That was a good time- we bbq’d for a while, then mojitos were mentioned, so we went back here because I have tons of mint growing, a couple cases of pellegrino, and I always have a dozen limes (I use them in everything- I squeeze a little lime in every glass of water, I love them so). Limes are on my list of essential shit with tomatoes, olive oil, coffee, and toilet paper. Everyone raided liquor cabinets for rum, and mojitos were made.
Lily and Rosie were perfect angels, and we had a sweet Boston Terrier and a Shepherd mix, and they all got along great.
Having a little dinner party tomorrow, thinking about chicken cordon bleu, couscous with sun dried tomato and basil, corn on the cob, and some fresh sliced tomatoes. What wine would you all suggest? And we’re all collaborating on the food, so one of my responsibilities is the bread- what kind of bread would you think would be best?
Love the 4th of July weekend. Listening to this atm:
*** Update ***
There was a request for a picture of the angels. Rosie is following me around still, but the angel of angels is sacked out:
Every single person who has met Lily has tried to take her home. I caught my friend Mallory sneaking out with her tucked in her shirt. I just LURV my little mutt.
Corner Stone
WTF is with you and all these parties?
Even my married friends with the wannabe socialite wives don’t have this kind of Calendar.
Bella Q
Sounds like a good time was had by all. I was struck earlier today when I saw a photo of Meg Whitman. She looks like Lindsay Graham in drag, but not as pretty and with not as good a hairstyle. I’m trying to forget that.
KG
I typically drink red wines, but my wine app suggests Chardonnay and has Prosecco and Pinot Noir as alternate suggestions. I don’t know enough about white wines (or red wines for that matter) to give specific suggestions.
As for bread, I’d suggest a fresh loaf of sourdough, but that’s just me
Fordpowers
Probably a nice crisp sauvignon blanc.. If you can get it,Watermill Winery made a great on in 2007.
John Cole
@Corner Stone: This weekend is crazy- lots of birthdays, and then the 4th. Tomorrow is just dinner so we can all hide and relax and watch a movie.
fucen tarmal
wine with chicken cordon bleu….i am gonna get destroyed for this…
i would recommend a gewurtzraminer of course since its my favorite, i always recommend it…
if your ccb is ridin heavy calorie and fat wise maybe a sancerre or a sparkling shiraz.
of course the default is reisling, and the hip unhip thing to do is rehab the image of chardonnay….
SiubhanDuinne
Why no photos of the perfect angels?
Violet
Bread: For a meal like that on a summer’s evening, I think a ciabatta would work well. Crunchy exterior, light interior, good for sopping up stuff. Pour olive oil in a bowl, add garlic and some herbs from the garden and dip, dip, dip.
Wine: A crisp white, not too light if you’re going with chicken cordon bleu, which is a tad on the heavier side. I like the crisp Sauvignon Blanc suggestion. I also love Fume Blancs.
Menu: Both couscous and corn on the cob? That’s two starches. For a man who isn’t a starch fan, that’s a lot. Love the fresh tomatoes, but for me your meal is lacking something green. You could go with a regular green salad, or try something a little different. Here’s a dill green bean salad I get rave reviews for every time I make it. There’s never any left over. Takes about 10-15 minutes total to make it and you can make it ahead. (I got the recipe from a cookbook, but this is the same one. No idea who runs the blog.) You can adjust the amounts of everything in this recipe to taste. I don’t even read the recipe anymore, I just make it from memory however I feel like it at the time.
Something Fabulous
Man, you are sounding so CHEERFUL! Most excellent. I love the idea of prosecco with that– bubbles are always so festive!
Me, I just lucked into a sale at Pier 1, and since my big paycheck from this project CLEARED, I bought some new nice sturdy glasses and am having some wine, sitting on my new desk chair! I’ve been making do with an incredibly uncomfortable rickety kitchen chair with a bed pillow on it for years now. Ahhh, civilized.
Could it be: things are looking up!? (superstitious spitting and knocking wood, while typing.)
DaveInOz
I went to Tassie in January and have fallen for Tasmanian Pinot Noir. Not sure how available it is there but my 2nd favorite is Springvale from just ouside of Swansea on the East coast. My absolute favorite we had with dinner in Banc Restaurant – a Kelvedon Estate Pinot – it was sensational. The only problem is that I can’t find it here in Melbourne.
C Nelson Reilly
A nice Mogen David jeroboam or a keg of Colt 45
Kali
As others have suggested, a good Chardonnay pairs well with the richness of Chicken Cordon Bleu.
For bread–you might consider the virtuous option of multigrain naan bread. You can find it in most grocery stores nowdays. I spray or lightly brush with olive oil, then warm in the oven briefly. Naan makes a killer match with your couscous and fresh veggies.
Brachiator
Chardonnay might be good, especially if you go bold and can find a good Chilean or quality Australian. A sturdy Sauvignon Blanc, maybe even a Sancerre might also suit the bill.
Something bubbly might also be good, but this also greatly depends on whether this appeals to your guests. Something like an Italian Prosecco might be really interesting.
If you like reds, a Pinot Noir could work.
By the way, as others have noted, since you have an iPad, there are apps for that, for example OpenCellar or Wine Snob.
Keith
My blue pit is sleeping in the exact same position right now. He got into a fresh bag of food on the countertop this afternoon and has been a sleeping chunk of sausage ever since.
suzanne
I know Rieslings are often too sweet to go with most dinners, but Snoqualmie Winery in Washington State makes an organic riesling that is absolutely summer in a bottle, and everyone I’ve shared it with is nuts for it, either with a meal or on its own. I bought about 8 bottles. I am craving a glass (or two) right now, but I’m pregnant, so enjoy it for me.
I concur on needing more veggies. Dice some cukes, tomatoes, and red onions, sprinkle with parsley and olive oil, and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Then invite me over.
I am looking for a good classic rice pilaf recipe to go with falafels and salad. If anyone has one, pleeeez share.
SiubhanDuinne
John, thanks for the Lily photo (I was the one who asked, although I think it goes without saying it was a request on behalf of the gang). She is so lovely and totally relaxed. Happeh puppeh!
Lesley
I would try to take Lily home too. But taking her would be cruel. We know she lurves you, too.
fucen tarmal
@C Nelson Reilly:
coqui!
MattR
I don’t like the Smashing Pumpkins at all, but I still think this song is the perfect summer song every time I hear it.
Steeplejack
Olive bread sounds like it would go with the menu.
BethanyAnne
My good news for the day is that my cat Cheyenne will eat medicine hidden in a pill pocket. I was scared she wouldn’t, as she normally doesn’t like treats. So I was able to give her pain meds after surgery :)
Steeplejack
@John Cole:
What movie gonna watch?
HE Pennypacker, Wealthy Industrialist
Our standby here at home is Big House White, a nice California table wine out of Livermore. Crisp and tart which is lovely in warm weather, but not lacking substance like all those Italian pinot grigios.
The label is quite cute: a drawing of a prison, hence the name. We buy it here at Safeway, though given wine distribution over the country who knows if it’s available near you.
Mary G
Love little Lily! What a sweet pic!
Gina
Wish NY State would allow grocery stores to carry wine.
My big plans for the weekend are to see if the strawberries I planted get ripe enough for shortcake. And keeping Mo the dog from losing the rest of his mind during the fireworks here at the lake.
trollhattan
I’ll suggest a Rhone white or the domestic equivalent–a roussanne or viognier or blend thereof. Red? a good pinot or a grenache. And as noted, there’s never a bad time for bubbly.
Cheers!
asiangrrlMN
@BethanyAnne: How is Cheyenne?
Cole, Lily is the cutest sweetest puppeh ever! I can see why people tried to smuggle her home. And, you’ve been awwwwwfulllly chipper lately. Could that be because there is a (human) female in the picture?
Violet
Yay! A picture of Lily. What an angel.
@asiangrrlMN: Hmm…was wondering the same thing. He is awfully chipper.
monkeyboy
@Corner Stone:
John, with his puppies, has been transformed into a social animal and someone socially desirable.
I will bet $20 (up to a maxim of three takers) that he becomes married or at least engaged within one year from today.
JL
“My god, what happened here”?
“Near as we can figure, sir, the victim took in the She Bitch”.
“The She Bitch!! Weren’t the warning posters put up in this neighborhood”?! [Pause] “Well”?
“No sir. Someone dropped the ball”.
“Dropped the ball! Jeezuz”!
asiangrrlMN
@Violet: I know! Not at all like his usual curmudgeonly self.
@monkeyboy: OK, I will actually take that bet because what the hell. It’s always fun to bet on someone else’s dating life.
Violet
@monkeyboy:
What if John doesn’t really want to get married? Would living with a female in a romantic relationship count? Does he have to get engaged or married? Heck, for all I know he could be engaged or married right now.
Yutsano
@monkeyboy: @asiangrrlMN: Go cautiously good sir. She may look sweet and innocent, but in the soul is the fire of a pure unadulterated grifter. Consider yourself alerted.
Just had dinner out at the ranch. Had no idea teenage girls could think about things other than boys. One even expressed her revulsion for most things Disney. I was so proud, especially since I share genes with her. Oh and lots of puppeh kisses too.
JenJen
Sauvignon Blanc all the way, one with a really nice citrus tone. So summery. If you can find Lawson’s Dry Hills, it’s particularly delightful.
And love the suggestions of Prosecco! Yummy. But I’d drink that after, maybe with dessert.
Hung out with Mom in her gazebo most of the beautiful, unseasonably cool and breezy summer evening, and talked about Sailor, who she adopted almost a year ago now, with him just sleeping peacefully in her lap. Your posts about Lily this time last year were the most convincing of all the techniques I used on her to get her to rescue a little mutt, and now all she ever says is that she can barely remember life without the little guy now. So thanks for that, John. Sailor went from being a foraging street puppy to a wonderful life of dog parks, lots of neighborhood dog play-dates, and best of all, sailing with the family every weekend. My stepfather even bought him his own dinghy for necessary trips to the shore, and Sailor likes to perch right on the bow, take all the scents in, and leap to the dock as they approach. What a life!
And the song link, “Today.” Puts me in a terrific mood. Gawd, I love the 4th of July holiday! Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Jane2
Drink your favourite wine and eat your favourite bread. As a person who’s had to switch from red to white temporarily, I can tell you it’s all about personal taste and not what goes with what. I’m stuck on viogniers cause they’re big and powerful, but the reds i like are like that too….and i drink either with whatever I’m eating and love it.
Jane2
@suzanne: Best reisling I ever had was with a meal at Chez Panisse, creme de la creme of nouvelle California cuisine….they suggested it and it was superb.
Resident Firebagger
Love love love the Lily. I wouldn’t try to take her home though. She is home…
monkeyboy
@asiangrrlMN:
Are you actually betting 20$ against Cole finding tru luuv?
@Yutsano:
WTF? Are you cautioning me that asiangrrrlMN might try to manipulate JC’s romantic life to keep him unmarried so she can win 20$? – maybe by sending him Asian pornography videos?
From my life I went through periods when no women were interested in me to those where several women displaying interest caused even more women to be interested, and back and forth, which eventually lead up to marriage.
WVA and JC seem fairly traditional. He might be able to maintain an entourage of fuck-buddies for the rest of his life but his social interaction seem so family oriented that I bet he gets married or engaged in the next year.
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: Don’t give away all my secrets, honey. Gotta let me hold onto some of my mysterious feminine wiles.
@monkeyboy: Did I say anything about true love? I am just betting against engagement and/or marriage. #Whistles innocently#
Ash Can
Another vote for chardonnay here, a really nice California one. The light fruitiness would complement the nutty flavor of the Swiss cheese in the cordon bleu nicely, I would think. And I like the idea of prosecco too; that would be very refreshing. As for bread, why even bother? There’s no gravy festival or stew happening with this menu, so the couscous should be enough. If you absolutely must have some kind of bread, I’d stick some grissini breadsticks in a glass or vase and leave them on the table for people to nibble on before, during, and after the meal.
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: “Mawwaige. Mawwaige is what bwings us togewer today. Mawwaige that bwessed awwangenemt. That dweam within a dweam….”
Since The Princess Bride seems to be the theme lately, I just had to!
WereBear
@Violet: Thanks, I have added that to my recipe list, which I keep on Evernote.
This has a shared iPhone/iTouch app and web application so you can synchronize between the two. I like it the best of what I’ve found and at the level I’m using it, also free.
CynDee
John,
Thank you for the lovely Sleeping Angel pic.
For wine, how about Cavit Pinot Grigio? Please let us know what you settle on. Some of us want to replicate your menu.
Svensker
@suzanne:
Classic Lebanese pilaf:
1 cup thin spaghetti, broken into small pieces
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups long grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups boiling chicken broth
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
cinnamon
Melt the butter in your rice cooking pot and saute the broken pasta until toasted and browned (but not burned). Add the rice and the salt and saute a minute or two more, stirring to coat all the rice with butter. Add the boiling chicken broth, stir to mix, then cover and turn down the heat, simmer for about 20 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice gently with a fork. Put in a serving dish, top with the pine nuts and just a small sprinkle of cinnamon or leave it off if it doesn’t work with your menu.
You can make this without the pasta, too, just the rice. Also with plain water or other stocks, change the pine nuts to toasted almonds or chick peas, etc., etc.
BethanyAnne
@asiangrrlMN: The thyroid surgery went well. They only had to take out one gland, which is good news. Getting her into the box was a major adventure. She’s still pretty spooked about the whole “chase her down and put her in a box” thing. She hops up onto the bed a couple of times a night for some cuddles, but mainly stays *under* the bed. Still, her appetite is returning, and I think things are going well. :)
Bob
Re the pooch, “Everyday is a good day.”
Cheryl from Maryland
Ham and the cheese in the Cordon bleu and then tomatoes? You want a red — pinot noir.
WaterGirl
@Violet: I had been wondering the same thing!
bemused
John has been sounding awfully giddy and full of LURV lately (what’s with the caps?) even for BJ commentors (group hugs, for pete’s sakes). Downright peculiar.
WaterGirl
@WereBear: I checked out evernote and I would love to see it in action rather than just the blank slate I got just now when I signed up for evernote. Might there be some way to see your recipe setup for even just a minute? I’m also working on a joint project with a family member and I’m thinking that would be a better way to share files rather than constant email messages.
schrodinger's cat
@bemused: I think, he is in love!
bemused
@schrodinger’s cat:
That’s one possibility. Another is that John is just messing with us. Oth, if John is taking some kind of happy potion, I want to know what it is. I could use a little giddiness.
wonkie
I think Lily is smiling in her sleep.
Bob
A buddy went to Italy last summer. He returned with the shocking news that the view there regarding wine/food was totally subjective. Who knew? I have a lowbrow take on this subject.
How about a well chilled blush?
suzanne
@Svensker: Grazie. :) Will make on Monday.
Corner Stone
@bemused:
That was kind of behind my crack at comment #1.
I’m a single guy, and I know other single guys. None of us get the kind of party invites, or dinner party setup, regularity that Cole does.
Only couples get that kind of volume, and even then it’s rare.
I’m smelling a rat.
*Which is to say, a SO.
Bob
@Corner Stone: JC would be on my invite list. And, just maybe, it’s partly geographical, a southern thing. In any case, good for him and the girls.
bago
@Corner Stone: General asterisk usage implies that a symbol in the previous textual utterance is demarcated with an asterisk so that a symbological mapping can be made.
In non-grammar nerd terms, we use two asterisks in order to know what words yer talkin ’bout!
/nerd
Corner Stone
@Bob: I’m sure he would be. Bob.
Corner Stone
@bago: Damn. Busted by one of the best.
I should’ve just used a regular P.S.
I tried to get fancy and this is what it comes to.
Gatsby
How about Tunch? You know that you love every whisker of that rascal. Pictures!
josefina
Mr. Cole, I remember the first photos of Lily and it does my soul good to see her now: smiling and happy; down in play-pose with puzzled, puffing Rosie; sacked-out and vulnerable and not at all fearful. I’m sure Rosie will also become her best self with you.*
This is the amazing thing about dogs. They’re so very willing, even eager, to forgive neglect and abuse from the old humans as long as the new humans seem to promise something better, or at least different.
Dogs are congenital Democrats.
*Not because you have some secret dog-whisperoo. Just because you’re at home a lot, which helps with separation/ abandonment issues. You’re also aware of what might go wrong and willing to confront any going-wrongness with training instead of farm-road dumping.