In France, the second course would be called Pate en Croute. In America, especially during a recession wine-pairing dinner, it is called meatloaf in puff pastry. Whatever name you give it, the dish was comfort food done in high style. The meat was moist, the pastry was salty and buttery, and when the two were swiped through the perigueux sauce bespeckled with truffles, the result was transformative.
The Saumur Cabernet de Rose that Deb poured hailed from the Loire Valley of France. It was sweet, like raspberries, but more so when you initially sip it, rather than at the finish. It was lovely and unique, pairing perfectly with the sweetness of the meat, but still allowing the earthy funk of the truffles to anchor the tastes.
Flipping the meat, pastry and sauce ratio, the third course was a clarified beef broth with braised brisket, carrots, green onions and housemade tortellini. Inside the little dumplings was a light chicken mousse. The green onions almost imparted an asian flavor to the soup, but not quite. And, when tasted after sipping the mellow Sawbuck Malbec from California, the broth suddenly became smoky.
The sweet finale of this dinner was the bread pudding made with croissants and raisins. The plate was sauced with a blood orange reduction as well as poached pears and a pear-scented pastry cream. I sometimes feel sorry for the previous courses, because, no matter how wonderful they were, the desserts always get the loudest “wows” from the guests.
Paired with a brisk Bianchi New Age wine from Argentina, the dessert stayed center stage for sweetness. The wine, however, was sweet in its own right, but did not clash with the myriad flavors on the plate. The outcome, of course, was a very happy customer. And, when money is dear, a meal that makes you happy is worth every penny.
