A First-Class Dinner
We couldn’t be more excited about any dining event. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking, the Hotel du Pont is re-creating the menu from the fateful night on April 14. For $125 (including wine, gratuity and valet parking) you’ll enjoy a lavish 10-course meal served in a setting to rival that of any classic luxury ocean liner. You’ll begin with Cape May oysters on the half with honeydew mignonette; a salad of asparagus, petite greens, saffron paint and champagne vinaigrette; and paté de foie gras with colvados-soaked golden raisins, hearts of celery, toasted brioche and truffle oil. Shall we go one? If you insist…
Continue with consumme Olga of poached scallops, celery root brunoisse and cucumber gelee, then enjoy butter-poached salmon with sauce mousseline and cucumber-dill nage. If you’re not tempted by now, suffice it to say filet medallions, roast squab and lamb chops complete the menu. We won’t give away all the goodies, so you’ll have to see for yourself. The dinner is part of “A Weekend to Remember,” hosted by the Kalmar Knyckel Foundation. Spend the night, enjoy the meal, listen to Titanic expert and best-selling author Daniel Allen Butler speak about the tragedy and view the film “A Night to Remember.” The package is $375. (594-3154, hoteldupont.com)
Wine for Women
Ladies, mark your calendars for April 17, when Lupo di Mare in Rehoboth Beach offers the next in its Women and Wine series. Michelle Souza of Southern Wine & Spirits will pour as you enjoy fine food by chefs Phil Mastrappolito and Matt Haley. Your menu:
Three samples of bruschetta: with green olive tapenade, with roasted beets and with marinated soy beans, all served with Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rose.
Moving on, you’ll savor spinach and ricotta gnocchi with lobster and rock shrimp in a charred tomato cream. It will be served with Jean-Luc Colombo Les Abeilles Cotes du Rhone Rouge.
Course three: grilled shrimp and scallops with spring peas and red onion in crème fraiche, served with Jean-Luc Colombo Les Abeilles Cotes du Rhone Blanc.
Finally, a chocolate mint s’mores tart with toasted marshmallows (of course) and chocolate ganache. You’ll finish all with a glass of M. Chapoutier Banyuls.
The dinner supports Big Brothers Big Sisters Delaware. Seating is limited, so reserve soon. Call Molly at 644-1200 or molly@sodelconcepts.com. Women and Wine ends when beach season begins, so don’t freeze yourself out of the fun till fall.
Delaware’s Best Amateur Chef
We offer our congratulations to Kathy Matty, who took top honors in the Delaware’s Best Amateur Chef contest at Deerfield. Kathy, with top competitors Marcy O’Neill-Davidson and Rick Perles, made the finals after hundreds of recipes from local home chefs were reviewed, then surviving an elimination round that featured the six best. The three prepared their meals during Sunday brunch at Deerfield while a room full of diners—and supporters—looked on. Rick amazed the judges—Chef Paul O’Toole of Deerfield, DT marketing director Monica Weber and your faithful Insider—with seared Iberico pork shoulder in a Port reduction and several delicious sides, including cheesy whipped potatoes. Marcie’s garlic-rosemary Colorado lamb chops astounded with a steamed slaw of Brussels sprouts and couscous with dried fruits and pine nuts. But it was Kathy’s seared ahi tuna and quail egg with warm napa cabbage salad and soba noodles that stole the show. Kathy scored for outstanding creativity, flavor, execution and presentation through such touches as sesame seeds tinted red from plum wine and fish garnished with chili threads—not to mention tuna that was cooked to perfection. It was a hard contest to judge, and the final scores were very close indeed. See more here. We look forward to doing it again next time. Stay tuned. deerfieldgolfclub.com
Wine and Design
Are you an artist as well as a gourmand? If so, Premier Wine & Spirits is looking for you. Premier is announcing the release of its own Limestone Cabernet and Newport Chardonnay in fall with its Design Our Label contest. The winner will be announced during a special happy hour at Delaware Art Museum in June. So start designing. The contest ends May 4. Find official rules and art requirements on the Premier website. The winner not only sees his or her label on the bottles, but a $2,000 cash prize as well. Check premierwinespirits.com for more.
Party Time
Celebrate the sixth anniversary of Twin Lakes Brewing Co. on April 5 during a special happy hour at BBC Tavern & Grill in Greenville. Enjoy appetizers while tasting Twin Lakes offerings such as Greenville Pale Ale, Tweed’s Tavern Stout, Winterthur Spring Wheat and Twin Lakes Black & Tan. We promise that they’re worth your attention. 655-3785, bbctavernandgrill.co
