Champagne, It's What's With Lunch

Do you think there’s anyone in the Western world who hears the pop of a champagne cork and doesn’t think, “Ah, good times ahead!”  Whether we’re hard-wired at birth to pair champagne with celebration (I think I might have been), forge those brain paths through a lot of happy times, or have just seen enough Cary Grant films to believe that only great things can happen to us when we’ve got a glass of champagne in hand, it doesn’t matter, the felicitous match is made and, as far as I’m concerned, the only thing is to enjoy it as often as you can.  This explains why I skipped out on work yesterday with nary a twinge of guilt to go to Per Se and spend a leisurely afternoon eating Thomas Keller’s food and drinking champagnes from Maison Heidsieck, the mother house of Piper-Heidsieck (which was Marilyn Monroe’s favorite champagne) and Charles Heidsieck (which could be every bec fin's favorite).

There were about 20 of us “happy few”, as the French would say, and we were the guests of Christian Holthausen, the International House Communications Director, which means the guy who travels around the world spreading good cheer and pouring great champagne.  At 33, Christian, whom I’m so lucky to call a friend, is the youngest person to have such a job for a major champagne house and he’s the only American in the lot!  And boy was Heidsieck smart to nab him – he’s cute, charming, gracious, generous, articulate in a couple of languages and passionate about champagne.

We were welcomed to the luncheon with a parade of hors d’oeuvre, among them Keller’s signature salmon-roe cones, warm gougeres filled with melted gruyere, potato croquettes to be dipped in truffle mayonnaise and teensy brioche toasts topped with foie gras and apple gelee.  And while you would have thought that we’d be sipping champagne with these canapes, you would have been wrong:  we drank water, all the better to keep our palates fresh for the 11 – count’em – champagnes to follow.

So, right off the bat, conventions were broken – no champagne as aperitif.  Instead, each course of our meal would be paired with a flight of champagnes.  Christian had chosen the champagnes, a few of them quite rare, and Per Se’s kitchen and sommelier teams came up with a menu, which Christian said he thought was perfect from the start.  Everyone around the two tables looked to be in complete agreement.  And, why wouldn’t they be given what we had:

CAULIFLOWER “PANNA COTTA”

with Island Creek Oyster Glaze

and Sterling White Sturgeon Caviar

Paired with Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve

Think of this as the caviar and creme fraiche you might ordinarily have with champagne

HAWAIIAN HEARTS OF PEACH PALM

Spring Ramps, Poached Nectarines

Petite Mache and Hazelnut Butter

Paired with Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Rare

Piper-Heidsieck Brut Vintage 2000

Piper-Heidsieck Brut Vintage 1998

The pickled ramps and poached nectarines in this dish were a terrific go-together.  Keller often has fresh hearts of palm on his menu and, for anyone who’s only known these from a can, they’re a revelation – as was the Cuvee Rare.

RIB-EYE OF FOUR STORY HILL FARM’S VEAL

Butter Braised Morels, Thumbelina Carrots

Split English Peas and Sweet Pea Shoots

with Creme de Morilles

Paired with Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995

Charles Heidsieck Blancs des Millenaires 1983

Charles Heidsieck Brut Vintage 1989 en Jeroboam

A perfect dish and perfect with champagne.  I fell in love with the Blancs des Millenaires 1983, which is a shame because the odds are so against my ever having it again.

“CHERRY VANILLA”

Vanilla “Moelleux,” Frog Hollow Farm’s Bing Cherries

White Chocolate Cream, Kirsch Foam and Morello Cherry Ice Cream

Paired with Charles Heidsieck Brut Rose Vintage 1999

Piper-Heidsieck Rose Sauvage

Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Sublime

If I weren’t having such problems getting the lighting right for these pictures – aarrgh – I would have been able to show you the gorgeous color of the Piper-Heidsieck Rose Sauvage. (It was a much deeper red than most rose champagnes because 35% of the pinot noir grapes were vinified as red wine before being added to the blend.)  It looked so beautiful with the dessert; tasted great with it too.  And I was really happy to have the Cuvee Sublime, which is a demi-sec (or “half dry”, slightly sweet) champagne.  I’m told that demi-sec champagnes are not in the favor they once were, but I love them.  I also loved the Vanilla Moelleux, a white version of the beloved soft, normally oozy, dark chocolate cake.

Comments

[Dorie]

Saturday night is a perfect night for champagne - actually, what night wouldn't be perfect? Helen, I love that you and your husband opened a bottle "just because". It's true champagne is special, but that's all the more reason to drink it on "regular" nights, don't you think?

[Helen]

I can only imagine...
Funny: hubby and I opened a bottle of Champagne on saturday...just because...first saturday night we were spending together in months and felt like kicking back and getting silly!
Champagne does make the world go round!

[Simon]

Dorie, thank you so much for such a great account of your lunch with Christian. It makes me wish even more that I could have attended!

[Kelly-Jane]

Sounds wonderful, good times indeed :)