Traveling to Europe really doesn't lend itself to the graduate students budget... luckily Chef Gary…read moreMoran and his wife, Amy, are willing to foot the bill and send us all to the French countryside from their new venue in Riverview, the Winthrop Barn. The refurbished barn takes on a whole new aura under their thoughtful direction, with French accents throughout, and romantic sheer linens strewn about the spacious indoor gathering area. Paper lanterns adorn the ceiling, adding a modern Asian feel and brightness to the dark walls. Generous natural light streams in from the large windows throughout, only to be replaced by the tranquility of the soft glow of strings of lights that form a starlit ceiling throughout the event space and outdoor patio at night. The building structure, as well as details like the hoof imprints lining the patio where the barn's cattle used to feed, pays tribute to the history of this beautifully transformed space.
I was honored to receive an invitation from Amy to attend one of the venues inaugural food events, the French Country Dinner, and take part in the celebration of rustic, French food. Chef Moran is as much a chef as he is a historian, garnishing each course with thoughtful anecdotes of his childhood, experiences abroad, and techniques that were used to create these beautiful, delectable dishes. These intimate experiences that bring the Chef and the foodie together are the reason I am so drawn to the food community and food writing. The passion Chef Moran feels for his cuisine is palpable, sprinkled throughout every bite of the artfully prepared French dishes he presented us with on Wednesday night.
The meal started with wine, of course, and a wonderfully complex salad. A base of bitter frisee greens, speckled generously with bacon lardon and croutons fried in bacon fat, tossed in a mustard tarragon dressing, and topped with a poached egg. It really doesn't get better than this salad for me. Bitter, salty, crunchy, rich, tangy, and creamy all found their way into this course, and I couldn't think of another way I would want to eat a salad. I'd like to send a special thank you to Chef Moran's grandmother, whose perpetual use of bacon grease as the base for frying helped bring these beautiful croutons into my gustatory world. Perfection.
The second course, Ciallette De Nice, hit another ceiling-high note for me, with beautifully matched flavors, all working together as part of Chef Moran's tribute to traditional peasant cuisine. Two pork sausages made with creamy duck liver and rice, resting atop a bed of grits with wilted spinach, tomato bagna cauda, and feta cheese, because who doesn't love feta cheese? Yes, that's what I thought. It took me no more than 5 minutes to finish this healthy portion of pork and grits. I just couldn't stop. It was so delicious.
The main course was the ultimate labor of love: a red wine braised duck leg with wonderfully flavorful lentils and brussel sprouts, caramelized apples, and a time, and wine, intensive L'Orange sauce. The potent sauce takes six bottles of wine to create! Add the intense orange flavor from further reduction with orange juice, and you get a pungent, sticky sauce that begs to be licked off the plate. Don't worry; I restrained myself (unfortunately).
The meal was punctuated with Pickled Peach Clafoutis with an amazing basil chantilly. Likened to a flan, this light dessert provided the perfect, fresh end to an outstanding meal. And the basil chantilly deserves a standing ovation on its own. The light whipped cream, a staple in many of the Chef's dishes, showcases the flavor of the basil beautifully.
I can't thank Amy and Chef enough. This dinner was truly a unique and exceptional experience, but one of the many to come at this new venue. The beautiful surroundings provide the perfect backdrop for the intimate interaction between with food enthusiast and a culinary mastermind. Chef Moran's passion truly comes through in his food and his retellings of personal experiences add a layer of warmth to each dish. If you simply can't wait until the next event to try Chef Moran's food, visit their restaurant, Wimuama in South Tampa. In the mean time, make sure to keep up with the barn on Facebook and perhaps even book your own event at this Tampa treasure.
