I’ve been experiencing some lovely generosity from students lately and decided to put a few gifts to good use tonight. Pictured is a bottle of Amarone (2005), which is a really rich, dry red wine that is quite strong (17%). It’s the treasured wine of Verona due to the fact that it is made a stone throw’s distance in the Valpolicella region, as well as that it is renowned the world over.
I was advised to have it with a hearty meal such as steak, but as I had no cow on hand and I got home from work late, I had it with mexican black beans and grilled peppers instead. I’m sure wine connoisseurs around the world just gave a collective, involuntary shudder at my Philistine ways.
Also pictured is a jar of mostarda, typical of Northern Italy. This concoction is basically fruit preserved in syrup, with a dash of powdered mustard seed for good measure. It has an interesting sweetness with a spicy kick that is typically served with traditional boiled meats. My roommate and I sat down and cut slices off a wedge of Grana (which I could quite literally eat by the block) and spooned a little of the mostarda with pear on top. Paired with a deceivingly strong glass of Amarone - delicious.
Buon appetito!
