7th Aruba Wine, Food & Art Festival Finishes with a Flourish
The 7th edition of the Aruba, Wine, Food & Art Festival at the Westin Aruba Resort held over the weekend of June 7 – 9 featured three nights of amazing culinary experiences priced to every pocket. This wondrous culinary adventure finished with the traditional gourmet repast created by this year's visiting celebrity chefs, Guy Anderson and Jeff Mekolites of the famed Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Atlanta, Georgia. They were challenged to prepare delectable dishes paired to several vintages of Dom Pérignon and Moet & Chandon champagnes provided by Aruba Trading Company.
Collaborating with Westin Executive Chef Matt Boland, the pair devised a menu which they admit "relied heavily on what is particularly excellent and abundant in the Caribbean-seafood, and some of the regional techniques of seasoning".Dressed to the nines for an elegant evening, diners were welcomed with a personal bottle of Moet & Chandon Rosé Imperial, with which they enjoyed trays of amuse bouche; Lotus Root Chip with Sweet Pickled Radish, Crème Fraiche and Beluga Caviar. First Course was Wood Roasted Shrimp and Seared Scallop in a Seafood Consommé drizzled with Saffron Aioli followed by a trio of soups: Truffled Cream of Celery, Spring Greens and Watermelon Gazpacho. The fish course consisted of Lobster, Mango and Chili Salad with Compressed Vanilla Scented Melon and the Main Course was a Surf and Turf of Braised Beef Short Rib with Soft Mascarpone Polenta and Seared Tuna Loin with Avocado and Pickled Daikon. The decadent dessert ending this fabulous culinary experience was a Tropical Fruit Pyramid of coconut, passion fruit and blackberries, accompanied by rich petit fours.
A special sentiment was shared by the more then 60 diners attending the elegant dinner as Chef Guy Anderson, a regular visitor to Aruba for the past five years, welcomed his parents Bob and Elaine as his guests for the first time. Serendipitously, the final night of the festival, when he was the star of the show, was also their 50th wedding anniversary, and he was very happy to share the spotlight with them at dessert time. Westin's pastry chef made them a stunning and rich chocolate cake which was a great hit along with being a complete surprise. Guests for the dinner were not the least surprised at the excellence of the meal and libations, as Aruba Trading Company brought out the best champagne vintages in their cellar. ATC representative Rafael Wever reports he was extremely impressed with the dishes devised by the chefs for a most memorable occasion, which finished the 7th Aruba Wine, Food & Art Festival with the spectacular flourish that dedicated patrons expect.
http://travelandtourworld.com/news/news18.asp?newsID=12844
Collaborating with Westin Executive Chef Matt Boland, the pair devised a menu which they admit "relied heavily on what is particularly excellent and abundant in the Caribbean-seafood, and some of the regional techniques of seasoning".Dressed to the nines for an elegant evening, diners were welcomed with a personal bottle of Moet & Chandon Rosé Imperial, with which they enjoyed trays of amuse bouche; Lotus Root Chip with Sweet Pickled Radish, Crème Fraiche and Beluga Caviar. First Course was Wood Roasted Shrimp and Seared Scallop in a Seafood Consommé drizzled with Saffron Aioli followed by a trio of soups: Truffled Cream of Celery, Spring Greens and Watermelon Gazpacho. The fish course consisted of Lobster, Mango and Chili Salad with Compressed Vanilla Scented Melon and the Main Course was a Surf and Turf of Braised Beef Short Rib with Soft Mascarpone Polenta and Seared Tuna Loin with Avocado and Pickled Daikon. The decadent dessert ending this fabulous culinary experience was a Tropical Fruit Pyramid of coconut, passion fruit and blackberries, accompanied by rich petit fours.
A special sentiment was shared by the more then 60 diners attending the elegant dinner as Chef Guy Anderson, a regular visitor to Aruba for the past five years, welcomed his parents Bob and Elaine as his guests for the first time. Serendipitously, the final night of the festival, when he was the star of the show, was also their 50th wedding anniversary, and he was very happy to share the spotlight with them at dessert time. Westin's pastry chef made them a stunning and rich chocolate cake which was a great hit along with being a complete surprise. Guests for the dinner were not the least surprised at the excellence of the meal and libations, as Aruba Trading Company brought out the best champagne vintages in their cellar. ATC representative Rafael Wever reports he was extremely impressed with the dishes devised by the chefs for a most memorable occasion, which finished the 7th Aruba Wine, Food & Art Festival with the spectacular flourish that dedicated patrons expect.
http://travelandtourworld.com/news/news18.asp?newsID=12844
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