Taste of the Week - March 1-7, 2009

March has come in with a number of tasty treats including some great comfort food items like perfect chicken cutlets and some nice dishes from a dinner with friends that we hosted including a Spanish influenced velouté of broccoli and cauliflower with pimentón, Sicilian tomato paste, olive oil, grated Manchego and aged sherry vinegar served with an oven-crisped slice of Joselito Jamón Iberico de Bellota. On the beverage side, a refreshing blood orange mimosa made with I.O. (Italian Organics) Organic Sicilian Blood Orange Juice and two 1990 vintage Rhone wines, the Chateau des Tours Vacqueyras Réserve and the Domaine La Bouissiere Gigondas were all delightful. Many weeks any of these would have been my taste of the week, but this week they were up against something truly special and not often found (at least not by me) in the U.S. A good friend recently gave us a whole Panbriacone from the Tuscan bakery Bonci. This vin santo soaked cake is simply divine. We served it plain, but it would also be nice with a simple ice cream, a soft goat cheese or even foie gras.