Lighter Flavors and Fare a Perfect Fit at Figue

With the desert summer swelter arriving ahead of schedule, lighter flavors and dishes recently sampled at Figue Mediterranean in La Quinta represented a welcome palate shift.

A limoncello lavender champagne cocktail kicked things off nicely.

The crisp steely flavors of this refreshing Vouvray paired well with a delectable slice of fresh salmon atop a hunter's salad.

The saffron carrot sauce that complemented these melt-in-your-mouth seared diver sea scallops was the perfect foil for a strawberry-like, floral Rose.

That same Rose also seemed destined to meet up with this flavorful Provencal stew of scallops, mussels, and clams in a saffron orange broth. Easily one of the best seafood dishes I've had in a long time.

With the heat here to stay, I'm sure I'll be back for more champagne, and soon...

Follow me on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/VinoChick75

Special thanks to:
http://www.eatfigue.com/

Food & Wine Fest An Experiment in Flavor Combos

Pan roasted pork belly & shrimp crab cake with Yuzu-Wasabi sauce and Meyer lemon pickled onions...

Sizzling Scottish salmon drizzled in olive oil and dusted with salt and pepper...

Yummy bites and novel flavor combinations were the order of the day at the Palm Desert Food & Wine Fest. Chef Joane Garcia-Colson of DISH-Creative Cuisine in Cathedral City matched up some of her decadent eats with a variety of Iron Horse Vineyards champagnes.

Chef Art Vasquez of Babe's Bar-B-Que & Brewhouse whipped up some hickory smoked/BBQ braised Chicken Osso Bucco with a summer slaw that included California Cherries soaked in my very own Gypsy Red wine.

 And before my departure...a flowery, perfumey blend of Cab, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Zin, Chardonnay, and Sauv Blanc from Tess Winery. I closed my eyes and tasted strawberry and watermelon. The perfect refreshing end to a heady day.

Follow me on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/VinoChick75

Special thanks to:

www.palmdesertfoodandwine.com