A quick picture of the gorgeous decorations from David’s company’s annual employee summer gathering where they served delicious Vietnamese food.
Here’s what I’m eating and reading this week:
Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
Favorite quotes:
“You think I’m stupid. I’m not. I was just hopeful.”
“You are blessed with a rare sensitivity. It’s what makes people artists, winemakers, poets – this porous nature. However. You lack self-control. Discipline. And that is what separates art from emotion. I do not think you have the intelligence yet to interpret your feelings. But I do not think you are stupid.”
I really enjoyed this book because it mirrored in some ways my own experience working in the restaurant industry, and my excitement at moving to a bigger city after college. I was surprised at how little the book spent talking about the exquisiteness of food, but by the 9th page, I was so ready to up my wine game. Just hearing her talk about the different vineyards and varietals made me want to expand my palate. I started to keep a list of all the wines referenced in the novel. While my tastes usually tend towards red wines, there’s plenty here in this white-heavy list to explore:
1. Harmond-Geoffroy Gevrey-Chambertin
2. Albert Boxler riesling ($26 per glass)
3. Rittenhouse
4. Fernet
5. Gigondas
6. Sancerre (I remember this starting to get super popular around 2006)
7. Schneider Weisse Aventinus
8. a bottle of Montepulciano
9. Huet
10. Cremant Rose
11. Selosse champagne
12. Bricco Manzoni
13. Cremant
14. Bourgueil cabernet franc
15. Sauternes
16. Opus 2002
17. Salmon rose champagne Cuvee Elisabeth
18. Pouilly-Fuisse
19. Chateauneuf-du-Pape blanc
20. Viognier
21. La Gitana Manzanilla
22. Chenin blanc from Loire
23. Pufferuy Arbois, Trousseau
24. Poulsard
25. Dauvissat
26. Quintarelli Valpolicella
Clearly I’m not drinking all of that, but here’s what I’m eating this week (in case you need a little meal-planning inspiration):
Sunday: baked pasta with ground lamb and peas
Monday: roasted chicken, broccoli, and potatoes
Tuesday: leftovers
Wednesday: shrimp tarragon pasta
Thursday: pan-seared pork chops with a simple tomato-garlic pasta side
Friday: grilled burgers (probably the last grilling session of the season!)
Saturday: Vietnamese take out (served at David’s work gathering)
Also, here’s a few books I’m absolutely excited to add to my reading list this fall:
