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The Food and Wine Magazine Tasting
By Ron Cooper
Special to TequilaAficionado.com
Aspen Colorado, June 9-11. The high mountain weather was great. This truly
amazing annual event sponsored by Food & Wine Magazine is achieved with the
help of hundreds of well-organized, enthusiastic volunteers from Colorado
and all over the US.
There were several thousand great Wines, Sherry's, Ports, Champagnes and
Microbrews; delicious Meats, Cheeses, Breads, Coffees, Desserts; beautiful
functional Tools & Equipment. Three days was insufficient to try them all
under two gigantic luminous tents on the grass at Wagner Park.
The over 300 exhibitors from more than a dozen countries were joined by
fifty writers, chefs, sommeliers, restauranteurs and food experts that
presented an average of 10 simultaneous cooking demonstrations, educational
seminars and round table discussions on food and wine graciously
hosted in restaurant, hotel and public spaces throughout the town continually from 8
am to 5 pm
Presenting Speakers:
Mario Batali, Sissy Biggers, Bartholomew Broadbent, Derek B. Bromley, Rory
Callahan, Loret Carbone, Robert Del Grande, Peter Elliot, Todd English,
Bobby Flay, Claudia Flemming, Evan Goldstein, Stephen Hanson, Ursula
Hermacinski, Judith Hill, Marty Horn, Andrea Immer, Steven Jenkins, Thomas
Keller, Michael Klauber, Emeril Lagasse, Paul Lightfoot, Zarela
Martinez, Dennis Max, Elin McCoy, Danny Meyer, Mary Ewing Mulligan, Steve Olson,
Crolyn O'Neil, Claudine Pépin, Jacques Pépin, Dan Phillips, Steven
Raichlen, Aaron Sanchez, David Scholefield, Stephen Scoble, Robert Simpson,
Larry Stone, Mark Tarbell, Madeline Triffon, Barbara Tropp, John Frederick
Walker, Patricia Wells, Josh Wesson,
A small sampling of events:
A Taste of Texas; Australian All-Stars; Best Microbrews; Champagne
Primer; Chinese - Hot and Spicy; Cult and Boutique Vintage Ports; Italy's
Rustic Reds; Que Syrah, Syrah; Mexican-Quick and Easy; Noteworthy New
Zealand Wines; Portuguese Gems; Spanish Sherry's & Tapas; The Cheese Course;
The World of Pinot Noir; Ultimate Chocolate Tarts; Wines for Spicy Foods;
Wines in Cyberspace; South Africa's New Stars; Meritage: The Ultimate
Blends.
And then there was Mezcal/Tequila...a first for this event. Under the entry
tent was a line up of Grand Marnier, Tequila Herradura, Jimmy's- An
American Restaurant and Bar, DEL MAGUEY, Single village Mezcal and
Freshies, producer of the best 100% natural drink mixes.
Peter Bock and Johnny of Libations were pouring snifters of Grand Marnier,
Juan Pablo Castro, Dave Grapshi and Kevin Richards of Herradura were
pouring sips and mixing margaritas, Jimmy Yeager and his totally
knowledgeable bar men mixed, poured and served, accompanied by palate
cleansing fresh Ahi Tuna/mango Ceveche. DEL MAGUEY was pouring "Copitas" of
all five mezcals, Collin Wells and his great Freshies crew were mixing up
great cocktails using their NATURAL mixes and served at least 400 Bloody
Magueys (Marys) using Santo Domingo Albarradas -unbelievable taste
surprise. In total the entire team served several thousand
Smokin' Margaritas over the three days under the big tent and at Jimmy's HOT Salsa
party Saturday night.
Meanwhile...on Saturday afternoon Steven Olson, President of Libations
wowed overflow audiences in Jimmy's main dining room with two back-to-back
Mezcal seminars covering the history, categories and the "how" to taste subtleties
of Mezcal and Tequila. Before entering the seminar everyone was
served a short Smokin' Margarita by Jimmy's staff and volunteers. Behind the speaker's
podium, a special Zapotec weaving; "Corazon de Maguey" or heart of the
Agave collected in Oaxaca by Yeager. Each group of about 120 people was
treated to Olson's inimitable rapid-fire style of humorous wit and
information. So much info so little time. The tasting began with "Miel de
Maguey" the sweet honey expressed from the roast maguey heart that is the
raw material of all mezcals before fermentation; followed by Tequila
Blanco, El Tesoro de Don Felipe (the baseline silver by which all other
tequilas can be measured); Del Maguey, Single Village Mezcal, Santo Domingo
Albarradas (winner of the 1999 World Spirits Championships-served in
small clay cups); Sotol Reposado-Hacienda de Chihuahua (an excellent newly
emerging northern mezcal made from an agave that grows wild in the
Chihuahua desert); Tequila Reposado, Herradura (the delicious classic) and
ending with Tequila Añejo: Paradiso, El Tesoro de Don Felipe (Oak aged in
collaboration with Alain Royer, de Fussigny-France's great Cognac maker).
Saturday evening the Hotel Jerome hosted a special dinner-buffet featuring
Wine & Spirits annual Best Ten New Chefs who each presented at unique
stations their special dish made for the dinner. Chef Joseph Reede of
Joseph's Table in Taos, New Mexico (U.S. home of Del Maguey) was among the
ten. The other nine:
Andrew Carellini, Café Boulud, New York City
Ted Cizma, Grace, Chicago
Andrea Curto, Wish, Miami
Loren Falsone, Empire, Providence
Tim Goodell, Aubergine, Newport Beach, CA
Michael Leviton, Lumiére, West Newton, MA
Amanda Lydon, Truc, Boston
Eric Moshier, Empire, Providence
Takashi Yagashi, Tribute, Farmington Hills, MI
New Mexico based Ron Cooper keeps himself busy producing award winning Mezcal at Del Maguey in Oaxaca, Mexico. You can find more information on these fine mezcals at
www.mezcal.com
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Tequila for health
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Tequila at the
Museum
• Aspen Food & Wine show
• Did you know...
| Mixing
Margaritas |
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A small sampling of events: |
| On Saturday afternoon Steven Olson, President of Libations
wowed overflow audiences in Jimmy's main dining room with two back-to-back
Mezcal seminars covering the history, categories and the "how" to taste subtleties of
Mezcal and Tequila. |
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