Tomorrow Beuf Bourignon!

Tomorrow The Chef plans to teach me to make Beuf Bourignon and his coconut flan. That coconut flan is one of the reasons that I fell head over heals for the guy in the first place! The creamy sensuality of the coconut milk with the silky mangoes and the fresh mint that accompany it still makes me go weak in the knees and probably always will.

In New York at Mad 61 when Alex must have been about 17 or 18 he had the incredible pleasure of meeting Julia Child. She came to the restaurant and liked her meal so much that she went back to the kitchen and shook every cook's hand. He remembers her as being very tall and exuberant. I cannot wait to learn her beloved Beuf Bourignon, if only cooking was an easy thing for me to learn! Perhaps one day it will all make sense to me- temperatures, sauces, seasoning and textures. I think that the most difficult thing for me at the moment is cooking proteins. I have been reliving the horrid memory of maiming a poor chicken when I was unsupervised. I forgot to pound it into an even submission and it refused to cook evenly- the inside was raw so I was forced to overcook it in the oven. I believe that if the poor chicken gave its life it needs to be respected in the cooking process. It deserves to be delicious and I failed it. My plan is to finally allow Alex to transform me into the culinary genius I was clearly born to be. Beuf Bourignon is the first step, we'll see where it goes from there!!

August West/Sandler

Stopped by August West today for a barrel tasting and fell in love with Sandler Wine Co.'s Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. The grapes are (obviously) sourced from the Sonoma coast and it is just exactly what I look for in a good Pinot. It was lovely and balanced, with just the right notes of fruit and acidity. Picked up a bottle of the '08, its a year older then what I tasted and I am looking forward to cracking it open with a good group of gals!