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Ashland, Oregon, April 1—

LUNCH AT THE BISTRO today: New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro, also known as New Sammy's Wine Bistrot. Or maybe that's just the new addition, with its long bar, its elegant-Mexican setting. Doesn't matter: Charlene's in the kitchen, whether you eat dinner in the old rooms or lunch (or dinner) in the new one; Vern's presiding over the wine selection; you can't go wrong.

And at lunch you go so right. Currently it's still only fifteen bucks for lunch, a bargain. I had a plate of garden-fresh Savoy cabbage with potatoes and carrots and two house-made sausages, one blanc, the other more highly seasoned (lots of cloves, interestingly); and for dessert (at an extra cost) a fine selection of three cheeses: Elk Mountain aged goat cheese with membrillo, Rogue Creamery "Oregon Blue" with truffle honey, Perolari Taleggio with green tomato jam. I'd go back tomorrow for the same, but we'll be heading for Portland…

Pinot grigio, Collio, 2007; Banyuls