Today I went to pick up bagels at Donut Mart at 10:00 and talk to Tahir.
He was kind enough to give me 7 bagels and 8 oz. of cream cheese and we talked about business for a while.
While at Donut Mart I received a call from Rachel, so I returned home to meet with her and we prepared a letter.
She left at 12:30 and I decided to eat a light lunch. I filled a plate with romaine lettuce leaves, spread some PPI egg salad over the leaves and drizzled some Cesar salad dressing over the leaves also. Then I laid some of the PPI slices of Comte cheese on the two remaining slices of Nativo wholewheat bread and melted the cheese in the microwave for 22 seconds. Then I placed slices of salami on one slice and prosciutto on the other slice and drank water for a light lunch.
Suzette came home early and at 4:30. We decided to grill steak so I fetched an aged ribeye that had been rubbed with salt to thaw and then we rode to Rio Bravo and back.
Shortly after we returned at 5:45 Willy came by. We all agreed to eat dinner together and watch the second episode of the PBS Vietnam War series at 7:00 after Willy took a walk in the bosque. Suzette then cleaned and baked the last five russet potatoes in a 400 degree oven for an hour. I filled the steamer basket with broccoli and cauliflower flowerets and sliced seven medium portobello mushrooms and 2 T. of sweet onion and three cloves of garlic and plucked the leaves from several stems of tarragon and parsley.
Sautéed Mushrooms
At 7:00 when Suzette began grilling the steak and we turned on the heat under the steamed vegetables, I began by sautéing the onion and garlic in 1 T. of olive oil and 3 T. of butter. After a few minutes when the onions softened I added the mushroom slices and sautéed them for about ten minutes until they were coated with oil and began to lose their light color. I then added 1 ½ tsp. each of tarragon and parsley leaves and 2 T. of Amontillado sherry.
I opened and poured a new bottle of 2009 Chateau Le Grand Faurie that is Appellation St. Emillon Grand Cru controlee recently bought at at Trader Joe's. It’s 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 5% a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec for $17.99.
It was very smooth and had a bit of character but I can truthfully say that I enjoyed drinking the bottle of the 2012 Chateau Rouvier for $12.99 more (Trader Joe’s). The lesson to be learned here is the one that applies also to restaurants, a highly rated Winery or restaurant can produce a bad wine or meal occasionally. Also, there are new wineries that can produce great wine that were not in existence when the Appellation system and designations were created in the 1800S.
So a designation of Grand Cru is not always a guaranty of quality.
I sliced the steak that was cooked to medium. Aging beef will usually make it more tender, which will allow it to cook more quickly.
We enjoyed dinner and the Vietnam War episode on American involvement in Vietnam before the end of 1963.
Bon Appetit
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