Sips, Bites and Folds

In early February, we hosted a champagne tasting with food pairings. We don't remember what went with what, but it was all good.

The Sips:

• Piper-Heidsieck Brut Reserve ($22.99) -- good, large bubbles like soda
• Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve ($29.99) -- nice, solid, frenchy
• Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs -- best of the bunch, small bubbles, velvety texture
• Launois "Quartz" Brut Blanc de Blancs ($29.99) -- caramel, pineapple, creamy, best value
• 2000 Roederer Vintage Brut Rose ($54.99) -- nice strawberry fruit, but a bit angular and not as creamy as it should have been
• 1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame ($109.95) -- biggest and most full flavored, but style and finesse paled in comparison to the Billecart

The Bites:

• Cheese course
• Seared Scallops with Bacon, Tarragon, and Lemon
• Frisee Salad with Warm Shallot Vinaigrette
• Spice Crusted Halibut in a Tomato-Ginger-Lemon Sauce
• Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

The Folds:

Sadly, we forgot about these and they're still sitting in a drawer at home. Origami will have its day. That's a promise.