Artichoke

Ojai, May 8, 2013—

DINNER TONIGHT IN THE Hotel Churchill, as I call it, really the home of friends in this little corner of paradise. The friends are farmers, and two other friends of theirs joined us at table, also farmhands, and we always relax here, with fast and funny conversation, in total trust as to the provender.

Lisa steamed a batch of nice fresh artichokes; Jim squeezed lemon juice into the mayonnaise, and grilled the chicken. What succulent chicken! They'd marinated it overnight after smoking it in their Little Chief; then Jim grilled it at a furiously high temperature — smoke billowing out from the barbecue hood — making a sort of glaze on the skin that was really quite delicious. Rice pilaf on the side, as you see, and a tossed green salad afterward. I could eat like this every day.

Cava, Albero (Spain), nv, okay; Côtes du Rhône, Famille Perrin, 2010, rather nice