Special Fairways Prime dinner features wines from the ‘Judgement of Paris’
- Steven Keith
- 6 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Sarah's Bakery now offering fresh bagels shipped from New York City
If you love a good meal full of history, mystery and some of the world’s top wines, have I got an event for you! But first, a story …
Back in the day, European wines were widely considered the world’s best, even though California’s then-upstart Napa Valley was starting to make a name for itself. Everywhere except for in Europe, that is, where serious oenophiles were not about to reduce themselves to drinking wine from (gasp!) America.
To help show his own countrymen what they were missing, a sommelier in Paris organized a blind tasting of French and California wines in 1976. And he was so sure the American wines would fare well that he not only had the competition take place in France, but he also ensured nearly every judge would be French. Of the competition’s 11 judges, nine were French, one was British and only one was American. One!
Yet despite the deck being stacked against them, California Cabernet and Chardonnay wines stunned the world by defeating their French Bordeaux and Burgundy opponents in what is now referred to as “The Judgement of Paris.”
Those results stunned the world, forever changed the wine industry and inspired the fascinating 2008 Hollywood film “Bottle Shock” starring Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman and Chris Pine.
(Pro tip: Watch it!)
And now, that historic competition has also inspired locally owned Mediterranean-American restaurant Fairways Prime at 3706 Teays Valley Rd. in Hurricane to host a special five-course “Judgement of Fairways” wine pairing dinner on Thursday, Oct. 23, that will feature six of the California wines that were part of that international blind tasting.
A collaboration between Fairways owner Osh Assi, former Black Hawk Grill executive chef Ian Patrick and local sommelier Bunny McCommas, the event was designed to offer a fun – and memorable – culinary experience.
Guests that night will not only sample those six now-iconic wines during their own blind tasting paired with food, but will also score them to help determine the evening’s big wine winner.
In the running for that title are prized bottles from Chateau Montelena, Stag’s Leap, Freemark Abbey, Clos Du Val and Chalone, some of which Assi told me had to be flown in from California for this event.
As for the food, you’ll enjoy those sips paired with tasty bites like a goat cheese and fig jam appetizer with honey and pistachios, Maryland-style crab cakes with avocado-lime aioli, rosemary-crusted lamb chops, filet mignon with pan sauce and Grand Marnier crème bruleé.
“We’ve been doing dinners every other month featuring food and wine pairings from places like Italy, Greece, Spain, Lebanon, France and California,” Assi said, adding how excited he is that this next one will be quite unique.
“This is more than a wine dinner, it’s a chance to taste history,” said Dakota Maddox, a former local restaurant group owner who helps promote the restaurant. “Whether you’re a wine enthusiast, a foodie or just love a good story, you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for Napa Valley and the wines that changed everything.”
The dinner with accompanying wines is $125 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and limited seating is available. Doors open at 6 p.m. that evening, with dinner starting at 6:30. For more information or tickets, call 304-757-5540 or visit www.fairwayswv.com/events.
Sarah’s Bakery selling fresh New York bagels
I’ve been craving good bagels something fierce and the store-bought variety just isn’t cutting it.
Lucky for me, there’s now a new option to satisfy those cravings with the addition of fresh New York City bagels offered on Friday and Saturday mornings at Sarah’s Bakery at 1011 Bridge Rd. in South Hills.
Wait, how can there be bagels that are made in the Big Apple but sold still fresh right here in Charleston?
“I’ll be selling real-deal bagels that are made and shipped overnight the same day I order them, so they’ll be super fresh,” bakery owner Sarah Plumley told me before making the news public a few days ago.
“I’ll be offering plain, everything, marble rye and blueberry bagels to start, plus I’ll be making a variety of house-made cream cheeses to go with them like blueberry crumble, honey walnut, golden cinnamon raisin, Greek olive Zaatar and loaded smoked salmon.”
Her first batch was actually supposed to be available this past Saturday, but a shipping snafu had other plans.
“They got shipped to the FedEx hub in Memphis and the plane was late getting them to Huntington, so they sat in Huntington all weekend,” Plumley said. “I finally got them on Monday, but I’m donating that batch now.”
Fresh new shipments will be available starting this Friday and Saturday morning.
“There was a line down the sidewalk Saturday morning, so I felt terrible that I didn’t have them,” she said. “It was definitely a disappointment all around, since this was my first order with this company, but it wasn't their fault at all. Sometimes things are just out of your control.”
Plumley said the bakery won’t be slicing, toasting or preparing bagels, but customers can purchase them to enjoy at home for $4 each or $40 per dozen. Customers can also pre-order bagels by calling the bakery at 304-343-2253.
Local bagel lovers should also keep in mind that Charleston Bread at 601 Capitol St. downtown also makes them fresh most Wednesday mornings, although supplies run out quickly.
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Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. He can be reached at wvfoodguy@aol.com.