tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814032288927569902024-02-22T00:40:01.175-08:00Food With WineChristo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.comBlogger471125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-37681689901167303962019-10-18T10:13:00.000-07:002019-10-18T10:16:25.386-07:00Bittman Lamb with 2004 La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByYqHNXwNY-l9mu_SdCAfzLUHHShULbbYMv_DwrOgTEMcwf42Zb-8F21ZoAb3DxbfVliOLMS1z8bH7wyUh3nVJ8-brsWz_v3rGfdpiNtdkuDThArA4C3tgRdsxrtY-ewK75Jfe2nfLyut/s1600/IMG_1078.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByYqHNXwNY-l9mu_SdCAfzLUHHShULbbYMv_DwrOgTEMcwf42Zb-8F21ZoAb3DxbfVliOLMS1z8bH7wyUh3nVJ8-brsWz_v3rGfdpiNtdkuDThArA4C3tgRdsxrtY-ewK75Jfe2nfLyut/s320/IMG_1078.jpeg" width="240" /></a>Here's an example of a pairing where the food was delicious, and the wine was delicious, and the pairing was certainly fine enough because those two things existed in such close proximity to each other.<br />
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Mark Bittman i<a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013171-inside-out-lamb-persillade">nside-out lamb persillade recipe</a> from <i>NYT Cooking. </i>Trader Joe's leg of lamb, with the addition of late-season oregano and thyme from the patio. Watercress-mint-serrano-tomato-pomegranate seed salad with bread and butter to accompany.<br />
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Perfectly cooked lamb with nice herbal punch. Delicious salad. It was everything we wanted from a meaty meat fest. Something to meander slowly through, while loving the sort of regionlessness it offered. Kind of southern French, a bit of northern Italian meat simplicity (courtesy of Bittman being Bittman), sorta kinda could have been Spanish, which we tried to angle towards with the wine.<br />
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This was our first tasting of the 2004 La Rioja Alta, a longtime house favorite, and it was wildly similar to other vintages with a caveat. Very pretty cedar notes, with cherry-spice chocolate bonbons to start that moved out of the picture at just the right time, before it became too blunt, transitioning to something so suave and light, with light notes of tobacco and dust.<br />
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La Rioja Alta is Lopez de Heredia with a bit more gusto in the tradional Rioja world, and has something like a house memory in taste. More than most wineries, year after year, we get exactly this in terms of flavor, but this vintage really nails it in its preciseness and knowing when to properly transition. In a couple of other vintages, the concentration (read: sap) hung around a wee bit too long.<br />
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A nice pairing, because all the elements present were nice. Oddly, for me, it was the best with the watercress salad, tasting like a cool Spanish breeze.Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-28102720206107398702019-10-14T15:11:00.001-07:002019-10-14T15:13:27.360-07:00Yakitori-Togarashi Shrimp, Soba and Pea Shoots with 2018 Domaine Hüet Clos du Bourg Sec<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUdUmyRXke2bP_68cRMhgZU81KpBhiPhQ-xdYlMqe01-ESDoF_bNcpswLnnlWtM4lLBXad4Jp517JGDS2Dy7EYW4t4unEu35YOpO8bBZsgXU0x6-yQaM_EGwMab1OVHzMTgFiK57IhUAy/s1600/IMG_1073.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUdUmyRXke2bP_68cRMhgZU81KpBhiPhQ-xdYlMqe01-ESDoF_bNcpswLnnlWtM4lLBXad4Jp517JGDS2Dy7EYW4t4unEu35YOpO8bBZsgXU0x6-yQaM_EGwMab1OVHzMTgFiK57IhUAy/s320/IMG_1073.jpeg" width="240" /></a>We used to drink a fair amount of Hüet, and then we didn't.<br />
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And it was always Clos du Bourg, probably because it was more plush, firm, and punchy than Le Mont or Le Haut Lieu.<br />
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Here, with a simple but utterly fantastic dinner of yakitori-<b>togasrashi shrimp over soba noodles with scallions and a big salad of pea shoots and mint</b>, we rediscovered the stupid-loveliness of this wine from a master in Vouvray.<br />
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Tasted like a spring linen shirt. Wonderful leesy texture with white pit fruit whispering in and out, with touches of spiky herbs. Still very young and tight as a nun's caboose, the <b>2018 Domaine Hüet Clos du Bourg Sec ($33 - Binny's)</b> will be a fun one to follow over the next few years. It doesn't seem like it's gonna go long and deep in the future, just pretty, delightful, and full of lilting fanciness.<br />
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There are few things better than something superlatively crafted. A well-made chair eclipses the mere purpose of its utility.<br />
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A well-made wine reminds the world that there isn't just craft on display here. There's art in a select few of these damn bottles. I don't know if this vintage is going to reach those heights, but we were certainly reminded that art exists in wine, if only briefly here. Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-80568570534409196642019-10-14T14:38:00.001-07:002019-10-14T14:48:02.453-07:00Tuna Niçoise With 2018 Groundwork Picpoul Nouveau<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7p2xZ951tPiXPJBl6JiDJD_YMMLAD9fUwtbN9r9FrkdBQJaavWUW5-F5rPEiR1gAhxKNlj7Ol52BaurxQ0JKWjZ4jfTR_pSqXF-HGVqf7hWwBruYZTMAr2ZbZOOZUcxyE13wFPnC9Jrz/s1600/IMG_1056.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1199" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7p2xZ951tPiXPJBl6JiDJD_YMMLAD9fUwtbN9r9FrkdBQJaavWUW5-F5rPEiR1gAhxKNlj7Ol52BaurxQ0JKWjZ4jfTR_pSqXF-HGVqf7hWwBruYZTMAr2ZbZOOZUcxyE13wFPnC9Jrz/s320/IMG_1056.jpeg" width="239" /></a></div>
Glou-glou, chuggable, smashable (my most-hated), fresh, open, fun, patio-pounder (feels like hyphened words from 2004).<br />
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Whatever term you want to use for an easy natural wine (or something on the natty spectrum), the wine still HAS to be interesting, have a second and maybe third level, and offer some sense of grace, even quirk.<br />
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It can't just approximate the grape's essence while not tasting like butt, particularly since glou-glou is going for upwards of $40 a bottle of late. I'm looking at you, Broc.<br />
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That's not really a slight on Broc Cellars. We've drunk and enjoyed the vast majority of their wines. But $40 for a picpoul, a Broc wine we've loved in the past, it runs against the nature of what picpoul is. It might be priced right for the economies of making it, but that doesn't take away the lament we felt when their wines went from "we have our bargain Cali-Natty deliciousness!" to "we simply can't afford this on a regular basis anymore." That's our economies, especially when many of Broc wines have pairing competition from Chinon, Portuguese baga, Beaujolais cru, Italian weird, Spanish juicy, and frankly anything off-region Frenchy. If you drink wine regularly, the $8-10-20 difference is hundreds of dollars over the course of the year.<br />
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On that note, here's one we can afford on a regular basis. It's from <a href="http://www.sansliege.com/?method=pages.showPage&PageID=89005543-2264-112B-B15A-0EEB7B786738&originalMarketingURL=Wines/Groundwork">Sans Liege</a>, the Paso-based winery that plays in Rhône-y grapes with dalliances elsewhere, like here. the <b>2018 Groundwork Picpoul Nouveau</b> is carbonic picpoul blanc, with 10% picpoul gris for color. It's $18 at Vin on Elston, and the entire Groundwork line is $20 and under. With a delicate floral note weaving in and out of creamy berries and touch of bitter watermelon rind, the wine kept changing with each bite of the tuna Niçoise (potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, onions, parsley, olives, capers, A's do Mar oil-cured tuna...the usual - a delicious version).<br />
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This wine brings The Interest, approaches a third gear (but needs the right food to get there), transcends the sum of its parts, drinks like a four-season wine, and with this food it all tasted like a vacation lunch somewhere on a sun-drenched bay.<br />
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For $18.
Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-56632395265682757222019-10-14T12:20:00.002-07:002019-10-14T12:25:04.873-07:00New Zealand-Style Beef & Cheddar Pies with 2014 Heitz Cellars Napa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5gkst0dA_rj7qtgvWhumjn_dlBlUrDADSuc8YogzAMDAUUSz4_0CZavdnnwxg0y2ROmB1JwOmi6kTYQXsMh7Hlzyyn8XkCbTgipWwAZ4-oG43pFyZWbaaMXGiaQsTiqodZBApfWzLYKM/s1600/IMG_1070.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5gkst0dA_rj7qtgvWhumjn_dlBlUrDADSuc8YogzAMDAUUSz4_0CZavdnnwxg0y2ROmB1JwOmi6kTYQXsMh7Hlzyyn8XkCbTgipWwAZ4-oG43pFyZWbaaMXGiaQsTiqodZBApfWzLYKM/s320/IMG_1070.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
New Zealand gas station warm beefy hand pies. Sounds like something you can "get" by dialing a phone number on a gas station bathroom wall.<br />
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But the food version, from a <a href="https://food52.com/recipes/76077-new-zealand-style-beef-cheddar-pies">Food 52 recipe</a>, are little pillows of beef, cheese, and butter love. They became the epitome of comfort food in our house a couple of years ago and have continued to satisfy at the same level they did the first time.<br />
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Served with an arugula salad, to mitigate the hand pie fat parade on display, this meal also finds good use for the glut of red wine we have hanging around, bought on a whim, and left to merely to bring color to the dining room as they sit in the wine racks.<br />
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But with this meal, as I plow through <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wine-Bible-Karen-MacNeil/dp/0761180834/ref=asc_df_0761180834/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312142549358&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17643944210232823379&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-625509433632&psc=1">The Wine Bible</a>, a hands-on (or mouth-on...that sounds sexual as well) understanding of wines we NEVER drink seems like the right thing to do. Like pricier Napa Cabs. Never liked them in a broad sense. Don't crave them. Don't eat food that goes with them. So when would we have drunk them? Tell me? I'm asking.<br />
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For $50 at Trader Joe's, the <b>2014 Heitz Cellars Napa Valley</b> might change our tune. All the signature cabernet notes of currants, licorice, and herbs, just done with a relative quietness. balance, and poise needed from so many other Napa cabs. Tasted like a favorite fall coat that's gone in and out of style a dozen times, and now just looks and feels classic. Its medium length would be its only knock. I wanted the prettiness to continue a tick longer. But it's a great price for old-style, beautifully done Napa cabernet where you can taste what Napa was instead of what it currently is.<br />
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Happy combo. A plusher syrah/shiraz or juicy grenache might have extended the decadence of New Zealand hand pies, but we'd do this pairing again. Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-36757865062732028722017-02-01T09:46:00.001-08:002017-02-01T09:46:23.905-08:00Green Goddess Chicken and Grilled Endive with 2014 Bokisch Albariño <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9-0Q70HI6znqxx1ysEz8RiDta_bG9aELfWwIaZpwgUxw04lCd_NLrHSFWxEgp_mMZuU-VbfREsr4cKDzFcvzmiNXwHmzWOGUIUnTe2bWXFmMM4_D6MWNYeGLOArzT9ygcG9LT1YhuRbn/s1600/IMG_1029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9-0Q70HI6znqxx1ysEz8RiDta_bG9aELfWwIaZpwgUxw04lCd_NLrHSFWxEgp_mMZuU-VbfREsr4cKDzFcvzmiNXwHmzWOGUIUnTe2bWXFmMM4_D6MWNYeGLOArzT9ygcG9LT1YhuRbn/s320/IMG_1029.jpg" width="240" /></a>There are few better things in life than roasted chicken with a punchy-green sauce, big pile of veg, and a zippy albariño that knows when to take the volume of the zip down a notch.<br />
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It's not just the tired descriptors related to its simplicity and honesty, which it has. Or that it has everything anybody would or should want or need with food and wine, which they should.<br />
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Mostly, it's about when you're finished, and you drop your knife and fork on your plate and say, "Hot damn, that was delicious in every way!"<br />
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Serve it with a wine that knows when and where to take a pause after a bite-sip and watch it explore, slowly, all the graceful fruit and minerality it has; like it's reading a great passage of a book and it wants to you understand every word as it builds to a crescendo.<br />
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That's Bokisch albariño in our world. Under $20, sea-spritz lilting in and out everywhere, even though the Terra Alta Vineyard where the grapes are grown are nowhere near the ocean, and simply happiness in a bottle.<br />
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<b>Green Goddess chicken</b>, <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015232-green-goddess-roasted-chicken">from Melissa Clark</a>. Funks up the house like a stampede of wet dogs just came through your house, but well worth it. Endive, slathered in leftover GG sauce, then grilled; mixed with (home) roasted peppers. Roast your own. It's worth the work. Parsley tossed in with everything, topped with more GG. Baguette and butter on the side. Little better in this world.<br />
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Served with <b>2014 Bokisch Albariño Lodi Terra Alta Vineyard</b>. Stainless steel, no oak. Citrus basket, smoky melon rind (almost composty, but in a good way...sunbaked), slow and casual in revealing itself, pokey even. Then gives a graceful burst of acidity and punch. Great pulse and tempo, tailing off like a beat of drums in a Paul Simon song.<br />
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These two...this food and wine...they're best buds. <br />
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<br />Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-8182200570253390362017-01-25T06:58:00.001-08:002017-01-25T06:58:19.279-08:00Bison Hanger and Shishito Pepper-Watercress Salad with 2014 Broc Cellars Cabernet Franc<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRf4haQojNDRIYf852TpuT7gdsb4gL2cMH81LSQ5vzOGV2OVH-x_2Ywc4KRUwsg_hJyu5g8iG04408wYIP-Cuq3Itqkz5uB6vOISq_f9SckEhZoyDyCerxUR7l0Sj6m-ujzxkbS1ABvbpX/s1600/IMG_1010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRf4haQojNDRIYf852TpuT7gdsb4gL2cMH81LSQ5vzOGV2OVH-x_2Ywc4KRUwsg_hJyu5g8iG04408wYIP-Cuq3Itqkz5uB6vOISq_f9SckEhZoyDyCerxUR7l0Sj6m-ujzxkbS1ABvbpX/s320/IMG_1010.jpg" width="240" /></a>There's nothing better in life than 'free.'<br />
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Free food is nice. Even when food isn't anything spectacular, it's free, so who cares.<br />
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But free money is better.<br />
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We move in a month, and 13 years living in the same apartment, with the same things, located in the same place for years because our current apartment is so damn small that moving things around always felt like a futile effort, has made us look around at the stuff we have and say, "Hell no. That's not coming with us."<br />
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So new sofa and dining room table was...needed. Hours on the internet. Hours thinking about them off the internet. Then trips to stores yesterday. Blu Dot is nice, but committing to a $4000 sofa seemed (nearly) the opposite of wise. DWR was a fanciful adventure, but thanks for the water. And Restoration Hardware was something out of <i>Black Mirror</i>. Truly a dystopian shopping excursion. "Here's six floors of sameness to lure you into a decision based on the tiniest of differences and based solely on wanting to get the f@*k out of there."<br />
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Then we stepped into Roy's, found a sofa AND a table that landed at the perfect intersection of style, cut, and value; and we bought both for probably $3-4000 less than we might have spent just to be done with shopping.<br />
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So...free money. Free money is best.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Bison hanger, potato pancakes and feta-shishito pepper-celery-watercress salad with 2014 Broc Cellars Cabernet Franc Santa Barbara</span></b><br />
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David Began <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-skirt-steak-shishitos-and-charred-lemon">recipe</a> from <i>Food & Wine</i>. Bison hanger from D'Artagnan, marinated, seared medium rare. Potato pancakes from Trader Joe's, because there's no easier and delicious starch that compliments a meal like this, dipped in Kewpie. Charred shishitos mixed with watercress, feta, pomegranate seeds, celery and celery leaves. We like a lot of salads. This one's in the top 10% for me, as it has bite coming at you from eight different angles. This entire meal has bite and presence and joy. Better with blue cheese instead of feta, but when 48,000 thoughts regarding the logistics of moving are in your brain, an extra errand to get one ingredient isn't happening. This wasn't even the best version of this meal, but it was entirely welcome.<br />
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Not the best pairing either. Malbec is the play here. This food likes malbec's robustness and fruit to soften the edges just a wee bit, but we didn't care. Lighter, fresh cab franc-y notes with the Broc. as per usual, with a touch of smoke backing up the freshness, and very delicate earth finishing things up.<br />
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Mostly, we have to move all our wine. Bringing wine INTO the house? Nope. So jamming some wines into food for the next month is what's going to occur. But on the scale of "FINE," where a "fine" of 10 is an annoying, get-out-of-my-face fine, and a "fine" of one is "hey, that was just fine, I have no beef with that." This pairing was about a two.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">A Couple of Notes:</span> </b>Spanish-style garlic shrimp, roasted feta with honey and pink peppercorns, baguette and salad; served with 2004 López de Heredia Viña Gravonia Rioja. I wanted viura, but the 2004 is NOT READY! Don't do that. Still a lot of Heredia deliciousness, but this one is tight and doesn't want you in there (giggity). A supplemental bottle of TJ's La Granja Viura brought the Spanish Patio Happy in more evocative, Spanish Patio ways. <br />
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Scaccia and salad with 2015 Broc Cellars Nero d'Avola Ukiah. I love Broc. We don't love the nero d'Avola. Grape juice to start. Added some black pepper to the scaccia and more of a plummy, spicy, wine impression showed up to the party, but this is our third or fourth go with Broc's nero d'Avola and while it seems to be shooting for "utterly gulpable and drinkable," it doesn't hit that place for us. It's the wine-club throw-in that sits on the shelf, waiting to get picked last for dodgeball. Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-46786841160832223862017-01-08T08:24:00.003-08:002017-01-08T08:24:47.539-08:00Szechuan Tuna and Blood Orange-Black Olive Salad with 2007 Ponzi Pinot Noir<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQvbMO44Qw3XcdZ6eP7UbQ9ygell5Qb57jJnaNyQY7kA_OMFcMoJqnDq_0z2XsT3mkXYSx2qpAzmN7S8_xFk7WiMZD46Aory0QxVcKnaWCcr1g3hP9XgJAClZ77gypvdH9oZc_K5O9JMv/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-01-08+at+9.48.06+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQvbMO44Qw3XcdZ6eP7UbQ9ygell5Qb57jJnaNyQY7kA_OMFcMoJqnDq_0z2XsT3mkXYSx2qpAzmN7S8_xFk7WiMZD46Aory0QxVcKnaWCcr1g3hP9XgJAClZ77gypvdH9oZc_K5O9JMv/s320/Screen+Shot+2017-01-08+at+9.48.06+AM.png" width="123" /></a>Missing out on a possible dream apartment by a matter of hours made our hearts drop. It wasn't the end of the world by any means, but for a few hours, something close to that feeling came over both of us, in no small part a testament to what the physical and psychological hellhole our current apartment has become.<br />
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When a better place in many, many ways opened up, two days later, we grabbed it by the balls and had sex with the leasing process. This. Was. Going. To. Happen.<br />
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And it did. Life is better.<br />
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Eating rare Szechuan tuna freshness during the application process also made things better, a meal we've had <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/search?q=szechuan+tuna">a ton of times before</a>, but not lately.<br />
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Szechuan peppercorns, cardamom, white pepper, coriander and thyme ground up and crusted on the tuna, seared rare. Served with blood oranges and black olives tossed with shallot, thyme, cumin and hazelnut oil. Mâche salad with pomegranate seeds. Seeduction bread on the side with butter. Über-satisfying. Beautiful dry low heat with a background bright, almost sweetness brought by the Szechuan peppercorns to the great rare tuna. Eat this food and you'll feel as clean and bright as the freakin' food.<br />
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We have a few leftover Ponzi pinot noirs laying around since we mostly moved on from Oregon pinot noir a few years ago. Still like it, just not buying it. Here, a 2007, we found an awful lot of deliciousness for a wine with a more than fair amount of age on it. Fresh wet earth, dying roses, and settling, yet a still lively red fruit blend in very nice proportion. Almost a molasses bread note floating around in the back. Entirely pleasant, and rather nice all-around here with the tuna, bread, mâche, everything. It was a nice reminder why we liked Ponzi in the first place.<br />
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Now, two months of sifting through everything we own and finding out what goes.<br />
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And we're hiring movers. Because we're adults and that's what adults do.Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-79869282557624505852017-01-06T03:39:00.002-08:002017-01-06T03:39:57.838-08:00Tomato Crostata with 2014 Domaine Glinavos Paleokerisio<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25Q9wUFQORx3s7cJFrnt8fTbqHg9a1aTz40Aj2hGGzizH3Ac15jJzGYXkwhvYsIshX_Jw5rbXwQidzYJ78PrYdJ-jynrhjbOMygQRIktlfYRtVTMiiXTYg4f4huKNKHabaWGM063cef82/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-01-06+at+5.09.23+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25Q9wUFQORx3s7cJFrnt8fTbqHg9a1aTz40Aj2hGGzizH3Ac15jJzGYXkwhvYsIshX_Jw5rbXwQidzYJ78PrYdJ-jynrhjbOMygQRIktlfYRtVTMiiXTYg4f4huKNKHabaWGM063cef82/s320/Screen+Shot+2017-01-06+at+5.09.23+AM.png" width="320" /></a>A quick pairing that's characteristic of the weekday food made in this house.<br />
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Or. Check that. This <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014953-tomato-crostata-with-honey-thyme-glaze">tomato crostata with honey-thyme glaze</a>, from Melissa Clark of <i>NYT Cooking</i>, makes for an utterly satisfying weekend meal done on the (fairly) quick and cheap.<br />
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It has everything: a flaky, buttery crust; lil punches of thyme; a light background body of cheese; a garden-quality "abbondanza!" glut of tomatoes (multi-colored used on this one - pic above is from a previous) and an arugula "eats your greens!" side salad that rounds everything out.<br />
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It's Happy Food and Bistro Food, food that Mrs. Ney has made a lot over the last year and a half, because it doesn't get old. Walking through the aisles thinking about dinner plans and find cheap tomatoes at your local green grocer? Make this. Just...make it.<br />
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And maybe drink some $12 Greek orange wine with it. It's $12. Twelve. Available at Vin Chicago. It's another somethin'-somethin' that works on weekdays (because it's cheapy-cheap) or weeknights (because it's fancy with the right food).<br />
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Made from the local Debina, Vlahiko, and Bekari grapes (never heard of any of them), it goes through prolonged skin contact, hence its orangey-ness. Off-dry and semi-sparkling, with smoked orange/tangerine peel backed up by heavily-spiced poached pear. Friendly and long, with lovely dried baking spices on the finish. Tons of energy here.<br />
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It was delicious here on a cold-ass Chicago day. And this tart works with a ton of moderately zingy whites, like grüner or a Portuguese white blend. But, with this Greek orange goodness, might I recommend <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/mar/19/chorizo-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi-butterbean-puree-roast-chicken-migas">Yotam Ottolenghi chorizo chicken with baby peppers and potatoes</a> (38% of the way down the page)? We've done that pairing twice over the last few months and that's chorizo juice-chicken Love. That's get-your-hands-dirty, finger lickin' stupidity. Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-28763939133665089382017-01-04T10:20:00.001-08:002017-01-04T10:21:43.926-08:00New Year's Eve and Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02Rs0TQH6JB-GkZKD7QH68r04HPAv_HoPUDzhRcezNAwjrDv6BNk7oOUG4ZZ2u0buLY1W3R7BnX5T6wWgDzR8Z-b7dCOYHrZ965KsHRZ7qQ9AjAMbkklBCvjz6qrxcXb99bJCT4dKQLtY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-01-04+at+11.34.30+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02Rs0TQH6JB-GkZKD7QH68r04HPAv_HoPUDzhRcezNAwjrDv6BNk7oOUG4ZZ2u0buLY1W3R7BnX5T6wWgDzR8Z-b7dCOYHrZ965KsHRZ7qQ9AjAMbkklBCvjz6qrxcXb99bJCT4dKQLtY/s320/Screen+Shot+2017-01-04+at+11.34.30+AM.png" width="320" /></a>Going through the process of finding another place to live turns one's brain to a gooey, drippy mess.<br />
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In the 13 years of living in our same place, moving always came up, and the cost-benefit analysis (along with sheer inertia) kept us planted where we were. But no more. It's time to stop staring at crappy hardwood floors and "weathered" walls; hearing EVERYONE come in and out of the apartment building, with the accompanying doors and gates slamming; and it's time to not live below what sounds like a gaggle of apes playing with a football.<br />
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Thank all that is holy. It's time to live like adults.<br />
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Two meals, one to close out a REALLY shitty year and one to open a new one.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;">New Year's Eve "Feast Of The One Fish" with 2008 Gaston-Chiquet Special Club Brut</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcExk9tWMlplYP3drjdwxT7OYcvV0lSQApb_y5JzICN4P968m74Lt1mSq18vK6EJIjoEOzT5cVgDRT-4-dtgaPr4O_qMbK2316bb1ULqC8jfGOewEEwKTR1Oy8pJjVVl07L6i3zW6uyDJP/s1600/IMG_0974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcExk9tWMlplYP3drjdwxT7OYcvV0lSQApb_y5JzICN4P968m74Lt1mSq18vK6EJIjoEOzT5cVgDRT-4-dtgaPr4O_qMbK2316bb1ULqC8jfGOewEEwKTR1Oy8pJjVVl07L6i3zW6uyDJP/s200/IMG_0974.JPG" width="200" /></a><b>Food:</b> <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/essentialpepin/2011/09/19/brandade-de-morue-au-gratin/">Jacques Pepin brandade</a>. Salt cod, more celery root than potato, almond milk, garlic, cayenne, pecorino, etc. Served with charred bread. Mustard-ized ($10) asparagus for veg, and it's been too long because they were freakin' delicious. Everything was delicious. Silky texture with the brandade. One of the top batches ever made in this (soon-to-not-be-our) house. Perfect balance between the celery root lightness and meatiness of the salt cod, with the almond milk lending a wee touch of nutty goodness. Just a great bite of food on perfectly charred bread. Great way to close out this year's silliness.<br />
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<b>Wine:</b> $58 Special Club from Vin in Barrington. This one is also available at Binny's (!). We got three and need three more, because this one has a LONG life ahead. Barely any fruit right now, just fireworks-like minerals everywhere. It's chalky, it's lean, it's a bit floral and it's all sorts of awesome. This one might turn out to be one of our Champagne threads over the next ten years.<br />
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<b>Pairing:</b> Wasn't perfect, yet somehow that made it better. Brandade isn't an ideal pairing accompaniment with Champagne, but we found loads of goodness "in this corner, and that corner, and over here and over there." And super with the asparagus. Overall, top-notch, TOP-NOTCH!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;">New Year's Day Hoppin' John with 2010 Antica Terra Pinot Noir Willamette Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBGgfq4eiU1VnblfLfojsnqyk1ByUCEv1bX3Bt7P4g1n09qo1dyhFDN2w4eDrTXaQLZ2Tk2vtuqmvWg_xU22YsSyfjs1bVjU7S8J3OhHuSUGAXRVrf3DK19Vj6f_Ls1OCtJDjKeVA2rKa/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBGgfq4eiU1VnblfLfojsnqyk1ByUCEv1bX3Bt7P4g1n09qo1dyhFDN2w4eDrTXaQLZ2Tk2vtuqmvWg_xU22YsSyfjs1bVjU7S8J3OhHuSUGAXRVrf3DK19Vj6f_Ls1OCtJDjKeVA2rKa/s320/IMG_0975.JPG" width="240" /></a><b>Food:</b> Sean Brock Hoppin' John - New Year's good luck food, with 12 green grapes as well - from his <i>Heritage: A Cookbook</i>, page 16, over Anson Mills Carolina Gold rice (we're out and gotta git mo - can't live without that now...). Sean Brock <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/sauteed-collard-greens-roasted-peanuts">shortcut collard greens</a> mixed with mustard greens and pomegranate seeds. Pan gravy to dribble over all the goodness, and this was good. Subtle, but a subtlety that PER-SISTED all the way down and well after swallowing. This isn't our food, but nice to have once a year (or every other).<br />
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<b>Wine: </b>I'm not a red Burgundy expert. Too spendy for us. But blind, this is what a damn good red Burgundy tastes like, with teeny-tiny wisps of New World sun. PLENTY of earth in about five forms, with integrated, pretty fruit, and lil pops of roses all the way down. Hell, I thought I tasted a little truffle at one point. A beautiful wine. Really, quite beautiful. We forget sometimes that Good red wine is Really Good.<br />
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<b>Pairing:</b> The wine was the star, as it was all class. But this one weaved into the subtlety in the food and didn't bully, didn't demand things. It only took what was offered and gave all it could with each bite and sip.<br />
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Now, we need word on our apartment today or my head is going to explode.<br />
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Like...now.<br />
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Or...now.<br />
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Anything yet? <br />
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<br />Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-89195644851645151702016-12-27T07:12:00.003-08:002016-12-29T04:48:20.761-08:00Christmas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzlCwbN4uHfIqcIdPLY3BlXE38apGA7ZC6foalEWOZavvZgnqeCh0ZfSNah_e_hTfb5TB9bka_etkjm1j4sZsIvx7krHTunZPxkgkn1UyV7YwO-0-xDX_hoaPBVmjBEtQSfqAVfOc91X5/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-12-27+at+8.15.42+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzlCwbN4uHfIqcIdPLY3BlXE38apGA7ZC6foalEWOZavvZgnqeCh0ZfSNah_e_hTfb5TB9bka_etkjm1j4sZsIvx7krHTunZPxkgkn1UyV7YwO-0-xDX_hoaPBVmjBEtQSfqAVfOc91X5/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-12-27+at+8.15.42+AM.png" width="320" /></a>Let's kickstart this here blog back up.
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The 365 Days of Food and Wine experiment, while interesting, sapped my ability to accurately describe the delicious food Mrs. Ney made. It got to the point where my word canon reached the very end of its description limit. I'd re-read things I'd written and think, "Hot damn that's boring!" And that wasn't doing any justice to the time and effort Mrs. Ney had put in to researching, thinking about, and making dinners.<br />
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The break was needed, but it's time to step back in, because while we hope anyone searching for food and wine pairing advice - a vexing and frightening proposition for many - comes across this site and comes to understand that it's not that frightening, mostly we want and need the reference. We also like to see how our year and tastes flowed and changed.<br />
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Christmas seems a good place to start.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;">Food: Bittman Lamb Osso Buco with Sean Brock Grits and Rapini</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_wdD6pbOVdro2dWyDeZpPVJwjfb6YuznC2MFIjV-Jd5aBWIU8JcN7uaQUHJeK-AcnrBNaKQiicm5Q60pPM-S3ktYzHsEagvqemqQtpZKYDevZfanilkGxIBYUDMQSU5tN2FQNwVpY9Cr/s1600/IMG_0973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_wdD6pbOVdro2dWyDeZpPVJwjfb6YuznC2MFIjV-Jd5aBWIU8JcN7uaQUHJeK-AcnrBNaKQiicm5Q60pPM-S3ktYzHsEagvqemqQtpZKYDevZfanilkGxIBYUDMQSU5tN2FQNwVpY9Cr/s320/IMG_0973.JPG" width="240" /></a>Mark Bittman osso buco <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1807-osso-buco">recipe</a>, from <i>NYT Cooking. </i>Lamb osso buco from D'Artagnan, seared, then cooked for 90 minutes on the stovetop with garlic, anchovies, sage, marjoram, rosemary, white wine, salt and pepper until tender. Meat removed, sauce reduced, served on the side. Cracked pink peppercorns sprinkled on top of lamb. Sean Brock grits, from <i>Heritage: A Cookbook</i> (page 74 - "How to cook grits like a Southerner"). Simple rapini done up with salt and pepper that somehow didn't taste so simple.<br />
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Luscious lamb. Frenchy touches with northern Italian guts. Osso buco is never going to be the best meat I've ever had in my life, but when it hits, like here, it's a meat-melty wonder. Rather perfect grits, as Mr. Brock seems to offer with most anything he offers (see <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/search?q=Sean+Brock">burgers, patty melts, steaks, grits, griddle cakes</a>...he's one of our house food guiders to the delicious). Silky, but corny and buttery, with a surprising jump and lightness. A great balance and vacillation between all the flavors. When some of the anchovy pan sauce bled into the rapini, it was maybe the best rapini we've had in a good long time.<br />
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This was a dinner worthy of Christmas, after a shockingly easy Christmas Eve visit to the family.<br />
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<b><span fanucchi-wood="" nbsp="" river="" road="" russian="" span="" style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;">Wine: 2015 Jolie-Laide Trousseau Gris Fanucchi-Wood Vineyard RRV</span></b><br />
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We loved the poop out the 2014 Jolie-Laide Trousseau Gris, first had at Chez Panisse two Septembers ago. So board and giving. The 2015 is more sturdy and focused in its flavors. It gets more directly and quickly to the point it's trying to make. Bitter orange peel galore, like Chinotto or Aperol in presence and aggressiveness. Wispy touches of herbs and minerals, particularly on the back-end, even something tea-like thrown in there on occasion. This one needs to warm up significantly in order for it to stretch its legs and become more elastic and playful. The 2014 was all ethereal, sunshine-y goodness, but sputtered with some food. The 2015 is more punchy, and that over the course of the next year might make it more suitable to the flavors we love.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;">Pairing: Once it reached the right temp...nothing wrong with that.</span></b><br />
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I opened a 2005 Gourt des Mautens Rasteau (Jérome Bressy) and decanted couple of hours before dinner, but it didn't budge from its hairy-backed, tannic self, and would have been just terrible with how delicate the lamb was. But the Jolie-Laide served us quite well. Not perfect, not by any means. Once it warmed up though, there was enough weaving in-and-out with the grits and lamb together to say, "Slap Daddy! That's just fine!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjasmV-HmNa_nrYaNZHCtzErnJqoDkXDWB_PihLOBKtePv9PZrGueOAEwFGFmgtresUyTln50jM_-rYvJsMGohlW4vmuRWQoPhumJJoZWicGtpcetIKeOW-XGE0clPj4PeAwI6SCGvZIry-/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-12-27+at+8.59.49+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjasmV-HmNa_nrYaNZHCtzErnJqoDkXDWB_PihLOBKtePv9PZrGueOAEwFGFmgtresUyTln50jM_-rYvJsMGohlW4vmuRWQoPhumJJoZWicGtpcetIKeOW-XGE0clPj4PeAwI6SCGvZIry-/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-12-27+at+8.59.49+AM.png" width="56" /></a><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Lunch:</span></b> Homemade <b>duck pâté</b> with Rogue Flora Nelle Blue Cheese, fig marmalade, baguette and salad, served with <b>2011 Matthiasson Vermouth</b>. Mrs. Ney whipped up A LOT of duck pâté, this one more country in style with its small chunks of duck meat. Turned into one of those pâtés one eats and thinks THIS is how all pâté should be. Every flavor bouncing and jiving with each other. Rogue Flora Nelle has that ideal touch of blue streaks while still retaining a clean brightness to it. House fav.</div>
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All served with a Matthiasson Vermouth that's been sitting in this house way too long, and it was great here. Smoky tangerine peel, blood orange and bark. Still going quite strong. A bite of cheese and fig marmalade on baguette with a sip of vermouth was as pairing-perfect as it gets.<br />
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Damn good (and lazy) Christmas Day! We didn't get to the "Feast of the One Fish" (brandade). It's in the works for New Year's Eve. With bubbles. We need bubbles. So we'll have them. Because bubbles are essential in life.<br />
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After the jump is a list of all the pairings we've had since this blog stopped, some of it in shorthand. It's for our reference:<br />
<a name='more'></a>7.11 Baby chickens, green goddess and corn-avocado salad with 2014 Benito Santos Albariño <br />
7.12 Lawrence Fish Market sushi with Domaine des Champs Fleuris Crémant de Loire and 375 of Laurent-Perrier<br />
7.13 Chorizo-potato-kale hash with 2014 Cataldi Madonna Pecorino<br />
7.14 Peanut noodles and raw veg with 2015 Lachetau Vouvray<br />
7.15 Taco salad with 2015 La Granja Blanco<br />
7.16 Pakistani goat biryani with 2010 Trader Joe’s Pinot Noir Sonoma<br />
7.17 Margherita, tuna/onion purée/black olives, white anchovy-arugula pizzas with NV Feudi di San Gregorio DUBL Sparkling Greco and 2015 Charles Smith VINO sangiovese rosé<br />
7.18 Lamb-stuffed artichokes, fresh fava, cornmeal-amaranth cakes, roasted tomatoes, dill, mint and parsley with 2014 Halcyon Cabernet Franc Templeton Gap Paso Robles Velo Vineyard<br />
7.19 David Tanis crab croquetas with a sauce made from olive oil, garlic, marcona almonds and toasted sunflower seeds. One salad of wilted beet greens, charred beet stems and scallions, roasted beets, white balsamic, drizzle of almond/sunflower sauce. Another salad of celery, roasted pepper, raw corn, avocado, lemon balm, lemon thyme, white balsamic, evoo with 2014 Mamacita and 2014 Broc Cellars Love White<br />
7.20 Mac-n-Cheese with no wine<br />
7.21 Minty brown rice and amaranth greens with 2015 Berger Grüner Veltliner<br />
7.22 Roasted Greek chicken, pita, FM tomatoes and tzatziki with 2015 Skouras Moscofilero<br />
7.23<br />
7.24 Hummus and avocado fattoush with 2014 Domaine Giuberteau Saumur<br />
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7.25 Piemontese hanger and yucca with 2010 Maison Bleue Syrah Yakima<br />
7.26 Milkfish and a plum, cabbage, snow pea salad with 2015 Txomin Etxaniz Txakolina<br />
7.27 Smoked chicken, grilled/pickled white peaches, white BBQ sauce and seeduction bread with 2014 Firelands Gewürztraminer<br />
7.28 Galician tuna empanada with Albero Cava (Forlorn Hope Ribolla Gialla was a failure)<br />
7.29 Broiled Feta and fava-tomato-onion salad with 2015 Bokisch Albariño Las Cerezas<br />
7.30 Sausage and rapini with 2015 Mascarelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo<br />
7.31 Pizza Art with 2015 Day Wines Papacito sparkling primitivo<br />
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8.1 Merguez Kebabs, tomato salad and carrot purée with 2014 Susucaru and 2012 Forlorn Hope Ribolla Gialla<br />
8.2 Lawrence Fish Market Sushi with 2015 Broc Sparkling Chenin Blanc<br />
8.3 Korean bbq chicken, rice and carrot-cabbage slaw with 2012 C&P Breton la Dilettante Vouvray<br />
8.4 Smoked trout, beets, mustard greens and cream cheese with 2013 Jackys Preys Fie Gris Touraine<br />
8.5 Big Salad (breaded chicken, tomato, herbs, onions…) with 2014 Terrasse de Molinas Blanc Élegance<br />
8.6 Zucchini pasta salad (Ottolenghi) with 2015 Innovacion Rosé<br />
8.7 Sean Brock (freezer) burgers, bagged fries and onion rings (McClain) with 2015 El Jefe Grande Unoaked Tempranillo<br />
8.8 Vitello tonnato with 2015 Negro Unfiltered Arneis<br />
8.9 Shrimp, shishito and Carolina Gold rice with 2015 Bokisch verdejo<br />
8.10 Pick-n-Choose with Cleto Chiarli before Cubs game<br />
8.11 Chicken thighs, grilled radicchio, grilled vegetable vinaigrette and grilled potatoes with 2015 Sigalas Assyritiko<br />
8.12 Ms Clark's tomato/thyme/honey crostata with 2014 Quinta de Porrais Branco<br />
8.13 Minty brown rice and wilted greens with 2010 Domaine Maestracci "E Prove" Corse Calvi Rouge<br />
8.14 Indian carrot salad with 2015 Crios Torrontés<br />
8.15 Piedmontese hanger, salsa verde, ricotta salata and empanadas with 2013 Jean-Antoine Lyut Carignan<br />
8.16 YO chicken, corn fritters and zucchini flowers with 1999 López de Heredia Gravonia Blanco<br />
8.17 Charred onions and yogurt with 2010 Domaine de la Pepìere Quatre<br />
8.18 PIcadillo with La Granja Tempranillo<br />
8.19 Italian Subs with TJ’s Brachetto<br />
8.20 Green Goddess Chicken with 2013 Pascal Janvier Jasnieres<br />
8.21 Pizza Art with 2011 Dagueneau Silex and TJ’s Brachetto<br />
8.22 Lamb leg [YO shawarma via NYT] Komi-style with tomato-onion, tzatkiki, pickled mustard seeds…with 2015 Cruse Pet-Nat Valdiguie and 2012 Sattler St. Laurent<br />
8.23 Loco Moco with 2004 Clos Fourtet<br />
8.24 Falafel salad with 2015 La Granja Blanco<br />
8.25 Piri-Piri chicken, watercress and dill potatoes with 2015 St. Bris SB<br />
8.26 Tomato crostata with 2015 Desperada Sauvignon Blanc<br />
8.27 Greens, feta and rice with 2015 Berger GV<br />
8.28 Goat meatballs, fava and orzo with 2012 Broc Cab Franc<br />
8.29 Psilakis rabbit, celery root/chestnut purée and endive with NV Egly-Ouriet V.P.<br />
8.30 Fish Tacos with Argus Pineapple Wine<br />
8.31 Green goddess chicken, crème fraiche potatoes & salad with 2007 Benjamin LaRoux P-M<br />
9.1 Flank steak and pierogi with NV Marietta Christo #3<br />
9.2 Arugula, chicken, beets, scallions, feta, jalapeno, almonds with 2015 Lageder Pinot Grigio<br />
9.3 Piri Piri Lamb over rice with 2014 Alloy Rosé<br />
9.4 Scaccia and salad with NV Paolo Palummo Lettere<br />
9.5-9.14 Tuscany<br />
9.14 Mariano’s chicken, arugula, tzatziki, tomato-onion and bread with St. Bris<br />
9.15 B’stilla with 2015 TJ’s Haut de Mourier Viognier<br />
9.16 Sopa Seca with 2012 Bokisch Graciano<br />
9.17 Tomato Crostata with 2015 Bibi Graetz Bianco Casamatta<br />
9.18 Tacos with NV TJ’s Brachetto<br />
9.19 Fish sauce quail, scallion pancakes and beet-celery salad with 2015 Mamacita <br />
9.20 Halloumi and kale-roasted lemon salad with 2014 Bokisch Terra Alta Albariño <br />
9.21 Chicken/amaranth/rice with 2015 Amancay Torrontés<br />
9.22 Kale and Potato Hash with 2012 Kermit Lynch Vaucluse<br />
9.23 Beef & salami & dill havarti & pugliese with TJ’s Brachetto<br />
9.24 Dirty rice with 2013 Birichino Malvasia<br />
9.25 Niçoise with 2014 Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre Rosé<br />
9.26 Fried chicken, biscuits and frisée-blue cheese-roasted tomato salad with Lillet Rosé<br />
9.27 Purple Pig with NV Montsarra Cava<br />
9.28 Lamb Curry over rice with 2012 Catherine et Pierre Breton “Trinch" Cab Franc<br />
9.29 Enchiladas with 2015 Bokisch Rosé<br />
9.30 Charred onions, yogurt and kale salad with 2015 Broc Picpoul<br />
10.1 Big (tuna) Salad with 2015 Vera Vinho Verde<br />
10.2 Chicken, fennel and clementines with 2013 Izadi Rioja Blanco<br />
10.3 Beef shank pappardelle with 2010 Vallado Tinto<br />
10.4 Potato Pie with 2015 Celine et laurent Tripoz Bourgogne Aligoté<br />
10.5 Turkish Beany Surprise with no wine<br />
10.6 Iraqi chicken, tzatziki and naan with NV Grifone Bianco<br />
10.7 Sausage and rapini with 2015 TJ’s Gavi<br />
10.8 salmon and bagels with WF French liter<br />
10.9 Scaccia with Barbolini "Lancillotto" Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro<br />
10.10 Lamb rosettes and yuca with 2008 Quinta do Vale Meão<br />
10.11 Lemon pasta with tomato noodles and FM tomatoes with 2015 Vacheron Sancerre<br />
10.12 Naan pizzas with no wine<br />
10.13 Muffaletta-ish sandwiches (artichokes-sherry vinegar) with TJ’s Palomino<br />
10.14 Tomato crostata with 2015 Vera Vinho Verde<br />
10.15 Zucchini goop with Innovacion Rosé<br />
10.16 Flap and chimichurri and latkes with Luyt Pais Pipeno<br />
10.17 Pea-fennel-rabbit stock risotto with 2014 Regis Minet PF<br />
10.18 Ema and wine tasting - 2015 Bodega Tajinaste Listan Blanco - Valle de la Orotava, Canary Islands, Spain<br />
10.19 Black beans and rice with L'Authentique<br />
10.20 Mariano’s chicken, kumatoes, white BBQ and basil with 2015 Broc Sparkling Chenin<br />
10.21 Spaghetti and meatballs with TJ’s Barbera<br />
10.22 Hummus, za’atar, kumatoes and watercress with 2014 Pascal Javier Jasnieres<br />
10.23 Ottolenghi oxtail stew with 2010 Yalumba HP Shiraz-Viognier<br />
10.24 YO Chicken, chorizo, potatoes, peppers, tarragon and marjoram with 2014 Domaine Glinavos Greek orange wine and 2015 Frantz Saumon La Cave Se Rebiffe Petillant Naturel Rosé<br />
10.25 YO Mackerel, beet, apple, horseradish salad with 2014 Müller Catoir Haardt Scheurebe Trocken<br />
10.26 Lentils, Kielbasa and Fennel with 2013 Laika Grüner Veltliner Michigan<br />
10.27 Freezer lamb curry with L’Authentique (?)<br />
10.28 Charred onions with 2015 Terrasse Moulinas Blanc Élegance<br />
10.29 Sean Brock burgers and onion rings with NV Marietta Christo Lot 2<br />
10.30 Shrimp and shishitos with 2004 Gramona Gran Reserva<br />
10.31 Sifton Provençal roast chicken with mashed pot-celery root with 2014 Jolie-Laide TG<br />
11.1 Sausages/grapes/tomatoes with 2012 Palmina Dolcetto<br />
11.2 Jamie Oliver Greek chicken and couscous with 2015 Txomin Etxaniz Txakolina<br />
11.3 Turnip green and chickpea curry, naan and carrot raita with 2015 Berger<br />
11.4 Lou Malnati’s with TJ’s Barbera<br />
11.5 Tuna salad, ciabatta, arugula and kumatoes with fridge/Benito Santos<br />
11.6 Hanger steak with 2010 Owen Roe Syrah Chapel Block<br />
11.7 Greeky cornish game hens, Roden's spicy harissa carrots with 2013 Anima Negra Quíbia<br />
11.8 LFM sushi with TJ’s Crémant and TJ’s Auslese<br />
11.9 Boulud Chicken with NV Benanti Sicilia Bianco<br />
11.10 Torta goop with Innovacion Rosé<br />
11.11 Sausage Rolls with no wine<br />
11.12 Dirty Rice with 2015 Firelands Gewürztraminer<br />
11.13 Pizza Art with Luyt Pais 1-Liter<br />
11.14 Chicken Milanese with 2015 Desperada SB<br />
11.15 Beef Plov with 2009 Angela PN<br />
11.16 Spaghetti and meatballs with TJ’s Barbera<br />
11.17 Pick-n-choose with 2015 Casamatta Bianco<br />
11.18 YO harak osbao (Persian sopa seca) with 2015 Espiral rosé<br />
11.19 YO beef stew with 2009 Vallado Tinto<br />
11.20 Sambal shrimp and scallion pancakes with 2016 Gen del Alma JiJiJi Chenin Blanc<br />
11.21 Lamb sausages, onions, kumatoes, Ancient Grains with Lillet Rosé (TJ’s brut rosé<br />
11.22 Loko Moko with Brock burgers with 2004 Clos de l’Oratoire<br />
11.23 Chicken vindaloo with 2015 Crios Torrontés<br />
11.24 Thanksgiving<br />
11.25 Tomato tart with 2015 Whole Foods grüner veltliner<br />
11.26 Ham and cheese croissant sandwiches with 2015 Whispering Angel rosé<br />
11.27 Piri-piri free turkey, carrot purée, onions and pita with 2014 La Val Albariño<br />
11.28 Potato Pie with 2014 La Val and 2014 Lagar de Cervera Albariño<br />
11.29 Leftover potato pie with leftover wine<br />
11.30 Turkey chili with no wine<br />
12.1 Potato-kale-lamb sausage hash with 2015 Charles & Charles Rosé<br />
12.2 Dashi chicken with 2005 Bregéon Muscadet<br />
12.3 Roast beef pick-n-choose with Alloy-C&C Rosé<br />
12.4 Scaccia with 2015 COS Cerrasuolo<br />
12.5 YO chorizo chicken with 2014 Domaine Glinavos Greek orange wine<br />
12.6 Rabbit sausages and braised endive with 2015 Jolie-Laide Pinot Gris and 2104 Fie Gris<br />
12.7 Leftover chicken and rice with TJ’s Palomino<br />
12.8 Minty rice and mustard greens with 2015 Tatomer GV SBC<br />
12.9 Porchetta, arugula, bread and mayo with TJ’s Lambrusco<br />
12.10 Naan pizzas with 2015 C&C Rosé<br />
12.11 J. Tower chicken and farro-hazelnut with J. Lasalle Champagne<br />
12.12 Yusho<br />
12.13 Cassoulet with 2012 Darting Pinot Meunier<br />
12.14 Tomato tart with 2015 Vera Vinho Verde<br />
12.15 Chicken pot pie with 2015 Belles Vignes SB <br />
12.16 Green chorizo and rice with NV Ocarossa Cuvée Rosso <br />
12.17 Pick-n-choose with smoked chicken, salsa verde…with 2012 Muga Cava & TJ’s pink brut<br />
12.18 Mint Masala (LP) chicken (mayo) with 2010 Selbach-Oster Himmelriech R-K <br />
12.19 Spacca Christmas Party<br />
12.20 Shrimp, fish sauce-sauce and scallion pancakes with 2014 Mamacita<br />
12.21 Carrot top pesto, chicken and rice with 2015 Belles Vignes<br />
12.22 Indian carrot salad with leftover wine<br />
12.23 Mac-n-cheese with 2005 Chateau Teyssier<br />
12.24 Christmas Eve in Camanche<br />
12.25 Lamb Osso Buco with 2015 JL Trousseau Gris<br />
12.26 Scaccia with Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-30143966782730232462016-07-13T11:39:00.001-07:002016-12-14T04:08:01.948-08:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: A Year In Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3NeWy3jEcDCf3fdbphuLqLvjvV6sPYU1qfSllK80fxuw-lJXjK-6jfVR-i_uWg_LmpegvLk7MaL3e9FMkClt_idrWGklSFqpKnYBHEHzVCMyNSdKeuqXHEl8ZyexqbCoVTtK0TUnzXCr/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3NeWy3jEcDCf3fdbphuLqLvjvV6sPYU1qfSllK80fxuw-lJXjK-6jfVR-i_uWg_LmpegvLk7MaL3e9FMkClt_idrWGklSFqpKnYBHEHzVCMyNSdKeuqXHEl8ZyexqbCoVTtK0TUnzXCr/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>This breakdown will be changing over the next week or so as I whittle it down to more specific food and wine things.<br />
<br />
But here's a (very close to very accurate) broad breakdown:<br />
<br />
<b>Total Cost for (nearly all of) Food and Wine for the Year:</b> $7307 for food, $8161 for wine = $15,468<br />
<br />
<b>Times We Ate Out:</b> 24 (that includes vacations up the California coast in September and New York at the end of March) - Le Bernardin, Prune, Pok Pok, The Breslin, Momofuku, Keste, Rustic Canyon Wine Bar, Chez Panisse, Fish, Pig In A Pickle, Gioia Pizzeria, Bocadillos, Spacca Napoli, Bill's Drive-In/Jimmy's Pizza Cheese Fest, Nando's (thrice), Pizza Art Café (twice), Bistro Campagne (twice), Hema's Kitchen, Spiagga, Semiramis,<br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Protein</span></u></b><br />
<br />
<i>Note: I went with the main focus of the meal for the most part. If there were a couple of anchovies in a veg-centric meal for depth, I went veggie (which is only a handful of the veg meals). If there were a lot of anchovies (i.e. - pissaladière), I went fish. Charcuterie is probably more than half of the pork category. </i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Vegetarian meals: 61</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Chicken: 78</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Pork: 67</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Fish: 47</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Beef: 36</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Lamb: 22</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Goat: 13</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Cornish/Guinea/Poussin: 7 </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Rabbit: 4</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Boar: 4</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Duck: 2</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Turkey: 2</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Quail: 2</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Bison: 1</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Venison: 1</div>
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<b><u><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Wine</span></u></b><br />
<br />
<i>Note: If it had bubbles, it's under sparkling. I did not parse out natural wines. Might get to it. If a blend was predominately (more than 60%) one grape, it's under that grape. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><b>
Rosé (still):</b> 44<br />
<b>Sparkling </b>(Champagne, Cava, Malvasia, Baga, Rosé, Chenin, Erbaluce...): 34<br />
<b>Others:</b> Pineapple Wine: 3, Sangria (watermelon, purple corn, grilled fruit): 3, Lillet Rosé: 1<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9ST8r-iCU_yN2jRtbT0FAzFkPAfKe9DkznSLBmBqQw0YSWoPpetSio2E4cWVZkSQhLLA0vPem4kfPcsCKCry2azYsBbQz324S0JvYIOMFDjtpP-ssMLBPqz1PaCpWVE6DGuLW3w_0Dp-/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-22+at+9.10.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9ST8r-iCU_yN2jRtbT0FAzFkPAfKe9DkznSLBmBqQw0YSWoPpetSio2E4cWVZkSQhLLA0vPem4kfPcsCKCry2azYsBbQz324S0JvYIOMFDjtpP-ssMLBPqz1PaCpWVE6DGuLW3w_0Dp-/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-07-22+at+9.10.26+AM.png" width="608" /></a><br />
<br />
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<br />Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-90218675957699168832016-07-07T10:21:00.000-07:002016-07-12T08:32:32.533-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #52<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PhK_BVOQDPJkFrowbCy0jyCWoZTd7fR9u5zqUA6Mfk7xqQZAxSyIoXG0emoae8DS1IctJdK4a89IQFcOjbGSzezJzoWR6xwwViGdr013neeOCrq1ijUe3Y3ZOU8rTW7BEsY5kOlI0Uat/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PhK_BVOQDPJkFrowbCy0jyCWoZTd7fR9u5zqUA6Mfk7xqQZAxSyIoXG0emoae8DS1IctJdK4a89IQFcOjbGSzezJzoWR6xwwViGdr013neeOCrq1ijUe3Y3ZOU8rTW7BEsY5kOlI0Uat/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>This is it, our last week chronicling every day of food and wine for an entire year.<br />
<br />
The sheer volume of red herrings and incomplete explanations in <i>Marcella</i> made for a confounding consumption of a TV series. Worth it? Marginally.<br />
<br />
<i>Taste of Cherry</i> is on Hulu if you're interested in perfect filmmaking and seeing why Abbas Kiarostami's death was so mourned this week.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">*** Full-Year Total: $7307 for food, $8161 for wine = $15,468 ***</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>*** Last Half-Year (26 week) Summary: $3765 for food, $4096 for wine = $7861 ***</b></span><br />
<br />
<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 19px;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Total food and wine cost for the wee</span><span style="color: #0b5394;">k:</span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> <b>$100 for food and $75 for wine = $175</b></span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><br /></b></span></i><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;"><b><i>Total food and wine cost for the month: $492 for food and $339 for wine = $831</i></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Sunday: Scaccia with 2013 Cleto Chiarli "Vecchia Modena" Lambrusco di Modena</span></b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN7cj6TeRiEvpUjA0AfgJWVO9josl4QEQ47ySHxKqhbEihyphenhyphenOXfIkbbq4BeFdWkDPKGMEd4ymlsbSbxBv9yDEYsikTQ2bLB1XeudlGDonAZuYfR2S32Kj8qvWW7z6_P93JH7xD890Ll5zT/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-08-13+at+9.12.18+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN7cj6TeRiEvpUjA0AfgJWVO9josl4QEQ47ySHxKqhbEihyphenhyphenOXfIkbbq4BeFdWkDPKGMEd4ymlsbSbxBv9yDEYsikTQ2bLB1XeudlGDonAZuYfR2S32Kj8qvWW7z6_P93JH7xD890Ll5zT/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-08-13+at+9.12.18+AM.png" width="84" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>Fitting that we end this 365 Days of Pairings with one of our new favorite things. It's pizza babka/lasagna bread (<a href="http://www.saveur.com/lasagna-bread-italian-sicilian-scaccia-recipe">recipe</a>). Semolina dough, San Marzano tomatoes, sharp provolone and smoked mozzarella standing in for caciocavallo, basil and garlic. Arugula salad to finish. It's layered, folded, Sicilian deliciousness.<br />
<br />
<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's our new definition of Sunday Dinner. Fairly easy, fairly cheap, and the payoff is through the roof. Satisfaction to the nth degree.<br />
<br />
<b>How Was The Wine?</b> An older Cleto Chiarli we found for $10. It's Lambrusco. Put a lil chill on it and you got tart red wine juice that knows what to do with Italian-type things. This one showed its age, with flavors somewhat muddled and a lack of top-notch verve, but even as it's settling in on its way to death, a lot to like. Nice cherry with a touch of tart red apple.<br />
<br />
<b>And The Pairing?</b> It was $10, so no complaints. And overall, very little to carp about here with the pairing. The wine didn't cast its usual wide, frothy, tart, energetic net, but we didn't find much to dislike. <br />
<br />
<b>Cost: </b>$16 for food, $10 for wine =<b> $26</b> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday: Salmon, Sprouts and Bagels with 2015 La Peña de España White Wine </b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSbdDXgWyZPiyw4-AzUXgU2A2gzqNpNGjF0bVjEwrv160n3ITook9N-QHprZKbarw7al_-K0dSfEg6H1MA34uZjWD7Kt6C_Eh4okq7lnv57lcJVp6sab2Aik3YAMphOc_QJ-OhP0TD79L/s1600/IMG_0823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSbdDXgWyZPiyw4-AzUXgU2A2gzqNpNGjF0bVjEwrv160n3ITook9N-QHprZKbarw7al_-K0dSfEg6H1MA34uZjWD7Kt6C_Eh4okq7lnv57lcJVp6sab2Aik3YAMphOc_QJ-OhP0TD79L/s200/IMG_0823.JPG" width="156" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Trader Joe's salmon, bagels, tarragon-dill cream cheese, kumatoes, and clover sprouts. Rip, top, eat.<br />
<br />
<b>Did We Like It?</b> This is all anybody needs in life. The simplicity with this batch made it the best batch we've had of salmon and bagels. Sometimes, it's been with avocado. Though nice, it's sometimes too clumsy in the compilation of a bite and generally makes for too much "stuff." Usually, it's with arugula. Clover sprouts are better, here bringing a spiciness and a more delicate touch of greeny-ness that was rather perfect. Ripe kumatoes, perfect touch of herbs in the cream cheese, oddly very fresh bagels that had a wee bit of rye flavor to them. We loved the stink out of this.<br />
<br />
<b>How Was The Wine?</b> A blend of 25% each of sauvignon blanc, muscat, verdejo and chardonnay, with a tiny wisp of Spanish air to it. It's mediocre at best, but showed its best face here.<br />
<br />
<b>And The Pairing?</b> A fresh well water note popped up in this wine that previously was there the first time we had it. Wasn't resplendent, but a fine effort was being made on the part of the wine to lead to pairing satisfaction.<br />
<br />
<b>Cost:</b> $25 for food, $6 for wine = <b>$31 </b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Uzbek Lamb Plov with 2015 Innovacíon Rosé Mendoza</span></b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiASz4Rd9mZ55YQMhIlczYMMUQXgnYAwy5UbqgsU_kx_MgcjicqyhDe94HeGsefbGAVNFQ71kqVbKGmDUmxl-DWlrs5qRiNgSGoHj3N01gq3cclXLOHE60XuWusljVsKhZH7ZqHwBwGQkK/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-08-16+at+10.43.45+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiASz4Rd9mZ55YQMhIlczYMMUQXgnYAwy5UbqgsU_kx_MgcjicqyhDe94HeGsefbGAVNFQ71kqVbKGmDUmxl-DWlrs5qRiNgSGoHj3N01gq3cclXLOHE60XuWusljVsKhZH7ZqHwBwGQkK/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-08-16+at+10.43.45+AM.png" width="79" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Recipe <a href="http://cuceesprouts.com/2011/02/uzbek-lamb-plov/">here</a>, via Cucee Sprouts. Leftover lamb shoulder from <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/2016/06/365-days-of-food-and-wine-week-49.html">here</a>, chickpeas, carrots, barberries, garlic, cumin, turmeric, rice. A one-pot meal that's considered the national dish of Uzbekistan. It smells like the worst gym sock ever while it's cooking, but it's damn delicious.<br />
<br />
<b>Did We Like It?</b> We love it. Something about the low-level perkiness of every flavor coming together to create a unified, elevated, delicious whole makes for an utterly satisfying dinner every time.<br />
<br />
<b>How Was The Wine?</b> We loved the 2014 for its price-to-happiness ratio, then its focus faded rather quick-like towards the end of last year. Only our second 2015 of this rosé. One-liter rosé, malbec and syrah, $7.50 at Whole Foods (on sale with 6-bottle discount). Tastes like dirt and iron, backed up by dark cherry and plum. And right now, it's so gosh-darn bright and fresh.<br />
<br />
<b>And The Pairing?</b> PER-FECT! Weaved right into the food, giving beautiful, shiny fruit and refreshment reminiscent of a cold glass of water after laying sod in 90-degree sun. It glowed.<br />
<br />
<b>Cost:</b> $4 for food, $8 for wine = <b>$12 </b> <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Pork-on-Pork Pizzas with NV Ocarossa Cuvée Rosso </span></b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3VC0ZpanVfgUdAGMyKuApFvfCJC9Kq0QEmvIL0C7fEfBNeIayItogcUlXIqgjGJB7ee_mY_Imszl6euYQr_Zwi4KGMaignt7VhtckRREPM7BNK0H9YzYuL1N5IgDacmLPVxR7OMC6eBK/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-09+at+8.44.58+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3VC0ZpanVfgUdAGMyKuApFvfCJC9Kq0QEmvIL0C7fEfBNeIayItogcUlXIqgjGJB7ee_mY_Imszl6euYQr_Zwi4KGMaignt7VhtckRREPM7BNK0H9YzYuL1N5IgDacmLPVxR7OMC6eBK/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-07-09+at+8.44.58+AM.png" width="63" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Pork rib meat from the 4th, with ham, onion and tomato sauce, on Whole Foods cornmeal pizza crusts. Fresh basil on top after baking.<br />
<br />
<b>Did We Like It?</b> Porky. Plenty of pork. Pork galore. We liked them. Didn't love them, but we liked them.<br />
<br />
<b>How Was The Wine?</b> 100% ciliegiolo, one of the grapes used with sangiovese in Chianti blends (among others). It's essentially another in a long line of regional, light Italian quaffers in the style of Lambrusco, broadly speaking (I can recommend wines from the Lettere DOC in Campania). This is a wine made for a little chill to be put on it before serving. Big basket of cherries covered in dirt. On the drier side, with moderate acid and softer overall, with a tiny bit of pucker at the end. For $5...it's an option, and a good chance to try a grape most haven't. Can't say it's better than putting a chill on a TJ's barbera from Mendocino where, for $10, you can get a more sunny disposition to its fruit and acid while finding more length, lift and depth.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Fine. Can't say much more than that.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$15 for food, $6 for wine =<b> $21</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Charred Onions, Yogurt, Greens and Bread with 2014 Barão de Figueira Beira Interior</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6taEkKOOussOaToiRRhKOA2MFu5gpF7TzhVr8i5MhyUWpQNPjmzlA1wlUZSb4DpqgGU_Umpl8XbWQin0xglRreSL2aUKGw2so4E_3wP3IcRdNzGCGQuTW5G1gsJy0dPIDK7hTXTgpZay/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-07+at+12.03.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6taEkKOOussOaToiRRhKOA2MFu5gpF7TzhVr8i5MhyUWpQNPjmzlA1wlUZSb4DpqgGU_Umpl8XbWQin0xglRreSL2aUKGw2so4E_3wP3IcRdNzGCGQuTW5G1gsJy0dPIDK7hTXTgpZay/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-07-07+at+12.03.34+PM.png" width="48" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> House staple, because it's Great food. Charred onions (<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017717-charred-shallots-with-labneh-and-pita">recipe</a>) with yogurt, sunflower sprouts, Trader Joe's lemon-herb greens blend, Ancient Grains bread. Rip, top, eat, repeat.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Always. Always. Always. Usually use labneh, this time used Krino's. No diminishment of deliciousness. Nice greens, and a good break from the pounds of arugula we eat each week. Pita is fine with this meal, but Ancient Grains bread from Whole Foods is perfect.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>This one was quickly dispatched to the fridge Sunday with fish cakes. Way too soft for the aggressiveness in that meal. But here, and we were initially quite skeptical, it stretched out nicely for a $9 siría from Whole Foods. Started out soft and rather ordinary, but quicked up halfway through, offering more distinctive lemon notes and finishing with the signature wooly siría broadness. For $9, here's a chance to find out if you like siría. It's delicious on the more spendy end. This one gives glimpses of what it can do.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> This is one of those meals where you can drink an acid-driven white sitting around the house that you don't really care about or your house white that you intimately know, because the food makes up for it. The food will always allow the wine to show its best face, as it did that here. And this pairing is growing evidence that Portuguese whites really like this food.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $12 for food, $9 for wine = <b>$21</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Chicken Thighs with Clementines and Fennel with 2014 Louis Antoine Luyt Coelemu Cuvee Des Brasseurs Gordo Blanco</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjjSgUG2qet4mYKljrL5A6g9h81RESybSqBhpMdbH7YNGOr6tbnfZpM6x-M3DjbUezhkhWAHF4uwe05SOPUzHayCvMHpHTohy_iv3NXvGG_4bzWN1U9FR5LY4szI70Q07phpgAjYvtw46/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-07+at+10.08.38+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjjSgUG2qet4mYKljrL5A6g9h81RESybSqBhpMdbH7YNGOr6tbnfZpM6x-M3DjbUezhkhWAHF4uwe05SOPUzHayCvMHpHTohy_iv3NXvGG_4bzWN1U9FR5LY4szI70Q07phpgAjYvtw46/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-07-07+at+10.08.38+AM.png" width="79" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>Ottolenghi chicken thighs with clementines and arak (using ouzo). Essentially smothered chicken, Ottolenghi-style, with fennel, clementines, mustard, fennel seed, thyme, etc. White rice with onion on the side.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Our third time having this and it was the best batch. Beautiful marriage of everything together. It's easy food that's fancy food. I'd pay $25 for this in a restaurant and I'd do it a few times a year.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Natural Chilean muscatel (great interview with Mr. Luyt on the Louis-Dressner site <a href="http://louisdressner.com/mpdf/luyt/">here</a>). You say yes to that when you see it. You say double-yes to it when you drink it. Natural wine nose, the kind where you say, "I know what that fermentation tank smelled like!" A ton of smoked oranges and a bit of chile heat to this one, even a brooding moodiness to it. Beer-like, but only as a façade and not in its guts. Sometimes natural wine can come off as more of a beverage than wine. Not here. Its wine pedigree is intact, with just enough wildness to enjoy its weird and strange ride. Big fans.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Hot damn! This wine love fennel, clementines and chicken thigh skin. Loved-loved-loved it! We'll be having this exact same pairing again, fo sho!<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $13 for food, $22 for wine = <b>$35</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Fourth of July Ribs and Hushpuppies with Grilled Fruit Sangria</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUD2bapVsql2QDyFcczMUDBlT4wsvVYchzLxV_P613FPB3HIpr6TN4YZl8DXLxLQlxMcZubuu1wCrOKyg5EuCQkI5c4GspZcc6gwxoGd4wa8IlgkVLGKQWUvK274qhJ5XjvV3GlrhXxMAO/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-07+at+11.07.17+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUD2bapVsql2QDyFcczMUDBlT4wsvVYchzLxV_P613FPB3HIpr6TN4YZl8DXLxLQlxMcZubuu1wCrOKyg5EuCQkI5c4GspZcc6gwxoGd4wa8IlgkVLGKQWUvK274qhJ5XjvV3GlrhXxMAO/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-07-07+at+11.07.17+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Govind Armstrong ribs (<a href="http://www.thedailymeal.com/print/141761">The Daily Meal</a>); a different white barbecue sauce than Armstrong's (<a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/07/alabama-white-barbecue-sauce-recipe.html">Serious Eats</a>); hushpuppies (<span style="color: #0000ee;"><i><u>Saveur</u></i></span>); salad of cabbage dressed in Alabama white barbecue sauce and topped with Farmers' Market tomatoes, avocado and basil.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> I hate (mostly the concept of) ribs. The payoff in terms of deliciousness usually falls short of the utter mess they inherently tend to be. Not these. These are dry ribs with dry, savory notes everywhere, making for delicious rib meat, particularly when you drizzle on a lil bit of white barbecue sauce and top it with a basil leaf. Them's Good Eats. Basil and white barbecue sauce together are already bestest buds. Put this rib meat with it and it's Holiday Food. BIG hushpuppies that served as another Holiday joy. With those two things, this stupid freshness of the cabbage-tomato-avocado salad was a perfect counterpoint to all of it, a salad that could have almost been a (gassy) meal on its own. This is the first American-y meal we've had on July 4th in a long time. Glad we did.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Well, it was sangria actually. Grilled fruit sangria, a beverage we loved the first few times we had it and then it lost its newness/cachet for us (Chiarello <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-citrus-and-grape-sangria">recipe</a> in <i>F&W</i>). This batch came off quite savory with less of a fruit punch. Batches of this sangria aren't sweet, but the level of fruit that comes through varies (used clementines, lemons and white grapes; no simple syrup). This batch came off like wine more than sangria, with fine balance and subtle tannic notes. Tasted like a blood-red sunset on a hot day. Used two bottles of Espiral rosé and Metaxa brandy, which we felt that next day. Funny what even a tiny bit of hard liquor does to us now.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Fine, festive Fourth of July feast. These ribs aren't terribly bullying in flavor. They're more toned-down and graceful. The sangria liked that, and the bevy of flavors all over the plate like the sangria as well.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $15 for food, $14 for sangria = <b>$29</b>Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-41454483500720755762016-06-29T09:47:00.003-07:002016-07-29T09:53:36.836-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #51<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4lYzECyR2wherAWOiRbiIKb5YOXk7dzssa0ABpfPzfRNdVurRsRUZwxWHBn_adJQ52RhGvuJi5meUD6cLE33qgcVswHisVp-GfDBAb9tKNGIYmoZaV9xweOiBW5yLgraJ1uC4TrdLyAa/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4lYzECyR2wherAWOiRbiIKb5YOXk7dzssa0ABpfPzfRNdVurRsRUZwxWHBn_adJQ52RhGvuJi5meUD6cLE33qgcVswHisVp-GfDBAb9tKNGIYmoZaV9xweOiBW5yLgraJ1uC4TrdLyAa/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>Movie reviews:<br />
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<b>'Hail Caesar!'</b> - a bit pointless.<br />
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<b>'45 Years'</b> - Great acting, but a little hollow. Wasn't enough there there.<br />
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<b>'Trainwreck'</b> - You know, for someone whose entire show/persona is taking on sacred cows, could you choose a more formulaic, sappy movie, Amy. I wanted to bang my hands on the desk like Jon Oliver, saying, “NO! NO! You can’t do that! You can’t be what you say you are and do that!”<br />
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<b>'F for Fake'</b> - Welles' last film, and if you allow yourself to be lured in, it's quite lovely.<br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Total food and wine cost for the week: $97 for food and $84 for wine = $181</i></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Sunday: Fish Cakes, Pickled Potatoes and Beet-Avocado Salad with Two La Granjas</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFxrHWgq1RP0PDuaVcvN6y22cF2L_BwbtUYS_OML-M9N29tV65oIiyZszcHo4wipyiIfbu0sL1ugo-pTm9VI6cyDWPxCODhAfHgtgIbMMwEBSpUtfZKfp7X6lWkEP2-zz8mQ6_GUrphdV/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-04+at+10.08.42+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFxrHWgq1RP0PDuaVcvN6y22cF2L_BwbtUYS_OML-M9N29tV65oIiyZszcHo4wipyiIfbu0sL1ugo-pTm9VI6cyDWPxCODhAfHgtgIbMMwEBSpUtfZKfp7X6lWkEP2-zz8mQ6_GUrphdV/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-07-04+at+10.08.42+AM.png" width="153" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Fish ball recipe (page 196) from Claudia Roden's <i>The New Book of Middle Eastern Food</i>, turned into cod fish cakes and using a dried lime variation at the bottom of the recipe (along with eggs, pepper, turmeric, cumin, garlic, breadcrumbs, cilantro). Michael Solomonov's fried pickled potatoes (<a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fried-pickled-potatoes-harissa-tahini">recipe</a>). Farmers' Market beets, beet greens and avocado salad with serranos, cilantro, lemon thyme and pomegranate seeds. Chermoula from the freezer mixed with mayo for dipping and dunking.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> As Mrs. Ney said, this wasn't even great, but it was so gosh darn good. The dried lime business in the fish cakes turned out to be a dud. Flat taste, with mostly a vague brown spice flavor coming through. But great pickled potatoes, as always. And this beet-avocado was boss. Beety, creamy, with a firework explosion of flavors bouncing everywhere. Good. Meal.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> We opened a síria to start, but it came off too delicate for the flavors on the plate. Moved on to fridge wine, a Trader Joe's La Granja throwdown: one verdejo-viura blend and a Cava. Cheap Spanish wine that has served our house well over the years, because it does this with the food...<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> The verdejo-viura blend was terrible with the pickled potatoes, neutral with the fish cakes, but jumped out of the glass with the beet-avocado salad. Wonderfully broad, aromatic and all-around delicious (we'd pay $20 instead of $5 for how it performed with this beet-avocado salad). The Cava served as a mop for everything else, liking the pickled potatoes best as it became frothy and sparkly, turning into a right and proper Cava with all its Spanish-style strut. Very happy how this turned out given the síria failure.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $12 for food, $12 for wine = <b>$24</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Caprese with 2014 Charles Smith VINO Pinot Grigio Columbia Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtedMxIzKMP4m6rzY4Mudjga1bIaOzWK-aS5A_cCf14DYoCmCIr7ooKfVnpUC-ntRuk1GYYZgV80dLuA1SWOs8sm1updLJkDCWsnKmE2-kzmsm4w5HORzN8Gzs6WU9RCYZcWqObT5X54c5/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-12-04+at+12.18.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtedMxIzKMP4m6rzY4Mudjga1bIaOzWK-aS5A_cCf14DYoCmCIr7ooKfVnpUC-ntRuk1GYYZgV80dLuA1SWOs8sm1updLJkDCWsnKmE2-kzmsm4w5HORzN8Gzs6WU9RCYZcWqObT5X54c5/s200/Screen+Shot+2014-12-04+at+12.18.56+PM.png" width="56" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Trader Joe's bocconcini balls of marinated mozzarella, Farmers' Market baby tomatoes, copious amounts of basil, and baguette.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> This used to be a Monday lunch staple. We loved it then, a few years ago, as it served as a long lunch that made a clean break from the after-burn and frustration of the workweek. Having it now reminds us of that. And we're glad we don't have it as often today. Good. Tasty. Fine.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> We love Charles Smith's pinot grigio for its zip, fruit and cheapness. But it must be fresh. This 2014 showed as other 2014s have of late - getting a little tired and lacking chisel, cut and verve.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Fine, basic, elemental matchup, just nothing to get all worked up about.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $10 for food, $11 for wine = <b>$21</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Lamb and Pickled Vegetables Salad with 2014 João Portugal Ramos "Lima" Loureiro Vinho Verde</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDKNdN2I1uD19-S4Syw4a0tNxW1dsz4rE0_46kXzdkJEn9LYn1n44JiE8P7FTbCZJhC2t39mp9qdMeRORto0m279cGet64hcyXn7Hmpm8ZGekSCKNIpj6MCj1qBX_efq4lqF7PdUMW_cT/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-31+at+10.42.09+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDKNdN2I1uD19-S4Syw4a0tNxW1dsz4rE0_46kXzdkJEn9LYn1n44JiE8P7FTbCZJhC2t39mp9qdMeRORto0m279cGet64hcyXn7Hmpm8ZGekSCKNIpj6MCj1qBX_efq4lqF7PdUMW_cT/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-31+at+10.42.09+AM.png" width="46" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> A riff on a house fav, <a href="https://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/search?q=Indian+lamb+carrot">Indian lamb-carrot salad</a>, using Solomonov <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cauliflower-heart-pickles">pickled vegetables</a> (cauliflower, celery and carrots) from the fridge instead of carrots (Mrs. Ney needs the pickling liquid for upcoming Solomonov pickled potatoes). Ground lamb crisped up in the cast-iron with onion, ginger, garlic, black cardamom, coriander and black pepper. Arugula on a plate, pickled vegetables on top of that, then the lamb with pomegranate seeds and toasted sesame seeds on top of everything. Black mustard seed raita and naan on the side.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> I found it perfectly simple, perfectly spare, perfectly dressed and perfectly poppy. This riff on Indian carrot salad is missing nothing. Nothing at all. I'd go so far as to say that it had a cut and intensity that Indian carrot salad doesn't. Not better, just blissfully different. <br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Lightly fruity, lightly floral, lightly acidic. It's $8 loureiro.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> It was trying... Tons of wine-trying... But the LIMA has been missing its élan, its joie de vivre, its purpose and pep of late. Same here.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$14 for food, $8 for wine = <b>$22</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Roasted Carrot and Ricotta Sandwiches with 2015 Terrasse du Moulinas Blanc Elégance Languedoc-Roussillon</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEVf13w_IYx_F3bxR5KFQaGBZ3GDxh6juIW14wZepHhV_OEkhZjhcMMOcbfHcxG6rPvSJkPiheKF-qZVzH4xpvt6WBGav81xOEmghEhxVtrCSLln9_ZbWhBs5JMv1oh9JbkXD4Ikuswb5/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-11-20+at+9.42.22+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEVf13w_IYx_F3bxR5KFQaGBZ3GDxh6juIW14wZepHhV_OEkhZjhcMMOcbfHcxG6rPvSJkPiheKF-qZVzH4xpvt6WBGav81xOEmghEhxVtrCSLln9_ZbWhBs5JMv1oh9JbkXD4Ikuswb5/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-11-20+at+9.42.22+AM.png" width="64" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Carrots from the Lincoln Square Farmers' Market, roasted; leftover ricotta/country ham mixture from Tuesday, with garlic and piquillo peppers added; tomato, onion, arugula, basil and marinated artichokes (for me), all on ciabatta. Olive oil chips on the side.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> What was essentially a "Use stuff up" sandwich dinner turned into "Who doesn't want roasted carrots, ricotta and tons of other matchy foodstuffs together?!" Messy and so damn good. I certainly didn't want a camera on me while eating it. I'd eat this once a month.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> $10, one-liter, grenache blanc, vermentino, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc blend from the Languedoc. This was our house white for awhile. Less so lately. It's rather happy juice for $10. Mixed bag of orchard fruit with enough of an acid edge to like a lot of food that leans Mediterranean.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Here, it was more of an accompaniment to the food than any sort of pairing wonder. I like this wine and it was nice to have it there. <br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $8 for food, $10 for wine = <b>$18 </b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Dirty Rice with 2014 Firelands Winery Gewürztraminer Ohio</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrXdG8HuqJcKkjEw4cmokEhkwxJGuZPy54K-njPtb83af62U9peLYPeFc9mAWPlo9LL8OeqOTpp61tb0NYneWVe2SQD6qOj57TnIcZ5ui4U2irLI1JVaODPYMg20OinCL_T4SB7qlBhKH/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-30+at+12.34.49+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrXdG8HuqJcKkjEw4cmokEhkwxJGuZPy54K-njPtb83af62U9peLYPeFc9mAWPlo9LL8OeqOTpp61tb0NYneWVe2SQD6qOj57TnIcZ5ui4U2irLI1JVaODPYMg20OinCL_T4SB7qlBhKH/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-30+at+12.34.49+PM.png" width="66" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Susan Spicer's <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/wild-and-dirty-rice">wild and dirty rice recipe</a>, via <i>Food and Wine, </i>subbing tasso and country ham for ground pork, with beet greens and andouille sausage.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Great balance to the spice in relation to all the other flavors with this batch. Cleaner, yet still dirty. Had a sparkle to it. Meaty, herby, Cajun bowl of Happy.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Huge Ohio Winner! June is Cleveland's month with the Cavs championship, and even the Indians have won 14 straight as of this writing (six away from the MLB record). Mrs. Ney is from Ohio. I'm a 30-year-plus Browns fan. This is an Ohio house (except for OSU - screw them). If we see something like an Ohio gewürztraminer for $14, we buy it. "<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=seinfeld+gotta+support+the+team&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&imgil=o4ZOzcS8uVWRoM%253A%253B4_ZzBXliP-nXeM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ramsondemand.com%25252Fthreads%25252Fyour-favorite-seinfeld-character.28748%25252Fpage-2&source=iu&pf=m&fir=o4ZOzcS8uVWRoM%253A%252C4_ZzBXliP-nXeM%252C_&usg=__dhuKLByW_22iB-2IiKe7sKUArk0%3D&biw=1296&bih=789&ved=0ahUKEwjRnrOTgdXNAhXBQSYKHZ8AD6IQyjcIKw&ei=J9J3V5HvBMGDmQGfgbyQCg#imgrc=o4ZOzcS8uVWRoM%3A">Gotta support the team.</a>" This one is a straight-forward, well-made, rather delicious gewürztraminer, giving a perfect, baseline tension to its acid and fruit. Lychee and peach with real lift. Stick this in a lineup with Old World gewürztraminers and this house would put it right up there with all the others, particularly with food.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> This wine loved the dirty rice. Every bite and sip jolted us out of the run-of-the-mill drink and sip and made us pay attention. Can't ask for more.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $10 for food, $14 for wine =<b> $24 </b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Carrot-top Pesto Ravioli with 2015 La Spinetta Vermentino Toscana</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PKjtIGcYJtMD63Xl9ZauO3Nu-0wuw07fIcdGU7r1ND1r4s2qb2EEOeUJyzAxTwOKita4UlREtvPv3hoLmpDW5LW_J_2F7q5qe86Auua7W2FGj3nTonv8MJ0gh6gpleqa2Uxup9_DFqUw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-07-08+at+9.04.13+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PKjtIGcYJtMD63Xl9ZauO3Nu-0wuw07fIcdGU7r1ND1r4s2qb2EEOeUJyzAxTwOKita4UlREtvPv3hoLmpDW5LW_J_2F7q5qe86Auua7W2FGj3nTonv8MJ0gh6gpleqa2Uxup9_DFqUw/s200/Screen+Shot+2012-07-08+at+9.04.13+AM.png" width="54" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Homemade ravioli, using 00 pasta flour, stuffed with a Whole Foods ricotta, country ham, nutmeg and black pepper blend. Carrot-top pesto with carrot tops from the Farmers' Market: garlic, olive oil, tarragon, dill, sage, lemon zest, pistachios, whatever was in the house. More Farmers' Market baby tomatoes mixed in with the ravioli and pesto, topped with pecorino, parsley and crushed pistachios. Arugula (not baby) salad with pomegranate seeds to finish.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Big plate of Good. Plant-y. A little bit of everything and not much of one thing.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> I liked the 2010 of this vermentino and remember enjoying the 2013 (no write-up). This vintage brought oodles of green apple and pear, but not enough minerality, acid or ocean breeze to give the grizzle and presence we want from vermentino. This is more quiet and, to us, less interesting.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> They didn't really want to be friends. Not unpleasant, just not particularly interesting. A few sips and bites were trying, but overall, nothing to see here. The plantiness and surprising subtlety in the food wanted the pecorino we had in the house.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $15 for food, $20 for wine = <b>$35 </b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Lamb and "Potato-Tomato!" with 2013 Bokisch Montastrell Belle Colline Vineyard Lodi</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf56HV953iYLS__0A_QK4hCotCc2eH6Wl1539JlHQZAnpZa3vaBFFVHXc5ciBBa8jHoeJsXFdM90x0uz248wMtHghCL49_Gy82JfNPIBVy6FD9710W9losrrimDU8go7DoBuMLp-K4RdZ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-29+at+10.31.07+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf56HV953iYLS__0A_QK4hCotCc2eH6Wl1539JlHQZAnpZa3vaBFFVHXc5ciBBa8jHoeJsXFdM90x0uz248wMtHghCL49_Gy82JfNPIBVy6FD9710W9losrrimDU8go7DoBuMLp-K4RdZ/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-29+at+10.31.07+AM.png" width="69" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Paulina Meat Market lamb rosettes (marinated in onion, garlic, oregano, evoo, white wine), seared in cast iron; <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016335-steak-mock-frites">Sam Sifton faux pommes frites</a>; tomatoes with shallots, serrano, oregano, parsley, mint, evoo, white balsamic; arugula; <i><a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Olive-and-Anchovy-Aiumloli-1000088671">Saveur</a></i> olive-anchovy aioli.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> More nostalgic home food done better than when it was first consumed. We used to eat something akin to this meal once every couple of months a few years ago. It's been too long since we've had Paulina's lamb rosettes and that's gotta change. They're everything that's best about lamb. And the Lincoln Square Farmers' Market has tomatoes right now that are so perfectly ripe that it's turned into tomato week in our house. FUNKY aioli in the best sense for potato dipping. This was a spectacular meal.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> We're members of two winery clubs: Broc Cellars in Berkeley and Bokisch in Lodi. We get a case from each twice a year (just joined Bokisch). One thing we've learned over the years of being members of other clubs is that one should pick a winery that a wide array of bottles from different and unusual grapes that are made with food in mind, bringing the requisite amount of acidity and balance. And you're not being given their showy wines at $50-80 a bottle. Join a wine club to have a bottle for those casual lunches or solid dinners. Don't go for the club that gives you the "look how rare this wine is" bottles (read: stuff they couldn't possibly sell on the open market). Join a wine club that wants you to drink their wine everyday. Like Bokisch. Our last shipment had two gracianos, four albariños, a verdejo, two verdelhos, garnacha blanca, a rosé and this montastrell (mourvèdre by another name), all for around $220. Spanish grapes with California sun.<br />
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9% graciano in this montastrell, it's earthy, with red fruits galore, figs, and a light floral background. Very mourvèdre with a clean edge. More medium-bodied than expected, but a touch of sappy fruit on the finish. Very long and very nice though, and a good example of getting something different from a wine club that satisfies. This one is not going to blow you away with its amazingness, but you're going to get a well-made wine that wants food from a producer you like and trust.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Changed often with various bites, liking the lamb and the anchovy-olive aioli well enough to be happy overall with what it gave to the grub. Again, nothing amazing, and the pairing could have been better, but this one was clap-your-hands-together and say, "That was quite fine!"<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $28 for food, $20 for wine = <b>$48</b> Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-59577818921959778612016-06-23T09:11:00.002-07:002016-06-28T07:36:35.212-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #50<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUjvoE2RuQcw0W7rcOYt35onRQtizDDMCHP5evCgAs2dLNuIg0ViJmfwZC4cJ1SqE3kDYc-MEBPSjgZIBi13d-lMFTK9BUcu6rrzaL267XU3tLfDJzGrb9WevaU_fLf03AiUg9FaxXj1Y/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUjvoE2RuQcw0W7rcOYt35onRQtizDDMCHP5evCgAs2dLNuIg0ViJmfwZC4cJ1SqE3kDYc-MEBPSjgZIBi13d-lMFTK9BUcu6rrzaL267XU3tLfDJzGrb9WevaU_fLf03AiUg9FaxXj1Y/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>When you have the urge to hate on something, the <i>New York Times</i> Style or Weddings section will usually fit the bill.<br />
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I've wandered over or stumbled upon pieces in those sections over the years and came out with an adrenaline rush of hatred combined with gut-busting laughter so weirdly pleasurable that I felt like I really should examine why I found those pieces of garbage so pleasurable.<br />
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But then I read something like '<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/fashion/weddings/nathaniel-peters-barbara-jane-sloan-wedding-sound-of-music.html?action=click&contentCollection=weddings&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0">The Sound of Music Is in His Blood and Now His Heart</a>' from yesterday's Weddings section and I know that there is objective terribleness in this world and it really should be resoundingly mocked.<br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Total food and wine cost for the week: $117 for food and $120 for wine = $237</i></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday: Tapas Spread with 2011 Juvé y Camps Brut Nature Reserva de la Familia Cava</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyGiwwMscia3KSZz-_fDB-btQVgL4g0ynMZP-ArQTUK1lufIaE2fnzvjLSB96OkkBwNb7Q5-cP-EoFi_QcIGoaaZLQFskmD6ZeEATJiWDeZV7YMkmF66ksxMQygy1q8BoCIx45YUodN1s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-28+at+8.57.00+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyGiwwMscia3KSZz-_fDB-btQVgL4g0ynMZP-ArQTUK1lufIaE2fnzvjLSB96OkkBwNb7Q5-cP-EoFi_QcIGoaaZLQFskmD6ZeEATJiWDeZV7YMkmF66ksxMQygy1q8BoCIx45YUodN1s/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-28+at+8.57.00+AM.png" width="87" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Iberico ham, Harriet sheep's cheese, marinated grilled artichoke hearts, piquillo peppers, rosemary marcona almonds, ciabatta and arugula/parsley salad.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Feels like it's been years! We used to have this "rip open some packages and open some jars" Spanish-style tapas meal quite often. Good ham, good cheese, all the Spanish accoutrements; eat pokily, drink good Spanish bubbly, enjoy. This wasn't even great Iberico but it's been so long that we loved it. The big star here, though, was the Trader Joe's artichokes. They're grilled, then marinated, and the result on top of ciabatta with some parsley (maybe some cheese) was the bite of the night/week - offering a taste that was long, wide and delicious. This was a two-hour meal that reminded us why we love Spain so much.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Another reminder of Spanish goodness. I feel like I would have done a write-up on our last drinking of this Cava favorite. Looking back in the history, it's been 2 1/2 years since we've had it. Odd. Very odd. One of the problems of buying wine in Chicago is that everyone carries the same wine when it comes to non-hot/less popular regions. We've drunk every Cava in our market - there's only about six - and Juvé y Camps is our undisputed go-to Spanish bubbly in that group. It has the rawness and grizzle all Cava should have, not bubbles trying to be Champagne and coming up short. It should taste like an quiet explanation, and not a justification, of why Spain doesn't have to compete against other European or Mediterranean food-type stuffs. You be you, Spain. You. Be. You. This Cava tastes like that. Plus $5 TJ's Palomino as an alternative to the Cava.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Pure Spanish breeze.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $36 for food, $23 for wine = <b>$59</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Ham and Pretzel Bread Panzanella with 2015 Field Recordings Fiction Grenache Rosé Paso Robles</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-0eddG-JUQSv33lo7QyKo_xI9N5f3wC85NnIbzy9VeO46XDgYWFOAwLQeERUHK-sAPyKsa-5R4A9sjDjnwBGh8zNEi5q9Z2KmmpZHI7DfJW0RQWKdLwKCHFpmoJVyqntCxvnjAku-3vh/s1600/IMG_0827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-0eddG-JUQSv33lo7QyKo_xI9N5f3wC85NnIbzy9VeO46XDgYWFOAwLQeERUHK-sAPyKsa-5R4A9sjDjnwBGh8zNEi5q9Z2KmmpZHI7DfJW0RQWKdLwKCHFpmoJVyqntCxvnjAku-3vh/s200/IMG_0827.JPG" width="150" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Garbage salad of baby kale, ham, pepper jack, vidalia onion, tomato, dill, pretzel bread croutons and honey mustard dressing.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> No need for a plate, just eat it straight from the bowl you mixed everything in. Perfect Saturday night food that tastes like a nostalgic hug.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>I can't find anything on this bottle around the webs. Feels like a Field Recordings one-off to get some rosé on the market due to the fact that the Alloy rosé cans sold out so quickly this year. Frankly, we liked this one more than the 2015 cans. It's very much a straight-up grenache rosé, no frills, just dirt and fruit with brightness and balance. Paso sun without the Paso syrup. Kudos on this one for $15. Perfect price for a rosé that gives much.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> It loved the mayo-honey in the dressing and the copious amounts of dill in the salad. And of course...rosé and ham are besties. Big pairing success here. Wasn't superlative, just a damn good garbage salad with a rosé that liked it.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $10 for food, $15 for wine = <b>$25</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Green Beans, Peanuts, Lime and Radish Sprouts with 2015 Lila Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFMpagRJejVkRKAIpJ23vWN98U7fOZ0hRFbQ-hmOjWwqCn15biEI0AssqocIjz7kh0GaNJ72UZ85ctZE43nztyfOxUsG12VkfOXzrYFQT2VHnpdonA8njeHOAmt7qWJIheZ-89sEEN7Uy/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.31.42+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFMpagRJejVkRKAIpJ23vWN98U7fOZ0hRFbQ-hmOjWwqCn15biEI0AssqocIjz7kh0GaNJ72UZ85ctZE43nztyfOxUsG12VkfOXzrYFQT2VHnpdonA8njeHOAmt7qWJIheZ-89sEEN7Uy/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.31.42+AM.png" /></a><b>Food Details: </b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jun/18/yotam-ottolenghi-green-bean-recipes">Yotam. Ottolenghi. Always.</a> An enormous amount of green beans mixed with a slurry of peanut, kaffir lime, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, etc. Over white rice, topped with radish sprouts, cilantro and a lime spritz.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> I mention the radish sprouts twice (not included in the recipe) because they brought a garden-dirt quality and verticality to an already delicious Asian-y green bean curry-like bowl of happiness. It's the summer of radish sprouts in our house, it seems. They brought something akin to mung beans without being too mung bean-y as mung beans can be.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Barely worth mentioning. Mrs. Ney was sick, so no wine. I had a can of Lila, which brought a bit of grassiness that linked with the food in basic ways, but it lost its cleanse. Meh.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>See above.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $10 for food, $3 for wine = <b>$13</b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Thursday: Allium Tart with 2013 Jean Masson Jacquere Savoie</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvRBzI7W0WDaLFUADwy9p8c-Zbg93XVylQjchY0RCxifpNHtq64Un8-FJLl775Ikv2yX7UHYdokvqsatlhZwkoEXPy1H79pJXvUzh7LGKg1h2u4Zavct5UIq8FKocCiLuuugiXRmRsyIF/s1600/MassonApremont.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvRBzI7W0WDaLFUADwy9p8c-Zbg93XVylQjchY0RCxifpNHtq64Un8-FJLl775Ikv2yX7UHYdokvqsatlhZwkoEXPy1H79pJXvUzh7LGKg1h2u4Zavct5UIq8FKocCiLuuugiXRmRsyIF/s200/MassonApremont.gif" width="77" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Allium tart (garlic scapes, chive blossoms, charred spring onions) with tarragon, dill, and feta. Arugula salad with pomegranate seeds on the side. Tart shell recipe <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/05/french-tart-dough-a-la-francaise/">here</a>. It's bistro food.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> A damn solid tart. Elevated weekday grub.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Another wine that slipped through the storing cracks. This meal seemed like a good opportunity to get some value out of it. At three years old, it's lost some of its crispness and floral nature, coming off as slightly better than basic white wine here. Touch of oily peach pit notes that was pleasant though.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Merely okay.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $7 for food, $13 for wine = <b>$20</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Chicken-Radish Sprout Sandwiches and Chips with 2013 Heidi Schrock Muskatellar Burgenland </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFdwnKvHiHdlYX1OrZxgVuBEvo4rv8KNOJoGUsa7amNRxy5to6zDesr3d1JdZozLzZMLhvQJT1XrvAg9bHQS8dUUAjag16CICCmXxbx9ppyHpJpxmP5aDI8Qjf_C62PG01lTwVlMU-0Z0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-23+at+9.30.45+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFdwnKvHiHdlYX1OrZxgVuBEvo4rv8KNOJoGUsa7amNRxy5to6zDesr3d1JdZozLzZMLhvQJT1XrvAg9bHQS8dUUAjag16CICCmXxbx9ppyHpJpxmP5aDI8Qjf_C62PG01lTwVlMU-0Z0/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-23+at+9.30.45+AM.png" width="61" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Paulina Meat Market smoked chicken, radish sprouts, pickled onions, avocado and tomato on pretzel bread. Olive oil chips. Mrs. Ney finished the chive blossom-garlic scape pancakes for her side.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Radish sprouts are delicious, and turn an already well-crafted sandwich using up some leftover stuff from the week into The Fancy. Delicious.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> This is aborted wine from yesterday's pairing, and it's helpful when you can take fridge wine and find food that turns it into so much more than "fridge wine," like here. The radish sprouts pried open a depth and mineral-driven fruit in this muskatellar that was never present in yesterday's food. A real roundness and tick-off of deliciousness. At $24, it's a bit pricey compared to Darting's muskatellar that offers similar goodness and less finickiness, and it's $6 cheaper. But big fan here.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> See above.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$8 for food, $24 for wine =<b> $32 </b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Bittman Fish Sauce Chickens and Chive Blossom/Garlic Scape Pancakes with TJ's Lambrusco</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2UTn04uMg4hgvj9P9jk25_ak1EuUBWhdSTjxFT_GVBqpAvMq-25Ps_AE2M2VLT5crB9jQH8MGizKiqxY7K7k9mVuAWuXzcrbnajTZdQUau88ZzTxpUVyBJslmUCAntgcW7bQsqe9HUsL/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-23+at+9.30.06+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2UTn04uMg4hgvj9P9jk25_ak1EuUBWhdSTjxFT_GVBqpAvMq-25Ps_AE2M2VLT5crB9jQH8MGizKiqxY7K7k9mVuAWuXzcrbnajTZdQUau88ZzTxpUVyBJslmUCAntgcW7bQsqe9HUsL/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-23+at+9.30.06+AM.png" width="60" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> From Mark Bittman's <u>The Best Recipes in the World</u>, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=nOE1x-FztIoC&pg=PT851&lpg=PT851&dq=bittman+best+recipes+vietnam+cornish+game+hen&source=bl&ots=7uLQWx2zOJ&sig=8EYNERd4g1yN1iU9wCT7So-FrZI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAGoVChMI0peXjeScyQIVhKA-Ch0X1wah#v=onepage&q=bittman%20best%20recipes%20vietnam%20cornish%20game%20hen&f=false">Vietnamese cornish game hens</a>, page 334; <i>Lucky Peach</i> <a href="http://luckypeach.com/recipes/carrots-and-red-onion-with-spicy-fish-sauce-sauce/">spicy fish-sauce sauce</a>; crispy chive blossom/garlic scape <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/06/grilled-scallion-pancake-recipe.html">pancakes</a> (instead of scallions), from <i>Serious Eats</i>. Charred yu choy (Chinese flowering cabbage).<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's the kind of meal that reminds us, "God, food is Good!" Even when we've now had this meal a handful of times. It always tastes new and punchy and possesses everything anyone who likes food would ever want or need. This batch a touch salty overall (from the fish sauce bottle) and the yu choy offered nothing in the way of interestingness, but we loved nearly everything about this meal.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Our original bottle, a 2013 Heidi Schrock Muskatellar Burgenland was DOA with the food. And another bottle in the fridge, a 2013 (!) Ponzi Pinot Gris, which slipped through the wine-storing and monitoring said wine-storing cracks, was dead, period. The only other thing chilled was a Trader Joe's Lambrusco. We gave it a go and had absolutely zero issues with its ice-cold-water-like refreshment and sweet, bright fruit.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> The Lambrusco salvaged what could have been a disaster. Its sweet-like fruit and frothiness stood up to the aggressiveness SE Asian flavors quite admirably. Tailed off as it warmed up but no complaints given the situation. In fact, the fish sauce and salt negated the cheapness inherent in this wine and allowed it to ONLY give nice fruit, dirt, acid and cleanse. Surprise. Big one.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $20 for food, $20 for wine = <b>$45</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Sean Brock Cheeseburgers with NV Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot #63 </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6Q8IoBwLkyCPR5ofdUcejiUyuFwBVCawJxsump9YSkrx_tyq2YUbiV0v8ZB3x8qb_FYlUTw1Ny1bofbLoRU3Fq9cY_9Lz7w30javpawQ8ZkMv3tynEHWuAmw_ovTB0sC1bDcpKLLo73s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-23+at+9.28.40+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6Q8IoBwLkyCPR5ofdUcejiUyuFwBVCawJxsump9YSkrx_tyq2YUbiV0v8ZB3x8qb_FYlUTw1Ny1bofbLoRU3Fq9cY_9Lz7w30javpawQ8ZkMv3tynEHWuAmw_ovTB0sC1bDcpKLLo73s/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-23+at+9.28.40+AM.png" width="66" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Sean Brock's <i>Heritage</i> cookbook, page 131. Double stack burgers with American cheese, onions, mustard-pickle sauce, potato buns. Bagged fries. This meal plus two more meals in the freezer cost $26. <br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> We like many cheeseburgers from around town. Kuma's is a great burger. Bill's Drive-In is fantastic. Recently, we had the Au Cheval burgers and found it quite good. Five Guys works. Shake Shack is good... But when we think of the most superlative cheeseburgers that exist in this world, it's Sean Brock home cheeseburgers. Not really even close.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Merely fine, and that was a surprise. Zinfandel, petite sirah, syrah, mixed Italian blacks blend. Came off a bit thin and reticent, lacking a forceful or focused personality, compared to other drinkings of this series. Reached the point of just enough pleasure but never went beyond that.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Fine.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $26 for food, $12 for wine = <b>$38</b> Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-24282011473098539862016-06-17T09:34:00.002-07:002016-07-02T08:34:49.319-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #49<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuwRDyU9XinsqgdH5pYlULNbb0k7xVnuG8ZAWSGfMrHOryFTi4aWEGBSYb5qDFtDYOZY2vQPHi2Y-zwx1gSWuyySh8j6yOYh0A2m5NLhcLiHJUt2JUH3d5fr6OD8PgYhRU7xOOHxnGG68/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuwRDyU9XinsqgdH5pYlULNbb0k7xVnuG8ZAWSGfMrHOryFTi4aWEGBSYb5qDFtDYOZY2vQPHi2Y-zwx1gSWuyySh8j6yOYh0A2m5NLhcLiHJUt2JUH3d5fr6OD8PgYhRU7xOOHxnGG68/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>This is the last month of our 365 experiment. For that, I'm glad. I'm running out of words.<br />
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In one important way, this experiment was to see our real cost of food and wine and the home-joy it brought over the course of one year, and comparing that to eating out 3-4 times a week like most people do now, as you can see by <a href="http://qz.com/706550/no-one-cooks-anymore/?utm_source=nextdraft&utm_medium=email">this piece</a>. We'll see the comparison with a big breakdown once this is over.<br />
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Avec has always had the bones to do something like <a href="http://fooditor.com/drinking-island-wines-at-avec-with-eduard-seitan/">these Island Dinners</a> they're doing this summer. Digging into the minutiae of Mediterranean food and wine, breaking out of that vague, broad definition and getting into the more place-specific nitty-gritty makes for utterly more interesting stuff.<br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Total food and wine cost for the week: $178 for food and $60 for wine = $238</i></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday: Fish Tacos with Argus Cidery Tepache Pineapple Wine</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BwV-QxEjpRZmi6yinQTQdJdr7rC-AP-IbcyJeJCNcOmNnsoRp2keQhXccTDCF5Qny9PKDzsyZhNNvKvvgF-FVTprmdHMCgDTvAgmtUX69BkmEg4GWrB5Dw627h-4uREDb4dMDN73CE49/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-01+at+8.47.13+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BwV-QxEjpRZmi6yinQTQdJdr7rC-AP-IbcyJeJCNcOmNnsoRp2keQhXccTDCF5Qny9PKDzsyZhNNvKvvgF-FVTprmdHMCgDTvAgmtUX69BkmEg4GWrB5Dw627h-4uREDb4dMDN73CE49/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-01-01+at+8.47.13+AM.png" width="67" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>(<a href="http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2009/napa_sonoma/recipe_fish_tacos_duncan_gott.shtml">recipe</a> - don't mess with it) Mahi mahi marinade = shallot, garlic, jalapeño, olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cilantro and cumin, then fish cooked up in cast-iron. Cabbage slaw. Homemade guacamole. Jalapeño crema. Hot sauce. Charred tortillas.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>A great batch. A bigger bitter punch from the marinade truncated the typically broad flavor with these fish tacos, but that didn't detract from these universally sublime fish tacos. The crema made up for it, offering a more layered taste than it usually does. Loved these tacos.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> We've messed around with different wines and sangrias over the years. This pineapple wine, with its frothy refreshment, grilled pineapple-like juiciness and spicy depth, is now our one and only beverage with fish tacos.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Perfect.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $18 for food, $16 for wine = <b>$34</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Smoked Chicken, Pickled Walnuts, Watercress and Heirloom Tomatoes with 2015 La Peña de España White Wine </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynyisAxusKQl6IQ5xGkGqSR2rFLqGgh8OaDHEGRhY289xsqlsAzrBeu5Xtq67t91OriqL1Lya8a26AaE63iZM4CQB1bxFHalHC0O5ALhyphenhyphenVGenEnAHwx03pslh1AB7Mv89Mm83LxASljwW/s1600/IMG_0823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynyisAxusKQl6IQ5xGkGqSR2rFLqGgh8OaDHEGRhY289xsqlsAzrBeu5Xtq67t91OriqL1Lya8a26AaE63iZM4CQB1bxFHalHC0O5ALhyphenhyphenVGenEnAHwx03pslh1AB7Mv89Mm83LxASljwW/s200/IMG_0823.JPG" width="155" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>Paulina Meat Market smoked chicken (oodles better than Whole Foods), blue cheese and heirloom tomatoes. A salad of watercress, pickled walnuts, radish sprouts, celery, parsley, etc., dressed. Mini-ciabatta buns and butter. Top bread with any combination of the above ingredients you like and eat. It's pick-n-choose.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Utterly new and so golly-gosh-damn-darn delicious. Flavors galore! New is good. Flavors are good. New and tons of flavor is Great. I loved the combination of pickled walnut, celery and radish sprouts. Never had anything like it and now I want so much more of that. Golly, I loved this.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> New Trader Joe's offering, a blend of 25% each of sauvignon blanc, muscat, verdejo and chardonnay, with a tiny wisp of Spanish air to it. It's mediocre at best. Nothing great. Changed often throughout the meal, though, giving what blends can give with food - versatility. Can't say we'd buy it again.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> See above, though the verdejo showed up a little too much for my taste. Verdejo can go to hell.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $24 for food, $6 for wine = <b>$30</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Work Party</span></b><br />
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Work party at the Museum of Science & Industry.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Minty Brown Rice and Wilted Greens with 2014 João Portugal Ramos "Lima" Loureiro Vinho Verde</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ll2QpGUuVE0Lfa-NgIiNzRhu9MjTax3SkuJIHcf7enRrGV8V3zdrXJBPTDvhf4oekEUC91jRTPZYJd0riobGxvdfFJWYKyc_COhnE0GZtgBMNAAV1eVtKiztlvkMU2c58EC3GGIUElxS/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-31+at+10.42.09+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ll2QpGUuVE0Lfa-NgIiNzRhu9MjTax3SkuJIHcf7enRrGV8V3zdrXJBPTDvhf4oekEUC91jRTPZYJd0riobGxvdfFJWYKyc_COhnE0GZtgBMNAAV1eVtKiztlvkMU2c58EC3GGIUElxS/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-31+at+10.42.09+AM.png" width="46" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>More Ottolenghi doing what Ottolenghi does so well - make simple food freakin' delicious. (<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/09/rice-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi-clay-pot-sticky-paella-basmati-stir-fry">Recipe</a> - halfway down), using only mustard greens. Feta, mint, garlic, olive oil and mustard greens over brown rice. Threw in smoked sundried tomatoes because they were in the cupboard.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Mrs. Ney wanted a huge bowl of mac-n-cheese, not 'this healthy stuff!' Then she ate it and we loved it and it was the usual Ottolenghi food joy. <br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Lightly fruity, lightly floral, lightly acidic. It's $8 loureiro.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Great length to the wine. Real delineation of flavors and a slow revealing of said flavors. With this food, you have a few basic ingredients mingling together with copious amounts of mint. That gives this lightly floral and fruity wine a chance to get in there and play around. Nothing obstructive, nothing bullying. Just pairing love.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $7 for food, $8 for wine = <b>$15</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Picadillo with 2013 Rabbit Ridge Allure de Robles Paso Robles</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpt7GE9dAuZ5pRX6didqNE_ZMKUA50VvCIjX3gwRqzYV1f6dkrZHad6uxOYqGOU-fzq0YP9htOPJkdjD2i_-A_54DRhfUv9Bx9goF8kSGlfAtfjWbVX1gf8OMifUrCwwUK50HqV9R8YIo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-17+at+11.13.23+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpt7GE9dAuZ5pRX6didqNE_ZMKUA50VvCIjX3gwRqzYV1f6dkrZHad6uxOYqGOU-fzq0YP9htOPJkdjD2i_-A_54DRhfUv9Bx9goF8kSGlfAtfjWbVX1gf8OMifUrCwwUK50HqV9R8YIo/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-17+at+11.13.23+AM.png" width="187" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Sam Sifton <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016814-picadillo">picadillo</a>, subbing fresh chorizo for dried, leftover pork shoulder for beef, currants instead of raisins, adding roasted poblanos, over white rice.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's beefy, tomatoey, spicy-sweet bouncy, olivey. It's Cuban stew over rice and it's quite good. This was probably the best version of this we've had.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Cheap, chilled, Trader Joe's Rhône red blend. A glass for each of us.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Its blendy-ness and chill here made for a surprising friendliness. This wine is NOTHING special, but...very friendly here.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$6 for food, $5 for wine = <b>$11</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Moroccan Lamb Shoulder and Mint Dressing with 2011 Domaine de la Mordorée Tavel</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zhsBbfaCRgPxz8luTUoqYpdKUiqoog9rrOdvJm1Yd69kDeX_6HYU7Zd5YtOw6-9TiHLdqeuxi-lVd2iVOFn6mj_KPKphR3YExQf0ZKUifI1e3-fYAap39eMfISI4NalhVAgb-gaNNLfX/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-17+at+10.24.34+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zhsBbfaCRgPxz8luTUoqYpdKUiqoog9rrOdvJm1Yd69kDeX_6HYU7Zd5YtOw6-9TiHLdqeuxi-lVd2iVOFn6mj_KPKphR3YExQf0ZKUifI1e3-fYAap39eMfISI4NalhVAgb-gaNNLfX/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-17+at+10.24.34+AM.png" width="70" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> <i>NYT</i> <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12096-moroccan-leg-of-lamb-with-mint-dressing">recipe</a>. Slow-roasted lamb shoulder (from World Fresh Market on Devon), with cumin, coriander, harissa, garlic, etc; roughly shredded. Mint dressing altered, using basil, cilantro, lemon balm, and mint. Corn on the cob slathered with harissa butter. Arugula salad with pomegranate seeds to finish.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Delicious lamb, brought on sale.Wonderful integrity of lamb flavor. Coupled with the dressing that tasted really earthy and balmy in the best possible sense, this dinner came off perfectly simple and perfectly delicious.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> This one's been sitting in the house for four years, waiting for it to mature. The biggest impression we got was, "This rosé has its big-boy pants on." We've been drinking a lot of rosé quaffers lately, cheap stuff that brings joy, compared to anything more serious. This is serious. We didn't even love it, but its earth and balance and pace reminded us that we should probably be buying more quality Rhône rosés again. We took a break. This reminded us that we should get back on that horse.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Happiness. Very nice. Loved the lamb, dressing and wine together.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $13 for food, $25 for wine - <b>$38</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Spacca Napoli</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBLEm7Nd1x3CSHaitxM6w4LAbI65Kn7iXVdkVOA_dO_odKjUQL6FwFwuIWXE1MTQXeYzjLb4xyCc1XYpUqBo4vJ-alSDdsdD2JwwhVef-MOAdxQ4HVn89pW0EMmxjMlPmFdtOO0DJVOef/s1600/spacca-napoli-pizzeria-chicago-inside-610x272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBLEm7Nd1x3CSHaitxM6w4LAbI65Kn7iXVdkVOA_dO_odKjUQL6FwFwuIWXE1MTQXeYzjLb4xyCc1XYpUqBo4vJ-alSDdsdD2JwwhVef-MOAdxQ4HVn89pW0EMmxjMlPmFdtOO0DJVOef/s200/spacca-napoli-pizzeria-chicago-inside-610x272.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Margherita, Diavola and a focaccia with anchovy, arugula, oregano and garlic.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> If not for a certain employment situation, we'd be here twice a month. On the patio.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> A bottle of 16 Marzo Falanghina and an assortment of glasses: a fiano, biancalella, Lettere and Nepente. Satisfying back-and-forth, trying each with each pizza.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Good enough. Patio + sunny day + great food + nice wine = a delicious, lazy, VERY satisfying dinner.<br />
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<b>Cost: $110</b>Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-35562040560403758422016-06-10T08:40:00.001-07:002016-06-14T04:15:07.299-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #48<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmZm4cuKn-8F_04KMyJ2nwKf8mtju4Docm0qykNrPkE9Usos3LVAfJdx1LXqWb960iy2la2ZiIjhQpPSzGhM9aDV9rBvJlykK1xKUlCAp27oR1wp_KfQ9608QwhzdopzombSDPHxKGG3G/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmZm4cuKn-8F_04KMyJ2nwKf8mtju4Docm0qykNrPkE9Usos3LVAfJdx1LXqWb960iy2la2ZiIjhQpPSzGhM9aDV9rBvJlykK1xKUlCAp27oR1wp_KfQ9608QwhzdopzombSDPHxKGG3G/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>Taking a trip to Tuscany in a few months. Six days in the countryside, two days in Florence. Wine, good food, quiet, pool, and a villa that has only three other rooms, so that's our speed.<br />
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Should be quite good.<br />
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And I don't know how, but we nabbed two tickets for $650 each! Went up to $1150 two days later. Big score.<br />
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We've hit a bit of a cheap wine wall lately. So taking a wine break with weekday meals that aren't going to be food-wine Good has been the play.<br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 19px;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Total food and wine cost for the wee</span><span style="color: #0b5394;">k:</span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> <b>$137 for food and $64 for wine = $201</b></span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><br /></b></span></i>
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , "freeserif" , serif;"><b><i>Total food and wine cost for the month: $385 for food and $394 for wine = $779</i></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Sunday: Anne Burrell Chicken Milanese with 2015 Bokisch Verdelho Vista Luna Vineyard Lodi and 2015 La Val Albariño Rías Baixas</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCDlQ_ux7yhn0ZPrmL0-wthhdhAWgS7QxQrdoCAu10ai3Lm-Mgs9ItZqswuprzSqHw6OOCu2ranvILn0FmdkO-wmdlcQkqeOgWQThLWRg3OJfsERqnqfT7N-IfR5Xc0ajZJ7_ToT_u4MO/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-13+at+11.45.47+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCDlQ_ux7yhn0ZPrmL0-wthhdhAWgS7QxQrdoCAu10ai3Lm-Mgs9ItZqswuprzSqHw6OOCu2ranvILn0FmdkO-wmdlcQkqeOgWQThLWRg3OJfsERqnqfT7N-IfR5Xc0ajZJ7_ToT_u4MO/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-13+at+11.45.47+AM.png" width="133" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> The usual Anne Burrell <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/chicken-milanese-with-escarole-salad-and-pickled-red-onions-recipe.html">chicken Milanese</a>. Harvesttime chicken breasts, breaded and fried. Michael Symon pickled red onions, nut-pecorino-parsley blend. Arugula and pomegranate seed salad. Top the chicken breast with all the other goodness and eat.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> We liked all the other goodness, but the chicken breasts didn't make the cut. A bit rubbery. Cheap chicken runs that risk. Damn fine meal though, when we only ate the really thin parts of the chicken.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Toughie. The La Val...I know the Orballo label from La Val is their international label, but wasn't sure if this La Val label is merely the same thing in its original label for $4 less. It's not. It misses on the salinity and confident acid that's offered by the Orballo. A fine albariño, but it doesn't offer the confidence, sparkle and presence the Orballo does. We wavered back and forth on the Bokisch, initially liking its red grapefruit-like acid and flavor, then wondering if it should be giving more than it was, finally ending on liking its versatility enough with the food for only $14. More levels and changes than the La Val, which was simply a lemon-lime spritz with a few salty sea notes thrown in at the end.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> I'm glad I didn't buy the case of the La Val like I initially wanted to. It never ingratiated itself to the food. No pivot or adjustment. The Bokisch did, giving a nutty note at times with the food, turning more quiet and subtle in others. It always was making an effort. When we order another case from Bokisch, which will happen, this one may be a thrown-in at the end to round out the case.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$13 for food, $30 for wine =<b> $43 </b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday: Orecchiette, Sausage and Rapini with 2015 Rosa dell'Olmo Gavi Piedmont</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrvqohFtMcU58BL1z9JuE5P0w3yy6Hs9cmZ6NwUFfdlp7r0IQDV7eMvFqAJKDAl9WpfvqG6dCXToR6kuwKFjq4Xb21RohdPTKs_jbu1tKaM7ILBxE_ZIEbwmj6r9uRIjjuSkmM-L_gtes/s1600/Gavi-2014-225x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrvqohFtMcU58BL1z9JuE5P0w3yy6Hs9cmZ6NwUFfdlp7r0IQDV7eMvFqAJKDAl9WpfvqG6dCXToR6kuwKFjq4Xb21RohdPTKs_jbu1tKaM7ILBxE_ZIEbwmj6r9uRIjjuSkmM-L_gtes/s200/Gavi-2014-225x300.jpg" width="127" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> The standard orecchiette with sausage and rapini business. It's a house classic.</div>
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Great sausage-flavor mingle here. The spices in the sausage bounced around, looking for something to pick up on and run with. It did, often. Good batch. </div>
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Dry, crisp, lightly floral, peaches, medium-bodied, a lil nutty. The first 2015 of this Trader Joe's gavi for us. A little less broad as when this wine has showed best, but we'll be happy with it, as we'll be having it with this food another five times through the end of the year. It's a classic as well.</div>
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>As I said, a little less broad and a little less perky than previous drinkings, but it had enough to offer with the food to find the fundamental coziness that these two have with each other. </div>
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<b>Cost:</b> $8 for food, $8 for wine =<b> $16</b> </div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Friday: Chicken and Rice with 2015 Barbadillo Palomino Fino Cádiz</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8ORRzUuK6J06eAEPYa9n3vRdV-vWcQPlBabKAYFHtezpI_Fwrnn5Ter6PCA3F4XViXETYKgAZZoZMP1aLdwm7TQjTPe9AqVxighPCsbXSghT_xtfgocLrKGYrKnrabH8AMRyPy6xC0xR/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+9.57.52+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8ORRzUuK6J06eAEPYa9n3vRdV-vWcQPlBabKAYFHtezpI_Fwrnn5Ter6PCA3F4XViXETYKgAZZoZMP1aLdwm7TQjTPe9AqVxighPCsbXSghT_xtfgocLrKGYrKnrabH8AMRyPy6xC0xR/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+9.57.52+AM.png" width="54" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Leftover chicken from Jeremiah Tower chicken on Sunday. Zucchini, celery, carrots, onions cooked up in the cast-iron; pan deglazed with fino sherry; parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme; white rice.</div>
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> The sherry with the chicken was resplendent! Real barn burner. Basic bowl of food that turned into a Big Bowl of Happy. Not one complaint. </div>
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Trader Joe's palomino in not-sherry form. We love how the label says it's "fruity." Nope. This is categorically not fruity. This is dry, clean, savory as hell, light, refreshing, dry, and dry. It's a blank slate. Add food that likes it and things happen.</div>
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>Sherry grape with sherry in the food. That helped it along big time. No complaints here either. </div>
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<b>Cost:</b> $3 for food, $6 for wine = <b>$9</b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Mango Curry, Raita and Naan with 2015 Lila Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbs0zcQEgTJ6d9R69h3b24xr7H1eIrTt08l7OAkfWFLugNbFy-neHCybbJF6fGtxD092VeUjxF-TpYfZkff_3_kL64lQt4p2b-4lWvehxfyAfDlW_RQKSlresm92WNflzvfUOMk9xsd7CF/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.31.42+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbs0zcQEgTJ6d9R69h3b24xr7H1eIrTt08l7OAkfWFLugNbFy-neHCybbJF6fGtxD092VeUjxF-TpYfZkff_3_kL64lQt4p2b-4lWvehxfyAfDlW_RQKSlresm92WNflzvfUOMk9xsd7CF/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.31.42+AM.png" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>Mango curry, from <i>660 Curries</i>, adding ginger, using ataulfo mangoes. Black mustard seed raita. Naan.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Solid curry dinner! More than moderate depth, perfect heat hit, round and balanced all-around. We were happy with this.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> It was delicious with haloumi and heirloom tomatoes, and excelled with piri-piri chicken as well <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/2016/05/365-days-of-food-and-wine-week-42.html">five weeks ago</a>. Since then, not so much. Different batch? The grapefruit-mint-acid balance has disappeared.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Here, it was dull, with a faint tinge of dumpster juice.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $12 for food, $6 for wine = <b>$18</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Potato Salad</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEyifiBjEN9K_Z0eyDIYn-OTwAl8CsAOuORYlAGGzHDDxJnBybIBaphx6lmc_Hvfm1U7ju-BNRLR6DKxEIayOBfoclFN37A9L_5MA2PAlVo8jxB7NNOu8TUMT1aQIby6m131pXGThkCId/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-10+at+10.43.22+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEyifiBjEN9K_Z0eyDIYn-OTwAl8CsAOuORYlAGGzHDDxJnBybIBaphx6lmc_Hvfm1U7ju-BNRLR6DKxEIayOBfoclFN37A9L_5MA2PAlVo8jxB7NNOu8TUMT1aQIby6m131pXGThkCId/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-10+at+10.43.22+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Quick and easy dinner. Baked BBQ chicken breasts. Easy-peasy. Mayo. Arugula. On rolls. Potato salad on the side.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Fine and good sandwiches. More than just "it fed a hole." Potato salad upset our stomaches. No idea why.<br />
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No wine.<br />
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Good place to take a break.<br />
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<b>Cost: $10</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Jeremiah Tower Chicken and Watercress Salad with 2013 Domaine des Herbauges Val de Loire Grolleau Gris</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMKhjCD5-PlTUL6NoXgKTFdQ1-g2bBJQ2DO3Foz-3u7TCjvAqkYGy0lyFxgHYF5t3wzr5iVmYuxHI7OXbnXvF1fLCEvcmLV8duc4YVL19sxfCJVrbWqGxkBEa_ra1PC3ValQho0bZWnUB/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-05+at+11.20.42+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMKhjCD5-PlTUL6NoXgKTFdQ1-g2bBJQ2DO3Foz-3u7TCjvAqkYGy0lyFxgHYF5t3wzr5iVmYuxHI7OXbnXvF1fLCEvcmLV8duc4YVL19sxfCJVrbWqGxkBEa_ra1PC3ValQho0bZWnUB/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-03-05+at+11.20.42+AM.png" width="128" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> (<a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/casserole-roasted-chicken-with-garlic-lemon-and-watercress-salad/">recipe</a>) No washing, and no sauce made with pan juice. Pan juice is too dippin' delicious by itself with bread. Added Vidalia onions and sage this time. Watercress and arugula salad with walnut oil. More beautifully ripe heirloom tomatoes. Whole Foods ciabatta buns.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> This is our third time eating this chicken and every time, we say we'd eat this damn thing twice a week. It's Frenchy, yet firmly planted in the Chez Panisse world with its subtle, unique pop and taste-length. Each version has been slightly different and each one has been perfect.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Less oily and more fruity this time. Smoky-fruity. Lighter. A breeziness to it. Flinty, almost.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> This is the second time we've had this wine with this chicken. Very different expression this time and very delicious. Whole Foods has been doing some nice things with a few select wines lately. This is right at the top. Grolleau gris grape, which was new to us, and it's the ideal wine with this chicken. Tastes like Leisure. Might be one of the pairings of the year. <br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $26 for food, $14 for wine = <b>$40</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Dinner With The Fam</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZKsAn0Xb_JprGqqFoLxC-3Tr14qhQVjk_haRykH03MZp0MZfrj_OaBdAj1whrahDf6RgHjxR8XL7qzhZU6Nv6ShwSvivclHNpuziEMakSoM_Jh7iP1bXCmWB8PvSNPMcskl_L7aPOiUi/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-22+at+9.01.58+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZKsAn0Xb_JprGqqFoLxC-3Tr14qhQVjk_haRykH03MZp0MZfrj_OaBdAj1whrahDf6RgHjxR8XL7qzhZU6Nv6ShwSvivclHNpuziEMakSoM_Jh7iP1bXCmWB8PvSNPMcskl_L7aPOiUi/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-22+at+9.01.58+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Ottolenghi sage-lemon almonds to start. Trader Joe's dolmas with a yogurt and Fustini's pomegranate balsamic dip. Lamb-beef kofta with roasted cauliflower, arugula and pomegranate seeds as the entrée with an heirloom tomato and Vidalia onion salad. Pita. Gluten-free nut-poppyseed chocolate cake for dessert, with the gluten-free-ness for Mrs. Fam.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> The kofta went a little over. So did the cauliflower, but this might have been one of the best versions yet of this <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/search?q=roasted+cauliflower">fairly new house favorite</a>. All the spice and cream and acid and juice and pop came together, forming into something quite elevated. Beautiful heirloom tomatoes. And the Fam loved it, which helped, because we weren't sure that was going to be the case.<br />
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<b>Cost: $65</b> Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-40840156689132405452016-06-02T10:29:00.001-07:002016-06-08T11:41:58.934-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #47<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZCv2Ws5WI09VmobbzTXr2yq7yPZpmM2SlcmUPbIoqYtvCQLIDvbxUYwFu8NtzhhBr2GLIBEzHbdjlLkZQ7ZBN3QVfSgpwu4bmo-jWRmx8jMvibQd1HJKYHLq2TLJ7doM5mMfc9tlM5Xl/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZCv2Ws5WI09VmobbzTXr2yq7yPZpmM2SlcmUPbIoqYtvCQLIDvbxUYwFu8NtzhhBr2GLIBEzHbdjlLkZQ7ZBN3QVfSgpwu4bmo-jWRmx8jMvibQd1HJKYHLq2TLJ7doM5mMfc9tlM5Xl/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>Over on the right, just below the Twitter feed, one could click on the '365' image and see every meal we've had over the last 46 weeks as we lead up to the end of this experiment. I don't know why someone would want to read what two strangers ate over the course of almost a year, but you could do that. It's the Internet. Tons of useless information out there! But it works for us.<br />
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<i>The Night Manager</i>, AMC's six-part miniseries adaptation of the John le Carré novel, offers <i>very pretty</i> aesthetics and that's about it. Even with solid acting and a sufficiently complex story arc, it's plodding and bumpy, leading up to a finish that left me very much wanting so much more.<br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 19px;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Total food and wine cost for the wee</span><span style="color: #0b5394;">k:</span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> <b>$88 for food and $80 for wine = $168</b></span></i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Sunday: Scaccia with 2014 Lambrusco Secco Fattoria Moretto</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRiaJyiA9LOHiUaF2DIboSK86h2ferm6jASr8RFRvJkqQhhleC2CSXYehypJcEPncH966yHyELHm0OtWziOhk5OhSRbI6iHkSkpM3jeOzhyq_Vwe0K7JcrLWlozLXLqxQZo3gQZgKMNvS/s1600/bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRiaJyiA9LOHiUaF2DIboSK86h2ferm6jASr8RFRvJkqQhhleC2CSXYehypJcEPncH966yHyELHm0OtWziOhk5OhSRbI6iHkSkpM3jeOzhyq_Vwe0K7JcrLWlozLXLqxQZo3gQZgKMNvS/s200/bottle.jpg" width="149" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Our new favorite thing - pizza babka/lasagna bread, first had <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/2016/05/365-days-of-food-and-wine-week-43.html">here</a>. <i>Saveur</i> <a href="http://www.saveur.com/lasagna-bread-italian-sicilian-scaccia-recipe">recipe</a>. Semolina dough, San Marzano tomatoes, sharp provolone and smoked mozzarella standing in for caciocavallo, basil and garlic. Arugula salad to finish.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Yep, Yep, Yep! Tastes like someone fancified Italian-American food I grew up on. The bridge between fancy and 80's fancy Italian restaurant in Iowa is definitely present, but the freshness of the basil and the brightness of the San Marzanos bring it to a better place, while the semolina dough is a perfect vehicle to maximize the flavor and interaction of those things while never getting in the way. Delicious.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Bitter in a good way; juicy black fruits; Old World loveliness; frothy but isn't over-frothed. A nice $20 alternative to our favorite Lambrusco, the Chiarli del Fontadore, and we can get this wine in our neighborhood in a pinch.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>No love here, but a fair amount of like.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $15 for food, $20 for wine = <b>$35</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Rick Bayless Mexican Red Rice with 2014 La Granja Blanco Rioja</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6tYFGM42HOifmDTEhBjIn8Suat8nEFCRZON0NnOnizIcpcC0Rix-3T3cYUW3d6e7Mc82qCW3nQP6uUFcpMW8Lp09fKXN2lEQJCReJ7kV1DKRiM_R7TxBX-_QI_WjuA3K6qjU7Tk7A30R/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-08-28+at+9.24.39+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6tYFGM42HOifmDTEhBjIn8Suat8nEFCRZON0NnOnizIcpcC0Rix-3T3cYUW3d6e7Mc82qCW3nQP6uUFcpMW8Lp09fKXN2lEQJCReJ7kV1DKRiM_R7TxBX-_QI_WjuA3K6qjU7Tk7A30R/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-08-28+at+9.24.39+AM.png" width="65" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Rick Bayless recipe <a href="http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/mexican-red-rice/">here</a>, using jalapeño chicken sausages. Sour cream and cilantro on top.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's a staple. An easy staple. A happy staple. Coming home to this always makes me think, "That'll most definitely do!" There's chicken sausages, peas, onions, spice, sour cream, tomatoes... All of it comes together into something that tastes like weekday Mexican comfort food.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> It's been awhile since we last had this former house favorite. It's a $5 Trader Joe's verdejo-viura blend. Fine-and-good snap and Riojaness with this drinking.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> No complaints. Not one. The low-level spice brought out more tropical notes in the wine, oddly, something that this bargain wine usually keeps under wraps.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $8 for food, $5 for wine = <b>$13</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Zucchini Goop with 2015 Charles & Charles Rosé Columbia Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAHT6NKWerkqk0egyKIpSomAfuYkcPBZYNm_Dj8A2Ws0-XO5XYVNviCjY17ctJciOmag2SrDxyV-SFdsDqGKv3I90F-wUh-V908wtunvX4TdFsaEsZ1tm6zQDk7NDp6_Uh_dfodL57HDt/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-25+at+9.53.15+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAHT6NKWerkqk0egyKIpSomAfuYkcPBZYNm_Dj8A2Ws0-XO5XYVNviCjY17ctJciOmag2SrDxyV-SFdsDqGKv3I90F-wUh-V908wtunvX4TdFsaEsZ1tm6zQDk7NDp6_Uh_dfodL57HDt/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-25+at+9.53.15+AM.png" width="67" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Based on a recipe from <i>Mexican</i>, by Jane Milton (page 186), using leftover pork from Cubano sandwiches instead of the usual green chorizo. Pugliese as bread vehicle.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's become a once-every-six-weeks type thing, because it's a veggie explosion with a hit of meat, heat and cream. Has garlic, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, all the goods. This batch was one of the best. <br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> 63% syrah, 12% mourvedre, 10% grenache, 7% cab, 7% cinsault, 3% counoise from Columbia Valley. $8 at Target. Eight. Dollars. Perky and playful, if not as good as a couple of vintages ago.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> A tiny bit clipped, but worked for us in terms of offering something a bit more than just "wine" with the food.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $8 for food, $8 for wine = <b>$16</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Minty Brown Rice and Wilted Greens with 2014 Amancay Torrontés La Rioja</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAX6WXofHdQamDLamlMUuLl9NgbFz0PMFWE4yd-bZwCUfgpECOxdigvQcqj4I4ZHCeNKt87FlHwPTSW8mzyztWc65u4-FcDT7PMjsQLo37ytUPnKHVEA4DIvKdeqP5lVd53YmAK6wEDQu/s1600/IMG_0744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAX6WXofHdQamDLamlMUuLl9NgbFz0PMFWE4yd-bZwCUfgpECOxdigvQcqj4I4ZHCeNKt87FlHwPTSW8mzyztWc65u4-FcDT7PMjsQLo37ytUPnKHVEA4DIvKdeqP5lVd53YmAK6wEDQu/s200/IMG_0744.JPG" width="100" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> More Ottolenghi doing what Ottolenghi does so well - make simple food freakin' delicious. (<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/09/rice-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi-clay-pot-sticky-paella-basmati-stir-fry">Recipe</a> - halfway down), using only mustard greens. Feta, mint, garlic, olive oil and mustard greens over brown rice.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>A perfect example of a few simple ingredients mixing together to create something more than the sum of its parts. More ingredients or more complexity would have diminished the beauty of the mint, feta and mustard greens bouncing off each other. We'll be having this again.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Lightly fruity, lightly floral. It's $7 Trader Joe's torrontés.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>The mustard greens loved the floral notes in the torrontés. Nothing mind-blowing, but this meal brought out more in this weekday wine than it's given recently.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $4 for food, $7 for wine = <b>$11</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Cubano Sandwiches with No Wine</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZBRCIcrbrWxYP_q86-hcEYBMvaY3XpTU9Pya3iChxDwEQixXAEHaCqQldcqM6NdDFZUIum-k2iDa06IOUBNXpfhBH1Ljxs7b2q5grh2Ss510pX47loNw4L4j1B1sbmpvvmmFLLG5Q6dN/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-22+at+9.01.58+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZBRCIcrbrWxYP_q86-hcEYBMvaY3XpTU9Pya3iChxDwEQixXAEHaCqQldcqM6NdDFZUIum-k2iDa06IOUBNXpfhBH1Ljxs7b2q5grh2Ss510pX47loNw4L4j1B1sbmpvvmmFLLG5Q6dN/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-22+at+9.01.58+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Cubano sandwiches of roasted pork, ham, swiss, pickles, mayo and mustard on brioche. Made six sandwiches, plus leftover pork for days! Olive oil chips.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Everything everybody would ever want from a Cuban sandwich. Great balance and proportion.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Mrs. Ney tried the Dark Horse Rosé with it and immediately said, "BAH! NO!" I followed said recommendation. We had water. And we were fine with that.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $19 for food <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Malaysian Barramundi Curry with NV Evolution Sparkling White</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcnOJJ0Tu_-mfQ5JC5AjdHOzYD7dFEv7CWtQArR-BvC1070vIcWgLJQxn5c-S_4kCutm3JOYLC9iWUjOVPXPtAwYP2sZBm8b90Cv21pwKL8beNJhKBpm4x7Aedunl-ylfXneLqT3evveJ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-14+at+11.39.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcnOJJ0Tu_-mfQ5JC5AjdHOzYD7dFEv7CWtQArR-BvC1070vIcWgLJQxn5c-S_4kCutm3JOYLC9iWUjOVPXPtAwYP2sZBm8b90Cv21pwKL8beNJhKBpm4x7Aedunl-ylfXneLqT3evveJ/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-14+at+11.39.54+AM.png" width="71" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> (<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/30/turmeric-recipes-aubewrgine-onion-rings-pickle-fish-curry-yotam-ottolenghi">recipe</a>) Ottolenghi Malaysian fish and pineapple curry, using barramundi. Pineapple, green beans, rice, coconut milk. Recipe followed, except using 1/2 of the amount of sugar.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> We didn't. Didn't love the barramundi texture nor did we love the sweetness overall, even with taking the sugar level down.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Nine grapes done up Champagne-style. Muscat, gewürztraminer, pinot gris, white riesling, chardonnay, pinot blanc, sylvaner, muller-thurgau and semillon. You read that list, particularly since it leads with muscat and gewürztraminer, and you'd think this would be sweet-ish. At least highly fruity. It's not. It's quite dry, with some very pleasing bitterness and herb stem notes. More pinot blanc and muller-thurgau than anything else. Quite nice, and we'll be buying it again.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Nothing to report. The wine was nice, the food wasn't loved.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $12 for food, $14 for wine = <b>$26</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Churrasco-Marinated Skirt Steak and Onion Rings with 2010 Abacela Tannat Umpqua Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ-wRS7MGTO7lA0bgGtm92EZedgDpb3EDfGfDHgXDmaNCOmmLaIUy1GvR3jxRMrM2zpdGbkas-knfUCmydJBP9OXo9PXL_vqD9qH5F5pbjEHCxUm3SnpSBYYzPQsWgEn4KQ5Piu0yapQY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-06-02+at+11.49.59+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ-wRS7MGTO7lA0bgGtm92EZedgDpb3EDfGfDHgXDmaNCOmmLaIUy1GvR3jxRMrM2zpdGbkas-knfUCmydJBP9OXo9PXL_vqD9qH5F5pbjEHCxUm3SnpSBYYzPQsWgEn4KQ5Piu0yapQY/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-06-02+at+11.49.59+AM.png" width="54" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Freezer-churrasco-marinated skirt steak; Belgian endive charred on meat flat-top, chopped, tossed with freezer chimichurri and parsley. Endive on bottom, then meat, topped with avocado. <i>NYT</i> (<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016225-southern-fried-sweet-onion-rings?action=click&module=Global+Search+Recipe+Card&pgType=search&rank=1">recipe</a>) southern-style onion rings. Chimichurri mayo for dipping.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> We loved it. Huge plate of onion rings with a side of meat, and an appropriate meal after the veggie explosion on Sunday. Meat went a little over but didn't detract at all, particularly with the chimichurri slather and a bite of avocado. Had a carne asada quality. Delicious onion rings with mayo dip. An all-around happy meal.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Good use of this tannat. Oregon tannat, pronounced "tun-Uh" that had the rawness, very dark dirt and grizzle of a Portuguese red from Alentejo. Very nice concentrated dark cherry swirl and roundness, dark, sun-baked dirt in the middle, and an appropriately grippy finish that didn't hold on too tight. We liked it muchly.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> A good use for this wine. We were too lazy to go fetch a La Posta Malbec or something else Argentinean-y. It liked the meat char and avocado and did well enough with the onion rings. Satisfied.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $22 for food, $26 for wine = <b>$48</b> Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-81755228473158539042016-05-26T08:42:00.002-07:002016-05-30T10:03:01.808-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #46<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpnU6nHdpJfELSv6qODyPuj4PoB8uoG5OqrDmd5IPAtCb6KKswer1Uv58wxRN5KZvFM-TbAEQQyyQe388mLzw_6MtdIxkXM1zXmAHiVSgBhoe7fj4UTY7Ruouduvg_k3TTDLoBINtVHVl/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpnU6nHdpJfELSv6qODyPuj4PoB8uoG5OqrDmd5IPAtCb6KKswer1Uv58wxRN5KZvFM-TbAEQQyyQe388mLzw_6MtdIxkXM1zXmAHiVSgBhoe7fj4UTY7Ruouduvg_k3TTDLoBINtVHVl/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" /></a>Two <i>New Yorker</i> stories this week:<br />
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* '<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/05/30/the-new-activism-of-liberal-arts-colleges">The Big Uneasy</a>,' on the new political activism at Oberlin College, offers many nuggets that will made you say, "Eeeeeasy, stomach." The $8.20 "activist" wage, though, was the one that got me thinking. Why 20 cents? I'm infinitely curious about the math.<br />
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* '<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/05/30/herve-falcianis-great-swiss-bank-heist?reload">The Bank Robber</a>,' an account of Hervé Falciani, a computer tech guy at H.S.B.C. in Switzerland finds a loophole in the bank's firewalls and steals the names, account numbers and balances of thousands of people using the bank to evade taxes in their home countries. Then the intrigue starts.<br />
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<i>A Bigger Splash </i>has its moments, has the setup, has the setting, has the acting chops and has a skeletal arc that seemingly should work. It doesn't. I found it rather lifeless, even borderline tedious in its execution and flow. <br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 19px;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Total food and wine cost for the wee</span><span style="color: #0b5394;">k:</span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> <b>$81 for food and $114 for wine = $195</b></span></i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Sunday: Broiled Feta and Garbanzo-Corn-Avocado Salad with 2014 Bokisch Albariño Terra Alta Vineyard Lodi</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-1BnDOA0eFQiYdkWrS5FPglxiocAXAfLzrsqZXuhQ-xUylRNvfhVcn8cZlvT0u6fkKyYIUHoRcl6BSpnQap8Zj1Zfz73aWSuo7ET1qpgQ2bOCz-WeUoujqa2Yf3_HpIu6Sx76FuMuvyk/s1600/IMG_0801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-1BnDOA0eFQiYdkWrS5FPglxiocAXAfLzrsqZXuhQ-xUylRNvfhVcn8cZlvT0u6fkKyYIUHoRcl6BSpnQap8Zj1Zfz73aWSuo7ET1qpgQ2bOCz-WeUoujqa2Yf3_HpIu6Sx76FuMuvyk/s320/IMG_0801.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Broiled feta, topped with pistachio oil, olive oil and parsley. Veggie explosion salad of fresh garbanzos, raw corn, avocado, charred scallions, fresno pepper, roasted garlic, cilantro and mint. Baguette.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Jesus! Yes! Vegetable explosion, indeed! We used to do a version of this salad (with fresh fava) a lot a few years ago. Good to have you back, old friend. You're all sorts of freshy-fresh. And broiled feta is broiled feta. Who doesn't want that? A Great meal, our first Sunday Dinner with our schedules switches. We could get used to this.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Mrs. Ney joined the <a href="http://www.bokischvineyards.com/Wine-Club">Bokisch wine club</a> this year, receiving a mixed case of Spanish-based wines a few weeks ago. This is our first dive into that shipment. And if this is any indication of what she received, we'll be quite happy with the purchase and membership. Like Palmina, Bokisch likes food-friendly wines, so we like them. This albariño, from the Terra Alta vineyard and aged six months in stainless steel (as opposed to the Las Cerezas Albariño that utilizes 50% neutral French oak), offers a bevy of fruit layers, revealing themselves slowly, casually and cleanly, and finishing with a tart-acid pucker and perk. Long, delicious. And it's delicious in every sense, better than most cheaper Spanish albariños out there. Big fans, and only around $15 with club discount. A case of just this might be in the offing.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>LOVED the broiled feta and was friendly enough with the salad. Mostly we loved this food - beautiful as it gets - and loved finding out that we loved this wine.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $16 for food, $15 for wine = <b>$31</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Smoked Trout, Salami, Herbed-up Cream Cheese, Arugula and Bagels with 2014 Orballo Albariño Rías Baixas</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_3QLBxwWp585RkCo-Ivghuj1l-A0U9xdkYOVuKNn7cdk85Me275LXA6TLOPQIH7P2leDGp1tbwxVJhTgFj2KcyWNMejwT7OFk-LxJFW2WRHqB7OVxb1dDaxo0bid_oQJKfqBxiwqWwf0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-30+at+11.16.24+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_3QLBxwWp585RkCo-Ivghuj1l-A0U9xdkYOVuKNn7cdk85Me275LXA6TLOPQIH7P2leDGp1tbwxVJhTgFj2KcyWNMejwT7OFk-LxJFW2WRHqB7OVxb1dDaxo0bid_oQJKfqBxiwqWwf0/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-30+at+11.16.24+AM.png" width="57" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Trader Joe's smoked trout and Calabrese salami; cream cheese made with charred onion, parsley, pickled serranos, lemon thyme, celery seed and sherry vinegar; arugula dressed with sherry vinegar and olive oil; toasted bagels. Rip, top, eat.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Lovely back and forth, alternating between a trout bite and a salami bite. It's a pick-n-choose riff on salmon and bagels.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> All class. We've gone cheap lately on wine, and having this house classic, with all its acid-and minerals driven sparkle and shine, made for a lovely dinner, and a reminder what Good wine brings.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Most of its goodness came in having a wine of this quality at the table with food that brought a flurry of flavors. Nice pairing, though the sherry and trout together with a sip of wine was stellar.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$13 for food, $19 for wine = <b>$32</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Shortcut Pipian with 2015 90+ Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Lot 2</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5Vpj8JIQpw55RUfyA0EvEczku73ZoOlUzRFQO3ORclOH9W93VaVsx8UiKuz2HX0TjqNQ17MeAnozTKnXvZ-A0IldfluUtuFSTaZ-SawAT9wHUbP8Ze1iHjDoNi3PMlvQJthiAfr4WALU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-28+at+9.02.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5Vpj8JIQpw55RUfyA0EvEczku73ZoOlUzRFQO3ORclOH9W93VaVsx8UiKuz2HX0TjqNQ17MeAnozTKnXvZ-A0IldfluUtuFSTaZ-SawAT9wHUbP8Ze1iHjDoNi3PMlvQJthiAfr4WALU/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-28+at+9.02.54+AM.png" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> From Rick Bayless and his <i>Mexican Everyday</i> cookbook, page 235, substituting chicken breasts for salmon. It's short-cut pepita chicken. Instead of roasting and blending pumpkin seeds and making your own salsa, Mr. Bayless takes store-bought tomatillo salsa, chicken broth and tahini to create a short-cut, nutty-green, rich sauce to pair with chicken and rice. So Mrs. Ney did that, over coriander rice with peas and cilantro.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Big Bowl of Shortcut Goodness. Mrs. Ney tweaked her work schedule after years of the exact same go-in, get-off (giggity). Going in later means getting off later, and that's led to some unintended annoyances. Like getting off at 3pm and immediately diving in to making dinner. No couch time, no TPIR, no decompression. Shortcut is best with that. And this shortcut is a good one, approximating pepita chicken quite well.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> It's just cheap New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Nothing special. Crisp, clean, with tropical notes and a bit of depth. Still has that New Zealandness that isn't loved in our house by and large. But...<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> I Loved It! I could have this meal and wine next week and not love it at all. Time and place kind of thing, I'm thinking. First hot and humid days in Chicago and the wine refreshment of zippy tropical fruits, maybe. A fine, more subdued, darker in tone shine to the tropical notes showed up in the wine with the food, and it took its time to unravel and unwind in such a pleasing way. Big fan.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $9 for food, $9 for wine = <b>$18</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef and Noodle Salad with Leftover Wine</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzekYSyi2Sq5mUjvs4A2uRHo1MgG2Qguqnqdk9ZSIOjmzjIVtnQU3zP_xeTUV3b1-nu74RCN2aTQ8O_woP4O8-uAbG_Uz2B5Q2RizgWPgd59DL2Ddc5Vhs3QO7HgzmjWacsIb1Ex0U-1-u/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-28+at+8.56.43+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzekYSyi2Sq5mUjvs4A2uRHo1MgG2Qguqnqdk9ZSIOjmzjIVtnQU3zP_xeTUV3b1-nu74RCN2aTQ8O_woP4O8-uAbG_Uz2B5Q2RizgWPgd59DL2Ddc5Vhs3QO7HgzmjWacsIb1Ex0U-1-u/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-28+at+8.56.43+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> <i>NYT Cooking</i> <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016865-vietnamese-lemon-grass-beef-and-noodle-salad">recipe</a>. Made as is, except swapping out skirt for flank. Flat Asian rice noodles, beef, daikon, scallions, cucumber, carrots, fish sauce-based sauce (garlic, ginger, Fresno, lime, etc.), cilantro, mint, basil... All the goods.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Firmly planted into the weekday food rotation! It has everything and anything everyone and anyone would need and want and love. Two things: this salad doesn't need any beef more than $6/lb. Good, quality cheap beef from a good place is sufficient, and the flat Asian noodles got in the way a bit, particularly after a few hours (when I ate it after work) and the next day for lunch. True, thin vermicelli is probably the play. Otherwise...crap. This is Great. Oh, and cut the sugar in half at least. Needs a little. Not four tablespoons. <br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Leftover fridge wine for both of us. The intended and intentional wine choice, a bottle of Charles & Charles Riesling was a non-starter with the food. Mrs. Ney had a can of Lila Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough. I finished up the Lima Loureiro and the Chilean Rosé. The Lila was acceptable. The Lima, same, with a veggie bite. And the rosé was slappy-happy-pappy with a beef bite. Just the tops.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> The rosé was the biggest surprise. With the fish sauce, lime, Fresno and everything else in the food that seemingly shouldn't excel with a cab-syrah rosé from Chile, the opposite occurred. Delicious bright dirt and shocking length with a mouth-watering finish. Who knew? Crazy stuff.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $18 for food, $3 for wine = <b>$21</b> <br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Wednesday: Chicken Salad, Arugula and Mini-Ciabatta with 2014 João Portugal Ramos "Lima" Loureiro Vinho Verde</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcozIEMl6ftXP6yBSvqzmOYSSOkgCLKnB-aEg_h7nQwFpsSiaipy9623f8YHM5Ekvs4-bLp7a_fiOAeCpYri9h6ryLpXLGfiU72KdEN7tGwvWOaJWTXXRA50XulIZCHX4Jl44dOa21JTJb/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-31+at+10.42.09+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcozIEMl6ftXP6yBSvqzmOYSSOkgCLKnB-aEg_h7nQwFpsSiaipy9623f8YHM5Ekvs4-bLp7a_fiOAeCpYri9h6ryLpXLGfiU72KdEN7tGwvWOaJWTXXRA50XulIZCHX4Jl44dOa21JTJb/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-31+at+10.42.09+AM.png" width="46" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Leftover yakitori chicken from Monday turned into chicken salad, with Solmonov <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cauliflower-heart-pickles">pickled cauliflower-vegetables</a>, cilantro and mayo. Dressed arugula. Mini-ciabatta buns. Rip, top, eat.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Nice, fine, good. Light, used stuff up, satisfied.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>Lightly fruity, lightly floral, lightly acidic. It's $8 loureiro.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Meh. I started with a can of Lila Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand. WOW! That Was Awful with this food.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $5 for food, $8 for wine = <b>$13</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Au Cheval</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48s0w_femZC4R-PD2jFv8FN0eU05wN3d0C_85LouJLbSp0WzOCGh2jNuYuSR-QyrcMA4JOi4l61I0os9Y8zOp79iXsXxQpZ-mgtYztM4Z-kwzrOEEtflGTBvMFzFSdNBkZFFBcLcv63V1/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-26+at+10.23.25+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48s0w_femZC4R-PD2jFv8FN0eU05wN3d0C_85LouJLbSp0WzOCGh2jNuYuSR-QyrcMA4JOi4l61I0os9Y8zOp79iXsXxQpZ-mgtYztM4Z-kwzrOEEtflGTBvMFzFSdNBkZFFBcLcv63V1/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-26+at+10.23.25+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Single for her, double for me. Two orders of fries and two root beers.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's a fine-ass burger, one of the best in the city. After years of people telling me "You HAVE to go to Au Cheval," we finally went. Best in Chicago/Best in the Country? We disagree. But a fine-ass burger, indeed. <br />
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<b>Cost: $0</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Yakitori Chicken, Green Garlic, Cucumber Salad and Grilled Miso Corn on the Cob with Bollinger Champagne and Trader Joe's Brut North Coast</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHx1HJxv-EMqetIpQKa7gsXdsSgrRu48izWn5t8_bGmge6g-madrVsX5f-eXjJRFvl91r4sYtXKRtYU1_4OoF3Hy3KjPREuc03ubWwKJmov3BNBW-8Otla1QfwgC47XNTRH7oeeLDB2ACG/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-26+at+9.58.16+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHx1HJxv-EMqetIpQKa7gsXdsSgrRu48izWn5t8_bGmge6g-madrVsX5f-eXjJRFvl91r4sYtXKRtYU1_4OoF3Hy3KjPREuc03ubWwKJmov3BNBW-8Otla1QfwgC47XNTRH7oeeLDB2ACG/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-26+at+9.58.16+AM.png" width="139" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> <i>Saveur</i> <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/chicken-and-scallion-skewers-yakitori">yakitori sauce</a>, made with duck and rabbit bones. Yakitori slathered on spatchcocked chicken cooked under bricks (Bittman) in the cast-iron, split in half, one for each of us. Green garlic stalks charred under bricks in empty cast-iron. Grilled in-husk corn slathered with white miso butter and sprinkled with togarashi. Smashed cucumber, Fresno pepper and mint salad on the side (mashup of Nancy Singleton Hachisu and <a href="http://Nancy Singleton Hachisu via Fiona Beckett">Fiona Beckett</a>). Basil sprinkled around. More yakitori on the side for dipping.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Oddly, we cared less about the chicken than everything else on plate, because everything else was delicious, though the duck-rabbit bone yakitori offered serious funk and gamey undertones. A Japanese-ish feast. White miso butter and togaroshi on grilled corn will be had a few more times this summer, I'm thinkin'. Deeply flavored and refreshing cucumber salad. All in all, a joyful and scrumptious array of flavors flying everywhere.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Bollinger is Bollinger. Elegance, length, shine. It's the best under-$50 Champagne in our book. And it was happy here. But the Trader Joe's sparkling, serving as a second bottle because we knew we'd blow through the bottle of Bollinger toute-suite, was the winner of the night with the food.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> The Bollinger was ever-so-slightly clipped by the food. A teeny-tiny bit of its shine and glow was dimmed. Then the TJ's Brut entered the playing field and, in one of the bigger pairing shocks in a long time, we got bubbles that brought an insane level of mouth-watering length and integration into the food. It was like this $10 wine was specifically made for this meal and this meal alone, particularly with the miso-togaroshi corn. This wine has NEVER been like this. Not even close. There was a lot of gasping.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $20 for food, $60 for wine = <b>$80</b> <br />
<br />Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-69309405809402067882016-05-19T08:41:00.002-07:002016-05-24T07:47:07.538-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #45<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a7iY14ySOkchm_aDKATa16dXRDd__Qtxdjud_VdgoP9OxQnefspGI7T2rj958SgNG9oeU6WiKNaTNXKJoE0G6XDTsLba1hO9T48Mx5HSCIXkCmPWE3odPyEPjbQvhT0Jk0RSTWidee_9/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a7iY14ySOkchm_aDKATa16dXRDd__Qtxdjud_VdgoP9OxQnefspGI7T2rj958SgNG9oeU6WiKNaTNXKJoE0G6XDTsLba1hO9T48Mx5HSCIXkCmPWE3odPyEPjbQvhT0Jk0RSTWidee_9/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>Three-day consumption of fiber:<br />
<br />
Monday: Beet greens and barley...<br />
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Tuesday: Yellow beets and curly endive...<br />
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Wednesday: Cauliflower and arugula...<br />
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Equals...wow...yep...FI-ber!<br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 19px;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Total food and wine cost for the wee</span><span style="color: #0b5394;">k:</span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> <b>$79 for food and $136 for wine = $215</b></span></i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Sunday: Ottolenghi Meatballs and Fregola with 2015 Viñas Chilenas Reserva Rosé Valle Central</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8f3XdWU8dneWW0u6kx653AywjOrnfwDvOKGOCHV1O22YdDxCVpboMRHqneHH_3JIVyoeZxNwMB5weyeOMLa6fTbgsY0o7OiJy2A6qkzXkkGHUBothWpB6llQzqP6WSGi8xLQYFeQPhOU/s1600/IMG_2075.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8f3XdWU8dneWW0u6kx653AywjOrnfwDvOKGOCHV1O22YdDxCVpboMRHqneHH_3JIVyoeZxNwMB5weyeOMLa6fTbgsY0o7OiJy2A6qkzXkkGHUBothWpB6llQzqP6WSGi8xLQYFeQPhOU/s200/IMG_2075.jpeg" width="150" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>(Ottolenghi <i>Guardian</i> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/16/crumbs-comfort-yotam-ottolenghi-grain-recipes-meatballs-fishcakes">recipe</a> - second one down) Meatballs and fregola with alterations: lamb instead of veal, feta instead of ricotta, basil instead of oregano, and nutmeg instead of all-spice. It's use-stuff-up, what's-in-the-house, done up Ottolenghi style. <br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>Oh, my, yes. Big bowl of adult Spaghetti-O's. And not necessarily a one-off. This was quite good, and highly adjustable to what's we have siting around in the house and needs to be used up.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> This is $4, fresh, fruity, round, bouncy and delicious for $4. Cabernet-syrah blend done up rosé style. One glass for each of us. We're trying to cut down.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Fine.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$12 for food, $4 for wine = <b>$16</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Cuban Black Beans over Rice with 2014 Charles Smith Velvet Devil Columbia Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4C_6XvKaKesJv6OixqzuG-pHkwHiQMnEkn24VI7aoV8JUCcV_rafWxW2zrf7R6sI1YGxM5t6oVVTea8dl-yVH0qxfmM1-rcjFetOSCND_B7RqH1jtZNBFiNTH5ur2EluehtsjL_UKOLK/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+9.15.51+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4C_6XvKaKesJv6OixqzuG-pHkwHiQMnEkn24VI7aoV8JUCcV_rafWxW2zrf7R6sI1YGxM5t6oVVTea8dl-yVH0qxfmM1-rcjFetOSCND_B7RqH1jtZNBFiNTH5ur2EluehtsjL_UKOLK/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+9.15.51+AM.png" width="54" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> <i>NYT Cooking</i> <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013062-cuban-black-beans?action=click&module=Recirculation+Band+Recipe+Card&region=Try+more+recipes+like+this&pgType=recipedetails&rank=1">Cuban black bean recipe</a>. Alterations: swapped out the ham hock for a big beef marrow bone; poblanos for green peppers; fresh oregano; cider vinegar; honey for brown sugar; half the beans, hence half the garlic (it's only two of us). Over white rice.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> This. Is. Delicious! Absurd complexity here. Highly recommended and most certainly with enter into the food rotation. It has all the Cuban happiness anyone could possibly need. A Cuban mother would be proud.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>Quickly abandoned the Alloy grenache rosé (no bueno) for leftover Velvet Devil Merlot, which at least (VERY least) offered a textural match-up that offered a minimum level of moderate enjoyment. No wine for me.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> See above.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $8 for food, $0 for wine = <b>$8</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Vegetable Tart with 2015 Trader Joe's Grower's Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Napa</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHZvpPxF6d8J5J7UzCZIUJZ9xLvWIKY6VoD1FsBQ1Ea0mS_xqIOnuLnWfc5FsfZ0CfX05ZXm3oEVxxVTI5KkyrSbmTMzJPC3GOIrhobIiDAP-vPtxaTpJSi7NFTWl7qDokdY7L3PePvn4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-22+at+8.57.37+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHZvpPxF6d8J5J7UzCZIUJZ9xLvWIKY6VoD1FsBQ1Ea0mS_xqIOnuLnWfc5FsfZ0CfX05ZXm3oEVxxVTI5KkyrSbmTMzJPC3GOIrhobIiDAP-vPtxaTpJSi7NFTWl7qDokdY7L3PePvn4/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-22+at+8.57.37+AM.png" width="145" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Buckwheat flour tart shell. Filling of carrots, onions, smoked sun-dried tomatoes and basil, mixed with mustardy-garlicky cream cheese, finished with parmesan. Herb salad on the side. It's bistro food!<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Missed a bit. Sandy buckwheat flour and a filling that didn't pop. Tasted vaguely Italian, actually.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Formerly a house $6 fav, this is the third or fourth vintage in a row that tastes like a watery, melony, white Napa mess. No order, no presence. This had a good run a few years ago, bringing the cheap-and-solid goods. No longer.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Meh.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $8 for food, $6 for wine = <b>$14 </b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Chimichurri Chicken over Brown Rice</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMvn4A5X2GDqwAmCuCjBT-GOKtoIpDnTtF55NkRz19ij1WIJperpgvr_sMzEBjIzYOyPiqj1P7OfRnI2vUto3Djiu9uN2HQsPc5YHPQo2r7y_LL7sObeRJzNpK-lK56fSNYb0TNHFM-8f/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-22+at+9.01.58+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMvn4A5X2GDqwAmCuCjBT-GOKtoIpDnTtF55NkRz19ij1WIJperpgvr_sMzEBjIzYOyPiqj1P7OfRnI2vUto3Djiu9uN2HQsPc5YHPQo2r7y_LL7sObeRJzNpK-lK56fSNYb0TNHFM-8f/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-22+at+9.01.58+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Freezer chimichurri as a marinade for chicken breasts, with fennel, onion, tomatoes, olives and parsley, with more chimichurri to finish. Over brown rice (one potato added). It's Use Stuff Up dinner!<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Herby, zingy, vegetabley. A fine meal for a Use Stuff Up dinner. No bread here, either. Sorta taking a break from bread, at least in the volume with which we've consumed it over the last few months, cutting it out where it's not needed. Not going gluten-free, just that "nobody needs this much bread!"<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> No wine. Nothing was in the house could have shined with this meal, so why jam it in?<br />
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<b>Cost: $6 </b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Goat Kofta and Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Two Vintages of Alloy Wine Works Grenache Rosé</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0yU5B2BvuSIrc0Xrh5gfmBzotyKE6SXZ4UgFMNb_AyTKvtF1oqd00GGzzwlHtRU8BliDsXCW2WLf8BnBWgkUpeR9EKCkxmMZa0dF_BRxRAcSvHH30JZb1G2GdVlXGI02oVgCfQYUyx_T/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-10-19+at+10.40.56+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0yU5B2BvuSIrc0Xrh5gfmBzotyKE6SXZ4UgFMNb_AyTKvtF1oqd00GGzzwlHtRU8BliDsXCW2WLf8BnBWgkUpeR9EKCkxmMZa0dF_BRxRAcSvHH30JZb1G2GdVlXGI02oVgCfQYUyx_T/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-10-19+at+10.40.56+AM.png" width="96" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Ottolenghi goat<a href="https://themoveablefeasts.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/jerusalems-herb-pie-kofta-bsiniyah-meatballs/"> kofta</a> with <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12958-roasted-cauliflower-hazelnut-and-pomegranate-seed-salad">roasted cauliflower-hazelnut-pomegranate seed salad</a> with arugula. Pita. Tahini. Rip, top, eat.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> We've been over this. It has everything everybody could ever want in a bite of food. There's little else I can say. Multiple versions <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/search?q=kofta">here</a>.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> We haven't been shy about telling the world that the Alloy Wine Works grenache rosé in the can from Field Recordings is rather silly-great. We went through probably a 36 cans of the 2014. The 2015 just came out, so there was much rejoicing. So, vintage throwdown. The 2014, while its fruit is muddled and overall zip waning, it still has most of the pop, grit and grizzle it's had in the past. It (still) has a personality, a strut. The 2015 is less so. It's rather quiet, missing what the 2014 brought: an in-your-face guava and strawberry burst, following by such friendly bright dirt and pop. This year tastes like more of an attempt to Old World it, with more graceful layers and breeze, but so far - and we will have more - the thing that made 2014 so cheap-happy gets lost in the translation for the 2015. We started to do a cost-benefit analysis comparing this and other cheap weekday rosés. The one-liter Innovacíon at $10 brings similar enjoyment for half the price.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Fine and good. No complaints. Nothing special. Who cares. The food was stupid-great.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$12 for food, $18 for wine = <b>$30</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Rabbit Croquetas and Yellow Beet Salad with 2014 Jolie-Laide Trousseau Gris Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard Russian River Valley and 2013 Palmina Malvasia Santa Barbara</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nhTV-fdOYm07_VBulTFtcPP2PJBEWxkdmpPTXS3gyM4BjKiAwzcbNODfXArcvxKnE4pJKA3gPOGdtKK4LzRJGY1NohyphenhyphenRwrRua6zZGQv3lvnQF6gLnO9BvxZcAgCrMqdxCGBbm7pzjrwn/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-19+at+9.58.31+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nhTV-fdOYm07_VBulTFtcPP2PJBEWxkdmpPTXS3gyM4BjKiAwzcbNODfXArcvxKnE4pJKA3gPOGdtKK4LzRJGY1NohyphenhyphenRwrRua6zZGQv3lvnQF6gLnO9BvxZcAgCrMqdxCGBbm7pzjrwn/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-19+at+9.58.31+AM.png" width="186" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Chicken stock week, so it's clean out the freezer time. Leftover-freezer, Jose Andres' <a href="http://www.joseandres.com/en_us/news/news/view/20/cook/croquetas-de-pollo">rabbit croquettes</a>, and <a href="http://www.palminawines.com/assets/client/File/Recipes/MalvasiaBianca/Roast_Beet_salad.pdf">Palmina yellow beet salad</a> with walnut-anchovy-zest gremolata over curly endive. Pan con tomate using ciabatta.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Sort of a mishmash of two favorites that don't <i>really</i> go together but still bring all of the happy goods. Croquetas still freshy-fresh. Yellow beet salad that's always good.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> I overbought the Jolie-Laide, last year's wine of the year, and we may have put it in the "save" category a few too many times when thinking about food pairings, as this wine isn't one that's going to last forever. But the result was surprising. A beautiful leafy-tea note has emerged. While the fruit is fading, and the acid slowing down as a driver, this now has some gray-hair grace to it that's delicious. The Palmina has been a perfect pairing in the past with this beet salad, and we had one more in the house that also HAD to be drunk. It's slower now, creaky, like it's had two knee replacements, and the acid is also slowing, but what we thought would probably be rather dead brought a modicum of beet salad-Palmina malvasia goodness to enjoy it for what it was.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Plenty of delicious elements on the table to pick and choose our food-wine adventure, which led to a compiling together of a dinner that felt like a buffet of enjoyment. Nothing spectacular here, but certainly was a Happy Bounty. <br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $8 for food, $63 for wine = <b>$71</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Calabrian Quail and Orzotto with 2012 A Tribute To Grace Grenache Santa Barbara Highlands</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMsCkHZ3GmRp6si_5nrLVQLvmWut5bE5V4dLLwOU9B0CQKT2yCmysNKTlwG03T8LehEePrhgGsAifwH4RsKkkGrE3rGXPHUGNueklPD1ybSRQwfaXb3M2B8LC_dNnVCzCSzrlUed7XPMC/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-19+at+9.09.12+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMsCkHZ3GmRp6si_5nrLVQLvmWut5bE5V4dLLwOU9B0CQKT2yCmysNKTlwG03T8LehEePrhgGsAifwH4RsKkkGrE3rGXPHUGNueklPD1ybSRQwfaXb3M2B8LC_dNnVCzCSzrlUed7XPMC/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-19+at+9.09.12+AM.png" width="70" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> <i>The Guardian</i> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/14/our-10-best-italian-recipes">quail</a>, marinated in currants, passito, thyme, red wine vinegar, olive oil, s/p. Substituted chorizo for nduja. Cast-ironed quail, chorizo crisped up, pan sauce over all of it. Barley <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/12/seasonal-ravioli-and-orzotto-recipes-from-chef-oliver-rowe">orzotto</a> with beet greens (no mascarpone or wild garlic).<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> This isn't "our food," but it was quite tasty. There was a sweetness from the currants here that we don't gravitate towards, but it didn't get in the way in the least. Nice balance, and delicious orzotto - creamy, woodsy, hardy and a nice counter to the sweetness. We liked this.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> This wine has been sitting around the house for a bit. The food demanded a lighter red with guts, and we didn't want pinot noir on this night. Beaujolais? Maybe. Lighter dolcetto? Possibly. Baga was what we wanted but we didn't have one that was ready in the house. This bottle was opened wearily, as it <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/2014/12/salsa-verde-d-lamb-rosettes-and.html#more">came off a bit light</a> last time. Not this time. Lightly smoky, lightly meaty, lightly spicy, and darker in tone than last time. All of that together brought a more robust presence than it showed with lamb rosettes 18 months ago. Very happy with the overall result.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Not perfect, not great, but very nice. A fine length remained with some of the more robust flavors on the plate. Best with the orzotto, but held its own with the quail and chorizo. We're probably not going to remember this meal or pairing next week. That's okay. Enough deliciousness here to chalk it up to a nice Monday dinner that made for a leisurely, happy meal.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$25 for food, $45 for wine = <b>$70</b> <br />
<br />Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-24225752446769188972016-05-14T10:09:00.003-07:002016-05-24T07:56:57.335-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #44<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjant-PXxE34Pvln8SoeJkoEusShyBvG8rbTwX_CpDBGdxT3438uC1utYUvU8kPvI_kLU24CJRBeF2gKxviSL2hc3o6qBXqVPMZzAtPFEeSxJKt8aF0gkRyHnWw7GqURN19zO9AXvsu6kV5/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjant-PXxE34Pvln8SoeJkoEusShyBvG8rbTwX_CpDBGdxT3438uC1utYUvU8kPvI_kLU24CJRBeF2gKxviSL2hc3o6qBXqVPMZzAtPFEeSxJKt8aF0gkRyHnWw7GqURN19zO9AXvsu6kV5/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>Here's a nice little <a href="http://www.dartagnan.com/air-chilled-chicken-tastes-better.html?fdid=chefs">reminder from D'Artagnan </a>that air-chilled chicken is the only chicken. Whole Foods carries them as well. Worth the extra greenbacks.<br />
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In the novelty food products world, for which I'm a huge sucker, the new Pepsi 1893 line is an...effort, but <i>not</i> worth the greenbacks. And Milky Way brownies are an abomination.<br />
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Down week in the wine world but not in the food world.<br />
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<i style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, freeserif, serif;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Total food and wine cost for the wee</span><span style="color: #0b5394;">k:</span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> <b>$105 for food and $119 for wine = $224</b></span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, freeserif, serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><br /></b></span></i>
<i style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, freeserif, serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><i>Total food and wine cost for the month: $442 for food and $439 for wine = $881</i></b></span></i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Sunday: Naan Pizzas with 2013 Regis Minet Pouilly-Fumé Vieilles Vignes</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxB3qhbEtntJrKDhTAl1BhTdwzer28vrVSzs9gUl3TbUXnTnSrjZyHHHX3kuOEO2Et5WKLiQQoFgcB8xNCNt9l29114Ab9OcDbW6S8nV4hAQlkM0cmXikgg7QDbnaHeK8F0DtvX-nCj7SQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-12-26+at+7.45.36+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxB3qhbEtntJrKDhTAl1BhTdwzer28vrVSzs9gUl3TbUXnTnSrjZyHHHX3kuOEO2Et5WKLiQQoFgcB8xNCNt9l29114Ab9OcDbW6S8nV4hAQlkM0cmXikgg7QDbnaHeK8F0DtvX-nCj7SQ/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-12-26+at+7.45.36+AM.png" width="71" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Naan bread topped with leftover asparagus pesto mixed with cream cheese, ham, onions, leftover smoked mozzarella, peppadew peppers, and a big handful of dressed arugula.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> They're a weeknight house dinner platform for leftover stuff. And it's always, in the least, a satisfying dinner. Tack on "very" to satisfied with this batch.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Went fancier for weeknight wine here, and gee-whiz, the acidity and flinty minerals were just lovely. More straight-forward than other vintages of Minet, with predominantly lemon citrus notes, followed by minerals, all wrapped inside a coat of bright acid. But golly that package had all the fanciness of a great piece of furniture. Like when you see something in a living room and say, "Damn, THAT's a great chair!"<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>Fairly ho-hum, but fine food and fine wine made for a great end of my week, especially after spending five minutes explaining to a customer who could eat tomatoes but not tomato sauce that our sauce is ONLY blended tomatoes. She wasn't having it.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $12 for food, $21 for wine = <b>$33</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Kielbasa-Potato-Kale Hash with 2014 Charles Smith Velvet Devil Columbia Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s75RYacaE3oZ6-DiMG0azinCAqzHKNIUbZzsHXuatEFn4tPumd9TGTsVVPLpCyE-w2-AryqmxfZNquar2vA1h2lgZAHyFezkctexC2SXsZnMx5EGZkrKWvt4PDDUupEmxzlgpQHy21-c/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+9.15.51+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2s75RYacaE3oZ6-DiMG0azinCAqzHKNIUbZzsHXuatEFn4tPumd9TGTsVVPLpCyE-w2-AryqmxfZNquar2vA1h2lgZAHyFezkctexC2SXsZnMx5EGZkrKWvt4PDDUupEmxzlgpQHy21-c/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-16+at+9.15.51+AM.png" width="54" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> (<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=IHYxAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA318&lpg=PA318&dq=New+Spanish+Table+%22trinxat%22&source=bl&ots=fUpGfacnOQ&sig=0L7gT4gOapVOiK_OciuoJXKvLSA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjpy4We5d7MAhUr34MKHRyVDZEQ6AEIHTAA#v=onepage&q=New%20Spanish%20Table%20%22trinxat%22&f=false">recipe</a> from <i>The New Spanish Table</i>). Loosely based on that recipe, turning it from cake to hash. This time, using kielbasa as meat. Historically, this recipe is used as a bit of a blank slate to mix together left in the house, with potato and kale as a base. Pecorino cheese to finish. <br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> The kielbasa took it out of the Spanish realm and into a more generic "hash" world, and it served quite well as a weeknight, "warm you up" plate of food, particularly when it was 38 degrees in mid-freakin'-May here in Chicago.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Mostly merlot, with a little cab, malbec and cab franc mixed in. A dancing little number on its own, with pretty, bright, round, dark red fruits with a bit of tobacco underneath and balanced, prevalent, happy acid. But...<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> BRU-TAL. Really, quite terrible with this food. But good to find a bargain merlot that offers...something. And this offers much more than just "something," as Mr. Smith typically does.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $5 for food, $10 for wine = <b>$15</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Tuna Pick-n-Choose with 2015 Baskoli Txakolina </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxhORk8ehu-naRsqW2K7w3ANlQIuXm9Zf2vI1SYu-7MSz-qEj8q1WguVLYauuwEr07iMkn6gju4EH-6gGP6LO1M31Vl2FbfMZOMd39FxXdg9_mbfy4_DvqTPmLE6JueF5Kul09DsWF4Xo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-14+at+11.56.17+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxhORk8ehu-naRsqW2K7w3ANlQIuXm9Zf2vI1SYu-7MSz-qEj8q1WguVLYauuwEr07iMkn6gju4EH-6gGP6LO1M31Vl2FbfMZOMd39FxXdg9_mbfy4_DvqTPmLE6JueF5Kul09DsWF4Xo/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-14+at+11.56.17+AM.png" width="53" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>Leftover olive oil-poached tuna from Wednesday, with peppadew peppers, onions, avocado, dressed arugula and mini-ciabatta. Rip, top with everything, and eat.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Sorta great! If there's a bite of food that represents the bridge between food we ate 5-7 years ago and now, this would be it. Spanish-influenced simplicity with a tapas-pintxos nod, where a bite has all the acid, fishy, bitter, onion-pepper pop, cream and starch you need.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> It's $9 Trader Joe's txakolina. And nothing here is really in proper txakolina order here. The sea spritz and mineral is off. The fruit perk is nearly nonexistent. Its slight sparkle shows up at weird times, hiding what could be good underneath, but...<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> It's $9, half of the cost of a good Txakolina. And with this food, it offered more than enough Basqueness for us to be very satisfied.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$8 for food, $9 for wine = <b>$17</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Green Chorizo Tortas with NV Evolution Sparkling White</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUE00wiBSPlldY3gCVdBuFf5xDSPrLQbYfwlwbb9_-O5RaOhkrNxcD_QvBQ2gWqTetxN4-3k4iIpf0ajOvSocAZAg0tfoyLRiIU8WhyphenhyphenxEJNowJ0rTAYgeaEPn5gMnOwIajDyEA0KeeypGX/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-14+at+11.39.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUE00wiBSPlldY3gCVdBuFf5xDSPrLQbYfwlwbb9_-O5RaOhkrNxcD_QvBQ2gWqTetxN4-3k4iIpf0ajOvSocAZAg0tfoyLRiIU8WhyphenhyphenxEJNowJ0rTAYgeaEPn5gMnOwIajDyEA0KeeypGX/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-14+at+11.39.54+AM.png" width="71" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Melissa Clark <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017246-fresh-green-chorizo">green chorizo</a>, made into tortas. Chorizo mixed with black beans, with chihuahua cheese as the meat-cheese base. Habanero vinegar. Marinated onions, sliced avocados and arugula on top. All that inside torta bread. Mexican Bugles for side. Made four big sandwiches. <br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>We could sell these out the apartment window and make a silly amount of money. Had that perfect meat-cheese melty-ness, freshened up by the avocado and arugula, and an overall composition of delicious.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Nine grapes done up Champagne-style. Muscat, gewürztraminer, pinot gris, white riesling, chardonnay, pinot blanc, sylvaner, muller-thurgau and semillon. You read that list, particularly since it leads with muscat and gewürztraminer, and you'd think this would be sweet-ish. At least highly fruity. It's not. It's quite dry, with some very pleasing bitterness and herb stem notes. More pinot blanc and muller-thurgau than anything else. Quite nice, and we'll be buying it again.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>Didn't really go with the sandwiches, but we weren't displeased. Good food and surprising wine that don't ultimately go together but don't horribly clash can be Just Fine.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $14 for food, $14 for wine = <b>$28 </b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Scaccia with 2012 Paringa Sparkling Shiraz Barossa</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkHiJnFMofFr4vtZFHOyQ1mOIUUbL9kvINTaDvMDYcNtoZRB2Z5QkoorsTAhtR95ryr_NhWcloTL8Y-xEm3eofPTWg5yjMXM0jM1cNn9m_uvek5lmCa0e6wyk7hk6JZmrFmHAqHIjBEzK/s1600/IMG_0786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkHiJnFMofFr4vtZFHOyQ1mOIUUbL9kvINTaDvMDYcNtoZRB2Z5QkoorsTAhtR95ryr_NhWcloTL8Y-xEm3eofPTWg5yjMXM0jM1cNn9m_uvek5lmCa0e6wyk7hk6JZmrFmHAqHIjBEzK/s200/IMG_0786.jpg" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> <i>Saveur </i><a href="http://www.saveur.com/lasagna-bread-italian-sicilian-scaccia-recipe">recipe</a>, and will be had six times a year henceforth. It's lasagna bread, but has none of soupy boringness that, for me, comes with lasagna. Semolina dough, San Marzano tomatoes, sharp provolone and smoked mozzarella to approximate caciocavallo, basil and garlic. Arugula salad to finish.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's our new Sunday night dinner! Fairly simple, just takes (mostly inactive) time. It's tastes like my first experience with good Italian food as a child in the 80's. Better, of course, but quite evocative. Everything is in proportion and everything is offered at the right level. Not bready, not too cheesy, not too tomatoey. Just DE-licious.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Shiraz likes basil and we had to drink this sparkling shiraz. Licorice, black fruits and froth. Fine enough, nothing super-duper by any means.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>Same with the food. Fell into the category of "nice to have wine here." That's really all it offered.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$15 for food, $13 for wine = <b>$28</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Tuna Niçoise with 2014 Terrasse du Moulinas Blanc Elégance Languedoc-Roussillon</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAeow_xmO07qrFmlbsnDQROPt2Ffj3TSTlu6gx1NdROLWC0KI9-WQummkDrzmaRCKGXPiMs9nFfwuQ0OSce6mFENAEHl0vuql92gVtS_DxaNeqmCKdlHFWN898HS1607a2xfgbd6Wxnye/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-11-20+at+9.42.22+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAeow_xmO07qrFmlbsnDQROPt2Ffj3TSTlu6gx1NdROLWC0KI9-WQummkDrzmaRCKGXPiMs9nFfwuQ0OSce6mFENAEHl0vuql92gVtS_DxaNeqmCKdlHFWN898HS1607a2xfgbd6Wxnye/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-11-20+at+9.42.22+AM.png" width="64" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Olive-oil poached tuna Niçoise on butter lettuce with gaeta olives, capers, onion, grape tomatoes, haricots verts, fingerling potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs for me.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> A less delicious version of home tuna Niçoise. The on-sale butter lettuce sat there, limp and tasteless, offering nothing. Made it feel like there was a hole in the meal.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Started with an older 2010 Domaine de la Pepìere Quatre Muscadet and it offered little in the way of anything resembling enjoyment. Moved on to this year's house white, a grenache blanc, vermentino, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc blend from the Languedoc that has the acid and sparkle we do enjoy. Thought it was fading when last drunk, but here it matched up rather beautifully in the way regional food and regional wine tend to do.<br />
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<b>And the Pairing?</b> This tasted purposeful together. Not spectacular, just Provence Purposeful. With that, we found tons of enjoyment. <br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $23 for food, $31 for wine = <b>$54</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Hanger Steak and Watercress-Shishito Pepper Salad with 2012 Broc Cellars Cabernet Franc Central Coast</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DDti6Q9k_RyADmwk9tUpihNU2uD_c9m0ca0fR88Pfbh9FypbAGVHq5nsRm3OkE2_VnzEU1MfFaEUAEeU5LjprOKxS_odl7xVMaoeVixHytPez6XzK5NkuH3q2NgZJ3FEjqdmsqVjsxF5/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-12+at+11.12.48+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DDti6Q9k_RyADmwk9tUpihNU2uD_c9m0ca0fR88Pfbh9FypbAGVHq5nsRm3OkE2_VnzEU1MfFaEUAEeU5LjprOKxS_odl7xVMaoeVixHytPez6XzK5NkuH3q2NgZJ3FEjqdmsqVjsxF5/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-12+at+11.12.48+AM.png" width="66" /></a><b>Food Details: (</b><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-skirt-steak-shishitos-and-charred-lemon">recipe</a><b>) </b>Whole Foods hanger steak (medium-rare) with a salad of watercress, shishito peppers, celery and leaves, and Rogue Flora Nelle cheese. Potato pancakes for starch.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>Our <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/search?q=hanger+shishito">third time</a> having this deliciously meaty-bitter-creamy dinner and it's still is all kinds of lovely. A bite with everything - hanger, watercress, shishito and cheese - is stupid how great it is. Get good cheese. Rogue is essentially our only source for blue cheese-like cheeses now. The fresh edge it offers is perfect.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Last had with P<a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/2015/03/persian-beef-with-barberry-sauce-and.html">ersian beef and barberry sauce</a>, it's full of shiny red fruits, violets and cinnamon on the nose, a bit less in the intensity of that on the palate for the first 2/3, then finishing with something like a rum raisin smack. Still chugging along quite nicely. One left.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Not as good as the <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/2016/01/365-days-of-food-and-wine-week-25.html">La Posta Malbec</a> with this meal, but there was a grace here that was welcome. And it showed some guts with the bevy of bitterness on the plate.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$28 for food, $19 for wine = <b>$47</b>Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-13916675533459514102016-05-05T08:42:00.002-07:002016-05-21T09:11:43.615-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #43<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_XA2QHhkwYmXolFcWKfAx_TCnTtmAYfmvJWsWlgk5EeA3fZgOBORw5-1V_UTf2fGd6eLGsmHuQdnI8OcmTKxdHvLVJLuzTUJFCTaCqpd4eXJBjoQx8BvfzOcj0aF_iifcqJ_RvZAAubI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_XA2QHhkwYmXolFcWKfAx_TCnTtmAYfmvJWsWlgk5EeA3fZgOBORw5-1V_UTf2fGd6eLGsmHuQdnI8OcmTKxdHvLVJLuzTUJFCTaCqpd4eXJBjoQx8BvfzOcj0aF_iifcqJ_RvZAAubI/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>Between our dog having a heart attack every time it thunders and the year-long road construction outside our house, sleep has been a precious commodity of late.<br />
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So I declare The Summer of Sleep!<br />
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...particularly since nothing political is worth consuming until November. Gonna be a rough summer for the republic, everyone.<br />
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Drinking higher-end, well-crafted wines can help you understand what lower-end, mass-produced wines get right. When one of them gets it right, one of those cheapy-cheap wines gets the balance between fruit, herbs, acid and refreshment perfect relative to what you paid, your surprise level is sometimes higher than when you have a pedigreed wine higher up the dollars scale. With that, this house recommends the <a href="http://www.lilawines.com/">Lila Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough</a> in the can. Four-pack of 250mls for $10.<br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Total food and wine cost for the week: $108 for food and $76 for wine = $184</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday: Charred Onions, Arugula and Ancient Grains Bread with 2014 Amancay Torrontés La Rioja</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5-Bf1C2VSB3iD4TRuX8v3t30WzPnE743g3Bw3JZ9DvaSt3kfoxrYfKNX7bsORgqlKBBPVFVf0jhOPJrSzvTJBXES7oQwJlpIMGdieaeqmTkj-4YIzYu0dX0HqdRmyFJfIXqSd5_yVL67/s1600/IMG_0744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5-Bf1C2VSB3iD4TRuX8v3t30WzPnE743g3Bw3JZ9DvaSt3kfoxrYfKNX7bsORgqlKBBPVFVf0jhOPJrSzvTJBXES7oQwJlpIMGdieaeqmTkj-4YIzYu0dX0HqdRmyFJfIXqSd5_yVL67/s200/IMG_0744.JPG" width="100" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> (<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017717-charred-shallots-with-labneh-and-pita">recipe</a>). Charred onions and shallots over yogurt. Arugula and Ancient Grains bread. Lemon-thyme vinaigrette for the onions and arugula. Rip bread, top with stuff, eat.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> A Mother's Day double for me left me clueless as to what Mrs. Ney made for dinner. To come home to charred onions and yogurt is like coming home to a Technicolor version of Home. De-licious!<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>Lightly fruity, lightly floral. It's $7 Trader Joe's torrontés.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>I enjoyed a well water note in the wine this time. Overall quite acceptable. It loved the vinaigrette.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $10 for food, $7 for wine = <b>$17</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Piri-Piri Chicken and Feta Potatoes with Lila Canned Wines</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBjmxfz6157uASIeD9MEIrv3OME5c7g_p9LolhAqwIqImhkaCRwiuR8q4czDiXarmmtymk2gOpWEpbop1cjyQ-1I2HNT-mulc3d-nH3U1JfiifDdzLeRhAObX21XBBqYlo6O7FL-VmZx1/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.31.42+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBjmxfz6157uASIeD9MEIrv3OME5c7g_p9LolhAqwIqImhkaCRwiuR8q4czDiXarmmtymk2gOpWEpbop1cjyQ-1I2HNT-mulc3d-nH3U1JfiifDdzLeRhAObX21XBBqYlo6O7FL-VmZx1/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.31.42+AM.png" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/piri-piri-chicken/#dWF4MH6Zbk6ddvce.97">Mr. Oliver's piri piri sauce</a> dumped on top of [seared-to-seal] boneless chicken breasts and sauteed red, orange, and yellow "ancient chiles", baked in 400-degree oven for 15 minutes; boiled (old! sprouty!) potatoes mashed with leftover feta, dill, cilantro, and evoo.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Chicken, spice, peppers, potatoes, feta. Who doesn't want any of that. And it's better together.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>More Lila cans. I don't know how long our mild fascination will last with these little numbers, but for now they're juicy, poppy and fun. I got a cherry Now-n-Later note in the rosé this time. The sauvignon blanc is the undisputed winner between these two.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>Acceptable.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$12 for food, $5 for wine = <b>$17</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Zucchini Babaganoush Pick-n-Choose with 2015 Innovacíon Rosé Mendoza</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqSHIBWwq2MdB1mTejb7bmE6rcybL9nXVZ-OU7cBCuztQeAGhZDEkU0j4VbZx5k6ZsThznszjdMWBTT7pJDVtzMtKJL_sYBo36Ceu8GaKkKL9hIKx3hpnOauAGLO4NGReXrd4KMpbY9tE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-08-16+at+10.43.45+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqSHIBWwq2MdB1mTejb7bmE6rcybL9nXVZ-OU7cBCuztQeAGhZDEkU0j4VbZx5k6ZsThznszjdMWBTT7pJDVtzMtKJL_sYBo36Ceu8GaKkKL9hIKx3hpnOauAGLO4NGReXrd4KMpbY9tE/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-08-16+at+10.43.45+AM.png" width="79" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>Recipe from <i>The New Book of Middle Eastern Food</i>, by Claudia Roden (page 65), using roasted zucchini instead of eggplant, with tahini, cumin, lemon juice and olive oil. Kumatoes, arugula and pita. Compile a bite using all the goods and eat.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Delicious babaganoush that kept adjusting to all the other elements and changing its personality. Sometimes a big hit of lemon, other times a hit of cumin, tahini pop on occasion. Every bite was deliciously different, with planty arugula and oddly solid pita from Middle Eastern Grocery (usually don't love it). Zero diminishing returns or eating fatigue. That rarely happens with Mrs. Ney's pick-n-choose, because she brings a bevy of spices, acid, veggies, herbs and greens to the plate that...if you get tired of something like that, well, you have no tongue. A great meal all around.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> One-liter rosé, malbec and syrah, $7.50 at Whole Foods (on sale with 6-bottle discount). Our first 2015. Tastes like dirt and iron, backed up by dark cherry and plum. At this price for a liter, we're tickled pink (oof).<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> No complaints whatsoever. Iron Earth!<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $9 for food, $8 for wine = <b>$17</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Rotisserie Chicken Pick-n-Choose with 2015 Barbadillo Palomino Fino Cádiz</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eu0mGBO0qfYFooOYVvRwya6M86HWqYoSARCVMFXLR8ohPcQVO7BAYYUnEkcKwNoZpm4n0st6gQebnhP2czfDVVyZojYIhpE0NBX92qHJ9OOH1u6IXBOb28KrcE3foieu1CkNjuqIseoV/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+9.57.52+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eu0mGBO0qfYFooOYVvRwya6M86HWqYoSARCVMFXLR8ohPcQVO7BAYYUnEkcKwNoZpm4n0st6gQebnhP2czfDVVyZojYIhpE0NBX92qHJ9OOH1u6IXBOb28KrcE3foieu1CkNjuqIseoV/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+9.57.52+AM.png" width="54" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Harvesttime dinner! Rotisserie chicken and a new bread made in-house there, 99¢ braided sesame loaves from that crazy-cheap grocery store. With that, herb salad blend from Trader Joe's, leftover homemade za'atar mixed with olive oil. Rip a piece of bread, slather with za'atar, top with chicken and greens. Eat.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's pick-n-choose. Of course we did. Solid new bread option here and cheap as heck. Za'atar brought all the background complexity needed, eschewing tomatoes for the simplicity and deliciousness it brought without them. And it worked better with the wine.<br />
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<b>How Was the Wine? </b>I'll plagiarize myself from the <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/2016/04/365-days-of-food-and-wine-week-38.html">last time we had it</a>: Trader Joe's palomino in not-sherry form. We love how the label says it's "fruity." Nope. This is categorically not fruity. This is dry, clean, savory as hell, light, refreshing, dry, and dry. It's a blank slate. Add food that likes it and things happen. It gets into the food and tastes like standing in a dried-up wheat field in a hot, late-summer day. And it tastes like something an old Spanish man has been drinking at the exact same time everyday for 60 years. In a world of superlatives, this is not something to call some superlative. It's a nice, quiet, evocative drink. A teeny-tiny small moment in the glass. It simply makes you smile.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Like a nice, meandering walk through a quiet city on a hot day.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$11 for food, $6 for wine =<b> $17 </b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: CHEESE!</span></b><br />
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<b>Food Details:</b> Dog storm anxiety, zero sleep because it, and the resulting aborted trip to Milwaukee to watch the Angels led to Bill's Drive-In for lunch and Jimmy's Pizza Cafe for dinner. CHEESE! Oof.<br />
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<b>Cost: $40 </b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Halloumi, Heirloom Tomatoes and Garlic Bread with 2014 Santo Assyritiko Santorini</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprXnQQzAAeo0Za_wKyjBfcuJIUzZ5Qjk3dEK9dQUlchQJ-MV5kPvA9UCqh6tBBqY7iHzViKA2nwRC0JIqGJdHeARuVHGaMqj04qVnRrw-onlavcrwSZIuNo8EUjWf4oiJB8JgXS3W3Yj-/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+10.13.50+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprXnQQzAAeo0Za_wKyjBfcuJIUzZ5Qjk3dEK9dQUlchQJ-MV5kPvA9UCqh6tBBqY7iHzViKA2nwRC0JIqGJdHeARuVHGaMqj04qVnRrw-onlavcrwSZIuNo8EUjWf4oiJB8JgXS3W3Yj-/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+10.13.50+AM.png" width="73" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Fried halloumi; heirloom tomatoes, (<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/tomato-onion-and-roasted-lemon-salad-51242150">Ottolenghi</a>) slow-roasted yellow tomatoes, roasted lemon slices, red onion, pomegranate seeds, fresh oregano, evoo, white balsamic; pea shoot salad with mint; garlic bread<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW4Og0pHIQD-u0Ohla7qW8ROQJrWk-VlIgIMZ5QpKJileklbnz7S7o9P3iNQ75HZocjwWXYcBHlqZoYrzgTHhjTUZxPq4R3AW8kVoxx-LCUhySjzhz4GK_ZfqCjrgylRi6zxwipbS28wE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.31.42+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW4Og0pHIQD-u0Ohla7qW8ROQJrWk-VlIgIMZ5QpKJileklbnz7S7o9P3iNQ75HZocjwWXYcBHlqZoYrzgTHhjTUZxPq4R3AW8kVoxx-LCUhySjzhz4GK_ZfqCjrgylRi6zxwipbS28wE/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.31.42+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Did We Like It?</b> For some reason, we didn't eat "tomatoes as meat" last year, not spotlighting them as much as we had in the past. Good to have them back. And good to have the first, real, spring "GARDEN! on the plate" meal of the year. Tons of freshness, bite, planty deliciousness everywhere. The fried halloumi with bread is always great, but the star here was everything else: heirlooms, spectacular roasted lemon slices and yellow tomatoes with its roasty-ness contrasting with the freshness of the pea shoot salad, mint and fresh tomato chunks. It's the kind of meal everyone should eat once a week. Resets the body. Except don't follow it up with more cheese the next day, like we did.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Sigalas Assyritiko has been the undisputed assyritiko winner in our house for years. But finding an assyritiko that's cheaper than the $23 price tag on the Sigalas would be nice. So here's a $15 alternative that plays above the price difference between the two. Salt, fruit, minerals and zip in a cheaper, slightly more subdued package than Sigalas. It's nice, I might buy it again, but can't fully commit. And BUT, as mentioned above, the Lila Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough in 250-ml cans showed that uber-cheap canned wine has come a long way of late. From the company that makes 90+ Cellars wine, we didn't love the rosé, but the sauvignon blanc brought lovely levels of grapefruit, mint and acid without bringing too much of any of it. It's refreshment in a can; nothing serious but it's not meant to be taken so. Huge surprise, particularly since New Zealand sauvignon blanc isn't something we love in the least. Typically it's too much muchness. Not here. <br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Greek whites have a specific food place in our house. This type of meal is one of those places, but it's also a meal that can go with a flurry of higher-acid, minerally whites. This meal was very pleasant with the Santo, offering everything we needed with the food to find completely acceptable, even lovely at times, pairing pleasure. But with the surprise of the can, and the mint-mint matchy-match in the food and wine, there was an odd level of...grace...in the can of sauvignon blanc that won the night. Who'd a thunk?<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $15 for food, $20 for wine = <b>$35</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Anne Burrell Chicken Milanese with 2015 Broc Cellars Picpoul Luna Matta Vineyard Paso Robles</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4q-QNWoxVp-ZwBkOX08HkqAjdIuFZGiLMybnQBeEXRMIySOjM6_AvYk2OZgotn2b0zs2pKlp1WVjcfQzV-ewYGTDeAjIQsBWbsYVKHzEWizKHtwiua1LLbACv8G-viMtKGJaHC5qwIIXo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.48.40+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4q-QNWoxVp-ZwBkOX08HkqAjdIuFZGiLMybnQBeEXRMIySOjM6_AvYk2OZgotn2b0zs2pKlp1WVjcfQzV-ewYGTDeAjIQsBWbsYVKHzEWizKHtwiua1LLbACv8G-viMtKGJaHC5qwIIXo/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-05-05+at+9.48.40+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Anne Burrell chicken Milanese, pickled onions, shishito peppers and watercress salad, pecorino/hazelnuts/parsley/lemon zest crumble, and ciabattini buns.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Mrs. Ney doesn't know why, but the crust on this version of Ms. Burrell Milanese was the best we've had since she started making this superlative meal four years ago, covering dozens of eatings. And probably the best version overall once we discounted the newness factor of the first few versions. The shishitos and watercress brought a raw-bitter element that drove right up to the "too much!" door but never entered. A Capital-G Great meal.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Disagreement. Both of us found goodness in the glass here. Mrs. Ney loved it, I found an ever-so tiny oxidized, maybe bottle shock (?) note that I couldn't fully get past. Tons of orange-fennel in many forms with this vintage it seems (which is only <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/search?q=broc+picpoul">our second of this wine</a>). Mrs. Ney loved its balance, tiny salt hit and acid integration, I found it the smallest bit tired, like it went into its shell and wasn't going to give all it had. We'll see how the other three bottles drink. Should be fairly soon.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>Same as above. Mrs. Ney found loveliness all around, I wanted more.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $13 for food, $30 for wine = <b>$43 </b> Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-90735149318075434032016-04-28T10:32:00.002-07:002016-05-21T09:11:36.264-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #42<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3Y7hGCHm3etpgqh6yW5-1SQOa-YOrT66UZ5OX7gfamPC-34oDUf9uQgbj3zefbl5CUs8IjYyZKwE-14ixxWdFS3Vtbh2f0lj-A3qmP0ScM7B0V7MY42u-IAUVa96wfiT9nTSyO93PfbJ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3Y7hGCHm3etpgqh6yW5-1SQOa-YOrT66UZ5OX7gfamPC-34oDUf9uQgbj3zefbl5CUs8IjYyZKwE-14ixxWdFS3Vtbh2f0lj-A3qmP0ScM7B0V7MY42u-IAUVa96wfiT9nTSyO93PfbJ/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>Chicken, lamb and country ham.<br />
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Fennel, Castelvetrano olives, faux pomme frites, rye crepes, gruyere, onion, fava, radicchio, asparagus and watercress.<br />
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Fennel pollen, lemon, preserved lemon, garlic, herbes de Provence, basil, mint, tarragon, walnut oil, pink peppercorns, parsley, honey, soy, chiles and white/regular balsamic.<br />
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That was much of the first three days of food this week.<br />
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Good week.<br />
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<i style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, freeserif, serif;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Total food and wine cost for the wee</span><span style="color: #0b5394;">k:</span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"> <b>$103 for food and $153 for wine = $256</b></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday: Picadillo with 2014 La Paca Garnacha Calatayud</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM1lRi0girBFqwUwlXgm7-vWt3QDQJJ0tUSNR4MDpNLWnF6PSIx56gChl0ff15mUcEzasovdq1AxIV0EZzgdKN4jf85vHkt7kbbE5WqjwutUNag6m30dF8qMdk6-jcI7fszO6vLimSVeQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-09-28+at+9.05.24+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM1lRi0girBFqwUwlXgm7-vWt3QDQJJ0tUSNR4MDpNLWnF6PSIx56gChl0ff15mUcEzasovdq1AxIV0EZzgdKN4jf85vHkt7kbbE5WqjwutUNag6m30dF8qMdk6-jcI7fszO6vLimSVeQ/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-09-28+at+9.05.24+AM.png" width="104" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Sam Sifton <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016814-picadillo">picadillo</a>, subbing red "ancient chile" pepper and smoked paprika instead of chorizo, currants instead of raisins, plus fresh oregano, over rice.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's beefy, tomatoey, spicy-sweet bouncy, olivey. It's Cuban stew over rice and it's quite good.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> $7 Trader Joe's Spanish grenache. Bright cherries and plums. Ripe. A bit of smoked meat and tobacco. Low tannins. Medium-to-light. Easy-breezy Spanish drinker. Friendly for $7.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Cuban stews focus on balance and bump. They're one-pan stews with everything thrown in there, giving a little of everything but rarely too much of any one thing. That allows an easy red to weave into the food and pick up what it wants to without being overwhelmed or surprised by something it doesn't want to be. This grenache works. It's not spectacular or memorable, it's just what Spanish grapes do with Cuban food: Like it.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $6 for food, $7 for wine = <b>$13</b> <br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Saturday: Indian Carrot Salad with 2014 Amancay Torrontés La Rioja </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaa3PT98nEI0y8nTErTWsbNMCMiCuJ2RkprTYqPkEzBTmK2qWZ9WAdhlmD7t3mmNf37OFY0TiBxiSh1DpT7bMZ98nYK6LNUZGnnf-xFnq-Fb6p3bCCdWGhdyQ55L6k7KaknFackJnNNdbv/s1600/IMG_0744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaa3PT98nEI0y8nTErTWsbNMCMiCuJ2RkprTYqPkEzBTmK2qWZ9WAdhlmD7t3mmNf37OFY0TiBxiSh1DpT7bMZ98nYK6LNUZGnnf-xFnq-Fb6p3bCCdWGhdyQ55L6k7KaknFackJnNNdbv/s200/IMG_0744.JPG" width="100" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>House staple. (<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-oliver/indian-carrot-salad-recipe.html">Recipe</a>) Crisped-up ground lamb with garam masala. Carrots and shallots dressed with lemon, ginger, cumin, peppers and olive oil. Sesame seeds. Kale as a base green. Naan and <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014947-yogurt-raita-with-chile-and-mint">black mustard seed raita</a> on the side.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Oh, my, yes. Been awhile since we had this. A weekday and weekend meal, because it's that good. And was here.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>Trader Joe's $7 torrontés, which has just enough flowers, just enough acid, and just enough cheapness at $7 to have a place in this house with the type of food we eat.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Floral notes help counter the spice and heat, and that's what it did on this night. Nothing amazing, but a basic elemental interplay usually leads to a happy meal.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$13 for food, $7 for wine = <b>$20</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Orecchiette with Sausage and Rapini with 2014 Rosa dell'Olmo Gavi Piedmont</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTBE0f9lEKzh30KvSHgG_TIQEXgLZHHQKlB9OGzHdadVaxlV5dMhwCinfgD45ukTN8RyR9Tdx9SzwEcBu_vg_C8wPzSFEMWFOA6gTx31tWFpr6WxH7NxuZSxmK8dTShkqFb_thEu2L_c3/s1600/Gavi-2014-225x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTBE0f9lEKzh30KvSHgG_TIQEXgLZHHQKlB9OGzHdadVaxlV5dMhwCinfgD45ukTN8RyR9Tdx9SzwEcBu_vg_C8wPzSFEMWFOA6gTx31tWFpr6WxH7NxuZSxmK8dTShkqFb_thEu2L_c3/s200/Gavi-2014-225x300.jpg" width="127" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Orecchiette with (ground pork turned into) sausage, rapini, onion, red pepper flakes, parsley, bread crumbs and evoo.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> A nice batch. A once-a-month thing. A big bowl of meaty, bitter, spicy, herbal, carby goodness.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>Trader Joe's Gavi done well. Dry, crisp, lightly floral, peaches, medium-bodied. This drinking showed its age. A lil jumbled in flavor and order.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>No complaints. Missed on having its typical perky cut and pause that says "this wine is $8?" with this food, but no real complaints.<br />
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<b> Cost: </b>$7 for food, $8 for wine = <b>$15</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Big Greek Salad with 2013 Jackys Preys Cuvée de Fié Gris Touraine</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5l6yseMCQUL4aM9Q06xjpeV6VIxJbxL5ONrX0BYlHuKGg1LJN1-AJpUd76nJgpORgLtwoHeuvNxcBIZp8QjK13yixevsBVG6nZf60R_sQR9Uz81J1aNtkJ3LISgRaYYP2TDnZF-I18Eld/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-12-10+at+9.49.14+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5l6yseMCQUL4aM9Q06xjpeV6VIxJbxL5ONrX0BYlHuKGg1LJN1-AJpUd76nJgpORgLtwoHeuvNxcBIZp8QjK13yixevsBVG6nZf60R_sQR9Uz81J1aNtkJ3LISgRaYYP2TDnZF-I18Eld/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-12-10+at+9.49.14+AM.png" width="65" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Big. Greek. Salad. Consisting of leftover chicken, cucumber, yellow tomato, red pepper, scallions, jalapeno, feta, olives, dill, oregano on arugula with evoo and white balsamic.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>Enormous and delicious! Delicious and enormous! Eat your veggies. Here's a great way. Just dump a bunch of "veggie stuff" in a bowl with other things you like, mix and eat.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> This 2013 is still super-duper juice. Natural, floral, Asian-fruity. Almost frothy-beery but never gets there. We've loved this wine over the last few months and this drinking was no different.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> That frothy-beery business helped with the saltiness of the feta. A fine-and-good pairing that reminded us why this wine is so funky-wonderful.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $9 for food, $19 for wine = <b>$28 </b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Country Ham and Asparagus Rye Crêpes with 2014 Day Wines Malvasia 'Mamacita' Applegate Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGaCFAP5rJ5bTUuvayVDnGNaCpI2tulAOh7ORjhbfdcw1EQNP3XjeMqYac_bVTHk0Yaiuqy70S-XMDdl5bda0HyZJ3sDQoM9paMu04lA2JslkvnneCTqlOa9uLmgKmiEDF4vPWiglLBM7/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-09+at+8.49.09+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGaCFAP5rJ5bTUuvayVDnGNaCpI2tulAOh7ORjhbfdcw1EQNP3XjeMqYac_bVTHk0Yaiuqy70S-XMDdl5bda0HyZJ3sDQoM9paMu04lA2JslkvnneCTqlOa9uLmgKmiEDF4vPWiglLBM7/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-03-09+at+8.49.09+AM.png" width="68" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> David Tanis <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018065-buckwheat-crepes-with-asparagus-ham-and-gruyere">ham and asparagus crêpes</a>, using country ham from Paulina Meat Market and rye flour in addition to buckwheat flour. 12-month Gruyère cheese with the country ham and grilled asparagus as filling. Watercress salad drizzled with walnut oil. Big honking plate of crêpes with salad. California brunch bistro food.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> I was skeptical. Mrs. Ney wanted country ham and this was the first search result and recipe of the day on <i>NYT Cooking</i> the day she looked. Magic! One note on the recipe: use more batter for each pour into the pan. Too tiny/delicate otherwise. One might think that, after a few bites, this would grow monotonous. Nope. Not even close. Delicious right to the last bite. Fresh, clean, filling and lovely. We went from thinking this might be a once-every-two-years thing to "I'd eat this again every spring. At least."<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> One of the good things about <i>NYT Cooking</i> (and there are many) is when Mr. Asimov chimes in with wine pairing recommendations. Go to the bottom of the recipe link and you'll see him say, "<i>If you prefer wine...The United States is also producing more good, dry sparkling wines. Look for those labeled pétillant naturel, an ancient method that is a sparkling equivalent of cider.</i>" WE HAVE THAT! Sparkling, pet-nat malvasia from Oregon! And it's probably the wine of the year for us so far. Big mouthfeel of orchard fruit skin to start, transitioning to a sunny, white flowered, yeasty core, and finishing with a refreshing, lemony acid and perk.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Tasted so gosh-darn intentional in terms of pairing, like they were made specifically for each other. Interweave your fingers. That's what it tasted like. Lovely stuff together.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$20 for food, $28 for wine = <b>$48 </b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Ottolenghi Lamb Rosettes and Radicchio-Fava Salad with 2014 Alloy Wine Works Grenache Rosé Central Coast</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFn8f1exguf9ebNkpkpxpoKxIyLfijEYLuk3oD8R03S56WywHBHz3ziQNTtSSGEg_f3wIfOvmgqEV9KNDo6Prs1x5UZCz-1Ec59mOlE8ESwsy_4VwzjxlCbsDE97flBUfaBIygr3iCbqcN/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-10-19+at+10.40.56+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFn8f1exguf9ebNkpkpxpoKxIyLfijEYLuk3oD8R03S56WywHBHz3ziQNTtSSGEg_f3wIfOvmgqEV9KNDo6Prs1x5UZCz-1Ec59mOlE8ESwsy_4VwzjxlCbsDE97flBUfaBIygr3iCbqcN/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-10-19+at+10.40.56+AM.png" width="96" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Mr. Ottolenghi <a href="http://eattherightstuff.squarespace.com/blog/2008/8/6/ottolenghi-marinated-rack-of-lamb-with-coriander-and-honey.html">lamb recipe</a>, subbing Paulina Meat Market lamb "rosettes" (skewered lamb flank) and swapping out coriander for basil. Lamb marinated in a blitz of parsley, mint, basil, garlic, chile, honey, olive oil, soy, lemon juice, balsamic and water; seared medium-rare. Grilled radicchio, farro and fava bean salad (very roughly based on <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/23/broad-bean-salad-lamb-recipes">this recipe</a>) with preserved lemon, feta, basil, mint, pink peppercorns, etc. Lamb and salad.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>Beautiful-Beautiful-Beautiful lamb with a salad that said, "I'm full of Great Stuff. Eat me. You'll like me." Bitter, herbs galore, real big punch. Loved it.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>We've probably drunk 25-30 of these cans of pink from Field Recordings over the nine months. The second the 2015s show up, we'll be buying 25-30 more. This drinking helped us feel better about the few left in the house. Started to fade into a nondescript rosé the last couple of drinkings, this time a perky bitterness emerged to complement its watermelon brightness.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> The saltiness of the feta, bitterness of the radicchio, and hodgepodge of herbs kept us away from a red. Needed a catch-all we didn't care too much about and the Alloy rosé performed admirably once again. A guzzler that brings the happy for $7 a can.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$30 for food, $14 for wine = <b>$44</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Roasted Chicken, Fennel and Olives with 2012 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe La Crau Blanc</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZciU10uEL6CvTuuECpG91S1_jXS4LysOfiJxH-6CDj3WMuDArIuL-jsXMeoTHiEWj9xa2SaShOMIMXWU929l5mLOg2IITCvwF0yXCL_dSt0kFk2See70UdZL2s7-NBYpZpLcObrbZ2MxV/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-28+at+11.24.06+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZciU10uEL6CvTuuECpG91S1_jXS4LysOfiJxH-6CDj3WMuDArIuL-jsXMeoTHiEWj9xa2SaShOMIMXWU929l5mLOg2IITCvwF0yXCL_dSt0kFk2See70UdZL2s7-NBYpZpLcObrbZ2MxV/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-28+at+11.24.06+AM.png" width="53" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> <a href="http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/casserole-roasted-chicken-with-garlic-lemon-and-watercress-salad/">Jeremiah Tower</a> roast chicken (Whole Foods - air-chilled), rubbed with fennel pollen, white pepper and salt, roasted with fennel, onions, Castelvetrano olives, garlic, lemon, tarragon, and herbes de provence (deglazed with white wine). A mixture of Tower chicken and <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/07/dinner-tonight-crispy-braised-chicken-thighs-with-olives-lemon-and-fennel.html">Thomas Keller chicken with fennel and olives</a>. Sam Sifton <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016335-steak-mock-frites">faux pommes frites</a>. Watercress salad drizzled with walnut oil.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> My golly, yes. Juicy chicken, gorgeous watercress from Edgewater, all the fennel-olive goodness that comes from Mr. Keller's recipe... A delicious dinner.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine? </b>Two 375-mls of Télégraphe blanc that sort of slipped through the cracks due to not having this meal for a good long time. It's a nearly perfect pairing and we reserve this wine specifically for this meal. Sherry and honey notes are starting to show up and they're magically delicious. Smoked orange peel, pineapple... Lower acid now, with its body taking over and giving all we needed. Like La Crau and López de Heredia had a baby. Smoky minerals. We loved it. A huge surprise. We always drink this blanc pretty quick. Now we know it's still wonderful with a bit of age.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Still one of the best pairings in the world in our book, this time in a different form. Wonderful stuff.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$18 for food, $70 for wine = <b>$88 </b>Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-37344248982021760192016-04-21T08:56:00.002-07:002016-05-24T07:54:57.859-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #41<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqy8bq1hREb4PXteLUcazMmqtS8H3ZtRidFnB7BOz5ygEbJ0G9vqqkOW_SzAN0rikhtjBhyphenhyphentZkNWfQXXleMNXXSoivNeUyxCp8QJ9vZ-R7zknUn3nP4B8Y3_F5pbYzGNQTCtaWEj1SdpN/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqy8bq1hREb4PXteLUcazMmqtS8H3ZtRidFnB7BOz5ygEbJ0G9vqqkOW_SzAN0rikhtjBhyphenhyphentZkNWfQXXleMNXXSoivNeUyxCp8QJ9vZ-R7zknUn3nP4B8Y3_F5pbYzGNQTCtaWEj1SdpN/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>Ever watched a movie you should have seen decades ago? I watched <i>Gandhi</i> for the first time last night. Yep. First time. Never seen <i>Chariots of Fire</i> either. Probably should take care of that.<br />
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The first season of 'The Americans' only made me think that the rest of the series is them <i>almost</i> getting caught every other episode, with them <i>almost </i>breaking up in the other episodes. Keep it. I have hundreds of hours of terrible Angels baseball to watch. <br />
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And I can't wait to see in what unique way the Browns screw this one up.<br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Total food and wine cost for the week: $126 for food and $91 for wine = $217</i></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Sunday: Salmon and Bagels with 2015 Charles & Charles Rosé Columbia Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKRxNUdxuDgLB4QyeE3yQQBfrbOxGG10qXesE0Ws2m_QJUEN96b6eLg1XWpybvLW65Jqj2Ce-iFCi2bmuX_d-wsuyrf4501hyW_ScrKbRIlp0lA_IqJ8mdSZvrYfHmOGhm4weUUwEDjyX/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-25+at+9.53.15+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKRxNUdxuDgLB4QyeE3yQQBfrbOxGG10qXesE0Ws2m_QJUEN96b6eLg1XWpybvLW65Jqj2Ce-iFCi2bmuX_d-wsuyrf4501hyW_ScrKbRIlp0lA_IqJ8mdSZvrYfHmOGhm4weUUwEDjyX/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-25+at+9.53.15+AM.png" width="67" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>Trader Joe's cured salmon, avocado, clover sprouts, cream cheese (with dill, cilantro, serrano, onion and lemon zest), bagels, and tomatoes for me.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Leaves us clean, full and feeling healthy every time, even with bagels and cream cheese. We have it probably 8-10 times a year.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> More Charles Smith rosé (this one a collaboration with Charles Bieler). 63% syrah, 12% mourvedre, 10% grenache, 7% cab, 7% cinsault, 3% counoise from Columbia Valley, with Mr. Smith's VINO being 100% sangiovese. Both are a house favorite. When the new vintages come out, at least six of each are immediately bought. This year's has a watermelon-earth back and forth with bright acid. Not as evocative or deep as a couple vintages ago, but has a playful, perky side that's welcome. And it was a stupid-ridiculous $8 at Target (!) when we bought it.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Not great. Felt like two co-workers who go through the necessary pleasantries because they have to be in the same space while on the clock, but no friendship will be forming anytime soon.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$22 for food, $8 for wine = <b>$30</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Big Fried Chicken Salad with Leftover Wine</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjq_LDTXIBsG5BXqFMwlGfBJwZNTq6s4Lf0rlvwMPiaKRMdLVqDHZ19_PvXXWIYXvhTvzrf-Djz6ZI-VTcB70iYeicImc2CfE2MmPECmjEi8CVRQD5RBdmwi7LB_QbS9m7GlT4APL1n3X/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-25+at+9.50.46+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjq_LDTXIBsG5BXqFMwlGfBJwZNTq6s4Lf0rlvwMPiaKRMdLVqDHZ19_PvXXWIYXvhTvzrf-Djz6ZI-VTcB70iYeicImc2CfE2MmPECmjEi8CVRQD5RBdmwi7LB_QbS9m7GlT4APL1n3X/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-25+at+9.50.46+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> 'Southern style" Aldi frozen fried chicken cutlets, cheddar, green pepper, onion, peas, kumatoes, pretzel-bread croutons, romaine and homemade honey mustard dressing. All ingredients in a big bowl, mix, eat. Don't even use a table. Sit on the couch, put the bowl on your stomach and go to town.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Nostalgia food! Tasted like 1998 Bennigan's, and that was a pretty darn good thing. Tasted like my 20s. Does Bennigan's still exist? <br />
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<b>How Was the Wine?</b> Mrs. Ney had better luck with leftover Joel Gott sauvignon blanc than I did with leftover Schwarzböck Grüner Veltliner, which was terrible. Tasted like Pledge.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> See above.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $11 for food, $0 for wine = <b>$11</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: Fava-Ramp-Carrot Top Strozzapreti with 2014 Schwarzböck Gruner Veltliner Austria</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZG1AKTnf_wcCdYIQ9AiXBddTmDQD5lIF5v2SVQ8XIrj_e5xSvNGrfpkbcdvUU2spUh2zSC7VM5XmTWW6_zL3mlPtcxpB_hLW9Nyi5PhsPUS0V8aVNU72RQ0lJsdhYCFJIOvZ2N9yfRwX/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-23+at+11.48.37+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZG1AKTnf_wcCdYIQ9AiXBddTmDQD5lIF5v2SVQ8XIrj_e5xSvNGrfpkbcdvUU2spUh2zSC7VM5XmTWW6_zL3mlPtcxpB_hLW9Nyi5PhsPUS0V8aVNU72RQ0lJsdhYCFJIOvZ2N9yfRwX/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-23+at+11.48.37+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Favas, ramps, carrot-top pesto, ricotta salata, marjoram, parsley on strozapretti<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> First uber-spring meal of the year. Green and green with a side of green, and it was rampy and carrot top-y in the bestest sense. Happy. Very happy.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Fine. Lemony with green hints and fine acid. Cheap grüner in liter form that has served us fairly well over the years.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Less "fairly well" this time. Not much intermingling or interplay.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$20 for food, $13 for wine =<b> $33</b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Thursday: Zucchini Goop with 2015 Charles Smith VINO Rosé Columbia Valley</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrsxqBmvEoxCM58KWE0opsizH4QcCV4M1DRsTj9eNTS-zeyLtBDcVptnbuguIE8XQB-Y3q6gIRH0eeXTWII_TmvosmiV5wKq-b_9YWRuYeH7OlxsKLdP5PhyZTkppXCBEzLotbuBZjtvh/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-23+at+11.45.48+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrsxqBmvEoxCM58KWE0opsizH4QcCV4M1DRsTj9eNTS-zeyLtBDcVptnbuguIE8XQB-Y3q6gIRH0eeXTWII_TmvosmiV5wKq-b_9YWRuYeH7OlxsKLdP5PhyZTkppXCBEzLotbuBZjtvh/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-23+at+11.45.48+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Based on a recipe from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mexican-Jane-Milton/dp/1572155140/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442844908&sr=8-1&keywords=mexican+jane+milton">Mexican</a></i>, by Jane Milton (page 186), with the addition of <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017246-fresh-green-chorizo">green chorizo</a>, from Melissa Clark in <i>NYT Cooking</i>. Cook your chorizo. Remove from pan, and then brown onions and scallions. Add garlic and four [previously salted and rinsed] sliced-into-sticks zucchini, sautée some more. Add a can of tomatoes and sliced pickled serranos; sauté briefly. Dump in chorizo, warm through. Turn off burner, add half a block of cubed cream cheese to melt in residual heat. Fresh oregano, tons of dill and parmesan. Ancient Grains bread to top with zucchini goop.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Bready, porky, touch spicy, vegetabley, happy as all-get out. This version brought a very good dill-heat balance.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Sangiovese rosé from Mr. Charles Smith. Bright cherry fruit, pretty earth, medium-bodied, super-duper rosé happiness. We'll probably go through a case by the end of the year. Because it's delicious and because it's $10.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>The wine LOVED the dill. Very good version of zucchini goop with a very fresh rosé that liked the food. Do need much else.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $10 for food, $10 for wine = <b>$20</b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Wednesday: Hummus, Laffa and Fattoush with 2015 Broc Cellars Sparkling Chenin Blanc Central Coast</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aa47CVHCeImvX8FRvB_hhVBk1HKM6H8O74gf44yazX-A8SbUE9cVMD4Lf5hziMq3KpOO3WwWeaMAW6dHQtgrp1QtLF87BUOoOYb_-qjhLX-T_DylfJXHxt1WN1DwwvbMl7MeifTqcvxq/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-21+at+10.37.09+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aa47CVHCeImvX8FRvB_hhVBk1HKM6H8O74gf44yazX-A8SbUE9cVMD4Lf5hziMq3KpOO3WwWeaMAW6dHQtgrp1QtLF87BUOoOYb_-qjhLX-T_DylfJXHxt1WN1DwwvbMl7MeifTqcvxq/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-21+at+10.37.09+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Hummus <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017734-zahavs-hummus-tehina">here,</a> laffa <a href="http://forward.com/food/322553/talking-salads-with-michael-solomonov/">here</a>, fattoush <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014705-fattoush-with-dukkah">here</a>. Third making of this meal. Hummus somehow less bright and clear than in the past. Greens too wet, but fine enough flavors bouncing around to enjoy it. Homemade za'atar again helped immensely. Laffa instead of pita this time, which is the same recipe as pita but rolled thinner and bigger. Better than pita.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Good enough was my overall thought. But this wine... Curse the heavens that it's sold out!<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Pet-nat chenin blanc from Broc. 11.5% alcohol from Central Coast (that in itself seems like a miracle). We got three in our club shipment this year. Crazy-fresh peach, peach fizz and pit in a glass. Crystal-clear fruit that tastes like San Francisco morning sunshine - cool, bright, head-clearing. Five stars, Mr. Brockaway. You're ridiculous.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Wine ruled the night and slid into the food well enough. Nice dinner.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $20 for food, $27 for wine = <b>$47</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Argentinean Skirt Steak and Empanadas with 2009 Quinta do Vallado Tinto Douro</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujpWV9bGoHfe7Vo_GJbXIuwRluvRx5Dse8iJGjtOogjLhCMHjsCsnUnEoA3r4sDndjM94dOG0KI9P8eReczVKFGOYiwlFbG-CmJ2sqdMUvaWhYUQSyCPX6HDpM9F-q4cdF3hTnF9LrxS6/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-21+at+10.16.40+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujpWV9bGoHfe7Vo_GJbXIuwRluvRx5Dse8iJGjtOogjLhCMHjsCsnUnEoA3r4sDndjM94dOG0KI9P8eReczVKFGOYiwlFbG-CmJ2sqdMUvaWhYUQSyCPX6HDpM9F-q4cdF3hTnF9LrxS6/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-21+at+10.16.40+AM.png" width="62" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Most beautiful medium-rare on some of the beautiful beef we've had in a long time. Paulina Meat Market skirt steak in <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/churrasco-argentine-grilled-meat-marinade-456280">churrasco marinade</a>. Chimichurri to top and dip. Empanadas filled with kale, potato, onion, Petit Basque cheese, currant and garlic. A bit of arugula under the beef.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>Best meal of the week and probably the best since Fish sauce-sauce game hens! Gorgeous beef, delicious empanadas, what else does anybody need?<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Dry, savory blackberry fruit, perfect earth, lovely hint of spice, great balance. Vallado's tinto is the best $20 and under red wine in my book. This thing is over six years old. Find me another $20-and-under, six-year-old wine that drinks like this and I'll give you...something...how about a hug? Tastes like the air of a mid-August Iowa summer (which is the air of the Douro all the time) in the bestest sense.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> The chimichurri beat it up the smallest wee bit, but overall this was so stupid-good.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$27 for food, $17 for wine = <b>$44</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Fish Tacos with Argus Cidery Tepache Pineapple Wine</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5jiuW0VXgELWY6VryOEpbBHmpcLGWxWOSrd64Mw4O0uMzHRcqcdHSba17CG133f-738PEpgfRaZXhKHw4PogF50qlWke4qpnNPn7XUiPFjvenKA6uCo5_4C-zul0qze5y7QnvIO8Ji_b/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-01+at+8.47.13+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5jiuW0VXgELWY6VryOEpbBHmpcLGWxWOSrd64Mw4O0uMzHRcqcdHSba17CG133f-738PEpgfRaZXhKHw4PogF50qlWke4qpnNPn7XUiPFjvenKA6uCo5_4C-zul0qze5y7QnvIO8Ji_b/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-01-01+at+8.47.13+AM.png" width="67" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>(<a href="http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2009/napa_sonoma/recipe_fish_tacos_duncan_gott.shtml">recipe</a> - don't mess with it) Mahi mahi marinade = shallot, garlic, jalapeño, olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cilantro and cumin, then fish cooked up in cast-iron. Cabbage slaw. Homemade guacamole. Jalapeño crema. Hot sauce. Charred tortillas.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Why has it been so long, fish tacos! This batch had a complete balance of flavor. Perfect hit of everything needed to find fish-taco joy. And a perfect kickoff to a great food weekend. <br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Pineapple wine made in Texas. We're fans, ever since having it at Minero in Charleston. Spicy grilled pineapple in a bottle. Frothy, almost beer-like but never all the way there. It demands you to pay attention to it in the best way.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Strangely better than we expected, and we expected to love this. Purple Corn Sangria is great with fish tacos, but purple corn sangria can be a bit of work, particularly when you don't want to do said work and pineapple wine exists. Argus killed purple corn sangria and we're just fine with that.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $16 for food, $16 for wine = <b>$32</b><br />
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Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-88988464565947301852016-04-14T09:11:00.000-07:002016-05-24T07:54:31.600-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #40<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-17EP1LCKOitoWKDErxc06NbrfEhPiboyemObfdFMrdOUs2OR2k_BqKLtHUkmJRjJ7IYvCvJ5cy2aaMMKs-0qtL2BnV5sJNi4vkmZ0-9LD6u-am0Et70FZK4S4gauqAgB9NBXUCUSubX/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-17EP1LCKOitoWKDErxc06NbrfEhPiboyemObfdFMrdOUs2OR2k_BqKLtHUkmJRjJ7IYvCvJ5cy2aaMMKs-0qtL2BnV5sJNi4vkmZ0-9LD6u-am0Et70FZK4S4gauqAgB9NBXUCUSubX/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>A certain <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/search/label/2007%20Quinta%20do%20Vale%20Me%C3%A3o">Portuguese wine</a>, in 2013 form, that is NEVER available in Chicago has popped up at a certain Chicago wine shop, Vin Chicago. We haven't seen this wine on any Chicago shelf for years, usually shipping them in and paying the premium. At $90, it doesn't get cheaper.<br />
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Put me out to pasture. I got a lil too excited about the prospect of a new vacuum cleaner this week. Get. Older.<br />
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September vacation plans are underway and <a href="http://www.lafiermontina.com/">this place</a> looks infinitely intriguing.<br />
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And by September, I may have to be out of town as Chicago as a baseball town promises to be wildly stupid.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Total food and wine cost for the week: $120 for food and $142 for wine = $262</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
<b style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'times new roman', times, freeserif, serif;"><i>Total food and wine cost for the month: $987 for food and $1312 for wine = $2299</i></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Sunday: Lou Malnati's Pizzas with 2012 Trader Joe's Barbera Lot #88 Mendocino County</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4aUqFwG2ZSn8a6oU0XCY-75Gh_Fg8PscOMWskI43EZMcXyA6vq9Mt4Od5a0Xy3hEuwxgq6qWOziLGLRraGpmW3BjdkZe_L_B3cBQSSiLVkd3j3j5s5eNFi9L2les1Yz44IqWU_uJ6WswF/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-11-09+at+8.26.36+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4aUqFwG2ZSn8a6oU0XCY-75Gh_Fg8PscOMWskI43EZMcXyA6vq9Mt4Od5a0Xy3hEuwxgq6qWOziLGLRraGpmW3BjdkZe_L_B3cBQSSiLVkd3j3j5s5eNFi9L2les1Yz44IqWU_uJ6WswF/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-11-09+at+8.26.36+AM.png" width="120" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Sausage for her, pepperoni for me. Kale salad for both of us.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Pizza snobs say they "never eat Chicago pizza." Eat. Me. 2-3 times a year, it's delicious.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Oddly fresh. It's 2012, it's cheap, it's Trader Joe's California barbera. Everything says this wasn't going to be freshy-fresh or lifty. It was, which is a good thing, because we have three more left, as these 2012s got lost in the wine shuffle over the last couple of years.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Pizza and barbera. It's what's good. Juicy with acid, making for a good match with tomato sauce.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $30 for food, $10 for wine = <b>$40 </b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Wild Boar Dirty Rice with 2014 Amancay Torrontés La Rioja</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqq1fPH6TYC7CwRMrvEDYXIntMBXdpwBlP5RiR6O1lIFoS3Wicp5iIyZ-cwa4RYa_5uRZ9s9X-nsfFqzHuViJYnntcYlgQksbNJ2qPpK7oTljB_tWdl3iLc-5MgQpddwlvFP_TbaPZcol6/s1600/IMG_0744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqq1fPH6TYC7CwRMrvEDYXIntMBXdpwBlP5RiR6O1lIFoS3Wicp5iIyZ-cwa4RYa_5uRZ9s9X-nsfFqzHuViJYnntcYlgQksbNJ2qPpK7oTljB_tWdl3iLc-5MgQpddwlvFP_TbaPZcol6/s200/IMG_0744.JPG" width="100" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>Susan Spicer's wild and dirty rice <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/wild-and-dirty-rice">recipe</a>, via <i>Food and Wine,</i> using leftover wild boar from Tuesday instead of ground pork. Andouille chicken sausages, wild rice, mirepoix, chicken stock, herbs, wild boar, chicken livers, chopped scallions on top.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's a big, honkin' bowl of rice chockablock with meaty, herby, Cajun flavors. This was a Great Batch.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> More TJ's torrontés. Flowers, acid, fruit, cheap.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>Did what gewürztraminer does with Cajun food: serve as a foil for everything in the bowl in the best possible sense.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $10 for food, $7 for wine = <b>$17</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Friday: YO-marinated Chicken Breasts, Chermoula, Avocado, Kumato, Cucumber, Arugula and Bread with 2013 La Val Orballo Albariño Rías Baixas</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BBSHEu7SAUmlvcSqFf9-bCf6iOVQMVI_1bsaBT7-DbGEO3Y5rLFCyKjMCFHwTxd08hPw3CGBFTcDgCH21RlfN6ruMp0LLIn423NnIqhD7WhiB6ya-RXP0YmzQLnhjPu2EvGCzLjMqRdI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-16+at+10.48.19+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BBSHEu7SAUmlvcSqFf9-bCf6iOVQMVI_1bsaBT7-DbGEO3Y5rLFCyKjMCFHwTxd08hPw3CGBFTcDgCH21RlfN6ruMp0LLIn423NnIqhD7WhiB6ya-RXP0YmzQLnhjPu2EvGCzLjMqRdI/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-16+at+10.48.19+AM.png" width="60" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Cheap bone-in chicken breasts marinated in leftover Ottolenghi <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jan/30/tahini-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi-chilli-fish-roast-cauliflower-sprout-burnt-butter-black-garlic">three-chile sauce</a> from last week and equal amount of evoo. Chermoula sauce (cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika, chile pepper, white wine vinegar...) from <i>The New Book of Middle Eastern Food</i>. Avocado, kumatoes, arugula, cucumber and mini-ciabatta buns. Rip, top with combination of ingredients of your choice, and eat. Repeat. It's pick and choose.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Stupid chermoula. It's delicious. Bevy of flavors bouncing everywhere. Delicious. Always. It's Good Food.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Stupid Orballo. All the other albariños under $20 try, but nothing beats the fruity, pitty, parsley-leaf-like, minerally, aggressive, confident goodness that is Orballo. And it wasn't even at its freshy freshest. Still perfect to us. Every time.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>The spiciness in the chermoula beat up the wine a bit but we didn't care. This was Good Food and Good Wine. On a Friday (our Tuesday). Lucky.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $10 for food, $18 for wine = <b>$28</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Black Bean Soup with 2015 Dark Horse Rosé California</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAr9z5gJFoorBsoEyYGkx0CaQYKxtzf4XAxPzK38Q_qcw2VSwVmoT3TGwhDNNftA9lLQrQFlExbxcOlZZh9hJAjIdJgm1hTs6tHTdAhT-A6AZR6KRqZDy0gFRRn8eS-OhEv3VOr-yfKbq/s1600/dark_horse_rose_15_750.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAr9z5gJFoorBsoEyYGkx0CaQYKxtzf4XAxPzK38Q_qcw2VSwVmoT3TGwhDNNftA9lLQrQFlExbxcOlZZh9hJAjIdJgm1hTs6tHTdAhT-A6AZR6KRqZDy0gFRRn8eS-OhEv3VOr-yfKbq/s200/dark_horse_rose_15_750.png" width="76" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> No recipe. Whipped-up black bean soup using a hambone, chipotle and cumin, topped with tortilla chips, cilantro, sour cream, and cheese for me.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>IT MADE A LOT OF SOUP! And I've eaten it three times in the last three days. Clean you out! Soup doesn't inspire grand visions of delicious dinner for me, but this was fine soup. Simple, clean, filling.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> $7 rosé from Dark Horse, a bargain California brand that's seemingly everywhere in town right now. 40% grenache, 20% barbera, 20% pinot gris, and 20% tempranillo. Nothing wonderful, but a 2015 freshness was present, the pinot gris REALLY showed up here, and it served our black bean soup needs. In moments, I got a big Charleston Chew hit.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing? </b>Food and wine. Nothing more than that, but good enough.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $5 for food, $7 for wine = <b>$12</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Barberry Boar with 2007 Angela Pinot Noir Clawson Creek Vineyard Willamette Valley </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyNClXEOnffbMWVzvr6Uyxs7jhZ5BhtmpUght26gQONxUuHxGctZZ5jfAozBOu-7oc3_ZuRHxYmlfghpaYmKaHkwNX-pSoGM8rn1uG68GMxQbtGshlAWO-YtHIfw_eTTsf-cBV5r0X6fe/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-14+at+10.56.15+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyNClXEOnffbMWVzvr6Uyxs7jhZ5BhtmpUght26gQONxUuHxGctZZ5jfAozBOu-7oc3_ZuRHxYmlfghpaYmKaHkwNX-pSoGM8rn1uG68GMxQbtGshlAWO-YtHIfw_eTTsf-cBV5r0X6fe/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-14+at+10.56.15+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details: </b><a href="http://www.americanpistachios.org/recipes-and-snacking/recipes/barberry-almond-and-pistachio-braise-najmieh-batmanglij">(recipe</a>) A chicken recipe that Mrs. Ney typically <a href="http://foodwithwine.blogspot.com/search?q=barberry">does with beef</a>, this time was done with wild boar shank. Slow-roasted boar, barberries, rosemary marcona almonds, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, rice, mint. Roasted Brussels sprouts.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> It's just boar. Mainly, it was in the freezer because Mrs. Ney tacked it on to a D'Artagnan order to get to free shipping. Boar is fine and good, but rarely is it more than that. Here, it served as fine template-vehicle for everything else. Barberry perk and lift, spice-marrow juice, all the goods. We love this recipe for just that. Iranian dinner that we love every time we have it.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Here's an example of a well-crafted Oregon pinot noir that nearing the end of its run, yet still brings complexity and intrigue with every sip and each one was different. Sometimes dark cherries, other times wet leaves, iron at times, birch beer-sassafras others. Every sip wasn't delicious, but every sip was interesting and welcome. Very drinkable and quite fun to watch the progression. <br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Worked. A slight sourness in the cherry fruit matched up with the barberries quite nicely, and enough in the way of guts in the wine helped to stand up to everything on the plate. We were very happy with this one.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $15 for food, $50 for wine - <b>$65</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Fritto Misto with NV Cantina Sociale del Canavese Erbaluce di Caluso Spumante</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfuSid-w2PbVIqtqLRnd-4XqbjrtUhn8hhOeXal77DeNaIG3tAFzqPocP0xkvYd7Hp3MDiTl1MZA_0PHLzgdSX3_Ag-ZBsXApTCmfk6hUSXYqt6dume8goQDOkbCa2IVuN4jFwCjZl7oh/s1600/IMG_0771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfuSid-w2PbVIqtqLRnd-4XqbjrtUhn8hhOeXal77DeNaIG3tAFzqPocP0xkvYd7Hp3MDiTl1MZA_0PHLzgdSX3_Ag-ZBsXApTCmfk6hUSXYqt6dume8goQDOkbCa2IVuN4jFwCjZl7oh/s200/IMG_0771.JPG" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details: </b><a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017127-fritto-misto-di-mare">David Tanis</a> <i>NYT</i> fritto misto. Bay scallops, calamari, shrimp, dover sole, fried up. <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9391-tartar-sauce">Gabrielle Hamilton</a> <i>NYT </i>tartar sauce, arugula salad to finish.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Just look at it! When you don't want to leave the house, go down to Nico Osteria and get their fritto misto, here's an option that I frankly thought was better. Frying each fish-seafood separately seemed key. Great textural contrast, fresh batter. Arugula salad to finish so we could trick ourselves into thinking something nutritious was involved in this meal. Perfect.<br />
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<b>How Was the Wine?</b> We'd never heard of the erbaluce grape. After this, we want more. Sparkling erbaluce from north of Turin. Creamy pits of pit fruits to open, then it turned into a bevy of bright sherry notes with lemon peel popping up later. Long finish, delicious, and VERY interesting all-around. Most likely has been sitting in the bottle a wee bit too long for this grape, but we sorta loved the snot out of it.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> By no means a perfect fried-food-and-bubbles pairing, but everything separately and together was oh-so wanted and loved. Great meal.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $16 for food, $34 for wine = <b>$50</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: Nando's</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdY5hMjf37Vh7rVFalPXFwSHzqI8us8CsLbMW5k83cQ1sNB4e9t82v_8HwkquHsDLWZyjbOCHjswZCcTwmCA31madN0WbVt9EgJXx95QVGz4IhE7lf15iIcmbUWXKv1gmnk68J4Y9xvr2m/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-21+at+8.58.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdY5hMjf37Vh7rVFalPXFwSHzqI8us8CsLbMW5k83cQ1sNB4e9t82v_8HwkquHsDLWZyjbOCHjswZCcTwmCA31madN0WbVt9EgJXx95QVGz4IhE7lf15iIcmbUWXKv1gmnk68J4Y9xvr2m/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-21+at+8.58.26+AM.png" width="200" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> "I want a big plate of hot chicken and an enormous glut of fries with a bottomless amount of spicy mayo to dip them in." If that is a dinner thought, then go to <a href="http://www.nandosperiperi.com/menu">Nando's</a>. Whole chicken in hot peri-peri. Two sides of fries. Four sides of peri-peri mayo.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> For $60 with a bottle of wine, tip, no cooking or dishes, it's a great deal.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> 2014 Cara Viva Branco Lisboa. Zippy, fruity, crisp, cheap Portuguese white wine. Nothing spectacular, but fine refreshment, and acid that stood up to the peri-peri in admirable ways.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> It works. Again, Nando's overall is not earth-shatteringly great. It's simply a whole hot and spicy chicken, tons of fries with mayo and a bottle of wine for $60 out the door. It wins in the cost-benefit analysis of end-of-week tiredness vs. roasting up a chicken and frying up fries at home. Just go to Nando's. <br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $34 for food, $16 for wine = <b>$50 </b>Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3081403228892756990.post-2438277292100022262016-04-07T08:03:00.000-07:002016-05-21T09:11:09.456-07:00365 Days Of Food And Wine: Week #39<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIE3Fxgh7W0GJTKQHXuwWhyGBt1W2eiTWQZmkBUrBmJXzlGjoL7HC_4oC4KHfCjEEaIP5Mk2DWkWgTn8ntAImff-tlZnMWQ5u7OZ7TSIBLBh3PEAXKXh5qB5qxP1yB35pu8KH32rrs7uj_/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIE3Fxgh7W0GJTKQHXuwWhyGBt1W2eiTWQZmkBUrBmJXzlGjoL7HC_4oC4KHfCjEEaIP5Mk2DWkWgTn8ntAImff-tlZnMWQ5u7OZ7TSIBLBh3PEAXKXh5qB5qxP1yB35pu8KH32rrs7uj_/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-07-16+at+12.31.21+PM.png" width="200" /></a>In about 3 1/2 months, we'll be done with this 365 experiment.<br />
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At the end, we'll do a breakdown of protein, veggies, grapes, cost, etc.<br />
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It will be laborious to compile, but I think quite interesting to see how the entire year ate-and-drank out.<br />
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And I'll have the time to do it, because my favorite baseball team, the Angels, are one Garrett Richards injury from being easily one of the worst teams in baseball.<br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Total food and wine cost for the week: $113 for food and $104 for wine = $217</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Sunday: Spanish Hotel Picnic with 2015 Barbadillo Palomino Fino Cádiz</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTV_-00ylyGwAEMWbcnSP8PIItGJSNszrx-US1ScUfdO1M4sreZQa-03Jrce9bs8r0So8C8oGMFm8nozYck2syumiApXfFx0lOHzYK3KfhsmwJ06wrrAVsjzYTZq-lD5Yv1R-lKVtrBue/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+9.57.52+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTV_-00ylyGwAEMWbcnSP8PIItGJSNszrx-US1ScUfdO1M4sreZQa-03Jrce9bs8r0So8C8oGMFm8nozYck2syumiApXfFx0lOHzYK3KfhsmwJ06wrrAVsjzYTZq-lD5Yv1R-lKVtrBue/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+9.57.52+AM.png" width="53" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Petit Basque cheese, La Quercia borsellino salami, quince paste, marcona almonds, salad, baguette.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> When you're in Spain and just finished a long car trip to your next city (maybe your fly-out city like Madrid), you check into your hotel, really haven't eaten outside of your last hotel's breakfast and a travel granola bar, and need to get some sort of food, any food. If you've planned well and chose a hotel near things, like a Hipercor (or Carrefour), and wander into the strange and glorious K-Mart/Mariano's hybrid that is Hipercor and buy a quick mid-afternoon snack to tide you over until your 10pm dinner reservation. So you buy a spread. Meat in salami form, some cheese, bread, some nuts, maybe some quince paste. All of it is rather cheap and you'll have a true spread of food to lay out on your hotel bed to eat, watch some weird game show on Spanish television that you can't, for the life of you, figure out the rationale or rules of, and enjoy a brief rest from traveling before taking a stroll around town. In other (and shorter) words, this meal tastes like vacation, particularly a part of our Spanish vacations that we've done many times. And you need a wine. It should be cheap and it should be something you can't taste at home. Like un-sherried palomino. <br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Trader Joe's palomino in not-sherry form. We love how the label says it's "fruity." Nope. This is categorically not fruity. This is dry, clean, savory as hell, light, refreshing, dry, and dry. It's a blank slate. Add food that likes it and things happen. It gets into the food and tastes like standing in a dried-up wheat field in a hot, late-summer day. And it tastes like something an old Spanish man has been drinking at the exact same time everyday for 60 years. In a world of superlatives, this is not something to call some superlative. It's a nice, quiet, evocative drink. A teeny-tiny small moment in the glass. It simply makes you smile. <br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Tastes. Like. Vacation.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$22 for food, $6 for wine = <b>$28</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Saturday: Rick Bayless Tomatillo Chicken with 2015 90+ Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYKRV1dGG4_eaJKRNlEZ9q-mxCJw5Vy369hhxx-VaVtLrfqIdrcSC9elgTtmp4QdIbg1ijckPxecZiv-jjKIJn3qnOsBz0nQAketHvJb2fCWKVShCc_v4p5WZ3_4QdhQ7nOQ_u7SmTBwW/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-10+at+10.01.27+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYKRV1dGG4_eaJKRNlEZ9q-mxCJw5Vy369hhxx-VaVtLrfqIdrcSC9elgTtmp4QdIbg1ijckPxecZiv-jjKIJn3qnOsBz0nQAketHvJb2fCWKVShCc_v4p5WZ3_4QdhQ7nOQ_u7SmTBwW/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-10+at+10.01.27+AM.png" width="63" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> From Mr. Bayless (<a href="http://www.bowenappetit.com/2011/01/05/chicken-with-tomatillos-potatoes-jalapenos/">recipe</a>). Layered in the crock-pot: onions, potatoes, chicken, cilantro, tomatillos, pickled jalapeños and juice; salting each layer through the tomatillos. Four hours on high. Over rice.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> Always. This version was much less spicy than usual, but didn't detract from the joy that is Crock-Pot tomatillo chicken.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> In our effort to replace the cheap, weekday, Trader Joe's sauvignon blanc, which hasn't been delicious or interesting for a couple of years now, we gave this one a go. Nothing revolutionary at all, but nice. Crisp, clean, bright tropical fruit with a modicum of depth that satisfied, just enough, our weekday sauvignon blanc jones. At $9, it's an option, but we're still searching.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> The wine had a bouncy tropical fruit bubble gum brightness by itself. That was gobbled up by the food, turning into a more subdued, pleasant quaffer that paired moderately well. Nothing great, but after a couple of wine clunkers this week, it was nice to have something that gave an effort.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $8 for food, $9 for wine = <b>$17 </b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Friday: Sandwich with More Leftover Wine</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyr6ou6VXEplLc7JsHmPw_p73-BDFQzNyrCZ6Og-6XmnvE9Lk64tKdyUsB8RUIbMF-rjB5aX3UL_hJUygDVEfYYQckqi7kqNQJD5gMWKTwFUbJE98KQtQ6sckw4kiJaVnqK_cGr-2-VZSR/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-07+at+9.47.01+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyr6ou6VXEplLc7JsHmPw_p73-BDFQzNyrCZ6Og-6XmnvE9Lk64tKdyUsB8RUIbMF-rjB5aX3UL_hJUygDVEfYYQckqi7kqNQJD5gMWKTwFUbJE98KQtQ6sckw4kiJaVnqK_cGr-2-VZSR/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-07+at+9.47.01+AM.png" width="72" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Italian subby-type sandwiches filled with capicola, genoa salami, mortadella, provolone, onions, romaine, kumatoes, vinaigrette and mayo on Harvesttime Italian bread.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> We like sandwich so much that it's now referred to in the singular in this house. This version of sandwich had all the meaty-cheesy-goopy goods in one Italian-American sub shop-like package. Damn fine sandwich. And made A LOT!<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> More using up of fridge wine. Finished off the Lagar de Cervera, and the drinking further confirmed that this albariño ain't fo' us.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Tasted like sadness.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $25 for food <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Thursday: Puttanesca with 2014 Charles Smith VINO Pinot Grigio Columbia Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupxQjapxG9fXkl38SVrggONANYolK59qfzWXhMeHqPELJXVns0UCQsUU9L3JO8l0VH8AgQkuNx89yZ1hZvsRYWAJbDxl-YUzJxrEZG9_ijILGNahOHovU5uJV_3LJdxwtKtCrSB_JBG3t/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-12-04+at+12.18.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupxQjapxG9fXkl38SVrggONANYolK59qfzWXhMeHqPELJXVns0UCQsUU9L3JO8l0VH8AgQkuNx89yZ1hZvsRYWAJbDxl-YUzJxrEZG9_ijILGNahOHovU5uJV_3LJdxwtKtCrSB_JBG3t/s200/Screen+Shot+2014-12-04+at+12.18.56+PM.png" width="56" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> Linguine puttanesca consisting of gaeta black olives, capers, briny green peppercorns, anchovies, garlic, red pepper flakes and extra virgin olive oil.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> A fine pasta bowl. We liked it. Yes.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Using up wine in the fridge. We love Charles Smith's pinot grigio for its zip, fruit and cheapness. But it must be fresh. This 2014 showed as other 2014s have of late - getting a little tired and lacking chisel, cut and verve.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Nothing to see here. Move along.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $8 for food, $11 for wine = <b>$19</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Wednesday: Ottolenghi Three-Chile Fish and Pickled Potatoes with "Wine"</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9rRFZQ5tDNJX41u7Afw4Jjpa7eKWSE1AdJxQpZlnE6SCJ_XcpeigxHHLy6dNaZuSvvvB5fzxZ0z0D6mNjivhDCSjIGCl2mdE3C1AHkmQaS843TBlN0uwPXXXfmR9m4BI8-AWJCD-oc0F/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-07+at+9.47.01+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9rRFZQ5tDNJX41u7Afw4Jjpa7eKWSE1AdJxQpZlnE6SCJ_XcpeigxHHLy6dNaZuSvvvB5fzxZ0z0D6mNjivhDCSjIGCl2mdE3C1AHkmQaS843TBlN0uwPXXXfmR9m4BI8-AWJCD-oc0F/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-07+at+9.47.01+AM.png" width="71" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jan/30/tahini-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi-chilli-fish-roast-cauliflower-sprout-burnt-butter-black-garlic">(recipe</a>) Mrs. Ney tried a recipe that's been sitting on the computer desktop for too long. Three-chile fish from Ottolenghi, using smoked milkfish, with a harissa-tomato sauce and tahini. Solomonov <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fried-pickled-potatoes-harissa-tahini">pickled potatoes</a> to dip and dunk in harissa-tomato and tahini as well. Parsley. Arugula salad to finish.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> A fine one-off. Fine enough, but wouldn't have it again. Clean and light, with a sneaky depth. And I could eat tahini seven days a week.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Huge fail across the board. Finally found some level of acceptable with a bottle of Trader Joe's torrontés after opening a 2014 Lagar de Cervera Albariño Rías Baixas and found an unacceptable lack of salinity and acid for our albariño taste. Came off like a wine that would only work with the simplest of seafood prep, like octopus with the tiniest amount of lemon spritzed on top, or the simplest of oysters, which isn't how we eat. We need some guts. This one is too delicate and soft. Shame, because I've been looking forward to this one, as it's made by the La Rioja Alta people.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Dud.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$15 for food, $26 for wine =<b> $41</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tuesday: Bittman Fish Sauce Game Hens and Scallion Pancakes with 2010 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese Mosel</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfS4TogpbSiz-r5RLyhyJ9U8i55Bb8PBXxspFomHTAuLVlbi3I8DH0TQoN2LzYfG8A56CPjEP5hyphenhyphenU5J4t3GTc26Cea3oXJ-k6JfYs21fuOl8qy5p4yLJghBkwB5vy583nIw-BzsHbfimUz/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-07+at+9.27.39+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfS4TogpbSiz-r5RLyhyJ9U8i55Bb8PBXxspFomHTAuLVlbi3I8DH0TQoN2LzYfG8A56CPjEP5hyphenhyphenU5J4t3GTc26Cea3oXJ-k6JfYs21fuOl8qy5p4yLJghBkwB5vy583nIw-BzsHbfimUz/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-04-07+at+9.27.39+AM.png" width="76" /></a><b>Food Details:</b> From Mark Bittman's <u>The Best Recipes in the World</u>, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=nOE1x-FztIoC&pg=PT851&lpg=PT851&dq=bittman+best+recipes+vietnam+cornish+game+hen&source=bl&ots=7uLQWx2zOJ&sig=8EYNERd4g1yN1iU9wCT7So-FrZI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAGoVChMI0peXjeScyQIVhKA-Ch0X1wah#v=onepage&q=bittman%20best%20recipes%20vietnam%20cornish%20game%20hen&f=false">Vietnamese cornish game hens</a>, page 334. Lucky Peach <a href="http://luckypeach.com/recipes/carrots-and-red-onion-with-spicy-fish-sauce-sauce/">spicy fish-sauce sauce</a>. Crispy <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/06/grilled-scallion-pancake-recipe.html">scallion pancakes</a> from Serious Eats. Charred rapini.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It?</b> After Pok Pok, this was the meal we were most excited about, and it's probably our favorite meal right now. A piece of scallion fry bread with some ripped game hen on top and a healthy dose of fish-sauce sauce might be a perfect bite of food. You have to like salt to really dig in and LOVE it, but we do. It's a shame there are about three people in our life that would get why this is the Best Food, because it's pretty damn perfect food.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> Tasted like the ripest apricot we've ever had. Lower acid, but beautifully balanced sugar with its acid. The nose alone reminded me why we need to drink more German riesling. Smells like the feeling I get when I realize I'm reading a Great book, at that exact moment about 40 pages in, when I feel how everything is coming together.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> About as lovely as we could expect. A higher acid riesling might have brought more electricity, but the balance here was perfect. Happy-happy-joy-joy all around.<br />
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<b>Cost: </b>$22 for food, $27 for wine = <b>$49</b> <br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Monday: 'Kansas City BBQ' Sirloin and Fries with 2010 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Columbia Valley</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTH601NS6349Wp3SxZcnC_YpIl9dNnETIrkdFfwOe0OxR030rK6n3rNtmyTjypyh-cLGZ0Tv02OW4YIg42ZoupV-sWOEfoGTXeqSb31NCj3LhTuIsCgPbXMwEex0971OfzmmhJfcDBzqxD/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTH601NS6349Wp3SxZcnC_YpIl9dNnETIrkdFfwOe0OxR030rK6n3rNtmyTjypyh-cLGZ0Tv02OW4YIg42ZoupV-sWOEfoGTXeqSb31NCj3LhTuIsCgPbXMwEex0971OfzmmhJfcDBzqxD/s200/Picture+1.png" width="58" /></a><b>Food Details: </b>Meat and potatoes. Trader Joe's 'Kansas City BBQ' Sirloin steak, frozen fries with charred scallions-rosemary-garlic-balsamic mayo for dipping.<br />
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<b>Did We Like It? </b>We did. Sirloin ain't our thang, but Mrs. Ney bought it to have in the house for an easy dinner after our New York trip. Both of us probably wanted a burger and fries more, but this version of meat and potatoes brought enough of that to satisfy.<br />
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<b>How Was The Wine?</b> A mix of syrah from different Washington Vineyards around Columbia Valley, The Ex Umbris was usurped by the Marietta Cellars line of juicy, bouncy, red blends over the last 2-3 years in our world, mainly because pure syrah on the more bargain end of the cost spectrum can be oddly finicky with food. Pleasant here, with black fruits, tobacco and a moderately big black olive nose. Nice acid, more than expected. A good showing for a wine we haven't had in quite awhile.<br />
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<b>And The Pairing?</b> Pleasant again. Missed on a complete roundness, depth and full-blown presence, but succeeded in bringing what we want from a basic steak and fries meal with a red wine that completes said basic goodness.<br />
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<b>Cost:</b> $13 for food, $25 for wine = <b>$38</b> Christo P. Neyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07408082470519836473noreply@blogger.com0