Reported by Rutha Astravas

Just when you thought Decadence was covered off by previous tastings, this event was a real feast for the senses and definitely at the point of sweet death by dessert. Award-winning Master Pastry Chef Joe Calabro, of Preston Street’s Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana created four beautiful courses matched with a rainbow of liqueurs, including some lesser-known flavours. Everything was presented to great effect, with stunning colours, textures, and tempting smells as the plates were brought in. Calabro also took time to answer questions about his desserts and methods of preparation.

The first flight consisted of a savoury brie mille-feuille topped with anise-poached pear. This was accompanied by a milky-looking pastis sorbetino (syrup-based). The Pommeau de Normandie went best with both the brie and the pear, given its smoky, cooked peach, and apple notes. It had a surprisingly light body and bright texture, and its heat was tempered by the brie. The absinthe (one of many anise-tasting liqueurs on the market), though strong, made for an interesting mouth-feel when mixed with the sorbetino. Both drinks were equally popular matches.

The second plate included a lovely, delicate, akermis-flavoured layered torte with crème patissière along with juicy lemon sorbet volcano with strawberry liqueur lava. Akermis is an herbal flavouring added to many of Calabro’s tortes. Those who love lemon were in love with Calabro’s smooth sorbet. The fragoli liqueur was added by tasters to create the colourful lava effect and a more exciting pairing with the creamy torte. Fragoli contains 50 grams of real Italian wild forest strawberries in every bottle. This is as strawberry as it gets – makes for a perfect mixer. The other pairing was bitter cherry-based Ratafià – another excellent pair; the slight acidity and bitterness were particularly pleasing.

In Abruzzo, ratafià is traditionally prepared with summer-sweet cherries at their peak; they are stemmed dried in the sun for a day then macerated in red wine – preferably Montepulciano d'Abruzzo – with cinnamon and vanilla for forty days in the sun. The liquor is then strained, the cherries squeezed to extract the most flavour, and sugar and alcohol are stirred in; the longer ratafià ages the better it is. Tasters were invited to add some of the ratafià to a glass of orange juice to produce a third pairing for the torte. The ratafià alone was not everyone’s favourite, but mixed, it gained more votes as a refreshing summer drink.

Then came the third plate: perfect peach clafoutis with amazing cinnamon gelato. For many, the subtle and slightly earthy (but not spicy) gelato was quite a surprise and a delightful discovery – a very exciting match for the rich and fruity clafoutis. Lillet rouge (France) and Le Valentin (Quebec) were on offer. Le Valentin had a strawberry and jammy nose, some molasses and good acid, but was not overly sweet. Both liqueurs lost some of their sweetness when paired and featured more herbal and spicy notes. Compared to other flights, they were not overwhelming favourites – these were not conventional matches and herbal liqueurs can be an acquired taste (especially if one is not used to sitting in French cafes for aperos.)

Final flight: most people were already on cloud nine and overwhelmed! A plate of fine chocolate mousse, dark chocolate sorbet, and hand-made truffles arrived. What can I say – chocolate lovers were ecstatic. Together with the Banyuls and 5-year old bual Madeira, the final flight was a dreamy close to the exciting evening. Both were excellent matches, emphasizing complex flavours and tempering the richness of the desserts.

A very, very, big thank you goes to Joe Calabro and to Director Pierre Fournier for orchestrating this memorable tasting! No doubt many of us will be visiting Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana for our next ultimate indulgence.

First flight
Pommeau de Normandie, Coeur de Lion, LCBO-276592, 18.15$
Absinthe, SAQ-597649 35.50$

Second flight
Ratafià, Evangelista Liquori snc, SAQ-10367068, 14.80$
Fragolì, Toschi Vignola SRL, SAQ-574871, 28.45$

Third flight
Lillet (rouge), SAQ-10364406, 13.65$
Le Valentin, Mistelle, SAQ-733931, 18.75$ (375ml)

Fourth Flight
Banyuls, Domaine de Valcros, SAQ-855056, 15.35$ (375 ml)
Madeira, Cossart Gordo, Bual 5 year old, SAQ – 328070, 25.05$