Risotto & Lamb Dinner

Sunday, September 28, 2008

A few years ago a group of us attended a wine dinner at a small restaurant in Newport Beach. One of the dishes was a risotto which we all decided was not very good. It had not been cooked properly and the chef/owner did not have a clue. So our good friend Clyde, opened his mouth up and said "I make better risotto than this". He said he would have us all over for a risotto dinner.

I guess his conscious got the best of him and he finally set a date. 9 of us dined this evening. We brought the appetizers and desserts and Clyde made braised lamb shanks, mushroom risotto and his wife Libby made a great salad with greens, pears and cheese. The dinner was excellent. and the risotto was far superior to the dish at the restaurant in Newport Beach.

Wine flowed freely. There was a least 15 bottles set out. I did not keep a list of the wines but I brought a 2003 Loring Cargasacchi Pinot Noir and a 2007 Clos Pepe Pinot Rose. Several of the other wines were very good.

Good friends, good food and good wine. What more does a person need. It just does not better than this.