This is why we moved up here; what began as a casual plan to get together expanded into dinner for 6, plus two kids. Chris & Sirkka brought some lamb chops, and I coated them in egg and soba then deep fried them (it would have worked better with rib chops, but oh well) and served them with tapenade that included half of a preserved lemon. John brought some brown rice and aduki beans, and transformed it into risotto with the addition of some radicchio, water, smoked duck fat from the fridge, and truffle oil. We also roasted a kabocha and 2 heads of garlic, which Danny mashed up with lots of oil, and seared a bunch of venison loin with the espresso rub on it, and steamed some shredded kale.
For wine, we began by finishing our penultimate 1999 Kistler “Les Noisetiers” and then tried a 1990 Chinon by Raffault (we like their rosé in the summer, but this was 100% Cab Franc) that tasted for all the world like a second Bordeaux with about 10 years on it. Then came 3 Barolos: a 1997 Borgogno Riserva, a 1998 Clerico Pajana, and most delicious of all, a 1989 Ceretto Bricco Rocche Prapò. Just incredible.
