Viva Italia! four paws up for lamb ragu and Splendido!

Since there was a break in the heat Mom decided to pull out a great fall recipe from Wine Spectator magazine.


Being that I am a border collie (or mostly border collie) the idea of lamb naturally appeals to me. And this dish starts with ground lamb, browned and then combined with carrots, onions and celery and cooked until the veggies are tender. Add a touch of tomato paste and a few cups of dry red wine. She let the wine cook away completely, then added some broth, canned tomatoes, and spices such as rosemary, oregano, cumin, thyme, coriander, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. She let that simmer for a few hours, then tossed it over some pasta and covered it with a bit of chopped mint and parmasean cheese.

Amazingly, this dish has not one clove of garlic but the spices blend together to provide a glimpse into what is probably a local favorite in Tuscany. I can imagine local farmers setting down to steaming bowls of this once the day's work is done. Tired and hungry, the noble border collie comes to the kitchen for a pat on the head and a bowl of leftovers.

While I am not a drinker, I did taste the Poggio Alle Sughesi's 2001 Splendido that was served with the meal. The vines for this wine grow within a grove of olive trees. The dense rich plum flavors and dry finish blend well with the ground texture of the lamb and the rosemary and thyme. I can see why humans would want to drink a sangiovese-based wine with the dish. I had a bowl of water with mine, which also went well with the main course.

So I give the meal 4 paws up, which is what I was once my belly was full!

That's all I have to report for now folks.

Bone apetit!