Tersina Shieh
加拿大人弗蘭克斯·查迪爾有許多頭銜:侍酒師、廚師、釀酒師以及酒商。我在澳門永利皇宮酒店遇到他時,他擔任的是一位風味專家,正向100多位侍酒師、廚師以及媒體展示著美食和美酒風味的藝術與科學之道。
You might hear of Amarone, but what about Appassimento, a term Canadian Francois Chartier wears many hats - sommelier, chef, vintner and wine merchant. When I met him at Wynn Palace in Macau, he was the flavour expert presenting The Art and Science of Food, Wine and Flavourto over 100 sommeliers, chefs and media.
弗蘭克斯的餐酒搭配理念即分子美食學。他相信每種原料都有主導的香氣分子,如果使用不同原材料的組合來共享同一個香氣分子,那么這種香氣就會更加突出(如同1+1=3的效果),這樣的搭配會事半功倍。弗蘭克斯通過雷達圖向我們展示了共享同一香氣分子的不同食物和飲品。而我們需要做的,就是從同一張圖表中挑選成分,創造奇跡。
葫蘆巴內酯這一化學分子經常出現在熏普洱茶、醬油和蘇玳葡萄酒(甜型葡萄酒)中。弗蘭克斯信誓旦旦地表示:泡在普洱茶里的水煮三文魚淋上醬油,搭配蘇玳葡萄酒簡直是天作之合。同理,烤羊肉配薄荷和芹菜根搭配普宜菲美(Pouilly-Fumé,來自法國盧瓦爾河產區的長相思)也非常美味。因為薄荷、歐芹、根莖類蔬菜和長相思都有相同的茴香分子。然而,同樣的烤羊肉如果是用大量的迷迭香烹飪,就應該搭配干型或者是甜型的雷司令。因為迷迭香和雷司令都含有萜烯,各種搭配以此類推。
憑借著這一理念,弗蘭克斯與西班牙著名的el Bulli餐廳(現已歇業)主廚Ferran Adrià合作設計了一款壽司,使用了黑橄欖醬、黑胡椒水,以及裹著煙熏海苔的米飯搭配西拉葡萄酒。他還為可可百利制作了一系列用來搭配不同葡萄酒的巧克力。弗蘭克斯的最新項目之一是在田中清酒釀造廠進行革命性的清酒混釀(傳統的清酒不會進行混釀),并計劃在幾個月后回來展示他的創新型清酒。
大師班結束后,弗蘭克斯還策劃了“勃艮第明珠”晚宴,用七道菜來搭配七款葡萄酒和一款茶。其中一些菜肴創意十足,引起了食客們的一番討論,包括甘草水煮牡蠣、巴西堅果薄脆以及羅西尼風格的鵝肝圓頂巧克力。
雖然侍酒師和廚師對于分子料理都十分熟悉,但弗蘭克斯還是解釋了這一理念背后的科學道理。它為我們打開了一個“搭配的世界”,讓我們將看似不相關的成分組合在一起,但味道卻十分美妙,比如烤綠蘆筍和黑巧克力搭配一款典型的納帕產區赤霞珠,這款酒我們曾在大師班課程結束時品嘗過。
話雖如此,但我還是認為我們必須格外小心,不要在消費者面前過于炫耀。想象一下,如果侍酒師告訴客人:因為茴香分子十分有魔力,所以你們一定要點一份烤羊肉來搭配長相思,這一桌客人會有什么樣的反應?對于普通消費者來說,葡萄酒已經足夠復雜了,如果還要把“香氣搭配理念”強加給他們,只會讓他們排斥葡萄酒。侍酒師和廚師們應該悄悄利用這一科學工具,為客人們提供一個愉快而沒有壓力的夜晚。
下一場“弗蘭克斯·查迪爾活動”會是什么呢?讓我們繼續關注永利皇宮的新聞吧!
His food and wine matching concept is aromatic synergy. Each ingredient has a dominant aroma molecule, and by combining ingredients sharing the same molecule, the result is greater than the sum of its parts (1+1= 3) and the pairing greatly enhanced. Francois illustrated this by showing us spider maps of different food and beverages that share the same molecule. All we need is to do is to be creative and pick ingredients from same chart to work wonders.
Sotolon is the molecule shared by smoked Pu-er tea, soy sauce and 10YO Sauternes (sweet wine), amongst others. Francois swore that poached salmon in smoked Pu-er tea drizzled with soy sauce served with the 10YO Sauternes would be a heavenly match. Similarly, roasted lamb with mint and parsley on root vegetables will be perfect with a Pouilly-Fumé (Sauvignon Blanc from Loire, France) because mint, parsley, root vegetables and Sauvignon Blanc all share the same anise molecule. However the same roasted lamb with lots of rosemary should be paired with a Riesling, regardless if it is dry or sweet, because the common aroma compound of rosemary and Riesling is terpenes. The list goes on….
Armed with this concept, Francois worked with Ferran Adrià, head chef of renowned elBulli restaurant (now closed) in Spain and designed a sushi using black olives paste, black pepper water, puffed wild rice wrapped in smoked nori wrap to match with a Syrah. He also created a series of chocolate for Cacao-Barry to match with different wines. One of Francois latest project is the revolutionary sake blending at Tanaka Sake Brewery (traditional sake is not blended). He is planning to come back in a few months to present his sake creation.
After the masterclass, Francois curated the Pearl of Burgundy gala dinner matching seven dishes paired with seven wines and a tea. Some of the dishes, like the oyster poached in liquorice water, couscous of Brazil nuts and mandarin; and Chocolate dome‘Tournedos Rossini style with foie gras were so creative that they prompted a fair bit of discussion among guests.
Sommeliers and chefs are familiar with this flavour pairing concept but Francois explained the science behind the concept. It opens up the pairing world for us to combine seemingly unrelated ingredients but taste good together, such as roasted green asparagus and dark chocolate paired with a typical Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that we sampled at the end of the masterclass.
Having said that, I think we have to be careful not to be too show off in front of consumers. Imagine the reaction of a table of diners when sommeliers explain to them that have to order a Sauvignon Blanc with roasted lamb because of the magic anise molecule. Wine is complicated enough for average consumer and to impose the scientific reasoning of pairing on them will just put them off wine totally. Sommeliers and chefs should use this tool behind the scene to provide an enjoyable but stress-free evening for guests.
Watch Wynn Palace news for the next Francois Chartier event.