We attended “Game Night” at Stonecat Cafe Friday October 19th and it was terrific from start to finish.  The small gathering of mostly wine growers and wine makers chatted together as we made our way through a 5 course feast.   Atwater Vineyards hosted all the wines and we were not disappointed.  The first pairing was a Gewurtztraminer that complemented the Spicy Wild Alaska Tempura Roll.  A little drier than the usual local Gewurtz this wine can work well with any spicy fish or seafood Asian dish. The salmon was smoked by Chef/Owner Scot Signori.  He does all of his own smoking and by the end of the evening we could see that he has mastered the technique of imparting a subtle smoky flavor, keeping the meat moist, and cooking it just perfectly.

Our next course was a cherry wood smoked duck breast served over greens with a light cassis duck demiglace and and onion smoked apple relish.  Topping this perfect salad off was Lively Run Goat Cheese.  Most of the produce that you’ll enjoy at Stonecat is locally grown and much of it is organic.  THe Cabernet Franc that partnered this course was possibly my favorite wine of the evening.  I’m not usually a Cab Franc enthusiast but this one had such a wonderful rich fruit bouquet while having the right acid balance that I think I’ll buy some bottles for special occasions.

 The next course was hearty enough to have stood alone as the main course.  Chef Signori also makes his own sausage and once again I was won over.  I usually find sausage overspiced but this venison and black cherry sausage was tender with subtle nuances of the game and fruit combination.  The accompanying greens was a good compliment.  The very respectable Meritage held it’s own nicely with this course as well.

 Never having eaten Boar, I didn’t know quite what to expect.  I thought maybe gamey and tough but it was neither.  Much like an excellent pot roast this Peppercorn Crusted Boar was tender, moist and rich with flavor.  And the roasted garlic cider gravy was perfect.  Chef Signori served this with a beet custard that also met with raves around the tables.  He has generously offered to share the recipe and so shortly I will post this wonderful recipe for you to try at home.  The Pinot Noir served with the Boar was also a high class representation of how far local wineries have come in establishing themselves with internationally competitive wines.

 The final course, and I apologize for enticing you with this blow by blow description of a meal that has past, but there is a reason for this.  On November 2nd Stonecat will be hosting another Wine and Food pairing event and you will have a chance to savor some of these dishes at that event.  I would be signed up if I wasn’t going to be out of town that week.  The final course, baked by the pastry chef was a pumpkin cream canoli dipped in Belgian chocolate and served with ginger creme anglais.  And, “yes” it was as good as it sounds.  The Late Harvest Vignole was a wonderful complement to the dessert and I continued to sip long after I had licked the plate clean.

Stone Cat Cafe is a 25-30 minute drive from Ithaca and they close over the winter.  I hear their pulled pork can be smelled all over the region as it slowly smokes and it is worth the wait.  Check out the menu for the next event on their website:

More info at: http://stonecatcafe.com/news.html

Atwater Vineyards can be viewed at:  http://www.atwatervineyards.com/