Ian and Jacquie are still pretty hale and hearty, though
Jacquie is pretty stone deaf, and it seems to be catching
with Ian. Oh, well, age obtrudes upon even the most vigorous
lives. They had planned a festive but unpretentious meal for
us, starting with an aperitif of Clos des Verdots Bergerac
rose, less berrylike and more serious-tasting than your usual,
nice to go with the fading daylight, followed by sparklers:
Grifon Prosecco was your stndard $10-12 bottle, clean,
refreshing, and it probably costs $3 in France, an
approachable crisp, uncomplicated beverage. Moscato nose
in a Chardonnay I think substrate, a pleasant starter.

A Flammkueche (Alsatian-style bacon and onion tart)
appeared from Aldi - it was tasty but despite having been
warmed in the specified 500F oven, a bit soggy in the middle.
I was surprised by their not making it from scratch, but with
some of these products, it's no longer cost-effective to make
one's own, as storebought is decent enough and cheaper than
you can make on your one.

Ian fixed one of his pride and joys, magrets au gros sel
(duck breast from a foie gras duck roasted in a salt crust).
The last time he made it for me, he'd herbed the crust more
and served the meat with an Auscitaine sauce, which is
essentially a Bearnaise made with duck fat instead of butter.
This time, perhaps in reference to our not getting any younger,
there was no sauce.

Luc de Conti's Chateau Tour des Gendres Moulin des Dames 99
(Bergerac) went well with. It is a Cabernet-Merlot blend that
rivals the Bordeaux growths in aroma (classic blackcurrant and
oak) and quality. This is quite a famous wine, and we were done
an honor by being served it.

With the main course there were potatoes roasted in duck fat
from the magrets = exceedingly rich and made me eat my spuds.

A salad with balsamic and walnut oil was negligible, but I ate
it from peer pressure.

A cheese plate - St. Nectaire, Comte, Cheddar, and bleu des
Causses. St. Nectaire is a semi-soft cow cheese that when properly
aged takes on a dark gray crust and an intriguing (I think kind
of disgusting) moldy aspect. As with all of Ian's cheeses, it was
an artisanal or perhaps even single-farm product. The Comte is a
bit more solid, though still on the creamy side. Cheddar is
Cheddar; this one was 2 or 3 years old and actually from the
vicinity of Cheddar. It was just beginning to get sharp, and I
thought a couple years more on its bones would have done it good.
I am told that this Bleu is a famous and wonderful one. All I
can say from the few milligrams that I had was that it was quite
creamy but exceedingly blue, which I find horrid.

Dessert came altogether too soon - strawberries macerated in rose
wine with orange and star anise. Not my idea of a proper combination
of flavors, but people seemed to like it. I'd have preferred plain strawberries, maybe sugared. The berries themselves were local and
very flavorful with a good sweet-tart balance, though not overly
intense in either direction.

I had a glass of the estimable Darroze Armagnac, VSOP I think.
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