Tasting menus with beverage pairings are popping up all over the place. They pose as creative outlets for awesome chefs trying to add some pizazz to their routine lives of menu classics. They provide insight into the chef’s mind and palate, and at the same time, create a unique dining experience for the customer enjoying them. It’s tug-o-war, a mini game of cat and mouse, encompassed by a coursed out menu of food and drink, and we’ve all come to love it.

There have been Thai tasting menus, and high-end collaborative tasting menus, but I’ve never seen a tasting menu/beverage pairing come out before 5 p.m. That is, until Sunday, March 3rd, at the James Beard House in New York, where Pat Szoke will be cooking up a mighty fine brunch, beverage pairings included.

Cheddar and bacon gougeres, potatoes latkes with house-cured salmon and creme fraiche, smoked trout deviled eggs

Ghost of Mary cocktail.

French Toast with Foie Gras, toasted pecans and maple syrup

Claiborne & Churchill Gewurztraminer 2010

Crispy Scrapple w/ Apple Butter and winter vegetable salad

Traimier & Fils Cotes Du Rhone 2010

Shrimp Gravy & Anson Mills Grits with poached egg

Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino, 2011

Apple-Stuffed Crepes with Toasted Walnuts and Maple Cream

Conde de Subirats Brut Cava, NV.

Szoke’s brunch at the Beard House is $95 per person, $80 for James Beard Foundation members.

Great Neighborhood Brunch [James Beard House]