A Taste of Taste!

Just completed my first weekend as host/emcee of a food and wine expo in Myrtle Beach. Been a long time coming... this has been in the works for over a year, so I'm glad to see it through. The experience was most definitely a memorable one, and it all started with an amazing 7-course extravaganza on the eve of the show...
In a quaint little town just outside of Myrtle Beach called Little River (does it get any more quaint than that?!), the organizers brought us all to The Brentwood Restaurant (http://www.thebrentwoodrestaurant.com/), a converted house that is resided over by chef Eric Masson, and his wife, Kim. The guests included Guy Fieri and Aaron McCargo, and it was quite a kick to get to hang with these two TV chef celebs. Guy really knows how to command a room -- within moments he was leading us downstairs and out onto the front porch to sabre a bottle of champagne!
After much chit-chat, we began our tasting journey. The Amuse-Bouche was an oversized thimble of Black Truffle Vichyssoise, with Creme Fraiche and Toasted Pecans. Amazing how much more common truffles are becoming. This was a textbook definition of amuse-bouche: truly a fun, little taste (albeit not a bite)... creamy, rich, and just enough to get your palate ready for what was to come...
The Appetizer: Seared Foie Gras, Crispy Sweetbread, Duck Confit, and Toasted Brioche. This trio was the most experimental of the courses: certainly foie and sweetbreads are not for everyone, but, as the printed menu stated, "It's not a meal, it's a journey." I happen to enjoy both, and everything on the long, slender plate was presented nicely, and prepared to a tee. Crispy in the right places; succulent in others. Served with a 2006 Sauternes Bordeaux...
The Seafood Course: Pan Seared Diver Scallop atop Maine Lobster Risotto, and Sweet Corn a L'Anglaise. Come to find they take the seafood pretty seriously around here (mostly blue crabs and shrimp), but you could tell a lot of care was given to the getting the scallop just right. It's one of the most basic, yet most difficult to master tasks -- getting just the right amount of sear on the scallop so it's browned on the outside and still the right balance of firm and tender inside. The rissoto was so tasty, too. Each component could've stood on its own, but made for a delicious bite when harmoniously on the fork all at once. Served with a 2006 Loire Sauvignon Blanc, which gave just the right bright, citrus note to counter the richness of the rissoto and corn...
After a wonderful Trou Normand (intermezzo) of Mango and Spicy Run Sorbet with an Almond Tuile (which I could've easily devoured as a dessert), the Main Course was served: Grilled Dry Aged Tournedos of Beef, Crispy Rosemary Scented Grits Cake, Sauteed Pleurotes and Sauce Bourguingnonne. The epitome of French cuisine meeting Southern sensibility. The grits were made into almost dumpling form and deep-fried for a unique twist on a down-home classic. Paired with a 2008 Bourgogne (the only red served at the meal, save for the Port to come)...
The surprise course was the addition of a Cheese Plate: Roquefort, a Toasted Baguette, Poached Pear, and Honey Candied Pecans. The pear was drowned in the port, and a welcome balance to the pungent blue cheese. A shot of port accompanied the plate, which led to ... dessert:
Fondant au Chocolat and Raspberry Coulis. A crispy, coated sugar "cage" surrounded it. The mousse-like texture and density of the chocolate was a decadent capper to this over-the-top dining adventure. We toasted on last time to the journey we just shared, raising our glasses with a Louis Perdier Brut... a meal I will not soon forget... and that is immediately nominated for Understatement of the Year for me!...

Just writing about this has put me in food-coma-like state... I will return again with thoughts and commentary on the cooking demos I was lucky enough to witness and partake in shortly....