Life Tastes Good

Wow. No mistaking that it’s winter these days – huh? I wish that I could close my eyes and take myself to a warm and sunny place. Weather like this demands comfort food. One of my all time favorite techniques of comfort food cooking is braising. This recipe is super easy, and essentially adapted from Anne Burrell’s repertoire. I changed only a few things here and there, so I thought I should give her proper credit. Definitely something to make when you are home, stranded, because of YET another snow day…

Braised Lamb Shanks

My Favorite Lamb Shank Recipe
This comforting, warm, and utterly satisfying dish needs a rich, robust, and hearty red wine.  The perfect food and wine pairing for a cold winter day, or when you are snowed in!  (The optional gremolata will add brightness to the dish)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
5 lb lamb shanks (4 shanks total)
1 ½ cup chopped onions
1 ½ cup chopped carrots
1 ½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped garlic
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
½ bottle of a hearty red wine
Herb bundle: 4 rosemary branches, 12 thyme branches, and 4 bay leaves tied together
4 cups chicken broth or water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat the 1/3 cup olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the shanks generously with salt and add them to the pan. Patiently, brown the shanks well on all sides. This should take about 12-15 minutes total.

Meanwhile, puree the next 4 ingredients in a food processor. Set aside.

Remove the shanks and set aside in a tray. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the Dutch oven, and add pureed vegetables. Season with salt to taste. Saute about 15 minutes until the veggies are brown. They should have almost formed a crust on the bottom of the Dutch oven, without burning.

Add tomato paste and brown for 5 minutes. Stir in the wine and the herb bundle, and reduce the wine to about half.

Add the shanks back to the pot, and pour in 4 cups of the broth or water. The shanks should be submerged in the liquid. If they are not, add more water. Cover the Dutch oven and place in the oven.

Check the shanks in about 1 ½ hours, and turn them all over. Place back in oven, covered, and cook for another hour to hour and half. Check the shanks every 30 minutes or so, checking to make sure that the liquid has not reduced too much. If it has, add more water. You may also de-fat the sauce as you go. You may also remove the lid at the last 15 minutes of cooking to maximize browning.

The meat will be incredibly tender, and falling off the bone. Transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle with gremolata if desired. Serve one shank per person, over mashed potatoes or soft polenta… Enjoy!

Optional Gremolata: Combine zest of 1 orange, zest of 1 lemon, ¼ cup finely chopped parsley, 1 minced garlic clove, and 2 tablespoons of freshly grated horseradish, Sprinkle on the lamb shanks just before serving. This adds a lovely brightness to the dish!

Serves 4

Clotte Fontane Matheriou

I would drink this with a southern Rhone blend with a lot of juicy ripe fruit character. I love the 2009 Chateau La Clotte Fontaine Mathierou. It’s a perfect blend of Grenache and Syrah showing dark berry tones and balanced spice. Gorgeous length. It’ll be available again soon at 56 Degree Wine.

Another great wine to try this with would be the 2008 PB Wines Syrah Yakima Valley. A new world option, this wine shows lush dark berries and fig, and the length is incredible as well. This is sort of a second label of Rasa Vineyards -  I love the story behind this union of brothers who make and sell some fantastic Rhone-style varietals.  Read here to get the scoop on PB wines! This is also available at 56.

Last week, I found myself craving a colorful, textural, and bright salad. I wanted to serve this at a dinner party, so I decided that it had to be plated beautifully. I reviewed some of my recipes, but nothing popped out at me. When I run into a “menu planning block,” I often make my course selections according to the wine pairing. It was decided that either a Sancerre or Chablis would be served with this course, so I planned accordingly. I thought of cheese… what better pairing for Sancerre or Chablis, than a mildly tangy soft cheese? So, it was decided… a goat cheese would be highlighted. The rest, well, I was at the mercy of my local Whole Foods.

I visited the local market section, and was pleasantly surprised to see the most fabulous looking beets. Although not exactly “in season,” the beets were so fresh, their greens still perfectly shaped. The red variety were the only ones I could find, so I decided to get a bunch. I love the buttery texture and sweet flavor that the beets possess when they are roasted, so I was hoping to build the remaining ingredients around that idea. I then came across a tomato section. Though not from local sources, the adorable little yellow cherry tomatoes from Texas caught my eye. My course was coming together – a play on my red and yellow beet salad with goat cheese and herbs.

Here is my recipe for the salad that came together at the market – literally. An unlikely winter salad, for sure, but the flavors were delicious and I would highly recommend trying it – any time of the year that you can find these ingredients!

Roasted Beet Salad with Yellow Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Roasted Beet Salad with Yellow Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Baby Greens

Ingredients
3 large red beets
2 shallots, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced
4 to 5 oz mild goat cheese (chevre)
1/4 cup Marcona Almonds; chopped
2 cups baby greens

Wrap beets (without greens) individually in foil, and place on a baking pan. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 1 hour. Unwrap the beets, and set aside to cool. While beets cool, combine shallots, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Add the oil in a stream, whisking to emulsify.

When beets are cool enough to handle, peel them and dice them into a 1/4 inch size. Place in a bowl, and pour 1/8 cup of the vinaigrette and mix gently to combine.

Assemble: Toss baby greens with 1 some of the remaining vinaigrette and set aside (do not overdress.) For each serving, place a 3-inch ring mold in the middle of salad plate. Put an eighth of the beets in the ring mold and press down gently. Crumble a couple teaspoons of goat cheese on top of the beets, and then top with sliced yellow cherry tomatoes, forming a concentric design and covering the top. Remove ring mold. Place a small handful of baby greens on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle almonds around the plate, and drizzle with a teaspoon of the remaining vinaigrette.

Serves 8 as a first course. And paired with the 2008 Gilbert Picq Chablis “Dessus de Carriere” was a perfect match!

Autumn is my favorite season.

My older daughter spent her first five and a half years admiring the green scenery of northern California. She didn’t understand me when I told her that I missed the seasons that we had back east. When we moved back to NJ, she realized what it meant to see the “leaves change.” It was always just an expression until then. She was amazed by our Japanese Maple, and how it could go from being green one day, to brown the next, to a purple and then finally to a scarlet red. And then, the colors fell. FALL – the inevitable but saddest part of the season. That year was a tease, because the autumns ahead were going to be wet and dreary, producing only a few bright colors on our natural canvas, and therefore, more aptly named, FALL.

Autumn 2010. This is probably the most “true to season” autumn we’ve had here in NJ in almost 4 years. My girls are daily commentators on the earthy spectrum of colors that vary in shade day to day – both in front of and behind our house. Trees, flowers, and shrubbery have never been so interesting to them. Such simple pleasures… the fact is that this season in the last four years has been pummeled with rain, wind, sleet, hail, and even snow… washing away the foliage before the changes in hue can even occur.

Paying homage to my favorite season, I’d like to share with you a recipe for “Autumn in a bowl.” I think that the slightly sweet, nutty, and mildly citrus notes of the dish pair extremely well with a Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley. Specifically a Vouvray. And even more specific, if you can get your hands on one, a wine from Domaine Huet.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Cilantro Crema

1 medium sugar pumpkin (approx 4 lb)
½ cup water
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½  teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water (or more if needed)
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
½ cup crème fraiche
½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Halve the pumpkin lengthwise. Place cut sides down on a rimmed baking sheet, and add ½ cup water. Roast for 1 ½ hours, or until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel pumpkin and roughly chop into 1 inch pieces. In a large pot, sauté onion, carrots, garlic, and bay leaf in the olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add next 6 ingredients and stir until everything is well coated, about 30 seconds. Add the pieces of pumpkin. Stir until well coated, about a minute. Add broth and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, about 30 minutes. Add orange juice and simmer for 2 more minutes. Discard bay leaf. Transfer soup to a blender, and blend until very smooth. Use a strainer to refine the soup if you wish. Add water to the soup if you prefer a thinner consistency, and rewarm. Transfer soup to a tureen or serving bowl. Combine crème fraiche and cilantro. Mix well, and add salt & pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with a dollop of cilantro crema.

Serves 6

Chef David Bouley

October 6th, 2010 – Dinner at Bouley hosted by 56 Degree Wine. Words cannot describe how ethereal this experience was. I’ll try, but don’t blame me if you get hungry… or jealous.

Presented with the opportunity to attend a wine dinner hosted by Chris and Joe (from 56,) I was completely unprepared for the extravagant evening that lay ahead.  It was a rare occasion, where Chef David Bouley himself would be in the kitchen (and later at our table,) overseeing the execution of his thoughtfully created menu. The details of the courses would be revealed to Chris and Joe just a day before the event, and they would be faced with the challenge of pairing wines to the chef’s creations. No time to order, they chose what we had in stock at the shop. The challenge was met and conquered, and here is how the evening played out…

Our Private Dining Room

Entrance to Restaurant

The venue in and of itself is something out of a fairy tale. Magical is the word that comes to mind.  Bouley hired the best men for the job (some from overseas) to create the look that he was envisioning. Imported French doors (the one leading to the cellar is so heavy that Chef Bouley referred to it as “almost petrified,”) details dating centuries back, and stone that was from the same quarry used to restore the Versailles Palace in France are just a few of the authentic ingredients used to transform this space into a structural paradise. Upholstered frames, over-sized mirrors, and textured walls add to the appeal. It is romance to the nth degree. I had the opportunity to feast in the elaborate main dining room two years ago, but this time, the event was to take place entirely in the downstairs private room, adjacent to the wine cellar. The massive walnut doors and antique hardware was reminiscent of an old French Chateau. Just stunning.

Now, the meal.

Fresh Malibu Sea Urchin Terrine w/ Russian Golden Osetra Caviar and Fresh Kinome Leaf
NV Pascal Paillard Champagne Brut Bouzy Grand Cru
My notes… Such a unique dish! The creaminess of the sea urchin stood our for me, and my first encounter with kinome leaf – so savory, slightly peppery.. perfectly balanced dish. I was looking for ways to re-create this dish at home (challenge!) and then I found THIS! SCORE!!!!

Crab with Black Truffle Dashi and Corn Flan

Butter-Sugar Corn Flan with Live Dungeness Crab and Black Truffle Dashi
2001 Patrick Lesec Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru
My notes… Rich and earthy while preserving a wealth of freshness and brightness (perhaps the corn?) Someone at the table questioned this and decided that the dashi was too overwhelming. I couldn’t disagree more. Amazing balance in this dish! And, it paired magnificently well with the Lesec!

Organic Connecticut Farm Egg; 24 Month Prosciutto di Parma; Steamed Polenta, Artichoke, Coconut, and Early Garlic Broth
2001 Ronchi di Cialla Ciallabianco]
My notes… Always a favorite of mine on any menu… the FARM EGG. The coconut broth brought a whole new dimension to this dish, resulting in a mouthful of tropical richness. The Ciallabianco was a great pair – although I still had a tiny but of Puligny left over, and it was just as stellar of a pairing!

Chatham Day Boat Lobster; Brown and White Honshimeji Mushrooms, Passion Fruit, English Peas, Fresh Lychee, Hyssop
2008 Knoll Riesling Kellerberg Smaragd
My notes… Perhaps the marriage of the night! Rich lobster, earthy mushrooms, tropical passion fruit and lychee, fresh peas, and aromatic hyssop. Almost a chaotic slew of ingredients – but wow. The combination was magic (there’s that word again!) Every bite revealed another dimension, every sip of the Riesling reminded us of how incredible a meal like this can get with the “proper” wine pairings. Kudos and thanks to Chris and Joe and to the staff at Bouley for recognizing all of these flavors and for allowing every single guest in that room the chance at such a food and wine epiphany!

Venison Loin Wrapped with a Rye and Salt Crust; Roasted Chesnut Peels, Chestnut Gnocchi, Baby Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Comte Cloud
2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili
My notes… The venison loin was brought out just before slicing, and Chris caught a picture of it. Click here to view the masterpiece (keep in mind that there was very low light in the room when the picture was taken!) Again, such fragrant and savory flavors. And what better wine than the Giacosa Barbaresco to bring out the delightfulness in it all? PS – The coolest thing about this dish is that every item could have stood on its own… the venison; the chestnut gnocchi; the brussel sprouts; and the “comte” cloud – literally a cloud of cheese. YUM.

Chilled Strawberry Soup with Organic Yogurt Sorbet
My notes… For what seemed to be a “palette cleanser” or “pre dessert,” this course left us so satisfied and content. Fresh, bright, delicious!

Dessert

Caramelized Anjou Pear with Valrhona Chocolate, Biscuit Breton, Hot Toffee Sauce, Reglisee Sorbet, Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream
2001 Isole E Olena Vin Santo
My notes… The dessert is a masterpiece. The thinnest slices of caramelized pear wrapped the little package up. Inside, was Valrhona chocolate and biscuit breton (a buttery biscuit that was first made in the northwest part of France.) Hot toffee sauce topped the pears and the sorbet and ice cream flanked on either side. The dessert wine was the perfect balance of nutty, toffee, rich goodness balanced with a good amount of acidity, so it didn’t seem cloying at all.

An unforgettable meal and experience. Still, the words I use don’t seem to do justice to the evening. So, I’ll just relish in my memory.

Cheers!

Sour Cherries fresh from The Cherrful Cherry at the Greenmarket in Union Square NYC

Berries and Cherries and Stone Fruit…. Oh My! Yes, one of the many rewards to braving the summer heat is sinking your teeth into one of these delectable fruit gems…. bare and simple; baked into a treat; or incorporated into a delicious sauce of both savory and sweet dimensions. Two of my favorites…. the sour cherry and the blueberry.

Blueberries from Hillview Farm in Meyersville, NJ. Just up the road from me!

Sour Cherry Turnover

Sour cherry season is short lived. Very short. Mid June through early July, and many of the farm markets sell out of their stash (at least the ones that I frequent!) To my friends out there that laugh at me for trapsing into the city on a random early weekday morning to secure my lot of sour cherries… take one bite of this tart or turnover and see why I am so passionate about it! (Oh and forgive the lame shot of the sour cherry tart as that was me taking the picture at 10pm on Sunday night on my cell phone. Manish wanted make sure I mentioned that!

Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Ginger Preserves (here melted into a sauce)

I went blueberry picking with some friends and my daughters over at the Hillview Farm here in Meyersville. It was the perfect morning, weather wise, and most of the blueberries were ripe, juice, and ready to be plucked. We left with 7 lbs of blueberries, all deliciously plump and sweet. Three days of blueberry pancakes, muffins, and jam, and we still wanted more!

Sour Cherry and Almond Tart

Ingredients
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons ice water
1 lb sour cherries, pitted
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup raw almonds
1 tablespoon sugar

Combine first 3 ingredients together in a medium bowl. Mix in butter pieces with fingertips until incorporated (it’s ok if you see clumps of butter.) Stir in ice water with a fork until just combined (dough will be shaggy.) Empty contents of bowl (in other words, the shaggy dough) into a large piece of plastic wrap. Form the dough into a disc and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Flour a piece of parchment paper and place dough disc on top. Place another piece of floured parchemnet on top (flour part touching the dough.) Roll dough out into a 12 to 13 inch diameter circle. Transfer dough carefully to a 10 inch tart pan. I found this pate brisee very delicate, so if it breaks, no worries – just “seal” any holes with the scraps of dough. Form dough into tart pan and up the sides. “Roll off” any excess dough with the rolling pin. Refrigerate for one hour.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the sour cherries, sugar, and almond extract in a bowl. Grind the almonds and 1 tablespoon sugar in a food processor until fine.

Sprinkle almond mixture into the tart shell, and pour the cherry mixture on top. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve warm.

Sour Cherry Almond Tart

So long, 2009… Happy New Year! I know it’s been a while since my last post. The holidays demanded more hours from me – both at the shop and in the kitchen. Amongst these hectic work days, I’ve had the opportunity to experience some incredible meals and of course, some amazing paired wines. I’ll try to recap some of my favorites here…

Nantucket Bay Scallops (Sashimi style) with just a drizzle of lime and some snipped chives. This paired magnificently well with the 2007 Gilbert Picq Chablis. The incredibly fresh, sweet scallops offset the zippy acidity and mineral tones of the Chablis. We also had the delicious Pacific Peale Passage oysters along side – creamy and rich with still the briny flavor that you expect with a raw oyster. The brown sauce in the picture is just a little ponzu/soy dipping sauce – but we didn’t need it! (Thanks to Nick at Metropolitan Seafood for your suggestions!)

The “Soft Boiled then Breaded then Fried” (Blue Hill style) Egg atop truffled barley risotto with the 2000 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja. The earthy tones of the barley and the wine matched perfectly. Here are the before and after pictures of the dish… Once you cut into the egg, the soft yolk blends into the base and creates a velvety sauce-like texture to the risotto.

Another egg favorite… Soft egg Raviolis with Truffle Cream. These little pockets of flavor exploded with savory goodness. We first mixed together fresh ricotta with some Parmiggianno Reggianno, some fresh lemon peel, and a light sprinking of sea salt. Placed that in the middle of a fresh pasta round, and then topped the dollop of ricotta mixture with an egg yolk. Top that with another pasta round (carefully,) seal the edges, and voila. Soft egg ravioli! After a very brief simmer in a shallow pan of water, the raviolis were dressed with the truffle cream. This paired with the 2007 Vajra Langhe Rosso was truly harmonious.

At the 56 Degree Wine Dinner at Culinariane  in Montclair with wines from Francois Thienpoint, I fell in love with Ariane’s version of her team’s winning dish from Top Chef. The Indian spiced Lamb Chops with Carrot Puree and wilted Spinach. Earth and spice tones set the stage for the slightly sweet notes of the carrots to shine as well. The wines were incredible, highlighting all of the flavors of the dish. The 2006 La Gravette de Certan Pomerol and the 2000 Vieux Chateau Certan Pomerol were my favorite wines of the night. This menu inspired me to create something similar – Indian spiced Lamb Chops with Carrot-Ginger Puree and Spinach simmered in Yogurt and spices.

As the weather gets cooler outside, the idea of comfort food warms my heart. “Braised” dishes to be even more specific. Some of my favorite creations from the cold months of this season thus far…

Braised Rabbit Ragu over Creamy Polenta. We had this with the Fantabulous (really – there IS no word in the English dictionary that can describe this wine) 2001 Giacosa Barbaresco Asili. (Yum! Thank you, J.B. for bringing the vino!)

I also made Rajat Parr’s Indian Spiced Lamb Shank recipe and paired it with the earthy 2000 Chateau Grand Corbin-Despagne Saint Emilion. Perfectly balanced flavors in both the lamb and the wine – you could really taste the cinnamon and the spices but nothing was overwhelming. I am always tweaking recipes – I never seem to be happy unless I “Nita-fy” it. But this one, was perfect as written, in my opinion. (Click on the link above to get to the recipe.)

Braised Meatballs in Red Wine gravy was another cold weather necessity – and we drank the 2007 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d’Alba Cascina Francia. After a half hour of decanting, this wine was fabulous. Velvety, berry fruits with a touch of smoke. Delicious!

My favorite braised dish of this season so far though was the Beef braised in Barolo that our friends made on Christmas Eve. It was such a special meal. So tender and so flavorful, this dish could only be paired with a wine as worthy. We had the 2005 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Mate with its spicy and smoky notes to pair alongside. Delicious! Thanks again, Sej and Rick!

Speaking of Christmas – my girls gave me my very first Macaron cookbook. As many of you know, I’ve blamed bad recipes, my oven, and lack of time to my inability to create those little Parisian masterpieces. I’ve attempted over a dozen times, and a few of those attempts were successes (perfect macaron “feet” and all!) Now I have no excuse! I will most definitely blog my efforts later this month, as Maya has already asked me to bake her a “Macaron cake” for her 11th birthday. It’s a challenge… so I’ll try it!

Back to wining and dining… We experienced our first ethereal wine pairing menu at Elements in Princeton. If you are ever in the central Jersey area, do yourself a favor and check this place out. The chefs here are incredibly talented, and the service stellar. My favorite courses were the Nantucket  Bay Scallop Ceviche (surprise surprise,) the Octopus with smoked Paprika, and believe it or not, the simple Griggstown chicken course – with wild boar sausage. There were many more intricate flavors involved, but that is what I remember most about those plates.

I can’t forget the adorable and expertly inventive dessert – Bacon and Eggs. Sous Chef Joe Sparatta removes the top of an organic egg, removing its contents and filling it with brioche french toast. Then he tops that layer with a creamy egg and bacon custard, and a creamy maple foan tops off the egg. On the side of the egg is a strip of bacon and a slice of french toast. It’s even better than it looks in the picture!

Before I complete my first post of this new year, I’ll tell you a little about one of my new favorite things to drink. If you know me, you know that in addition to fine food and wine, I loooooove me a good cup of coffee. Well, I recently discovered some truly phenomenal coffees from the company Fresh Coffee Now. My favorites are the Breakfast Blend (which I like to drink all on its own – sans milk or sugar) and the French Roast  (which I like with my accompaniments.) The Mexican Roast and Colombian seem to be the favorites amongst some family and friends that have been the lucky taste testers in my house. Check out the link above for more information (and 56 Degree Wine sells the coffee at the shop as well!)

Til next time – Cheers! And Happy 2010!

This was the theme at a dinner party hosted by yours truly this past weekend. We had our very charming friends – Len, Aileen, Tom, and Flora – over for what we intended to be a fun grilling evening. But due to the “weather witch,” (aka RAIN RAIN RAIN) we dined indoors. “A Savory Summer Supper” is what we focused our meal planning around.

We started off the evening with the incredible 2005 Gilbert Picq Chablis. A magnum at that! It showcased the perfect balance of fruit, minerality, acidity, and “stony-ness” that you look for in a Chablis. If you are not familiar with the terroir (or the land and geographical surroundings) of where the Chablis region’s grapes are grown, let me enlighten you! The soils in that region are very special. The basin of limestone marl that runs all the way down through the Champagne region, into the Loire, Chablis, and other parts of Burgundy is known as the Kimmerdgian Trail. All of the soil from these regions contain that limestone clay which is heavy with nutrients of the sea shells and fossils from many, many years ago. The grapes pick up those slate-like tones and the resulting wine is perfectly balanced with a stony minerality and vibrant fruit. Lovely!

With the Picq Chablis, we enjoyed an array of hors d’oeuvres. Asparagus and thin bread sticks wrapped in “truffled” prosciutto di parma; Summer garden bruschetta; Assorted Olives; and something that I never served but intended to… Summer Fruit Gazpacho. More on that later!

We took our places at the table and started our meal with quite a bang. The 2008 Domaine Tselepos White Mantinia paired magnificently with Len’s Melon Salad. Perfect spheres of watermelon and cantaloupe accompanied with blueberries, basil, Greek yogurt, and sesame oil. Topped off with a camembert tuile. It was texturally SO appealing – and extremely flavorful. A perfect starter course to our Summer Supper – thank you Len!

The Moschofilero (The lovely asromatic, crisp, clean wine that we speak of above) carried itself through the next course. Heirloom tomatoes were the focus here. A fresh tomato tart – with a parmesan and black pepper crust.A great way to use up your garden tomatoes – here is the recipe… It was a true representation of what late summer represents. So clean, pure, and fresh!

We moved onto the 2006 Peter Michael Le Moulin Rouge Pinot Noir. Exquisite – definitely young but contains enough structure and finesse to pair with the next course. I must say that I was a tad intimidated to show this wine. But Manish and I enjoyed it when we first sampled it in CA last year. It was showing 100 times better than our last tasting – and it was perfect with the Ravioli Oeuf with Truffles. With the yolks still on the “softer side,” these raviolis, stuffed with a savory ricotta filling and an egg yolk, were so decadent. The filling had a dash of lemon zest which really brought out the nuances of all of the other components. The truffled butter sauce revealed an earthy note to the entire course. It was so savory, and now one of my favorite stuffed pasta dishes of all time.

Our guests brought outstanding wines to pair with the next course. Rack of lamb with Fig Gastrique over a sunchoke puree with baby zucchini. The 1988 Chateau Beychevelle Saint Julien was showing very well. After letting it breathe for a an hour or two, this wine was showing hints of cedar, earth, dark cherry, and tobacco. I wrote down “caramel” but by that point, I had consumed enough glasses to assume that I mis”wrote.” So unless that seems normal to you, just disregard! On the opposite spectrum was the 2001 Dalla Valle Cabernet. This had a more pronounced nose of licorice, dark fruit/berry, and coffee. The fruit was there but in an elegant style. Both wines paired well with the meal – the Bordeaux reflecting the earthy and game-y qualities of the dish while the Napa Cab supported the flavors of the gastrique.

Flora’s dessert was phenomenal. A chocolate tart with a delicate shortbread/almond crust. Topped off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and home made chocolate sauce. Decadent. While everyone was announcing how they could only possibly have a bite, I went on to practically lick my plate clean (figure of speech people!) The 1992 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port and the 2004 Zinskey Late accompanied this course. The perfect ending to a very satisfying meal!

More than the meal itself, I was thrilled to be able to share the table with these food and wine loving friends of ours. Thank you for the lovely evening, and here’s to the next one! Cheers!