- Cheese course: Basque Sheep Cheese! Tom's favorite, Abbaye de Belloc, and Ossau-Iraty, both raw sheep cheeses from the French Basque region. If you like sheep cheese, you'll probably love the Abbaye, it's just amazing. The Ossau-Iraty is a little more pungent and a little more rustic, but also very good. Both very nice paired with the Clio--the muskiness of the cheese & earthiness of the Mouvedre work well together & the acid and fruit balance the richness of the cheese nicely. From Oakville Grocery at Stanford.
- Salad course: Lima Bean & Roast Fennel Salad (with baby arugula & dandelion greens). Was a little skeptical, but this was yummy--mild, but the fresh flavors come through. Very light dressing with lemon rind. From the Oakville Grocery Deli.
- Soup course: Sauteed mustard & cumin seeds, garlic, chicken broth, white wine, crystal sauce, water, and fresh green beans. Finished with chopped tomato & served over chopped cilantro. Very nice brothy, "fresh" soup. Chef's Note: Don't try to use the rind from the basque cheese like you would parmigiana rind in soup. (This was take-two....)
- Meat course: Prime NY Strip Steak. Seasoned with salt, pepper, & pimenton, seared, & finished in a 425 oven for 3 minutes. Sliced & garnished with chopped cilantro & black pepper. Eaten as finger-food. Yum. Also a very good pairing for the Clio.
Lots of little bits, basically tapas style.
Wine:
- 2002 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio
A Mouvedre/Cab blend from a non-stellar vintage in Spain, but it's a very well-architected wine. Big fruit--more of a "new world" style. No flaws--which is almost a surprise with Spanish wines (they must get tortured in transit).
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