Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Oh Comforting Fall


Lately I've been feeling a lot like moving to a warmer climate. I just love our hot summer days so much. But this past weekend reminded me how much I love our cool days too. Cozy sweaters, crackling fireplaces, and best of all, comfort food and red wine.

My friend Zoya really knows how to do it right. Although we did bring Indian food last Friday night to her place, there wasn't much time she spent out of the kitchen the rest of the weekend. Starting the Saturday with a duck and tarragon frittata, and ending it with a slow-cooked beef pot roast.

The beef was drizzled in a reduced port jus, and served with beets, potatoes and roasted garlic for spreading on toasted baguette. Arugula salad with slices of fresh local apples and mandarin oranges added a beautiful punch of colour to the setting.

We had a lot of delicious wine between Friday and Saturday night. But the two that stood out and deserve the most praise are the ones Zoya chose for her meal – the 2006 Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz from South Africa and the Napa Valley 2007 Irony Cab Sauvignon. Both perfect pairs for hearty dishes. So much so that after the meal, when we still had a few sips of wine left, Zoya made a last minute molten chocolate cake to go with it. Heaven.

No comments: