Copper River Salmon & Asparagus

This kind of thing is sort of our schtick; we do know a good thing.

—Copper river salmon coated with dill and fennel from the garden, sautéed in a pan, basted with homemade butter and fresh Spring garlic

—A melange of veg, including asparagus, young favas and lettuces from the garden, and tons of herbs, most notably hyper-floral marjoram and borage flowers.

Enjoyed a serious bottle of premier cru Volnay — 2006 Les Chevrets from Henri Boillot. It was thick with nostalgia. Woodsy, minerally, fragrant. It evolved and I wish I could have spent more time with it before it was gone. Also, a little snip of really good pastis — just 'cause.

Kraftwerk on the radio. Sometimes the routine demands a precise shakeup.

Black Beans & Rice

Perfect day out. Mowed the lawn, gave the cows a taste of grain, trellised the peas, and enjoyed the breeze.

—Cooked black beans from Shagbark with a bit of star anise, clove, and bay leaves

—Sweated off bacon, onions, fresh Spring garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, and dried arbol chili

—Tossed in brassica greens from the boxes

—Pickled some just pulled shallots

—Served over boiled rice and garnished with cilantro, lime, and last season's hot sauce

Popped a bottle of 2008 Chateau de Lascaux, Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge by J.B. Cavalier and it's drinking like a man in a Viagra commercial. 

New Sigur Ros on the radio.

Lamb Kebab

I'm not sure how I would improve upon this. It harkens to some platonic form of doner kebab. At the very least, it brought back some memories of Germany years ago, which always means you're onto something.

At any rate:
—Took pastured lamb and ground it, mixing in cumin, coriander, Spring garlic, smoked pimenton, and some crazy-pungent marjoram.
—Made pita with our sourdough starter, local flour, and a hot cast-iron griddle
—Showered with salad and myriad herbs from our garden, plus young shallots that we pulled
—Roasted local Spring carrots with whole pounded cumin and coriander, Spring garlic, and fruity green lime oil that my parents gifted us from Paso Robles.
—And thick yogurt as well—with dill, mint, and hyssop
—Finished with some special Spanish olive oil

Paired with a generous and fruity 2009 Rioja, "Rayos Uva", from Olivier Riviére. It's Rioja, but with a deep minerality and approachable wildness. Also, finished off what was left of a crazy bottle of natural white, La Lunotte — Chistophe Foucher. It has elements of a natural cider with a refreshing sourness.

What I mean to say is, tonight it was all around the best of things.