Valentine Vintner's Dinner
January 30, 2006
The
Visitor
Center at Hilmar Cheese Company is hosting a Vintner's Dinner on February, 10, 2006. Local winemakers
John Monnich of Silkwood Wines and David Tyler of Wend Tyler Winery will be on hand to present their wines during a six-course gourmet dinner.
Using a Valentine theme, Chef
Kevin VanderBes, the
Visitor
Center ’s Corporate Chef, has designed the dinner to emphasize the unique flavors of each wine. The meal begins with an Amuse Bouché Chef Kevin has titled, "Oysters, Dear" - a Kumamoto oyster on a silver spoon with Meyer lemon & Blanc de Noirs gelee paired with 2000 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs. The entrée is "O for a Muse of Fire," a carved Brazilian Churrascaria-style prime New York strip with reduction sauce of Petite Sirah and natural juices, aromatics truffled potatoes and all paired with Silkwood Petite Sirah. Because no meal, especially a Valentine’s meal, would be complete without dessert, Chef Kevin offers a Scharffen-Berger chocolate pot de' crème and Silkwood Syrah poached cherries sprinkled with candied pistachio dust, paired with a 2001 Silkwood Syrah. Dinner concludes with a cheese course sampling of artisan cheeses from local farmsteads.
Dinner Details
Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. with passed Hors d’oeuvre, cost is $70 per person including tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (209) 656-1196 or by faxing a registration form.
About Chef
Kevin VanderBes
Brought on board in July,
Kevin VanderBes is Corporate Chef for the company’s Café and Catering business. VanderBes brings a rich range of experience – from Chef de Cuisine with Starwood Hotels, McCormick and Schmick’s and
San Francisco ’s Palace Café, to restaurateur having owned his own bistro and brewery in
Seattle.
About The
Visitor
Center at Hilmar Cheese Company
Owned by eleven local dairy families, the Hilmar Cheese Company is the world’s largest single-site cheese manufacturing facility. The
Visitor
Center was opened in 1998 and offers complimentary tours, cheese tasting and gift shop. Fresh-baked pizza, deli sandwiches and salads are salads are available in the
Visitor
Center ’s Cafe Café, which also features Starbucks coffee and an ice cream counter. Gourmet foods, specialty items and a large selection of cheeses and cheese gift baskets are available in the gift shop. The
Visitor
Center, with its lovely setting and professional catering service, is host to many special events including wedding receptions, business parties and family gatherings.
The Visitor Center at Hilmar Cheese Company is located 4 miles south off of Highway 99, exit Lander (Highway 165), on the corner of August and Lander Avenues. Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, except major holidays. For more information call (209) 656-1196.