Sunday’s Cassoulet Menu
Pain grillée avec tomatade
Celerie-rave rémoulade
Cassoulet
Terrine des fruits avec coulis de framboise
Birthday cake (White Christmas cake)
Coffee - Co-operative Quebradon, Huilia, Columbia, Dark Roast (Monmouth Coffee Company)
Chocolate brandy cake
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DRINKS
Kir
Domaine Tempier Bandol, Cuvée speciale la Tourtine 1988
Leopold Sommer Gewürztraminer Eiswein 1993
Chateau Fontpinot Grande Champagne, Premier Cru du Cognac, Tres Vielle reserve du Chateau
l'Eau Normale de Londres
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Kir is customarily made with Bourgogne Aligoté and crème de cassis. It was a traditional drink revived by Canon Kir, the Mayor of Beaune, as a rescue operation during a year when the vin blanc ordinaire was virtually undrinkable. That gives me the right not to be too fussy about which white wine I use.
Domaine Tempier Bandol is a favorite of Kermit Lynch, who made it the favored accompaniment to a cassoulet among the Chez Panisse crowd. This is one of their best. We were served it as a rarity at a Wine Society Dinner in Hesdin; the next day I discovered that their local outlet had a dozen bottles on offer as a bin end at half price.
The cognac was a gift from Edouard Cointreau when a press group I was with stayed at the chateau. We had a taste from their tiny barrel of pre-phylloxera cognac, of which there is a miniscule portion in this bottle. I’m sipping it as I write. Not bad.