Foodevents.com Presents: Demystifying Grappa and Aqua Vitae: A Guided Tasting of The Debut of Three Distillates of Prime Uve with a Chocolate Pairing from Godiva Chocolate. Hosted at Peter Kump's New York Cooking School.
What makes a good event become a great one or a great event become even better? Is it the guests who attend, the food and drink provided or simply the total ambiance and the special hint of electricity in the air? Or is it the physical space that makes a great event, including the room and the professionalism provided by the event hosts. The grappa and chocolate tasting had the combination of all these elements that make the event not just a single occurrence, but a lasting memory.
The event began with a brief introduction and video screening of the Prime Uve production process by Anna Maschio, the fifth generation of distillate producers from the Bonaventura Maschio vineyard. Her intimate knowledge and experience with the distillates was shared, and she clearly "demystified" the hidden intricacies behind the secrets of producing and enjoying the delicate flavours of Grappa. We were than treated to the tasting of the Prime Uve, a distillation of white grapes such as Riesling, and Prime Uve Nere, a distillation of red grapes such as Cabernet. They were poured in the specially manufactured grappa glasses, which are designed to allow the aroma to hover over the liquid for a full smell and taste experience. Both distillates had a spicy, clove-like flavour, though many of us preferred the Nere, which was slightly reminiscent of cocoa. The third bottle poured was the Prime Arance, which had a orange-citrus perfumed aroma that could seduce even the most skeptical of tasters. This distillate was paired with the dark chocolate flower solid from Godiva. The combination of the light orange and floral flavours, with the rich and creamy confectioner was inspiring, as if a small explosion of taste sensation was released from the mouth, causing tremors and a light intoxication filled with pleasant joy.
Godiva then took center stage and passed around their Espresso Citron Truffle, Spring Raspberry Truffle and enormous chocolate covered strawberries and biscotti. The pairing gave the impression of a birthday party hosted by Lady Godiva herself, with new surprises and delicious treats coming from every direction to excite and delight the palettes of the guests.
Words and images by Jenine Lurie
