BLT

Eastside Road, September 6, 2010—

WE STILL HAVE SOME Mangalitsa bacon on hand, and the weather's been hot, and we wanted to see Curt and Mary Jo up here again before summer was over, and tomatoes are finally really here. It all added up to one of those great examples of Elective Affinities, the BLT. Curt and I made a batch of aïoli — it takes hardly any time at all with two to peel the garlic; I pound the garlic and salt together, he adds the egg yolks, I start whisking, he dribbles in the olive oil. I've never done it that way before, and now I never want to go back to solo aïoli.

A lovely one, too: but we were so intent on having fun I didn't take any photos. You'll just have to take my word for it. The garlic was Yael's Rose de Lautrec, the eggs from up the road; only the oil (Turkish) and the salt (from the Ile de Ré) kept this from being truly local. The Mangalitsa makes beautiful bacon, a little on the fat side but delicious fat (and so good for you, don't you agree?); Lindsey fried it slowly, pouring off the fat; I made little nicks in the edges to keep it flat in the pan. Curt and Mary Jo brought some superb heirloom tomatoes up with them, red and yellow, and a loaf of Acme levain; we compared it with other sandwiches on Downtown Bakery Como bread, and I can't declare a winner. Green salad; and for dessert — root beer floats, with chocolate pavé. A delicious time was had by all.

Rosé, Côtes de Ventoux, "La Ferme Julien," 2008; rosé, Bandol, Domaine Tempier, 2008 (and here I can declare a winner)