Crescendo and Mountain Meals whip up a five-course culinary sensation
By David F. Rooney
Two local businesses combined their talents and their products Friday evening to offer 10 culinarily curious guests a gourmet cooking course.
The course, the first one to be jointly offered by Daniel and Elvira Brunner of Crescendo Vinegars and Oils and Kendra Powell of Mountain Meals, had space for 10 people and was rapidly filled.
This five-course meal was like a symphony for your taste buds. And while it is impossible for me to adequately describe the taste sensations that were offered to the guests’ discriminating palates, here are some photos that will give a you visual taste of the evening.
Daniel and Elvira Brunner discuss the way that various oils and vinegars enhance the flavour of different foods during a special cooking course organized by Crescendo and Mountain Meals. Ten guests learned how to put together a five course meal. The first course was a tasting of Crescendo's exquisite oils and vinegars. The champagne in that glass in the foreground has been flavoured with a drop of Star Forest Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar. David F. Rooney photoJamie Burke makes his choice as his wife, Cathy (right), considers what she's tasting and another guest looks over the different offerings. Guests could taste the different oils and vinegars with cubes of Swiss cheese or cubed melon. David F. Rooney photoMountain Meals' Kendra Powell pours the Sauvignon Blanc from the U-Brew that complemented the second course — marinated Portabella mushroom caps topped with goat cheese on a bed of radicchio and drizzled with walnut oil. The plates were decorated with Balsamico Maletti, a vinegar that has been so reduced it has become a syrup. David F. Rooney photoKendra Powell drops radicchio on plates for the second course. David F. Rooney photoKendra Powell carefully places her mushroom caps, which were marinated in Crescendo's Old Vinegar from Spain, on guests' plates. David F. Rooney photoJamie Burke enjoys a coconut milk sorbet topped with Hazelnut oil. You had to taste that third course to believe how fantastic this palate cleanser really was. David F. Rooney photoDaniel Brunner of Crescendo chops onion as he prepares to make a delicious risotto in the kitchen at Mountain Meals. The two business are side-by-side at 311 First Street West. They'll be continuing their joint cooking classes in April. David F. Rooney photoKendra Powell prepares the asparagus spears that were first marinated in Cherry Balsam Vinegar and then roasted as part of the fourth course. David F. Rooney photoDaniel Brunner of Crescendo stirs the risotto. David F. Rooney photoKendra Powell marinated chicken breasts in brine for a day before drying them, then coating with chicken spices from Crescendo and searing them in a pan on the stove. Once one side was nicesy toasted, she finished them in the oven. The marination in brine ensured that the chicken was marvellously tender and juicy. She said that trick also works wonders with pork. David F. Rooney photo.Daniel Brunner of Crescendo drizzles Balsamico Maletti on each plate. The main course was accompanied by a lovely and subtle Pinot Noir from Revelstoke U-Brew. David F. Rooney photoKendra Powell serves up the succulent chicken. David F. Rooney photoSavage Delights Columnist Leslie Savage and her husband, David, were serious about their meals. David F. Rooney photoJamie Burke gets a helping of ultra-refreshing and paper-thin cucumber slices that were briefly marinated in a vinegar and sugar. David F. Rooney photoAfter four amazing courses it was time for the last one: chocolate dipped profiteroles. Kendra Powell describes how she infused cream with lavender blossoms, let the mixture sit for a day and then whipped the cream. The refreshing, indeed invigorating, scent and taste of lavender cream inside the chocolate dipped pastry was heavenly. David F. Rooney photoGoing, going... gone. Kendra Powell offers up the last delicious profiterole. Crescendo and Mountain Meals will hold another course in lat April. David F. Rooney photo
