Since I have discussed two memories revolving around “The Wizard of Oz” I went searching for the last playbill that I remembered to complete this trilogy, and I discovered a fourth outing.  The fourth discovery was from a playbill of this play, that I did not see as my Bride took one of our granddaughters to see the play, and I stood home, so that they could enjoy their evening together.

The playbill that I was searching for was for the play “Wicked” which we saw during its first run in Detroit at the Masonic Temple.  This play was is a musical that is based on the witches of the story, before the story of “The Wizard of Oz.”  It is fun to look back at how there are different interpretations of the basis of the story.

Since this show was being performed at the Masonic Temple, we decided to have dinner at the Atlas Global Bistro, which is in the historic Addison Building in Detroit.  This was an old apartment building that had been retrofitted and converted into condominiums and the units sold out almost immediately.  The principals of the restaurant I am sure decided that this was a good omen, and opened up this restaurant that has huge windows over looking Woodward Avenue and gives a view of all the new building and interest in this area.  The owners decided on the name of Atlas, not for the strong man, but for the concept that they would not be locked into any one type of cuisine.  This allows them to experiment with different culinary attitudes of the world and the dishes that they can create.  The concept being that they would not be constantly making similar dishes season after season.  The evening that we were there, the food was centered on a Central American theme and we enjoyed a dinner of a Duck Confit and a Sea Bass entrée, each which had sides and spices from the region that they were experimenting with at the moment.

We selected a Spanish wine to complement our dinner that evening.  It was Tres Picos Garnacha 2004.  This is a wine made from the Grenache varietal.  This grape is perhaps most known from the Southern Rhone valley and is found in Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines, as well as a famous Rose wine made in Tavel, near Avignone.  The grape is grown around the world, and does well in long hot growing climates.  The wine made from Grenache typically has a low tannin taste, but has a spice to it, which I thought would lend itself well for the flavors of the evening that we were enjoying.