Launch of Moët Chandon Brut at Skyye

Last week, I was invited to the launch of Moet Hennessey - Chandon Brut at Skyye Bar, and having a crazy work week, I decided to drop by for a bubbly or two.

As I entered the bar, I was greeted by two gentlemen by the door who were pouring out glasses of chilled sparkling wine to the guests. I really liked this, as I've been to launches of beverages before where I've practically had to chase the bartender for getting a drink. 

Don't you just love being greeted with bottles of sparkling wine?

Skyye was at its beautiful best as always, and underwent a French makeover to suit the Chandon launch. The décor included elements of French whimsy, inspired by the idea of creating genuine connections. From custom created miniature topiaries to a giant screen depicting French windows opening out to floating parachutes, the ambience was a translation of the Chandon ethos.

The visuals were stunning! They brought a piece of France right to Bangalore!

Personally, I liked the wine. Light, heady and delivered a nice punch. I must admit, this was a first for me for a Moet sparkling wine, I've always been a red wine drinker and stick to my Merlots and Shiraz. The aroma was strong on notes of apples, pear and some citrus. I liked the texture and for me, there was a perfect balance of bittersweet (although some might think it's too sweet) flavours. The Chandon Brut was quite refreshing, and could be a possible favourite drink for me, particularly in the coming summer.

Some might ask, what's the difference between a sparkling wine and champagne? Aren't they both bubbly?
Well, yes they are. But to keep it simple, a sparkling wine can be called a champagne if and only if it comes from the region of Champagne in France. The French are pretty touchy about their wines and champagne, and sparkling wine produced anywhere else in the world doesn't earn itself the name of a champagne. Ergo, all champagnes are sparkling wines, all sparkling wines aren't champagne.

Fun fact: Sparkling wines like Champagne actually have the same health benefits as red wine, since bubbly is often made with both red and white grapes. In fact, Champagne was found to have as many of those beneficial polyphenols as a cup of hot chocolate. I found more reasons to drink a glass of this bubbly now. ;)

A bit about the history of Chandon: 
In the late 1950s, Moët & Chandon, the world’s leading Champagne House since 1743, began exploring the potential for producing world class sparkling wines outside of the Champagne region, under the ‘Chandon’ name. The first Chandon Estate was created in 1959 in Argentina.
Following in the pioneering steps of the founders and continuing its search for new winemaking territories, Moët Hennessy Estates & Wines determined that the Nashik region had the potential to produce world-class, premium quality sparkling wine. Chandon is the first offering from Moët Hennessy to be made in India. Combining the centuries-old sparkling wine-making practices of “methode traditionnelle” with the finest local grapes, Chandon will be available in two variants:  Chandon Brut and Chandon Brut Rosé.

While conversations flowed at the chic soirée as guests sipped their flutes of Chandon Brut, the appetizers did the rounds. With delicious bite sized portions that complemented the wine perfectly, I indulged myself quite extensively with the food. Here are a few pictures from the night:

Yes, that's wood, Parmesan crackling, red pepper and bread - all on one plate. Not only was this delicious, but scored very high on brownie points for presentation. :)

Cheesy Chicken Tarts that I loved. Perfectly sized so that you can wolf down a dozen of them.

Chicken and Mushroom Wontons topped with chilli paste and boy, were they delicious or what!

I LOVE oysters! And these were topped with Harissa paste and I added a squeeze of fresh lemon to create flavours that were beyond delicious. 

And we finally ended the night with an assorted cheese platter with nuts and blueberry preserve. I ensured that I guarded this long enough to get my hands on as much as cheese as I could.

All in all, it was a fun night with lots of conversations, refreshing wine and yummilicious food. Two thumbs up for the Chandon Brut, this will definitely make it into my collection for a ladies night in.

Pricing:
The Chandon Brut with its fruity flavour and taste is priced at Rs.1,200 and will be available in select stores in the city soon.

Food Hopping in New York!

Yes, I know it has been forever and a 3-month hiatus is unforgivable. I've been busy with work, shifting houses, a friend's wedding and lots of travelling. I managed to visit the U.S. last month and I had an amazing time. So I thought I'll share a few pictures of the food I gorged in New York (I'm sorry I couldn't have too many pics here, I've been struggling to find my old memory card in this house and mostly, I finished eating before clicking a pic).

                                  Salmon and Avocado Sushi with Yuzu Aioli at Ruby Foo's.

            Roast Peking Duck with a sweet and subtly spicy Hoisin sauce. Absolutely delicious!

Watermelon, Ricotta and Ricola Salad with sunflower seeds - I liked the different textures.

                   Oysters with red wine vinaigrette, lemon and horseradish. If you like Sushi, 

you'll be able to deal with oysters.

                              The New York Sicilian - Mozzarella and tomato sauce on a square pizza

 base with a thick crust at Julian's Brick Oven.

                The Manhattan - Mozzarella, tomato sauce, basil and garlic. Simple and nice.

                      Capicola, salami, meslun and mayo wrap served with the best sweet
                                                     potato fries I've ever had!

                       Chicken salad with fresh veggies and a cold Garbanzo soup at a local deli.

                                               Hot chicken wings at an Irish pub.

                       American style Mac n Cheese - a little too cheesy for my taste.

                     Pastrami sandwich at a local diner - too much meat, too little seasoning.

                                  The 'small' portion of the Greek salad that I ordered.

Unagi Eel Sushi - the eel was well-cooked with a sweet and spicy sauce, so I wasn't too squeamish about trying eel for the first time.

               Mandoo Gui - deep fried beef dumplings. Very greasy, and hence, very yummy.

   Pork Belly being BBQ'd. No final shot because we ate it in minutes the moment it was done.

Assorted Korean-style accompaniments for the

various meats.

                   Deep fried spicy chicken that I loved. Reminded me of home actually.

        Garden Fresh Omelette - Cheese, mushrooms, green peppers and tomatoes at IHOP.

      Spinach and Mushroom Omelette topped with Hollandaise sauce - very rich and filling.

The fluffiest, most delicious pancakes I've had in my life - topped perfectly with a blob of butter   and served with assorted syrups.

First things first, I got a new watermark. Yay! I'm trying the whole "I-click-photos-of-food-so-I-shall-use-an-artistic-watermark" thing, so I thought this would give my photos a cleaner look - what do you guys think?

Also, a few observations after having eaten at the U.S.:

1. Portion sizes are HUGE. They literally are the size of your head. So forget ordering an appetizer AND a main course. Pick one.
2. Fatty/unhealthy/greasy foods are dirt cheap. McDonald's serves quarter pounder burgers for a pittance, and that really contributes to a growing unhealthy population there.
3. Healthy, well-cooked food and cooking at home is expensive. A dozen eggs cost more than buying a small jar of mayo. It's thus easier to just buy readymade stuff instead.
4. Food is actually cheap in New York. I found Sushi rolls (6 pieces) for $3. I get 2 pieces of Sushi priced INR 300 and upwards in Bangalore.
5. The food streets are really interesting and you'll find cuisines from world over in New York. There are also food tours that are organized that help you explore new areas to find all kinds of food.

So, yeah, I had a ball of a time, but I was bummed that I didn't eat at more places because I didn't have much time. 

Before I sign off, here's a pic of me with the New York skyline. I'm feeling very narcissistic.