Drinking my words...

Do you remember when I said that I don't like screw cap wine?  Yeah, well I guess that I should have learned not to speak in absolutes.  Whenever I do, it comes back to bite me.  Hard.  In the proverbial butt.   Like it did on Sunday. 

We are at the point in our move when we are trying to cram as much fun into the few days that we aren't packing, cleaning, and wrapping up our Massachusett's lives in a pretty little bow.  One of the most fun things is getting together with friends.  Good friends.  Good friends, that like good wine.  AKA Lisa and Mike.  We spent Sunday at their house.  The plan was: get together, let the kids play, make an easy dinner, drink wine, and chill.  Simple.

Just a quick stop at Trader Joe's, the mecca of all things fresh and delicious.  I went in for toilet paper...  I came out with vine ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzerella, organic basil, and artichokes... the size of a Candlepin bowling ball!  The plan had changed, and I needed to get to the wine store, STAT!

Sauvignon Blanc was what I had in mind.  First it was warm out, and we would be outside, so a nice, chilled white was an excellent idea.  Second, when I eat artichokes, I always want Sauvignon Blanc.  It goes back to this amazing dinner Tim and I had at a small bistro when we lived in Dallas.  We ate steamed artichokes and drank Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc.  It was sweet and romantic and a very, very good memory. 

I came out with the Rodney Strong Sauvignon Blanc, Charlotte's Home.  It was $11.99.  It had a screw cap.  I bought it on a whim.  I recently had the Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon and liked it, and it was Charlotte's Home!  Close enough to my name to make it worth the gamble.

Maybe I should have played the lottery that day.  Wow!  It was delicious.  Light, citrusy (that's a technical term), and perfect under the shade of an umbrella while the kids played in the pool.  Now for those of you that have never steamed an artichoke.. DO IT!  I am including a recipe... trust me, it's easy.

Steamed Artichokes:

Fill the bottom of a large pot with a couple inches of water.  Toss in a lemon(cut in half), and a tbsp of Olive Oil.  Put in a steamer basket.  Take your artichokes, and cut the stem off to about 1/2 to 1 inch below the main part of the artichoke.  Steam for approximately 35 minutes, or until a fork pushed into the stem of the artichoke goes in easily!

Dip the leaves in a lemon aioli, or in a melted butter. 

I like to dip mine in melted butter cooked with a finely diced shallot, a dash of thyme, and a little dijon.  

Oh, and a nice Sauvignon Blanc!

            and this?

This is the sign of a good time!