Spring is here

So last night half the liquid from the ribs went into a pasta sauce with tomatoes and a little milk plus tons of garlic and herbs. Simple, but pretty fantastic penne, especially with A Sine Qua Non Albino which started out great and was downright operatic by the end. A white wine well worth decanting.

The other half of said yummy pork sauce went into a pot with mirepoix and soaked chick peas plus some herbs and a bay leaf, plus water to cover. The peas were done just as the liquid was almost gone, leaving just enough unctuous juice to pool on the plate. A lovely rack of organic lamb got the usual espresso rub and went on a fire outside (we cleaned the deck yesterday and the weather is even more gorgeous today.) I didn't french the rack because it's more fun to gnaw the bones when there's crispy, fatty, garlicky stuff on them. Chops cut apart and served on the chick peas and steamed kale tossed with a bit of cider vinegar and our favorite organic unfiltered olive oil, and finished with the first chives of the season from the planter on the deck. To welcome in the season we cracked a 1992 Beringer Private Reserve, which has an incredible leathery nose but is smooth and supple in the mouth with fruit and earth elegantly fused together. The leather is turning to licorice in my glass as I write. It is hard to imagine a better first meal outside for 2006.