It seems to me that sometimes just a quick note on my report card regarding my latest culinary escapades should suffice. This was a very good dish, pleasing me with the balance between the light pork and the Bordelaise sauce to which I just had to add a few quartered baby red potatoes. The sauce was perfect. Yes, that’s right perfect. Shallots, garlic, thyme, parsley, diced bacon, wine and beef stock created a perfect mélange. The aromas from the kitchen were spectacular. Sitting at the table, unfolding a perfectly starched white napkin and taking up a weighty knife and fork to begin my meal, I could have been in any bistro enjoying the full flavor of being there, the waiters rushing about, dinners being served next to me, wine bottles popping open here and there, the sound of Aznavour perhaps heard faintly in the background, by the bar in the corner, the owner casually watching a football game on a mini television and enjoying yet another expresso. The desert cart efficiently being maneuvered between tables to a waiting couple. The sound of glasses, dishes, pans and chef’s calling out orders all coming from somewhere back in the kitchen. There is always a table ready for you.
I forgot to mention the wine. My selection was, in a manner of speaking, a divine inspiration of sorts. I argued with myself to match a Bordeaux wine with the dish which made sense. That was my first clue that I need to think more broadly and I did. I found myself at the Abbaye Sylva Plana which is located around a monastic barn founded in 1139. I decided right then and there that I reached back far enough for spiritual guidance on a wine. Les Novices 2007 is a wonderfully fresh and juicy wine with an unmistakable hint of its southern roots, red and black fruits and raisins. All in all, a great blend of Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. This wine is perfect for pork, grilled lamb, poultry and any unexpected visitors.