Rick and Julie are visiting for a couple of days, so after last night’s birthday party at Liz’s house- a pot luck in the grand tradition of our tribe- tonight was a more refined 3-course meal designed to highlight some great wine. First, a zucchini-shiso soup with minced serrano chiles for garnish paired with a 1989 Moulin Touchais Coteaux du Layon which had a rich sweetness that matched quite nicely with the creamy, slightly spicy soup. Then, a variation on frisée aux lardons, with our own frisée tossed in an egg yolk-mustard-lemon vinaigrette and topped with our shredded duck confit, paired with a 1983 Domaine Dujac Clos la Roche which shone ever brighter as the evening went on.
The final course was grass-fed sirloin, seared on the grill, and sliced over our mashed yukon gold potatoes with a red wine-coffee reduction, pan di zucchero mash, tiny whole potatoes crisped in duck fat, and leeks caramelized in the selfsame fat. This we matched with their 1989 (coincidentally) Kathryn Kennedy cabernet that had all the understated elegance of our refined take on meat and potatoes. Simple, local (mostly homegrown) food, old wine, and good company: an unbeatable combination. The cheesy tablecloth added rustic color and protects my Grandmother’s dining room table from wine-related mishaps.
No, sir. The tablecloth is adorable.
(And you are a masterplater.)
It works very well for pizza. It is amazing what a difference cutting the steak and dribbling sauce on it makes to the presentation.