It was Chefs Night at 2nd Harvest Food Bank where everyone indulged in Wine, Cheese and Chocolate. Guests entered the in the main area where there was a choice of wine, beer and appetizers. The wines to choose from was Quantum Leap’s Pinot Grigio and Pedaler’s Hard Cider.
One of the passed appetizers was a butter toasted Olde Hearth Baguette with Goat Cheese and white chocolate whip topped with chopped strawberries with basil and white chocolate drizzle.
The Mini Tacos had two versions. One had Grilled Chicken Mole with Roasted Corn & Poblano Salsa, Prairie Breeze Cheddar and Micro Cilantro. The other had Black Bean Mole with Jicima, Roasted Corn & Poblano Pepper Salsa, Prairie Breeze Cheddar, Pickled Shallots and Micro Cilantro.
After the starters, we were moved to tables for a salad, entree and dessert. The salad was Butter Lettuce with Roasted Butternut Squash, Meredith Dairy Sheep & Goat Feta, Milk Chocolate Cashew Brittle. Dressed with Apricot and Mermaid’s Gold White Port vinaigrette made with Second Harvest Honey for Good. The dish was served with a glass of Quantum Leap’s Tramonto Sul Lago.
Once the salad was served, we moved to the entree. This dish consisted of Lineage Coffee Rubbed Filet Mignon, with Quantum Leap’s Winemaker’s Cuvee & Dark Chocolate Reduction with Bing Cherries. Served with Smokey Blue Gratin with caramelized onions, Balsamic Glazed Rainbow Carrots tossed with Cocoa Brown Butter and topped with a 36 Month Parmigiano Reggiano. This was served with Quantum Leap’s Winemakers Cuvee.
The night ended with a brilliant dessert , which was Peterbrooke Chocolatier of Winter Park’s Award Winning Ultimate Dark Chocolate Brownie with Gjetost Fondue. Quantum Leap’s Kaley’s Rescue Red was the wine paired with this.
This night was made possible by The Tasty Trio. They are three deliciously experienced food and wine experts by the names of Tonda Corrente, owner of La Femme du Fromage, Lisa Wilk, founder of Orlando Uncorked, and Jill Ramsier, co-owner of Quantum Leap Winery. This was a 4-Course Dinner journey where Wine, Cheese and Chocolate were featured in every course.
Chocolate confections where by Peterbrooke Chocolatier of Winter Park.
According to Wilk, “Chef’s Night is an evening at the food bank featuring some of Central Florida’s best chefs and cuisine, all to benefit our Darden Foundation Community Kitchen’s Culinary Training Program.
Our Culinary Training Program provides qualified, at-risk and economically disadvantaged adults with the culinary and life skills training needed to pursue a sustainable career in the food industry.
When you support Chef’s Night, you are helping to change lives, and help pull your neighbors in need out of poverty.”
The next Wine Cheese and Chocolate night hosted by the The Tasty Trio is October 4 at Quantum Leap Winery in Winter Park. Click on the following link to find out more details http://www.quantumleapwinery.com/wcc-oct4.html.
To help support 2nd Harvest Food Bank, go to http://www.feedhopenow.org/site/PageServer.
