Please The Palate |

The Legend: Serge Hochar and Chateau Musar

I am sure that when you think of historical wine regions, Champagne, Burgundy, the Rheingau and Oporto are among the ones that come to mind. But, with over 7000 years of wine making history, the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon belongs in that list. From the Bekka Valley comes the infamous Chateau Musar, established in 1930 by Gaston Hochar and run by his son Serge Hochar since 1959. Despite the war in Lebanon, Chateau Musar has withstood the test of time. For over 80 years, Chateau Musar has been producing extraordinary wines every single vintage except for two, 1976 and 1984.

16 January, 2013

The Health Benefits Of The Korean Forest

Exploring different cultures and cuisines is one of my passions. So, when I was invited to an event in Los Angeles introducing Korean forest products, I was excited to learn more about the rice, vegetables and meats that are a central part of the Korean cuisine and especially about the delicious forest products that are naturally grown throughout Korean and are both nutritious and medicinal.

12 January, 2013

It’s True Art at Brushstroke NY

An artist expresses thoughts with a brush; a chef expresses thoughts through food. Brushstroke, the new restaurant founded by Chef David Bouley and Chef Yoshiki Tsuiji, is where art and food meet and the beauty of Japanese culture is translated into an extraordinary dining experience. Offering authentic Japanese cuisine, the menu is a reflection of the season. Typically, when restaurants change their menus seasonally, they change them 4-6 times per year. But at Brushstroke, the chefs follow a 20-phase seasonal calendar tied to nature which means that the menu will be different every time you dine there. Brushstoke offers a kaiseki menu, a traditional multi-course Japenese dinner. Kaiseki is a type of art form that balances the taste, texture, appearance, and colors of food. The term also refers to the collection of skills and techniques that allow the preparation of such meals, similar to haute cuisine. Each menu is created in collaboration between the Bouley Test Kitchen in New York and the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, Japan.

09 January, 2013