It’s a tough job but someone has to do it. Last Friday lunchtime I met with Silvano Giraldin, Michel Roux Jnr and head sommelier David Galetti at Le Gavroche to help select the menu and wines for our forthcoming Autumn lunch on Thursday 11th October. As ever we were spoiled for choice with a succession of stunning dishes which we road-tested, with varying degrees of compatibility, against a diverse cross-section of the Yapp portfolio. Strangely my notes are less legible than I had hoped but I can confirm that we will be commencing with Philippe Collin’s inimitable Crémant de Limoux ‘Cuvée Selection’ as our aperitif followed by a salad of black truffles and lobster served with a nervy, white Menetou Salon 2011 from Domaine Jean-Jacques Teiller. The following dish will be a creamy gratin of crab meat and pasta accompanied by a rare Brézème blanc – a Northern Rhône blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier. For the main course we selected braised guineau fowl with puréed carrots and mashed potatoes which saw of some stiff competition to partner Fredrik Filliatreau’s precocious 2011 Saumur: Château Fouquet and Denis Durantou’s sumptuous Lalande de Pomerol ‘La Chenade’ in the terrific 2007 vintage. To round proceeding off Le Gavroche will serve a délice des fraises, a magnificent concoction of cream and wild strawberries alongside Lina Pieretti’s ambrosial Muscat du Cap Corse.
David - Silvano - Emmanuel
Fully sated by what, for my money, is the finest cuisine in the country I just had time to nip into the kitchen and congratulate Monica Galetti on her victory the previous evening at ‘The Rumble in the Kitchen’ a charity boxing match organised by members of the culinerati to raise money for Galvin’s Chance – an admirable scheme to provide career opportunities in the hospitality industry for disadvantaged 18-24 year-olds. Those wishing to know more about that and / or make a donation should follow this link: http://www.justgiving.com/Kitchen-Rumble-Monica-Galetti
At the time of writing we still have a few places available for lunch on 11th October so if you enjoy fine wine, excellent cuisine and convivial company do give us a call on: 01747 860 423.
