2002 Cecchi Chianti Classico

[Innkeeper]

2002 Cecchi Chianti Classico ($11 Blue Hill Wine Shop). This price is back up to where it were, so will start a new thread here, since it is not necessarily still a best buy, and the old thread here disappeared. We firmly believe that the best way to get a bad taste out of your mouth, is to put a good taste in it. Since we still had sauce and meat from last night, we picked up some real pasta and the Cecchi today to have with it. All is well now.

[Innkeeper]

We were able to pick up two bottles of the '02 at Micucci's in Portland for $9.99 each. It is still tasting excellently. Had with our lamb shanks and pasta tonight. Simply wonderful.

[Innkeeper]

Samo last nighto. Burp.

[Innkeeper]

Our daughter picked up a bottle of the '03 from a friend that had been knocking it aroung a little, and then she gave it to us a month or so ago. Not at all sure how it had been treated, cooked, or whatever, we popped it last night with a few other things in mind if it was bad. It was wonderful.

Drink it with leftover (not from 1/05 but last week) lamb shanks in tomato with fresh linquini. Delightlful.

[Innkeeper]

Popped an '04 tonight; now $8.99 at Miccuci's. Weighs in at 13% alcohol. Nothing has changed except the label. That is a complete makeover, so don't look for the old one as we did.

Matched it with Sweet & Sour Eggplant Soba, and it went perfectly. The two of us killed all of the wine and most of the dish.

SWEET & SOUR EGGPLANT SOBA:

1 ½ T Sesame seeds
1 lb Eggplant
1 Red Pepper
1 Small onion chopped
1 tsp Chinese (roasted) sesame oil
1 tsp Minced garlic
Pinch dried red pepper flakes
1 C Tomato sauce
¼ tsp Ground ginger
½ tsp Granulated garlic
1 ½ T Soy Sauce
1 ½ T Apple cider vinegar
1 ½ T Honey
½ T Arrowroot
¼ C Chopped cilantro
½ lb Wild yam soba

Roast eggplant and pepper*. Toast sesame seeds in heavy saucepan, and set aside. Nuke onion with oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Peel, seed, and chop eggplant and pepper. Combine tomato sauce, ginger, granulated garlic, and soy sauce in a saucepan. Add eggplant, pepper, and onion mixture. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes. Place soba in boiling water, simmer eight minutes, drain, and rinse with hot water. Combine vinegar, honey, and arrowroot in a bowl. Add to sauce off heat. Stir till thick. Drain soba, and place on a warm platter. Nap with sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve hot.

*To roast vegetables: Before leaving for work: Wash and dry them. Cut stem off eggplant, cut in half lengthwise, and put in ungreased roaster face down along with whole pepper. Roast uncovered at 375 degrees for 34 minutes, turning pepper over once halfway. Remove from oven, cover, and cool. Can be done in morning, and let sit all day till you are ready to prepare dinner.

[Innkeeper]

Another '04 tonight with fresh fettucini napped with pesto, broiled Italian sausages, and salad. Is it Monday?