This past weekend, I was invited to experience The Buick Discovery Tour, an event where consumers are invited to test drive Buick vehicles and can then attend demonstrations and interactive experiences with celebrity chef Michael Psilakis, Food & Wine Best New Chef George Mendes, and pastry chef Ben Roche. The event will be held across the country this year, in cities including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, Denver, Tampa, Atlanta, Boston, New York and in New Jersey (where I attended). Multiple three-hour sessions take place with typically more than 1,200 people registered throughout the weekend events.
Culinary, a growing lifestyle interest among luxury buyers, attracts a unique, target-rich audience to Buick who are younger, more affluent and highly educated. One way Buick is connecting with this demographic is through its Buick Discovery Tour, one part of a number of promotional activities that blend the discovery of food trends with Buick’s new portfolio.
Before preparing the recipe, he also instructed the group on how to make our own salted cod by using 1/4 lb. of Kosher Salt to 1 lb. of cod. Soak the cod in the salt, making sure it’s covered top and bottom for 2 days in the refrigerator. Then, remove the salt and cover the fish in water and keep refrigerated for another 2 days. He also explained how to dry Kalamata olives by baking them in a low oven for 6-8 hours as it intensifies the flavor. You all know I’m not a seafood eater, so I didn’t try the cod; however, my half-Portuguese husband and another friend of mine did and really enjoyed it. I’m definitely going to try the olive idea though and keep you posted!
Up next, we were in for a sweet treat from pastry chef Ben Roche; Chef Partner of Baume and Brix in Chicago. Here, he showed us how to make Yuzu Chiboust, Coconut Rice Pudding and Caraway Ice Cream…AMAZING!
Michael Green was next on the agenda, who is one of America’s premier wine and spirits celebrities. He has served as Gourmet Magazine’s wine and spirit consultant for 19 years and has made appearances on The Today Show, Food Network, MSNBC and CNN. We sampled two wines: 2011 Rodney Strong Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc Estate Vineyards and Tapena Tempranillo 2011.
I don’t generally like white wine and this one was on the dry side; however, Michael showed us that when you drink a wine while eating foods with higher acidity, like citrus or vinegar, the wine takes on a sweeter flavor and for me it was much more enjoyable. The red Tapena from Rioja, Spain was paired with Lindt Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and was my favorite; though as you all know I’m partial to red wine and was already familiar with the Tempranillo grape. One thing he said, and I agree wholeheartedly, is that if a wine tastes good to you, then it’s good and a wine shouldn’t be judged by the price or the label.
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| Tip: Place this chocolate on a baguette and melt under a broiler! |
Here are a few more tips Michael Green shared with us:
- The Fifteen-Minute Rule: No wine storage? No problem! Take your white wines out of the refrigerator fifteen minutes before serving and put your red wines in the refrigerator fifteen minutes before serving
- How to order wine in a restaurant: Try to get the wine list ahead of time online or help the sommelier help you by giving them a style, grape and producer that you know you like. An example would be “I like full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon from Cakebread.”
- Latitude & Style: Lighter wines hail from cooler climates and heavier wines hail from warmer climates. Example: Sauvignon Blanc from Malrlborough, New Zealand=Lighter; Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain=Heavier
Last, but certainly not least, was celebrity chef Michael Psilakis. Michael Psilakis has acquired many of the food world’s highest honors in the short time he has been on the culinary scene. In 2008 alone, Psilakis was awarded Food & Wine’s Best New Chef and Bon Appetit’s Chef of the Year distinctions; nominated for A-List Chef by Bravo TV; and had his upscale Greek restaurant, Anthos, nominated for a James Beard Award in the category of Best New Restaurant. He was also named “Chef of the Year” by Esquire Magazine and his restaurant Anthos was awarded a Michelin star and named the third of ten best new restaurants by The New York Times restaurant reviewer, Frank Bruni. He currently owns four restaurants: Kefi, FISHTAG—both on the Upper West Side—and MP Taverna in Roslyn and Irvington. An MP Taverna will also open soon in Astoria.
Gyro Slider Spice
12 tbsp. Cumin
2 tbsp. Coriander
8 tbsp. Yellow Mustard Seed
2 1/2 tsp. Cloves
2 tbsp. Black Cardamom
4 tbsp. Fennel
2 tbsp. Cinnamon
Directions: Combine all spices in a mixing bowl; then transfer to an airtight container.
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| Here I am with Chef Michael Psilakis at the Buick Discovery Tour |
Thank you to Food & Wine Magazine and Buick for inviting me and my guests to this extraordinary event. We truly enjoyed your hospitality and informative presentations. I received four complimentary tickets to attend this event; however, I was not compensated by Buick, Food & Wine Magazine or any of their sponsors to write this post. All opinions are my own.
It must have been an honor to meet him! He is one of my favorites, I also like the fact that he does not seem cocky and have an ego like other chefs.. they will go unmentioned 🙂
Buick Regal is what I would test drive.
Nice event and recap! I wish I had attended as I already had plans that weekend.
I might look for this event in Phx, looks fun! I’d drive the Lacrosse. Thanks for another giveaway 🙂
Buick Regal looks very nice
I would test drive the Buick Regal, don’t have a licence though so I probably wouldn’t
The Buick Regal!