Food and Lifestyle Public Relations

Beginning on Monday, July 1, the Bristol Bar and Grille will be celebrating Bastille Day throughout the month of July with French food and wine features. All Bristol locations will offer a special list of French wines selected by Master Sommelier Scott Harper that will be available by the glass, bottle or flight t

Scott Harper

hrough July 31. The Jeffersonville location at 700 W. Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville, Ind. will also offer a menu of French dishes created by chef Richard Doering through Sunday, July 14. These specials are available along with the regular menu from 5 p.m. to close.

A highlight of this year’s French food and wine celebration is the Bordeaux wine and farm-to-table dinner, which takes place on Thursday, July 11 at 7 p.m. at the downtown location at 614 W. Main St. The dinner includes five courses featuring local ingredients from farms like Sheltowee, Capriole and Marksbury. Each course is paired with a French wine that will be discussed by special guest Delphine Blanchot from Aquitaine Wine Company, who will be visiting from France. The cost of the dinner is $75 per person, including tax and gratuity.

To make a reservation for dinner, call the Jeffersonville location at (812) 218-1995, call the downtown location at (502) 582-1995, or visit www.bristolbarandgrille.com for contact information for other locations.

On Thursday, June 27, bluestem invites guests to experience outstanding wines from Napa Valley’s Chappallet Winery with a special five-course dinner prepared by chefs Megan and Colby Garrelts. Each course will be paired with a wine from the Chappallet Winery. The menu takes advantage of all the seasonal fruits and vegetables that are now available, including from the chefs’ own farm. The evening begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The cost of the dinner is $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Call bluestem at (816) 561-1101 for more information and to reserve a table.

Starting on Tuesday, June 25, executive chef Bobby Benjamin and the La Coop culinary team will offer a prix fixe menu each Tuesday. The three-course menu will be announced every week on the restaurant’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/lacoopbistro, and will be offered in addition to the restaurant’s regular menu items. The prix fixe menu will cost $25, plus tax and gratuity, and will feature a salad, entrée and dessert. Local meats and produce will be featured as much as possible. While reservations are not required, they are recommended and can be made by calling the restaurant at 502-410-2888.

The prix fixe menu for Tuesday, June 25 features:

1st
Melon Salad
Arugula, feta cheese, pickled red onions and brown butter cantaloupe dressing

2nd
French Field Farms Herb Roasted Chicken Breast
Creamed corn, bacon and sweet pepper salad

3rd
Cherry Amaretto Ice Cream
Sunflower seed nougatine and Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Foods sorghum

Winston’s restaurant at Sullivan University is celebrating Father’s Day on June 14, 15 and 16 with a special brunch menu that is sure to please the whole family. Chef John Castro will serve up sweet and savory specialties on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sample dishes from the menu include chocolate raspberry French toast ($10); “The Reward” 18 ounce New York strip with eggs cooked to order ($36); and fried shrimp tacos with roasted corn salsa, cilantro mojo sauce, green chiles, lettuce and red onion ($12). Seating is limited, so it is recommended that guests make reservations by calling 502-456-0980.

12 Baltimore in the Hotel Phillips is featuring a Boulevard Beer Dinner on Friday, June 28, at 6 p.m. Each course will be paired with a beer from Boulevard Brewing Company. Executive chef Justin Voldan’s menu features five courses including Grilled Wild Salmon with a tasty citrus butter and perfectly seasoned Lamb Rack. The dinner concludes with a Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie. The cost is $60 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Space is limited and reservations can be made by calling 816-346-4410. Hotel Phillips is owned and managed by Marcus® Hotels & Resorts.

Chef Justin commented on this upcoming dinner when he stated, “At 12 Baltimore we carry one of the largest selections of Boulevard Beer on tap and with this wide range to select from, I always look forward to deciding which beers to pair with each dish on my menu.”

Elegant four-course dinner is paired with champagne, crémant and sparkling wines

River Oaks is partnering with North Berkeley Wine to offer a four-course dinner paired with champagne, crémant and sparkling wines. Dinner & Bubbles is Wednesday, June 19 at 6:30 p.m. Master chef José Gutierrez has created an enticing menu to highlight the variety of sparkling wines. The wines will be served in a different crystal flute during each course. Some of the chef’s dishes include Braised Veal Cheeks with Carrot Cardamom Risotto and Raspberry Tart Mint Tulip with Chocolate Pearls. The cost of the dinner is $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 901.683.9305.

The Dinner & Bubbles menu with sparkling pairings includes:

Welcome Cocktail
Ca’ Vittoria, Prosecco Brut

Crispy Sea Scallops with Jumbo Lump Crab on Sweet Pea Puree and Mélange of Melon with Lemon-Verbena Sauce
2005 André Beaufort, Ambonnay Non Dosé Grand Cru

Classical Chicken and Spinach Cannelloni à la Crème
Domaine Egly-Ouriet, Brut Tradition Grand Cru

Braised Veal Cheeks with Carrot Cardamom Risotto
Domaine Jean Vesselle, Brut Rosé de Saignée

Raspberry Tart Mint Tulip with Chocolate Pearls
Domaine Jean Vesselle, Demi-Sec Rosé Cuvée Friandise

Healthy local food can now be delivered directly to Louisville businesses thanks to veteran Highlands restaurant Ramsi’s Café on the World. In an effort to provide nutritious meals across the city and improve local food access, Ramsi’s Café has integrated produce into their menu from their Eastern Jefferson County farm, Raising Hope Organic Farm, and started a delivery business. New wellness-focused menu offerings on the Hope Farm Wellness Menu are gluten-free, dairy-free and either vegetarian or pescatarian.

“We want to easily integrate nutrition into Louisville’s workforce,” said Rhona Kamar, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband Ramsi. “Access to healthy food can be hard when you work in an office environment and we want to help.”

Groups can call Ramsi’s at (502) 451-0700 at least 2 hours in advance to place their order for delivery within the Louisville metro area. A delivery fee may apply. Full menus are available at www.RamsisCafe.com.

The Hope Farm Wellness Menu, which is available in the restaurant and as a part of the new delivery service, is full of ‘feel good food’ made with greens and other produce from Rhona and Ramsi Kamar’s 15-acre certified organic farm in Fisherville, Ky.

Sample menu items include:

Desert Jewels ($8)
Medjool dates, organic cashew cheese and glazed pecans

 Raw Hope Salad ($7)
Organic baby greens and spinach, avocado, carrots, tomatoes, red onions, radishes, bell peppers, and cucumbers with a light olive oil and lemon vinaigrette

The Spice Market ($14)
Roasted carrots and fennel with lemon essence and toasted cumin with Moroccan millet pilaf and Syrian tomato jam

Farm Egg Frittata ($12)
Farm raised eggs with leeks, greens and mushrooms

 Faithful Falafel ($12.50)
Baked falafel with Pakistani salad of sweet potatoes, tomatoes and cucumber in vegan yogurt with fresh mint sauce

 East Indian Paella ($12)
Julienned snow peas, carrots, red bell peppers, peas and broccoli in a light curry sauce with brown rice pilaf

If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, then Ghyslain Chocolatier is the place for the perfect Father’s Day gift! Hand-crafted chocolates offer a taste of affordable luxury, and Ghyslain’s Truffle Harmonie and Medallion Noir are particularly suited to Father’s Day gift giving.

In addition to the popular chocolate boxed sets, Ghyslain also offers gourmet coffee in dark roast, medium roast and hazelnut vanilla flavor priced at $6 for a six-ounce package.

The Truffle Harmonie collections feature hand-poured truffles blended with fresh cream and exotic essences. Flavors include the Bourbon Truffle, Champagne Cognac and Café Kahlua. The collection is available in a six-count box for $14 or a 12-count box for $27.

The Medallion Noir collection features dark chocolate medallions filled with ganaches infused with pure cocoa, dried fruits and fine extracts. Flavors include Tahitian Vanilla, Black Forest and Fresh Mint. The collection is available in a six-count box for $14, a 12-count box for $27 or an 18-count box for $39.75.

More than 100 French Master Chefs will convene in historic Charleston, S.C. for the 2013 Les Maîtres Cuisiniers de France (MCF) and L’Académie Culinaire de France (ACF) North American conference. The three-day event takes place Sun., June 23 – Tues., June 25. Chef Nico Romo, Patrick Properties Hospitality Group executive culinary director and the youngest-ever Master Chef of France inductee, will host the group for chapter organizational meetings, festivities and the presentation of new members.

The 2013 Maîtres Cuisiniers de France USA/Canada Annual Conference will be attended by the organization’s North American chapter delegates and international leadership, along with distinguished guests that include Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley. Setting the stage for the conference are Patrick Properties’ four historic Charleston venues: The American Theater, The William Aiken House, Lowndes Grove Plantation and Fish Restaurant.

The highlight of this year’s event, the MCF-ACF 2013 Gala Dinner, will take place from 5:30pm – 10:00pm on Mon., June 24 at Lowndes Grove Plantation. Guests will enjoy a contemporary six-course French dinner presented by French Master Chef Romo and five award-winning MCF chefs, as well as the induction of new members and awarding of MCF’s Woman of the Year. Tickets are available to the public at a cost of $200 per guest, which can be purchased online: mcf-acfcharleston.brownpapertickets.com

The Maître Cuisinier de France distinction comprises an elite international assembly of the most highly skilled chefs in techniques and traditions of the French culinary art. The renowned membership includes only 65 chefs in the U.S., 200 in France and a total 350 French Master Chefs worldwide. Designations are awarded by the Paris-based L’Association des Maîtres Cuisiniers de France whose motto is to “preserve and spread the French culinary art, encourage training in cuisine and assist in professional development.”

On Saturday, June 8 from 3 to 5 p.m., Moonshine University, the educational division of Distilled Spirits Epicenter, will be offering a class that allows participants to experience the spirits of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail without leaving Louisville. Whether evaluating the nuances of one of Jim Beam’s bourbons or learning the history of the red wax seals on the bottles of Maker’s Mark, participants will be entertained as well as educated as the course enriches their bourbon knowledge. The afternoon will include a tour of Moonshine University’s working distillery that will offer a visual representation of the distilling process. The class takes place at 801 S. 8^th St. and costs $29 per person. To register, call (502) 301-8126 or visit www.moonshineuniversity.com.

In 1999, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association formed the Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour to give visitors a firsthand look at the art and science of crafting bourbon, and to educate them about the rich history and proud tradition of Kentucky’s signature spirit. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail course at Moonshine University trims a three day trip into a two hour experience your palate will never forget. Moonshine University will educate guests on all of the Trail’s member distilleries: Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Town Branch, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve and Evan Williams.