The journalists and bloggers met at a cookery school in the city, mingled, nibbled, noshed and tasted the wines: a Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Grigio, a Pinot Noir, a Shiraz Rosé and a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot. They were randomly assigned to groups and each given one of the five wines in the line-up.
Selecting from slabs of fish and fresh produce, herbs, spices and rubs provided by the organisers, each team had to compose a dish to match their wine within less than an hour. Andrea Foulkes and Sarah Proudfoot of Dish Food & Social and several representatives from Two Oceans, including winemaker Justin Corrans, carried out the judging.
The intention of the event was to lend support to WWF SASSI as it seeks to improve the conservation status of overexploited seafood in local oceans by identifying sustainable seafood choices for consumers and encouraging them to think twice before choosing some species and avoiding others altogether.
Jackie Olivier, global marketing spokesperson for the brand, says, "The Atlantic and Indian oceans after which the brand is named, aren't just an important influence on the wines we produce. They also sustain a rich variety of life. That's why we support SASSI and its campaign to show how simple it is to make a difference. It explains why not all seafood is equal and encourages us to ask what fish we are being offered, to find out where it comes from and how it was fished or farmed."
"We were enchanted by the names of the dishes, their spectacular presentation, their flavour combinations and intelligent pairing with the wines," said Foulkes. "They took the challenge seriously, making their own stocks, mayonnaise and wontons."
The winning dish, Wonton Seduction, was a combination of fish cakes in a lightly spiced broth, served with fried wontons, plus a side dipping sauce. The piece de resistance was an artfully twisted fried fish skin placed vertically in the centre of the dish. "We loved the pun of the name, the extraordinary technique and flavours and the successful pairing with the fragrant Pinot Grigio."
The members of the Pinot Grigio team were Kristy Snell of Food-monger.com, Nina Timm of My-easy-cooking.com, well-known wine judge and writer Fiona McDonald and Anthony Sharpe of Juice.
Two Oceans has also funded the printing of wallet-sized information cards that indicate how to make sustainable seafood choices in restaurants or when shopping for fish, distributed nationwide in restaurants and retail outlets. The brand has produced recipe cards and is involved in a range of projects to raise awareness of WWF SASSI.
For more on WWF SASSI, go to www.wwf.org.za/sassi or mobi site wwfsassi.mobi.
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