While we wait, something fun to think about.
So, imagine COVID is over and you can finally enjoy a meal at home with close friends without masks, social distancing etc. You are in charge of food and wine, and you have decided on four bottles that you already own. What are you making and what are you drinking?
Get it rolling
Various canapés, including my infamous shrimp, mozerella, Parma ham, cherry tomatoes, basil and olive oil. Foie gras pate. Taittinger rose 2007
Lobster steamed with drawn butter with Mount Eden reserve Chardonnay 2013.
Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, garlicky spinach Clair Dau Bonnes Mares 1983 (my last bottle)
Various cheeses La Mission Haut Brion 1978
That sounds like a damn fine evening to me, Mark.
I’d go with:
Some raw oysters with a dabble of caviar on top. Maybe some lobster and shrimp as well. Hell, make it a shellfish tower. Accompanied with a European Riesling or White Burgundy.
My wife will make apricot chicken. I’ll open a Rhys Alpine Chardonnay to go with it.
I’ll make Flannery steaks; and serve with a good California Cabernet Sauvignon, maybe a Carter, Maybach, or MACDONALD.
It’s nice living ocean adjacent. I miss food in NOLA. If not for all our animals we’d take a drive.
While just the thought of a beautiful evening with friends seems almost subversively appealing at this point, probably something like this (with the limitations of my rather meagre cellar):
This was a nice daydream and a great idea for a thread.
Not answering the question, as it is not at home, but the meal I’m dreaming of is some omakase. And some champagne or Riesling.
This was fun. Limiting myself to wines on hand
Gougeres, 2012 Roederer “Starck”
Arugula salad with berries and sauteed foie gras, raspberry vinaigrette, 2001 Muller Catoir HB Riesling Spatlese 2133
Prime Rib, Roasted Cauliflower, 1984 Laurel Glen Cabernet
Assorted Cheese, 1996 Huet Le Mont Moelleux
Golden Syrup Cookies
I am so looking forward to eating with people in person again.
Friends gathered around a big pot of steamed Moules a la Normande… some Belgian beers and Normandy ciders, crusty bread with grill marks. That could be supper in and of itself, but let’s say we make it a starter for
Reverse seared salt rubbed Flannery Jorge (or three) duck fat roasted potatoes, caramelized Brussel sprouts, homemade dark wholewheat honey bread with Hope Creamery butter. Served w crowd-pleasing 2006 Pax Syrah and a magnum of rose’ champagne.
Jules’ chocolate caramel swirl tart.
I’ve been planning this in my head. Last minute, but inspired appetizers that magically go with white burg as well as french fries do, then Holy Grail ribeyes, mashed potatoes (Sara makes them with greek yogurt and dill), fried kale, maitake mushrooms and creamed spinach. Peanut Butter pie for dessert.
2014 Coffinet-Duverney Batard Montrachet
2002 Vogue Chambolle 1er Cru
1995 Henri Bonneau Celestins
1995 Tempier Cabassaou
2002 Detert Cabernet Sauvignon
Then out comes the Absinthe. There’s little I love better at a party than setting sugar cubes on fire.
Dinner with our moms at Gramercy Tavern.
Dalla Valle May 1996
Quintarelli Amarone Riserva 1985
La Mission Haut Brion 2005
This wins.
One thing I have missed a lot is the monthly wine dinners with my Burgundy group. I cannot wait until we can start getting together again. I will go to wherever and eat whatever. I just want us to be able to get together. That is what I have been dreaming about. Getting together again with my friends.
As to the wine theme. Well, it definitely will be grand cru reds. Could be general, could be specific to a villages, but very well could be Jacky Truchot. [I have traditionally organized the tastings so Truchot may very well be the theme.] With Champagne. Lots of Champagne. And, maybe, a flight of JJ Prum Auslesen? Or Zilliken Auslesen?
This is how I feel, especially heading to one of my favorite spots to see the wine service team
Right before ‘Rona hit I hosted our blind tasting group and provided all the wines—Seven Red wines, 6 similarly styled blend and 1 single variety. I also cooked.
Right after the ‘Rona I am doing 7 White wines, 6 of the same single variety and 1 blend.
Blue crab bread pudding
Grilled oysters with fresh herbs and lardo
Apricot butter chicken
Salmon rillettes
Mini flatbreads in the Ooni
+2
I miss my crew. Care not what we drink or eat, just miss the camaraderie and good times.
Las Vegas. Staying at a great hotel. Going to a great/noisy restaurant. Then hitting a fun bar. Then a big show (music, magic, other). I want that again.
Appetizer: Home made citrus and salt cured gravlax on very thin crusty baguette sliced horizontal with assorted voluntary add-ons including caviar, chopped egg and creme fraiche (with 2006 Pol Roger Churchill).
Soup: Either Tuscan vegetable soup with black Kale and white beans (with Rhone varietal white) or Chinese-style Special seafood soup with shrimp, lobster and cod/haddock (with Aubert Reuling Chardonnay and Raveneau Blanchot Chablis).
Entree: Slow roast “Prime” prime rib, rubbed with a puree of garlic, Tellicherry pepper and fresh rosemary, with the same aromatics, in whole form, slid inside between the fat and the meat, roasted in the BGE over a blend of Westchester oak, apple wood and a bit of hickory (with 2010 MacDonald; 2007 Colgin IX and 2007 Scarecrow).
Sides: Creamed spinach made my way (a little fresh garlic, a little finely chopped onion, real cream and some fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano)
Duck fat fried julienne potatoes
Garlic bread made with a fresh sourdough baguette
Desert: Cheese plate with assorted cow, goat and sheep cheeses, all removed from refrigerator one day in advance (with 1908 D’Oliveras Boal Madeira)
NOTE: Menu designed for very little last minute work so I can sit and enjoy the food and wine and company. I have all the wines already except for the Raveneau, but I think that would go well with the soup
I just read Kevin Shin’s notes here: TN: Jailbreak Wine Dinner - Krug 168, Ultramarine, MacDonald and etc. - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers
I may have to switch to the 2012 MacDonald. AND his note on the 2013 Aubert CIX looks inviting.