Délices de France: French Wines and Cheeses

There's nothing like the warm, savory scents and flavors of a complete dinner perfect for any fall or winter holiday. From savory, creamy soup to a tender roast to veggie sides and a rich dessert, everything here will thrill guests and family alike. We'll make a complete supper, then sit down to the fruits of our labor, with a menu of: chestnut-wild mushroom soup; herb popovers; horseradish-crusted beef roast; Brussels sprouts with pomegranate; mashed potatoes; and for dessert, cranberry-poached pear with ginger mascarpone.

Treasures abound in Italy's Piemonte region. This gorgeous tasting canvasses the landscape by highlighting some of its gems, centering on the region's tasty Nebbiolos, including Barolo and Barbaresco. But the region has so much more to offer too, with grape varieties like Roero Arneis, Barbera, Dolcetto and more. Floral, earthy, red fruit with leather---these wines range from rustic to elegantly regal. ICE's resident sommelier, Richard Vayda, guides your tour of this region's wine delights. The tasting will include at least 8 wines accompanied by some appropriately refined cheeses and other treats.

This four-session continuation of the Wine Essentials series offers in-depth exploration and tastings of some of the world’s more interesting and unusual wines. Studies will include an expanded array of lesser-known varietals and wines, as each class concentrates on one wine category and delves into the wines’ production, characteristics and uses, including discussions of food and wine pairing. Session 1: Advanced White Wines: Side-by-Side Tasting of Interesting Aromatic and Fruity Wines. Session 2: Advanced Red Wines: In-Depth Comparison of Selected Wines From Old and New World Regions. Session 3: Off-Dry to Sweet: Exploration of Elegant Rieslings to Cru Classé Sauternes. Session 4: Fortified and Aromatized Wines With Wine Service: Fascinating Wines, From Vermouths and Sherries to Madeiras and Portos.

By the latter half of the 19th century, bistros were centers of social life in Paris, catering to great painters, writers, musicians and other artists. The simple, down-to-earth food served at such bistros quickly became as celebrated as the eateries' most famous patrons - and it's still celebrated in Paris and around the world today. You will make traditional dishes of that bygone era, such as: steak tartare; frisée salad with apples, lardons and goat cheese in a warm shallot-bacon vinaigrette; moules frites and haricot verts amandine.