Treat Your Sweet to a Valentine’s Fondue and Spirit Pairing

Mike Crisolago | February 13th, 2013
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This Valentine’s Day, ditch the drug store chocolates and cook up one of our expertly selected fondue and spirit pairings. Chris MacNeil, Food & Beverage Director for Suits Lobby Lounge and Stock Restaurant at Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto, and David Chow, Stock Restaurant’s pastry chef, offer up three tasty options, complete with preferred dips, sure to please any Valentine who enjoys a “spirited” dessert.

Milk Chocolate Fondue

Recommended Chocolate: Valrhona Caramelia milk chocolate
Suggested Dips:  Salted pretzels, bacon, brownies
Suggested Spirit Pairing:
Whisky: Bowmore 12 pairs well because its smoothness complements the creaminess of the chocolate. Light, sweet heather honey notes pair well with the sweetness of the milk chocolate.
Cognac: Remy Martin VSOP fine Cognac offers notes of vanilla and almond, and its smooth body is what makes this cognac perfect with the chocolate.

White Chocolate Fondue

Recommended Chocolate: Valrhona Ivoire white chocolate
Suggested Dips: Cheesecake bites, beignets, fresh fruit
Suggested Spirit Pairing:
Whiskey: Glenmorangie 10 pairs well thanks to it’s notes of soft butter and light apple, making it light enough to pair with the delicate white chocolate.
Cognac: Hennessy VSOP offers a light yet complex blend of soft honeyed fruits and a delicate spice of clove and cinnamon, making this cognac a great match for the white chocolate fondue.

Dark Chocolate Fondue

Recommended Chocolate: Valrhona Guanaja (70%) dark chocolate
Suggested Dips: Banana, strawberry, angel food cake
Suggested Spirit Pairing:
Whisky: Ardbeg 10 pairs well because this rich scotch, with notes of coffee, wood smoke, and cocoa, holds its own with the bold 70% Valrhona Guanaja.
Cognac: Hennessy Black is lightly smoked and has sweet floral elements that will help bring out the sweetness in the rich dark chocolate.

 

About The Experts:

Chris MacNeil has been a top level professional in the food and beverage field for over 14 years. He has worked for the world’s leading restaurants, nightclubs and hotel companies, and is a coveted judge in the world of food, wine and mixology. Chris is completing a book of stories, secrets, and recipes for anyone who’s always wanted to be a restaurant and bar star.

David Chow is a self-professed “food geek,” his love of all things culinary beginning as a child. Inspired by culinary greats Julia Child and Madeline Kamman, he graduated from Le Cordon Bleu and has been honoured with an Ontario Hostelry Institute (OHI) Top 30 Under 30 award, and Best Scone, Lemon Tart and Ice Cream Bars in Toronto by blogTO. The one-time pastry chef for the Bahamian Albany Luxury Resort Community (owned by Tiger Woods, Ernie Ells and Joe Lewis) joined the culinary team at Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto in 2011.