Star-spangled
David Sharland, executive head chef of the Vineyard at Stockcross, Berkshire, breathed a sigh of relief when applause rang out through the restaurant late on 17 November. An audience of 46 satisfied customers were showing their appreciation at the end of a Californian evening during which a six-course meal had been served alongside four wines flown in especially for the occasion from the USA's West Coast.
His relief was due to the fact that he'd had to write the menu six weeks before the event for publicity purposes, although the wines were not selected until a month later.
He worked closely with the Vineyard's sommelier Edoardo Amadi to discuss the style of wines and grape varieties likely to be chosen, and planned the Californian-inspired menu accordingly.
To start the six-course extravaganza, Sharland (pictured, right) chose crab - always popular on the West Coast. Pan-roasted spices - turmeric, curry and mixed spice - were marinated in oil and incorporated into a mayonnaise, which was used to coat the crab. The full-bodied Viognier wine from Alban Vineyards, with characteristics akin to a Gewrztraminer, proved a good match for the delicately spiced dish.
The creamy butternut squash soup that followed used a base of onions, carrots and the squash, combined with vegetable and chicken stock, with some saffron and orange as flavourings.
Sharland flew in the striped bass for the next course direct from California, having himself enjoyed the fish on a visit to the state's wine regions earlier this year. "It has a different flavour and texture from the bass we get here - the flesh is fresher and cleaner-looking." The sweet corn custard - an adaptation of a Charlie Trotter dish - provided a contrast in texture to the beans, corn and scallions served with the bass. A rounded Chardonnay from Joseph Phelps in Carneros, at the southern end of the Napa Valley, accompanied the dish.
The squab was more local - from within Berkshire. Sharland felt the strong, gamey flavour of this needed light accompaniments, so he chose peas and pearl onions and light red port sauce rather than a heavily reduced Madeira one. Polenta, popular in California, provided some bulk. A fruity Estate Grenache from Alban Vineyards was served with this.
Inspiration for the dessert was more South of France than California. Sharland adapted a fennel tart he had eaten there by adding pear to provide an autumnal flavour. The star anise ice-cream added a hint of spice to the strongly flavoured dish, which was partnered by a 1994 Joseph Phelps, Sémillon Late Harvest, Napa Valley.
It was appropriate that the Vineyard should host a Californian dinner because the restaurant's selection of 350 California wines is believed to be one of the largest in the country, and owner Sir Peter Michael himself owns a Californian vineyard. n
