samedi 26 novembre 2011

Amazing cooking session

Welcome to Etienne's funky kitchen !


In order to match a Vouvray, white sparkling wine from the Loire Valley (France), Etienne proposes you to cook quickly two recipees: "Oyster Tartare" & "Squid cooked with garlic and persil".

Enjoy !

dimanche 20 novembre 2011

Quintessence of The Clairette de Die

Jaillance has released a new “Cuvée” of 100% Muscat, from grapes having been harvested and sorted by hand.  Produced in a limited quantity, each bottle is numbered from 1 to 18 000 on the 2009 vintage.
Retail at the Jaillance’s cellar doors and on the Jaillance’s website www.jaillance.com 14.50€


 Source: La Revue du Vin de France

dimanche 13 novembre 2011

The “sabrage of sparkling wine”



The “sabrage” of champagne is a traditional custom that comes from the cavalry regiments of several armies in the world, among others the famous Napoleonic Hussars of the Guard. Returning from the battle, the officers had the habit to sabre the champagne to make a warm tribute to victory, strength, virility and ladies... So they opened the bottles of champagnes with a masterful and dramatic gesture. With one side of the blade, they blew out the cap.

Today, the champagne evokes mostly celebrations and ceremonies. To do the “sabrage”, one hand holds the bottle by the body, while the other hand gives a single stroke with the sword’s blade. The sword hits the ring of the bottle which, due to particularities of manufacturing, splits taking away the wire-cap and the cap. The break is perfectly clear and there are no falling shards of glass in the champagne.

The “sabrage” of champagne is harmless, except if the operator is clumsy or awkward! However the jump of the cap can be risky. If the bottle is frozen, the pressure will be less important and the cap jump will no longer be fear. To succeed in the “sabrage”, you must first heated the "vein" (solder joint of the glass of the bottle) so that the bottleneck gets off more easily.

Useless to emphasize that the sword is a dangerous weapon...
Do not put yourself in front of the path of any cap...
Children must not try sabrage...
And finally, drink responsibly…