Two Gentlemen of France,
One Evening of French Lifestyle

By Kathy Ward

Tasting Card • Bertrand Chez Vous • Emile Ninaud

Yes, it's winter in Seattle, but picture April in Paris. Focus specifically on a charming chateau in the countryside, a home filled with friends, laughter, finely prepared foods and good wine.

Hold that warm thought, and then join us in January as we recreate the simple but elegant homestyle cuisine of France. Two gentlemen intimately familiar with the lifestyle will play host. Enological Society charter member Emile Ninaud will be guest speaker, acquainting us with some specially selected French wines. Paired with food courses by Bertrand de Boutray, the program promises to espouse his philosophy of Bien Vivre - The Good Life.

By way of credentials, Emile hails from the South of France and is owner and proprietor of Champion Wine Cellars in Seattle, the oldest retail wine shop in the state. Many also recall his renowned Le Tastevin world-class restaurant on lower Queen Anne.

To set the mood for this enjoyable gastronomique Tour de France, we'll begin with entertaining background music of French wine songs during the entrance wine, an ambience to add a distinct flavor to the occasion. Guiding us on a tour that includes Bordeaux, Burgundy and Languedoc, Emile will draw from his own experiences in his native country.

Emile's anecdotal stories about life in France will illustrate the simplicity of flavors and cultures that bring food and wine together. "The purpose of this tasting is to present French regional wines that the French people themselves enjoy on a daily basis," he explains.

"In the past three years a new wave of French Vins de Pays have reached Seattle, making the wine market more affordable and dynamic," Emile notes. "A new generation of winemakers has developed specific vineyard sites to enhance the local flavors and character of the soil, called terroir. The young winemakers of France use biodynamic, a French word for essentially organic, techniques to restore the regional qualities of the soil damaged during many years of overuse."

Cuisine of the Good Life

Bertrand, a Parisian born to the aristocratic title of Baron (with Saxon origins), is a Cordon Bleu trained chef. Spending childhood summers in Normandy he believes influenced his love for the foods of rustic rural areas and the customary way it is prepared. "I learned that cooking comes from the heart," he says.

Bertrand started his own business in 1995 teaching French cooking classes at community centers. Bertrand Chez Vous has evolved into parties and classes in people's homes, what he calls "a restaurant with a different address every night." As for his "good life" doctrine, Bertrand declares, "I live it every day by doing what I love - teaching the art of French cooking."

As the pièce de résistance, Bertrand will demonstrate how to make the quintessential flambé dish Crêpes Suzettes in a finale to the program. Several lucky participants who are selected in door prize drawings through the evening will get to come up on stage and enjoy this second dessert as it is prepared.

So pack your favorite wine glasses and come along on this unique French wine tour directed with a personal perspective. Your palate is your passport.

Click here to see a list of past Seattle Programs