The Transubstantiation of the Cheese and Wine

I get strong cravings for meat every once in a while. A perfect meal for me in this situation is a medium rare porterhouse, a baked potato, asparagus, and a glass of Château Puygueraud (any year). But sometimes I have this craving and just can’t get the meal together. First of all I don’t have any Château Puygueraud on hand and haven’t for over a year. Secondly, I don’t always have a good steak just lying around. Thirdly, I live far from civilization (if indeed such a thing does exist) and can’t go out and easily buy these items. So I must at times make do with a cheese plate and a different wine, often an American (or even Canadian) Bordeaux style blend. One of the best deals I ever had was 1998 Conn Creek Anthology for only $18 a bottle. I was flat broke and thus couldn’t justify buying more than the 3 bottles I purchased (which I also couldn’t justify). Well, needless to say, that’s all gone too.

To get back to the point, sometimes a glass of wine, a few pieces of extra aged Gouda and/or some Old Mimolette and maybe a slice of mango or apple do the trick. It is as though they have somehow transformed into that perfect meal inside me.