Imagine life without potatoes, no French fries, mashed potatoes, hash browns or gnocchi. This was a reality in eighteenth century France. In 1748, France actually banned the cultivation of potatoes as they were thought to cause ailments such as leprosy, and considered to be hog feed. That was at least until Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, a French pharmacist and agronomist, was released from a Prussian prison after being captured while serving for France during the Seven Years’ War.
While in prison, Parmentier was fed a diet that consisted mainly of potatoes. When he was released and returned to Paris in 1763 he began working to change peoples minds about these tasty spuds.
Due in large part to Parmentier’s work, potatoes were declared edible in 1772. Parmentier continued to champion these wonderful taters, hosting dinner parties which consisted completely of potato-based dishes.
Nearly 100 years later, French potato dishes began being named after Parmentier himself: crème Parmentier, puré Parmentier and Parmentier de canard aux bleuets (blueberry duck Parmentier) which I recently paired with McWatters Collection Meritage and TIME Fourth Dimension.
2017 McWatters Collection Meritage $39.99
This Meritage was made during the late Harry McWatters’ fiftieth vintage in the Okanagan. It is a blend of 52% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. The grapes were grown on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver, BC. The wine was matured in small French oak casks for 15 months.
After 5 hours in the decanter there are aromas of fig, blackcurrant, black cherry, sweet spice and liquorice. This is dry, full bodied wine with medium+ acidity and medium tannins. The palate is concentrated with flavours of blackcurrant, plum, cherry, sweet spice and herbaceous, dried herbs, with a lingering finish.
2017 TIME Fourth Dimension $34.99
Fourth Dimension is a blend of 45% Merlot, 29% Syrah, 16% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were hand harvested from vineyards in both Oliver and Osoyoos. They were sorted and gently destemmed prior to crushing and fermentation, remaining on the skins for 3 weeks before pressing. The wine was aged for 16 months in a combination of new and neutral French oak barrels.
After five hours in the decanter there are aromas of cedar, strawberry, plum, cherry, liquorice pastels, vanilla and sweet spice. This is a dry wine that is medium+ in body with medium+ acidity and medium, velvety tannins. The palate offers black plum, blackcurrant, hints of black pepper, liquorice, vanilla and sweet spice with a medium finish.
If you are in Penticton, TIME Winery & Kitchen is a great place to visit. They are located in the heart of downtown at 361 Martin Street in the renovated and historic PenMar movie theatre.
TIME has gone through some changes in the last two years. Since Harry McWatters’ passing in July 2019, his daughters, Christa-Lee and Darrien, have worked to uphold his legacy, uniting sister wineries TIME, Evolve Cellars and the McWatters Collection under one roof.
In July of 2020, BC wine lovers learned that TIME Winery & Kitchen had been sold to British Columbians, Ron and Shelley Mayert. Despite the sale, Christa-Lee and Darrien have carried-on as General Manger and Production Manager respectively. The Mayerts are committed to keeping TIME family owned and operated with a focus on handcrafted, small batch wines.
2021 will bring its own exciting changes to the TIME Family of Wines. There will be the addition of a new brand called Chronos to their premium BC VQA portfolio. Evolve Cellars and the McWatters Collection will receive a refresh of their labels beginning with the release of the 2020 vintage. The 2020 vintage is also the first vintage made entirely by winemaker Lynzee Schatz, who joined the team in 2019.
In the coming months, Time Kitchen will be replaced by a new epicurean experience called Orolo, and this autumn the TIME Family of Wines will open a satellite location at The District Wine Village in Oliver, BC.
If you can’t make it to TIME Winery & Kitchen anytime soon, you can always make Blueberry Duck Parmentier at home and pair it with a delicious red wine from TIME or the McWatters Collection.
Blueberry Duck Parmentier
Recipe compliments of the SAQ (Société des Alcools du Québec).
Ingredients:
Parmentier
6 duck legs confit, shredded
1 bulb fennel, finely chopped
1 white onion, finely chopped
30 mL (2 tbsp) duck fat
15 mL (1 tbsp) thyme
125 mL (1/2 cup) demi-glace
Mashed Potato
1 kg (2.2 lb) yellow potatoes, cubed
60 mL (1/4 cup) butter, cubed
250 mL (1 cup) aged cheddar, grated
80 mL (1/3 cup) milk, hot
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Blueberry Sauce
180 mL (3/4 cup) red wine
1 shallot, finely chopped
250 mL (1 cup) BC blueberries (fresh or frozen)
250 mL (1 cup) demi-glace
Zest of one lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a large saucepan, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Mash the potatoes with the butter, cheese and milk. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a large skillet, sauté the fennel and onion in the duck fat over medium heat, about 15 minutes. Add the thyme, demi-glace and duck meat, then season.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Transfer the duck mixture to a baking dish and spread the mashed potato on top. Level with a spatula and bake on a baking sheet for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, boil the wine and shallot for 5 minutes, add the blueberries, then continue cooking for 5 minutes, uncovered. Add the demi-glace, let simmer, then add the zest. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve the parmentier accompanied by the blueberry sauce.
References
Kanuckel, A. (April 2021). The Strange History of Potatoes and the Man Who Made Them Popular. Retrieved from: https://www.farmersalmanac.com/parmentier-made-potatoes-popular-28537