Morning all, here's today's challenge.

Tomorrow Chris and I will celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary; after way too much partying for our 40th birthdays, we've decided to celebrate at home. In a short while, we leave for Whole Foods and based upon what looks appealing, we'll decide on our entree. Though we'll start with caviar and probably some prosecco. Our possible dinner choices are:

• Osso Bucco w/ Risotto Milanese
  
• Rack of Lamb with Roasted Potatoes
  
• Beef Wellington with some sort of roasted vegie (possibly Green Beans)

I've gone through our basement and here are the wine possibilities:

• '97 Fornacina Brunello Riserve
  
• '97 Cassanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova Brunello
  
• '97 Lisini Brunello
  
• '96 Quintessa
  
• '98 terre di Trini Sagrentino
  
• '97 Verrazzano Sassello
  
• '97 Dei Vino Nobile (I couldn't see but it may be a riserve)
  
• '99 Verrazzano Particulare
  
• '02 Seghesio Old Vines Zinfandel

So how would you match these up? Or do we have nothing that goes and we should head to the liquor store pronto? Oh we also have a ton of '99 Brunellos but I didn't bother listing them. I'm thinking Costanti, Uccelleria and some others I can't remember but will look if you think it's necessary.

So, have at it.

Kim, congratulations! Sounds like it's been a very good year in many ways!

All three of the meals sound wonderful. I can't help whatsoever with the wine, but I do have a question. Is this an intimate dinner for two... or can the rest of us come too????

Enjoy!!

Kathy

Not being a real expert, just a person who loves food and wine...I would drink a Brunello with whatever if that is a wine that you truly love. I think that it would go very well with the wellington, especially. For lamb, however, I am a big fan of great shiraz - love that bit of spice with lamb.

Enjoy your day; many more to come for you and Chris.
Sandra

Keem:

Although I don't know most of those particular bottles of wine, I'd think that just about any of them would go - depends upon what you like. Personally, I'm kind of partial to San Giovese with lamb, so any of the Brunelli would be good. The 97s would probably be bigger than the 99s that you have. If you decide on the beef, you might prefer a supertuscan to one of the Brunelli.... For the osso buco, I'm not sure. Looks like you have some good choices. You should email Dean - he's the expert on Tuscan wines, no?

David, I thought about e-mailing Dean but he's so busy, I hate to bother him. We just returned from WF and ended up with Rack of Lamb, roasted potatoes and asparagus.

Sandra, I have yet to meet a shiraz that I like - any suggestions, for the future though - if I don't have to make a trip to the wine store tomorrow, that would be better.

Okay - so two votes for Brunello so far. Oh and Kathy, if you and Charlie can make it, sure c'mon up.....just stop by WF and pick up another rack (Kelly can hang with the girls).

I would also go with the Brunello.

Is it possible to get a different vegetable? I find asparagus really tough to match with wine. Here's a good article describing why it is a challenge and some suggestions. You might be able to dress it up so it would match the Brunello. But to me, I'd switch veggies.

Kim,
Congratulations! What a great way to celebrate. The lamb and roasted potatoes sound wonderful and how can you go wrong with Brunello? As for the asparagus, the article that Marta gave the link to is very interesting. I like the one suggestion of doing an oven-charred asparagus with cheese and balsalmic vinegar - you probably don't even need the cheese. I would roast the asparagus with olive oil and use lots of salt and pepper and drizzle a balsalmic reduction at the end.

Are you doing a dessert course or a cheese course? Or maybe just a little Vin Santo?

-Krista

quote:

As for the asparagus, the article that Marta gave the link to is very interesting. I like the one suggestion of doing an oven-charred asparagus with cheese and balsalmic vinegar - you probably don't even need the cheese.

Marta, thanks for the heads up; I saw an episode with Michael Chiarelllo at Coppola and they said the same thing about asparagus and wine. We'll be doing the roasted asparagus with balsamic vinegar and a good dose of parmigiano regiano; I wanted green beans but Chris wasn't in the mood.

For dessert, Chris will probably have some cheese with some of Banfi's Florus that we brought home in May; I'll probably have a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some espresso and maybe a biscotti on the side.

Kim --- Can't help you decide but this sounds like a fantastic way to celebrate! Wow, 97 Tuscan wines ....what could be better.

Auguri, auguri

M

Kim--

Congrats!
Our anniversary is the next day (Oct. 30th) and I am planning a lavish stay at home dinner party for 2 also.

My idea, so far--
Stone crabs with prosecco
Lobster, someway??? with a special Calif. chardonnay from my very limited cellar.

Sauteed mushrooms
some green veggie.

See, I have an extra day on you...

Have a wonderful evening
jan

Kim, I think you have got your answer... I agree with Marta about the asparagus. Probably if you don't take a big bite of asparagus then a gulp of wine it will be OK (have a bite of something else first.) Asparagus makes red wine taste funny.

Also, I really need to come to New Jersey soon, so if I come visit you can we deep-fry and have some of this wine?

quote:

Also, I really need to come to New Jersey soon, so if I come visit you can we deep-fry and have some of this wine?

Absolutely!! As a matter of fact, we're talking about doing some fried calamari soon and maybe some fried sage leaves but Chris has an Italian Rose to try when we do that....I thought we were frying chocolate pudding when you came for a visit.

All these menus are making me hungry. I think roasting using balsamic is going to help with the asparagus.

Jan, that sounds like a yummy menu also.

Jan, I keep trying to think of how I'd prepare the lobster; there was a restaurant in St. Louis that used to make a lobster wellington (ouch); a seafood salad with pommagranite (sp) seeds, fra diavolo, tempura....or just steamed with butter - what are you thinking?

quote:

Also, I really need to come to New Jersey soon, so if I come visit you can we deep-fry and have some of this wine?

Are you serious? First you get to be an aunt and then you get to go to NJ ! Isn't life great.

See ya soon

M

Kim

I would do the Dei 97. The 97 Brunelli are pretty funky now, not young and fresh, not mature at all. The Quintessa might be ok but still young. DOn't touch the 99 Brunelli till '09 with the producers you mention. The 97's should beging to open well in '10 to 12. The Sagrantino should be killer but its a big choice of rack of lamb. But if you ahve a great cheese course with some blues or Pecorino di Fossa......

quote:

Originally posted by Kim:
there was a restaurant in St. Louis that used to make a lobster wellington (ouch);

Kim, which restaurant?...Bristol's or the University Club come to mind for me.

Congratulations, Kim and Chris! And how about having the asparagus with the caviar and prosecco, or as an intermediary course?

Congrats to you, too, Jan!

Dorothy, I like you're suggestion!

Dean, that's what I said, let's do the DEI it's sangiovese too but he said not sangiovese grosso (as if I know what that means)...hmmmm, we'll see.

Deborah, I think it was the 7th Inn (or something like that) but I'm not positive.

quote:

I think it was the 7th Inn

Ahh, Kim. There is a blast from the past. In the 60's The Seventh Inn used to be THE place that you went for dinner before your high school prom.

We haven't been there in at least 20 years. I completely forgot that they were known for their Wellingtons. It looks like, from their website menu, that they have replaced Lobster Wellington with Sole. http://www.theseventhinn.com

You know who else had a good wellington, The Cheshire Inn (if I remember correctly).

quote:

Originally posted by Kim:The Cheshire Inn (if I remember correctly).

Kim, don't eat there any longer. Bad experience touring their kitchen. Let's just say that there appeared to be a possibility of some 'bonus' protein in your meal.
As a disclaimer, I must say this was 10 years ago. We were touring the kitchen because one of my clients was considering using them to run the food service in their upscale retirement apartment complex.
Who knows, may be a completely different situation in their kitchen now. I'm just not ready to take the chance.

Phew, Deborah - it was at least twelve years ago that I was there; I can't believe we've been back in Jersey for 10 years!

Well, I'm back from shopping. The lobsters were
either small or huge so I got the smalls and one extra. My husband really wants them "just steamed" so I am luckily off the hook for a major cooking day. After all it is my anniversary, too. Ours is #26. What's yours Kim?

I got beautiful corn and green beans at the farmers market. I think I will roast the gr beans and remove the corn from the cob and just toss it in a pan with some olive oil (oops I almost wrote EVOO) and a little shallot.

Th stone crabs are newly in season and look great but you really can't tell by looking.

Happy celebrating, Kim.
The rest of you all can just open a bottle and toast anyway

jan