Moises at the Mansion

Vintage Orleans Presents
Moises at the Mansion

Saturday, April 16th at 7:00 pm

Who:               Winemaker James Moises and Chef Gason Yen Nelson
Where:            Sully Mansion (2631 Prytania Street)
Date:               Saturday, April 16th
Time:               7:00pm
Cost:                $65 per person (inclusive)
Reservations:  VintageOrleans@gmail.com

When he’s not busy tending to his patients in the ER and teaching emergency medicine to the future doctors of tomorrow, New Orleans native Dr. James Moises indulges in his other passion: making fine wine. Over the past few years James’ little hobby has exploded into his own wine label and distribution company representing a host of other winemakers from the Willamette Valley. Luckily for us, James sends nearly 100% of his Moises Wines to the New Orleans area.

And what better way to spend a Saturday evening than drinking a few wines with the man who actually owns the winery? On Saturday April 16th, Vintage Orleans presents “Moises at the Mansion”, a five course wine tasting at Sully Mansion, located in the heart of the Garden District. James will be on hand to talk about each of the wines, while Ben Lazich from The Wine Seller will be pouring a selection of Oregon’s finest wines from the Krewe du Bizou portfolio.

And as we all know that fine wine tastes better with great food, we have enlisted professional talent (in more ways than one) to prepare the menu. Chef Gason Yen Nelson has cooked around town for years, but his current gig as personal chef to Saints running back Reggie Bush has the whole city relying on him for a reason to stand up and shout every Sunday in the fall.

The format is a walk around tasting with food and wines served in waves. There will be a small jazz band for a litle background music and ample seating spread throughout the mansion grounds. Start with a glass of sparking wine, take a walk around the mansion, and enjoy a crab and avocado bruschetta. Listen to a little music while enjoying a glass of pinot gris and a mushroom and gouda tart. Things can only get better from there. And if you like what you taste, Ben from The Wine Seller will be taking orders for all of the wines poured at the event.

Tickets to the tasting are $65 inclusive of food, wine, tax, and tip. Attire is casual. Reservations are required, and admission is limited. For more information and to purchase tickets, email VintageOrleans@gmail.com.

First Course

Capitello NV Brut Sparkling

Crab, Avocado, & Lime Bruschetta

Second Course

2008 Capitello Pinot Gris

Mushroom & Smoked Gouda Tart

Third Course

2006 Andrew Rich Coup d’Etat

Smoked Duck Breast with Kumquat Chutney

Fourth Course

2008 Wahle Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Rosemary & Dijon Rubbed Lamb Kebabs

Fifth Course

2006 Moises Vineyard Holmes Hill Pinot Noir

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Email VintageOrleans@gmail.com to purchase your ticket today. To hear more about upcoming events hosted by Vintage Orleans, follow us on Twitter @VintageOrleans.

Week in Preview

At Blackened Out we are happy to promote any and all dinners, tastings, and other events that help further New Orleans as one of the premier fun-loving, food-centric cities in the country. This week, the Big Easy is bursting at the seems with myriad of opportunities to taste a bit of controversy, praise all things pork, and enjoy some of America's best roadside eats, plus a whole lot more.

Your faithful bloggers have a personal stake in two events this week - the Encore of Gabrielle in Purgatory on Thursday night and Hogs for the Cause on Saturday. We hope to meet and greet many of our readers at both of those events. But in any case, whether you are a cheese lover headed to St. James or a wineaux looking forward to Once Upon a Vine, this week we encourage everyone to get out there and taste what New Orleans has to offer. Remember that everywhere else in the world, it's just another week in March.

Tuesday

• Cafe Degas 25th Anniversary Dinner - Join Cafe Degas in celebrating their 25th Anniversary with a food and specialty cocktails pairing menu.
• Opus One Wine Dinner (SOLD OUT!) - The French Quarter Wine Festival dinners kicks off with one of Napa's elite wineries.

Wednesday

• Wine Sense - Cork & Bottle's wine tasting series continues with a tour of Southern Italy led by Italian wine specialist Antonio Molesini.
• Cakebread Cellars Dinner (SOLD OUT!) - Chef Michael Farrell creates a multi-course dinner paired with wines from one of The Pope's favorite California producers.
• St. James Cheese School - Our favorite cheese mongers are teaming up with New Orleans winemaker James Moises for a cheese tasting featuring his Oregon pinots.

Thursday

• Gabrielle in Purgatory - Encore! - A second chance to taste crowd favorites from the Sonniers' beloved Mid-City restaurant
• An Edible Evening - The Edible Schoolyard New Orleansand FirstLine Schools present the Second Annual "An Edible Evening" garden party under the stars.
• Abita Beer Dinner at Coquette - Chef Michael Stolzfus cooks up a special 5 course menu served with a different Abita beer to complement each dish.
• St James Cheese School - Another opportunity to taste the wines of James Moises and a selection of cheeses to match.

Friday

• Taste of the Town - The Louisiana Restaurant Association holds its annual culinary event at Lafreniere Park.
• Oysters, Cocktails 'n Cracklins - The New Orleans Roadfood Festival kicks off with this cocktail party at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum.

Saturday

• Hogs for the Cause - The Gulf South's premier pig cookoff explodes onto City Pork with plenty of live music and the crowning of the High on the Hog Grand Champion.
• New Orleans Roadfood Street Festival - Six blocks of Royal Street are overtaken with vendors cooking up some of America's best roadside grub, plus the world's longest oyster po-boy will be built.
• Taste at the Lake - The Lakeview Civic Association hosts this inaugural celebration of food, wine, and neighborhoos strength.

Sunday

• Once Upon a Vine - Martin Wine Cellar takes over the Pavilion of the Two Sisters for a tasting featuring over 150 wines and a grazing buffet from Martin's catering kitchen.
• New Orleans Roadfood Street Festival - The good times continue on Royal Street with a whole other day of roadside specialties and the beignet contest between the New Orleans Police and Fire Departments.

Luck of the Irish

What can we say about St. Patrick's Day that Michael Scott has not already said? "It is the closest that the Irish will ever get to Christmas."

In my youth, St. Patrick's Day was a drunken revelry of green beer, green jello shots, crawfish, and... more green beer. Unfortunately, now that responsibility has caught up with me, I usually only celebrate St. Patrick's Day vicariously through my office secretary who takes off every March 17th. The highlight of my day is watching the Mobile Leprechaun video, which never gets old. "Who else see the leprechaun say yeah!"

The phenomenon that is the Mobile Leprechaun is just one example of how the luck of the Irish engulfs anyone and everyone on March 17th. In New Orleans, St. Patrick's Day is marked by hordes of green clad revelers descending upon the Irish Channel to drink green beer, be merry, and of course eat roast beef po-boys. In light of the Great Roast Beef Schism of August 2010, this year's St. Patrick's Day celebration will be a tale of two parties - one hosted by the new again, old again Tracey's and the other by the revitalized Parasol's. Check out this week's Gambit for Ian McNulty's writeup on the two rivals of roast beef.

Lastly, in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, here is a lucky bit of news for those whose pot of gold is filled with slow roasted duck in an orange cherry sauce.

Photo by Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com

The first Gabrielle in Purgatory dinner was such a success that we asked Chefs Greg and Mary Sonnier if they wouldn't mind cooking for us again, and they kindly obliged. Vintage Orleans presents "Gabrielle in Purgatory - Encore!" at The Uptowner on Thursday March 24th at 7:00pm. The five course menu will resurrect several of Gabrielle's signature dishes, and each course will be paired with wines to match.

The cost of the dinner is $85 per person inclusive of food, wines, tax, and tip. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Email VintageOrleans@gmail.com to reserve your seat today, as this encore dinner is sure to sell out as quickly as the first one.

GABRIELLE IN PURGATORY

ENCORE!



What: Wine Dinner featuring the Best of Gabrielle

Where: The Uptowner, 438 Henry Clay Ave.

Date: Thursday March 24th

Time: 7:00pm

Cost: $85 per person (inclusive of wines, tax, and tip)

Reservations: VintageOrleans@gmail.com

First Course

Oysters Gabbie

A Pair of Oysters on the Half Shell Baked

With Chef Greg's Signature Artichoke Topping

Paired with 2009 Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc

Second Course

Mixed Sausage Kabob

Rabbit & Andouille Sausages with Honey-Lavendar Mustard Sauce

Paired with 2007 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge

Third Course

Petit BBQ Shrimp Pie

Mashed Sweet Potatoes in a Tart Shell, Topped with BBQ Shrimp

Paired with 2009 Pine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc-Viognier

Fourth Course

Slow Roasted Duck

Roasted Red Peppers, Mushrooms, & Orange Sherry Sauce

Over Shoestring Fried Potatoes

Paired with 2008 Ercavio Tempranillo Roble

Dessert

Fresh Banana Layer Cake

We hope to see you at this dinner to once again relive Gabrielle. Gone for now but not forgotten.

Week in Preview

This week is loaded with special events for food and wine lovers. So open up your Outlook calendar because we have a lot of planning to do.

Monday

• Galatoire's Mardi Gras Table Auction - Grab your paddle and score your seat for the circus that is lunch at Galatoire's on the Friday before Mardi Gras.
• A Toast to All Things French - Swirl kicks off their 6 week French wine tasting series hosted by Michelle Gueydan.

Tuesday

• Barolo Wine Dinner (SOLD OUT) - Herbsaint presents a special dinner featuring the Barolo wines of Podere Rocche Dei Manzoni & Gianfranco Bovio.

Wednesday

• Riverbend Tapas Crawl - The restaurants of the Riverbend invite you to their monthly ambulatory feast.
• Winemaker Meet & Greet - Swirl hosts winemaker Andrew Rich, who will be pouring out samples of his Willamette Valley wines.
• Cigar & Beer Pairing - The Avenue Pub invites cigar lovers to enjoy a smoke along with their extensive beer selection in 6 different pairing suggestions.
• Bushmills Whiskey Dinner - Master of whiskey James McCartney hosts a 5 course dinner paired with whiskeys from the famed distillery.

Thursday

• Gabrielle in Purgatory (WAITING LIST ONLY) - Vintage Orleans is hosting a dinner featuring menu favorites from Gabrielle, gone for now but not forgotten.
• Andrew Rich Wine Dinner - The Oregon winemaker teams up with Vega Tapas Cafe for a 5 course dinner paired with his hand crafted wines.

Friday

• Krewe of Cork - King Patrick van Hoorebeek and his merry group of winos will be parading through the French Quarter on Friday afternoon, celebrating all things great that come in a wine glass.

Gabrielle in Purgatory

The plight of Mary and Greg Sonnier has been well documented in the press, on this blog, and throughout message boards across the web. Since August 2005, the Sonniers have been chefs without a home for their beloved Gabrielle Restaurant. Months after the flood waters of Katrina devastated their Mid-City location, the Sonniers purchased The Uptowner, a building at 438 Henry Clay where they hoped to re-open Gabrielle. Unfortunately, unbeknowst to the Sonniers, discrepancies in the city permitting process would require a zoning change to operate a restaurant in this location. After numerous hearings in the front of the City Planning Commission and opposition from neighbors, two weeks ago the New Orleans City Council denied the Sonniers' request for a zoning change. The Sonniers have reluctantly admitted that the fight for Gabrielle may be over for good.

But the ultimate fate of Gabrielle has not yet been decided. In essence, Gabrielle is in a state of purgatory. While we all await final judgment of this beloved restaurant, a lucky few will have the opportunity to taste just exactly what all the fuss is about.

Vintage Orleans is proud to present "Gabrielle in Purgatory" at The Uptowner on Thursday February 24th at 7:00pm. The five course menu will resurrect several of Gabrielle's signature dishes, and each course will be paired with wines to match.

The cost of the dinner is $85 per person inclusive of food, wines, tax, and tip. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Email VintageOrleans@gmail.com to reserve your seat today, as this dinner is sure to sell out quickly.

GABRIELLE IN PURGATORY



What: Wine Dinner featuring the Best of Gabrielle

Where: The Uptowner, 438 Henry Clay Ave.

Date: Thursday February 24th

Time: 7:00pm

Cost: $85 per person (inclusive of wines, tax, and tip)

Reservations: VintageOrleans@gmail.com

First Course

Oysters Gabbie

A Pair of Oysters on the Half Shell Baked

With Chef Greg's Signature Artichoke Topping

Second Course

Mixed Sausage Kabob

Rabbit & Andouille Sausages with Honey-Lavendar Mustard Sauce

Third Course

Petit BBQ Shrimp Pie

Mashed Sweet Potatoes in a Tart Shell, Topped with BBQ Shrimp

Fourth Course

Slow Roasted Duck

Roasted Red Peppers, Mushrooms, & Orange Sherry Sauce

Over Shoestring Fried Potatoes

Dessert

Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake

With Fresh Whipped Cream

We hope to see you at this dinner to relive Gabrielle. Gone for now but not forgotten.

Spanish Wine Dinner of the Year

Calling all wineauxs,

If you have ever traveled through Spain, are planning a future trip to Spain, or simply cannot afford a trip to Spain and are looking for the next best alternative, then make your reservations for an extraordinary wine dinner at Rio Mar on Thursday September 16th at 7:00pm.

We at Blackened Out have been working with fellow blog character Spaniard to organize the first of what will hopefully be a recurring series of wine dinners at some of our favorite local restaurants. Hosting the first dinner will be none other than Gerry Dawes, the award-winning writer and travel guide on Spanish gastronomy, wine and culture. Affectionately known as "Mr Spain", Gerry has over 30 years experience wandering the back roads, discovering fantastic little known wineries and exploring Spanish cuisine from inconspicuous tapas bars to the work of Ferran Adria at El Bulli. Gerry has been awarded numerous accolades for his work, including Spain's prestigious Premio Nacional de Gastronomía (National Gastronomy Award) in 2003. In short, he's kind of a big deal in the Spanish food and wine world.

Gerry has worked diligently with his favorite importers and local distributors selecting 6 different wines for the dinner, which will include vintages and varietals not often seen on local menus. While Gerry has focused on filling the glasses, Chefs Adolfo and Miles have designed a special 9 course menu to match the wines. The menu will feature many specialties from the Galician region, including delicacies such as sweetbreads and stuffed squid. Before dinner and in between courses, Gerry will offer tasting notes on the wine and entertain diners with tales of his visits to the various wineries and regions throughout Spain.

The cost of the dinner is $125 inclusive of food, wines, tax and tip. Reservations are necessary and seating is limited to 60 people. Call 525-3474 to reserve your seat today, as this dinner is sure to sell out quickly. To read an interview with Gerry about the upcoming dinner, check out this nola.com article by Todd Price.

MENU

White Wines: Godellos

A Coroa

Casal Novo

Castelo do Papa

Red Wines: Mencias

Casal Novo

Peza do Rei

D. Ventura Viña Cañeiro

Food served family style in waves

Seafood

Pulpo a la feira Parillada de mariscos

(seasonal fish, mussels, shrimp, clams and hopefully razor clams)

Empanada Gallega

Sardinas Asadas

Chocos Rellenos

Other Dishes

Cecina Estilo Leon de Aqui

Caldo Gallego

Lacon con Grelos

Mollejas con Pimientos

Xarrete de Ternera con Papas

- Menu is subject to change -