Lunch al fresco

Eastside Road, November 10, 2013—

I CAN'T TELL YOU exactly what kind of peppers these are — not Padrones, I'm reasonably sure of that. Little Italian peppers whose name begins with "Fr," I think. We bought them a week ago at the Farm Market, from Lou Preston as I say, but from someone else as Cook says. Doesn't matter.

I just rinsed them in cold water, then dried them off, then fried them in olive oil, strewing salt on them while they cooked. With them, a pissaladière from a local baker who sells at the Sebastopol market, unusual because on puff-paste, but very nice. Afterward, a couple of tangerines from our little tree which, though standing in a terracotta pot, has given us at least half a hundred Pixies this year, and a couple of the last of this year's Arkansas Black apples, deliciously sweet.

That was lunch, with a glass of Picpoul. A new acquaintance called in the afternoon, with a delicious bottle of Cabernet sauvignon — Chavez Family Cellars, "Carlin's Blend" (Alexander Valley), 2007; and I toasted some Downtown Bakery & Creamery "Italian bread" to serve simply with olive oil and salt. The wine nailed down my sheepish conversion on the matter of California wines in general and Alexander Valley in particular.

Many California wineries have clearly moved away from the too big, too alcoholic "monster wine" imperative that made them so stupid, dull, and overbearing for so many years. Furthermore, this wine proved that Alexander Valley does not have to be just an imitation Napa Valley, which itself too often in the past released wines longer on ambition than achievement. This was a fine, rather elegant, nicely balanced wine, with plenty of fruit even though six years old.

So what shall we have for dinner? Let's just finish up the fusilli from a couple of days ago, and don't forget the green salad!

Cheap Pinot grigio