10/31/12

Cava de Gramona


The Gramona history started more than 125 years ago and now it is the fifth generation who works for this famous house of wines.

The grapes for the Gramona wines all come from own land of 150 hectares mainly in the La Plana, Mas Escorpi, El Serralet and La Solana sites with the main grapes to be Xarello, chardonnay, Pinot noir and Macabeo.

The experimental vineyards of other known grape variety makes exiting wines with a modern twist.

The Cava Argent is made of chardonnay grapes and aged for 34 months shows delicate expression of the grape with long lasting taste.

III Lustros made of Xarello and Macabeo and aged for at least five years in the cellar with real cork is a true elegance and harmony in the bottle with great complexity and lingering taste.

The best wine is the Celler Batlle that have been aged for seven years on cork and contains the best grapes of Xarello and Macabeo, this wine is fantastic and shows nice creamy texture with loads of white peach, apricots and toasted almonds with very long finish, well worth seeking out for.

I like the way that Mr Gramona is working with the still wines in solera system that sets him apart from many other producers, great job.
The ice-wine’s are interesting and fun to taste that put Penedes wines in a new perspective.






10/24/12

CULINARY OLYMPICS ALL RESULTS 2012

Culinary Olympics 2012 Results

NATIONAL TEAM
Rank NationABC Cold PlattersMedalR Hot KitchenMedalTotal points
1Sweden95,08Gold94,32Gold94,70
2Norway89,3Silver93,14Gold91,22
3Germany87,45Silver91,2Gold89,33
4Canada85,49Silver92,8Gold89,15
5Switzerland88,01Silver87,37Silver87,69
6USA89,44Silver85,84Silver87,64
7Finland86,73Silver87,4Silver87,07
8The Netherlands81,97Silver84,57Silver83,27
9Australia82,57Silver83,85Silver83,21
10Japan85,97Silver79,39Bronze82,68
11Hong Kong82,44Silver81,25Silver81,85
12Denmark76,58Bronze86,38Silver81,48
13South Korea85,4Silver76,99Bronze81,20
14Malaysia82,69Silver79,1Bronze80,90
15South Africa76,05Bronze85,47Silver80,76
16England77,55Bronze83,65Silver80,60
17Wales78,88Bronze82,2Silver80,54
18Czech Republic79,64Bronze80,94Silver80,29
19Italy81,86Silver78,17Bronze80,02
20Scotland77,73Bronze81,2Silver79,47
21Hungary72,2Bronze82,63Silver77,42
22Portugal75,9Bronze77,18Bronze76,54
23Slovenia67,92Diplom83,93Silver75,93
24Malta72,37Bronze78,11Bronze75,24
25Cyprus75,46Bronze73,85Bronze74,66
26Slovakia68,13Diplom77,46Bronze72,80
27Romania71,02Bronze73Bronze72,01
28Luxembourg63,8Diplom75,31Bronze69,56
29Croatia66,17Diplom72,52Bronze69,35
30Mexico60,59Diplom71,2Bronze65,90
31Turkey63,31Diplom67,82Diplom65,57
32Ireland60,47Diplom69,86Diplom65,17
33Poland56,42Diplom70,19Bronze63,31
34Bulgaria56,43Diplom64,53Diplom60,48
35Israelcancelled 65,65

Military
PlaceNationCold PlattersMedalWarm KitchenMedalTotal points
1Switzerland93,06Gold93,77Gold93,415
2Great Britain92,24Gold93,11Gold92,67
3Germany92,73Gold88,88Silver90.805
4USA90,49Gold82Silver86,245
5Hungary87,73Silver71,77Bronze79,75
6Slovenia76,09Bronze78,55Bronze77,32
7South Africa74,03Bronze71,34Bronze72,685
8Poland67,74Diplom70Bronze68,87

Pastry
RankNationShow PieceMedalShow KitchenMedal
1Sri Lanka90,66Gold91,08Gold
2Germany81,92Silver81,92Silver
3Italy81,4Silver78,75Bronze

Junior
RankNationABC cold platterMedalR Hot kitchenMedalTotal
1Sweden92,83Gold94Gold93,415
2Norway91,5Gold94,7Gold93,1
3Switzerland87,67Silver93,2Gold90,44
4Denmark91,94Gold86,6Silver89,27
5USA86,1Silver90,2Gold88,15
6Thailand82,66Silver91,7Gold87,18
7Australia81,28Silver90,6Gold85,94
8Canada82Silver86,7Silver84,35
9Germany78,58Bronze86,5Silver82,54
10Italy77,78Bronze87,1Silver82,44
11Czech Rep.80,46Silver79,5Bronze79,98
12The Netherlands76,07Bronze82,9Silver79,485
13Wales69,17Diplom88,2Silver78,69
14South Africa77,66Bronze79Bronze78,33
15Austria69,96Diplom83,5Silver76,73
16Turkey58,88Diplom58,88Diplom76,1
17Portugal72,17Bronze79,3Bronze75,74
18Romania74,96Bronze72,8Bronze73,88
19Slovenia70,83Bronze76,4Bronze73,62
20England69,36Diplom77,3Bronze73,33
21Poland58,73Diplom75,8Bronze67,27
22Mexico64,23Diplom70Bronze67,115
23Kroatien62,5Diplom69Diplom65,75
24Guatemala62,5Diplom68Diplom65,25
25India56,88Diplom53,4Diplom55,14

Community Catering
RankNationNamePointsMedal
1SwedenTeam Sabis94Gold
2SwitzerlandSVG Trophy92Gold
3GermanyKlinik Löwenstein91,77Gold
4LuxembourgZivilschutz Luxemburg91Gold
5Sweden FazerCulinary91Gold
6SwitzerlandSV Culinary Circle87Silver
7SwedenSwedish School Restaurants84,2Silver
8SwitzerlandCompass Culinary Team82Silver
9GermanyTHW Trossingen82Silver
10BelgiumPIVA Culinary Team77Bronze
11GermanyL&D Team Berlin- Brandenburg75Bronze
12HungaryBiochef Hungary73Bronze
13AustriaAGÖ Kuratorium Wiener Pensionisten Wohnhäuser72Bronze
14RomaniaA.C.E.E.A Romania70Bronze
15GermanyPartyservice Gentscher66Diplom

Regional
RangNationNamePunkteMedaille
1SwedenStockholm Culinary Team90,74Gold
2CanadaCulinary Team Alberta90,51Gold
3SwitzerlandAargauer Kochgilde89,27Silver
4USAACF Culinary Regional Team USA89Silver
5SwitzerlandCCCZ Cercle des Chefs de Cusine de Zürich87,74Silver
6SwitzerlandCCCL Cercle des Chefs de Cuisine Lucerne87,65Silver
7SwedenSkane Kulinar87,08Silver
8SriLankaRegional Team Sri Lanka87Silver
9CanadaCulinary Team British Columbia86,7Silver
10SwedenCulinary Team West of Sweden86,36Silver
11SwitzerlandGilde etabl. Schweizer Gastronomen86,27Silver
12CanadaTeam Manitoba86Silver
13CanadaReg. Team Prince Edward Island85,08Silver
14CanadaGolden Horseshoe Culinary Team84Silver
15ItalyTeam Veneto Chef81,08Silver
16CanadaTrillium Chefs Canada Team A80,36Silver
17CanadaQuebec regional Team78,1Bronze
18ItalyCampania Team77,83Bronze
19ItalyEquipe ufficiale cuochi Emilia Romagna77,56Bronze
20USAThe International Culinary School at the Art Institutes77Bronze
21ItalyCulinary Team Palermo No 176,36Bronze
22GermanyRegionalmannschaft Niedersachsen76Bronze
23USARegional Team Texas75,02Bronze
24CzechRepublik Bidvest Gastro Team73,63Bronze
25ItalyCulinary Team Palermo No 273,17Bronze
26ItalyTeam Chef Regione Lombardia72,61Bronze
27GermanyRegionalmannschaft LV Berlin-Brandenburg72,4Bronze
28LithuaniaAmber Aliance71,19Bronze
29GermanyMeistervereinigung Gastronom BW71,16Bronze
30CroatiaCity of Zagreb, Varazdin, Imurje & Istria County70,23Bronze
31MontenegroMontenegro Regional Team69,41Diplom
32The NetherlandsCulinary Team Amsterdam69,1Diplom
33HungaryMosonmagyarovar Culinary Team68,56Diplom
34CroatiaRegion Dalmacia68,05Diplom
35PolandPomerania Culinary team of Poland68Diplom
36RomaniaRegional Team of Bucharest68Diplom
37SerbiaSerbian Regional Culinary Team67Diplom
38PolandConsus Art Culinary Poland66Diplom
39BelgiumPIVA Culinary Team Antwerp65,43Diplom
40ItalyTeam Savona64Diplom
41GermanyEuroturk Chefs Culinary team62,79Diplom
42CroatiaRegion Hvar61Diplom
43GermanyRegionalmannschaft LV Bayern59,11Diplom
44MoldovaRegional Team Moldavia58,84Diplom
45CanadaAboriginal Culinary Team Canada58Diplom
46RomaniaRegional Team Moldova - A.C.E.E.A.57,77Diplom

10/21/12

CAVAS RECAREDO


To visit Spain and especially Sant Sadurni d`Anoia is always nice and very rewarding.

One of the great producers are Cava Recaredo and the great winemaker Ton Mata Moliner who is passionate about the product that he makes.

Recaredo is all Biodynamic and makes only cavas without dosage, all bone dry that shows great complexity and depth from the terroir.

Brut nature and brut de brut are all amazing wines that is some of the best produced cavas and you can buy them online at


An great pleasure was also to meet his father who have so much history to tell and who is responsible for most of the plantings they use right now and also taste some barrel samples of Xarello that will be used for some experiments.

Ton is the third generation of this house that was started by his grandfather in 1924 and who was a well known football player in the team Espaniol but even more as an true artist when it comes to disgorgement.

The house of Recardero does all of the remuage in racks by hand and all the vinification, aging and bottling is made in the house and all the wines undergo second fermentation with cork stoppers witch is very unusual.

The house prestigious Cava is the one that they call TURO D`EN MOTA that is produced in very limited quantity with single grape variety (xarello) that was planted in 1940 of just 0,97 Hectares.

The 2002 that I tasted was disgorged on the spot by Jose and served in cellar temperature.

After spending 120 months on lees it shoved great complexity and very creamy texture, this must be one of the most special cavas I have ever tasted, thanks Ton for letting me try this one.

This week Recardero will be in Stockholm and also in Malmö on Thursday so take the time and go to this special tastings that he will have here. contact Invinitum regarding this tastings.
 
 






 

 

10/20/12

SHERRY WINE WITH FOOD


Everybody knows how much passion and dedication I have for Sherry wines and I take every opportunity to teach people of Sherry.

I hade some 25 people at DUÅ in Umeå fore some hours explaining the greatness of Sherry and especially the Food and Sherry combinations that are unbeatable.

With all the goodies from Work (Gastro-Import) we did a great night and everybody was amazed of how well this wine pairs with different kind of food.

I just love it and so would you, just give it a try.

 

//D


10/10/12

SWEDEN KICK ASS IN THE CULINARY OLYMPICS


This have been a mind blowing day considering what the Swedish teams have done in the 2012 Olympics in Erfurt Germany.

You have to understand one thing, never ever have a team won this competition with overwhelming points like the senior team did today and never ever have a single country won 5 gold and 3 silver medals at any time, and you have to remember that the competition started in 1905!

What an outstanding achievement from this small country with great chefs, the teams did not only win, they also totally crushed the opponents in total humiliation.

I am so proud to be a part of the Swedish chefs association and to see all the behind scenes and also all the hard work that everybody did put in to make this happen and we are all looking forward to the World Cup in 2014.

Here are joyful pictures of all the Gold winning teams and here are the results.

 

 

Senior GOLD

Junior GOLD

Stockholm GOLD

Sabis GOLD

Fazer GOLD

Skåne Kulinar SILVER

Gothenburg SILVER

School restaurants SILVER

10/9/12

10/8/12

Culinary Olympics Erfurt 2012/2


The end of a fantastic journey is over and we god a well deserved silver medal on this years culinary Olympics in Erfurt.

We are all tired but mostly the guys who have been in the kitchen all night to prepare all the cold table displays.

I am so proud of all of the team for all the effort that they have put in over the past years to do the best ever table.

Thank you guys and we are already aiming for the world cup in Luxembourg in two years time.

Here are some pictures of out display, enjoy all of you out there and leave some comments or questions.
PS: the Wi-Fi here are bad so more pictures are up tomorrow when I get back home...stay tuned
and by the way...Its my birthday today :-)

 

//Dragan Unic







10/7/12

CULINARY OLYMPICS 2012 /1


The heat is on in Erfurt and the Culinary Olympics 2012.

Skåne Culinary team is starting up to produce the food for the cold display table that they we will show in a few hours and to judged by some of the best people in the business.

I am proud of what they have done until now and we all hope for the best and that we can go home with the golden medals around the neck and celebrate my birthday.

Here are some pictures from some other teams of today and also from the kitchen that we are using for the competition, enjoy and I will be back in a few hours.
/Dragan






10/1/12

Piemontese wines ala Curto family


The winery of Marco Curto is the traditional family-run winery, and has been handed down from father to son for three generations.

The winery consists of 4 hectares in the heart of the Barolo production area.
Marco Curto with his wife Adele and their daughter Nadia, cultivate the vineyards themselves, taking care of each step of the winemaking – from the cure of the plants to the manual harvest and to the cellar.

The family gives a lot of attention to the winemaking with great respect for tradition.

The production includes the typical wines of the area and the most renowned product is the Barolo Arborina docg (Arborina is the name of a restricted hilly area famous for the cru Barolos), with the name “La Foia” which means “leaf” in the Piedmont dialect.

Dolcetto d'Alba Gattera La Foia entirely produced in steel tank shows great expression and are some of the richest dolcettos around.

Barbera d'Alba La Foia aged for a few months in oak has great complexity and smoothness with long taste

Barolo La Foia, aged for two years in cask and for two years more in bottle, a good example of elegance.

Barolo Arborina La Foia, is an expression of a more complex and mature Barolo that is true to the Piedmonte winemaking

I’m honoured to have the opportunity to taste these fantastic wines and I an sure that we will see them in Sweden real soon on the market.

Thanks Nadia for providing me with some bottles