Test Kitchen Tuesday!
Last week marked the return of our favorite Tuesday activity, Test Kitchen Tuesdays! Accompanied by Sous Chef Robert Regan and Sommelier Jeff Otterson, Executive Chef Mark Connell plated a lovely afternoon featuring a five-course tasting menu with a trio of wines selected by Wine + Beverage Director Greg Van Wagner.
To kick things off, the table was set with Mark’s freshly made sourdough rolls & gluten free focaccia bread paired with homemade butter + sea salt. Courses one and two were presented together as shareables for the table: blistered shishito peppers with nuoc cham + peanut brittle and kale croquettes with parmesan, preserved lemon and fresno chili. [Mark loves incorporating moderate spices into some dishes to add texture and pack a punch!] To accompany this course, Greg selected a youthful N.V. Taittinger, “Brut La Francaise”. The crisp green apple and citrus oil from the champagne elevated the intensity of both the peanut brittle on the blistered shishito peppers as well as the fresno chili and preserved lemon with the kale croquettes.
The table was abuzz with excitement as the first two courses were cleared to make way for the next. Seated around the table were a few of Aspen’s food scene experts including Jimmy Yeager, Kaya Williams, Ryan Noakes and Will Rutledge. The conversations circled around flavor profiles and presentation as Sommelier Jeff Otterson selected new glassware for the second wine selection of the evening: 2019 Martin Woods, Riesling from Willamette Valley, Oregon “Highland Vineyard”. Selected for its spring florals and notes of honey, the wine prepared everyone’s palettes for course three: stone fruit and fennel salad with arugula, basil, chevre sorbet and nasturtium.
With the help of Sous Chef Robert Regan, Mark made the chevre sorbet from scratch using locally sourced ingredients. [At PARC Aspen we plan to utilize Cheese Importers for local grains, cheeses, charcuterie and more.] The salad served as the perfect middle course to freshen the taste buds and prepare them for the impact of the fourth savory course: Colorado striped bass with cauliflower couscous, leek soubise, spinach and pickled raisins. A dish jam packed with a variety of flavors that were brought together with the final wine pairing: 2018 Comtesse De Cherisey, Chardonnay, from Meursault, France, “Bois De Blagny”.
The table was silent apart from the subtle sounds of forks making contact with plates as they carefully sliced through the bass to collect as much flavor as possible. While final bites were happening at the table, the kitchen was bustling with the preparation of the fifth and final course, dessert. Plates were cleared, coffee was brewed and the team was ready to present our final dish: Raspberry Lemon Souffle Tarts with pistachio mousse and basil syrup!
A sweet yet tart ending to a scrumptious tasting menu. Mark, Robert and Jeff had the opportunity to join our guests as they enjoyed the final course to chat about how they thought everything was. [One of the goals for these test kitchens is to collect feedback from our tasters on flavor, presentation, portion size and “orderability”. We like to know whether or not someone would order the item off our menu once we open.]
A group photo was captured to memorialize the evening and signal a wrap of the tasting!
Left to Right: Robert Regan, Mark Connell, Kaya Williams, Maryanne Sefton, Jimmy Yeager, Jeff Otterson, Will Rutledge, Ryan Noakes.
We would like to thank those who joined us at last week’s tasting. It was an honor having you with us! As we inch closer to opening, we invite you to join our bi-monthly newsletter for the latest announcements and updates about the restaurant.
We are actively hiring if you or someone you know is interested, please click the button Apply from the menu screen or email management@parcaspen.com with your resume.
