Delicata Perfect Match for Belgo-Maltese Dinner

Delicata wines showed well at the Belgo-Maltese dinner organised at the Stella Maris culinary teaching institute in Antwerp, Belgium on 18th October 2013.

The dining experience was the cumulation of the collaboration between the direction of the Stella Maris institute in Antwerp and the management of the Cavalieri Hotel in St. Julian’s, who have been exchanging culinary experiences on a couple of occasions in the past.

For this exquisite flavour experience of fusion food, executive chef Hili and sous-chef Zahra of the Cavalieri Hotel planned the menu together with Stella Maris’ Chef Boon and his apprenticing brigade of aspiring chefs during their educational visit to Malta one week earlier.

Upon their return in Antwerp, the cheffing students prepared the same five-course meal at the institute’s restaurant in Belgium for dignataries and a full house of no less than 70 paying guests, all under the  supervision of chefs  Hili, Zahra and Boon.

The well-liked fare consisted of dishes made up of ingredients, flavours and textures and cooking methods from the Belgian and Maltese cuisines combined into a single eating experience. The possibilities of food paired with wine are endless but for this fusion menu the choices were always going to be obviously Maltese. The wines were hand-selected by  Georges Meekers, head of sales for Delicata and present for the wining and dining experience.

The wine and food matches of the evening that enticed the most were the 2012 Pjazza Regina IGT Maltese Islands, a white blend of Girgentina, Chardonnay and Vermentino with the lemon infused octopus carpaccio, the 2012 Medina DOK Malta Grenache Rose along the ravioli stuffed with Maltese sausage and served with ricotta, Gozo cheese and Belgian vegetables, and finally, the 2012 Victoria Heights DOK Gozo Merlot that complemented the lamb dish with vanille-infused potato puree perfectly.

Following the success of the culinary twinning, the chefs, wine professional Georges Meekers and popular Belgian actor-comedian Luc Caals, who was also present and is set to perform in Malta, have given rendezvous for another wine and laughter packed event at the Cavalieri Hotel later this year.