Summer is rosé season … and we are spoiled for choice here in France. Sometimes I’ll stand for ten minutes in front of the rosé wine section at my local supermarket, deciding which region to choose. Corsican? Provençal? Languedoc? The Bordeaux region? They’re all good.

Bordeaux Clairet is a distinctive rosé from Bordeaux, so deep in color it might almost be mistaken for a lightly-colored red wine. As might be expected, it’s made using the classic Bordeaux red-wine varieties – predominantly Merlot with a little help from the more “serious” Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Despite their intense color and rich fruity scent, the wines are always dry in style.

Typing the word ‘Merlot’ reminded me of that funny scene in the movie SIDEWAYS. If you haven’t seen this movie with Paul Giamatti, I highly recommend it.

Here are a few simple plates I threw together for a friend who came over recently. It was during the heatwave, so we ate cold. That cheese is halloumi … a Cypriot brined white cheese; so so good, grilled or cold.

I’ve been making this salmon dish for decades, it’s so tasty. Marinate salmon in soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger, scallions, garlic and a drizzle of honey. Place in a foil-covered baking dish and oven bake at a low temperature. Delicious hot or cold.

The star of the meal was a big bowl of quinoa-bulgur; I forgot to take a picture of it. Too bad because it’s really colorful. At my local supermarket you can buy a box of quinoa-bulgur already mixed. Once you’ve boiled it for ten minutes then drained it, throw it into a large bowl and add a chopped red and/or yellow pepper, tomatoes, cuke, red onion or scallions, dried cranberries, and fresh chives or any other fresh herb (parsley, coriander.) Optional additions are cut-up chunks of mozzarella or halloumi cheese, cut-up black or green olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. But the best addition is corn: not from the can, but kernels sliced from the cob. You can also add grilled chicken breast cubes or, alternatively, serve with grilled, turmeric-rubbed chicken on the side. Then I make a lemon juice-olive oil-vinegar-garlic vinaigrette and spoon it on at the last minute. I’ve been eating this salad all summer long, it’s a meal in itself. Serve with a chilled white or rosé wine.

 

And last but not least, here’s my new IKEA wardrobe. I’m so happy with it. It takes up nearly an entire wall. Who doesn’t love IKEA?

I bought these ceramic door knobs separately at Zara Home.