Dinner for two with Ruinart Champagne

In times of social distancing dinners at home seem to be the pleasure to enjoy. But there is not only the chilled champagne, the joy of cooking, setting the table and creating a menue. It is also about food shopping at your local market, your favourite delis and flower shop to bring an evening with the bubbly into full bloom.

The pictures say it all and we spoke to the masters of their trade about the food, so as to best enjoy it with a glass of Ruinart Rosé, R de Ruinart, Dom Ruinart and Blanc de Blancs.

 

TABLE SETTING
Together with the Swedish ceramic artist Beatrice Petersen we created a tableware collection that focuses on the joy of celebrating, travelling and consuming delicious food and champagne. We have made various plates and platters which were individually handcrafted by Beatrice and engraved by me with my illustration art. They all come in an off-white colour. We matched a vintage tablecloth from an antique market in Paris together with flowers in the hue of the different champagnes by Ruinart.

 

THE STARTER
Our dinner should also satisfy our Fernweh and we wanted to create a culinary journey paired with different champagnes by Ruinart. Still easy to cook, but it should give us the different tastes and flavours of a trip to Sweden, where our culinary journey began. Starting with gravlax and pickled herring from the Baltic Sea paired by a glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs.

 

SECOND COURSE
Here we are in Amalfi with local lemons full of sunshine and flavour. Spaghetti al lime is the easiest dish to prepare a la minute. Just boil some spaghetti and prepare a lemon butter (ghee) with olive oil, lemon peel, the juice of two lemons and if you like some mascarpone or ricotta. As soon as the spaghetti is cooked al dente, add the lemon sauce to the spaghetti, mix well and add more lemon juice, olive oil salt and pepper and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some finely chopped rocket.

 

Voila, we enjoyed a glass of Ruinart Rosé, to balance the sourness of the lemon but still retain the freshness.

 

MAIN COURSE
I am very particular when it comes to buying fish. At Dallmayr Delikatessen I especially like the good advice I get from the fish vendor. They have great knowledge of their product and many tips on how to prepare the best fish easily.

 

We had monkfish which I shortly fried in a pan with olive oil and then just topped with thin sliced fennel, date tomatoes, salt and pepper in the hot oven for another 10 minutes. Before serving add some freshly grated pepper and Virgin olive oil, and fennel herbs. We stayed with the Ruinart Blanc de Blancs.

 

DESERT
You can end your meal with sweets or cheese. We went to Lea Zapf for a certain patisserie. Here you can read her advice on how to pair champagne with dessert.

 

 

CHEESE SELECTION
Yes, cheese with champagne is a marvellous mélange. The cheese vendor at Viktualienmarkt in Munich has a great selection of international cheeses and is specialized in the French one.

 

We selected a classic Comté, a Brie with truffle, two different ripe goat cheeses and a Maroilles, all of them taste deliciously to the Dom Ruinart.

 

 

COOKING IS FUN
You can’t go wrong with our menu. All dishes are quick and easy to prepare. As soon as you have finished your shopping list and chilled the champagne, the evening can begin. Make sure that the temperature of the different champagnes matches their vintage and taste. For example, R de Ruinart and the Ruinart Blanc de Blancs should not be served too cold.

 

AMBIANCE
The atmosphere is key. Create a warm light with lots of candles. The table setting should not be an overload of things or overdecorate.
Champagne glasses by Kristallglasmanufaktur Theresienthal, water cups and vases by Beartrice Pedersen.
Jasmin Khezri is wearing the macaron-coloured poplin dress by Irmasworld. Ring and earrings are antique jewellery from Fabian de Montjoye, Rue Saint Honoré, Paris. Bangles left arm Piaget possessions.

 

 

This Article was supported by Maison Ruinart.
Flowers by Silke von Otto “Blumen die Leben and Patisserie by Lea Zapf “Marktpatisserie“, ceramics by Beatrice Pedersen.