Yesterday was Consume Good Things day at the Griffith-Eskridge household. It started with a cup of tea in bed and just got better.
I was in a plain and simple mood. Our evening began with our last bottle of Viña Tondonia Rioja Gran Reserva, 1987. (Those who've been following for a while know we bought half a case for our 20th anniversary. I know I have photos somewhere but can't seem to find them today.) It's a haughty, old-fashioned kind of wine, very simple and structured, very Old World. It's only 12% alcohol by volume which, in my opinion, is how wine should be. I don't much care for the American-led notion of 14% or even higher, tsk tsk. Anyway, the wine took us a long time to drink--you don't slam 22-year-old Rioja. You sip, you reminisce, you muse, you smile, you sip again...
Eventually, we wandered into the kitchen and ate grilled lamb with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Followed by blackberry clafoutis with cream. The clafoutis was a new thing. I'd read a recipe here and Kelley just made it for me on the spur of the moment. (It's very simple. It's inexpensive. It's easy, quick and tasty. We'll be having it again.)
I pondered finishing things off with a glass of 1980 Armagnac (more on that another time--but it came in a lovely wooden box for my birthday) but decided I'd appreciate it more another day. Like maybe today :)
So it was a quiet day, just what I needed. I think this year is going to be a good one.
