Lynfred Winery Tour and Tasting: June 22, 2008

I have lived in DuPage County for almost 25 years now, and I am very familiar with this award winning winery on Roselle Rd, but it took an Anthony McPhee, Hotel and Restaurant Management Instructor at CHIC to do a tour and a wine tasting, together with a few students, parents and other guests. Opened by Fred Koehler and his wife Lynn in 1979, the business had grown from a hobby to a 24,000 square foot facility that includes a tasting room, a retail shop and a B&B.

The historic house formerly owned by Colonel Roselle Hough, from whom the village was named after reminds me so much of a Tuscan Villa. Covered with ivy and rich in stained glass, you can stroll the gardens with a glass of wine. There are also bistro sets on the veranda were you can have bread and cheese with your wine.

Christine and Sue offered our group a free tour and wine tasting. We tasted the 2005 Fume Blanc, 2006 Chardonnay, 2003 Chardonnel, 2001 Syrah, 2005 Cabernet Franc, 2004 Cabernet Grenache, 1996 Cabernet and lastly, the Strawberry wine. Their grapes come from all over the US, mostlybrought in by refrigerated trucks from Michigan, New York, Oregon and Southern Illinois. The barrels are from France but lately, they are experimenting on hungarian oaks. Not much of a wine drinker, I can only tell you that most of the group enjoyed the Chardonelle and the Grenache. And I can also tell you that we had a very lovely time and no better way to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon than sit and relax amidst beautifully landscaped gardens.

This tour is higly recommeded.

Patisfrance demo Monday June 16 at CHIC

Patisfrance/Puratos/Belcolade Corporate Pastry Chef Jonathan Moguel and his assistant Martin did a 3 hour demo at school today with Karl Helfrich from European Imports and Thibault de Selorges, US Area Manager to showcase their complete line of pastry ingredients. Interesting in today's demo is a macaron mix....just add water, mix for a few minutes, in the oven right away at 135 degrees for 20 minutes/ Also interesting is a nice green pistacio powder and a line of fruit pulps

Chicago Food Managers Club at Eli's Cheesecake Plant

The Chicago Food Managers Club held it's annual benefit and awards night Friday February 29 at the Eli's Cheesecake Factory in Chicago. Proceeds from the event benefited the Chicago Food Depository.

Several students from area culinary schools were awarded scholarships and gifts from industry sponsors. Two of our students, Christine Smith, Baking and Patisserie, and Missy Ewing, Culinary, were honored that night. Christine, prepared a Chocolate station, creating hand made truffles and bon bons with cold infused fillings, and also a chocolate fondue with humongous fresh strawberries and the sweetest Hawaiian pineapples around. Missy, hand-ground some curry spices for her coconut curry Contessa shrimp and the Spanish tapas-inspired Garlic shrimp on pesto drizzled La Brea bread. The aroma from the garlic shrimp and curry permeated the Eli's plant and everybody made a beeline for the CHIC tables. Chef John's and Christine's floral display added to the success of the night.

LCB Chef Jerome Druart and Plated Desserts

Visiting Chef Jerome Druart of Ottawa spent time with the Baking and Patisserie Department to play with plated desserts. Chef Jerome demoed a pastry cream based white chocolate mousse with a raspberry gellie insert on a pistachio dacquoise. He then glaced it with a white chocolate glacage. We practiced on garnishes and piping.