A Glorious Coq Au Vin

This is how we begin winter.

With a bottle of red,
A Breton top,
Some garlic-herb bread,

And a glorious Coq Au Vin.

Simmering on the stove,
Smelling of earthy wine,
Carrots, onions, and mushrooms,
and lots and lots of Shiraz Cabernet.

Lumpy is funny in this way. He saw Julie cooking Coq Au Vin on 'Julie and Julia' a few years ago and declared, " I will marry you if you can cook my a good Coq Au Vin!".

Yesterday, he came back and asked me what was for dinner.

"Coq Au Vin," I said.

"Huh? What's that?" He asked.

"Coq Au Vin, the French Chicken Stew with Red Wine," I said, expecting him to remember Julie and Julia.

"Why you cooking that?"

"'Cause you said you liked it!"

Later, as he ate, amidst comments on how "It's tasty!" and "Mm, this bread is good!", he told me

"To be honest, I don't like eating like this. It's tiring having to dip the bread constantly in the sauce. It wears me out. I was perfectly happy with rice and soup."

I vividly remember the declaration of "I will marry you if you cook me good coq au vin!" but I know, as with all of Lumpy's declarations, you have to take it with the lightest pinch of salt. Because Lumpy, despite whatever he says, is a man influenced by the moment. I had the feeling he would find it momentarily tasty but never take to it. He is a Chinese, no-wine-in-my-meals-I-want-my-rice kind of man.

Here's to the start of winter and a good coq au vin.

Cheers,

Meredith.