No wine Monday with turkey (leftover) fried rice and salad
Tuesday clams on spaghetti (Judy Rodgers recipe) with asparagus and salad.
Cooking wine was the 2023 Broglia La Meirana Gavi. White fruits, melon, clean, light acids. B-/B
2024 Tiberio Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
Crisp, lemony, some peachy notes, chalkly mineral finish. B+
Wednesday had planned to take Betsy to city for a pre-birthday dinner, but realized it was Rockefeller Center tree lighting and didn’t want to be caught in gridlock. So took her to Talia in Port Chester. Great place.
Deviled Egg with Kimchi & Chive
Arancini with scamorza (crisp outside, smoky and nicely gooey inside)
A very cool Romaine wedge salad with radish, ikura, and anchovy vinaigrette
Perfect fried artichoke hearts with lemon/caper/yogurt sauce
I just did BTG
2024 Abadia de San Campio Albarino (Rias Baixas)
Pear, lemongrass, fresh and easy. B
Duck Breast with parsnip puree (wrapped in nori) hakurei turnip
NY Strip with kimchi butter, Brussels sprouts gratin
2023 Italo Cescon Pinot Nero (Veneto)
I thought PN would do well, but was a little nervous re Italy (and especially Veneto!). This was not what I expected, light with red cherries and pomegranate and a bit of an herby note. Really thought more like Gamay than PN, but wasn’t heavy or alcoholic as I feared. I wouldn’t go looking for this but did fine with duck. B-
Betsy took home dessert, a Torta di Cioccolata with orange zest and sea salt, which she declared her favorite dessert in recent memory. Really good restaurant.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.