Daughter Lesley R, and husband Massimo (plus their gorgeous and brilliant daughter, Sofia) returned from France and the Piedmont region of Italy in time for holiday celebrations at their Riverside, R.I., home. This meant gifts of French pate (from force fed geese) and white truffle products (from Piedmont’s annual white truffle festival). These gifts can only be described as the real deal. No insipid chicken liver pate (mousse?). No vile and dubious truffle oil (destroyer of many dishes). Armed with the authentic products created by artisans (and nature), BSK created a spectacular dinner for New Mexico guests. Pate on buttered toast accompanied by a chilled bottle of Gewurtztraminer. Then steaming bowls of papardelle with a melange of wild mushrooms, abundant truffle butter (made in Alba) and real deal truffle oil (no synthetic flavoring) was stirred into the pasta. Ah, the fragrance!! Ah, the taste !! Robust Malbec was the drink. A few days later, HG/BSK followed a Lesley R. hint and melted slices of pate on pan broiled rib steaks. Ecstasy. HG’s after dinner beverage was mellow Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon. An All-American digestif.
