It is amazing, that we tend to realize that we get older daily, and it certainly beats the alternative.  The problem is that it is easier to notice getting older for ourselves, but when others hit milestones, it is a bit jarring.  My little sister turned sixty-five and somehow that just is surprising, even though we made arrangements to have a dinner party for the event.  It seems like it was only yesterday, when one of the cousins pulled off a successful surprise party for her sixtieth birthday.  Younger siblings, like children and especially grandchildren are not supposed to age.  At least, that is the way it should be. 

My Bride, became a Whirling Dervish again as she decided to have and host the party.  We didn’t have the full compliment of cousins, because of prior business commitments and that happens, especially, because everyone wants to start travelling again, even if it is for business.  Then we had debates here, as to which set of China to use, and of course I was all in favor of using our best set, just because that is what it is for.  Though our second set, had more of the plates that we required for the dinner.  We decided to start off with appetizers in the living room, and yes, we, especially me, are old fashioned and actually like using the living room for entertaining.  We started off with two favorite Armenian appetizers that I have mentioned many times; Lahmajoon which are little individualized “pizzas” and Cheese Boregs which are “phyllo” dough stuffed with Brick Cheese.  We also tried to duplicate our late father’s “Hot Ham.”  A Krakus Polish Ham that is stuffed with as many cloves of garlic that can be inserted, then covered with cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes, baked on a pan, that is floated on a larger pan filled with water.  The garlic roasts in the ham and becomes sweet and the pepper flakes add a lot of zings.  It wasn’t quite the same, but it was close enough to make us happy.

What better way to begin the celebrations then with some bubbles?  We started with Domaine Jean Bourdy Cremant du Jura NV, and they began in 1579 with generation to generation in the Jura.  Consequently, Domaine Bourdy has one of the most extensive library collections of wine in the Jura. The appellation of Cremant du Jura was created in 1995 with a history dating back to the Eighteenth Century and was then known as vin mousseux.  Cremant du Jura now accounts for twenty-five percent of the total wine sold by Jura wineries. The wine must be at least fifty percent Chardonnay and the remainder can be Savagnin for the white and the rosé must include Poulsard and Pinot Noir. Like all Cremant wines, they must be made in the Methode Traditionelle and aged in bottles on their lees for a minimum of nine months.  The Jean Bourdy Cremant du Jura was pure Chardonnay.  My Bride was enamored by this wine and we bought a case of it about seven years ago, and it has held up extremely well.  The wine had a beautiful golden color with fine bubbles with notes of citrus, floral and yeast.  On the palate apples and brioche with a nice medium length offering terroir (minerals). A great way to start off the festivities and also the evening is also known for wine lovers as “Open That Bottle Night.”