Here’s what went down at the New Zealand. Naturally. wine dinner at Café Belong

Here’s what went down at the New Zealand. Naturally. wine dinner at Café Belong

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.