The Food Was Not Undelicious: May 25-June 1, 2007!! Completed - Post #794

[BriarRosie]

Victoria and Albert's - The Chef's Table, Part IV

When last we left you, Jay and I had finished chewing our way through a goodly portion of the Animal Kingdom. Or at least that's what it felt like after we swept the seas clean.

Need a recap? So far we've had tuna, shrimp, crab, salmon, caviar, quail eggs, buffalo, duck, elk, pig, goose liver, and some divine soup. And a whole lotta alcohol. We should have been on tilt by this time. Hmmmm...actually, now that I think about it the entire kitchen was tilting.

Old MacDonald used to have a farm. Until Brenda and Jay ate every last critter!

Course Six (Brenda and Jason)

Tasting of Japanese "Wagyu" and Australian "Wagyu" Beef Tenderloin with Oxtail Jus
Brenda's wine: Toad Hall Pinot Noir Dijon Clones, Carneros 2003
Jason's wine: Sarget de Gruand-LaRose, Saint Julien 2003


Oh dear...where do I start? First off, I am again somewhat underwhelmed by the presentation of this course. I'm not opposed to eating meat and I do enjoy strong carnivorous urges now and then, but I don't care for the "we just butchered the cattle on your plate" approach. My beef (har har har) is with the oxtail jus that has been splattered across the dish rather than with the fact that the meat is supposed to be served rare.

Ok. I think the beef on the left isn't rare, but the beef on the right still moo'ed at you.

Last fall I actually ordered the Australian "kobe" beef tenderloin as one of my choices in the dining room and it was the most incredible, tender, succulent beef I've ever eaten. This offering was not as good in my opinion and I admit to being really disappointed in it. The beef struck me as tougher than it should have been - probably a little overcooked - and the sauce was too salty.

Bummer. I would have been happy to clean your plate. Beef. It's what's for dinner! Yum.

The little pot, by the way, had a small portion of yummy potatoes with some shredded beef plonked in the middle. I would have been happier with just the potatoes...at this point I think I hit my red meat quota for the month. If we ever try the Chef's Table again I may ask if they can go heavier on the fish courses and lay off some of the beef for my tasting.

Oh man! Those potatoes look awesome! Fancy comfort food.

Wagyu beef is also known as kobe beef - I looked it up because I was curious and thought I'd share that with everyone. The meat is marbled in such a way that it results in exceptionally tender and flavorful beef when cooked. It is highly sought after as a culinary delicacy and as such, prices are ridiculously expensive - an average carcass can cost between $10,000 and $20,000.

Or you see it being cooked on Iron Chef. Those lucky bastages.

You guys want the honest truth? I let Jason eat most of mine because it just wasn't doing anything for me. I also let him finish off my wine because that didn't appeal to me much, either.

Jay's opinion: This Japanese meat was so tasty the only dish that could have possibly topped it would have been a sampling of pufferfish. To quote Homer Simpson, 'bring on the Fugu!'

"Poison...poison...poison...tasty fish!" And Jason, I'm with you about the beef. You lucked out. I wonder if a "bad" dish at V&A is better than a "good" dish elsewhere.

Brenda's sensible response: There will be no poisonous fish ingestion this evening, thanks anyway.

Yeah. I was never one for death wish dining.

Course Seven (Brenda & Jason)

Comte' Saint Antoine, Pierre Robert, Constant Bliss and Gorgonzola Stuffed Pear
Brenda's wine: Brachetto D'Acqui Banfi Rosa Regale Brut, Piedmont 2005
Jason's wine: Cockburn's 10-Year Old Tawny Porto

My first thought when I read this on our menus was, "I have no idea who any of these people are..." and then I reached "gorgonzola" and realized that this was the cheese course. Silly me!

Yeah, you almost lost me with all the "people" on your plate. I think this is done to keep the masses feeling dopey and ignorant. Totally worked on me. Both wine choices sound like winners.

For starters perhaps you, like me, have noticed that the pear in the middle of the plate is not stuffed with gorgonzola cheese. I'm not complaining because it was a drunken pear that had been poaching in spiced wine for most of the evening and was it ever tasty! Mmmmmm... drunken fruit is great when not embalmed in fruitcake.

So glad you mentioned it, because I thought you had made up the stuffed pear.

Let's see if I can actually remember anything... that white cheese at the top left-hand side of the plate with what looks like a dying worm was similar to a brie with a creamy, slightly nutty taste. I think this was the Constant Bliss but I'm not entirely sure.

Oh nice. More disgusting stuff described on your food. First the dessert boogers at CA Grill, and now wormy cheese at V&A.
But the gooey cheese looks awesome.

What can I tell you about the wines?

This was my first time (but not my last!) trying the oft-discussed Rosa Regale. I was a little surprised that they paired it with the cheese course because I've always been told that it's a dessert wine that is especially tasty with chocolate. But I'm here to tell you fine folks that the Regale was wonderful with the cheese.

Wanna see what it looks like?

It's fizzy and it's pretty and I like it just fine

Grimace would kill for this glass of port...

We've tried the Cockburn's Tawny Porto in the past and it's a fine, fine port - sweet and smooth and it tastes fabulous with cheese. Some day if you're feeling adventurous, pour some tawny port over your favorite ice cream and then sit back and enjoy the bliss.

Rosa Regale is awesome with chocolate, and I know port can be, too. I never thought they would be equally good with cheese.

Since I need to stop for the evening, I want to at least give you a hint of the scrumptious desserts to come. Remember when I mentioned that I ordered a cake from the Grand Floridian bakery for our anniversary? Here's a picture...

You must eat your way through the chocolate coating to find the cake within...

This is a vanilla layer cake with a white chocolate mousse filing and a vanilla buttercream frosting entirely covered with a hard shell of swirled white and milk chocolate. Oh, and the cake it resting on several layers of white chocolate shards, as I like to call them. For the curious among you (and who isn't curious?) we paid $25 for this cake. It's absolutely delicious and I think it actually can serve between 6-8 people depending on how it's sliced.

We didn't eat any of this at the restaurant but it made for a really tasty breakfast during the rest of our WDW stay. Now that's what I call starting off the day with a sugar rush!

Thanks for reading and for your good thoughts - I really appreciate each and every one of you!

I should be able to finish this up tomorrow night with dessert and some last minute goodies and excellent coffee and one final surprise that I had nothing to do with.

Wow, I know you couldn't possibly eat any of that cake! Sounds like you capped off your evening in a very nice way. I am looking forward to reading that!

 

[2angelsinheaven]

It all looks so yummy, especially compared to my corn dog and honey mustard...lol. Can't wait to hear more. Now to go back and read the rest of it.

 

[Summer-Caitlin]

Yay for more!! I especially loved the look of the cheese course. Now I'm not fond of rare meat, so to me that looked way undercooked, this is my worry when dining at V & A, I know you're supposed to eat medium-rare, but I just can't do it. I used to eat all meat well-done, I have graduated to medium in the last few months and for that I am quite proud, I just CAN'T get any lower than that. I will make my request known at V & A but I am worried, I love meat, but as BriaRosie said not 'mooing' at me!
I am so looking forward to the dessert courses, they are my weakness.

 

[disneyjunebug]

Now, I like red meat, but that is just a tad too rare for me even! And DH would have sent it back--he prefers to eat shoe leather for beef!

The cheeses all look yummy to me and I love fruit with a drinking problem! When I lived up in the hills of Appalachia, I would go to parties and people would be drinking this clear liquid from jars that had cherries soaking in them. I just would eat the cherries! Ah, the wonders of moonshine.....

And hey, for a half drunk broad looking at mooing meat, you were still holding up quite well!

The cake is to die for! I want that cake!

 

[jakenjess]

Brenda,

So glad you're back, and I hope you're feeling well!

My son and I had a fabulously enjoyable evening at HP and the OoTP. Loved it, even though there was a ton of stuff from the book that didn't make it to the screen. We can't wait for Friday night! We'll be at Border's awaiting our copy of book 7!

I thought the beef looked fabulous, although I agree with your comments on the presentation. I love beef, but I don't particularly like to think about where it comes from and how it gets to my plate! I would make the opposite request than you, I'd want my courses to be heavier on the meat and lighter on the seafood!

The cheese plate looked good, and that cake!! Beautiful, and it looked scrumptious. Sounds like my kind of breakfast!

Take care of yourself, and we'll be patiently awaiting the dessert portion of your report!

 

[whogirl'smom]

Hooray! Another update! Yep, I'm with everybody else; the beef needed a bit more fire to it in my opinion.
You looked very happy with your Rosa Regale--was that the 7th glass of wine?
I can't wait to see the inside of your cake (you did take a picture didn't you?); I have been all over the cake thread trying to pick the most fabulous cake for my 40th! You know I picked Narcoossee's (with a nod from DH) for my birthday dinner just b/c I wanted a cake from the Grand Floridian! I'm sure the dinner will be wonderful, too, but rest assured, their reputation rests on that cake with me!! ( I think there was too much "resting" in that sentence...)

Drum roll...waiting for the desserts....

 

[ncseric]

I can just hear the strains of Aaron Copland and Rodeo in the background... Beef... it's what's for dinner. Again.

 

[TigerKat]

Brenda's back!!! Hope you're feeling better.

Very surprised that they paired the Rosa Regale with the cheese. However I could probably pair it with anything and love it!

 

[MA pigletfan]

!

The cheese, however, looks yummy! I wonder if I could book the chef's table, and force them to find a way to serve me variations of cheese for 7 courses?

DITTO i say! DITTO!

 

[CampbellScot]

goodness gracious girl!!! (alliteration is such a thrill isn't it?) We were fixin to set the hounds out after you!

So glad you are feeling a bit better!!! That calls for a dancing banana!!

We saw Harry Potter last night too...the Imax 3D version...it was pretty impressive. We had great seats...other than the fact that the man sitting next to me had pepperoni burps the entire evening. I thought my husband was going to die. I kept getting giggle fits over it. I laugh when I am nervous and/or disgusted...it keeps me from being ill in public places! (that was sort of food related so I thought it fit in...like the salt lick story...right?)

I do think the book was better...but screen writers couldn't possibly get everything onto the screen or I'd have been trapped with pepperoni burp man for five hours!!!

Loved your review!!! I was not a big fan of the blood looking splash on the plate thing either. Not so much. The Rosa Regale looks very yummy though and I'd love to try it!!!

You are on my list girl...writing you down...prayers for feeling better!!

I've heard review writing does wonders for better feeling...

 

[BriarRosie]

I can just hear the strains of Aaron Copland and Rodeo in the background... Beef... it's what's for dinner. Again.

I totally had that music in my head when I wrote about "Beef. It's what's for dinner" in my reply. It also reminds me of the Wilderness Lodge.

I do think the book was better...but screen writers couldn't possibly get everything onto the screen or I'd have been trapped with pepperoni burp man for five hours!!!

It sounds like you were stuck on Stitch's Great Escape during the entire movie. That's a fate worse than death.

Actually, I did have my own icky movie patron moment, too. Right before the movie started, a woman who obviously likes to marinade in scent sat two seats away from me. I was tasting her obnoxious perfume for a while. It could have been worse. She could have no personal hygiene at all and not use any deodorant. (I couldn't tell through the cloud of perfume, thank goodness.)

 

[C.Marie]

Glad you're feeling better Brenda!

 

[Ms. Heimlich]

loved this last installment.

can't wait for the rest!!!

I LOVE BEEF!

That cheese course looks YUMo-licious!!!

 

[D&R love Disney]

That beef was cooked just right for my taste!

The cake OMG! I hope you have a picture of it cut open.

Looking forward to the dessert course.

 

[Jennifer48]

Glad to have you back pal! Hope you are feeling better. I'm a little disappointed that you actually thought "HP and the OoTP" movie was better than the book! I was actually pretty disappointed with the movie but we can discuss that elsewhere.

Now you can't say that you are not an adventurous eater anymore because half of these courses I would not touch or would be afraid to try. Guess I'm not as gutsy as you.

 

[DisneyJo]

That meat was overcooked I'd hate to see what you thought was rare

The cake looks absolutely gorgeous and only $25 wow that's great value

 

[DisneyLaura]

I kind of have to agree with the others in saying that the meat looked like it was mooing at you. The cheese (Except for the blue) looked yummy. The cake was gorgeous. I too hope you took a picture of it cut. Glad you're back and feeling better.

 

[HPHammer]

Aw, BriariRosie beat me to it -- 'Poison, poison, TASTY FISH!' is an oft-heard refrain around our house...

Was a map to the hospital printed on the back of your V & A menus?!

So glad you're back, Brenda.

 

[kikigirl]

Yay! Brenda's back! That cake looks so good...the beef, not so much.

Looking forward to the next part.

 

[50 years Too!]

Brenda,

I'm gone a week, and all .... breaks loose with your adoring fans.

Sorry you are having "issues" with your digestive tract. I can relate...
Like you, I don't let it get in the way of me and my food! I'd rather suffer some and enjoy while I'm tasting.

I buy Toad Hall because the label is so darn cute.

The skills center that I teach in (district high school vocational school/electives) has an ag department that raises Kobe/Wagu, same thing but can't be called Kobe unless it is raised in Japan. The culinary department goes to town with that beef. Yum, Yum.

Looking forward to your next installment.

Deb