He'd been marinating the idea for the last couple months, assembling his menu, selecting his pairings, and discussing matters with his crew. It would be his debut serving a room full of Kansas City foodies, all of them hungry for the smokey, sweet aromas of bourbon and flesh from the forest. He plotted how the evening would flow and how each plate would arrive, all accented by the right Kentucky gem. "Bourbon & Game" was the name of the game, and Chef Chris Wofford had every intention of delivering true Southern comfort, one course at a time.
The Test Kitchen, a Kansas City underground supper club open to anyone with culinary curiosity, invited Chef Wofford to inspire them. A long table dressed with black linen and tealights supported silver charger plates, glasses of Makers Mark, and a sheet of paper that would reveal what the next three hours would entail. The scent of fresh Nicaraguan hand rolled cigars carried through the air and conversations bounced between the walls of the industrial space. After taking a pledge — a solemn oath to try everything placed before them — the foodie "disciples" sat, eagerly awaiting the unknown.
After four courses of wild game redefined, a pecan and smoked chocolate pastry cigar arrived to each guest. Each cigar rested on a chocolate ashtray filled with strawberry anglaise and fresh strawberry slices. Lips wrapped around each sweet cigar, and hands grasped the final pour of Bookers, ripe with hints of fruit, tannin, and tobacco. Everyone felt like a true aficionado.
The first of five courses arrived and the guests gradually grew quiet. Rabbit confit placed on top of sharp cheddar johnny cakes with wild mushrooms sat before each diner. The Makers Mark sipped during the cocktail hour was traded for a neat pour of Bulliet, which contained notes of oak, spice, vanilla, and honey. Together, the rich shreds of rabbit and delicate mushrooms set the tone for the rest of the evening. This was not going to be a dinner of game meats presented plainly, but rather a sophisticated assembly of dishes ready to surprise the pallete.
Roasted breast of pheasant with wilted greens and a spicy peanut vinaigrette arrived next. A nest of wontons spilled greens onto the plate and the tender pheasant lay sliced on its bed. Sprinkles of edible flowers and slightly wet greens made the dish resemble a bird in a soft habitat after a spring shower. A glass of Bakers accompanied the dish with hints of toasted nuts, fruit, and vanilla.
White, moist meat intensified to red deer flank steak served on venison sausage and hoppin' john. A raspberry barbecue sauce bled sweetness and a tossed salad of julienned squash and peppers dressed the hearty dish with a dash of something light. The lean meat that had been marinated in brown sugar and bourbon was bright with flavor, especially with a quick prance through the raspberry barbecue sauce. Knob Creek added a punch of woody, sweet fruit.
Course four began and the bar was high, but two rib bones from a rack of wild boar met expectations. Nestled on a mound of peppercorn hominy grits with a blackberry molasses gastrique, the wild boar paired beautifully with a splash of light-bodied Basil Hayden. Some of the cooks even dipped the boar into their glasses, just to insure the chemistry of the pair.
After four courses of wild game redefined, a pecan and smoked chocolate pastry cigar arrived to each guest. Each cigar rested on a chocolate ashtray filled with strawberry anglaise and fresh strawberry slices. Lips wrapped around each sweet cigar, and hands grasped the final pour of Bookers, ripe with hints of fruit, tannin, and tobacco. Everyone felt like a true aficionado. 