APRIL 2021
EVENT REPORT: 50th Anniversary Valentine Dinner
AL SO INSIDE • How a Collection of Omaha’s Culinary Ephemera, Menu Cards, Led to Finding Mark Schimmel’s Photo • Blast from the Past • Upcoming Omaha Branch Events
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
Fennel Milanese Crusted Rack of Lamb, Carrots Vichy Veronique, Potato Croquette and Demi-Glace from the 50th Anniversary Valentine Dinner
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
CORNER
EDITOR’S
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ho could have foreseen that it would be so cold on Valentine’s Day? The walk into the wind from the south parking lot into the hotel was like an ice pick to the brain, but once inside, the newly renovated Kimpton Cottonwood was warm and cozy. We had a nice crowd to fill up the ballroom. What was special was having the same menu Chef Erwin Siegler crafted in 1972, but with modern twists. I thought it only appropriate to feature Edith Siegler, Erwin’s widow, on our cover along with the current Cottonwood chef, Ryan Arensdorf. The Blackstone was one of the finest hotels in Omaha and had several US Presidents grace its interior. The Orleans Room began in 1949 and had the most prominent Haut Cuisine in Omaha, NE for many years. Erwin Siegler, when he arrived in 1970, was a classically trained chef, studied in Switzerland, and was selected / transferred by Radisson Hotels to continue the Blackstone tradition of fine dining. Did you know that the Omaha Public Library (OPL) has started a project of collecting old menu cards from Omaha’s large number of restaurants? There are a few current ones, but the main emphasis is on restaurants that have closed. OPL relies on collectors, and members of the general public to bring the menus to their attention. You can either donate a menu card or have them digitally scan it with the object of putting it into their data base.
I became involved with OPL and their unusual collection when I was trying to track down a photo of Mark Schimmel. The Schimmels had three generations of managers at the Blackstone. Mark was the 3rd and final Schimmel manager of the Blackstone at the time of our Branch’s founding. He was mentioned by Erwin Siegler in his account of the Branch’s founding, and his name was on the 1972 menu card. I really wanted to get his photo for my project of providing a sketch of all the founders. So read the story below which details how the OPL was involved in my sleuthing to find a photograph of Mark Schimmel. By the bye, the history section of our Branch has been updated on the international web site. Here is the link: https://www.iwfs.org/americas/omaha/branch-history. Some members have had trouble reading the Gazette on issuu.com. Or they don’t want to sign in, which means you can’t even read the Gazette at all. They prefer a PDF since all you have to do is click it open. We have decided to offer it in both formats. In your email, a PDF will be sent along with the issuu.com link. The advantage of issuu.com is that you can see both right and left pages, like a paper magazine. Our PDF only lets you view one page at a time. Cheers!
Tom Murnan Cover Photo: Edith Siegler and Chef Ryan Arensdorf. Edith’s husband Erwin Siegler crafted the 11/17/1972 first couples event for the Omaha Branch, while Ryan Arensdorf gave us the 2/14/2021 version, based on Erwin’s original. Photo by Wayne Markus.
“A perfectionist is a man who takes infinite pains and gives them to others.”— Alan Benner — From The Best of the Cockle Bur compiled and edited by Harry B Otis, 3rd President 1973-1974 April 2021 · Page 3
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
Event Rep rt
50 TH ANNIVERSARY VALENTINE DINNER
I
Photos by Tom Murnan & Wayne Markus
t was a brutally cold stretch of snowy Swiss influences. Erwin was the head chef of Omaha weather: -6° below zero when the Radisson Blackstone Hotel at the time. we arrived and heading for -19° In my research on the 41 attending when we left. But I was excited to members for the 1972 event, I was see the completely remodeled able to contact Chester Waters Blackstone Hotel, now called III, who was just a medical the Kimpton Cottonwood student then. I was hoping to Hotel. Todd Lemke and I had have him attend, but he grastopped by when the furniciously declined. ture was being delivered, The hotel is beautifully and the hotel was not quite appointed, and I went around ready for occupancy, during taking shots of the public rooms our planning phase in Novembelow our ballroom. Outside ber. After all negotiations were by the pool they had set up 4 1972 Chef Erwin Siegler completed, we would be in the tents for a romantic interlude same ballroom as the first Omaha Branch coufor Valentine’s Day crowd, but the bitter cold ples’ event in 1972, with the same menu. The prevented that. The ballroom looks much the Omaha Branch actually started in 1971 as a same as old photographs show. The main men’s only Branch. The first Annual Dinner, kitchen is in the basement, and the food is as it was known then, followed in 1972 as taken by elevator up to the 8th floor where a sort of Thank You to their lady significant it is staged and brought out. I was impressed others for letting their men party on without that the hot dishes had warm plates, or cold them. Not only was this upcoming event a if the menu required it. Hot food will quickly 50th Anniversary for the Omaha Branch, but become tepid if the plate is room temperathe Council Bluffs Branch was invited as well. ture or cold. The main criticism I heard of the Both clubs provided wine. This was partly event, coming from men, was the small pordone because the Corona Virus had dimintion size. The portions were on the smaller ished attendance in 2020 and we wanted to size, if you are a big eater, but it was perfect for fill up the ballroom. There were 54 guests, of quite a number of attendees I asked, and also which 8 were guests. Two were no-shows. me. Besides, we had 8 courses to get through We had a special guest. Co-Host Mike since this was a classic French presentation. I Wilke had the nous to invite Edith Siegler, was satisfied by the end of the meal, and not the wife of original chef Erwin Siegler who overstuffed, although some were still hungry. passed away last year. In 1972, the most As a historical tidbit, the presentation of prestigious cuisine in the world was French. food in courses is called service à la russe, They also had the best wines at that time. introduced in France in 1810 by the Russian That is why Erwin Siegler selected an allAmbassador Alexander Kurakin. Eventually, French menu of wine and cuisine, with some this became the mainstream way formal WestPage 4 · 2021 ·
ern dining was presented. The earlier service, called service à la française, served all, or most, of the courses at the same time. As guests entered, they were handed a glass of Riondo Prosecco. It was a pleasant starter. Quaffing wines included two Bordeaux reds and one California Cab. Once seated, host Todd Lemke introduced everyone, and Mike Wilke announced the presence of Mrs. Edith Siegler to warm applause. Lobster Deviled Eggs began the meal. Boiled white eggs were filled with yokes enhance by plenty of mayonnaise, topped with minced lobster and crowned with a sprig of chive. I still had some Prosecco, which was a pretty good match. La Sole Normande Glacée is a poached filet of sole, a high end, buttery fleshed fish. If you ever look through the French cooking bible, Larousse Gastronomique, many preparations start out the same way, but different ingredients are added and given a name. For example, poaching the fish starts many a recipe out. In this case, Normande indicates oysters, mussels and mushrooms could be added to the sole. A Normande Sauce of fish fumet (stock) provided the sauce, with additions of mushrooms, white wine and cream, all finished, or glazed, in the oven. Why the name Normande? Because Normandy is near the Atlantic Ocean and has an abundance of seafood. The best sole is Dover Sole, which must be flown in from England, an expensive proposition. We were treated to the finest sole. >
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< So, Sole Normande has the above template which the chef is free to improvise. We had Trumpet and Porcini mushrooms, a brown mushroom sauce, carrot, oyster but no mussel, at least on my plate. The sole was small, but an absolute a delight, with medium texture and buttery flavor. Délicieux. The Domaine J.A. Ferret Pouilly-Fuissé Tête de Cru Les Perrières 2018 was served. Not to be confused with Pouilly-Fumé from the Loire AOC, which is based on Sauvignon Blanc, Pouilly-Fuissé is the best part of the Mâcconaise sub-region of Burgundy and is 100% Chardonnay. It was a spot-on match with the sole, softly fruity but not too dry with just a touch of oak. Le Ris de Veau Sauté Marie Louise came next. Veal sweetbreads (calf thymus) were sautéed with Madeira wine and sat on purée of pea. It was garnished with artichoke heart on which were deposited small green peas in a white sauce and pearl onions. Not sure what the reference to Marie Louise is, except it might be the second wife of Emperor Napoleon I. The sweetbread was an extremely delicate part of the calf chest, light in texture and taste. The Château Larcis Ducasse St. Emilion Grand Cru 2009 tended to overwhelm this mild and tender piece of meat. A classy wine on its own, with lovely oak integration mildly tannic and dark fruit flavors, it was too much for the subtle sweetbread flavors. Our table agreed a Burgundy might have been a better match. We took an intermission with the Sorbet au Fraise et Champagne in an iced serving glass. A nice palate cleanser, it was redolent of strawberries. It was sourced at Coneflower Creamery. Onward we went to our entrée: the Selle de Pré-Salé Engadinoise. Selle, or Saddle of lamb is technically more the hindquarters, but in the USA, it is called rack of lamb. Pré-Salé means the lamb was raised on the salt grass next to the ocean in Normandy. Engadine is a long valley in eastern Switzerland of the River Inn. It is a gorgeous and scenic area near St. Moritz which includes a lot of winter sports and tourist attractions. It doesn’t seem to have too much connection to cuisine, so I surmise Erwin Siegler threw it in as a nod to his Swiss heritage. Chef Ryan Arensdorf’s take on this dish was a Fennel Milanese Crusted Rack of Lamb, Carrots Vichy Veronique, Potato Croquette and Demi-Glace for sauce. The rack was coated with fennel before baking. The carrots are named after the town of Vichy and involves cooking them with a small amount of water, finished with some butter and a bit of sugar
to glaze them. For the Croquette, with Grahams Vintage Porto mashed potatoes are formed 1997, which worked admirainto a little log, rolled into an bly with the dried fruits. The egg shape and covered with Pecorino didn’t obliterate flour, then sautéed in oil. the Port like a blue cheese The lamb was perfectly (think Stilton) would. cooked and browned on the We finished with a outside but medium-rare Bombe Glacée with a Dark inside, with a slight fennel Chocolate Glaze and a Fan taste from the coating. There Biscuit. A bombe is in the was also an unknown fruit shape of a half cannon ball, 2021 Chef Ryan Arensdorf which we had to ask what it or bomb, and the thick chocwas. Turns out it was a peeled grape half. Not olate half shell proved difficult to break with often you see a peeled grape. A nice touch. just a spoon, like concrete in the Maginot The Two Hands Sexy Beast Cabernet SauLine. But the secret was to flip it upside vignon 2015 hails from McLaren Vale Ausdown onto its shell and come at it through tralia. Not much noticeable oak, little tannin the vanilla ice cream. The biscuit was like was showing with the lamb. Another good a small waffle wedge. The Alvear Pedro wine match. I have to wonder if the name on Ximénz Solera 1927 Sherry had a tough job the label had anything to do with Valentine’s in being paired with the ice cream. It fared Day. It certainly fit in. better with the cheese plate. But ice cream Since this was a classic French meal, the is always hard to pair wine to. salad was coming towards the end of the Both the 1972 menu and the present-day meal instead of the beginning, followed by menu were complex undertakings. There cheese and finally dessert. was a lot going on in this meal, both with the A Salade d’Endives “St. Moritz” was complexities that our original chef, Erwin another nod to Switzerland. Braised Charred Siegler selected, and our modern version Endive, Smoked Bacon, Onion and Jus de from Chef Ryan. Many thanks to ExecuVie comprised this salad. Jus de vie is a type tive Chef Ryan Arensdorf for crafting a of red wine that was cooked down and made superb dinner and Tom Wilson, Director of into a sauce for the endive. Bits of bacon Food & Beverage from the managing comwere thick enough to be misconstrued as ham. pany Kimpton uses for its hotels, Davidson Halves of cooked red pearl onion were also Hotels and Resorts, who stepped in for the noticed and added structure. The bitterness local manager who had the day off. Dinner of the endive was ameliorated by the sweetbegan slowly, but once the meal started, the ness in the Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarservice was attentive. Thanks as well to our ten Riesling Spätlese 2011 as well as by the Co-Hosts Todd Lemke from the Omaha richness of the bacon. The Spätlese was an Branch and Mike Wilke from the Couninspired wine to select. Salads can be tough cil Bluffs Branch for coordinating between to wine pair. the two branches the wine, the sign-up and Our Assiette de Fromage featured Goat all the other details that made this a special Cheese and Pecorino, a hard cheese, sitting event. Patti Hipple was instrumental in atop Clementine Jam, various dried fruits wine selection for Council Bluffs. and Salted Walnuts. We washed this down
Sherry & Chuck Sederstrom III
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Chuck Sederstrom had to stand in the corner for being the last to arrive!
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
HOW A COLLECTION OF OMAHA'S CULINARY EPHEMERA, MENU CARDS, LED TO FINDING MARK SCHIMMEL'S PHOTO by Tom Murnan Omaha
may be considered fly-over territory for the likes of Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Saveur and the Food Network Magazine, but I am OK with that. While they are continuously mentioning San Francisco, New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles, we have a vibrant restaurant scene right here in Omaha. Our Branch frequents only the finest culinary establishments in the area. But don’t forget we also have two college level schools producing an annual crop of graduates, many of them who seek employment here: The Metropolitan Community College and Iowa Western Community College. So, there is tremendous community interest in fine dining. And its history. The Runza originated right here in Omaha, maybe Butter Brickle ice cream, and of course, the Reuben Sandwich, which has worldwide fame, was created at the Blackstone Hotel. The older members among us wax nostalgic at some of the old-time restaurants that are, alas, no longer with us. A recent closing of a high-end dining magnet was The Flatiron Cafe. But how about The French Café? Or Vivace. Imperial Palace. Salt 88. Café de Paris. Those were all highend restaurants. But also, part of Omaha lore were Side Walk Cafe, Ross’ Steakhouse, Mister C’s, Dundee Dell, and King Fong Cafe. Supposedly, Alexander Payne is resurrecting Fong’s with other investors, but it has not happened yet. The Omaha Public Library (OPL) has been interested in preserving Omaha’s culinary history. They have been holding an annual Read it and Eat for about 10 years now. Every year, on the first weekend in November, enthusiasts gathered to examine cookbooks. Here they can buy, win, or trade cookbooks. They also served food samples throughout the day. The library has numerous cookbooks available to be checked
Charles Schimmel (seated) with his sons AQ, Bernard, Edward, and Walter out as well. I used the past tense because, unfortunately, the final conference was held November 7, 2020. But Amy Mather, who was one of the conference leaders, has gone on to other culinary pursuits. She has been collecting and digitizing Omaha area menus for OPL. In other words, ephemera. The definition of ephemera is “paper items (such as posters, broadsides, and tickets) that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles.” [Merriam Webster Dictionary] The plural of ephemera is ephemera (just like the word deer is singular and plural). The process has just begun, and Maher has about 150 menus digitized but not yet on the web site. The menus can be donated, sold, or loaned for digitization. Her goal is to Page 20 · 2021 ·
also include information on Omaha restaurants, the families that ran them, and historical notes about the establishment. I was first alerted to this undertaking when I read the 11-15-2020 Living Section of the Omaha World Herald, where they did a feature on A Taste Of Omaha History. I had three French Café menus from the early 1980s, two of which I donated to OPL. I got to know Amy in the process. Amy collects the menus, and Martha Grenzeback digitizes them. This is a huge job, and they are looking for help. Volunteers anyone? One of the big collectors of menu cards was Albert Buda. I was doing research on trying to find all 41 members who attended the IWFS Omaha Branch’s first couples’ dinner. Held at the Blackstone Hotel ball room, one of the members was Mark Schimmel. >
Blackstone Wine List circa 1940
Co-Founder Don Hartford
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Charles Schimmel circa 1930
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Mollie Schimmel circa 1930
The children of Charles and Mollie Schimmel. Bernard, Walter, Miriam, Edward and AQ Schimmel, circa 1945. All followed their father into the restaurant business except Miriam.
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
Burgundy for red wines, and even more < His grandfather Charles bought the misleading to our modern eyes, for the hotel in 1920, four years after it was White Wines: Dry Sauternes or Haut constructed, and his son Edward later Sauternes, Rhine, and Chablis. I guess became manager. Finally, Edward’s they do make a dry sauternes, Y of son Mark was the manager when the 1972 dinner was held. I was hoping to Château d’Yquem comes to mind, be able to click on the OPL menu link but would not be found in Omaha under Schimmel to get a picture, but Nebraska in 1940. Probably a dry they had nothing. There was a little bit Bordeaux, like Château Carbonnieux of history, but no photos. Nor were there Blanc. There would be virtually nothing any photos I could find on the internet. from California in 1940 unless it After some detective work following was something generic. They were Mark Schimmel attended the 1972 first backwards an Omaha Magazine story still struggling with the results of couples’ dinner at the Blackstone Hotel. on the invention of the Reuben SandProhibition. Our menu example of wich (thanks for your help, Todd Lemke), I was able to the Orléans Room hails from 1968 to 1973 when the contact Mary Bernstein, Schimmel descendant (who Blackstone was acquired by Radisson. Interestingly, did the interview for Omaha Magazine), who asked her it has a statement of the Orlèans Room awards and is sister Judy Weil to send me family photos. But I still signed by Mark Schimmel, one of the founders of the did not have one of Mark, so Mark’s daughter Gretchen Omaha Branch. Schimmel finally supplied me with a photo of Mark. A real Schimmel family effort. These were passed on to HOLIDAY MAGAZINE AWARD OPL so they could flesh out their entries under the Black“The Orléans Room was originated in 1949 in response stone Hotel menu listing. So, this is a very interesting to desires expressed by discriminating diners for an site to go through the menu cards the OPL has collected Omaha dining room combining delicious food, fine wine so far. The Schimmel photos have been passed onto the and solicitous service. We of the Blackstone Hotel have library and will eventually be included in the Blackstone been overwhelmed by your enthusiastic response to our data base. When you bring up Blackstone, you only get efforts to provide you with appealing and satisfying food one menu card. But if you click on Schimmel family, you served in pleasant surroundings. We are proud, also, get more. Or click on the name of a Blackstone restauthat the Blackstone Hotel’s Orléans Room has received rant (e.g., Orleans Room, Golden Spur). Here is the link: Holiday Magazine’s Award for Dining Distinction, the https://digital.omahalibrary.org/digital/collection/ only Omaha restaurant to ever receive this award. Your p16747coll8 sincere comments concerning anything we can do to improve upon our food or service will be appreciated.” Take a stroll down memory lane if you were around to visit the remains of these establishments. Or perhaps you —Mark Schimmel, General Manager have heard others speaking of them if you are younger. Either way, it is a pleasant way to learn a little history So, you can learn a great deal from looking at some of of the restaurant scene in Omaha. For example, the these images. Wine interest and knowledge especially Blackstone circa 1940 Wine List does not bother with has made great strides by 2021, and you can pick up a producer names and vintage date. Rather, it is Claret or little history at the same time. Menu Source: From the Collection of Omaha Public Library. Schimmel family photos courtesy of Judy [Schimmel] Weil and Gretchen Schimmel.
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Julie, Mark and Edward Schimmel in the Blackstone's Plush Horse restaurant, 1950
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
Photos from Mike Dunn & Roger Peterson
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A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
UPCOMING OMAHA BRANCH EVENTS Mark Your Calendars!
APR.
17 MAY
13 JUN
6
PRESIDENT’S COUPLES SPRING FLING 2021 Happy Hollow Club Producer: Mark Stokes
BBQ & CIGAR STAG
Victory Lane Producer: Duke Matz
MODERN EUROPEAN CUISINE & WINES COUPLES DINNER
Au Courant Producer: Lowell Wilhite
HOSTING AN EVENT? Let us know when, where and a little bit about what’s going on! We would love to include YOUR event on the calendar! Email details to: murnantom@gmail.com
A publication of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine and Food Society
April 2021 Purpose: To meet communication and service needs, to broaden participation and understand and to be an information exchange for the membership of The International Wine & Food Society in the Americas. Publisher: Todd Lemke Editor: Tom Murnan Graphic Designer: Omaha Magazine, LTD.
THE INTERNATIONAL WINE & FOOD SOCIETY OF LONDON, ENGLAND OM A H A, NEBR A SK A BR A NCH - E X ECU T I V E COM MIT TEE PR ESI DENT: Mark Stokes............................................................... mark_stokes@aig.com
This Quick Response Code (QR-Code) can be scanned with a scanner app on your smart phone to take the reader directly to the Omaha Branch web site.
V ICE PR ESI DENT / SECR ETA RY: Dave Thrasher.................... dave@supportworks.com TR EASU R ER: Les Zanotti................................................................ zanol@cox.net
W I N E CELLA R M ASTER: Duke Matz....................................... dmatz@darland.com M EM BERSH I P CH A I R M A N: Joe Goldstein.............................. goldie2@cox.net
Joe Goldstein Steve Hipple Todd Lemke
B OA R D O F D I R E C T O R S : John Matthews Duke Matz Tom Murnan
Tad Singer Mark Stokes Dave Thrasher
Lowell Wilhite Mike Wilke Les Zanotti
KEEP IN TOUCH! Please notify Club President, Mark Stokes, 402-679-7317 or via email at mark_stokes@aig.com to let him know if you are interested in hosting an IWFS event.
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE MEMBERS WILL BE POSTED ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Like us on FACEBOOK (IWFSOmaha): facebook.com/IWFSOmaha and follow us on TWITTER (IWFSOmaha): twitter.com/IWFSOmaha
All versions of Wine & Food Gazette are published monthly by Omaha Magazine, LTD, P.O. Box 461208, Omaha, NE 68046-1208. Telephone: (402) 884-2000. No whole or part of the contents herein may be reproduced without prior written permission of Omaha Magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted however no responsibility will be assumed for such solicitations. The opinions expressed in this publication, except as specifically stated to the contrary, are solely the opinion of the author and do no necessarily represent the views of the Board of Governors of the Americas. The International Wine & Food Society, LTD., the publisher and any officer, director, member or agent thereof. The international Wine & Food Society does not endorse advertisers’ products and is not responsible for damages incurred from the use of such products nor does it guarantee such products.