Proper Friday

Can you think of anything better after a long week at work than a relaxing evening with wine and cheese?

Over the years, our Friday night spread has become a tradition in our home – not quite Russian but very relaxing and enjoyable.

Pick a geographic theme – be it French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese – whatever tastes of wine and cheeses you prefer. Or you can mix and match with whatever you have in your fridge.

For us last Friday, it was French with a bottle of Burgundy. I try to keep the wine’s “connectedness” in mind, pairing it with a French roquefort, camembert with herbs and Comté. As it was explained to me by a professional winemaker, connectedness means that a particular bottle of wine could come from only that particular piece of land, and it should somehow have the aromas that you would inhale by pouring cold water on hot soil in the vineyard.

Still, for an added twist, I added some speck and chorizo to make it a real meal, plus some olives to munch on in between.

Even with all of these delicious foods and flavors – this dinner becomes more than just the sum of its parts. It becomes a family ritual – the sound of the cork popping off the bottle, swirling and smelling the wine in your glass (my favorite part), pairing it with different cheeses and tastes…there’s no better way to start the weekend!