– All of the below from Trader Joe’s –

La Caumette NV Red Table Wine “L’Authentique” - Berries and volatility up the nose. Thinnish body, tart, a bit harsh, but all in all just plain cheap table wine. Worth what it cost, but no more. Buy more? No. ($4)

La Granja 360 2008 Cariñena Tempranillo – I’ve had a lot of cheap Tempranillo. It all tastes like this. Sour cherries, light to medium body, and that’s about it. Buy more? No. ($4)

Trader Joe’s 2006 Reserve Cabernet, California – Baaad nose of alcohol. Viscous, cough-syrupy fruit and caramel up front, and alfalfa underneath. Unpleasant, but I suspect people like it. Not a chance I’d buy more. ($10)

Ruggero di Tasso 2007 Sicilia Nero d’Avola “Archeo” – Smells a bit like L’Authentique, above, but tastes better. Next to no tannin plus plenty of fruit, very plush and soft in the mouth. Decent acidity keeps it from being hugely heavy. I don’t know that I could drink a glass or two of this, but it’s fine to sip. Has a twist of bitterness to keep your attention. ($4)

Lacheteau 2008 Vouvray – Almonds and quince aromas. This is going to be quite off dry – yup, it is. Initial blast of fruit and acid is far more intense than expected, but it fades a bit fast. This has the Chenin Blanc acid to balance out some of the RS, but not quite enough of it. Faint cheesy notes on the finish. The bottle says it’s good with spicy food (I agree), but all we have on hand is some horseradish – which, served on water crackers, actually works quite well with the wine, masking the RS and letting the apple flavors shine. Well worth the price – I might actually buy some of this. ($6)

Pizza 1: The Coevolution: Kalamata olives, rosemary, red onions, roasted peppers, goat cheese, mozzarella, garlic, cheese, herbs. Superb.

Pizza 2 (one half): Daily special – chicken parmesan. Not terribly successful. Kind of bland chicken.
Pizza 2 (other half): Daily special – rosemary cream sauce, sliced red potatoes, roasted garlic cloves, herbs, fresh basil. Unbelievably good.

The Coevolution

Two Daily Specials

Hummus bi Tahini

4 slices onion
2-4 cloves garlic
2 cans chickpeas (or equivalent volume rehydrated, cooked dry chickpeas), drained
juice of 1 medium lemon
2-4 Tbs sesame tahini
1/2 c. olive oil
dash cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce
1/2tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Mince onion and garlic in food processor. Add chickpeas and puree. Add remaining ingredients, pouring in the oil while processing the hummus until it reaches the desired texture. Serve with fresh pita, hot sauce, assorted pickles, and fresh vegetables.

The Monkshood Cocktail
1.5oz brandy
.75oz lemon juice
.5oz Benedictine
.5oz dry vermouth
dash Angostura bitters
dash real grenadine

Combine ingredients, shake over ice, double strain into a cocktail glass.

Beans and Rice With Avocado Salad

10oz dried yellow (Mayacoba/Canary) beans, soaked in water 6 hours to overnight
2 rice cups (360ml) Jasmine (white or brown) or Thai Red Cargo rice
2-4 avocados (depending on size)
2 large shallots
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
1oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1tbs chili flakes, fine
top-quality aromatic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper

Bring soaked beans to a boil in a pot of water, then reduce heat and simmer slowly, covered, until tender (several hours). 10 minutes before finished, add salt to taste (it takes a few minutes for the beans to absorb the salt). Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid, and set aside. In an electric rice cooker, cook rice with some salt and the bean cooking liquid. A few minutes before the rice cycle completes, add the cooked beans to the rice and stir well. While the rice cooks, prepare the salad.

Slice avocadoes in half, removing the pit. Score with crosshatches and scoop into a bowl. Dice tomatoes and mince shallots very fine and add to the bowl along with lime juice, salt, pepper, and chili flake. Add a good splash of the aromatic olive oil and stir well, trying not to completely mash the avocado cubes. Serve the cold salad atop a bowl of the hot rice and beans so that the heat from the rice brings out the aroma of the oil. Top with additional olive oil if desired.