Beginnings

It's September.  Autumn.

Anytime the seasons begin to change, I feel inspired by the newness of it all.  The fresh colors, smells.  Ideas take root and grow; some flourish, others wither, tired and forgotten.  As is with any whisper of seasonal life, which can't survive the full year.

In the spirit of beginnings and innovation and an escape from that stagnant feeling that lingers after a hot and sweaty summer, I've decided to venture out yet again in this blogging word world to entertain all of you with my musings on food, drink, and fun.  Hopefully I won't be bored with it by the time winter sneaks in.  The idea isn't novel, to say the least, but I was encouraged to step it up a notch when the boy (DS) sheepishly admitted to pairing his movies with his meals.  Nerdy?  Totally.  But super awesome as well?  Definitely.  Thus, I thought about recording our adventures in the perfect pairings.  What is more exciting than celebrating things that belong together?  Given our combined talents in the kitchen and behind the bar, and our devotion to the finest things in life, this will be a delight.

And so, for my premier post I've decided to bid farewell to a blissful summer and welcome fall with open arms.

Fork.  The farmer's market in my neighborhood in Brooklyn is always bustling on Sunday mornings.  I need to get my tired ass out of bed earlier to snatch up the last of the season tomatoes and beat the crowds to my favorite salad greens.  I always have to work at noon, so sometimes the rushing stresses me out and I end up making impulsive decisions and spending way too much money.  This past Sunday was no different, and although I missed out on my prized cherry tomatoes, I scored big with long beans.  Long beans?  These things look funny.  Aquatic even.  I had to buy them.

I'm not a LOVER of green beans.  Fresh, they are sweet and satisfying, but too often they turn into a forgettable mush.  Long beans are similar in flavor, but a bit more subtle.  Fun facts: they are also known as snake beans, are a variety of the cowpea, and are great sources of all sorts of good nutrition.  Thanks wikipedia!  Though typically used in Asian dishes, I decided to sing of summer and went for a bright and colorful bean salad.  When served with grilled chicken and roasted tomatoes, it made for a tasty meal.

SO LONG SUMMER SALAD

long beans, corn, olives, lemon, dill

Vinaigrette
3 lemons, juice and zest
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chopped red onion
1 heaping tbsp mustard
lots and lots of dill
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.  I used my immersion blender for faster emulsification, but a whisk will do just fine.

Salad
long beans
green beans
corn
kalamata olives
cheese*

After blanching the beans and chopping them into bite-size pieces, combine with cooked corn, chopped olives and cheese.  *I wanted to use feta, but didn't have any at home, so instead went for the nutty, butterscotchy Roomano, a super aged gouda.  It worked very nicely with the salty olives and the citrusy dressing.  Pour vinaigrette over and mix thoroughly.  Garnish with more dill. 

Glass.  I can't help it, I love those light, fruity red wines.  With a slight chill, they become refreshing and vibrant.  To pair with the brightness of this summer salad, we decided to drink a 2009 wine from Passetoutgrain, Burgundy from the producer, Fontaine-Gagnard.  Sometimes hyphenated (Passe-Tout-Grains), this appellation is unique in that all PTG wines must be blended.  For reds, that means a mixture of Pinot Noir and Gamay.  This particular domaine, run by Richard Fontaine, focuses on traditional methods to produce a smooth and structured wine, which whispers of ripe cherry and plum, thyme, lavender.  Casual drinking perhaps, but certainly thoughtful and intriguing.

Play.  End of summer.  What better way to celebrate the transition into colder, less friendly weather than with the final match of the U.S. Open?  I'm a sucker for sporting events of most kinds (not golf), and especially love ones that involve international rivalries and beg you to look your finest when in the stands.  Last night was the ultimate match between a previously unrivaled Rafael Nadal and newcomer hotshot, Novik Djokovic.  What tennis!  What strength!  What speed!  The whole match was a shocking display of ability, deftness, and athleticism.  Truly incredible and altogether impressive.  When everyone in the room ooos and aaahs and gasps with disbelief, you know you're witnessing something outstanding. 

VICTORY

Although my step-brother and I were quietly rooting the win for Djokovic, we were vocal in our support of Nadal, hoping for a long and hard match.  He rallied in the third set, but was dominated in the end.   Check out the highlights, thank you YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHF9z0v9Y0Y

Alas, another season over.   New beginnings.