One of my earliest food memories was the discovery of a pear tree in the schoolyard way back in kindergarten. It was a sunny late fall day and as I ran through the leaves, the strangely shaped brown apples caught my eye. The sweet aroma of wet leaves and fallen fruit was too much to […]
Over the last several months I have been rigorously testing some cookware from legendary French maker Mauviel, and it has totally changed the way I cook. From searing meats to simmering velvety sauces or baking perfectly golden desserts, nothing cooks like copper. Even a thick steak won’t chill a hot copper skillet, and perfectly even […]
In the midst of a cultural revolution, visionary winemaker Bernard de Nonancourt created a daring wine that combined a structure of freshness with soft character. Making non-vintage rosé champagne was virtually unthinkable prior to 1968. Inspired by the times of French King Henri IV, a distinctive and elegant bottle was created to celebrate this special […]
What better way to ring in the New Year than with a glass of fine Champagne? Tonight I’ll be uncorking an exquisite bottle of Laurent-Perrier’s Grand Siécle, and since I think oysters are the perfect indulgence, I’ll be pairing it with an elegant seafood platter or plateau de fruits de mer. Grand Siécle or “grand […]
The widow Mathilde-Emilie Perrier first launched Ultra Brut in 1889, the same year that the Eiffel Tower was completed. For nearly a century Laurent-Perrier was renowned for its ‘Grand Vin Sans Sucre’ or unsweetened wine; champagne in its purest, most natural form. Then in 1981, Bernard de Nonancourt reintroduced Ultra Brut in 1981 made with […]
Laurent-Perrier’s Brut Millésimé 2004 celebrates one of the finest vintages in recent memory. The resulting wine is a signature house style Brut that captures the unique and rare qualities of that harvest. The label Millésimé is reserved for only the greatest of harvests, and only when the grapes possess unique character is a vintage declared. […]
To most of us, the stars stand motionless in the heavens; beyond reach and imagination, we struggle to grasp the enormity of the universe and to understand our place in it. But for some the stars are more than mere points of light, they are shifting constellations of genius, and those of us lucky enough […]
Laurent-Perrier Demi Sec is a blend of 45% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, and 15% Pinot Meunier. This champagne is aged for at least three years. The wine is then dosed with a liqueur made up from cane sugar dissolved in wine from the same cuvée. When you look at the brilliant and intense golden yellow […]
Perhaps nothing in the whole of human history has been so closely associated with love, romance, and celebration as Champagne. But it’s not just bubbles that create the magic; sparkling wines come from all over the winemaking world, and many of them are quite good. What truly makes sparkling wine Champagne is not only that […]
Those who know me know that I enjoy a cocktail every now and then, regardless of the weather or season. Whether I’m mixing up margaritas with friends and family or just stirring up martinis at home with my husband while watching movies, cocktails aren’t just for parties or special occasions. In the depths of a Midwestern […]
A Cook's Canvas 