PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Casey
For those familiar with the cuisine of Armenia, it’s often the enticing smell of shish kebab and the fragrant aroma of rice pilaf that are deeply embedded in the culinary senses.
But the country is also one of the oldest winemaking regions in the world. And on Monday, Sept. 30, and Tuesday, Oct. 1, some of those wines are coming to the popular Milwaukee restaurant, Sanford, in a special dinner honoring the wines as well as the cuisine. Chef and owner Justin Aprahamian—along with wife and general manager, Sarah—celebrates his Armenian heritage. It was the Armenian Consulate based in Chicago which first approached the James Beard Award-winning chef with the idea.
“They’ve been trying to do some events to help bring awareness to the resurgence and reawakening of wine culture in Armenia,” Aprahamian says. “I thought it was a no-brainer for us, a great fit, and I’m always trying to keep Armenian food on the radar at Sanford.”
The featured wines are from the Zorah and Yacoubian-Hobbs wineries, with Armenian brandy planned with dessert. Aprahamian has infused the special menu with some innovative combinations of traditional Armenian dishes (Fair warning: if you’re the least bit hungry reading this, the menu will send you running straight for the fridge).
The Armenian Wine dinner features: Lamb-stuffed grape leaves with labneh (a strained yogurt) and pickled apricot; grilled trout and fried mussels with eggplant, tomatoes and peppers; spiced beef striploin with keufteh (a handmade meat patty), cabbage and pumpkin, sumac yogurt, and finally... walnut cake with mahlab (ground cherry pit) ice cream, preserved quince and brandied cherries.
As Aprahamian points out, there’s plenty of preparation that goes into such food and wine pairings to bring out the best in the food and drink. “Before even getting my hands on the wine, I read all the tasting notes I could find on them,” he explains. “Then, we brainstormed some ideas of flow for a menu and things that fit the profiles of the wines, also keeping in mind seasonality.”
And Wisconsin’s seasons play a big role in this one-of-a-kind dinner.
“It’s a great time of year because we walk the line of still having great summer produce and dipping our feet into fall just a bit,” says Aprahamian, adding, “It helps illustrate the diversity of Armenian cooking and pairings.”
The Armenian Wine Dinner begins with a 6 p.m. reception with dinner to follow at 6:30 p.m. on Oct 1 at Sanford, 1547 N. Jackson St. Please note: the Monday, Sept. 30, dinner is already sold out. For more information, call 414-276-9608 or visit sanfordrestaurant.com.
