So, imagine COVID is over and you can finally enjoy a meal at home with close friends without masks, social distancing etc. You are in charge of food and wine, and you have decided on four bottles that you already own. What are you making and what are you drinking?
Some raw oysters with a dabble of caviar on top. Maybe some lobster and shrimp as well. Hell, make it a shellfish tower. Accompanied with a European Riesling or White Burgundy.
While just the thought of a beautiful evening with friends seems almost subversively appealing at this point, probably something like this (with the limitations of my rather meagre cellar):
A dozen oysters (per person, natch) with Egly-Ouriet Tradition
French onion soup w/ 2017 Ramonet Clos de la Boudriotte Rouge
Some seared strip steaks avec sauce béarnaise, 2005 Rauzan-Ségla
Cheese and a simple but delicious carrot cake with 2016 Château Coutet (it’s the only dessert wine I currently own, so my choices are rather limited!)
This was a nice daydream and a great idea for a thread.
Friends gathered around a big pot of steamed Moules a la Normande… some Belgian beers and Normandy ciders, crusty bread with grill marks. That could be supper in and of itself, but let’s say we make it a starter for
Reverse seared salt rubbed Flannery Jorge (or three) duck fat roasted potatoes, caramelized Brussel sprouts, homemade dark wholewheat honey bread with Hope Creamery butter. Served w crowd-pleasing 2006 Pax Syrah and a magnum of rose’ champagne.
I’ve been planning this in my head. Last minute, but inspired appetizers that magically go with white burg as well as french fries do, then Holy Grail ribeyes, mashed potatoes (Sara makes them with greek yogurt and dill), fried kale, maitake mushrooms and creamed spinach. Peanut Butter pie for dessert.
One thing I have missed a lot is the monthly wine dinners with my Burgundy group. I cannot wait until we can start getting together again. I will go to wherever and eat whatever. I just want us to be able to get together. That is what I have been dreaming about. Getting together again with my friends.
As to the wine theme. Well, it definitely will be grand cru reds. Could be general, could be specific to a villages, but very well could be Jacky Truchot. [I have traditionally organized the tastings so Truchot may very well be the theme.] With Champagne. Lots of Champagne. And, maybe, a flight of JJ Prum Auslesen? Or Zilliken Auslesen?
Right before ‘Rona hit I hosted our blind tasting group and provided all the wines—Seven Red wines, 6 similarly styled blend and 1 single variety. I also cooked.
Right after the ‘Rona I am doing 7 White wines, 6 of the same single variety and 1 blend.
Blue crab bread pudding
Grilled oysters with fresh herbs and lardo
Apricot butter chicken
Salmon rillettes
Mini flatbreads in the Ooni
Las Vegas. Staying at a great hotel. Going to a great/noisy restaurant. Then hitting a fun bar. Then a big show (music, magic, other). I want that again.
Appetizer: Home made citrus and salt cured gravlax on very thin crusty baguette sliced horizontal with assorted voluntary add-ons including caviar, chopped egg and creme fraiche (with 2006 Pol Roger Churchill).
Soup: Either Tuscan vegetable soup with black Kale and white beans (with Rhone varietal white) or Chinese-style Special seafood soup with shrimp, lobster and cod/haddock (with Aubert Reuling Chardonnay and Raveneau Blanchot Chablis).
Entree: Slow roast “Prime” prime rib, rubbed with a puree of garlic, Tellicherry pepper and fresh rosemary, with the same aromatics, in whole form, slid inside between the fat and the meat, roasted in the BGE over a blend of Westchester oak, apple wood and a bit of hickory (with 2010 MacDonald; 2007 Colgin IX and 2007 Scarecrow).
Sides: Creamed spinach made my way (a little fresh garlic, a little finely chopped onion, real cream and some fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano)
Duck fat fried julienne potatoes
Garlic bread made with a fresh sourdough baguette
Desert: Cheese plate with assorted cow, goat and sheep cheeses, all removed from refrigerator one day in advance (with 1908 D’Oliveras Boal Madeira)
NOTE: Menu designed for very little last minute work so I can sit and enjoy the food and wine and company. I have all the wines already except for the Raveneau, but I think that would go well with the soup