Bailli Provincial Greg Wallis welcomed Midwest Mondiale members from Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis and Toledo who gathered in Toledo, Ohio, known as “The Glass City”.

Mary Martin, Bailli of Toledo, and Mary Horn, Échanson Provincial Midwest, developed an outstanding Société Mondiale experience.

[Ed. For the information of our international readers the Société Mondiale is the equivalent in the Bailliage of USA of the Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs - OMGD - in the rest of the Chaîne world.]

The Midwest Mondiale gathering is unique in the USA. The event spanned three days of camaraderie, fine dining, and a super sampling of beer, champagne, and wine!

Highlights

Bailli Mary Martin arranged local cultural experiences at two landmark institutions: the Historic Oliver House and the Toledo Museum of Art & Glass Blowing. Taken together, this pair of visits revealed much about the community’s history and personality.

Brewmaster Adam Harrell treated members to a tasting of five beers ranging from a light “west coast style” IPA to hard cider brimming with blackberries and peaches that tasted like fruit cobbler in a glass. The tasting was accompanied by small bites of German heritage bratwurst, potato sauerkraut balls, and pretzels, each paired with a mustard or sauce.

Échanson Provincial Mary Horn selected the wines for four dining events presented over the course of two days. She also provided content about each winemaker and wine, noting that her crisp commentary “gets more charming” as the wine selections flow. Mondiale members agreed! One person even suggested that Mary had missed her calling as a stand-up comedian.

Souk Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar (Chef/Owner Moussa Salloukh, Maître Rôtisseur) hosted a four-course meal designed to showcase the renaissance of quality winemaking in Lebanon, one of the oldest sites of winemaking in the world.

A Champagne brunch was hosted at Registry Bistro, located in the historic Secor Building in downtown Toledo. Opened in 2012, it is led by Co-owner/Executive Chef Erika Rapp who is a Maître Rôtisseur. Échanson Provincial Midwest Mary Horn chose five Champagnes to pair with Chef Erika’s seasonally changing menus of fresh ingredients sourced from local purveyors in what she describes as “casual-elegant dining”.

Element 112 - in the heart of historical suburban Sylvania, the establishment takes inspiration from French bistros, yet it is described as “a very modern American restaurant”. Dishes are inspired by French cuisine, playfully executed according to the whims of a culinary team led by Executive Chef Chris Nixon. Our meal absolutely reflected the intersection of French influences on American cuisine.

And so another robust, action-packed “Mondiale” weekend came to an end.

Kathy Merchant
Chargée de Presse Provincial Midwest

Photographer: Chuck Hong, Vice-Conseiller Gastronomique, Bailliage of Cincinnati