I like Monday night because Jesse cooks dinner on Mondays. To be honest, J makes dinner every night, but it's particularly nice to come home to on Monday, so I think it rates special mention.  The evening started out with a blind tasting of Alianca Vino Verde (Fail for me. I thought it was Trebbiano or at the very least, Italian. Meh.) I've had this producer before and it's very lightly and naturally effervescent, with a hint of RS--if you are used to Gazela, which has an assertive spritz, this is a different style, more old-fashioned. The meal tonight was Zarzuela, with a generous side of grilled bread for each of us. Oh deliciousness, you are tomatoes, shellfish and breadcrumbs. What a bright, savory meal for a rainy evening. Just as with risotto, it seems like too much food for two people, but then thirty minutes later, we're sopping up the juices and wishing for more. I also blind tasted for tonight's wine pairing, 2008 Bodegas Palacio de Fefinanes Rias Baixas. This is a nicely balanced Albarino with lots of trademark peach, saline and lemon-lime citrus. It was a great match for the tomato in the Zarzuela and paired well with the cheese, Idiazabal.  We pulled out two books during dinner: The Wine and Food of Spain which is 20 years old but our in-house reference book for Spanish cuisine as well as the ubiqutous Stephen Jenkin's Cheese Primer.

 

Famous wine writer, David Furer, called and said his "old Beemer motorcycle" needed to go to the shop. Fortunately, I was already driving down 101 and was able to swoop in and pick him up on the way to the 2010 Sommelier Journal Terroir Experience in Santa Barbara. We'll be tasting a lot of great Santa Barbara wine over the next couple of days. David insisted that I first sample his delicious "self-made, smoked & seasoned pork ribs" at his place in Santa Cruz before stopping at the famous 10th Street Basque Café in bustling San Miguel, right off the highway. Chef/owners Dallas and Caren cooked up a mean Basque lunch for us on the spot with homemade bread, broccoli soup, salad, and a delicious stewed beef dish. This is perfect wine food if you're touring wineries so stop there the next time you're in Paso Robles.

jessebeckerMS
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