Somehow this Easter just didn’t feel as much like an Easter as others have.  Perhaps, because it was so early in the year, or perhaps because Mother Nature has declared that Winter may not end for another month or so.  As I have often lamented or noticed, that I was from another generation, as I can remember getting new clothes to look our finest for Easter and so did everyone else back then, but this is a tradition that has fell by the wayside, as so many other genteel ways of the past.   Life goes on, no matter what, and I am feeling more and more like Ashley Wilkes remembering times that will never return.  Thankfully some traditions in our home have survived and most of my labors were done in preparation for the holiday and then I get to hide away on my computer in the office, until my services are required.  One of the first great aromas that wafted upstairs where I was hiding was the scent of bacon being fried, because my Bride needed some bacon grease for one of the side dishes that she was making for dinner.  The benefit of that was, that I had a chance to indulge in a very simple, but totally enjoyable bacon sandwich with the rashers that were not required for the dish.

My Bride was cooking up a storm for the anticipated guests, but punctuality is not a common trait found nowadays, so a couple of appetizers were never even put out, because most of the guest finally arrived when all the dinner dishes were completed.  We can always enjoy the two different pate plates at another time, as there were still ample trays of cut vegetables, fruit, cheese and crackers.  The pre-mentioned bacon grease was necessary for her dish of Brussel Sprouts with a Balsamic drizzle, but she also made a second plate that was done with Cilantro.  She had made Garlic mashed potatoes, and she also made mashed sweet potatoes, Armenian rice pilaf, as well as getting a salad ready for the day.   She had decided on Breaded Chicken and a classic roast ham, so I knew that one of the side benefits would be Split Pea soup being made in another day or two, because there was a big ham bone and some meat that I had carved for that dish.  She also made and decorated an Angel Food cake, because we took advantage of the day to celebrate the birthday honorees for the month.

One of my jobs for the day, besides carving meat was to select the wine for the day, and that was a rather easy chore.  I mean with the two main courses being chicken and ham, most wines could work very easily, did I want understated or something robust, was the only question.  I went with an understated approach as I wanted this early Easter to be a harbinger of true Spring weather and with it some sun and warm temperatures.  I opted for some pretty pink rosé wines.  The first wine was Willow Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé Pretty in Pink 2013 from Suttons Bay in the Leelanau Peninsula of Michigan.  This winery was established in 1992 by John and Jo Crampton and it is a hilly area with an awesome view. The wine maker is Chris Guest who has over thirty years’ experience and was the founder of another winery Seven Lakes Vineyard in Fenton, Michigan.  There really was not much in the way of winemaker notes for this wine, but with the deeper color, I would surmise that the juice was left on the lees for a couple of days and from the taste I would say that it was aged in Stainless Steel.  A pretty wine with a slight nose, but very easy to drink.  The second wine is one that I have grown quite fond of and it was I believe the last of the purchase.  This was Chateau Thivin Beaujolais Villages Rosé 2016. Chateau Thivin has been around for about six-hundred years and is in the heart of Brouilly in the Beaujolais region. This wine naturally is made from Gamay Noir a Jus Blanc and after the grapes are macerated the juice is left with the skins for a natural coloring and this fruit is from vines averaging fifty years in age. After the one day, the juice is fermented in Stainless Steel to maintain the fruit.  As I have stated before it may have been the best Rosé I have had all year and my only complaint is why I didn’t learn of this wine sooner.  I may have been a bit premature on the wines to herald in the new season, but I tried.