To celebrate World Chaîne Day, our Bailliage decided to have a “Virtual Potluck Dinner” via Zoom. Fifteen members and guests joined a convivial two-hour session.

To start, Bailli Dr Cornel Ceapa sabred a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate our province of New Brunswick and the spirit of the Chaîne around the world.

The virtual dinner consisted of six courses prepared by different members of the Bailliage in their own kitchens. Social distancing maintained! Each creator explained his/her dish and beverage pairing on screen.

MENU

Wild Atlantic sturgeon tartare
Acadian gold caviar, quail egg
Champagne Drappier Brut Nature
Bailli Cornel Ceapa
& Vice-Chargée de Missions Dorina Ceapa

German-style pork belly
potato pancake, pickled turnip, parsnip purée
mustard jus, carrot butter, charred leek, green onion
Motts Landing Brut Classic, 2015
Cambridge Narrows, New Brunswick, Canada
Matt Pennell, soon to be Maître Rôtisseur

Szechwan beef salad | Braised pork rice bowl
Relax Riesling 2018 - Schmitt Söhne, Mosel
Ning Hou, Maître Rôtisseur

“Peter Rabbit” two ways
Cured ham-wrapped saddle | Sausage
in-house ricotta, sautéed greenhouse green fillings
sautéed cattail shoots, shaved Sieur de Duplessis cheese
consommé, last harvest carrots
Mission Hill Five Vineyards Pinot Noir
British Colombia, Canada
Maître Rôtisseur Alex Haun
& Dame de la Chaîne Chelsea Belyea

Pan-seared Quebec foie gras
maple ice cream, macadamia nuts, salty caramel popcorn
maple whip cream, Grand Marnier dulce de lece
white chocolate crumble served on a roasted hazelnut waffle
Gonzalez Byass 30 year old VORS* Amontillado Sherry
Vice-Chancelier Robert Noël

Bananas flambées
à la Buena Vista Social (Distancing) Club
Havana Club 7 year old Cuban Rum
Vice-Chargé de Presse Thierry Chopin

The particular dilemma facing Vice-Chargé de Presse Thierry Chopin while preparing his bananas was whether to have an abundance of flambé-ing rum to impress the audience while still well confined and distanced from the computer screen, or rapidly extinguishing the flames to prevent too much alcohol evaporating, thus maintaining a good dose of rum in the caramelized sauce. What a dilemma to have!

What’s more, during this Covid-19 period, it became apparent that blowing wouldn’t be appropriate to extinguish the flames. Luckily, a hair dryer came to the rescue - as depicted in the photos!

Fellow members had a wonderful conversation throughout this virtual dinner. Everybody noted that the degree of exchange and learning about the other guests was greater than previously when the discussion is generally limited to one’s table at a dining event.

However, nothing beats sharing “la bonne chère” together without worrying about the “mute” button. We hope to be able to return sometime to this recently-established tradition within our new Bailliage.

Vive la Chaîne!

Thierry Chopin
Vice-Chargé de Presse

* Ed. For sherries over 30 years old, the acronym V.O.R.S. is used. It stands for “Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum” (Wine Selected as Optimal and Exceptional) which be conveniently expressed in English as “Very Old Rare Sherry”