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First El Barzon Wine Dinner
It was nice. Thanks for coming. Here's the menu.
Fernando is El Barzon's star waiter. He has a passion for wine and a commanding presence. I admire his work.
Jarred of Western Market and Steve and Angie of Steve and Angie (Angie aids humane imperatives and stylishly dispatches needs, Steve Jarosz is the bandleader of Grupo Escobar.)
Not to name drop, and not to forget or misspell too many names, but I thought you might like to know who attended:
- Jacquelyn Dickow, Everyday Wines
- Jarred, Western Market, one prime instigator of the Bonny Doon invasion
- Marshall and Mae-Lee, Mon Jin Lau, my model wine team
- Matt Brown and companion, Red Coat Tavern, my model beer/wine team
- Tenley Lark, quick, the dynamic balance of opposites, the evolution of events as a process, and acceptance of the inevitability of change
- Jeffrey Mar, Holiday Market, appreciator of European wine
- Joel Rubin from d'Amatos
- Dawn Astrop, Forest Grill, meaningfully, competently, receptive.
- Phillip Cooley, Slows Bar-B-Q, locomotor
- My mom, invasive Cass Corridor artist, aging Kindergartener
- Elisa Weber-Saintin, Michigan Bonny Doon agent and lover of Burgundy
- George Heritier, Gang of Pour
- Kim Adams, Gang of Pour
- Claudia Tyagi, The Whitney and Michigan Grape Council
- James Caderiu, Great Lakes Coffee
- Michelle DeHayes, AHD Vintners
- Evan Hansen, Swigs
- Suze, teacher of gifted minds, including of Russian lit
- Wendy, bartendress
- Katrell Thomas, the title deserves elaboration, it's a very rare class, one that I only aspire to: professional server
- his brother, @Vicentes
- my sister Xan, guardian of tomatillos and nutrient scholar
- Brian, charcuterie pilgrim and scholar
- Dave Mancini, Supino
- Molly O'Meara and companion
- John Schoeninger, hard to describe his role ... 'diverse' maybe
- Steve and Robin Kirsch, pied pipers of grosse ile.
- Tobala, Pechuga and Crema de Mescal, spirits
- Randall Grahm, in spirit, he didn't get bogged down in technicalities, the wines soared
- several beautiful gals who made me too nervous to remember their names ...
I will update this list when I get some sleep ...
Posted by: putnam on Jan 28, 10 | 11:24 pm | Profile
COMMENTS:
I am so thoroughly touched by the good will, enthusiasm and soulfulness of all of the folks who helped create this event. Rather embarrassed that I couldn't manage to get my sun and surf-addled butt out of the Cruz to attend this extraordinary dinner. I am reminded of a passage in one of the J.D. Salinger books, possibly Seymour, An Introduction, in which Seymour, the tortured, sainted protagonist writes in his journal, "I think that I'm some sort of reverse paranoid. I imagine that people are conspiring to make me happy." Well, that is certainly how I feel w/r/t a wonderful group of Michiganders.
-- Posted by: Randall Grahm on Jan 29, 10 | 8:33 am_____________
The wines were, even to me, AWESOME, and the food pairings were inspired. It was so great to be part of this convivial bubble in the heart of Detroit, completely vanquishing the icy chill outside. And you did a great job.
-- Posted by: gg on Jan 29, 10 | 9:04 am_____________
Great job Putnam! Looks fantastic. I wish I could have made it to this! I can only hope that this is just the first of many wine dinners that you'll set up (and that I'll be able to make it to them)! Drooling thinking of the Chivo...
-- Posted by: Lars on Jan 29, 10 | 1:51 pm_____________
Maybe the next wine dinner can feature Norberto's Italian cooking?
-- Posted by: Steve_K on Jan 30, 10 | 7:19 am_____________
Vongole, Boscaiola, Valtoscana, gnocchi, saltimbocca, osso bucco, pasta fagiole, ...
I've been trying to get Dressner's Italian wines into Michigan for 4 years. Maybe they will arrive in 2010. That would be a nice show.
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Oh how I wish I would have attended this.... It would have been worth the migraine the next day!
-- Posted by: Jeff Bryngelson on Feb 12, 10 | 5:24 pm_____________