Savor the Flavor

SAVOR THE FLAV R YOUR GUIDE TO

rouge et blanc

A National Historic Register Site for Your

Historic Event

Rouge et Blanc 2010 Sponsors

844 Ryan Street • Lake Charles

Th e

Va u

lt

(Corner of Pujo and Ryan Streets)

Stars Align for Rouge et Blanc

Calcasieu Parish Police Jury

The Rouge et Blanc Wine and Food Event, one of the most coveted annual events in Southwest Louisiana, began with a partnership between the McNeese Banners Cultural Series and Downtown Development Authority.

Now in its fifth year, Rouge et Blanc sells out every year and has increased from 400 attendees to 1,000. The event has morphed from a one-day food and wine experience to a full week of spiritinspired festivities. Wine and food pairing dinners, featuring offmenu items paired with special wines, will take place during the entire week leading up to October 23, the day of Rouge et Blanc.

“Bubbles for Banners,” a champagne brunch, has been organized

by L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort for the following day, and a special seminar about champagne, which includes a tasting, will take place the morning of Rouge et Blanc. Tickets are available for all these events. Tickets for the October 23 flagship event sold out in less than two days.

801 Enterprise Boulevard • Lake Charles (Corner of Broad Street and Enterprise Boulevard)

Tommy Eastman

2

Pat Shult

(337) 794-5446

(337) 721-8000

teastman@flavinrealty.com

pat.empireoftheseed@yahoo.com

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Visit our website for 360º views of both locations.

www.empireoftheseed.com

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October 2010

Rouge et Blanc would not have been possible without generous corporate support. Republic National Distributing Company donates all the wines for the entire tasting, plus the company brings in wine experts from all over the country to pour the wines and talk about them. Also, 10 percent of wine sales at Rouge et Blanc is donated to the McNeese Banners Series.

10% of proceeds from the purchase of wine during Rouge et Blanc will go to benefit the McNeese Banners Series.

October 2010

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Harlequin: Made in Louisiana The made-in-Louisiana theme is unmistakable -- and deliberate -- in this year’s selections by The Harlequin for its upcoming wine dinner.

This specially arranged experience at the longtime local restaurant will be one of seven events that double as tablesetters for the Oct. 23 Rouge et Blanc celebration, the Banners Series’ Nic Hunter, Harlequin annual downtown toast to Bacchus.

Hunter’s Harlequin Steaks & Seafood will showcase multiple courses and paired wine selections at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 19.

“We’re trying to feature, as much as possible, items produced in Louisiana,” said Nic Hunter, owner and manager. “Like Louisiana-produced, grass-fed beef. It’s the same with our produce selections and our seafood selections.”

The menu underscores how fishing, grazing and harvesting done right here in Louisiana can produce the finest of foods.

The first course of The Harlequin’s wine dinner will be grilled eggplant and squash salad with toasted pecans, topped with sirachi and buttermilk cream dressing.

Bubbles for Banners

It will be followed by pan-fried Redfish Almondine with lemon butter sauce, fresh chives and jumbo lump Louisiana crab meat.

The third course will be Louisiana grass-fed sirloin with a horseradish-enhanced demi-glace.

Save room for the fourth course. It’s a rich dessert — and it, too, has a Louisiana flair. It’s baked fudge, served atop a Louisiana sweet potato pancake with a Steen’s 100% Pure Cane Syrup reduction. (The C.S. Steen Co. of Abbeville has used sugarcane from South Louisiana fields for 100 years now, and still puts it product in those timeless yellow cans.)

Each course will be paired with Robert Mondavi wines.

Hunter said his restaurant will also set up on-site for the Rouge et Blanc celebration on Oct. 23. He plans to serve beef kabobs to the crowd.

The Harlequin has been part of Rouge et Blanc since the event’s inception. It has also been a longtime fixture on the Lake Charles restaurant scene, with family ownership -- and local clientele -- spanning multiple generations. Founded in 1956, The Harlequin been in its most recent location at 501 W. College St. for the past six years.

Seats are still available for the wine dinner. The cost is $80 per person, inclusive. For reservations, call Hunter at 310-0077.

by Brett Downer

The Fine Tastes of the Country Club When Rachelle at The Landing recently closed its doors in Lake Charles, a large clientele bemoaned the loss of Chef Jim Green’s delectable seafood dishes. Thankfully, they didn’t have to sulk for long; Chef Green has taken his culinary talents to the Lake Charles Country Club, where he will host a wine and food pairing dinner on Friday, October 22.

Chef Green has ample experience serving fine-diners.

He has cooked for four presidents, numerous celebrities, and several heads of state. He was also invited to cook at George W. Bush’s second inauguration.

There may not be any presidents at Chef Green’s Friday dinner, but the food will be fit for a king. His dinner will include Southwest polenta cake with jumbo lump crab; tomato basil bisque; and a milk-fed bonein veal chop and colossal prawn with cream sauce.

The courses will be paired with TGIC Importers, which represents some of the finest wineries and winemakers in the world. For information on the dinner, call 477-5511.

L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort has partnered with Rouge et Blanc to host “Bubbles for Banners,” an upscale champagne brunch. Five dollars from each ticket sold will be donated to the McNeese Banners Cultural Series.

The inaugural event will take place in the L’Auberge Ballroom on Sunday, October 24. Seatings are available at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. General admission tickets are on sale now at www. ticketmaster.com or at the L’Auberge Business Center. The $50 ticket price includes an upscale brunch prepared by L’Auberge’s award-winning chefs, champagne, a live cooking demonstration utilizing a set custom designed for celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse and an informal champagne education seminar featuring Snake River Grill General Manager and Sommelier Stephanie Miller. The event caps off a week of community-wide Rouge et Blanc culinary activities.

A limited number of hotel packages are available. Packages include overnight deluxe accommodations for two at L’Auberge and two Bubbles For Banners tickets. Room packages range from $199 - $249 and are available for either Saturday, October 24 or Sunday, October 25; must be 21 to reserve. Room package reservations are available at www.ldlcasino.com and brunch tickets will be distributed at check-in.

All ticketholders are eligible for unique door prizes at each event seating. Prizes include a L’Auberge Vacation Package, a Holiday Dinner Basket cooked by L’Auberge chefs, a pair of season tickets to the McNeese Banners Cultural Series and more.

For more information log on to www.ldlcasino.com or www.rougeetblanc.us.

MONDAY– FRIDAY 10:00AM–5:30PM

(337) 474-0080 • 615 W. PRIEN LAKE ROAD

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• Custom gift baskets

Continuing A Tradition of Excellence

• Special orders • Knowledgeable staff to help with selections • Wine tastings every Thursday from 5–7 • 10% discount on purchase of 6 bottles or more

4070 Nelson Road, Suite 100 Lake Charles, LA 70605 • 337-477-7017

Stockwell Sievert is the largest law firm in Lake Charles, recognized for its high professional standards and ethics in the Martindale‐Hubbell Register of Preeminent Lawyers. The firm provides legal services to individuals and to businesses of every size, in most areas of litigation and in all kinds of personal and business transactions, including those in industry, healthcare, insurance, construction and real estate. The Firm as a whole and several of its members individually are listed in The Best Lawyers in America and the Louisiana Super Lawyers, both annual peer review listings of outstanding lawyers. If you are interested in further details, please visit the firm’s website:

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Of Counsel CHARLES D. VICCELLIO WILLIAM E. SHADDOCK THOMAS G. HENNING ADRIAN D. COX, JR. ASHLEY N. FORET

OLIVER P. STOCKWELL (1907-93)

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Wine & Dine with Elegance

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Partners

Partners EMMETT C. SOLE JOHN S. BRADFORD STEPHEN C. POLITO ROBERT S. DAMPF WILLIAM B. MONK H. ALAN McCALL BRIAN L. COODY PAUL L. VEAZEY, JR.

ANDREW D. McGLATHERY, III SUSAN GAY VICCELLIO BENJAMIN J. GUILBEAU, JR. H. AUBREY WHITE, III LEE W. BOYER TODD M. AMMONS DAVID L. MORGAN JOHN J. SIMPSON

FRED H. SIEVERT, JR. (1923-88)

Associates SOMER G. BROWN DALLAS K. KINGHAM LYNSAY M. FONTENOT PAUL P. MARKS STEPHEN D. POLITO ROSS M. RALEY

ROBERT W. CLEMENTS (1934-2004)

439-3722 October 2010

October 2010

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Support the Red, White and Green

Have the Room of

Your Dreams

“Rouge et Blanc” means red and white, but there’s another color associated with the day-long event: Green.

Rouge et Blanc generates lots of recyclables – water bottles, wine bottles, cardboard boxes, the works. Last year it was enough to fill a rental van. The volunteers are dedicated to making sure that these items don’t go to waste, even if they have to stay for hours afterward to ensure that they are recycled.

Plastic units designed to recycle water bottles were strategically placed throughout the Rouge et Blanc event area; unfortunately, many people crammed plates and even canvas bags into the undersized hole that is specifically designed for water bottles only. This year, organizers hope to encourage proper use of the recycling bins by stationing volunteers throughout the area. Those who recycle properly will be recognized with a sticker that says “I Recycled Today.”

Event coordinators have also beefed up the signage to guide attendees to appropriate receptacles for water bottles or bags.

The hundreds of wine bottles generated by Rouge et Blanc will be recycled by a few people who do home brewing. They will be onsite to pick up the bottles and haul them off. The corks are tossed into tent buckets and later brought to Houston to be reused.

In addition to recycling and reusing as much as possible, some of the items themselves are also green. The Rouge et Blanc canvas bags are made of jute and soy ink and the plates are made of bamboo and use soy ink/embossing.

Support Rouge et Blanc’s effort to make it a red, white and green event! Look for recycling areas.

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Experience the Lure of LaTruffe Chef Arthur Durham

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Three days of painstaking preparation are worth the three-hour payoff at La Truffe Sauvage, which again offers a sumptuous wine dinner as part of the Rouge et Blanc celebration.

Guests will enjoy wine and food at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 22, at the restaurant, 815 W. Bayou Pines Drive. The dinner is limited to 50 people. (Some seats are still available at $245 per person; call 439-8364 for reservations.)

Arthur Durham, a partner in La Truffe Sauvage, and Chef Mohamed Chettouh are the driving forces of the restaurant’s annual event.

What an event it is!

Last year’s edition, for example, began with hors d’oeuvres paired with champagne, followed by a multicourse experience in each course was carefully paired with fine wine. The menu ranged from Partridge and Black Currant Half Moon Ravioli to South Texas Antelope Loin, finished off

by Triple Chocolate Hazelnut Cake.

La Truffe Sauvage plans more interesting choices for 2010. They were still huddling over the menu as Thrive went to press.

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“We’ll have a minimum of five courses,” Durham said. “We usually include shellfish, poultry, and game, and we always have a course incorporating cheese.”

Afterward, expect “a variety of desserts — and it invariably includes chocolate — served with a fortified wine, such as port,” he said.

In all, the wine dinner will last “two-anda-half to three hours,” he said.

“It takes effort to put together some really special dishes,” Durham said, pausing as he tried to put Chettouh’s task in perspective.

“The amount of effort is significant. It takes three or four days of preparation.”

Food comes first when planning a wine dinner. What is served, then, determines what is poured.

Durham and Chef Mohamed, who both once worked for the Ritz-Carlton in Houston, make the final choices for the menu. Durham then sits down with Jared Cocke of Republic National Distributing to taste, review and select the wines.

So what about that three-hour payoff on the eve of Rouge at Blanc, when the wine dinner is served?

“Oh, people always enjoy it,” Durham said. “I have one couple from Orange who have come for several years. They only missed it last year because she was pregnant.

They’ve already called, and they’ll be back this year.”

C L O S E T S | GA R AG E S | PA N T R I E S | L AU N D R Y R O O M S | M U R P H Y B E D S

by Brett Downer

October 2010

October 2010

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Calendar of Events Monday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m.

WINE AND FOOD PAIRING DINNER FEATURING RAW FOODS & ORGANIC WINE Home of Dr. Gene and Shively Lampson, 1501 Shell Beach Drive $95 per person inclusive; Limited to 12 people Call Shively at 436-1145 for reservations.

Shively Lampson is a certified raw foods chef and an educator about the raw food movement.

The menu: Cheese Pierogies (rich cashew cheese in a delicate jicama shell) and King Oyster mushroom “calamari” with tartar sauce made from macadamia nuts Falafel and Tabouleh with Tahini sauce and hot sauce Chanterelle and Kalamata Olive Ravioli with Macadamia Cream and Herb Sauce Pistachio-parsley salad and Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart with Raspberry Sauce.

Organic wines have been chosen to compliment the various textures and flavors.

Tuesday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.

WINE AND FOOD PAIRING DINNER AT THE HARLEQUIN

$80 inclusive; Limited to 60 people Call Nic Hunter at 310-0077 for reservations.

This dinner will pair Louisiana foods with the wines of Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley. Robert Mondavi is one of the most storied winemakers in the United States and was instrumental in helping to create the huge wine industry that has developed in California. The winery produces only Napa Valley wines which have received many prestigious awards. This dinner will also feature smaller production Oakville District Cabernet.

The menu: Grilled eggplant and squash salad w/ Toasted Pecans & Sirachi and Buttermilk Cream Dressing Pan Fried Redfish Almondine with a Lemon Butter Sauce with Fresh Chives & Jumbo Lump Louisiana Crab Meat Louisiana Grass Fed Sirloin with a Horseradish Enhanced Demi Glaze Baked Fudge Served atop Louisiana Sweet Potato Pan Cake with Steen’s Cane Syrup Reduction.

Wednesday, Oct. 20, 6:30 P.M. WINE AND FOOD PAIRING DINNER AT THE PIONEER CLUB

$80 plus tax and service charge ($101.85 inclusive) 6:30 p.m. arrival; limited to 40 people Call Patricia Hebert at 436-4895 for reservations

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Thursday, Oct. 21, 7 P.M. WINE AND FOOD PAIRING DINNER AT LUNA’S bar and grill $70 plus tax and gratuity; Limited to 40 people Call 494-5862 for reservations Dave Evans has been working on some special dishes in his imagination for a long time and he’s going to use this dinner to make them a reality. Most of the dishes are still unnamed. The menu, he says is still a work in progress.

The menu: Salad of mixed greens with cranberries, feta cheese and candied pecans served with Dave’s version of vinaigrette Baked crawfish pie with seafood sauce “Fish Orleans” – a combination of fresh caught Louisiana fish with oysters, crawfish and alligator in Dave’s original sauce.

Many layered chocolate dessert

Friday, Oct. 22, 7 P.M. WINE AND FOOD PAIRING DINNER AT BOODA’S BISTRO

$85 inclusive; Limited to 60 people Call Joe Heacook at 564-5403 for reservations

The E&J Gallo Winery has three sides. Yes, Gallo makes “basic” wines, and yes, they also make some of the most prestigious wines from California. And now they are fighting hunger in America through a partnership with the Taste of the NFL charity. Through this 12-year-old partnership, Gallo has raised funds for relief organizations and food banks (such as Second Harvest). This dinner will feature wines that are part of this outreach, and Chef Heacook has paired his favorite foods to go with them.

The menu: Green Lipped Mussels “Rockefeller” on the Half Shell Salad of Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomato over Spinach and Basil with Olive Oil, Balsamic reduction and Toasted Almonds Smoked Duck “Bacon” on Wilted Arugula and Warm Beet Salad Intermezzo of Grape Granita Plum Wine Glazed Pork Tenderloin on Carmelized Shallots with Pear and Horseradish Compote Baked Brie, Granny Smith Apples, Roasted Garlic and Crostini with Walnut Butter.

Friday, Oct. 22, 6:30 P.M. WINE AND FOOD PAIRING DINNER AT THE LAKE CHARLES COUNTRY CLUB

$75 plus tax and gratuity ($98.10 total). Limited to 50 people Call the Country Club at 477-5511 for reservations

TGIC Importers Inc. will supply the wines for this special dinner prepared by Chef Jim Green. The company began 25 years ago with only a single Chilean winery in its portfolio. Today TGIC has a rich portfolio and represents some of the finest wineries and represent some of the best winemakers in the world. Frank Howard of TGIC will be on hand to pour and discuss the wines that have been chosen to compliment Chef Green’s meal.

The menu: Southwest Polenta Cake with Jumbo Lump Crab & a Pico de Gallo Hollandaise Tomato Basil Bisque Fresh Garden Salad with Cabernet Vinaigrette Milk Fed Bone-in Veal Chop & Colossal Prawn with a Mediterranean Cream Sauce

Herbed Risotto with Baby Zucchini & Sunburst Squash Chocolate Mousse Gateaux

Friday, Oct. 22, 6:30 P.M. WINE AND FOOD PAIRING DINNER AT LA TRUFFE SAUVAGE

$245 inclusive. Limted to 50 people Call La Truffe Sauvage at 439-8364 for reservations

Chef Mohamed at La Truffe Sauvage and Jared Cocke, Fine Wine Specialist for Republic National Distributing Company are working as a team to put together a special array of exquisite dishes, paired with wines that will match the nuances of each preparation. Both the wine selection and the menu are still being developed.

Saturday, Oct. 23, 10 A.M. CHAMPAGNE SEMINAR AND TASTING

$10 (must be 21 years old); Limited to 40 people Pujo Street Café

The Champagnes of Nicolas Feuillatte Celebrating the Unforeseen Events of Everyday Life A tasting of six champagnes. Instructor: Chad Kosina, Louisiana State Manager for Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. Register at www.rougeetblanc.us or call 475-5123. Champagnes to be tasted will include a NV Brut, NV Brute Rose’, Burt Cuvee Speciale 2000, NV Blanc de Blanc, Cuvee Palme d’Or Brut, and Cuvee Palme d’Or Brut Rose’.

Sunday, Oct. 24 “BANNERS FOR BUBBLES”

A Champagne Brunch $50 tickets available at www.ticketmaster.com Two seatings -- 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

L’Auberge du Lac Ballroom

This inaugural upscale brunch prepared by L’Auberge’s awardwinning chefs is a fundraiser for the McNeese Banners Cultural Series. In addition to a very special brunch, guests will enjoy champagne, live cooking demonstrations, an informal champagne education seminar by Snake River Grill General Manager and Sommelier Stephanie Miller, and lots of give-aways.

The menu: Crab Cakes with Cream Chili Sauce Chilled Gazpacho Smoked Duck Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing Filet with Green Peppercorn Sauce Egg Batter Mahi Mahi with Caper Butter Vegetable Medley Rice Pilaf Focaccia Bread Turtle Cheesecake.

Friday, Oct. 22, 7:30 P.M. WINE AND FOOD PAIRING DINNER AT GRAY PLANTATION

$100 inclusive. Limited to 40 people Call Holly at 562-1206, ext. 3, for reservations

Kobrand, a family owned fine wine company, has some of the most prestigious brands in the world in its portfolio. Wines from this vast portfolio will be paired with the special off-the-menu dishes, including a very special boutique wine from the heart of Napa Valley --Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon -- that will be accompany the lamb entree.

The menu: Arugula Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts

Bouillabaisse

Mango Sorbet as palate cleanser

Charbroiled Rack of Lamb with a Rosemary and Red Wine Reduction Housemade Fried Raspberry Cheesecake with Crème Anglaise.

St. Supery Vinyards & Winery is a family-owned estate winery in the heart of Napa Valley, recognized for outstanding Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Élu & Virtú blends. It is owned by the Skalli family, which has made wine for generations in the south of France. But when Robert Skalli made a trip to Napa Valley in the 1970s, well, the rest was history as they say. Sommelier Nicole Willis-Shove has chosen a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, the 2006 Virtu, a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2005 Elu, and a 2009 Moscato to pair with Gray Plantation’s dinner.

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October 2010

October 2010

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Falafel: A Middle-Eastern

Jamal Chloun

Specialty

If you want falafel, Jamal Chloun is the man to see at the day-long Rouge et Blanc event.

A native of Sidon, Lebanon, Jamal can prepare virtually any Middle Eastern dish to please the palate – grape leaves, schwarma, kibbie, spinach pies, lamb, hummus, beef, chicken, gyro – but his crowning specialty is falafel, a deep-fried snack made with chickpeas or fava beans (sometimes, a combination of both) and mixed with onion, parsley and other spices.

In Lebanon, Jamal’s family owned and operated several Falafel Ackawi restaurant locations throughout the country. When he came to Louisiana with his family in 2000, he wanted to bring that success with him. In late 2009, he opened Toga Grill at 4439 Nelson Road, where he serves all the most popular dishes of his home country – everything from soups to desserts.

While diners have enjoyed many different menu items, most agree that his falafel, whether served on a dinner plate or stuffed inside a Lebanese sandwich juicy with tahini sauce, is hard to beat.

According to Jamal, the only true secret to the Chloun family recipe is a love of cooking.

by Erin K. Comier

Luna: Fine-Dining Food, Laid-Back Feel Unique, delicious dishes created by Chef Dave Evans have made Luna a mainstay in downtown Lake Charles for years. Rouge et Blanc ticket holders have been able to enjoy some of those creations during the day event, but for the first time, Evans will bring a four-course meal to the weeklong dinner events leading up to the food and wine experience.

As the main course, Evans will serve mild fish topped with seafood au jus sauce, oysters, crawfish and alligator meat. He described it as “a good and potent New Orleans-style dish.” Other courses include a salad of mixed greens, cranberries, feta, candied pecans and house dressing; crawfish pie appetizer; and a selfinvented as-yet-named dessert that “is so good, it’s almost too decadent,” he said.

What should diners expect at the Thursday dinner at Luna?

According to Evans, they should anticipate a dining experience similar to those they’ve enjoyed at his restaurant in the past.

“We’re Luna. We’re not brining out fine china or covering the tables with white tablecloth; we’re doing what we’ve always done – good food in an uber-casual, super-comfortable atmosphere,” Evans said. “Luna has always been totally laid-back, and that’s how our first Rouge et Blanc dinner will be.”

New Kitchen Hours: M-Tu 11am-10pm • Wed-Sat 11am-11pm Mondays Open Mic Night Wednesdays Acoustic Music Night Fridays & Saturdays Live Bands Bring in this ad for

1 FREE Small Spinach & Artichoke Dip

with the purchase of 2 entreés.

Expires November 30, 2010. 1 Coupon per table.

719 Ryan St., Lake Charles • 337-494-LUNA 10

www.thriveswla.com

The four courses will be served on the outdoor patio with light musical entertainment. Dinner is Thursday, Oct. 23, and is limited to 40 people. Tickets are $70 plus tax and gratuity. For information, call 494-5862.

by Erin K. Comier

Raw Food Reaches Rouge Raw Food Chef Shively Lampson will prepare one of the most unique wine and food pairing dinners ever offered in the history of Rouge et Blanc – raw food coupled with organic wines.

When diners think of “raw food,” they typically imagine things like fresh spinach leaves or uncooked broccoli stalks; rarely do they conjure images of delicious food items like fried calamari, dark chocolate tarts or falafel and tabouleh. But that’s exactly what will be on Lampson’s menu for her October 18 dinner.

The fried calamari isn’t actually fried calamari, of course – it’s King Oyster mushrooms that mimic its flavor, along with a tartar sauce made from macadamia nuts.

According to Lampson, raw food refers to a vegan diet where there’s no cooking in the traditional sense. There are no animal products and nothing is heated above 118 degrees. Sounds challenging, but rest assured that flavor isn’t sacrificed for heat.

Anyone who has tasted Lampson’s dishes can attest to that.

“The basic premise behind a raw food diet is that cooking and processing foods generally decreases their digestibility and vitamin and mineral density, as well as their overall healthpromoting qualities,” Lampson said. “The creativity in raw foods as a type of cuisine comes from blending, soaking, marinating, slicing, dicing, drying at low temperatures and incorporating fresh herbs and spices.”

Lampson’s raw food dinner will be paired with organic wines selected by Nathaniel Allured of Republic National Distributing Company. For information, call 436-1145.

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by Kevan Hall Wednesday, October 13– Saturday, October 16

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October 2010

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11

Cupcakes Get Creative

Most chefs spin heart-warming yarns about how they developed their love of food. They tell nostalgic stories about hanging onto their grandmother’s apron strings or peeking over their mother’s bubbling stove. But for Justin Sells, the story is a little less romantic.

“When I ate at my grandma’s house we had dehydrated pot roast and iceberg salad. That basically sums up Chef Justin Sells my childhood food experience,” says Sells, a native of Portland. “Even then, I would think to myself, ‘There has to be something more than this.’”

In hindsight, Sells says he was always on a path to be a chef. As a youngster, he tasted virtually any food he came across, especially if it was something “unconventional,” like caviar. His palate wasn’t afraid of adventure. Neither was his spirit.

Sells’ original plan was to go to college and become a periodontist, but there was something about that plan that “didn’t feel right,” so he took his college money and went on a three-month tour of Europe instead. It was there that he experienced an entirely new and inspirational approach to dining, cooking and eating.

“I saw the romanticism of cooking – how a chef can truly influence someone else’s happiness and well-being. When you feed someone, you interact with them in a very personal way,” Sells said.

Before traveling to Europe, Sells had worked in kitchens “just to

pay the rent,” and found that he had uncanny natural skills when it came to technique, but didn’t have a great appreciation or love of food. “You can have all the technique in the world, but if you don’t have the love, it doesn’t matter. That’s what I discovered in Europe.

Once that happened, my taste buds woke up.”

Back home, he built a solid reputation working at several successful restaurants, but he eventually grew tired of the culinary atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest, where fresh and healthy dominated over flavor and spice. He wanted to experience a different approach to food, and he couldn’t have picked a better place than New Orleans, where he was hired as lead cook and saucier for Emeril’s.

“New Orleans offered me a whole new take on things I didn’t get back home – things like spice, batter, cooking things together in one pan, and pure love of food. I went from a cuisine where everything was good for you to one where everything was bad, and I loved it,” Sells says.

Sells spent several years cooking in New Orleans and Austin before he was hired to lead the team at Snake River Grill, L’Auberge du Lac’s fine dining restaurant, in 2005. He has now been cooking for nearly 20 years and will present dishes at the day-long food and wine experience.

“Dining is like getting a bowl of grapes. Fine dining is like getting a bowl of grapes that have been individually peeled for you. But the grapes have to be good to begin with, or none of that matters,” he says. “Not everything tastes great straight out of the earth. It needs love. It’s our job to prepare food and become facilitators of a dining experience.”

by Erin K. Cormier

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October 2010

by Erin K. Cormier

When Roxie Boston was 12 years old, her mother would hear the clanking of pots and pans in the kitchen and pretend to be asleep because she knew her daughter was about to make her taste something awful.

Kitchen experimentation was part of Roxie’s mental makeup, and the experiments didn’t always go over well. Eventually, Roxie Boston however, the trial-and-error paid off and Roxie soon started baking for friends and family. When she opened her own business, it was the icing on the cupcake.

“I never expected it to turn into such a success,” said Boston, 22, owner of Sweet Chic Cupcakes, a wholesale provider. DeAngelo’s was the first to request her cupcakes more than a year ago. Her desserts can now be customordered or found in local businesses such as KD’s, Serendipity, and The Paper Place.

Sweet Chic centers solely on cupcakes, a simple yet delectable delicacy. Boston prepares mini and traditional sizes in a dozen custom-made flavors, including lemon cream, peanut butter fudge, white chocolate raspberry, turtle, cookies and cream and chocolate raspberry. All the cupcakes are filled in the center with homemade gooey goodness.

What’s the key to a fantastic cupcake?

“I don’t think I can reveal my secrets,” Boston said. “But let’s just say the frosting is really important.

All of my frosting is handmade in small batches using real butter.”

Boston also specializes in custom-made cupcake towers, one of which she will present at the Rouge et Blanc Wine and Food Event. The elegant 4-foot-high cupcake tower will feature more than 450 miniature cupcakes in the traditional event colors of black, white and red. She has designed similar towers for weddings • Great selection of and local fundhard to find wines raisers.

“It takes a long • Large selection of single time. I don’t sleep malt Scotch whiskeys much, but it’s worth • Small batch Bourbons it,” she said.

Lake Street Liquor Store • 4336 Lake Street • Lake Charles, LA 70605 (337) 477-2428 • lakestreetliquor@suddenlink.net

The Unconventional Chef

October 2010

Thrive Savor the Flavor

www.thriveswla.com

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The Art and Nostalgia of Pastries Pastry Chef Bill Foltz initially considered becoming an architect or an engineer. He loved the appeal of three-dimensional artistry and the potential creative freedom that came with sketching, creating and building your own designs.

He thrived in the creativity.

Unfortunately, his passion for mathematical formulas wasn’t quite as dynamic.

Instead, he considered culinary Pastry Chef Bill Foltz school. He graduated from the National Center for Hospitality Studies at Sullivan College in Louisville with an associate of science in baking and pastry arts and from Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio with an associate of applied business degree in culinary arts technology. He spent 17 years working for high-end resorts and bakeries nationwide before joining L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort as pastry chef in June 2009.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Foltz came from a family that shared a love of cooking and baking. He spent a lot of time with his mother in the kitchen, baking traditional family desserts.

“Baking is about memories. When you are served with a particular dessert, you can resort back to that flavor. There was an apple orchard near my house when I was growing up and it was a routine to pick apples from it. My mom would make apple crisp,” Foltz said. “Apple crisp always brings me back to that orchard.”

Being a pastry chef allows Foltz to tap into the same places that initially drew him toward a career as a builder. In addition to the culinary science and innovation that comes with creating traditional pastries, he also spends much of his time conceptualizing and creating showpieces for competition. In 2006, he earned a gold medal at the U.S. Pastry Competition and was named U.S. Pastry Chef of the Year. His largest pastry showpiece was 11 feet tall.

Foltz’s appreciation for all things sweet extends from the smallest chocolate morsel to the largest showpiece.

“If I could just eat sugar for the rest of my life, I would,” he said. As for his favorite dessert: “A mile-high chocolate mousse pie. Or even just a big bowl of ice cream.”

Specialties from Desserts at L’Auberge will be featured at the Bubbles for Banners Champagne Brunch on Sunday, October 24.

Seatings are available at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $50. For information, visit www.rougeetblanc.us. Foltz will also present desserts at the Rouge et Blanc main event.

by Erin K. Cormier

All proceeds benefit community projects sponsored by The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. PLaNtatioN & PearLs Preview Party Wed., Nov. 17 • 7–10pm

C Brighton

hoLiday market GeNeraL admissioN

C SweetChic Cupcakes

$7 Per Person, Children 8 & under Free Thurs. & Fri., Nov. 18–19 • 10am–9pm Sat., Nov. 20 • 9am–5pm

2214 Ryan St. C Lake ChaRLeS, La C 337-439-1418

WeD., oct. 20, 2010 the Pioneer club • 7pm Limited to 40 people • $80 Call 436-4895 tHuRS., oct. 21, 2010 Luna Bar and Grill • 6:30pm $70 plus tax and gratuity Call 494-5862

southerN sassy bruNCh Thurs., Nov. 18 • 10–noon

Did you know…

10% of all wine sales on the day of Rouge et Blanc goes towards the McNeese Banners Cultural Series?

beLLes aNd bordeaux Ladies NiGht Fri., Nov. 19 • 5:30–9pm

beiGNets with saNta Sat., Nov. 20 • 3 seatings Children 1 & under Free

For more information or to obtain tickets, please call:

(337) 436-4025 or visit www.jllc.net

Thrive Savor the Flavor

Lake charles country club 7pm • $75 plus tax and gratuity Call 477-5511

November 17th–20th

Lake CharLes CiviC CeNter

C Formal Gowns

www.thriveswla.com

s, Inc.

of Lake Charle

Hol

C Bridesmaids and Mother-of Dresses

the Harlequin • 7pm $80 inclusive Call 310-0077

La truffe Sauvage 6:30pm • $245 inclusive Call 439-8364 Limited to 50 people

s s o M & e o Mistlet y Market ida

C Cocktail Dresses

tueS. oct. 19, 2010

Booda’s Bistro 7pm • $85 plus tax and gratuity Call 564-4654 for reservations Limited to 60 people

presents

Serendipity

14

may Be sold out, But you can still wine and dine youR way thRough this week-long festival!

Raw Foods & organic Wines with Gene & Shively Lampson Lakeshore Drive at 7pm $95 inclusive Call Shively at 436-1145

FRi., oct. 22, 2010

ue The Junior Leag

Whatever your special occasion think...

Rouge et Blanc

Mon., oct. 18, 2010

October 2010

Graywood 7:30pm • $100 inclusive Call Holly at 562-1206 ext. 3 SAt., oct. 23, 2010 champagne Seminar and tasting Pujo Street cafe $10 (Must be 21 years old) Limited to 40 people * See center spread for more details on dinner menus

Rouge et Blanc is presented by the Downtown Development Authority and the McNeese Foundation, with support from the City of Lake Charles and the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury. Proceeds benefit the McNeese Banners Cultural Series.

October 2010

Thrive Savor the Flavor www.rougeetblanc.us

www.thriveswla.com

15

Great rooms!

Delicious DininG! Enjoy a comfortable stay at either one of our two hotels.

Indulge yourself while staying in a roomy suite at the Hotel Tower.

Relax in a newly-remodeled room at the Inn at the Isle.

Savor a great meal from one of our four delicious restaurants, perfect for every palate.

I-10, Exit 27 Lake Charles, LA • 1-800-THE-ISLE (843-4753) • www.isleofcapricasinos.com © 2010 Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. Must be 21 or older. Valid photo ID required.