Cheese & Pâté – From Your Neighborhood Grocer!
It was last weekend that the conversation about duck pâté ensued. The craving for it, the anticipation of the richness in your mouth. We were sitting in a Sea Food restaurant in Boston, when my boyfriend mentioned craving it. Never to be one to stand in the way of unsatisfied cravings, I offered to go pick some up immediately. But a few seconds later, we all agreed that lobster and pate did not quite go together. And so the pâté feast was to be postponed.
Back in New York on Monday, in anticipation of a nice homemade dinner, I left work at a decent hour to meet my boyfriend en route home. It was right before the meeting place that I passed by Fauchon. The shiny countertops, the alluring glow of lights, the bonbons - I was defenseless against the beckoning dessert (and besides, we needed dessert) and so I hopped in to pick up some Chocolate-Meringue Cake and a Chocolate Eclair. Yes, there’s a theme here!
Further down, we stopped by Grace’s Market for our delectable treats. Since we wanted more than just duck pâté, we decided to get some soft-ripened cheese and went with a basic, but oh-so-luxurious Brie. Gracie’s cheeses are never tasteless and plasticky, so we were guaranteed a brie that was creamy and flavorful. I had a peppered salami at home, but we needed some bread. After picking up a baguette, our dinner was complete.
We had long planned to drink a fantastic bottle of a Super Tuscan I once received as a gift, but couldn’t find an occassion. So we decided to randomly pick a night for an Open-That-Bottle Night. The wine review will shortly follow because it was quite something.
Our dinner was so simple, yet so tasty! Virtually no preparation (unless you count unwrapping, cutting and arranging as preparation) went into it. And yet, it felt so decadent, so satisfying, so civilized. One doesn’t need to cook a meal in order for it to have soul in it. There was something honest about our dinner, and its simplicity made it somehow more comforting. It felt like a real home with a real dinner, despite the fact that everything came wrapped and ready to consume.
Grace’s Market
1237 3rd Ave (at 70th Street)
New York, NY 10021
(212) 737-0600
(212) 734-3661
