Elysee ThePremium Wines Sold for $1Million at French Presidential Palace

An innovative way to increase the worth of public revenue, selling wine is something that the French Government has decide to go in for. An estimated number of 1200 wine bottles sale from the Elysee Palace has resulted in revenue generation of 718,800 Euros or $935,374 USD. This is around three times, the estimated figure of 250,000 Euros.

These high prices are in fact a reflection of the current boom in the French market as also the fact that vintage French wines as Burgundy fetched higher prices. Though these facts too played their part but the main reason for this revenue generation was that French Presidential Palace was the seller of these wines.

France is always known for its elegant wines and the fact that the French Presidential Palace was directly involved in the sales of the premium wines made the event, indeed special.

If one goes into the value of the brands under sale at the French Presidential Palace, the topmost in the list was Petrus which managed to sell wine amounting to 7,625 Euros or $9,992. Next in the list was Musigny that sold wine amounting to $ 4,378 or 3365 Euros.

An interesting fact about the sale was that the promoters of the sale promised that wine would be available at affordable rates to those who wished to relish the same. They promised to let the drinkers have a taste of the same for 15 to 20 Euros. However, it later emerged that the lowest price for which a bottle was sold came out to be $390.

The price might have acted as a deterrent for premium wine lovers, but given the sales proceedings that were generated from the event highlights the love and passion of French people for excusive wines.

The sale was organized by the French President Palace as an effort to have its coffins filled. One would be amused by the fact that most of the bottles sold were odd lots as most of these could not be used at any formal dinners. The funds generated from the sales of these premium wines would be utilized by the Elysee to procure new wines.

The sales were able to generate over $ 1 million is a testimony of the fact that people in France have a liking for premium wines. Infact, wine lovers from all over the world made it a point to attend the premium event that happened in the French history for the first time.

The wines at sale were reportedly the best wines and those who could lay hands on some of these must have considered themselves lucky. After all they were able to enjoy the most exquisite wines in the world and that too at special prices and straight from the Elysee.

Given the kind of money that the French Presidential Place was able to generate from the sales gives rise to the assumption that this could turn into a regular event that wine lovers would look forward to.

Read More

Cristal 2002 Jeroboam by Philippe Di Méo

Champagne Louis Roederer together with luxury designer Philippe Di Méo have released a very special Jeroboam bottle for the exquisite Cristal 2002 cuvée. The fabled Cristal blend deserved a truly impressive bottle design, one that would match its value. Consequently, Di Méo chose to dress up the Jeroboam in a beautiful lattice work that resembled fine jewelry on a lady’s delicate skin.

The so-called medallion bottles will be limited to only 400 units, half of which will be released this year. The golden lattice for every bottle is entirely hand crafted and takes the work of two master goldsmiths to complete in four days. In all, 2,296 feet of 24k gold plated bras tape was used, resulting in 508 silver-weld points. More than a beautiful armor, the lattice work is a piece of jewelry for the excellent champagne.

Read More

Beluga Caviar Delecasy

When it comes to fine foods beluga caviar is among one of the very best. Caviar is made of the roe of fish, in this case the beluga sturgeon. For many centuries caviar has been considered to be among fine foods and it thought to be a delicacy. The Romans, Greeks and Persians were very fond of it and ate it on a regular basis.

Once it was considered to be peasant food but today it is among the most expensive luxury fine foods of the very best. There are three popular types of caviar with the most popular and most expensive of these fine foods being the beluga caviar. This form of caviar is considered exceptional and varies from having a light to dark steel coloration. It also has its own flavor as do all the caviar's.

Connoisseurs use the handle of a spoon that has been made with mother of pearl bone. Usually metals are avoided when eating beluga caviar as it impairs the flavor. Usually the less expensive of these fine foods are eaten with toast or crackers while the beluga caviar is generally eaten on its own or with very few embellishments. Beluga caviar is one of the fine foods served in many of the luxury restaurants of the very best. British chef Gordon Ramsey has beluga caviar on his menu and serves it in large quantities much to the delight of his diners, typically around 25g for each serving.

The tasting of caviar is undertaken by some of the very best chefs before it goes on their menu. The chef will usually take a spoon of caviar and put it onto the back of his hand behind his thumb. After eating the caviar he will then smell the back of his hand to ensure there is no smell of fish. If there is he may discard the whole batch of caviar.

Caviar is one of the fine foods in the world that you either take an instant attraction to, if you can afford the high cost associated with fine foods, or you immediately take a dislike to. For many of the most prestige people around the world it is considered high up on their list of fines foods and often eaten alongside one of the very best champagnes.

Read More

Louis XIII Rare Cask 43.8 Cognac by Remy Martin

This is only rational among true connoisseurs of fine drinks. The rest of the world will find no rhyme or reason in spending20.400Euro (£17,500) (approx. $26,400) on one 700 ml (23.67 oz) bottle of rare cognac. But what do they know? You simply can’t put a price on an experience that is never going to repeat itself and which you can only live once.

So for those of you who agree, here are more details on the Louis XIII Rare Cask 43.8cognac by Remy Martin.The fine liquor was created by PierretteTrichet, the luxury brand’s cellar master. It all started back in 2004, when she found a cask of Louis XIII Cognac – an exquisite mix of 1,200 eaux-de-vie! They had been aged for 40 to 100 years, and had a strength of beyond the normal 40° – it was a 43.8° cognac with an absolutely wonderful aroma boasting hints of nuts, mushrooms and honey.

Now passionate collectors can have access to this extremely rare and precious blend, which is limited to only 786 decanters. They will be available worldwide, being sold in forged metal boxes. The decanters themselves are true jewels, being manufactured by fabled glass maker Baccarat. Each one is handcrafted by over 10 skilled craftsmen, as every bottle needs to go through more than 50 different procedures.

The French fleur-de-lys is present on the decanter to emphasize the high origin of the Louis XIII. As a final touch of opulence, the black crystal bottles are decorated with palladium collars around their delicate necks. If purchasing one of these exquisite decanters is a bit too much for you, maybe you should try at least one glass at the few highly exclusive venues that will sell the cognac.

Read More

World's Best Steaks

Look No Further Than These Five Favorites

Aragawa

If you're looking for excellent Kobe beef, you need to go to the source — Japan. This high-quality meat is made using a very specific process, where each cow is massaged daily with sake, given walks every day (just like your dog), fed beer and loved just like it was a member of the family. The resulting meat is heavily marbled and so flavorful you'll never want to leave Japan.

Although Aragawa is a tiny location, it's known for having some of the best Kobe beef in Japan, and the prices reflect that nature. You're not given a ton of options either; you won't find a menu anywhere in the building, as the chef makes each selection daily. But don't think that you're restricted here, because the meal you get in the end is so amazing that it's worth any price.

3-23-11 Onarimon Odakyu Building, First floor

Nishi-shimbashi, Minato-ku Tokyo, Japan

03.3438.1867

BLT Prime 

New York City is packed with great restaurants, but when it comes to having a great steak, look no further than BLT Prime on 22nd Street. Here, you'll find Executive Chef Andrew Matthews cooking up some of the best slabs of beef you'll find on the East Coast — but don't expect it to be like any other steak on the market. Matthews is always trying out new grilling techniques, and each piece is grilled over a hickory wood burning grill, providing a distinctive taste not often found in the wild.

If you're hungry (and here you should be), try the 16-ounce New York Strip Loin, which we hear is not only amazing, but also comes with some sumptuous side dishes as well.

111 E. 22nd Street

New York, NY

212.995.8500

La Cabaña - Buenos Aires

If a restaurant lasts for more than 75 years, you know it's doing something right, which is exactly the case at La Cabaña in Buenos Aires, Argentina. So what's the best beef to find on your plate? We hear there are two options: The "Great Baby Beef," which we can only imagine is so tender you barely need a knife, and then the Bife De Costilla, which is spit-seared to lock in the flavor.

As an added bonus, you get the real steakhouse experience in this restaurant, with dark wood flanked by stone walls all around. There are also paired options as well, so if you want that perfect wine to go with your beef, you're covered.

Alicia Moreau de Justo 380

Buenos Aires (C1107 AAH)

Argentina

+4314.3710

Le Relais de Venise L'Entreco^te London (The City)

Based in France, Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecôte has locations in New York City and Paris, but out of their two London locations, you should head to The City for high-end dining. The biggie here is their special steak sauce, which has a recipe so coveted that it's become famous in the restaurant community.

So what's on the menu that you need to try? Rumor has it the Steak Frites are the go-to specialty, and when combined with that magical sauce, they're to die for. And for dessert, you have to get the crème brûlèe — it is a French-owned restaurant, after all.

5 Throgmorton Street

London

+44 (0)20.7638.6325

Metropolitan Grill, Seattle

Wash. Eat your next amazing steak in a historical setting. The Metropolitan Grille in Seattle, Wash., is situated in an intimate location inside the Marion Building, which was built in 1903. To get the best results, they use only corn-fed USDA Prime beef shipped in from Nebraska, as well as American Wagyu located in Idaho. Then the meat is dropped onto mesquite charcoal to lock in all of those juices needed in an amazing steak. If you want something really special, try the Chateaubriand which is carved right at your table, and top it off with a Smokey Met, the Metropolitan Grill's own special martini. 

820 Second Avenue

Seattle, Wash. 

206.624.3287 

Read More

Most Expensive Bottle of Cognac

An 1858 bottle of Croizet Cognac was sold for the record breaking price of 117.280Euro ($156,740), at an auction at the famous Peace Hotel on the Bund, in Shangai, China.

Léon Croizet, the founder of the house, gave the bottle to his daughter, as a wedding dowry, in 1892. That is why it was called Cuvée Léonie Cognac. A Hong Kong woman, named Maggie Vong, bought the bottle and saved it for a special occasion. The previous record was held by a 1788 bottle of Vieux Cognac, sold in France, in 2009, for €25,000.

Although another bottle of cognac was sold for 1.496.500 Euro ($2 million in 2008), it was not considered a world record because the drink came in a very expensive bottle encrusted with gold and diamonds. For the moment, the Croizet owns the world record for the most expensive cognac sold in its original bottle. Other 16 bottles of this refined spirit were sold at this first auction devoted only to cognac, held in China until now.

Read More

Highest Earning Celebrity Chefs

Gordon Ramsay

Probably the angriest chef on a television show, it's obvious that his dedication to detail has paid off, making him the highest-earning chef in the world. He hosts Hell's Kitchen, owns 23 restaurants across the world and has also just opened a steak house in Las Vegas at the Paris casino hotel. He also wants to set up in a restaurant in India, with Mumbai on his radar. Look at his plans for the city.

Total earnings: $38 million 

Wolfgang Puck 

A famous guy among Hollywood royalty, Puck made sure the Oscar invitees were fed well. He sits on a company that is home to about 20 fine dining restaurants and 80 Wolfgang Puck Express locations. Incidentally, Puck made it big in the industry when he introduced his fresh take on pizza.

Lately he has introduced an app that includes recipes and links to his restaurants to help with party planning.

Total earnings: $20 million

Paula Deen

A native of Albany, Georgia, Paula Deen is known for her love of butter and the deep fried cooking that's traditional in the American South. She has had a long-running partnership with Smithfield Foods and owns 17 different licensees and covers a range of good living products. Paula has authored 14 cookbooks, and lately she introduced a line of furniture too.

Total earnings: $17 million 

Mario Batali

Batali sits on a culinary empire with Italian traditions, that spans from in New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas to Singapore. Among his accolades, he was "Man of the Year" in the chef category by GQ Magazine way back in 1999. And then in 2001 he took home the D'Artagnan Cervena "Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America," which is a prestigious food industry lifetime achievement award. Mario has authored nine cookbooks to date.

Total earnings: $13 million

Alain Ducasse

With his motto being "Savoir-faire, faire-faire et faire-savoir" which means expertise, to-do and know-how, he can take credit for a number of restaurants under the same name. The Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester holds three stars in the Michelin Guide. His other properties include Alain Ducasse in London and Le Relais and Le Louis XV in Paris. And he's spreading his knowledge through his network of European hotels and has a Parisian cooking school.

Total earnings: $12 million

Todd English

When he's not busy cooking for the jet set, he is inventing dishes. He wanted to patent a new type of rotisserie grill that moves skewered chickens not just in one direction around a spit, but also around the grill and the spit itself. He is best known for his restaurant, Olives, Boston and Las Vegas. Todd English Enterprises includes over 20 restaurants spanning across USA. He also has his own cooking show, Food Trip with Todd English.

Total earnings: $11 million

Nobu Matsuhisa

Famously known as Nobu, the celebrity chef is known for his fusion cuisine - blending traditional Japanese dishes with South American (Peruvian) ingredients. His signature dish is black cod in miso. He is the chief proprietor of Nibu, Mastuhisa and Ubon restaurants located across three continents.

The chef partnered with actor Robert DeNiro, and thus opened Nobu sushi restaurants in New York, Dallas and Moscow. Now he plans on opening an entire Nobu hotel inside Caesar's Palace in Vegas later in 2012.

Total earnings: $10 million

Bobby Flay

The 47-year-old chef has staked his claim when it comes to American south-western food incorporating ingredients such as chillies, avocados, and beans. He is the owner and executive chef of 12 restaurants. Additionally, Flay shares his enthusiasm for food through his cookbooks and national cooking shows on the Food Network, Cooking Channel and NBC.

Total earnings: $9 million

Read More

Pierre Marcolini Belgian Luxury Chocolates

One of the greatest Chocolatier of all times! Pierre Marcolini whose name is famed among chocoholics, is Belgian by nationality and Italian by origin. Absolutely exquisite chocolate by the master of his craft.

Pierre Marcolini is a traditionally trained pastry and chocolate chef who has won several titles such as World Pastry Champion in 1995 and has opened a string of very successful shops in his name in Brussels, Paris, London, Tokyo… Not just that, but the man has charisma and his apparition at the Salon du Chocolat was greeted like that of a rock star, complete with Japanese girls shrieking his name! Now we also found out that beyond the great chocolate artist and the successful businessman there’s also a great guy who is driven by his passion for chocolate.

The aim of Pierre Marcolini is to bring to the world, perfection when it comes to luxury chocolate. In order to do this Marcolini travels around the world meeting producers who are passionate about their work. These producers lead Marcolini to discover rare and very precious beans which are then processed in the workshop and yield chocolate of the finest. This chocolate is more intense, delicate in flavor and harmonious than any found the world over.

The luxury chocolate squares of Pierre Marcolini each weigh barely more than 6 grams. Thanks to the master chocolatiers passion for chocolate and travelling to ensure the manufacture of some of the very best chocolate in the world each luxury square has more texture, fullness and finesse. The secret to making luxury chocolate such as this is finding the very best ingredients and Marcolini goes to the ends of the earth to uncover only the very best.

In fact Pierre Marcolini never compromises when it comes to the raw materials needed for his excellent creations. Travelling to such places as Madagascar, Trinity Island, Latin America and Mexico in search of cocoa beans he is not satisfied with just bringing back the beans as they are. The beans are subtlety blended from the different regions and working with the original aromas the chocolate master creates flavors that are unequalled. Anything from ganaches created with teas from around the world to origin Crus chocolate bars. Marcolini believes that the secret to success with luxury chocolate of the very best lies in the creation of your own coating and using only the very best selected ingredients. Each of these enhances the specialty of the other to create chocolate that is unique, original and always different.

More info & Buy online

Read More