Wine and Cheese, Please

I'd forgotten how tasty Ms. Beatrice can be

Tuesday evening, the second of my two days off this week, I decided to support my neighborhood with some local shopping. My first stop was at the Broadyke Meat Market for some cheese.

straight-forward, un-fussy blue cheese a. k. a. good stuff!

I'd asked the butcher if I could sample his blue cheese. He portioned out a small piece and handed it to me on a napkin. I was instantly impressed and asked for a pound. (just $8.50!) I also selected a half-pound of the more expensive gruyere ($14.50). My next stop at was at the reliable PJ Wine.

you won't find veins like that with supermarket cheese!

I wanted to pick up a sparkling and something that could be used as an apéritif (and saved for later). Looking for a sparkler that neither David nor I had had in a while, I selected Ca' Furlan prosecco. ($8.97) Scanning PJ's aisles for a wine to pair with the prosecco, I happened upon a bottle of pomegranate wine.

suspect I was, but I'd never had
pomegranate wine before...

As I was examining the bottle's label, a seller approached me from behind and asked if I'd needed any help. I told him I was looking for a wine to serve either as an apéritif or with dessert. He said the pomegranate wine would be good as an apéritif... and that it had a good acid. After confirming whether or not I should chill it, I was sold--for $7.99!

FOR DINNER, David made a "vegetarian cassoulet" with halved onions (held together by toothpicks) and freshly-soaked chickpeas. With the blue cheese, he made a dijon-blue cheese dressing for a parsley salad. The pomegranate wine somewhat resembled a fortified wine or perhaps even a liquer, with dark, heavy fruits on the palate. Paired with our meal, the Ca' Furlan carried a pleasant aroma of light fruits which were subtly flowery on the palate. David had said it was the best prosecco he'd ever had--it's not trying to be anything... but a prosecco. Later in the meal, I began concocting "kir royale"s with the prosecco topped of with a splash of the pomegranate wine. I must say it came as a close second!