“These walls are funny. First you hate ’em, then you get used to ’em. Enough time passes, you get so you depend on them. That’s institutionalized.”  Maybe, a week went by and were deciding on other dishes to make.  I mean, if we are going to cook, we may as well make enough for a second night of food and then it can feel like it is a “doggie bag” from dining out.  The mind has to try to make the most of the situation that it has been given.  Slowly, our personal liberties have been taken from us, by the Nanny State, as the State knows what is best for us, no dining out, no shopping, no barber or beauty parlor trips and the list goes on.  Now, in the big picture, it is true and we must all bear the burden together, or do we? Somehow, some people suffer more than others and in parts of the state, the whole set of rules have seemed to be ignored, because certain pockets have much higher casualties compared to other parts of the state. I think that we are all feeling claustrophobic and powerless in our own homes. I will feel better when I can go out of my house for more than our daily three mile walk in the neighborhood, avoiding anyone else that also wants some fresh air to clear out the cobwebs. While we all wish for the end of this mess, and hope for the best, there is still an undercurrent of them against us, that I also hope will end.

Anyways, we were trying to come up with a dish that was different and I suggested Stuffed Peppers.  I mean, to me there is not a dish that is more universal.  Growing up, in my little borough in Detroit, which was the “melting pot” that they used to talk about when discussing America.  Every kid that I grew up with, grew up eating Stuffed Peppers, there might have been different nuances on the ingredients, some might have used lamb, beef or pork and the spices may change, but otherwise it is rather universal.  To be truthful it, it is even a dish that we hadn’t had for some time, because it isn’t a dish that one thinks of ordering when one goes out for dinner (remember those days).  We haven’t really even done take out, because of the rumors that people driving around are viewed as “enemies of the state” and you may need letters of transit, but that is another movie, but there is no prison scene in it.  Oh, a bonus to making the Stuffed Peppers is that my Bride made Rice Pudding from the extra rice.  The funny thing is that with all of the grape products in this house, we had no raisins, so she got creative and used raspberries; and it worked. 

I guess, we are trying to be good and before I start attacking the cellar with gusto, we have slowly used up the wines that were previously opened, and so far not a wine suffered for being opened and then resealed with one of those rubber corks and air pumps, so they are really a good investment.  I also have found that we are not drinking as much wine, in the confines of the house, which seems counter-intuitive, but that is the way it has worked out.  The Joseph Carr Josh Cellars Chardonnay 2018 is a wine that I never worry about, as it is always fresh, citrusy with a touch of oak/butter in the mix.  Joseph Carr began in 2005 making his line of wines, representing the best of vineyards for a California version of the classic French wines.  In 2007 he created the Josh Cellar line to represent California wines in a more relaxed, and affordable price range and named this collection after his father.  The fruit for this wine comes from both Mendocino and Monterey counties, both respected for producing quality Chardonnay grapes.  Joseph Carr is part of the much larger Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, and as an interesting side note, Joseph Carr lives in Cape Cod when he is not making wine.  I really debated as to whether I should have used a white or a red with the dish, since the meat was beef, and there was a tomato based sauce, but the Chardonnay being chilled and with that touch of oak, was pleasant with the dish and the spices, and I think we both had seconds to finish off the wine, but it just tasted that good.  We would worry about the wine for the leftovers for a later date.