Given that we went out to the Zoo all day while my cousin Abbe cooked up this followup to the official Thanksgiving dinner, she insists that it should really be called the ThanksFlitter (her last name). Regardless, the gluttony continued.
The 2006 il Cocco. This guy makes only 3000 bottles a year, and he does ALL the labor (field and cellar) himself.
Parker 93. “The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is a beguiling wine laced with all sorts of black cherries, minerals, spices, licorice and menthol. All of the aromas and flavors are layered together through to the exquisite, refined finish. The 2006 shows a level of richness and density this bottling has lacked in some previous vintages. Today the tannins remain a touch austere, but another few years in bottle should do the trick. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026.”
The cheese spread I bought at Di Bruno’s.
A medium aged goat cheese. Chalky goodness.
An American farmhouse buttery cheddar.
Mimmolette.
A stinky washed rind.
And a medium body blue cheese.
And quince paste which always makes cheese better.
Various appetizers, some recycled from the night before.
A little champagne.
Parker 94. “The 2007 Laurel, a blend of 65% Garnacha and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, is deep purple-colored with a bouquet of wet stone, Asian spices, black cherry compote, and incense. Dense and sweet on the palate with tons of spice, it is super-concentrated, rich, and smooth-textured. Give this lengthy effort 2-3 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2013 to 2027.”
This is an amazing wine, deep grape.
Parker 91. “The 2005 Finca Libertad is a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Merlot aged for 18 months in new French oak. The Cabernet Franc portion of the blend was sourced from 100+-year-old pre-phyloxera vines. Dark ruby in color, it exhibits a complex aromatic array of toasty oak, cinnamon, earth notes, pencil lead, cassis, and black currant. This is followed by a medium-bodied, elegant wine with savory flavors, considerable complexity, and enough structure to evolve for another 2-3 years. This lengthy effort should be at its best from 2011 to 2020.”
Classic Mexican “gulf coast style” rice pilaf. Chicken stock, garlic and onions in there. These recipes are mostly from Mexican Everyday.
The main dish: Chipotle Shrimp. Tomatos, chipotles, garlic, broth, cilantro. This had a good bit of heat.
Flounder in the same sauce.
Avocado.
Various condiments: lime and fresh tortilla from a Spanish place by the Italian Market.
Chopped onion, queso fresco.
“Classic Mexican pot beans” with Abbe’s special twist of roasted poblanos and Thanksgiving smoked turkey. Very tasty, although they had the usual effect.
Swiss chard sautéed in olive oil and garlic.
And the sherry comes back out for dessert.
The spread.
Vegan brownies. Hmmm.
A chocolate chip cake with chocolate sauce. It isn’t that pretty but it tasted great.
My grandmother’s special brownies.
These were supposed to be Grandmom’s blondie’s, but they were made vegan and so ended up a little weird.
Another plum tart.
Overall, another great feast from Abbe. You can check out her pork spectacular last year too.
