Essay title: Individual Report

Student number:

Date: 1 November 2022

Unit title: Oenology and Beverages

Unit code: 5Z4Z0027

Lecturer: Ms Lilla Fulop

Abstract: In this report, it will cover a specific menu which was given. The
menu will then be paired with individually selected alcoholic beverages and
non-alcholic as well. It is also to be discussed about the individual
beverages and menu dishes pricing. Details like, serving the beverages in
what type of glass and the taste of each beverages pairings as to why it
pairable with the dishes.
Introduction:

The French Laundry is a three-Michelin-star eatery that serves French and

Californian cuisine. It is located in Yountville, California, in the Napa Valley.
The French Laundry was founded in 1978 by visionary chef and father of
California cuisine Sally Schmitt, whose menus featured seasonal, fresh
ingredients. It was then sold to Thomas Keller in 1994, whom is a chef and a
cookbook author. Where in 1999, Thomas Keller published a book titled, ‘The
French Laundry Cookbook’ , where it is awarded with three International
Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) awards for Cookbook of the
Year.

The French Laundry offers two distinct nine-course tasting menus each day: the
Chef's Tasting Menu and the vegetarian Tasting of Vegetables. The restaurant
may provide unique dishes throughout the winter holiday season, Thanksgiving,
Halloween, and other holidays. Both menus cost US$355 per person, which
includes gratuity for the main course but excludes extras like caviar and truffles.
The cuisine is predominantly French with modern American elements.

Thomas Keller started his culinary career by working in his mother's Palm
Beach restaurant. He moved to France in 1983 and worked at a number of
restaurants with Michelin stars, including Guy Savoy and Taillevent. In 1986,
he launched his first eatery, Rakel, in New York City. He later relocated to
California to take the executive chef position at the Checkers Hotel in Los
Angeles. The French Laundry in Yountville was purchased by Keller in 1994,
and it immediately gained national recognition.

More than one million copies of Keller's five cookbooks have been printed. In
1999, he released his critically acclaimed "The French Laundry" cookbook.
This was followed by "Bouchon" and "Under Pressure," a cookbook devoted to
sous vide cooking. In addition to authoring "Ad Hoc at Home," which won
prizes from the James Beard Foundation and the IACP, he also spent six weeks
in 2009 and 2010 on The New York Times Best Sellers list. After its release in
October 2012, his most recent endeavor, the New York Times best-selling
cookbook "Bouchon Bakery," spent almost two months there.
Menu Breakdown:
Appetizers
The menu consists of three parts, first the appetizers, second the maincourse and
third the dessert. Starting off first with the appetizers, “Sabayon” of Pearl
Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Regiis Ova Caviar , what we have here
is a delicate buttery , briny , fishy , and a very clean flavor overall dish which
sets the course into a very elegant start. With having a hybrid of Kaluga and
Beluga type caviar, we are having a caviar that is buttery but complex and yet
balance at the same time due to the mix of both caviar type. (petrossian, 2019)
Now into the beverages specifically chosen for this dish would be, three
alcoholic and one non-alcoholic. Starting with the alcoholic, Moscow mule is
chosen here to pair with the delicate dish for It’s because the dish itself is
buttery and fishy as well , a bit briny also. But since the dish itself has a very
clean flavors due to the exquisite taste given off by the regiis ova caviar. Which
is a hybrid caviar taken from kaluga and beluga mix sturgeon types. So, its best
to have something fresh and citrusy to clean the palate after every bite. (Andre,
2022)

Further we discuss about the non-alcoholic option to this dish, which would be
the famous shirley temple mocktail. This mocktail is cbosen for the subtle
ginger flavor from the ginger ale, but tastes mostly of cherry/pomegranate from
the grenadine syrup. Adding to it with some citrusy tang from the orange which
really palate of the consumer and compliment well with the sweetness of the
oyster in the dish as well. (Wenerd, 2022)
Lastly, discussing about the two wines selected here, which is the amazing
champagne of Dom Perignon Brut 2008 and Hyde de Villaine 2017. The Dom
perignon which is exceptionally fresh, with a refined, floral characteristics that
gives the powerful fruit and toasted notes. Initially, the tongue experiences a
very zingy taste of acidity; but, midways it grows, the fruit picks up steam and
the acidity blends in. This will pair very well with the buttery dish of the oysters
and caviar, as to cut the amount of butter in it with this wine. As for the Hyde de
Villaine, it has a wonderful harmony/balance between a big fruit flavor and
exotic citrus with hints of fruit and an earthy minerality to it. Contrasting bright,
mouth filling sensations that last to an amazing finish. This would highlight so
well for the garden salad as it is sweet and acidic which coincides well with
ingredients in the salad. Such as the sweet potatoes and sesame dressing and
green vegetables. (Schiessl, 2021)
For serving both beverage, they would have different glass as to be serve in. A
chilly copper mug is the ideal vessel for serving a Moscow mule. A classic
copper mug gives the Moscow Mule cocktail a distinctive aesthetic while
enhancing all of the various flavors and aromas. As for the shirley temple, it
would be served in a chilled tall, skinny glass for serving. Both are served in a
chilled glass/vessel as it keeps it cool and perfect to drink even if left for abit.
(Velasco et al., 2013)

Main course
Going into the menu deeper, now we have 2 exquisite main course dishes which
is very elegant and complex in flavors. Starting with the Nova Scotia Lobster
Gallete, here we are presented with a lobster variety from Nova Scotia which is
famous for producing lobster of high quality. It is sweet and buttery, plus the
cream spinnach and the creme de champignons makes it an outstandingly
buttery and sweet dish.
So to start with the pairing, we first start with the alcholic option of Domaine
des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre. It has a lemon zesty, chalky
minerality, baked/stewed fruits, and tropical fruits like coconut are all
characteristics found in chardonnay. Adding to it, A strong vanilla aroma and
creamy taste is present as well. It is more common for barrel fermentation to
result in overt vanilla smells than the gentler procedures used in barrel
maturation, and new wood rather than used oak is used in this process. (Caldeira et
al., 2002)

Going to the star of the main course, that is luxurious the charcoaled grilled
japanese wagyu. It will be paired with a luxurious wine as well to up the
experience of the dish. It is the Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
2017 from france. This dish has an amazing cut of meat, thus needing
something like a red wine, pinot noir to help further intensifies the wagyu meat.
With the charcoal aroma sticked to the meat and coating it, since having an
earthy and fully formed plum fruit, with hints of leather, smoke, and spice. Thus
having the initial palate sensations of tannic and intense that goes with the dish.
(Fang & Qian, 2004)

As for the non-alcoholic option, we would have club soda and lime to pair with
the japanese wagyu and raspberry mojito mocktail to go with the lobster galette.
Club soda with lime pairs well as it cuts the fattyness from the wagyu beef, and
the sparkling feel helps with the overall experience of it. As for the lobster
galette itself, it is already sweet due to being harvested in Nova Scotia. Making
it a suitable pair with the raspberry mojito as both compliments each other with
sweetness and citrus. (Veldhuizen et al., 2017)
Dessert:
The dessert we have in the menu, is a mild chocolate malt and brownies biscuit
dish. This is to be a sweet dessert dish, yet not stomach stirring sweet for the
consumer. It is light and airy due to having mousse in the dish, another aspect to
the dish to make it a more calm and smooth experience to close out the course.
So, to pair this dish, we have a wine called Hospices de Beaune Clos de la
Roche Grand Cru 'Cuvee Cyrot Chaudron’, which is a savory red wine with
fruit flavors of ripe, expressive plum, blueberry, and mulberry that is
complemented by licorice, smoke, and rose petal undertones. A rich and filling
punch is followed by a hard but approachable texture. Thus having a suitable
beverage pair to the dessert, as chocolate goes well with red savory wine.

With last being the non-alcoholic option, we have ceylon black tea that is
produced from sri lanka. It will be served to a tea pot to a tea cup. It tends to
have richer flavors and more intense malty overtones to it also. To have this
paired with the chocolate malt would be a great finish to the course, as it is rich
but not suffocating for the consumer as they already had a flavourful course
beforehand. (Ranasinghe et al., 2017)

Marketing:
To bring this menu out in public, various ways will be used and maximised. The
use of advertisement especially from social media platform like tiktok and
Instagram would be a great start to advertise. As nowadays words/news spread
quickly with the help of technology. The advertisement would be short but
impactful, filled with many famous promoters to further drag in enthusiastic
customer to have look. Next will be the hosting of events, such as workshops or
expos. This would be the one thing to acquire new loyal customer, as the menu
dish would be given out for tasting. The first impression of this must be
acquires to market the menu. (Camilleri, 2020)

Having contests and giveaways can be one thing to up the customers coming to
your expos or workshops. As they will be enticed with the giveaways and
contest, so the contest will be something rewarding, and the giveaways are done
often to attract customers and keep them attracted. The service during these
times should be on point as well, as we want to give the customer first hand
experience as to what is to come in the restaurant. Wanting them to come back
for the experience and hospitality while enjoying world class dishes. Steaks and
wines would be served in elegant manner. Have the steak come out of the box
with some smoke, which is very social media attractive, which then further
brings out our menu into the world. Not forgetting to explain the wines in detail
as to add depth into the whole dining experience. (Mason et al., 2021)

Referencing List:

Andre, andre (2022) Champagne or vodka with your caviar - how to do it right, Caviar
Lover. Caviar Lover . Available at: https://caviarlover.com/blog/champagne-or-vodka-
with-your-caviar/ (Accessed: October 31, 2022).

Caldeira, I. et al. (2002) “Aroma profile of Portuguese brandies aged in Chestnut and oak
woods,” Analytica Chimica Acta, 458(1), pp. 55–62. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0003-2670(01)01522-7.

Camilleri, M. (2020) “A taxonomy of online marketing methods,” SSRN Electronic Journal

[Preprint]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3691455.

Fang, Y. and Qian, M. (2004) “Aroma compounds in Oregon pinot noir wine determined by
aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA),” Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 20(1), pp.
22–29. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ffj.1551.

Mason, A.N., Narcum, J. and Mason, K. (2021) “Social media marketing gains importance
after covid-19,” Cogent Business & Management, 8(1). Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2020.1870797.

petrossian (2019) Understanding caviar: A guide to caviar grades | Petrossian,

Understanding Caviar: A Guide to Caviar Types. Caviar Concierge. Available at:
https://www.petrossian.com/blog/caviar-feature/understanding-caviar-guide-caviar-
grades/ (Accessed: October 31, 2022).

Ranasinghe, W.T., Thaichon, P. and Ranasinghe, M. (2017) “An analysis of product-place

co-branding: The case of ceylon tea,” Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics,
29(1), pp. 200–214. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/apjml-10-2015-0156.

Schiessl, C. (2021) The secret to pairing sweet wine with savory food, VinePair. VinePair.
Available at: https://vinepair.com/articles/what-goes-with-sweet-wine/ (Accessed:
October 31, 2022).

Velasco, C. et al. (2013) “The sound of temperature: What information do pouring sounds
convey concerning the temperature of a beverage,” Journal of Sensory Studies, 28(5),
pp. 335–345. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/joss.12052.

Veldhuizen, M.G. et al. (2017) “Interactions of lemon, sucrose and citric acid in enhancing
citrus, sweet and sour flavors,” Chemical Senses, 43(1), pp. 17–26. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjx063.
Wenerd, B. (2022) The best cocktails to pair with oysters - 8 unique suggestions, BroBible.
Brobible. Available at: https://brobible.com/culture/article/best-cocktails-with-oysters/
(Accessed: October 31, 2022).