Flavors 518

My sister made me some bacon wrapped asparagus. Here is the approximate recipe . She mixed together some brown sugar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, jalapeno, salt and pepper, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds and brushed that all on the asparagus. Then, she wrapped the asparagus in bacon, and I am pretty sure she sprinkled on a little more brown sugar before putting it in the oven for 400 degrees and 30 minutes. Delicious! It has some Asian flair and a nice sweet and salty mix. Well played sister of mine, well played.

Scott Lemieux says: Albany Jane speaks the truth. I'm sure Ms. Garlic will have more, but she brought me back some of those boar short ribs after dining there earlier this week, and despite the disadvantage of spending 20 minutes in the car they were exceptionally good. I don't know what I would have thought of the sour cherry sauce in theory, but in practice is worked exceptionally well. I will need to get back soon to try the mussels, which by Ms. Garlic's account were also outstanding. Update by Ms. Garlic: I agree. Actually, they not only traveled the 20 minutes in the car, but also a 5 minute cold run through the snow, and unfortunately probably sat on the counter as my friend and I paid our bill and talked about the Republican primary race for a while  - so the fact that they were still really good after all of that is something! I was down there because my friend and I attended a lecture by George Rickey's son Phillip about his dad's car...

When we lived in NYC, we used to frequent a really intimate and comfortable wine bar in Astoria. I love the whole feel of wine bars, the relaxing ambiance, the sophistication that surrounds being able to try a variety of wines. So it was no surprise when we moved to Albany, that we were very excited to try the Wine Bar on Lark St . First off, let me discuss the setting. They have three fireplaces. Especially if you can't find parking and are braving the harsh winter, there is nothing more enjoyable than coming in to the all surrounding warmth of 3 fireplaces. It is like drinking wine under a down comforter. Fabulous. And then in the summer, they have a beautiful patio. It has fountains and greenery hanging from above. If you squint you could believe you were in France. Of course, the patio also has the scents of the kitchen hitting you in the face, which contrary to what you might expect don't always smell that good, but still, near perfect, beautiful setting. They also have...