A Grand Cru private home Dinner Created by Buca Chef Rob Gentile

One of the great chefs in Canada for his personal take on rustic Italian cuisine is Rob Gentile of Buca restaurant. I get cravings for some of Buca's renditions. This dinner, created for one of the 27 private dinners held on one night to raise money for the Toronto Western hospital and it's world leading research, is the result of the efforts of Todd Halpern of Halpern Imports, and his very capable team who made the arrangements for all the dinners and the dinner and auction held 2 days prior. Some of the world's great winemakers and a leading medical researcher are present at each dinner. The guest winemaker/owner was Ms. Laurence Feraud who supplied all wines (except for the dessert and champagne) by Domaine du Pegau. 

Buca Bocconcini Melanzane

Crisp eggplant with Italian burrata and shaved, fresh white truffle from Molise.

Crostini 

Rare, erborinato cheese topped with apple mostarda and a basil leaf.

Polpetini 

Soft, creamy polenta with braised lamb neck and grana cheese.

Salumi (station)

Hand carved leg of acorn fed boar, cured 10 months, silky textured with a sweet nutty flavoured fat.

Champagne Barons De Rothschild was served with all the above apps.

Piatti Freddi

Puntarelle (pieces of curly Roman style chicory) with crispy smelts,pesto, pine nuts and organic quail egg yolk.

Cuvée Réservée White 2010

Crudo

Cervo Stagionato: hand carved cured venison with chick pea panella, house made sheep's milk cheese, Tuscan pistachio and wild grape “mosto cotto”, mustard leaves and chopped pistachios. The only aspect of this dish that did not please me were the rather bland and soft chick pea panellas, which could have been crisper, the only miss of the night.

Cuvée Réservée Red 2007

Pasta

Goose foie gras and porcini mushroom filled tortelli with Ottawa Valley sweet butter, toasted hazelnuts, crispy fried rosemary leaves, redolent of their flavour and aroma, and chianti "vincotto" reduction. A great dish.

      Cuvée Réservée Red 2006 Cuvée Laurence 2006

Carne

Alce: Tuscan rubbed elk rack, presented rare, with sun choke, roasted wild mushrooms and grilled treviso hearts finished with shaved uncinato truffle.

Cuvée Laurence 2004

Dolci

Organic olive oil and roasted quince cake with Quebec flora honey gelati and macerated marcona almond finished table side with Manni “live olive oil”. This dessert was a great finish for the meal and so well matched with the flavours of this wine.

Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal 2006 Sélection De Grains Nobles Trie Speciale