Tapas & Vino

Days 57 and 58

My initials should be M.I.A. and not M.A.K.

I'm so consumed with everything food lately it seems as though I haven't had time to breathe. But that was the point of all this, right?

Tuesday I spent a good 12 hours at the school. It's not like I haven't worked shifts that long (or longer) before, but when you're on your feet all day, it can suck the life out of you. I know—I sound old.

After class, in which I spent the day making striped bass in parchment paper (papillotes), I helped one of my former instructors with his recreational tapas class. The four-hour session involved small plates from Spain, where the chef was born. We made gazpacho, tortilla espanola (a Spanish potato omelet), gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), and more. It was a good class, but I was exhausted by the time it came to an end.

Today, my partner and I were in charge of the farmer's-style soup and pot au feu; both came out well. Immediately after class ended, I headed to the school's theater to attend a French wine tasting. The selections—all from Chateauneuf-du-Pape—were excellent. It was a nice overview of a region about which I have little knowledge.

I made a long day even longer by meeting up with some friends for drinks, followed by a trip to The Meatball Shop.

Hope I don't drop the ball tomorrow—only one more day to go before the midterm.

That's the Spirit

Day 39

Bottle of red, bottle of white...

As we uncorked a dozen wines today, I momentarily traveled back in time to 2003. That year, I was wrapping up my studies at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and enrolled in a wine tasting class.

Most people chuckle when I tell them this; I'm sure they're imagining Beringer and mayhem. (Yes, it got a little rowdy at times—after all, it was college and most of the students had just

turned 21.) But the course wasn't an easy "A"; it was three credit hours and greatly detailed viticulture and enology. We tried numerous top-notch wines, including several $100-plus bottles. My professor, Jack Keegan, was extremely knowledgeable. I'd love to take a course with him again, as my palate has refined significantly since the days of drinking Natty Light and eating La Bamba burritos.

The most memorable experience from that class was in its final days. We had a significant amount of leftover, unopened bottles, and the professor invited everyone over his house in downtown Oxford where he cooked up a storm and we finished off the wine. (I especially remember his boeuf bourguignon. Yum.)

Today obviously wasn't quite as extensive, but it was definitely a great review on the world of wine. We tasted seven varietals—all grapes I'm familiar with but labels I've never tried. I found a few I really liked and will definitely be looking for them on the liquor store shelves, especially since none were more than $20. Can I say steal?

Sadly, the relaxing day came to an end when the reality of tomorrow's practical hit. I quartered a chicken one more time and I'm feeling more confident about it.

Time to put a cork in Level 2 and move on.