Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

wine and dine Ernest Hemingway once wrote that he would never think of eating a meal without drinking a glass (or three) of wine to complement it. Admittedly, this was the European thing to do, and Papa spent a good deal of time in France and the surrounding area. It’s taken a while for such a trend to catch on here in the States, and especially the South. It’s hard to peg exactly what started this new craze in America. Some say it was the “French paradox,” in which the French supposedly offset high cholesterol by drinking wine regularly. Some say it was simply the movie Sideways. Pairing wine with a meal has recently become a new sensation, and it’s arguably as evident in Destin as it ever was in Paris. Wine bars, boutique wine shops, and restaurants renowned for their wine lists seem to stand on every corner in this beach community. Beach Walk is one such restaurant. “Wine to us,” manager Troy Klamerus says, “is like part of the meal.” Troy explains that all the servers must participate in wine tastings to help with pairings. And there is no corkage fee at Beach Walk, so patrons are encouraged to bring their own wine. Bistro Bijoux and its Seagrapes Wine Bar and Gifts in The Village of Baytowne Wharf is the ideal place to check out vintage wines. You can sip wine that matches perfectly with the bistro’s excellent New Orleans-style cuisine. Wine bistros seem to have found a niche throughout Destin. Vintij Wine Boutique is a quaint place The Village of Baytowne Wharf has fun spots like the Graffiti Restaurant/Funky Blues Shack (above) which offers live music, and fabulous restaurants including the New Orleans Creole Cookery (right). There’s no shortage of restaurants either. Baytowne boasts 20 eateries, with everything from Creole to sushi to upscale seafood. “The focus here is on the restaurants and nightlife,” Faye says. In the evenings, the residents and visitors gather in the village’s town square to toast the sunset before immersing themselves in that nightlife. When the sun sets completely, the little village heats up, still doing its wonderful impersonation of the French Quarter. The bars and nightclubs have plenty of variety, from places where you can sway to live music to dance halls where you can party hearty. Rum Runners offers frozen drinks and they have dueling pianos so you can request your favorite song and sing along. A Baytowne favorite, The Village Door, lets you dance the night away to house music. The party is not just limited to the bars, though. Baytowne has a special liquor license that allows you to walk through the pedestrian-only streets with alcohol, which makes for plenty of room to party. But the people never seem to get rowdy. “It’s still clean fun,” Faye says. Although parking is limited at Baytowne Wharf, there are trams that run very frequently and a water shuttle that brings you to a pier that leads straight into the village. adorned in hip artwork where you’re encouraged to taste wines at your leisure before deciding which one to pair with the bistro’s coastal cuisine. You can order a flight, which is an assortment of wine samples, similar to the beer samples you get in microbreweries. Cuvee Beach also operates under the philosophy that wine is an essential part of any meal. The restaurant has regular wine dinners and tastings and offers suggestions for pairing. To help us fully understand the beauty of pairing wine with food, manager Ernie Danjean and his staff point us in the right direction with dessert. Beth and I have rich chocolate cake with a sweet sparkling dessert wine. For the best result, Ernie says, the way to do it is sip the wine, take a bite of the cake and let it melt on your tongue, then drink. Pairing food with wine can be a great hobby. Just remember that there’s no one right way to do it. The rule of thumb is to drink what you like and like what you drink. —Derek Bagley Spring 2008 41

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Seen & Heard Coastal Calendar Storefronts - Keepin' it Reel Sweet Dreams - Grand Hotel Art of Living - Marking Time Fixtures - A Fitting End Our Backyard - Reasonable Drought Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life The Southern Breeze Hot List Unexpected Destin-ation Visual Zydeco We're an American Band The Good Life From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops Reader Services Cheers - Lazy Libations Dish - Mississippi Yearning Chef's Table - Welcome to The Doll House Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations Last Bite

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