Out-of-the-box, mouth-watering delights
Published:Thursday | December 8, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa's award-winning executive chef, Michael Dannecker, says he has long thrown out the box.
"When I am creating a menu, I think without the box," he told Food.
Not boxed in, the chef who copped the Culinary Federation of Jamaica Chef of the Year 2010 Award, put on his thinking cap and went to town in what could easily be tagged an impressively delicious feast, at the Rose Hall Holiday Ball last Saturday.
Whetting the appetites with a taste of sorrel vinaigrette on winter-green salad and spiced pecans, Dannecker's next goal was to have brie cheese melting in the mouths of guests as they feasted, savoured, and sampled the crème de brie cheese soup. It was paving the way for a detailed culinary journey they would not soon forget.
He pulled a puff pastry dome served as the top of the soup, out of his culinary magician hat.
"While the dough bakes, the soup heats up inside the cup," he revealed.
"I wanted guests to leave with something they had not seen or tasted before."
Exciting entrée
For the exciting and tongue-titillating entrée, the geniuses in Hilton Rose Hall's kitchen, marinated the chicken with annatto and sour orange, before grilling the breast of the meat, and baking the Rainforest Seafoods snapper, which was served with papaya relish.
On the side, and nowhere near a box, was sweet potato gratin, complemented with a marinated zucchini basket filled with string beans, carrots, yellow squash and red pepper.
As fabulous as the à-la-carte dining was, the highlight of the evening for me was the Hilton special orange bread pudding, accompanied by a holiday dessert station boasting the likes of a lithe cherry cheese cake, white chocolate tart, banana créme brûlée tart and a spread of passion-fruit mousse.
Paired with the delectable dishes were Grand Garden's strikingly beautiful centrepieces, and J. Wray and Nephew's Torres San Valentin Blanco and Torres Gran Sangre de Toro topping off a memorable charity event.