“You’ll suddenly notice that no one invites you to dinner anymore.” My Chef instructor warned us one day during a class in culinary school. Just one of a number of humorous things he would tell us we could expect once entering the world of professional cooking. I don’t think we actually believed him at the time but I’m here to tell you that he was right. Not only did my friends stop inviting me over but my family stopped as well, with the exception of inviting me over to cook for them. Don’t get me wrong, I have very caring friends that reciprocate their affection for me in many different ways… but no one cooks for me. That was, of course, until last Saturday night.

My friend, a graphic artist, musician, and lover of all things art, wine and chocolate is also a great cook. This night she decided to make something she’d never tried before, but you certainly wouldn’t know it from how it turned out.

My only challenge was to bring the wine, which was no easy task when I was given some hint about the main course. The appetizer, however, was an easy pairing but I’m sure easy is not a word you’d use when talking about the preparation of the dish itself.

The First Course: Wild Mushroom soup
Topped with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill. This soup was beautifully seasoned and fragrant with fresh herbs. Made with a pureed leek base, which gave it a rich and heavy body. It was very deceptive in that you felt as if you were indulging in something much more fattening. The dish screamed rich, mountain fair and was made with a selection of Shitake, Portobello, Mataki and Chanterelle mushrooms. Did I mention, I asked for seconds?

The Wine: Gran Sasso, Pecorino 2007
Pecorino is not a wine you hear much about and has only recently been added to the vocabulary of American sommeliers. From the Abruzzo region of Italy, Pecorino is a fresh white with flavors of citrus and a minerally undertone. The first thing that turned me onto this wine was how you could almost smell the Italian coast in the glass.

My Notes;
A luminescent yellow gold color. Aromas of olives and fresh sea air rise from the glass followed by fresh white flowers, Grapefruit, honey suckle and cut grass. Fresh and lively with crisp sour apple, honeydew melon, zippy acidity and a lemony fresh finish.


The Main Course: Lamb Tagine with pears and Almonds
Seasoned with Ginger and Cumin in a brown sauce with poached pears and almonds. Apparently it's a North African dish. This was served along side polenta (which was spicy and fresh with herbs) and sautéed asparagus. The dish itself was a perfect example of balance with each bite of rich, sweet & spicy lamb being followed by either the refreshing asparagus or palate cleansing polenta. These are not traditional sides for a Lamb Tagine either, which speaks volumes of my friend’s natural abilities as a cook.

Terre Di Trinci, Sagrantino Di Montefalco, Ugolino 2001
This is one of the first times I've used a Sagrantino against something spicy but I've heard many times that they can hold up to spicy dishes. This one did perfectly. Plus it makes for a great alternative to a big expensive Cabernet or Barolo.

My notes on the bottle;
Dark purple color with a full seductive body. Aromas of Black Currant, Cinnamon, clove and fruitcake. Spicy, rich raspberry jam on the palate that finishes fresh with a long cherry aftertaste. This bottle held up perfectly to the complexity and richness of the dish it was paired with.

She continued the courses with a cheese plate, one of the cheeses being a very unique and new experience for me. A Swiss cheese named, Griolle Tete de Moine (or, Head of the Monk). Seriously pungent and smelled like fertilizer but wow this stuff had a mouth feel like I've never experienced and the flavors were explosive. Best part is that the cheese has its very own contraption to shave off each serving as your guests watch in total fascination.

This was followed by dessert, and with no offense to my host, I'm not a big dessert eater and was so happy from the wine that I stuck to fresh fruit, which she was happy to supply, and had on hand because she knew my tastes.

I’d say it was a perfect meal. Everything was seasoned just right and the pairings came out perfect. Certainly an example of how experimental wine pairings are worth a try.

So I ask you, have you ever invited a chef over for dinner? If not, why not? What I can assure you is that this dinner meant more to me than almost any other gesture someone has ever made. It doesn’t matter that my friend is a great cook, what matters is that she’s a great friend.