Dinner with Chris

Or as I like to think of it, HAM



and CHEESE!

Chris came over for dinner last night. Sometimes I marvel at how long I've known some people, and this case is no different. He and I swam together in Montreal starting back in '98 or '99, and while I've only been in Chicago since then, he's bounced to TO, Ottawa, and now to Vancouver. We're glad, frankly. He's terrific company, and we had a great time over dinner last night.

We set out some cheese, olives, nuts, and crackers when he got here and began on a bottle of Red Rooster Pinot Gris. By the time dinner rolled around, we were sipping the Blasted Church Hatfield's Fuse he had brought with him. But with dinner it was red wine, all the way. The Golden Mile Cellars Black Arts 2006 Pinot Noir accompanied the meal itself. And readers of this blog will have seen this plate, or a similar one, before. Braised lamb shank, asparagus, and a parsnip and leek puree. I was pleased with it. Nice!

I avoided chocolate for dessert, sort of. We each had a rhubarb crisp topped with vanilla ice cream (no, I did not make the ice cream, sorry). It was after the crisp that I rolled out some chocolate to nibble on, and the Summerhill 2005 Enchanted Vines Solus Foch capped the evening.

It may not surprise you to hear that we've tried to eat a little more moderately today.