AZUR's Master Sommelier Wine Dinner

For the AZUR November Chef Series Dinner on Wednesday, November 25, we will be hosting a Master Sommelier who has paired wines with Executive Chef - Jeremy Ashby's four course Grapes of Wrath dinner. The idea behind this dinner concept is providing upscale food with wine pairings at a very affordable price by creatively using frugal, seasonal ingredients and more affordable wines that perform at high end level.

AZUR eagerly awaited the carefully selected pairings from Master Sommelier - Brett Davis. In case you were wondering just how exclusive is a Master Sommelier? There have only been 171 world wide since the Court of Master Sommeliers inception in 1969. Statistically, this translates to 1 in 39 million.

AZUR is pleased to offer this special dinner in Lexington, Kentucky at $55 per person. See full menu with pairings at http://azurrestaurant.com/chefseries.aspx

Honey in Season

Honey is available at many local farmer's markets throughout the state. The variety of honey varies greatly as the honey is influenced by the vegetation available to the bees. Hence, the tastes and color of honey are very different from one locale to another. Consider purchasing several jars from different markets and having a honey tasting.

American Persimmons in Kentucky

Starting in late October, the American persimmons begin to bear fruit. They are deciduous trees to Kentucky that grow wild in all types of soil. Folklore states that a hard frost is required to sweeten the fruit; however, this is false. Actually, the persimmon just takes a long time to ripen. For cooking, one of the most common uses is a persimmon pudding but they may also be used to bake cookies and cakes or to make ice creams and preserves. One caution: the puckering astringent taste of the unripe fruit is an experience not soon forgotten.

AZUR's Very Very Exclusive Dinner

On November 25, AZUR restaurant & patio will host Brett Davis from The Court of Master Sommeliers (a trained, knowledgeable and certified wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service and has achieved the highest level in their profession). How exclusive? A Master Sommelier is approximately 1 in 39 million in terms of the world population. Hence, the AZUR Grapes of Wrath Chef Series dinner will be to many a very unique opportunity to share a four course meal and accompanying wines with one of the highest qualified wine experts available anywhere. See details on AZUR's website. http://azurrestaurant.com/chefseries.aspx

AZUR's Version of the Grapes of Wrath

For the AZUR November Chef Series Dinner, we will be hosting a Master Sommelier who will pair wines with Executive Chef - Jeremy Ashby's four course Grapes of Wrath dinner. The idea behind this dinner concept is providing upscale food and wine at a very affordable price by creatively using frugal, seasonal ingredients and wines that perform at high end level. AZUR is eagerly awaiting the pairings from Master Sommelier - Brett Davis. In case you were wondering how exclusive is a Master Sommelier. There have only been 171 world wide since the Court of Master Sommeliers inception in 1969. AZUR is pleased to offer this special dinner on Wednesday, November 25, 2009 for $55 per person. Reservations are available now 859-296-1007.

New Mobile Tagging Technology Testing at AZUR

AZUR is testing the new Microsoft Tag application which connects offline media (signs, magazine ads, etc.) to interactive ones using 2D barcodes. For our guests amusement, we have posted a 2D barcode with no other information (just the 2D barcode). Once you have downloaded the application to your phone by going to http://www.gettag.mobi, you are ready to snap your first 2D barcode and see where it leads you. Get the picture? Note: Your phone must be equipped with a camera.

The Legend of "Big Lex" - The Blue Horse

With just a couple days before the Fall racing season begins at Keeneland, AZUR thought it fitting to share the legend of "Big Lex." Although there is no tangible evidence of the existence of blue horses in Central Kentucky, there have been many reported sightings of blue horses along the roads of Kentucky. The most famous is "Big Lex." They say that legendary "Big Lex" turned blue by grazing in limestone enriched bluegrass pastures his entire life. And now you know the rest of the story.

Sad News in the Food World Today

AZUR learned with the rest of the fine dining industry that Conde Nast would be shutting down Gourmet magazine today. This icon in the food industry once made obscure restaurants and their chefs known international with a single review. After nearly 70 years of taking readers to exotic locations to indulge in lavish cuisine, the longest running food publication will disappear as another victim to the economic climate. Their insight into the future of cuisine was unparalleled as they identified molecular gastronomy and locavore trends ten years ago. Fortunately, their vast collection of recipes will survive in chefs kitchens, home cookbooks and websites everywhere. This is a tremendous loss to all levels of cooking and particular to the dreams of upcoming chefs of being featured in Gourmet - signaling in a single review - I made it.

IncrEDIBLE Food Show in Lexington, KY

Heading over to the IncrEDIBLE Food Show today to investigate other local Kentucky products that AZUR may not be aware of. We already utilize Kentucky caviar, bison, rabbit, cheese, mushrooms, salt, vegetables, beer and of course bourbon just to name a few. There is no question that fresher is better. The closer one is able to obtain product than the better the taste and presentation. Hope to find some Kentucky treasures to share at AZUR. http://www.theincrediblefoodshow.com/

AZUR Video Media Anniversary

One year ago today, AZUR uploaded it's first video to YouTube and then Facebook (perhaps vice versa). We now have five (5) videos posted which demonstrate our culinary offerings in a fluid medium. AZUR is pleased with our achievements with YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and this blog because the vast majority are actually produced by us. Each post originates from a member of the AZUR team (e.g. chef, manager or owner) and shows an unique perspective of the AZUR experience.