Mas Maki

Leftovers became sushi tonight: crispy salmon skin and Thai basil, the last of the carrot "fettucine," and BBQ chicken with crumbled feta, all in the remaining brown rice. Enjoyed with the last of the Soter vin gris. Light, but deep, and a perfect hot weather dinner which neatly tied up a bunch of loose ends.

Keeping cool

Mila and Joey came over to visit, and I had marinated a bunch of chicken in rosé (Marques de Caceres Rioja- 6 bucks!) plus vinegar, soy, salt, herbs, and lemon juice. While that sat I made more of the BBQ sauce and transferred some of the pea soup into oiled ramekins and rechilled it. Finely shredded raw kale got the pinenut dressing treatment and sat for a bit while we opened a sparkling 2005 Vieux Pressoir Saumur as an apéritif with chips and olives.















The first course was a "flan" of pea soup unmolded and topped with a mound of the kale salad, with a 2005 Turkey Flat rosé of Grenache/Shiraz/Cab/Dolcetto (yum) and then on to the chicken, well slathered in the sauce and reduced marinade mixed together, along with corn from around the edges of the grill. This washed down very well with two vins gris of pinot noir: the first from Saintsbury (Carneros) and the second a 2004 Soter Firefly from Oregon.

Fish & Bubbles

The heat demands light food, and raw crunchy things are best. So I soaked a bunch of pine nuts and puréed them with miso, nama shoyu, cider vinegar, pepper, and ginger. Nice long carrots peeled into "fettucine" and tossed with the pine nut dressing went in the fridge to marinate while I took some beautiful salmon and made sashimi and maki with brown rice, lemon, pepper, and chives. Nice orange colors all over the plate, and the flavors sang with a bottle of Moët we've been saving to celebrate the move in. Champagne and sushi are such a wonderful match, and the brown rice made it even better, playing off all the nice toast while the bubbles cut through the oil in the fish.

Plan B

I was just about to light the grill, and cook burgers and veggies, when the wind suddenly jumped up and sheeting rain came hard behind it. So the burgers- seasoned with truffle & sesame oils, balsamic vinegar, onion, cumin, garlic, and herbs- cooked instead in the cast-iron skillet. The yellow & green squash got cut smaller, along with red onion and garlic, and browned in the pan post-meat. Once soft I threw in plum tomatoes and a bit of paste, salt, pepper, and covered. Toasted pita, spread with mustard, then a burger, then filled with the ratatouille. We opened a 2002 Sirius which is lighter than the 2001 (a feral, opaque black beast of a wine) and is drinking nicely now especially after a little while in the decanter.

Pea Soup

Back from Brooklyn. All the rib bones went in a big pot with sweating onion and carrot, plus herbs from the newly planted herb garden, then garlic, water, and 3+ pounds of dried split peas (there were a lot of bones.) Cooked low, adding water as needed, for a couple hours and served with truffle oil and black pepper. Well-suited to a rainy day, and the perfect use for such yummy bones. Throwing bones away without making soup firom them first should be a crime. We had no wine because I was too tired; if we had opened one it would have been a Turley zin.

Kris strikes again

Back in the city for a few days, I called Mary and we decided to impose on Kris for a dinner; he was happy to oblige. We began with a 2001 Erdener Riesling Kabinett, which was candy, then had a luscious morel risotto with the 2000 Altesino Brunello Mary brought (beautiful nose, but a bit thin.) Then seared foie gras with quince chutney on toast, alongside 2 1990 Vouvrays: a Domaine des Aubuisiers Vielles Vignes and a Clos Naudin demi-sec. Liquid honey and caramel with the creamy foie and crunchy toast.

Back to reds again for lamb chops crusted with herbes de Provence and mustard, accompanied by my 1998 Cathiard Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots. We also had a 1999 Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts by Clavelier and a Guyard de Changey 1999 Hospices de Nuits Nuits Saint Georges Les Murgers to go with the cheeses: a Piave and a Robiola. The consensus was that the Cathiard was the most ready to drink, and that the others needed more time. All quite masculine, they showed the astonishing variety Burgundy has to offer within a tiny area.

Dessert was first a deconstructed gin and tonic: lemon sorbet, gin gélée, and juniper syrup with shiso (transplanted from our deck) and then coconut ice cream (unbelievable) with fresh berries. Wow. And this on a night when we called last minute.

New House

The move is done. After two days getting the kitchen and lots more unpacked, I finally got a chance to forage in the field and returned with wild garlic and mint, of which there is a ton, plus other treats for later. Two big slabs of ribs didn't stay frozen during the trip up, so they went on the grill, with the customary secret spicy espresso rub, and got a good slather with the BBQ sauce from before, augmented with more of the same. I usually let the rub get a good char on it, then move the meat off the heat and start basting with sauce. Once moved off the coals, I added a bit of hardwood to give it some smoke, and threw on some bell pepper, onion, and tomato, which were all cut up from earlier meals.

Using the wild garlic, I made some mashed new potatoes, and blanched some bok choy, then tossed it in oil, cider vinegar, and sesame oil. Garnished the meat with a chiffonade of the wild mint and ate it with a 2000 Domaine de la Terre Rouge Ascent Syrah which is still young, but decanted and with meat softened up into a real Rhône Ranger; I think I have another one in VT and I'm excited to try it in five more years. It lacks a certain leathery, herbaceous quality, but damn if this isn't in the same league as some top Châteauneuf.

Note the size of the ribs in relation to Milo. (He loved them.) One of the best things about the new place is being able to use the kitchen table I grew up with again; it had been relegated to the role of lowly studio work table in Brooklyn. Continuity, even of furniture, is a good thing in families.




















* Warning: these ribs are powerful and should not be undertaken by those with a limited tolerance for ecstasy.

Still grillin'

A beautiful piece of salmon got the BBQ sauce treatment (I made a lot) and thrown on the grill with all the leftover polenta. We enjoyed it with the rest of the grilled veggies from last night. The salmon skin shielded the fish from the heat of the fire and crisped up perfectly, leaving the fish just cooked through; I saved the skin for something tomorrow and there's a bit of polenta left too. We had this yumminess with the first of the 2001 Domaine la Millière Châteauneuf that Mary delivered, which, though lacking the fat middle palate of a great wine, is mighty yummy and brilliant for the price.

BBQ 2

Mary came by, and her friend Camille, so I threw something together based on what we had in the fridge. Thus more grilled chicken, with a similar molasses/tamarind/cider vinegar based sauce, and polenta with parmesan, lemon thyme, and truffle salt, and grilled summer squash and onion.

We began with De Meric Champagne, which had a strange Sherry/almost corked thing going on, so we moved on to a 2004 Wagner Stempel Riesling which was very nice, but we quickly abandoned it once the food was ready for the 1997 Laurent Gevrey-Chambertin "Les Cazetiers" followed by Mary's fabulous, velvety 1984 Stag's Leap Cabernet. Now I've had the Laurent a couple of times recently, and it's good, and funky, but light on fruit and a bit unbalanced. Comparing it to such a rich, old, and beautiful wine as the Stag's Leap wasn't fair, but it sure was fun. After the meal, the Champagne was toasty and beautiful, and the remaining Riesling was a perfect dessert- so good that we forgot about the figs in the fridge.

BBQ

A hot, sweaty day, so rich comfort food was required, all done outside to keep the house cool. Huge organic chicken legs & thighs got a quick salt/pepper/cumin/chile rub, and went on the grill along with rounds of acorn squash tossed in oil, salt, and pepper. I made a BBQ sauce from molasses, cider vinegar, tamarind, ketchup, sambal oelek, chile powder, maple syrup, ponzu, and pepper, and liberally basted the chicken with it throughout. The fire was so hot and burned so long (hooray for natural charcoal) that I made tortillas from masa to finish and also grilled halved zucchini and charred some red peppers for tomorrow.

We had all this sticky, smoky goodness with another H&B Faugères which handled the fruit and heat well, and now reveals the same cherry-licorice alloy that seems to constitute the major aspect of so many wines' finishes.

Sesame Noodles

Soba tossed in tahini, cider vinegar (out of lemons), nama shoyu, nam pla, grated ginger and garlic, pepper, chopped mint and chives, lemon thyme, and olive and sesame oils to coat, then a pan full of sautéed garlic scapes to finish. This was lunch, so we just had a splash each of the Beringer Chard ('02 Sbragia) left over from the night before.

Burrito Supreme

Christine made a pot of brown rice, and procured a jalapeño in anticipation of another leftovers festival. Onion and cumin seeds browned in the big pan, then garlic, then remaining kidney beans from Milo's dinner, plus a can of pinto beans. Cider vinegar and the garlic scapes from last night finished it off, and it thickened while I made a salsa of grape tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, scallion, olive oil, and rice vinegar.

So the rice went on a tortilla, then beans, then a bit of smoked derby cheese, then the remaining steak, then salsa, and the last of the red pepper sauce. (Pictured below just before rolling up.) More Sinskey, because we're out of the others and it's still hot, despite the rain.

Steak au poivron

I worked my last shift at the Coop today, and I'll miss shopping there. The garlic scapes are in, so I bought a big bunch (they're the new ramps, don't you know) along with some flatiron steaks, red bell peppers, and all the other things we needed. So for today, the 4th of July, in addition to updating this neglected blog, I dutifully fired up the grill and got busy. First, when I got home, the steaks went into a marinade of Nama Shoyu, rice vinegar, Nam Pla, Jo's ginger dressing, water to cover, and then into the fridge.

The peppers went on the grill until nice and charred, then into a covered bowl to steam and rest. Scapes chopped and tossed in browned butter with salt and pepper- sweet, crunchy, and great. Onion, garlic, cracked pepper, and herbs sautéed, then cognac flamed, then yogurt cream stirred in and bubbled. The skillet came off the heat while I peeled and seeded the peppers, saving their juice, and then they, their juice, and the sauce all went in the blender. Strained through a seive and finished with truffle salt, it was sweet, tangy, velvety, and peppery.

Pooled on a plate, with sliced meat, scapes, and grilled summer squash, this sauce had summer lightness wedded to subtle structure and richness; I opened a 2000 Gaja Magari which is an interesting fusion of Tuscan Brunello notes (tar, cherries) with Barolo-like tannins and a hint of licorice. It's almost like Barolo by way of a super-Tuscan. I kept it in the fridge to compensate for the muggy heat, and it worked, but only now is it opening up to its full self.

Week Remix

Sort of a combination of things we've been eating recently; the rest of the brats needed eating, and polenta is really working right now in the hot weather. So more herb polenta, grilled brats, and a head of Boston lettuce tossed with grated carrot, scallion, and some of Jo's bottled ginger dressing which you get in on your salad in almost every sushi joint in town (for a reason- it's yummy, and sometimes there's a thrill to be had in getting one of those store-or restaurant flavors in an otherwise homemade meal.) Lots of mustard, and more Sinskey vin gris.

Potato curry

We had some leftover tofu, and a few different veggies (peas, carrots, spinach, zucchini) in need of cooking, so they all went in the big pan along with a lot of quartered new potatoes, onion, water, curry pastes and powders, salt, basil leaves and coconut milk. It all simmered until the potatoes were just tender. Finished with a few scallions and cilantro. No prizes for guessing what we drank.

"Paella" Pasta

Raffetto's on Houston makes fantastic fresh pasta, and their saffron is one of my favorites. So I got fettucine, and then some fresh scallops and squid on the way home. Seared the seafood, then threw in onion, garlic, and herbs, then deglazed with wine, followed by a whipped mixture of greek yogurt and avocado. Let bubble for a minute, then tossed the pasta to coat and stirred back in the seafood and their juices. Finished with parsley, and enjoyed with more rosé (I forget which one.)

Sausage pasta

The rest of the uncooked saffron pasta got a simple sauce made from a bratwurst, onion, garlic, herbs, and a can of tomatoes. Simple, but pretty deep; I cooked the sauce for a while to deepen the flavors and thicken it up, and the sausage and onion had caramelized really well. I love the creamy richness of the fresh pasta, and saffron has such a wonderful perfume which melded nicely with the sausage flavor. To celebrate a cooler, rainy night, this was beautifully accompanied by another 1997 Gevrey-Chambertin "Les Cazetiers."

Sorta Southern

Kind of a lighter take on fried chicken, grits, and greens: pan-roasted chicken, rubbed with herbs, went on polenta laced with more herbs, parmesan, and pepper, and a pile of purple kale blanched and tossed with lemon, olive oil, and ponzu. Really simple, and just right on a hot day with a chilled Sinskey vin gris (100% Pinot Noir.)

More Boar

Another boar roast, this time brined in red wine, maple syrup, salt, pepper, rice vinegar and water for most of the day. It went on the grill while the marinade reduced on the stove. I recooked some brown rice in some of the lamb broth, which made it all creamy and risotto-like, and folded in some scallions and chives with truffle oil at the end. Sautéed watercress in garlic went alongside and we drank a 1998 Guado al Tasso which tasted more like a wild boar than the meat did. A great wine, and a great pairing.

20th reunion

In honor of 1986 and Jody's safe return from Iraq we drank a Lynch-Bages from said year after dinner and a cocktail party with our former classmates. A fun night, and it was a treat to enjoy something so subtle, fascinating, and delicious in such a context. Wine is always best with the right people at the right time.

"Fried" chicken

Took a bunch of chicken thighs and rolled them in cornmeal/curry/salt/pepper/cinnamon/oregano mixture and cooked them in a pan with almost no oil; their rendered fat and careful heat crisped them up just right. Then zucchini, celery root, and leeks into the same pan to brown in all that fat, and grape tomatoes plus balsamic vinegar to clean the pan and finish. Yummy with a 2002 Andromeda, which we tried along with the last of the Siduri from the night before. This is the same sequence we had recently, and the result was the same: Thackrey always wins, and it's because of that divine middle palate. The Siduri is damn good, but the Andromeda is so seamless and sexy it's irresistible.

Meal in a bowl

As is so often the case, the next day everything is better. The lamb went back in a pot with water, herbs, and more to make a stock; this got strained and further enhanced with miso and wakame, then had rice noodles, pea shoots, and remaining lamb meat added back into it. Finished with gomasio and scallions, it had all the depth one could want. Leftovers rule. We had it with a 2004 Siduri Sonatera Pinot Noir, which starts out tangy and funky and ends up a cherry-licorice sundae.

Rainy dinner

Kris and Ken came over and I tried to do justice to the time I had at their place last month. It was raining, so we ate inside, and I tried to make things that straddled rainy-day comfort food and spring freshness. We started with seared scallops, shiitake, endive, leeks, and fiddleheads in a simple pan sauce. We had a Sine Qua Non Albino which was delightful with the caramelized winter vegetables and the sweetness of the sauce.

















Then smoked duck breast on blanched yellow beets with a yellow beet juice/turmeric/ginger/saffron sauce and a croquette of brown rice and hijiki with some steamed lamb's quarters. No picture f this one, but it was pretty. The rain threw the smoking off a bit by pulling too much heat from the chamber; a bigger fire would have made it perfect. This we enjoyed with a 1999 Domaine de la Mordorée Cuvée de la Reine des Bois, which was much better the next day; it needed more time.

Then, braised lamb shoulder with a coulis of pea shoots and fresh green peas, done my usual way; it could have been deeper but since it's different every time this comes with the territory. We ate it with a 1998 Beaucastel which really jumped out of the glass and tasted more like Barolo than Rhône.



Last, an Epoisse and a Robiola, both very ripe but the Robiola sweet and creamy against the profound feet funk of the other. These we enjoyed with their bottle of 1989 Cuvée du Papet, which proved definitively the value of a good cellar over time. The young wine we mostly have can never go to the places these older ones get to after 15 years or so- so always leave a few for later.

Saturday

Today for lunch, something I call the Thai peanut butter sandwich: on good bread, a layer of good peanut butter, then a few drips of sesame oil, smoothed around, then hot sauce (here Sambal Oelek) and lime juice, then scallions pressed in, then basil leaves. Awesome, and with a salad of Vermont mesclun with herbs from the rock garden and a glass of Il Mimo Nebbiolo rosé, a perfect lunch on a perfect day in the nicest place in the world to spend Memorial day.

For dinner, some of Pascal’s sausages from the farmer’s market, specifically the chicken and wild mushroom and the pork and porcini (he was out of the duck wrapped in caul fat.) Dude makes some serious sausages. I whipped up some more ketchup, this time with tomato paste, cider vinegar, maple syrup, and hot sauce. Along with grilled sweet potato and zucchini, brown rice, plus the rest of the rosé and then a Sine Qua Non #6 Pinot Noir that is sublime and to my taste one of the very best New World pinots along with the Andromeda. Having said that, I have been missing those Old World flavors and can’t wait for the incredible juice in the basement to be ready.

Country cookin’

Upon arrival in Vermont the last thing we wanted to do was go shopping, so instead we played with Milo all over the place and made do with what we brought and what the house had to offer from the cupboards (and cellar) for dinner. A can of tomatoes plus dried porcini, dried tomatoes, a few dried herbs, onion, wine, and chives from the garden became the sauce, and I went out and picked a bunch of dandelion greens which I cooked in a pot with sweated onion, dashi, and grüner vetliner (left over from September- really.) One of the great pleasures of this house is the ability to walk out the door and pick things to eat; granted dandelion greens are not that exotic, but later in the summer when the fraises de bois and then blackberries are ripe there’s nothing on planet Earth that’s better.

We had this simple feast with a Hollerin’ E by Sine Qua Non which tasted for all the world like candied pineapples and hazelnuts- like a great white Hermitage but without the minerality and with some of the California decadence that the great Chardonnays have, then we followed it with a 2000 Gemstone which despite its expansive fruit still has a cedary structure which sets it apart from your average high-end Cali cab.

Meatloaf (really)

But made with ground turkey, and red quinoa, and onion, shallot, scallion, and garlic (for a full-spectrum allium attack) herbs fom the deck (thyme, rosemary, shiso, chive, Thai basil, and mint) and an egg. Served with "ketchup" made from tomato paste, miso, wine, lemon, honey, and truffle salt and a side of steamed lamb's quarters along with an Il Mimo Nebbiolo rosé. Comfort food, but light and subtle for spring.

Crêpes

The last of the mung/ramp paste went in a bowl with eggs, flour, milk, and a bit of oil and I mixed it up good, adjusting things until the consistency seemed right. Made into lovely green crêpes, they sat while I caramelized leeks and crimini mushrooms in the same pan and deglazed with wine. Some more of the great yellow carrots blanched until just tender and I rubbed the skin off and tossed them in a little oil, lemon and salt to make them shiny. And while this was going on I mandolined a Chioggia beet into chips and gave them a quick fry so the edges were crisp and the centers were still tender. Yummy with another Raffault Chinon rosé.

Soup and Salad

This is from a week or so ago, as is the next entry; I've been behind on my work. Both meals feature the mung bean/ramp pesto mixture in very different ways.

The first was another fridge soup with chick peas (soaked all day) leeks and sweet potato plus tomato paste and the ramp/bean thing simmered until all was tender and thick, along with a simple green salad with broiled Livarot-raisin bread croutons (I know what you're thinking, but the bread had no added sweetness or cinnamon and the combined effect was like having the fruit and cheese and salad courses all at the same time.)

Rabbit Pot Pie

Having stewed a rabbit the other night, I made a roux and took the meat and broth and added to them coconut milk, peas, carrots, truffle salt and lemon thyme, and simmered same while I made a batch of my beloved Grandmother Trude's pie crust. Half of this went over the rabbit mixture and into the oven while the other half awaits the next occasion. Bubbly, crunchy, savory, and just right, with a side of sautéed watercress and pea shoots.

We were lucky enough tonight to have a bit of the 2004 Siduri Pinot left over from a couple of nights ago, so we enjoyed it all opened up and evolved since we cracked it and compared it to a 2002 Thackrey Andromeda, which although newly opened showed that elusive middle which to my taste separates the great from the good; it's the part that welds the ethereal fruit and perfume to the earth and structure and tends to defy easy description. Having said that, though, over time it goes to a very dark fruit and licorice place that all good Cali pinot seems eventually to find and Burgundy never even thinks about.

Like dinner, only better

Mary had something very special she wanted to share, so we called John and Scotty away from the studio to join us. As expected, it was pretty ridiculous.


First, a puréed soup of celery root, leek, and jicama with a phenomenal 1993 Kalin Semillon, then John made unbelievable sashimi from more of that beautiful Kampachi plus a tartare from the trimmings and a ramp and micro-shiso and chives from the deck. (I grilled/smoked the collar for a couple minutes and we had that as an appetizer while the first courses got finished.)

Next came mung bean/ramp gnocchi (the purée from the other night plus eggs and flour) with a ragù of short ribs and tomato. The reds began with a 2004 Black Blend, which is made from the same field as Coturri's Albarello but isn't commercially available. It's darker and stranger than the Albarello, and really good. We moved on to a 1997 Quintarelli Cà del Merlo which was a perfect transition from California to Italy, and also into the main course.

Which was a smoked wild boar roast with braised cabbage, ramp/fiddle head sautée, and grilled maitake plus a drizzle of a short rib demi-glace (hence the sugo for the gnocchi.) For this we opened a 1997 Bricco dell'Uccellone which was pretty mighty Barbera, followed by a 1998 Montiano (better by far than the 1997 we had at Debi's birthday last month) and then a 1999 Barolo Marasco which we all agreed was excellent. It started to rain, so we retreated inside for the treat of the evening, Mary's 1986 Yquem (in 750) with cheeses, truffled foie gras pâté, and membrillo. Simply unbelievable; the flavors are so fused and seamless that it was almost impossible to isolate individual notes. We just sipped in awe.

And then, falling firmly into the "seemed like a good idea at the time" category, we came downstairs and drank a 1993 Heitz Bella Oaks, which I'm pretty sure we liked a lot.

Spring greens

I made it to the fish market in Chelsea, and as is so often the case I couldn't make up my mind. Thus we had a seared Toro appetizer with pepper and ponzu, then Black Cod in the skillet with the leftover kale/watercress/basil mixture cooked in the juices after the fish came out, then the mung bean/ramp mixture plus wine, lemon, and miso cleaned the pan up and became a sauce for all. Many layers of spring green, from tangy and fresh to earthy and profound, all mixed together with the sea.

I opened a 2001 Hecht & Bannier Faugères, having just bought some on Mary's recommendation, but it's so big it didn't work with the subtle harmonies of the dish. It's really nice now that the food is done; it would be much better with the short ribs which bubble on the stove for tomorrow's dinner. Shoulda had a rosé...

Wok and roll

Reaching the bottom of the fridge, I made a pot of brown rice (I always make too much so there's plenty for Christine & Milo to make breakfasts and lunches from) and threw some mung beans in a pot- actually into the still-hot water I cooked Milo's pasta in. Washed bok choy and did a quick sautée in the wok with olive and sesame oils plus garlic, lemon juice and ponzu. Wilted chiffonaded kale in the wok liquid once the cabbage came out, and set aside. The mung beans fell apart in the pasta water, and expaned to fill it (I was putting Milo to bed,) so I added a fat dollop of the ramp pesto (I made a lot) and stick-blended the whole thing into a smooth purée. This was originally going to be a stir-fry over the rice, but since the beans exploded I changed course.

Seasoned then with salt and ume vinegar to balance the rich earthiness, the purée went on rice spread on nori, then a shake of gomasio, then basil leaves, then the wilted kale rolled up into maki served with more of the bean/ramp sauce, miso mayo, and sriracha with the bok choy on the side. Surprisingly enough, we enjoyed it with a Mas de Gourgonnier rosé, grown outside of Les Baux, in my old neighborhood in Provence. I'm sure they'd be horrified to know that their wine accompanies vegan food just beautifully; it has enough grip to handle the richness of beans, ramps and miso, but the freshness and delicacy don't overwhelm the subtler flavors.

Lest any of you deride me for my rampocentric menus of late, I remind you that they're only around for a short time, and in their own way are as profound a taste of spring as peaches and tomatoes are of high summer, and with as short a season. And as for the rosés, what else goes with everything from bison to bok choy?

Minestrone

So today the fridge needed thinning, and thus the last of the lamb from Christine's birthday, chopped, browned along with onion and carrot until all crispy. Then water, a can of kidney beans, a bit of remaining tomato paste, and the remains of the parsnip purée also from last Monday, sweet potato, broccolini stalks, zucchini, anellini, thyme, and after about 10 minutes basil leaves and the broccolini tops. Served with fresh pepper and good oil on top, and with a yummy 2005 Chinon rosé from Raffault.

Another dinner with friends

Tonight a dinner with other new friends, also courtesy of an event at Pasanella & Son, this time in Brooklyn, and in a building I've admired since we moved here no less, which followed a stroll through the Botanical Garden. Bread and cheese began, with a crisp, minerally, and herbaceous Greek white from Santorini which tasted, appropriately, like a Greek island (chalk and oregano.) Then a dry Austrian riesling was a perfect match with a marinated calamari salad, and then the Barolo Marasco I bought the other night at the tasting sang pretty well with some yummy steaks grilled with peppers and portobellos and asparagus on the side.

Bison!

A simple pasta made with ground bison, crimini and dried porcini, plus herbs and garlic and tomatoes, but caramelized and then cooked slowly to really get at all those deep flavors, with penne and a side of blanched watercress. It was so good that Milo had a second dinner sitting on my lap after he had just eaten his own dinner. I had it with a Crios rosé (100% Malbec) by Susanna Balbo which is just gorgeous and one of the many beautiful rosés we've had lately, now that the weather is perfect and the food has lightened. Today I planted herbs on the deck...

Dinner with new friends

I went for a lovely meal at the equally lovely home of some new friends, Kris and Ken, who have elevated love of food and wine to an extraordinary level and delight in sharing it. We began with a creamy shrimp risotto which we had with both a 2003 Riesling and a Savennières, both of which I've forgotten the names of. Next a gorgeous salad of wilted frisée and squab, with an oxidized 1989 La Nerthe, replaced promptly by a much better Châteauneuf, a 1990 I think, which I'm also at a loss to remember. I liked it more than my hosts, and it got better in the glass. The third course was lamb, wrapped in bacon, served with my (now seemingly inevitable) 1992 Beringer which we enjoyed; it does have subtle character which is not easily found in California. We also had something else with the cheese- a Chave Saint Joseph- but who takes notes at such a nice meal? Simply great.

Christine's Birthday

A simple meal, with a few friends at their place in Saugerties. I made some ramp pesto and kumquat-habañero chutney ahead of time, and marinated venison loin in tequila, white wine, chile powder, cumin, jalapeño, and garlic for a couple of days. The venison (see below) seared up in a cast-iron skillet, and then the chutney mixed with duck broth reduced in a pan went over it, as did the marinade which I dumped into the skillet post-meat to deglaze and reduce. Shelled more fava beans and cooked them slow with onion, oregano, and tomato paste. Steamed parsnips and puréed with truffle oil. Roasted a butternut squash and puréed with very little. Chris cooked collards in dashi and onion, and we slathered a big hunk of lamb leg with the ramp pesto and threw it on the grill. Dessert was an unbelievable vegan chocolate raspberry cake from the Alternative Baker.















We drank a lovely Domaine du Bagnol rosé, and a killing 1996 Colin-Déléger Chassagne-Montrachet to start. With the venison, we had Bugey Cerdon sparkling gamay rosé which, because it's off-dry, handled the heat from the chutney and worked surprisingly well. With the meal we had a 2001 Kristial Châteauneuf and then a 2000 Beaucastel which was just tremendous after a couple hours in a decanter.

I just invented tacos!

Ironically, given that I spent all afternoon cooking, there wasn't much to eat, since it's all destined for Christine's birthday on Monday. But I found more chicken thighs, and cooked them in a faux mole of ramp pesto, onion, and tomato paste, plus some water, tequila, and the usual seasonings, covered until all tender. Then I pulled the meat apart and cooked some more while I made a quick salsa of grape tomatoes and jalapeño with lemon and olive oil. Toasted up some flour tortillas and thus were born some pretty damn good soft tacos; the sauce was thick and deep from the chicken bones and various yummy pastes, and the salsa was nice and bright on top. Together with a 2005 Domaine Gour de Chaule Gigondas rosé (it's officially rosé season now) it spanned winter comfort food and spring optimism.

Barolo tasting

Tonight Pasanella & Son had their inaugural tasting dinner in the new back room featuring the wines of Franco Martinetti. Dinner was a decent buffet, but as usual the focus was on the wine:

Flight 1:
2004 Sine Cura (Barbera/Cab Sauvignon) light, pleasant, well made- a good picnic wine
2004 Barbera "Bric Dei Banditi" nice toasty almond nose, fresh

Flight 2:
Montruc Barbera:
1998 well made, a bit austere, but elegant
2003 beautiful nose, much riper and rounder- almost southern Rhône with roses and truffles

Flight 3:
Sul Bric Barbera/Cab Sauvignon
1996 wet earth nose, bell pepper, then sour cherries with chocolate and coffee
1998 peaking- floral and herbal nose, then truffles and cherries- the 2 grapes fused nicely
2003 riper, fruit and flowers, black cherries, sweeter

Flight 4:
Barolo "Marasco"
1998 licorice, coconut, violets and black cherries with velvety soft tannins
1999 leather and licorice- classic and mighty, yet elegant. Very complex.
2001 young and tannic, but strawberries and cherries emerge. Needs time

These guys are making Barolo which straddles the old and new styles, getting structure and character from the old but with some of the color and power from the new. Everything they do is well-made, and the better wines are something special.

Cucino per il cugino

My cousin David was in town so we had him over and threw some lovely organic ribeyes on the grill, after giving them the customary espresso rub, along with some ramp bulbs on skewers. Meanwhile, I steamed parsnips and puréed them with truffle salt, olive oil, chives from the deck, and yogurt, and made ramp pesto with the ramp greens plus truffle oil, salt, pepper and then cooked it briefly in melted butter since the raw pesto was wickedly strong and hot. So sliced steak went on parsnips, with grilled ramps finished in wine and the pesto on the side plus steamed kale tossed in oil and balsamic.

We began with a Pleiades XIV and ended with another super 1992 Beringer Private Reserve; this strong-flavored plate could have handled a huge Aussie Cab or Shiraz but went just fine with these two.

All up in my grill

Smothered chicken thighs in yogurt/pesto marinade and let sit while fennel and sweet potato, sliced, got soaked in garlic-parsley infused olive oil. All went on the grill, along with a sliced lemon, and the remaining yogurt went into a pan full of ramps (surprise!) and white wine and reduced to a sauce. Garnished with a lemon slice and fennel frond, it tasted pretty damn good with yet another Siduri 2003 Pinot Noir. Not as deep or elegant as their single vineyards, and a long way from Burgundy, but an excellent barbecue wine which also handles the tang of yogurt and lemon with equal aplomb.

Ramping up some fish

The first ramps of the season have arrived at the coop, so I bought a ton of them and yet went easy with them tonight; we started with Nobu-style sashimi of yellowfin tuna in a sesame-olive oil and ponzu sauce, then followed it with monkfish dusted with chardonnay smoked salt, pepper, and sesame seeds crusted up in a pan then finished in some leftover red wine with the lid on to steam through (monkfish is really meaty in its slow cooking time.) Then I threw chopped ramps in the pan, then a pat of butter, then more wine to finish and deglaze. Poured over the fish, and then onion and grape tomatoes, then the brown rice from the other day, and onto the plate, and last a bunch of watercress with lemon and garlic cleaned the pan back to gleaming and rounded it all out.















All this went swimmingly with another Pleiades XIV from Sean Thackrey- especially the sashimi. The rich olive oil and deep sesame oil and tangy, earthy ponzu hit every damn bass note in this wine and let the fruit sing above it all. Even though the XIV has darker, rounder fruit than its two predecessors, it's the grace and funk of the pinot which still defines it for me.

Another curry

Having made a roasted acorn squash-carrot-ginger soup yesterday for lunch, I soaked some chick peas and cooked them for a couple hours with onion, fenugreek, mustard, cumin, the remaining soup, and some water to thin it out. As the peas softened, I added cubes of sweet potato, and once it was soft some chopped broccolini. Some of this mixture was Milo's dinner, and once I removed his portion I added hot vindaloo paste, black pepper, and hot curry powder. Christine had hers over rice, while I wrapped mine in a tortilla. The Leitz 2003 Spätlese Reisling is really sweet, and pretty one-dimensional, but with some hot-ass curry it worked pretty well. I really have to buy some beer for meals like this.

Earth Day Coturri Dinner

Slope Cellars, our local wine store, put on a "Black Market Bistro" in a neighbor's house featuring Coturri wine. Tony Coturri was there, and introduced all the wines as well as explaining his big-picture approach to organic growing and producing. I agree completely with his position that local trumps organic in terms of supporting viable agriculture. His wines are funky, idiosyncratic, and have a unique combination of earthy and sweet.

The food and wine pairings were as follows:

Cheese course
2004 Albarello

Spiced tomato aspic with baby greens tossed in walnut oil and white balsamic
2004 Grenache

Marinated grilled squid with parsley and lemon confit
2004 Charbono

Pork butt with orange, cinnamon, and star anise served with caramelized fennel on fregula
2004 Carignane

Lemon cakes with basil
2003 Zinfandel Freiberg Vineyards

I thought the Carignane was particularly good, as was the pork, although I wished there was more fennel. The aspic had a nice summer-by-way-of-winter feel, with a nice deep tomato flavor presented in a preserved form. The lemon confit and parsley in the squid dish were strong and beat up a bit on the light charbono, and the zin had an interesting dry/sweet thing going on which went pretty well with the lemon and basil. The meal featured some nice use of citrus, and suited the rainy weather well.

Pasta con tutto

The family returned today, and I went to the coop this morning in anticipation, where I found lovely fresh fava beans. Shelled, and slow-cooked with shallot, garlic, lots of fresh oregano, grape tomatoes, diced celery root and a quarter lemon, after two hours they were like butter. Milo loved them. Then I cooked up a bag of penne, and once al dente tossed with the fava beans, plus green and black olives, parsley, more garlic, pepperoncino, leftover asparagus and carrot and leftover potatoes from rib night (all chopped) plus a big glug of the good olive oil, celtic salt, and pepper. Tossed together it went really well with a 2001 Kristial Châteauneuf-de-Pâpe which is nimble enough for the brighter flavors but has enough depth for the earthy beans.

Kind of a warm pasta salad, this dish is a variation on something I invented out of desperation during grad school; I called it "puttanesca bianca" and it was usually penne tossed with olives, capers, pepperoncino, parsley, dried tomatoes, soaked dried porcini and lots of salt and oil. A damn fine plate of pasta, and even better the next day- all without having to remember the can of tomatoes. Almost anything works, including most leftovers.

Solo act

With the family out of town, and not having eaten meat in days, I took some pork ribs and after browning them added carrot, celery root, onion, fingerling potatoes, wine, herbs, and a few kumquats. Turned down low and covered, it cooked for about an hour. Once the meat was done, I added some ume and balsamic vinegar, plus the alder smoked salt and parsley. Pulled the meat out and threw in a bit of broccoli and let the juice reduce.

Served with a shake of sesame seeds on top, with a 1997 Perrot-Minot Morey-St-Denis "En la rue de Vergy" which started off a bit sour but opened up over time; initially the celery root went well with the more metallic flavors, but eventually the citrus and fat kind of meshed with the deepened fruit of the wine. Not a perfect match, since the wine is a bit thin and the food a tad rich for it, but each revealed something about the other which is all one can ask from a simple dinner.

Debi's birthday

Another epic meal upstate, this time all made by John: canapés of maki, roasted peppers on toast, and beets and goat cheese, then fried polenta with rosemary, burdock-porcini purée, greens, radicchio, and incredible seitan in mole. Lots of wine, too, including Thackrey's 2003 Andromeda and 2002 Sirius, an amazing Magnum of 1993 Au Bon Climat pinot which honestly tasted like a Burgundy, then a couple of real Burgundies which I can't remember the names of, both really good, and for dessert my pear tart, plus a vegan strawberry pie and 1990 Rust Ridge late-harvest riesling, a mag of Veuve Cliquot, and lastly a 2002 Iniskillin ice wine.

Breakfast the next morning, outside in the sun, was all the leftovers plus a salad and frittata. Perfect. Can't wait to go back in two weeks for Christine's birthday party.

Easter

Our friends Patrick and Kathleen threw an Easter brunch with tons of food and good people. The weather was perfect, so we spent most of the time on the deck and ate ourselves silly. Kathleen made incredible bread pudding, and lots of other good food, and I brought a braised lamb shoulder with pesto.

Venison loin

Normally I think venison is better marinated, since it has so little fat and can dry out. But I didn't get to it, so I did a rub of salt, pepper, oregano and garlic on a venison tenderloin and seared it up in a super-hot cast iron pan. Once it was seared on all sides, I covered it and lowered the heat. Meanwhile, I lightly steamed some asparagus and made some crispy croquettes out of the rice and bean mixture from before. The meat came out of the pan and rested in foil while I put some wine, balsamic vinegar, ponzu, and a knob of butter in the pan to deglaze. Strained over the meat, it gave it some richness but let the simple flavor come through. We ate it with the 2001 T-Vine blend (mostly cab, I think, which had good fruit and enough earth to bring out the gamy flavors in the meat.)

Fish Curry

I took the trimmings (skin, bones. etc.) from yeterday's sashimi and threw them in the rice cooker with brown rice and soaked adzuki beans plus ginger, garlic, shredded kale, and some salt and pepper.

The remaining good pieces of fish went in the pan with shallot, lima beans, carrot, coconut milk, curry powder and paste, a little water and the Balinese salt. Served over the rice mixture, and garnished with gomasio, scallion, and cilantro:

Bento plate

This certainly would have been nicer in a Bento Box, but lacking same I went with a plate. Simple sashimi of yellowfin tuna and beautiful kampachi plus a jicama and daikon salad with scallion and cilantro tossed with sesame/olive oil and ume/rice vinegars. I steamed sliced sweet potato and then, briefly, kale in the same pot and dressed them with a tahini/miso/lemon sauce. Drizzled a ponzu-sesame oil mix on the sashimi, shook some gomasio on the spuds, and done.

It might not be an intuitive match, but a 2000 Guigal white Hermitage did some fancy dancing with this meal; the honey and hazelnuts kind of hovered above the fray like an ethereal baklava, accenting the sweetness of the fish, jicama, sweet potato and miso, while the chalky-rocky part buttressed the delicate ocean flavors in a strange yet wonderful way.

Miso soup

It's amazing how deep a simple broth of kombu, dashi, and miso can be. With some tofu cubes, and over soba, with seaweed gomasio and a pinch of the Balinese salt on top (I undersalt my broth so I can finish with such things) it hit the spot on a clammy spring evening.

The remaining paella rice was my dinner the following night; Christine went out so I made paella avocado maki with a shoyu/miso/hot sauce dipping sauce. Simple, but rich, and looked pretty too.

Paella

Sadly, we don't have my Mom's big paella pan any more, but this evening, after a much needed trip to the Coop and nearby fish market I shelled some nice big shrimp and cooked their shells and some shallots in oil until the shells were pink. Then white wine, carrot, parsley, and broccoli stalk simmered to make a broth. More shallot and some andouille browned in a big sautée pan, then more wine, shrimp, diced red pepper, saffron and arborio rice stirred and doused in the strained broth which had been going for an hour or so. After the rice was getting close, I added the broccoli florets and caramelized the scallops, rolled in pepper and a smidge of cinnamon and salt. Scallops went on top, plus some chopped parsley and the sauce from deglazing the scallop pan with some red wine. I think the red pepper is integral to the basic paella flavor along with the saffron. Most of the rest is variable, which is why this dish is so mutable and so good.














Particularly good with a 2001 Guigal Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, which I had the opportunity to taste against the last of the Wooodcutter's shiraz. As funky as the Woodcutter's is, it's got nothing on the underlying earthy/tobacco/leather funk which instantly identifies the Old World. Like the Marcassin chard from Friday night, in my opinion there's no point for the New World to try to imitate the old; our terroir, land, and climate are different. We can just try to get our own maximum expression of these qualities and be happy.

Wine dinner

Last Friday I went to a BYOB dinner thrown by Executive Wine Seminars at Tribeca Grill. The food was a buffet of duck, steak, salmon, and a whole roast pig. There was a mountain of cheese, and a bit of pasta and salad seemingly as an afterthought. The wine was the attraction; the list that follows is far from complete (and not in order) but represents some of what I was able to get a glass of. Needless to say my notes are incomplete and decreasingly legible for some reason.

White:
2002 Serene Chardonnay
Peter Michael Chardonnay (vintage?)
1992 Marcassin Chardonnay (huge and yummy- very California)
2000 Baumard Savennières

Italy:
1997 Voerzio Brunate
2000 Lamborghini (young, but great)
2001 Serpico (young, but great)
2000 Dal Forno Valpolicella (Mary's offering- very good)

Spain:
1998 Vega Sicilia Valbuena (my offering, and awesome)

Cali:
1975 Phelps Insignia
1985 Phelps Insignia

Rhône:
1989 Beaucastel Hommage à J. Perrin (fabulous)

Burgundy:
1994 Clos Martinet
1990 Rousseau Chambertin (!)
1985 Prieur Musigny (really good)
1996 Bouchard Corton-Charlemagne
Chassagne Montrachet Gagnard (vintage?)

Bordeaux:
1995 Ducru Beaucaillou
1988 Latour
1982 Lynch Bages (a revelation)
1989 Haut Brion
1982 Pichon Baron
1986 Leoville las Cases
1982 Mouton Rothschild
1979 Palmer in Jeroboam (still young, funky, but by this point my taster was impaired)

I MISSED THE KRUG CLOS DU MESNIL 81! We were told that it was for a toast, and then noticed that it was gone. Oh well.

After we had a glass of Springbank Longrow which was totally unnecessary but did taste like a roaring fire.

Fridge Stroganoff

Another leftover festival tonight, into which went:

-The chickpeas and kale from last night
-The last of the lima beans, fennel and sunchokes from a while back
-The half can of tomatoes from pasta night
-A half block of tofu left over from Milo's lunch, cubed
-A small can of coconut milk
-The remaining cooked lasagna noodles, cut into fettucine maltagliate

Plus some vindaloo paste, pepper, and finished on the plate with chopped scallion and the kaffir lime/coconut smoked salt. Somehow it managed to perfectly straddle India and Italy; the heat of the curry and rich coconut melded with the sweet tomato and pasta texture. Sort of a pasta e fagioli by way of Calcutta. Having no beer, I opened a Casa Julia sauvignon blanc from Chile, which for eight bucks worked pretty well.

For dessert, 2 containers of semi-fossilized white rice from the takeout Thai last week simmered down with rice milk, almond milk, organic sugar, Vietnamese five spice, and organic fair-trade cocoa powder plus half a banana and a handful of raisins to make a vegan rice pudding which will be even better tomorrow.

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.

Pork and beans

I browned up a slab of ribs, then added carrot, celery root and onion to caramelize. After that dried porcini, star anise, vietnamese five spice, wakame, ume and balsamic vinegar, sesame oil, parsley sprigs, black pepper, cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, and a little honey followed by water to cover. Cooked low for a couple hours while lima beans cooked with the remaining fennel and roots from the roast chicken a few nights back. Removed the meat (falling off the bone) and strained the liquid. Reduced the liquid a bit and served meat on bean mixture with a ladle of liquid over all. Finished with the alder smoked salt for a hint of barbecue. Rich, delicate, complex, and yummy. The earthy beans and roots tied to the slightly sweet pork via the fennel/star anise connection and the other notes harmonized well. There's about a pint of the cooking liquid left to play with next time (unsalted, it can be reduced as much as needed), and a little bit of the root/bean mix.

Opened a Thackrey sangiovese from 2000 or 2001- the year they didn't get capsules or labels. A good match, but the delicacy and slight Asian leaning of the dish might have worked better with a funky Rhône or maybe a Cannonau from Sardegna.

This dish is a variation on the "Pork and peas" I made for a dinner party a couple of years ago, where the meat was similar, but cooked twice as long in the oven at 220˙ instead of just low on the stove like tonight. Instead of the roots/beans, I had made some split pea soup the day before with chorizo and duck broth, then strained and chilled it in a low container so it gelled. Brought to room temperature, cut into cubes, it was tender yet held the shape. Meat went on one side, and fresh peas in a pea shoot purée went on the other. The smoky rich soup connected the deeply rich ribs to the bright spring pea flavors. This was a good one.

Hawaii memoir

I've been on a tear lately in the studio, so the cooking has been simpler as I spend less time on it. To spare you endless variations on rice & beans, etc., here's a transcription of the meals we made on a trip to the big island in December of 2002 with some friends. I'm leaving a few things out, but it was the best eating over a prolonged period any of us had done before or since due to the incredible ingredients, company, location, and time available to make it all.

Night 1 (on the Puna side; we had spent a few days on the Kona side first where we ate out more. The one great meal was actually the best tuna sandwiches of all time made with leftover grilled rare Ahi, homemade tahitian lime/ume plum/wasabi mayonnaise eaten on an incredible beach.):

Sashimi block marinated in shoyu & sake, seared one side, with jalapeño and reduced marinade mixed with ginger/garlic/kombu/lemongrass broth

Ahi Toro in a similar marinade but grilled low until well done (dubbed "bacon of the sea" by John)

Lotus root chips with poke and papaya salsa

Grilled Japanese eggplant

Salad and brown rice

Dessert was a lilikoi canten I made with kuzu starch (I was thinking more flan but overdid the starch so it was more like a gummy bear) and overripe breadfruit fried until crisp.

Day 2:

Brunch was fried rice with poke, eggplant, salsa and random leftovers mixed in, plus eggs and ahi with a sort of tropical tzaziki (yogurt, garlic, wasabi.)

Dinner:

The broth from night 1 had lime leaves, white & yellow miso, sake, tamari, lima beans, mustard greens, tangerine slices, and the cooking water from some edamame added to it. Served over soba with scallions & cilantro, I can say it didn't taste like anything ever made on Earth. Damn good.

Another avo/papaya salad/salsa on lotus chips with poke but this time with pickled jicama (overnight in the fridge in sake and rice, ume, and balsamic vinegar plus jalapeño, garlic, onion and cilantro

More Ahi toro because it was so damn good

Taro purée

Ahi steaks marinated in mustard & fenugreek seeds, sesame oil, ginger, tahitian lime zest, sake, lime juice, black pepper, red salt, and red wine (pay attention to this marinade, because it lasted for days...)

Salad

Day 3

Ahi "football" cooked over fire wrapped in ti leaves

Carl's pumpkin curry and rice

Salad


Day 4

Lunch was taro, soba, and ahi plus leftover broth mashed up and fried as patties served on tamari grilled bread with avo, kimchee, and pickled onions

Dinner:

The remaining taro/ahi paste mixed with egg and breadcrumbs and cooked like meatballs in an arrabiata sauce over spaghetti

Red snapper cooked over guava wood fire wrapped in ti leaves with that sauce from before plus white wine reduced and finished with butter for the fish sauce

Day 5

Dinner:

Brown rice with fresh turmeric mixed with black beans slow-cooked with garlic, onion, and kombu

Edamame cooked over the guava wood outside (the BEST edamame by far we'd ever had; the smoke flavor got into the beans)

And the sauce finally went down in glory sautéed over the fire with octopus poke and kimchee, finished with yogurt and parsley, and served on tamari grilled bread as crostini. Indescribably complex, funky, and amazing

Day 6

Ono on the grill basted with sake, wine, oil, tamari and herbs

Taro and blue sweet potato purée, cooked in coconut water

Seared ahi with serrano chile

Fat taro slices pressure cooked in coconut water/sea water, liquid plus sake reduced to gravy

Ahi tartare with tangerine juice, serrano & thai chiles served on lotus root chips garnished with ikura and grated barbecued coconut

Baby bok choy and gai lan steamed with ginger & garlic

We did the breadfruit thing again, but this one was even riper so while the outside was crispy, the inside tasted like fried vanilla pudding. Unbelievable.

Day 7
We went to the volcano, and cooked ahi in sake with ginger and turmeric right on top of the hot lava; the top had formed a crust, but through the cracks you could see the glow of 2000 degree liquid rushing by. We also made a pot of tea:



In the first picture you can see the faint orange glow (without the camera flash it was very bright; there are a bunch of the lava pics on my website on the photo page.)

Roast chicken

Nothing fancy, but in the pan along with the cumin/cinnamon/smoked salt crusted bird went quartered fennel, a quartered lemon, onion, whole garlic cloves, parsnip and jerusalem artichoke. The veggies browned and softened perfectly and I deglazed the pan with a little balsamic and a little ume vinegar mixed with the juices post-carving.

Sweet potato pizza

There's a pizza place in Rome, right on Largo Argentina, with no charm at all, that makes a potato pizza with truffle butter which must be tasted to be believed.

So tonight the mandoline I got for my birthday came in handy for slicing sweet potato nice and thin. Brushed with good olive oil and overlapped on thinly rolled dough, then topped with a layer of equally thin onion, celtic salt, pepper, fresh rosemary from the tenacious plant still hanging on in the dining room, and a drizzle of truffle oil. Crispy, chewy, sweet, salty, earthy, and awesome. Steamed kale with cider vinegar on the side. Another Siduri 2004 pinot got fatter and rounder as the evening progressed.

I made some ratatouille again, with some variations, a few nights ago, and the next night I puréed the leftovers plus a handful of pine nuts. Steamed half a butternut squash, puréed, added 2 eggs and some flour, and cooked it into crêpes. Rolled the eggplant filling into the squash crêpes and baked with a simple tomato sauce on top like cannelloni. We had a few rinds left over from cheese bought for a cocktail party, and I grated that on top to finish. We had it with the 2004 Las Rocas old vine grenache which for the money is mighty yummy.

The remaining filling became little fritters for Milo. (He loved them.)

Dinner party

A couple of good friends came over, so we had a fancy 3-course dinner:

1. Puréed soup of roasted Kabocha and yellow beet with 1998 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne

2. Shiitake risotto with Carciofi alla Romana (Roman style artichokes) and poached quail eggs with Thackrey's Pleiades XII

3. Pan-roasted duck breast on burdock-parsnip purée with pomegranate-tamarind-blood orange reduction with the 2001 Carver Sutro Petite Sirah

Our one vegetarian guest had patties made from mung beans and red quinoa mixed with a bit of flour, grated parmesan, and smoked salt fried up crisp over the same root purée.

Dessert was a very dense and yummy chocolate cake from Balducci's with my kumquat marmalade which goes so well with chocolate.

Land sushi

Wonderful organic tenderloin, rubbed with pepper and truffle salt, seared up and sliced over brown rice cooked with leftover burdock and brussels sprouts. A pan sauce of zin dregs, soy sauce, rice vinegar and a splash of ponzu. Crusty on the outside and totally raw in the middle. A side of leeks and pine nuts caramelized in olive oil and a bit of butter.

This preceeded a wine and cheese hang in the studio which involved a 2000 Thackrey sangiovese and a 1999 d'Arenberg Dead Arm, both of which are drinking beautifully right now; in their own ways, they represent the closest the New World has come to the funky terroir of Europe.

Stuffed peppers, etc.

Got a bit of perfect wild Alaskan salmon and ate half of it sashimi style with just nama shoyu, then cut the rest into cubes and added capers, lemon, parsley, onion, and oil to make a tartare. Let it sit for half an hour to marry the flavors and served it with a raw quail egg on top.

Then some ground lamb went in a bowl with choppped Kalamata olives, cumin, cinnamon, lemon juice, a splash of wine, (2002 Highlands zinfandel) garlic, herbs, smoked salt, and pepper. Stuffed it into more of those beautiful yellow peppers I bought the other day and baked them, surrounded by halved, cored brussels sprouts in the last of the chicken broth, for an hour. The center of the meat was just rare, and the whole thing was super juicy from the broth and the peppers.

The moroccan (cumin, cinnamon, lemon) flavors are frequent themes here, but damn if they aren't tasty and super wine-friendly.

Ratatofu

Normally we try to eat vegetables which are in season and local, but this time I had a craving for some summer flavor and made a stir-fry of tofu with yellow bell pepper, zucchini, and grape tomatoes. Very simple, but good alongside burdock braised with arame seaweed, dried shiitake, and a bit of soy. Served on top of the red quinoa from the other night. Both went remarkably well with the 2002 Beringer Sbragia Chardonnay, which is a fat, buttery, pineapple bomb but nonetheless enhanced the bright notes in the sweet pepper and creamy tofu and had its own bright notes enhanced by the super-earthy burdock.