By Stephanie Burnette @EatDrinkCarolinas
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“The Chaîne” as it’s sometimes called threw one hell of a dinner this past weekend and on the field of The Greenville Drive, of all places. It’s only the third time the ballpark has allowed any private event on the field (and the only instance when dinner’s been cooked in a dugout). But, when a 769-year-old International Association of Gastronomy asks, I’m sure it’s easy to say yes.
I’m gonna jump right in and talk about my favorite noms at the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs supper because we read with our eyes, amiright?
My favorite pairing was “2nd Base”: a curried sweet potato bisque over butter poached lobster matched with Pouilly-Fuisse (Chateau de Beauregard 2014). Maybe it’s the season, but this course was everything that’s right about fall in the South.
A side on the next plate-- “3rd Base” if you’re following along – really knocked my socks off; duck breast sat beside a Brussels sprout and leek gratin topped with pumpkin seed/pistachio streusel. I COULD NOT stop eating this gratin. It was crumbly, it was savory, it was herby and crunchy. Paired with a richly textured Bordeaux, it was the star of the plate.
My favorite sip of the night was at “1st Base”: the 2014 Domaine Tollot-Beaut, Chorey-les-Beaune, from Burgundy. It was poured for a spot-on cheese board (cue the applause for the Burrata mousse) and showed up as singular, chalky, fully Frenchified and aptly guzzle-worthy.
So back to this foodiest of all foodie groups…
Our host was the The Cliffs Chapter of Chaine des Rotisseurs, an organization inaugurated by order of King Louis IX in 1248 which has been feeding voracious eaters ever since. The secret supper feted just three dozen and was organized by the Bailli (aka president) Eric Cooperman, Cliffs Corporate Director of Beverage. Under his direction, a team of chefs, servers, and sommeliers wined and dined us under the stars of Fluor Field. Chef Francis Turck was at the culinary helm as the Vice Conseliller Gastronomique (aka exec chef of the Cliffs chapter of the Chaîne).
As a food writer, I’m lucky to participate in some over-the-top dinners, but this one will stand out for a good long while, as much for the guests as the plates. Chaîne des Rôtisseurs members are all-in wine people, all-in food people, all-in travel for wine and food people and the Cliffs chapter was F-U-N.
They wear ribbons at official tastings denoting all kinds of things (the green ribbon is for the Bailli). Membership is by personal invitation and though you attend events hosted by your chapter, you’re also invited to Chaîne events worldwide. The goal is to eat well, drink discriminately, learn something new and talk to others who love it all too. Maybe they’ll invite me to their next secret tasting?
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