New Zealand began growing its famous cool-climate wine grapes 200 years ago. To celebrate the bicentennial, a group of winemakers and wine aficionados sat down on September 24th at Café Belong in the Evergreen Brick Works for a special dinner that paired 10 of the Pacific island country’s most inimitable wines with a five-course menu designed by chef Brad Long. Before the seated dinner began, guests schmoozed on the restaurant’s patio while sipping new-wave, low-ABV New Zealand Lighter wines and snacking on canapés such as crispy polenta squares and smoked trout. Here’s how the evening unfolded.
You never know what mid-September weather in Toronto will bring, but the conditions were perfect for some outdoor socializing. House-smoked trout with dill crème fraîche and pickled red onion on scallion pancakes. A selection of chilled, lower-ABV wines from New Zealand. Master sommelier Jennifer Huether explains how the wines for the evening were chosen. And here’s Brad Long dishing on the night’s menu. The first course: pork terrine with cherries and walnuts, arugula, radish and a parsley emulsion. Legendary New Zealand winemaker Kim Crawford was in attendance, and addressed the crowd between courses. The second course: a fall harvest salad with heirloom carrots, squash and sweet potato, finished with a shallot vinaigrette, dried cranberries, toasted pumpkin seeds and Monforte cheese. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at Long prepping the final savoury course. A trio of pinot noirs from Babich Family Estates, Astrolabe and Loveblock to pair with the third course. About that third course: It’s a big hunk of tempura-fried Fogo Island cod with shaved fennel slaw, beet-and-chive aioli and a smattering of pickles. And the final savoury course: grilled rack of lamb served on corn purée with pattypan squash, charred onion, stonefruit mostarda and chili oil. Here’s the full menu. And here’s the room in full swing.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/food/heres-what-went-down-last-night-at-the-new-zealand-naturally-wine-dinner-at-cafe-belong/&title=Here’s what went down at the New Zealand. Naturally. wine dinner at Café Belong&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/HiRes-0066-2000x1333.jpg&description=New Zealand began growing its famous cool-climate wine grapes 200 years ago. To celebrate the bicentennial, a group of winemakers and wine aficionados sat down on September 24th at Café Belong in the Evergreen Brick Works for a special dinner that paired 10 of the Pacific island country's most inimitable wines with a five-course menu designed by chef Brad Long. Before the seated dinner began, guests schmoozed on the restaurant’s patio while sipping new-wave, low-ABV New Zealand Lighter wines and snacking on canapés such as crispy polenta squares and smoked trout. Here’s how the evening unfolded.
[caption id="attachment_503610" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] You never know what mid-September weather in Toronto will bring, but the conditions were perfect for some outdoor socializing.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503590" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] House-smoked trout with dill crème fraîche and pickled red onion on scallion pancakes.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503591" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] A selection of chilled, lower-ABV wines from New Zealand.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503621" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] Master sommelier Jennifer Huether explains how the wines for the evening were chosen.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503595" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] And here's Brad Long dishing on the night's menu.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503596" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] The first course: pork terrine with cherries and walnuts, arugula, radish and a parsley emulsion.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503598" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] Legendary New Zealand winemaker Kim Crawford was in attendance, and addressed the crowd between courses.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503599" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] The second course: a fall harvest salad with heirloom carrots, squash and sweet potato, finished with a shallot vinaigrette, dried cranberries, toasted pumpkin seeds and Monforte cheese.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503600" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] Here's a behind-the-scenes look at Long prepping the final savoury course.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503602" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] A trio of pinot noirs from Babich Family Estates, Astrolabe and Loveblock to pair with the third course.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503603" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] About that third course: It's a big hunk of tempura-fried Fogo Island cod with shaved fennel slaw, beet-and-chive aioli and a smattering of pickles.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503604" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] And the final savoury course: grilled rack of lamb served on corn purée with pattypan squash, charred onion, stonefruit mostarda and chili oil.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503588" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] Here's the full menu.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_503622" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] And here's the room in full swing.[/caption]
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