Lush as lush goes (Part 2)

Pardon the inordinate focus on sybaritic interests, but it’s been serendipity time where it concerns my sporadic existential arrangement with excellent spirits and fine food.

Last week this space featured a premier social event that saw the launch of Johnnie Walker Blue Label and its engagement with the Porsche Design Group, resulting in special accouterments such as a Private Bar offered worldwide.

Only 50 of the luxury item are up for grabs, costing one hundred thousand pounds or P6.7M, to include a two-day visit to the Walker family’s distillery in Scotland as well as the Porsche Design Studio HQ in Zell am See, Austria.

For us relative proles, there are the more modestly priced stainless steel Cube, Mini Cube, and Chiller, all for providing the top-of-the-line JW Blue bottle, bespoke crystal glasses and tongs such posh, cool shelter. These cost from upwards of P20K to a little less than P10K, respectively. 

Diageo Philippines, which markets these ultimate Johnnie Walker whisky accessories, may be reached at 793- 8500, or at Rommel.Turingan@diageo.com by e-mail.

By the by, I was told at Privé that night of the launch on Jan. 18 that a special JW Blue bottle was supposed to have come my way for the Christmas holidays, but that my private HQ remained unknown. I didn’t keep it that way for much longer, so that a couple of days later, true enough, the handsomely encased bottle was delivered. And it did prove to be special, since inscribed right on its front was my name after “Happy Holidays!”

Why, thanks for the post-holidays pampering. Now I have to sift through the burgeoning list of pretenders to friendship and camaraderie for the special rite of breaking it open and slaying the deliquescent dragon inside  the product of a JW master blender’s dedication to craft.

A week later, another precious invite had me burping my way through a degustacion to celebrate the inscription by UNESCO of the French Gastronomic Meal on the Representative Roster of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Wow. Sacre bleu.

Roasted traditional stuffed Pamora capon served with seasonal vegetables, red cabbage confit and chestnut puree

On Wednesday, Jan. 25, Alliance Française de Manille presented a unique diner gastronomique prepared by Chef Marc Aubrey, Chef Cyrille Soenen and Chef Laurent Maleval that started with Taittinger bubbly for the hour-long cocktails with the following heavenly aperitifs: cocktails beef tartare and quail egg sunny side up, quiche Lorraine cappuccino, and poached oysters with vegetables Julienne and ginger butter sauce.

After an additional glass of Charles de Fere Chardonnay Brut as the 50 select guests sat down for the benefit dinner, each of the six courses with wine pairings then followed:

Assorted breads basil aspic, tomatoes and goat cheese espuma, with Chateau Bonnet2010 Entre-Deux-Mers; poached pamora egg with mashed squash and truffle cream, with Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Mont 2006; almond-coate scallops, snail ragout raviolis in crispy lard and lettuce sauce, with Domaine Marc Colin Saint-Aubin En Remilly 2008; wild boar and mushroom tourte accompanied by foie gras sauce served with arugula salad tossed in mushroom dressing, with Chateau La Dame de Montrose 2007…a taste break came, with Trou Normand Calvados and green apple sherbet (oh so inspired!), then…roasted traditional stuffed Pamora capon served with seasonal vegetables, red cabbage confit and chestnut puree, with Chateau Cap des Faugeres 2007 Cotes de Castilion; then refined French cheeses Saint-Marcelin, Epoisses, Roquefort, with Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim 1996. 

Coup de grace was the dessert: poached pear with vanilla hazelnut mousse and caramelized tuile, downed with Chateau Doisy-Daene Barsac 2004. But wait, there was more: coffee or tea with Bas Armagnac Domaine Joautmaou 1974, and the mignardes praline tart, orange truffle chocolate, and pistachio macaroon.

For the invite and memorable feast, I must say “Merci beaucoup!” to my friends Deanna Ongpin-Recto, AFM president, and Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, AFM board director, as well as AFM executive director Stephane Doutrelant.

The Pamora free-range chickens from a farm in Abra were particularly succulent. But then each dish was, to no contention. After all, their creators were the three top French chefs in Manille.

Poached Pamora egg with mashed squash and truffle cream

As Felice said while I reeled in hog heaven: “The chefs were very pleased to be able to do something for their cuisine and their country. They were quick to offer their services without charge. And Pamora (owned by a Frenchman and his Filipina wife) donated the free-range capons. Bernie Sim (AFM vice president) did the exquisite pairing. I sincerely believe he is one of the few persons in the Philippines with both a knowledge of wines and a highly refined sense of savor.”

As for that UNESCO inscription, what can be most representative of “intangible cultural heritage of humanity,” indeed, than the French gastronomic meal? As the French poet Marc-Antoine-Madeleine Desaugiers (1772-1827) wrote: 

“A cook, when I dine, seems to be a divine being, who from the depths of his kitchen rules the human race. One considers him a minister of heaven, because his kitchen is a temple, in which the ovens are the altar.”

On Thursday, March 15 (the Ides!), I will be back at AF Manille on Nicanor Garcia St. in Makati for yet another delightful celebration  of succulent words!

It seems like only yesterday that last year’s “Printemps des Poètes” (Spring of Poets) became such a huge success, with the participation of about 30 Filipino poets in the annual grand reading. 

This year the theme is “Enfances” or “Cihldhood & Beginnings”  and we can expect the premier poets of Manille to lend their presence and verses in a three-hour session of eloquence highlighted by fine wine and a special buffet.

AFM president Deanne Ongpin-Recto and deputy director Mickaël Balcon have issued the following call:

“We would like to invite you to consider what words poets are inspired to use when writing about beginnings, about learning of the world between wounds and wonders, between appetite for life and fighting against the ‘brutal reality; how their works can also be a remembrance of first relations, free and creative, with the language.

“Moreover, this will be the opportunity to bring into the limelight poetry that considers children as its initial, if not exclusive, readers. It can also simply be deemed ‘Poetry for children’, whose form, having avoided evolution and all modification for the sake of instruction, has been deeply renewed over the course of these last few decades.”

The event starts at 7 p.m. Poets who wish to join the reading may send two poems to printempsdespoetes@alliance.ph before or by Feb. 28. Hmmm. Hey, Deanne, you forgot that it’s a leap year! If the poems are in any other language besides English, translation into English is required.

Ah, such pleasures: excellent spirits, fine food, and (note the Oxford comma) succulent poetry!