On June 26th of 2008  I was lucky enough to get a seat at the table for one of Durhams Wine Authorities Food & Wine Pairing classes. It was held at the Wine Authorities store, a locally owned shop that specializes in small vineyards that produce small quantities of very good wine at very good prices. Hosted by owners Craig Heffly and Seth Gross the event was catered by the wonderful and talented chef, Tom Ferguson, of Durham Catering Co.

I had not been to a food and wine pairing class before, or at least an official one. I guess I can’t count the evenings at certain friends houses who would bust out a bottle of red from their wine rack and say something like, “Hey, this would be awesome with that cheese!” Our Wine Authorities friends explained WHY a wine works or doesn’t work with various foods.

First, each table accommodated 4 students with 4 place settings. Six wine glasses sat upon a piece of paper at each students setting. The paper had 6 circles in which was written six different types of wine that was to be poured. Also, there was a sheet of paper with “The Challengers” written at the top and the list of what wines were going to be tested against the six courses of food. It was really exciting!

We began with Seth breaking down the five senses of taste; sweet, sour, salty, bitter & spicy. (That is Craig pictured above) Then he explained the power of taste cancellation or manifestation when wine and food are paired. An example of this might be sipping a sweet Riesling while eating a something spicy, like Jambalaya. What occurred in my mouth was that the sweetness of that wine cooled the spice from the dish. Then I tried the same dish with a Cabernet Sauvignon which tasted tart against the spice. It was a great experience and forced me to really taste, and savor, and think about what was going on with my taste buds.

The food was served on small plates in six courses and beautifully plated in miniature. There were poached oysters in tarragon, apricot brie mini tartlets, spicy jambalaya, lamb (one of my least favorite things to even look at, unfortunately), salmon in butter and chocolate souffle’.

We made notes after each tasting and discussed what was going on in our mouths.  It was fun to hear how everyone was perceiving each wine and how varied every ones tastes were. And as Craig and Seth pointed out, there are no WRONG choices when it comes to each persons tastes. If you liked the Muscadet with that sweet brie then so be it! It’s your mouth and your taste. Who can argue with that?

After the class we bought a few bottles and talked with the other guests. It was a great event and I would highly recommend attending their next class if you can.

Craig and Seth are masters, truly, at their art. They are passionate teachers and really love what they are doing. To have the knowledge that both of them posses takes years of tasting and traveling and we, here in Durham, reap the rewards of all their hard work. If you have not visited them you should make an all out effort to go. You will find two friends who are more than willing to guide you through the wines in a completely non-stuffy atmosphere, and hey, where else in Durham can you try wines in various amounts from a machine called the “Enomatic”! If nothing else, visit them just to check out that sleek, sexy European wine dispenser.

I would again like to say “Thanks guys for having me” and here’s to you,  Salut!

About a month ago, I was sitting at the table eating my breakfast with David. He was reading the paper when he saw that a new restaurant had opened in the downtown Durham area. For those that aren’t familiar with Durham, NC let me explain that we are going through a rebirth. The downtown area has laid dormant for many, many years. With the vision of a few key groups this area is now fertile ground for entrepreneurs to move in and begin opening businesses of their dreams. We have had more restaurants open in the last year than ever before, making all us hungry locals very happy Durhamites.

The restaurant that David read about that morning is simply called Toast. When we trekked over there on our bikes we saw a line out the door, a very good sign. We qued into the line and as we began to enter I noticed the large mural on the wall.

Toast, as it explained, is described in a number of ways:

toast (tost) vb 1: to make bread crisp, hot and browned by heat.
2: to propose or drink to as a toast
3: your neighborhood paninoteca.

paninoteca (pa-nee-no-TEK-a) n an authentic Italian sandwich shop

As we got closer to the counter to order we noticed the huge black board sign that displays the menu. Their focus is based around bread, whether hot or cold, small or large. What goes in or on the bread makes this a great option for veggie folks like us.

Kelli , one of the owners took our order. She has to be one of the most cheerful and kind people around town. She carefully explained the menu to us and made us feel very welcomed, even with the line continuing to grow behind us. I have to say that the service was quick and correct.

David ordered a $6 panini stuffed with a grilled portobello, fontina cheese and peppery arugula.

I wanted to try the $6 panini of tuscan kale, ricotta salata and sweet and spicy pickleed peppers. I also wanted to check out the $1.50 crostinis. We ordered 2 each of their herbed pesto and goat cheese. They had a selection of non-alchoholic beverages, but will soon be receiving their liquor license. A nice glass of red wine could have only made this better.

The panini’s were brought to our table within minutes, piping hot with smokey grill marks. We split each sandwich and were glad to share. Both were wonderful. Mine had the spicy kick that I love, almost a bit too hot for David. His was savory and meaty from the thick, well seasoned portobello mushroom. Just perfect.

Next we tried the crostinis (sorry, we didn’t get any pics because we were so focused on eating them). Each were a perfect 2 bite size, the bread tasting like it had a good bit of garlic rubbed on each slice, and the toppings were fresh and zesty. I could have ordered a plate full of these crispy treats with a glass of Pinot Noir and been the happiest person in the place. It made me want to try them all.

They also have salads and soups that need to be explored on our next visit. You can also add one of the soups or salads onto your sandwich order for a mere $2.

I am sure this has been said after every meal that anyone has had at Toast but, I will say it from David and I. “Let’s have a toast to Durham’s newest gem, Toast!”