In a few weeks, I am going down to North Carolina for my parents 65th anniversary. I want to bring some champagne for the occassion but have no experience with champagne. My dad, who has good taste normally, buys junk. I would be happy to spend $50 a bottle. I can't see spending more than that since they may not know the difference but they have 6 other people coming and I don't want them drinking the bubbly vinegar my dad buys. Also, I thought it would be cool to buy some caviar and make up an tray. Since I don't know my way around Durham, I thought I would buy some and take it with me, putting it in one of those freezer gell packs. Any suggestions for some caviar that would taste good but not be so expensive since no one will probably know too much about it and do you have serving suggestions - like cream cheese and crackers - what kind of crackers would be best. Thanks for your gourmet assistance.

I like my champagne on the brut (dry) side. I suggest a bottle of non vintage Vueve Cliquot. It is very recognizable by its bright orange/yellowish label. There is a thread about it in here somewhere. You can probably find it in the 40-45 dollar range.

As to caviar there are three grades: Beluga (the best and most expensive) Osetra (middle) and Sevruga (lowest on the scale, but still very good). Barring that you could look for American paddlefish "caviar" Some say it rivals the Sevruga to Osetra grades. While I think it is ok I prefer (although can't afford) the real deal.

Crackers: find something neutral, perhaps Carr's Water Crackers. The traditional garnishes for caviar are chopped boiled egg whites and yolks (chopped separately) Creme Fraiche (a very thick, mild flavored sour cream you could substitute sour cream)and very finely chopped red onion. You may want to serve some lemon wedges as well. Also, get a bowl slightly larger than the one in which your caviar will be served, fill it with crushed ice and place your caviar on top to keep your caviar very, very cold.

Hope this helps.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ChefMike67,

Hey, thank you very much. I really appreciate that. I have really nice parents and it is hard seeing them getting into their late 80's.
I want this to be a nice occassion for them.
I bought my dad a bunch of very fine spirits in a number of different things, vodka, single malt, gin, etc. and told him it was to replace all of the booze i had stolen when I was a teen ager. He laughed, thinking I was kidding.
Little does he know he will have to live a few more years for me to replace all the booze I snitched as a kid!!!!! Thanks again.

From a gourmet meal that I had a while ago perhaps you could pick up a terrine at a gourmet shop and then create something similar?

Composition of Osetra caviar and delicate smoked fillet of salmon
Champagne, Lanson ‘Black Label’ Brut

This was a terrine made with Finnish salmon, accompanied by fresh baby asparagus, and centred with the caviar - the whole encased in light firm mayonnaise butter. A work of art to look at that you did not want to disrupt. The flavour of the salmon was so fresh, creamy and delicate and the caviar just right, not too salty and all the ingredients blended to perfection and melted in the mouth. The champagne was dry and crisp and was a perfect match.

Champagne, strictly speaking, is the name given to a very bubbly dry white wine from the Champagne region of France.
You will see the names Epernay or Reims on the bottles. These are towns in that region


Champagne was invented by Dom Perignon who developed that in the bottle fermentation that carbonizes it and makes the bubbles naturally.

Champagne rhymes with hunger pang.

The dryest Champagnes are called brut. The next dryest are extra dry. Get brut.

If you plan on getting made in France Champagne you will be paying three times the price of other wines of that type from neighbouring regions in France such as Chateau Moncontour which will state "Methode Champagnoise" and will not be called "Champagne"

I would say all Champagnes taste pretty much all the same and it is not worth it to pay premium prices.
I buy a gift of pink Champagne for my boss every year. It costs 30 to 50% more but it adds a funny touch.
In Montreal Champagnes run from about $40 US to $60 a bottle. For premiums or vintages in goes to a $100 plus a bottle.

Get the cheapest made in France bottle that says Champagne on it. That's luxury enough, I say. Laurent Perrier or Pommery for example. There are many in that price range.
Mumms, Moet et Chandon, Veuve Cliquot are a bit pricier.

Don't get into this Cuvée Dom Perignon (a Moet et Chandon brand BTW) or Chrystal unless you are into snobbish overpriced expenses.

Chill the Champagne in fridge or ice bucket. Once cold and just prior to serving it open it very carefully.
Remove the wires. Slowly twist the cork holding it and the bottle firmly. Don't point the corlk at anybody.
As you get near the end of the cork continue twisting and holding firmly. There is a surprising amount of pressure in there. It can get away from you and if you pop that violently half the Champagne will spew out onto the table and the cork might hit someone in the eye. Let the initial gas out with a faint pssst.

Serve in Champagne flutes. Tall narrow glasses with stems. Pour carefully.
Enjoy.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: QM,

Just a few additions and corrections to the above posts:

QM- in my provence the veuve cliquot and moet are the entry level champagnes and laurent-perrier and pommery are more expensive. Quality reflects the pricing too. When opening a bottle of champagne the only thing you realy need to remember is to keep the bottle at a 45degree angle and not to shake it. The 45 degree angle just gives the wine a larger surface area so when you open the bottle there is more space for the bubble to escape to (and thus making your champagne never overflow).
Dom Perignon and cristal are not curvees. Curvee is a french turm for blending different vintages together.

Puffing-Go with chefmikes suggestion of the Vueve Cliquot. For the $ its definitly worth it.
Some things you should look for in champagne are small bubbles, fresh apple and citrus flavor and an inmistakable bread dough flavor. (kinda yeasty) If you still are unsure many of the houses make a small 335ml taster size bottle. You could just pick up a few of those and see what your favs are. Try the pommery POP its fantastic.
OH MAN i love champagne, i would drink it daily if i could afford it. Oh well, back to my beer.

While I was out today I saw that Vueve Cliquot makes a Demi Sec or "Half Dry". That means it will be a little sweeter than a Brut and perhaps a little more accessible to people who normally do not drink Champagne and other sparkling wines. The Demi Sec comes with a white label with smaller characteristic Veuve Cliquot orange label printed in the center. It runs about 46 bucks here.

Thank you all again. Say Chefmike - we just shipped a ton of our stuff out your way for the ICUEE show going on there sept 26-28th for utility trucks and maintanance equip. I'm sure you're probably going, right?

Dre:
Thanks for all the info on champagne. Sounds like you have learned a lot at school. So, does this mean you will learn how to spin bottles and dance on the bar top? Just kidding.

quote:

Originally posted by dre:
Dom Perignon and cristal are not curvees. Curvee is a french turm for blending different vintages together.

I was just descibing what was written on the bottle of cuvée dom perignon


That open it at 45 degrees. The slightly increased surface area of the liguid in the bottle neck region. I've heard that story before. I guess holding it horizontally is not a good idea. It is quite natural to be holding it at a slight tilt.

No shaking before or during. Right. All the more reason to be careful. It could have been shaken a bit. In the car. While walking.

My point is one of safety involving corks that are under pressure. A cork shooting up and bouncing off the ceiling is funny but one hitting a person in the eye is not.
I like to see absolutely no bubbly overflow upon opening a bottle. My brother likes to see a bit of foam. I guess some want to see half the bottle to gush out but that is a waste IMHO.

I think somehow that shaking the champagne and maybe spraying it around like the winners of the super bowl, may not work out for my parents 65th anniversary!!!
By the way, thanks for the cool Canadian dry air we have been getting this week. I had been so hot and steamy in the Minneapolis area last week that it was almost too much. We were hotter than the southeastern states.

quote:

Originally posted by puffingaway:
By the way, thanks for the cool Canadian dry air we have been getting this week.

You're welcome.
Next January & February will give you more.

In my experience, Mercier is one of the more affordable premium champagnes.

SS

Mercier....right.
I meant Mercier and not Laurent Perrier as a reasonably priced Champgane.

There are so many brands. See the liste des maisons

What do you know? All this talk about cheap champagne and I get a bottle the cheapest way possible: a gift.

My firm bought me and a bunch of new recruits bottles of Pol Roger. I passed this House when I was in Epernay last month but they weren't giving tours.

Anyone have any experience with this label?

SS

Only had it once, just the brut. Very nice, nothing more noteworthy that i can remember about it.

Wild Irish Rose mixed with 7UP.

I`ve had Pol Roger served to me on an airline. Its good.

Saw the Vieuve Cliquot demi sec at the store for about $56. I just can't decide if my mom and dad would enjoy it or be insulted that i brought champagne to replace the crap that they will have. Maybe I'll have to buy a bottle and try it out first! I saw a half bottle that looked mighty tempting.

Talked to my dad today and he had bought bottles of Korbel for $11 each. I think I had better bring the good champagne. Somehow a 65th anniversary seems to require more than 11 buck champagne.