What is it about AMAZING cheese and sublime wine that makes me want to roll around on the floor giggling like a schoolgirl? This weekend I had my sister (a sommelier and my brother in law… a “bama” fan) in town. Yes they spent some time at the rose bowl guzzling beer and yelling insults at the longhorns, but we also had some killer food and even a special bottle of wine from just down the road. Prior to having them over for dinner we had to take them to the Beverly Hills Cheese Store, which is not only my favorite store in the world, but a disseminator of all things heavenly. Beverly Hills is not the place to head for any sort of soul growth by any means, but this store saves the entire zip code. As the door cracks open the hit of funk is horrible for the uneducated, but warming and safe for me. Layers of cheese are holding you back from the counter and the well versed mongers stationed behind. A hint at your curdled goal will lead you down a path that will crisscross countries, ages, textures, tastes and terroir and end up with a hole in your wallet, but a full belly and a big smile. They are well versed not just in cheeses but cured meats, wines, and other epicurian delights like truffle salt. After about an hour of tasting and talking we wandered out the door with some beautiful cheeses and some Bellota Pata Negra. If you have never given your dominant arm for a taste of Pata Negra, please do. Imagine the finest acorn fed cured ham in the universe and then multiply it by 100000000000. The softness of the mouth feel is only surpassed by the fat that sticks to your lips…but that is where the high priced flavor is! The bag in my hand was heavy with La Tur, Epoisses, midnight moon, romano coated in rosemary amongst others. Epoisses is my all time favorite cheese. The stink can drive some people off, but I flock to it like no other.
These cheeses and a super bottle of 2003 Beaune 1er Cru Les Vignes Franches from Domaine Rebourgeon-Mure, a pinot that just made the cheeses sing, got the juices flowing and the conversation jovial. Dinner was some thick juicy pork chops that i brined all day and finished with a mustard cream sauce, pureed carrots with thyme and butter, roasted sun chokes and crispy kale chips. This was super yummy, but the local vino was amazing. A 2005 Moraga estates red, that comes from right here in Bel Aire (more on Moraga later).
Regardless of the sublime food and drink, it is the people that share it with you that make the meal. Having family come West is always a treat, and I am lucky to have one full of people who love food.
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