Northern Michigan Winery: Spurred by author Joe David who named Chateau Chantal Winery and Inn a Top 50 US Culinary Destination in his book, Gourmet Getaways, the Northern Michigan winery, located on Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City, has released the 2013 schedule for their popular cooking class, winter wine dinners, and wine boot camp.
Led by Chateau Chantal Wine Dinner Chef Perry Harmon, guests experience a wonderfully entertaining and educational afternoon of hands-on preparation during the various classes, while enjoying wines from Chateau Chantal’s estate.
Chef Perry Harmon has more than twenty years of experience as a professional chef in restaurants, corporations, classrooms and in private homes. He was the chef on Traverse City TV 7&4’s "The Peninsula Kitchen with Stacey Skrysak and Chef Perry Harmon," creating original seasonal recipes focusing on local ingredients and products. He was the only local chef with Learn Great Foods, an organic food tour company operating in four midwest states for the past six years.
His former gourmet foods company, "Way North Foods," produced artisanal gourmet baked goods and other handcrafted edibles. Both he and his products have been written up in Traverse Magazine, Hour Detroit Magazine, NM3 Magazine, The Nibble, Draft Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, Northern Express, Traverse City Record Eagle, Grand Traverse Insider, Edible Grand Traverse and Fancy Foods & Culinary Products.
All classes are approximately four hours and cost $90 per person. Guests are asked to bring an apron and a favorite chef’s knife. Reservations can be made by calling the winery at 1-800-969-4009 or online at chateauchantal.com.
Here's the class/dinner schedule:
Warming Winter Soups
January 26, 2013
12:30-4:30pm
Students will make a variety of soups to warm the body and soul paired at the end of class with some wonderful local bread and cheeses along with wines from the Chateau. Chef Perry will help you craft a wonderful French onion soup, fennel and pea soup from Chateau Chantal's 2012 wine dinner, carrot and caramelized onion soup from the 2011 wine dinner, a New England clam chowder and a host of others.
Valentine's Day Menu
February 9, 2013
12:30-4:30pm
You will walk away from this class with a menu that you can recreate for that special someone in your life on this special holiday for lovers. It all starts with lobster crepes in a champagne cream sauce, fire roasted tomato and roasted red pepper soup with heart shaped croutons, red lettuce salad with cherry vinaigrette, red apples and dried cranberries, filet mignon with Chef Perry's red onion jam paired with white cheddar smashed red skin potatoes, and finish with tuile baskets filled with lemon crème anglaise and fresh berries topped with lavender sweet cream, accompanied by champagne jells and a red wine chocolate truffle.
Slow & Savory Cooking Class
February 23, 2013
12:30-4:30pm
You will create a variety of stews, braises and chili including but not limited to Boatman's stew, Coq au Vin, Beef Stew with Winter Vegetables, Red Wine and Dried Cherries, braised pork ribs with sausage, tomatoes and red wine, Chili Roja and a few more.
Vegetarian Cuisine
March 2, 2013
12:30-4:30pm
Learn more options than just frozen veggie burgers and tofu. You will be creating a wonderful vegetable packed mac and cheese that will blow away the carnivores, make a vegetable stock to use for a flavor base for entrees, sides and soups, make a winter squash risotto, make some wonderful grain dishes, grilled corn and vegetable quesadillas with melted jack cheese, corn ice cream and more.
Bistro Cooking at Home
March 16, 2013
12:30-4:30pm
In this class you will create dishes you might find at your favorite neighborhood bistro/bar with a Northern Michigan flair. Local Raclette Gougères, smoked salmon and dried cherry fritters with horseradish crème fraîche, classic vinaigrette with local mustard, vinegar and oil over a salad of romaine, bacon and local goat cheese, Perry's cream of French Onion soup with garlic confit crouton, steak Panini with sautéed mushrooms, roasted garlic, caramelized onions and cheese on local bread with truffled potato frites, oven roasted herbed chicken with apples, artichokes and white wine and a rustic apple and ginger tart with sweetened crème fraîche plus more.
French Country Cooking
March 23, 2013
12:30-4:30pm
In this class you will make some wonderful dishes like steak with béarnaise sauce, salad Niçoise, smoked salmon paté with baguette, and dessert crepes to name a few.
Paris, Texas
April 6, 2013
12:30-4:30pm
In this class Chef Perry will draw from two different cuisines to create new flavors for you to experience and recreate at home. Think corn meal crepes à la Mexicana with chorizo, smoked salmon quesadilla with apple & cherry chutney, lavender churros with lemon curd, coffee and pepper infused chocolate truffles dusted with chili powders, parmesan tuiles with tomatillo salsa and much more to spice up your culinary repertoire.
Pizzas with Pizzazz!
April 20, 2013
12:30-4:30pm
You will make dough and sauces from scratch and then create pies using a wide array of toppings some of which you have never thought of using. Some will bake in our ovens and some will go on our grill. We will do ethnic pies and some more traditional pies with new twists, plus a few dessert pies.
Wine Boot Camp
April 27, 2013
3:00pm-Dinner
By attending one of Chateau Chantal's wine seminars, you will get extensive experience pairing wine and food. You will also learn about wine, wine making, grape growing, and the art of wine tasting. Mark is a great storyteller, a non-intimidating wine instructor, and is adept at getting everyone involved. Sometimes his stories are even true!
Both classroom style and hands on experience are part of your wine immersion experience. Your day includes a tour of the cellar with an explanation of the wine making process, vineyard walk, short explanation of the art of tasting wine, and multi-course leisurely dinner–all prepared by Chef Perry Harmon! Each course, from the appetizer to the dessert is specially paired with Chateau Chantal wines.
The meal is a work of art, worth the price of the seminar on its own, but is included in the overall price of $95 per person. Reservations made by calling 1-800-969-4009 or online at chateauchantal.com.