In an enjoyable interview for Bloomberg, Yefim Bronfman--by any measure one of the most in-demand pianists on the planet--reveals an unusual accolade: "I have to brag about something that's much more important to me than anything else in my career," says the man nicknamed "Fima."
"There is a wine named after me--Fimasaurus, a blend of cabernet and merlot produced by John Kongsgaard in Napa Valley."
Moreover, it appears that someone on the New York Philharmonic's Tumblr has even had a (small) bottle, no less.
But that's not all. When Bronfman plays for his winemaker, he gets paid in wine.
Presumably, the fee is paid after the performance rather than in advance, otherwise whichever masterwork is being essayed on that particular evening might suddenly exhibit some unwritten slurs and staccatos!
And one finds a rather fragrant description on the Kongsgaard Wine website:
"Fima is a giant of the piano, and he plays with the explosive passion you find in this wine. One might think that the merlot would soften the cabernet, but the merlot on our mountain is at least as brooding and concentrated as the cabernet, and the 50/50 blend is a unique powerhouse. Chocolate, cassis and saddle leather lead the aromatic profile, and the dense wine makes a profound impression as the layers of dark fruit and fine tannin unfold on the finish."
It's quite an accolade, indeed. And while Yefim Bronfman may have been the best pianist to judge the Food Network's Iron Chef, he is not the first artist to have a dish or drink named after him.
Here, then, are five others...
Melba Toast
In 1897, when the great soprano Dame Nellie Melba was ill, the chef Auguste Escoffier created this thinly-sliced and double-grilled toast for her to eat. The name reportedly came from the owner of the Ritz hotel, César Ritz.
Peach Melba
Melba got a second dish, also from Escoffier, but on an earlier and happier occasion. It was after she triumphed as Elsa in Wagner's Lohengrin at Covent Garden. At a party given by the Duke of Orléans, Escoffier presented the first Peach Melba on a swan made of ice. Apparently, the idea was to create an ice cream dish that wouldn't incorporate too much ice cream, as La Melba worried that it would affect her singing.
Janssons Frestelse
A Swedish casserole named after the Swedish opera singer Pelle Janzon.
Oysters and Ham Jenny Lind
Another Swedish diva honored when she was brought to the U.S. by the impresario P.T. Barnum.
La Diva Renée
It seems the foodies have caught up to what we all already knew, that Renée Fleming possesses one of the loveliest voices on Earth. Now, you can eat one of the tastiest desserts, at least says its chef, Daniel Boulud.
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