Help?!

I may be only a few months away from making the biggest culinary mistake of my life. And I need your help.

You see, our intrepid wine group (a.k.a. The Over-indulgent Lushes) has chosen a theme for our holiday tasting. (Yes, most of us are just this side of anal retentive, so we plan ahead.)

The idea? Splurge! We'll each bring a bottle of wine we've always wanted to try, and since we are not people of humble tastes, we're all thinking big. M. named her bottle months ago, and when Mr. Food Musings and I saw it in a wine shop in Palo Alto, we frantically dialed her at the office to see if she wanted us to buy it. (She did -- a hard to find Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir.) Mr. FM nabbed his fancy bottle of Vega Sicilia Unico 1994 about a month ago.

Eyes wide and hands clasped, I announced at one meeting that come December, I'd be packing a bottle of Screaming Eagle, that rare and mysterious cult favorite. When I found out it costs upwards of $1000 a bottle, my cabernet-colored bubble burst with a loud, sticky pop.

So I set my sights on Chateau d'Yquem thanks to an article I read about them in Wine Spectator. Or Saveur. Well, somewhere. Anyway, after reading that article I realized that their Sauternes, a late harvest wine grown in Bordeaux and often paired with foie gras, is considered by many to be the best. d'Yquem, as the locals call it (those crazy Frenchies!) was established in 1593, making it the oldest sweet wine made in Bordeaux. They are so picky that, like vintage Champagne and sparkling wines, they only release wine when the grapes are up to snuff. The last time they skipped a year was 1992.

And so, having found a rare and estemeed jewel of a wine, I asked Mr. FM to research the cost. $200ish for a half bottle -- not cheap. He frowned. (Loves me not?)

Ka-ching! went his credit card as he entered it online. (Loves me!)

So far so good. But here's the problem: I must prepare a dish to serve with this bottle of valuable wine. My wine group is trying to convince me to serve foie gras, but (a) I am intimidated by the thought of searing a precious liver and ruining it, and (b) it seems like the Sauternes will be the only wine in the group suitable for a dessert pairing. Dessert it is.

So, people, what the hell am I gonna make? I read that the honeyed tones of a Sauternes pair well with apples, pears and/or custard. I hate custard, so that's out. I was thinking of a pear tarte tatin, or a honey cake topped with poached pears, but are they d'Yquem worthy? I don't know!!!

I'm getting frantic here. I can't blow it -- I'm a food junkie and a dessert fiend, and the pressure is on to end our holiday party -- where we may just drink the best wines of our lives -- with a bang.

Suggestions are welcome. In fact, begged for. Remember, I'm representin' food bloggers everywhere. So post a comment and tell me what the hell to make!

Comments

[Mom]

Well if you ask me, I'd say something with strawberries...or some kind of berries...drizzled with a dark chocolate, but what do I know about pairing food & wine? Alas, not much!

[Bill]

One of the reasons Foie Gras pairs so well with Sauternes is the balance of the savory and sweet in the foie gras. So, for your dessert course, you should go for that same balance. I recommend an assorted cheese and fruit platter. For the cheese, go for the stinkier the bettter. The blue cheeses taste great with sauterne. (Hell, I'm allergic to cheese and I still would take a nibble of a nice stilton or roquefort if paired with a nice sauterne.) For the fruit, I like your idea of pears, which are still on season. And I would look for figs which are just coming into season and taste great with the cheese and the wine. To finish off the tray, garnish with champagne grapes. They look fantastic and are very tasty.
Have fun!

[kitchenmage]

Being fearless, I'd contact the winery and ask them. I've found that the producers of specialty items are often tickled to hear from someone who is bothering to do something sepcial with their product and all too happy to help out. The worst they do is tell you to figure it out alone, and if you get lucky they'll give you a true winner of an idea.

[catherine]

Some good ideas are trickling in...thank you!

[Melissa]

Hi Catherine, what a conundrum! I'm actually with Bill on the fruit and cheese platter. I'm afraid that going for a suitably spectacular dessert would dangerously risk overpowering or overshadowing the wine. If I were in your shoes, I'd go to some trouble to find a selection of great cheeses: something blue (stilton or roquefort), something salty and aged (manchego, pecorino, dry jack), something nutty (gruyere, comte, beaufort) something soft and stinky (epoisses, banon, saint marcellin) and maybe something fresh, like sheep's milk ricotta... along with the best fall fruits you can lay your hands on and some great bread. It sounds like heaven to me!