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EDITORIALEDITORIAL by Béatrice COINTREAU |  | Wednesday June 4, 2008, 17:08
Having met during the co-organization of an oenological dinner with the topic "Flavours, Grape Varieties and Wines of France" emphasizing women in wine - where I honoured some friends such as Catherine Péré Vergé, Sylvie Cazes - Régine Le Coz, founder and president of "Women and Wines of the World International Competition" (besides her other activities and talents) invited me to take part in the jury of this annual international contest which she organizes in Monaco.
We met up again on April 4, where 25 international tasters of 15 different nationalities tasted nearly 150 wine samples from 12 participating countries.
Conviviality and seriousness of the organization as much as the tasters (Spanish, Chinese and Swedish in my jury!) contributed to convincing me of the professionalism of the competition.
Régine, moreover, wished to add value to the awarded wines (silver or gold, diamond novas) by associating them with original recipes by famous chefs.
In this the international year of the potato, the creativity of the chefs had no limit; the multi-faceted potato seduced the professionals with its creamy and its crunchy textures - a divine marriage with wine. It was also a real pleasure to call on friends.
Lea Linster legitimately became the godmother of the adventure, since she was the first woman to have gained the Bocuse d' Or award with a recipe containing potatoes.
Celebrating the 20-year anniversary of her restaurant a few years ago, we privatised the restaurant, had plates printed with "when one likes, one is always 20 years old” (with Lea, you're always 20 years old, except that nowadays our sons, who are friends, are actually 20 years old!) and we presented her divine recipes, from where she gained success with the international media on television and in magazines.
With Thierry Verrat, it is the "terroir" that speaks, a childhood friend and star-spangled professional, my "neighbour" in Cognac who crossed the earth as an ambassador of our beautiful area and its products (as gifts to visitors, I give his book written with Alexandre Boulche where he honours Jarnac carrots and other suppliers in his recipes). This large professional with multiple projects immediately made himself available; he is inexhaustible on the qualities of Pompadour and Franceline.
Flora Mikula is kindness, generosity, professionalism incarnated; lover of superior Champagnes, I had the opportunity to often rub shoulders with her since she welcomed us monthly for our “Directors” lunches in the triangle of the Champs-Élysées in Paris where we shared in cuisine made in her image: generous, convivial and light.
Beautiful "inside and out", her fidelity in friendship has no equal other than her investment in cooking; she still devotes time to support young talented cooks and in becoming just like Thierry and Lea. For me, this concern of transmission that we have in common is an essential quality.
At the time of our arrival, it was not one recipe, but at least four, and each one with a different variety of potato.... Pompadour was the preference that day, but to tell the truth, the "Wally" was also a hit.
The enthusiasm of these chefs and friends having taken part in this adventure of the "pairers of facts" proves that the kitchen, like the elaboration of wine, is an act of love, sharing and is made to be shouldered.
Béatrice COINTREAU
Member of the Wine Academy of France
International Wine Taster
www.beatricecointreau.typepad.fr |
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