Eleven Madison Park

First Taste: Scion Pre-Phylloxera Port

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

As the room of tasters, a veritable varsity squad of New York wine writers, took their respective places, the publicist for Portuguese port house, Taylor Fladgate, announced that this was a first: not a single invitation offered to the morning's event had been declined. It wasn't out of courtesy. The 17th-century port purveyor was here at Manhattan's Eleven Madison Park to taste through its line-up of vintage and tawny ports, culminating in a rare treat, an 1855 pre-Phylloxera port called Scion.

Christie's Head of Wine-Asia, Charles Curtis MW, made some opening remarks about Taylor Fladgate, port wine and the auction market before handing the host duties over to Adrian Bridge. The CEO of Taylor Fladgate, Bridge cut an English gentleman's mien as he guided the assembled group through such bottlings as a vintage 1992 (sweet and earthy with slightly tannic finish), vintage 2003 (like a big Cabernet, with dark fruit and a huge nose) and a 30-year-old tawny (fig cookie, bitter orange and lightly floral).

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James Beard Award Winners 2010: Marea, Daniel, Craft and French Laundry

by Carrie N. Culpepper (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Events

It's no surprise that New York and Napa Valley restaurants dominated the top spots at Monday night's James Beard Awards held at Lincoln Center. Foodies of every stripe -- from Food Network stars to French Laundry chefs -- were in attendance at the black-tie event. A red carpet was even set up in the new courtyard outside Avery Fisher Hall so the truly food-obsessed could catch a glimpse of chefs like Wolfgang Puck, Lidia Bastianich and Alton Brown, the evenings co-hosts. (Pictured above is Brown, JBF president Susan Ungaro, Bastianich and Ted Allen arriving on the red carpet.)

The big awards of the evening went to New York's Marea for Best New Restaurant; Tom Colicchio of the Craft restaurants (and a regular "Top Chef" judge) won the Outstanding Chef Award; Daniel Boulud won the Outstanding Restaurant Award for Daniel, another New York restaurant; the Outstanding Pastry Chef award went to Nichole Plue of Redd in Napa Valley; and Timothy Hollingsworth of Napa's famous The French Laundry, won the Rising Star Chef of the Year Award.

Backstage, talk turned to to food trends -- something fine-dining chefs don't look kindly on -- and the seemingly omnipresent locavore movement. And we even found out where these top chefs are excited to eat.

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Valentine Essentials: Mauboussin Rings

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Holiday Guides

Who doesn't like package deals especially when it comes to 'wow-ing' your honey on Valentine's Day. Mauboussin, a French jeweler known for capturing emotion in their exquisite pieces, is offering a fantastic deal in partnership with Eleven Madison Park. If a patron purchases $1,500 worth of jewelry at Mauboussin's flagship store on Madison Avenue they will be treated to a complimentary three-course lunch including wine, tax and gratuity on Valentine's Day at the nearby French restaurant. Of all their unique glittering items, often using colored stones, the 'Sexy pour Toi' for $21,490 was my personal favorite but below in the gallery are the pieces recommended by Mauboussin to treat your Valentine this year.

Gallery: Mauboussin Rings