A grey autumn day didn’t keep me indoors this past Saturday.
Wine seminar at Temple Restaurant
Left to right: Grand Cru Corton Perrières 2008, Chassagne-Montrachet 2009, Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne, and Meursault 2008
A wine seminar held at Temple Restaurant Beijing woke up my senses with Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from Burgundy, taught by Marco Caschera, directeur of export for Vincent Girardin. The event was coordinated by Dragon Phoenix Fine Wine Consulting. My favorite was the Meursault and the Grand Cru Corton Perrières — frankly, they were all delicious.
Marco imparted upon participants how much he found Chinese cuisine so much more interesting and complex than French cuisine. He recommended Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs to pair with Chinese food. I can’t claim to know enough about wine, but as I learn more about Chinese cuisine, I am curious to learn more about wine and which ones would pair well Chinese flavors.
Chi Fan for Charity
Not completely Chinese, but still happening in Beijing was the Chi Fan for Charity event in the evening. I hosted a table at Modo, one of my favorite restaurants in Beijing. Our table of ten contributed to the goal of raising ¥300,000 to support two charities, Bethel Foundation and New Hope Foundation.
Our generous hosts at Modo served highlights from their menu and the portions extended the charity to our appetites! There were a few at our table who had never eaten at Modo before, whose eyes lit up and voiced intention to return. Was it the crispy pork belly with roasted apples or the spinach and ricotta malfatti that won them over? Words of praise escaped lips between bites, sips, and laughter.
Shanti Christensen and Michael Crain, founder of Chi Fan for Charity
Dinner guests from over 40 participating restaurants with additional party-goers in support of the causes gathered at Hatsune for free flow drinks, a silent auction, and the sounds of DJ Patrick Yu. Chi Fan for Charity is one of those events that speaks to me as it brings together a large community to raise money for worthy causes while further inspiring a sense of togetherness over dinner and drinks.
More scenes from the day
[...] you can check out a write-up of our night at Modo on Shanti Christensen’s website: ShowShanti.com. The beautiful Shanti was our table’s host for the evening – and if you’re [...]