A quick turnaround weekend…

This was one of those "go home and re-pack weekends."  I arrived late afternoon on Friday, and Lady Wife and I decided to play in the kitchen.  We made pappardelle with a cinghiale ragù and porcini mushrooms, which we enjoyed immensely with a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino and a Tuscan loaf Lady Wife had baked that morning.  We started with a simple bruschetta of shaved black truffle, pecorino and olive oil. 

This is new to both of us, as I am usually the cook, and she the baker.  Working together on the same dishes, in the same kitchen, is a novel experience for us both.

On Saturday we had to drive to Greenville to present a wine & cheese party for 12.  This was done as a favor to our friend Claudia, who wanted to do something special for her brother’s 60th birthday.  She said they were just becoming "foodies" and wanted to expand their knowledge.  She had a $500 budget, and asked what I could do.  I gave them a sampling of 6 styles of cheese from very distinct regions, 3 French, 1 Swiss, 1 Basque and a surprisingly excellent New Zealand blue.  The wines were French, Alsatian, Spanish, Istrian and Portugese.  For those wanting the pairing details:

Brillat-Savarin – Nicolas Feuillatte Blue Label Brut Champagne
Tête de Moine – Trimbach Riesling 2009
Cazelle de St.-Affrique – Bastianich Adriatico Malvasia 2009
Basque d’Argental – Juan Gil 2009
Époisses de Bourgogne – Domaine de Nizas Coteaux Du Languedoc 2006
Kapiti Kikorangi – Fonseca Bin 27 Port

The Domaine de Nizas Coteaux Du Languedoc 2006 is a real gem.  I have a dozen cases of it in the cellar now, and you taste the Mediterranean in every sip.  And like all the wines I selected, it’s available and affordable.  (One request she made was that they would be able to find things they liked.)  The most expensive bottle in the group was the Champagne, at about $35. 

In typical NC fashion, they started the party too early for my taste (5:00PM), but the good thing was that it allowed us to get home by 9:30.

Sunday we basically stayed home and did nothing, except cook some Indian dishes and naan bread for dinner.  Then I packed, loaded the suitcases in the car, and left at 3AM for a drive to the airport.  Back in Omaha for the week, with dinner at The Grey Plume on Wednesday.  They bill themselves as "the nation’s most sustainable restaurant."  Curious to see that in action.