Chaîne des Rôtisseurs

The Malta Bailliage hosted its fifth event of 2024, a Dejeuner Amicale, at the Ta Frenc restaurant in Gozo on Sunday, October 27th.

This is the introductory speech made by Chancelier Charles Gatt:

Confreres, Consoeurs, and guests, good afternoon, and welcome to our yearly visit to Ta Frenc restaurant, which is certainly one of our favourite venues.

Today, we have 48 diners, an excellent response.

As previously mentioned, this restaurant is the prime Chaine Recognised Establishment in the Maltese islands, having no less than four senior staff members as Chaine professional members.

The venue membership goes back many years when the late Ino Attard and his wife Mary Grace joined the Chaine and proudly displayed the brass plaque at the restaurant entrance.

The reception, our opportunity to socialise with other members and friends, was as usual very convivial. The pre-lunch aperitif  Boizel Blanc de Noir and delicious canapes were excellent.

The executive chef Joseph Brincat`s menu seems mouth-watering, but of course, we shall reserve our judgment until we have tasted his creative dishes.

Our Echanson will brief us on the wines supplied and paired by `Ta Frenc`.

We welcome today two new members and may I ask our Bailli to present them with the badge of the bailliage:

Maitre Restaurateur, Simone Cassago, as a professional member. Simone is also entitled to receive the prestigious Chaine brass plaque, which he can display with pride at his restaurant, `Level 9`, situated at the top of the Grand Hotel in Mgarr, Gozo.

Also welcome is another new member, Chevalier Captain Mark Micallef, who will be presented with a badge.

In accordance with the Chaine rules, new members will first receive the Nomination Certificate from Paris.  The insignia and official diploma will then be presented at a Chapitre in Malta or overseas.

We also welcome Giles Xuereb, who rarely manages to join us from Holland. I understand he sneaked over to join a family celebration, to the surprise of his mother, Elsie.

We are now actively preparing the programme for our Grand Chapitre to be held in March next year.

The programme, which includes four tours to selected sites in Malta and Gozo, has already been sent to Paris and all baillis worldwide for onward distribution. This gives our overseas visitors sufficient time to plan a visit to Malta for the occasion.

The hotel selected for the Welcome Dinner is the Grand Hotel Excelsior, and for the  Induction Ceremony and Gala Dinner, the Phoenicia Hotel. The proximity of the two hotels, both situated in Floriana, will provide ease of access to our visitors between the hotels.

Local members will be sent details of the Induction Ceremony and dinners closer to the time.

We have a long list of members who are due to be inducted, promoted, or receive awards at the Chapitre.  Those involved will be individually contacted to confirm their attendance in order to prepare the Livre D`or and give Paris sufficient time to prepare the official insignia and diplomas.  It is worth mentioning that new members must be inducted within three years of joining. Those unable to attend the Malta chapitre in March 2025 can attend a chapitre overseas within the specified period in order to retain their membership.

Our next event is the Patronal Dinner, to be held on the 30th of November in the Maryanski Lodge at the Phoenicia Hotel. We normally have a very good response for this event, so please respond quickly when the notice comes out to avoid disappointment.

Vive la Chaine!'

Following the chancelier's introductory speech, our Echanson, Dr. Iro Cali Corleo, introduced the wines and gave an overview of their characteristics. His comments, as well as those of Marc Besancon our Maitre Rotisseur, can be found below, accompanying the menu.

Pre-Lunch Reception

A Selection of Canapés

‘The canapes were original, good-looking and very tasty with nice contrasting textures (MB).

Aperitif: Brut Reserve NV Magnum Champagne Boizel

This is the core wine from this historic Epernay family-owned house.  It is a blend of the 3 champagne grapes with a predominance of Pinot Noir. It still had a refreshing acidity and fine perlage even though the magnums served had some age.  The age also showed in the toasty/yeasty lead flavours, which were followed by ripe apple and a decent length. This champagne was awarded a 97/100 in the 2020 Decanter Wine Awards (ICC).

Menu

Potato and ox tongue terrine, herbs, lemon and caper dressing, mustard

Terrine de langue de bœuf et pommes de terre, assaisonnée de fines herbes, citron, câpres et moutarde

The starter of Potato and Ox tongue Terrine was very well presented and seasoned. The very tasty dressing complimented the dish (MB).

Wine: Château des Jacques 'Morgon' 2017 Louis Jadot

This chateau is the flagship estate of the well-known negociant house Louis Jadot.  The grape is Gamay which is the Beaujolais grape but here, in this cru wine, gives a powerful palate of rich black fruit and firm tannins balanced with a good acidity.  The nose was of black cherry.  This is a wine that needs ageing and the 7 years it has aged has served this wine well. This wine has an average critics score of 90/100 (ICC).

Glazed veal sweetbreads with Piedmont hazelnuts, textures of onions, soubise, veal reduction with vinegar

Ris de veau glacé, noisettes piémontaises,textures d'oignon, sauce soubise, jus de veau réduit au vinaigre

The second dish, Veal Sweetbread with Hazelnuts, onion textures, Soubise, and Veal reduction with vinegar, was well executed. The jus was very tasty, and the textures were different.

The presentation with the white Soubise and the dark reduction created a nice Yin-Yang effect on the plate (MB).

Wine: Riesling Smaragd Loibenberg 2020 Domäne Wachau

This white from the quality Austrian house Wachau demonstrated a racy acidity and good minerality with white stone fruits such as peach and pear on both the nose and palate.  The finish was slightly salty with a good length.  This is a wine that can age.  The average critic's score for this wine was 93/100.  On a side note, Ta Frenc has implemented the new practice of having reds before white wines, where it is the pairing with a dish and the overall ‘weight’ of the wine which counts and not the colour – personally, I am in favour of this when appropriate (ICC).

Shellfish risotto, lightly poached mussels, calamari and prawns, oscietra caviar

Risotto aux fruits de mer, moules pochés,calamars et crevettes, caviar oscietra

The Shellfish Risotto was perfectly cooked and full of flavours. (MB).

Wine: Calalenta Rosato Merlot 2023 Fantini

The owner of this winery is Farinese Vini, a leading wine exporter in Southern Italy.  This IGT wine is made mainly from Nerello Mascalese with some Merlot and a variable amount of Cabernet Sauvignon thrown in.  It is an unoaked wine, rich and full-bodied, although a rose, with fine tannins and a good acidity. On the nose it was floral with red berries and on the palate, there were strawberry and raspberry.  Luca Maroni (he tends to be generous) gave this wine 99/100 (ICC).

Roasted pigeon breast, braised bacon and cabbage, carrot and pigeon beignet, sauce

Bercy Aile de pigeonneau rôtie, choux braisé au lard, beignet de carottes et pigeonneau, sauce Bercy

The main course, Roasted Pigeon breast, was really nice. The Pigeon was cooked to perfection. The presentation with the beignet of carrots and pigeon and the other vegetables nicely plated was perfect. The sauce Bercy served at the table at the last minute was a good idea and a great complement to a very good dish (MB).

Wine: Touriga Nacional Douro 2009 Quinta do Portal

This family owned winery is known for its extensive portfolio of ports but also makes red and white wines where their reds regularly achieve high critic scores.  2009 was not one of their best years, but this wine was still well-regarded.  It was rich in tannins with black fruit aromas and flavours yet still well-balanced thanks to some good minerality and acidity.  This wine is known to need ageing, and the five years this wine had so far was the minimum, in my opinion.  Average critics score 88/100 (ICC).

Lemon curd, yoghurt crunch, local honey and olive oil

Crème au citron, croquant au yaourt, du miel et de l'huile d'olive de nos terroirs

Chocolate crémeux, chocolate popping candy, hazelnut dentelle, Bailey's ice-cream, warm chocolate and salted caramel sauce

Crémeux au chocolat, bonbons chocolats pétillants, dentelle aux noisettes, crème glacé Baileys, sauce chaud au chocolat et salidou

‘The desserts were very different and interesting. Well presented, lots of different textures. The salted caramel sauce complemented perfectly the Chocolate Cremeux and the Bailey ice cream.

Compliments to the Chef and his Brigade for a very good and well executed lunch (MB).

Wine: Sélection de Grains Nobles Gewürztraminer 1998 Hugel

This style of sweet wine was actually pioneered by Hugel, and the family remains the masters.  This wine has passed its plateau, but it has some years of enjoyment left.  It was opulent with full-bodied sweetness and smooth botrytis flavours with a hint of spiciness and still quite fresh acidity.  Dominant fruits were Lychees and dried apricots.  The average critic score is 92/100 (ICC).

Coffee & Petits Fours / Café et Petits Fours

Executive Chef: Maitre Joseph Brincat

Wine Supplier: Ta Frenc Restaurant

During his address after lunch, 0ur Bailli, Dr. Joseph Xuereb spoke about the restaurant's relationship with various wine houses, notably Boizel, which was recommended to them by Mr Serge Dubs, World Sommelier of the Year 2005, whom Ino Attard, one of the original owners of the restaurant and a member of our Bailliage, met while they were on holiday together in Alsace. Mr Dubs eventually came over to Gozo to inaugurate the newly opened cellar at Ta Frenc.

Domaine Wachau came to Ta Frenc through the Austrian partner of Lino Attard, the second owner of the restaurant, and the Hugel family. Hugel, which was already well known in Malta, consolidated its presence here with a lasting friendship between these gentlemen, who both sadly passed away at a relatively young age.

Dr Xuereb also said this might be the menu he would ask for on his deathbed—perhaps with the only addition being a piece of French cheese!

He finished the address by complimenting Chef Joseph Brincat and his brigade, Joseph Tabone, the managing partner, and Eric Gauci, the Maitre D, as well as the service staff.

As usual, below is a link to a photo album of the event: