The Omaha Wine & Food Gazette May 2024 by Omaha Magazine

The Omaha

Event Report:

5th Annual March Madness Stag

Upcoming Events.

What’s New

You have doubtlessly noticed that the electronic invitation the Branch sends out has changed. It is a bit slicker. There is a new ways to sign up, notably now you have to get a “ticket.” If you have a guest, then you need to get two tickets. But the most common complaint is that we can no longer find out who has signed up to come to an event.

Cheers! John Matthews, our Event Coordinator guru, is well aware of the “improvements.” This change is generated by Constant Contact, who provides the platform, and at this point, we have little ability to change the new update. John will continue to work on Constant Contact to see if we can at least restore seeing who has signed up for an event. Or maybe even switch to another platform.

A reminder. Be kind, a mark of a gentleman. Reply to event invites by using the online system to accept or decline an invite. This helps the event producer immensely. Also, respond to the survey afterwards, even if you didn’t attend the event. It helps the producers and the Board hone in on what you want and enjoyed.

Tom Murnan

Dublin doctor sent in a bill to a lady as follows: “To curing your husband till he died.”

Best of the Cockle Bur compiled & edited by Harry B. Otis, 3rd President 1973-1974

MAY 2024

Event Report: 5th Annual March Madness Stag

Written by Tom Murnan, Photos by Tom Murnan

The March Madness Stag is always one of my favorite events. Low keyed and understated, without a lot of fuss, everyone wearing their favorite team’s shirt, basketball on both TV’s, interesting food and, of course, great wine. What’s not to like? Hard to believe this is the 5th iteration of this theme. I still recall the 2021 event just squeaked by before COVID closed most restaurants down for a time. No such problem this year. It is a tailgate atmosphere, and for the last few years, we’ve had mostly Mexican cuisine.

Quaffing found the bar tenders pouring our tipples. A nice selection. The Ayoub Chardonnay was brought in by host Joe Goldstein when he visited the winery in the Willamette Valley with Nagi and Jennifer Ayoub of the Omaha Metro branch. Nagi is not a relative to the eponymous winery. It’s a very small operation, out of the proprietor’s house basement, but it was a nice Chardonnay. The Juan’s Shrimp Ceviche was served with corn chips, not in a roll as advertised. The Jalapeño & Cheddar Pig N’ Blanket (puff pastry) was addictive.

As soon as the chef arrived for the Mac & Cheese Station, guests started loading their plates with customized bowls of lobster, shrimp, peas, chicken, bacon numerous diced veges, all in a white Gouda cheese sauce. This threw the service off by about 15 minutes for the next course, since we were starting early. The Amici Cellars Sonoma Coast Chardonnay went quite well with my Mac N Cheese creation. I am becoming a big fan of any Pinot Noir or Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast. They seem to have just a bit more depth of flavor then even the nearby Russian River appellation.

The Smoked Pulled Pork Tostada Ancho with BBQ Sauce, Tequila Black Beans Chino Slaw with Cowboy Candy Sour Cream was quite a lot of food. Both red wines went well, but at our table the consensus was that the Hall Winery Coeur Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 dominated the food with its tannin and forceful structure, while the Altos Las Hormigas Appellation Malbec Argentina 2018 was more mellow and laid back.

I very much enjoyed the Aged Strip Steak Sandwich Birra Marinated, Avocado Blue Cheese Boursin Spread with Caramelized Onion, and a side of Pico de Gallo Street Corn with Corn Chips. The Boursin cheese added an unusual depth of flavor to the sandwich. The Joseph Phelps Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 seemed to have peaked at age 10, but the Château Grand Puy-Lacoste 2014 Bordeaux had more life left to it.

We finished with a David’s Chocolate Molten Lava Cake à la Mode. The vanilla ice cream married seamlessly with the deep chocolate flavors, as did the Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port from 2007 and 2010.

Many thanks to the HHC kitchen and wait service for a nice job. And Thanks as well to Joe Goldstein for conceiving this great March Madness theme.