Archive for the ‘Miscellaeneous’ Category

We are pleased to report that Team Gage successfully completed the Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon.  Led by Susan Gage herself, the SGC runners trained January and February weekend mornings in preparation for the March 17 footrace.  Team Gage joined tens of thousands of fellow competitors on a fast 13.1 mile course that took them by some of Washington’s most celebrated sites.  And while none of the Team Gage runners set land-speed records with their finish times, all reported having a really good time.

We are now getting 30-40 dozen fresh local eggs a week from Fair Oaks Farms. I recently spoke with the farm owner Georgia about the important role the chickens play at her farm. Georgia currently has about 60 chickens at her farm in Aldie, Virginia and when she says they are free-range, they are really free-range since during the day they have complete run of the farm. Chickens tend not to roam to far from their roost (they also return at night at which point they are ‘locked up’ to protect them from predators), but they do roam the fields eating most anything they can find, particularly around the livestock where they eat bugs and other pests that can be a health problem for the goats, lamb and cattle that she keeps on the same property. By allowing her chickens to take care of all the pests, Georgia does not need to spray for any pests allowing her maintain an organic environment for her animals. The end result of all of Georgia’s efforts are really happy chickens and really beautiful eggs.

As caterers, we often turn to wine industry professionals to help us pair our food with appropriate wines. When we do wine tasting events, the sommelier selects and describes the wines for the guests, who are left to do nothing more than sip and enjoy the lesson. But when it comes to pairing wines with the food for your own wedding or other special event, the decision can be intimidating and daunting. There is comfort in knowing that it can be more of an art than a science. Some rules of thumb can help you narrow down the choice of wines available from your caterer or, if you are providing your own wine, from your local vineyard or wine retailer. For instance, pair ethnic or regional food with the wines from the same area. Below is a starting point of foods with some suggested wines, but your own preferences and experiences will and should quickly take over once you start tasting.

Beef

In the case of a basic beef dish, such as a grilled steak, you want a wine that is big enough to keep up with the meat’s full flavor and that has enough palate-cleansing tannins to balance the fats of the beef. Great steak wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, red Bordeaux, Shiraz and Zinfandel. If it is served with a rich sauce, go with Cabernet, or if it has a spicy element to it, such as black pepper, stick with Shiraz and Zinfandel. If it is braised in a red wine, that same wine is a great match for the food. For example, red Burgundy is a good partner for beef bourguignon. Osso buco generally needs a big, full wine to go with it, such as a jammy Amarone or Brunello di Montalcino or Chateauneuf-du-Pape. If the beef has an acidic sauce, such as tomato or vinegar based sauce, match it with an acidic wine such as Chianti, Barbera or Sangiovese. The spicy flavors of Chinese, Indian, or Japanese meat preparations go well with the sweet Reisling and Gewurtztraminer grapes. They round out the spiciness. When veal is served with a rich mushroom sauce, go with Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, Bordeaux, Cabernet, Merlot, or even a Cotes du Rhone. If it has a more acidic preparation, lean toward a Chianti, Nebbiolo or Rioja.

Chicken

A simple roast chicken or one with a cream sauce would go well with a lush, full Chardonnay or white Burgundy. Among the reds you might try a Rioja, Pinot Noir, or red Burgundy. Chicken with a spicy, rich, or acidic sauce such as tomato would pair nicely with Sauvignon Blanc, Valpolicella, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti or Rioja. If it has a jerk preparation, consider Gewurtztraminer or dry Reisling. A little sweetness helps contrast the spiciness and keeps the wine from being overpowered.

Fish & Shellfish

If the fish itself has a lot of flavor, such as tuna, or if it has a rich, buttery sauce, go with Chardonnay. Mild flavored fish in a lemon sauce works well with Sauvignon Blanc, which has a bit of acidity to it that will help the lemon marry nicely to it. Salmon, which is rich, fatty and distinct in flavor, needs a robust, structured wine. If you prefer white, go with Pinot Gris or Chardonnay to match its fullness. If you prefer red, Pinot Noir and Burgundy are light enough to go with fish, and are fruity and structured enough to keep up with the salmon’s flavor. Shellfish like lobster just works with Chardonnay, or perhaps with a dry sparkling wine. Crab is good with dry Reisling. The brininess of raw oysters and clams requires a crisp, structured wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis or champagne. If they have a sauce, then go with the profile of the sauce to make your decision. Shrimp can be treated similarly to chicken, in that it is very much about the preparation rather than the meat. Scallops, like salmon, have a richness that pairs perfectly with Chardonnay.

Given America’s embrace of both local ingredients and local beer, we’ve decided to change our beer selections to something we can buy locally and from companies that share dedication to going green. For our regular beer we are going use Victory Lager brewed in Downington, Pennsylvania and Sam Adams Light for our light beer. We also plan on offering a seasonal selection at most events, which for the time being will be Tröegs HopBack Amber Ale from Harrisburg, PA, which won a silver medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival.