Along with doing a trial run of last year's taxes, I decided to "flame on" those burners (a metaphor since we actually have electric burners). I made some mixed grain meshi with edamame and nametake mushrooms, some teri chicken with slightly freezer burned chicken parts, long simmered donko shiitake mushrooms and roasted cauliflower and broccoli with herbed macadamia nut oil, garlic and lemon zest. And today there was bacon wrapped enoki mushrooms (the center cut Oscar Meyer was on sale at Safeway) and chorizo patties.
I read about these bacon wrapped delights on several blog and websites. Simple. A couple packages of fresh enoki mushrooms wrapped with a slice of bacon and secured with a toothpick. There were six leftover slices that I couldn't waste.
I also found chorizo spice at the local Williams Sonoma shop and mixed it with the lean ground pork Safeway sells.
Of course, when ever firing up the grill it IS a state LAW to always have your trusty beverage in hand - in this case it was 2009 Domaine Faury Syrah with earthy fruit not unlike a Beaujolais and good balance on the palate.
Place the bacon and bacon wrapped enoki first to help lubricate the grill surface with drippins'
Then add the chorizo patties
Bacon gang is done. I must say that the smoky bacon and sweet (grilling sweetens the enoki) and crunchy enoki were meant to be...
And so are the chorizo patties
Of course we need more vino so that's where a 2005 Chateau Mont Redon Chateauneuf du Pape comes in with loads of stone on the nose and palate and dark fruit with a long finish (and slight smokiness to balance the bacon).
Leading up to the weekend I also uncorked a 1998 Whitehall Lane Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - though 1998 wasn't a good year for Napa, this wine still had dried red fruit and a touch of tobacco on the nose, a pleasing palate flow and nice acid to finish.
Along with a 2002 Jones Family Cabernet Sauvignon with a very nice nose of semi-dried fruit and dried herb and a nice mouthfeel. However the finish just bottomed out. Literally. As short a finish as I've had in a Napa Cab. Oh well, I have 2 more bottles, maybe this bottle was an anomaly...
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