Professor Gourmand — July 2024

We started July early, Friday, June 28th at, of course, Redbird. I sat down, took out my wine, a properly chilled 2020 Stefano di Blasi Zibbibo- Cattarato, a primo Sicilian white blend. Chris immediately came over and whisked it off — he gets to be the first person to taste these. I began with one of the summer fruit drinks, Peach — Woodford reserve bourbon. Christian Drouin Calvados, Daytrip Peach Amaro, peach, vicario dragoncello, peach bitters — while I perused the menu, and there was a surprise — this summer’s soft-shell crab in a green gazpacho with ajo Amarillo and shredded green papaya.

Of course I ordered it, and it was delicious with both the cocktail and my wine which Chris brought over while I was still eating it. We discussed what a good sushi wine it was, and I said it went really well with anything that had been dry aged. Tobin and Castro had tastes too. For my entrée, I had the garganelli carbonara with tiny cubes of speck, fava beans and Parmigiano Reggiano, and it accompanied it very well. While I was eating it, Castro came over to tell me this was his favorite of all the wines I had brought in, and that didn’t surprise me at all. Yes, he’s also a Riesling fan, so I know what I’ll be bringing in all summer — I drank half the bottle. Dessert? The Pistachio cream puff — Santa Barbara pistachios, raspberries, and crème fraiche ice cream, and when I said we could start over with the Amaros, out…