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Interim notes from a hamburgher...

PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 5:23 am
by Covert
Wednesday was my last night in Philadelphia for a while, maybe for a long while. The part of my work project there ended. I felt sad and didn’t tell anybody at La Terrace on Sansom Street, where I again dined; or tell the girl at the Black Cat gift shop next door to it, from whom I bought another White Dog T-Shirt; or tell the familiar old black bellman at my hotel, who immediately recognized the White Dog Logo and thought it was cool that I was wearing it, and thought he now knew something about me, that I wouldn’t be returning.

For my last supper, I dined Spartan. When the waiter put the French American menu in my hands, I gave it back unopened and said I would have a hamburger and a bottle of 2000 Petit Figeac.

I can’t tell you how happy I am that I read about the Fleur Burger in the Agony Airlines Magazine. I now order a slight modification of it almost every meal. It comes in an infinite number of variations. The better the restaurant, the better it tastes; and there is always an appropriate Right Bank wine to pair with it, if not always a Pétrus. (Actually never a Pétrus,–God help me if I ever saw one on a wine list and had had a couple of drinks under my belt. My limit on my credit card would permit it, even if my marriage wouldn’t.)

The hamburger lets the wine to talk in a way that a fine, complex dinner wouldn’t. A $5,000 lesson. I know this for a fact because I am starting to have conversations with wines like I never had before – even little wines. They don’t have to be great wines: every one has something important to say. I’m reminded of one time when I drank fine Champagne in stems on the concrete steps of a fine restaurant at four in the morning. Homeless people joined me in finishing off the bottles and I had conversations with them that I would never have had from a table in Le Cirque, or something like that.

The little Figeac told me things about the 2000 vintage that were truly remarkable, but very subtle truths which have not yet bubbled to my consciousness so that I can talk about them. But I feel them strongly and they have almost surfaced and I can’t wait to relate what I have found. To be continued…

Re: Interim notes from a hamburgher...

PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:26 am
by Jenise
So what about the 2000's in your cellar? Are they calling out to you yet? I know you have more than I do of that vintage.

Re: Interim notes from a hamburgher...

PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 1:05 pm
by Covert
Hi Jenise,

My basement is flooded again, speaking of cellars, and Lynn and I are preparing it for contractors to do what they can on Monday. A real mess.

But later this weekend, hopefully, I want to describe as best as I can what I find different about the 2000s.

I don't drink 2000s out of my cellar because most of them are too young, as you well know. I drink them in restaurants because they are often all that are available, until they are replaced by 2001s.

Covert

Re: Interim notes from a hamburgher...

PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:24 pm
by Paulo in Philly
You were in Philly and you did not tell me? Shame on you, Covert! I JUST ran into this post. Next time you come to Philadelphia, maybe in 10 years as it sounds from your post, make sure to let me know!