Dinner by Lamp Light

 

A beautiful Saturday night was the perfect time for dinner with friends in their garden.  Since it is getting dark earlier now, the table was lit by a hurricane lamp which gave the setting a romantic glow.

The table

Monte Rossa Prima Cuvèe Brut 85% NV Pinot Chardonnay 10% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Blanc. Soft pressing of the best grapes with no more then 55% of the total yield. Partially fermented in steel tubs at a controlled temperature and partially fermented in oak barrels. The wine has strawberry aromas and flavors with an undertone of brioche which added depth to the wine.

The first course was a spectacular  souffle  made  with  corn,  red  peppers  and  jalapeno.

It  was  so  good,  we  all  asked  for  seconds.  

Next we had grilled swordfish, marinated with sesame oil and soy sauce.

To accompany the swordfish, we had Sancerre “Les Baronnes” 2017 Henri Bourgeois made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The soil is clay and limestone. The wine is fermented in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks at 15 to 18 degrees C. The wine is aged on the lees at a cool temperature for 5 months before release. This is a crisp and fruity wine with citrus aromas and flavors with a touch of herbs, nice minerality, a long finish and pleasant aftertaste.

Grilled zucchini with herbs and fingerling potatoes  accompanied  the fish.

Swordfish, zucchini and potatoes on the plate

A nectarine and almond cake was our dessert.

With the cake, we had cinnamon ice cream, a recipe from Michele’s dessert book La Dolce Vita.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner in a Garden

Living as I do in a NYC apartment, it is nice to spend a few days in the “country” even if it is less than 45 minutes away. As I sat beside the pool at our friend’s house in New Jersey, I could watch various birds in the waterfall.  

This bright red Cardinal  really  enjoyed  his  bath.

The Table was set for dinner.

We started with Champagne

Larmandier-Bernier “Latitude” Extra Brut Blanc De Blancs NV. Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes which come from the same Latitude in the southern part of Vertus. There is 40% reserve wine in the blend and the dosage is 4g/l. The wine has hints of peach, white flowers, toast and a touch of almonds.

The first course was anchovies  on  burrata  cheese  on  homemade  toasts.

Champagne Marguet Grand Cru “Shaman 15” Dosage 0 g/liter. Bottled May 2015 made from 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay. The soil is chalk. The wine is fermented spontaneously. Fermentation and aging in new oak. The wine is unfined, no added sulphites and no temperature control. The wine is filtered. The winery is Organic/Biodynamic. Horses plough the soil. This is a full-bodied, complex Champagne with hints of yellow fruit and brioche.

Sancerre 2014 Clos de Beaujeu Gérard Boulay made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The vines are over 45 years old and the soil is Kimmeridgian Clay terre blanche similar to the soils of Chablis. The soil is worked manually, grapes are picked by hand and organic farming methods are used. Fermentation is in the barrel with natural yeasts. The wine is aged on the lees in a combination of barrel and tank then bottled unfiltered in July.  The wine has citrus aromas and flavors with a hints of grapefruit, herbs and nice minerality. There is a touch of sweetness on the palate.

Salad

 

Spicy shrimp in a Cajun butter sauce was prepared by a friend of our host.

The shrimp were served with baguette slices to soak up the sauce.

A spectacular Neapolitan style Rum Baba with fresh berries from a favorite local bakery was the dessert.

Marc De Bourgogne De Chambolle Musigny is fantastic!  A glass of this marc brought a perfect day to an end for me.