooms and peanuts served with Mirassou's Chardonnay, and roasted skate aka duck confit with roasted garlic consomme paired with Mirassou's Pinot Noir and the main events, which included salt-crusted cervene venison with cocoa, olive oil and blood oranges served with Mirassou's Merlot and short rib isomalt with coffee-infused mashed potatoes and served with Mirassou's Cabernet Sauvignon.
As for the recipe for Gand's apricot tart, it's highlighted in the free online cookbook, which also features wine-pairing tips from David Mirassou and the history of his family's grape business, which holds the distinction of Mirassou being the oldest winemaking family in America. All of the Mirassou wines, designated with the family's familiar sunburst seal logo, are available nationwide and sell for around $12 a bottle. In fact, according to the family's publicist, Jenna Kirkwood, the Mirassou Pinot Noir even ranks as "America's Favorite California Pinot Noir, based on volume sales."
For more recipes and information, visit mirassou.com.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.
Today's Celebrity Birthdays
Actress Ellen Travolta ("Happy Days," sister of John Travolta) is 69. Actress Britt Ekland is 67. Singer Millie Small is 63. Singer-guitarist Thomas McClary (The Commodores) is 60. Singer Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon is 58. Guitarist David Hidalgo of Los Lobos is 55. Actress Elisabeth Shue is 46. Singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet is 45. Actress Jacqueline Obradors ("NYPD Blue") and country singer Tim Rushlow (Little Texas) and bassist Tommy Stinson (The Replacements, Guns N' Roses) are 43. Actress Amy Jo Johnson ("Felicity," "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers") is 39. Actor Ioan Gruffudd ("Fantastic Four," "Horatio Hornblower") is 36. Actor Jeremy Sisto ("Law and Order," "Six Feet Under") is 35. Singer Melinda Doolittle ("American Idol") is 32.
