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Celebrate Your Mum!
Joyeux Fete des Meres! Although festivals in honour of women’s fertility date all the day back to ancient Greece, did you know that France, the birthplace of Champagne, only celebrated its first Mothers Day in 1918, under the influence of the American GIs who had been stationed there during World War I? ‘Mothers Day’ became official in 1920, because at that time the government was focused on the re-population of post war France. In those days Mothers who gave birth to four or five children were awarded a bronze medal. For having six or seven children the mother would receive a silver medal, and eight or more offspring was rewarded with…
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Channel 7 Oscars Viewing Party Champagne & Sparkling Guide
Celebrity Style Bubbles On Any Budget As Hollywood celebrities walk the red carpet for the 85th Academy Awards, Channel 7 The Morning Show hosts Larry & Kylie are treated to a walk-through selection of Best in Show Bubbles matched to easy at home food fit for any Oscars celebration by Jayne Powell (aka Champagne Jayne) 2012 Champagne Educator of the Year, award-winning author and real life Champagne Dame (Dame Chevalier). From left to right Bay of Fires Tasmanian Cuvee (note: #notachampagnewine ), Champagne Paul Bara, Arras Grand Vintage Tasmania (note: #notachampagnewine ), Champagne Dom Perignon, Champagne Armand de Brignac Wine No 1: Bay of Fires Tasmanian Cuvee Rose (AU$25)…
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Food For Love On Valentines Day
Twitter is a wonderful source of interesting infographics like this Valentine’s Day themed food post I spotted this morning. Everyone in the restaurant industry is no doubt relieved that Valentine’s Day falls on a school night (in 2013 its Thursday which means takings will be up for 3 days this week instead of the usual Friday and Saturday night only till binge). Personally I’m delighted to report that Australia’s thirst for champagne continues to grow unabated (for more information on this thirsty trend see my Jan 2013 article in The Drinks Business) and to hear that champagne sales jump 40% in Valentine’s Day week. But lets not forget our locally…
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Time Out Dubai Young Chef of the Year 2012
In October 2012 Time Out Dubai launched its 2nd annual competition designed to uncover the best young culinary talent in the Emirates, which sees short-listed entrants and their front of house teams battle it out in front of Time Out readers in a high pressure live cook-off for 150 guests to determine the competition’s final result. The Young Chef of the Year event is supported by Emirates Culinary Guild and Miele and took place in the ballroom at The H Hotel Dubai on December 5. Five chefs, all aged 30 years old or younger, had to cook a four-course meal for a panel of judges, which included Uwe Micheel, president of…
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Wanted Down Under – Champagne 2012 Report by Le Figaro
Click here for the original article published in French in “Le Figaro” Annual Champagne Report Dec 5 2012. Thanks to the perfect storm of a soaring Aussie dollar, a cash-rich mining industry and continuous in-store promotional discount campaigns, more and more Australians have become totally smitten by the world’s most popular party tipple. In 2011 champagne sales in Australia jumped by more than 30% to 4.862 million bottles. With an average age in their late thirties, Australian champagne drinkers are often at outdoor social gatherings (horseracing, weddings, festivals, New Years Eve etc) where champagne is usually consumed as an aperitif without food. For this reason…
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Champagne flowers at Christmas with Harvey Nichols
There’s no better remedy for a case of Christmas Shopping exhaustion than a refreshing glass of champagne with delicious nibbles in the relaxed comfort of the fifth floor bar at Harvey Nichols. Travel back in time to the 19th century Belle Epoque when you sample the celebratory combination of a magnificent coupe of Perriet Jouet’s prestige cuvee served from special edition bottles of Belle Epoque 2004 matched with the fabulous “Florale” canape menu. The price of the bottle is £195 and is exclusively available in Harvey Nichols. The “Florale” menu is offered in the 5th floor bar from 1st – 16th December for £85 for two people, and it includes…
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Champagne’s Grand Slam
Since the days of the first spruiking Pope (Urbane II) and the holy crusades, historically speaking the Champagne region has been as famous for its celebrity ambassadors as it has been for its fine wines (think Louis XIV and Charles II). Champagne’s most popular producer Moet, founded in 1743, was quick to realise the power of such celebrity endorsement and first collaborated with Madame de Pompadour (King Louis XV’s favourite mistress) and Napoleon in the 18th century and subsequently Hollywood in the 20th. Described by Moet as “radiating boldness, elegance and generosity from the tennis court to the red carpet” (just like Moet champagnes) worldwide sports hero and lifestyle…
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Champagne: Uncorking NYE Event Guide at Zetter Townhouse, London
From left to right: Nyetimber English Sparkling wine (note: #notachampagnewine ), Champagne Tarlant, Champagne Bruno Paillard, Champagne Jacquesson, Champagne Lanson On Monday 19th November hosted in the gorgeous “Games Room” at London Hotel of the Year Zetter Townhouse in trendy Clerkenwell, Eventbrite’s UK crew brought together a diverse audience of event planners, bloggers and journalists to share their top industry insider tips on hosting or finding the best NYE events for 2012. Matching 4 amazing champagnes to delicious canapes by Bruno Loubet, award winning champagne journalist, educator and broadcaster Jayne Powell (aka Champagne Jayne) was on hand to guide guests on an accessible sensory journey through grower, boutique house and…
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Champagne Taittinger at The Groucho Club London
“My name is Vitalie, my legacy is Taittinger, my passion is Champagne” says the glossy advert featuring a very glamorous shot of 4th generation Vitalie, daughter of Pierre-Emmanuel and Claire Taittinger. In fact with Champagne Taittinger it really is all about family. When Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, grandson of the company founder, decided to take back control of the family champagne house in 2006, both Vitalie and her brother Clovis rallied to the family cause. Business trained Clovis spearheads international sales and is a frequent visitor to Australia, where I’ve had the privilege of hosting champagne dinners with him for Qantas Epicure members. With her background in art and design, sophisticated yet accessible,…
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The Perfume of Time – Champagne Lanson with Alain Ducasse
I’ve been in love with champagne since I was a teenager, but I now realise that aged champagne is wasted on the young. You really need a bit of life experience under your belt to have the emotional capacity to even register let alone embrace the many wonderful sensations provoked by an aged high quality champagne in mint condition. In my minds eye its like going from watching a flat 50inch screen TV to a multiplex cinema experience in 3D. My recent taste of Champagne Lanson 1976 in magnum, matched to an unusual creative dessert dish by Alain Ducasse at a high powered French press lunch in the heart of…
with Champagne Jayne