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Terry Threlfall, Hawksworth RestaurantTerry Threlfall, wine director at Hotel Georgia's Hawksworth Restaurant.
Terry Threlfall, Hawksworth RestaurantTerry Threlfall, wine director at Hotel Georgia’s Hawksworth Restaurant.
The Expert: Terry Threlfall, wine director at Hotel Georgia’s Hawksworth Restaurant The Dish: Slow-roasted Yarrow Meadows duck with fava beans, chanterelle mushrooms, sweet onion and bacon consommé, $30 The Pairing: Marcel Lapierre, Beaujolais, Morgon, 2009, $58
This is definitely one of the wines I am most excited about at the moment. It’s from a tiny producer called Marcel Lapierre in the village of Morgon. It’s a Beaujolais from 2009 – probably the best vintage in living memory.
Usually, Beaujolais is known as a very light wine, with cherry, raspberry and strawberry undertones. The Morgon has elements of that – it’s got beautiful, very pure, ripe strawberry-raspberry and blood-orange characteristics – but it also has texture and richness. It’s very refreshing, light and delicate, but the minerals add a toasted pecan element to it. And it finishes with that wild-mushroom and forest-floor character, which is a hallmark of great Burgundy.
Duck being a slightly gamey bird, the wine augments that. The earthiness of the chanterelle mushrooms comes through in the dish while the acidity of the Morgon cuts through the richness of the bacon consommé and the rendered fat of the duck breast.
At Hawksworth, we’ve looked to create a menu that is lighter and fresher. Everything has a lightness of touch, and that is what I want for the wine list to have as well.
From Nietzsche’s Holiday to The Hemingway, the carefully crafted concoctions at Vancouver bar The Helm are all named after those who loved (sometimes a little too much) a good cocktail. Not too sweet, but full of flavour, our personal favourite has to be The Blue Picasso. To make it at home, mix 1½ ounces of blueberry vodka and a ½ ounce of raspberry sour with 2 dashes of simple syrup. Combine the ingredients in a shaker glass and muddle in 5 fresh mint leaves and 4 to 5 whole raspberries. Shake. Serve over ice and top with soda water. $8, thehelmofvancouver.com
All right, we know Chef’n’s Garlic Zoom isn’t exactly new, but it remains the funkiest-looking gadget lying in our kitchen drawer – and it’s still flying off cooking shop shelves three years after its introduction. Why, besides good looks? It’s easy to use, dishwasher-safe and leaves your hands smelling garlic-free. Simply fill the chopper with one to two peeled garlic cloves. Next, roll the Garlic Zoom around your kitchen counter (with a bit of pressure). Finally, open the second chamber, safely remove the blade and empty the chopped garlic. $12, cookworks.ca