Wine makes sense all of a sudden!

I spent the evening volunteering at class about pairing wine and food. I've taken a bunch of wine classes related to my culinary education that were mildly interesting, but in the end kind of unappealing and too full of hi-falutin' wine culture. This class, however, pretty much rocked my world from beginning to end. I never liked port, it's kinda like cough syrup mixed with wine and corn syrup. However, when matched with dark chocolate, the grosser elements of port got calmed down and it was all of a sudden like drinking a luscious cherry cordial. Wow! I still don't know a lot about wine, but all of a sudden it makes a lot more sense.

Between school and the class, spent a few hours at the restaurant -- we passed the DOH inspection! Now the only excuse we have for not being open is ourselves. I'm spending the day there accepting and inspecting deliveries. L referred to me twice today as the manager...which is fine, as long as I get to cook, too....

AM SNACK: 6:45am, bunch of baby carrots, .25 bowl, hunger 2/5

BREAKFAST: 8am, cart sesame bagel with butter, water, .75 bowl hunger 4/5

LUNCH: 12:15pm, 10 pork & chive dumplings, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5

PM SNACK: 3pm, quarter of a roast beef sammich, half a cup of mulligatawny soup, 8oz of coke, .75 bowl
We got some food from Almondine Bakery. Oh my, this was the best mulligatawny soup I ever had -- same flavor profile as the thin stuff I've had at crappy Indian restaurants, but this had a cream element to enhance the chicken stock and the lentils were fresh and the spicing just right. Wow.

PM SNACK: 4:30pm, prosciutto balls, Manhattan Special soda, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
The landlord stopped by to help celebrate us passing the DOH inspection today, brought us these amazing breaded deep fried balls of chopped up prosciutto and ricotta, spiced with a touch of black pepper, fresh and ungreasy and amazing. And the espresso soda to get me wired.

EVENING SNACK & WINE: 6:30-8:30pm, equivalent of 1.5 glasses of wine, tastes of prosciutto, salt, smoked almonds, piave cheese, dark chocolate, barbecue potato chips, honey, hot sauce, .5 bowl, hunger 3/5

EVENING WATERING: 11pm, quart o' water