Guigal & El Pollo Loco
March 16th, 2010
Necessity is the mother of compromise.
Funny how necessity and desire can come to a convergence sometimes. It makes for unexpected pairings and some food for thought.
The other night, I cleared the towering stack of work, the kids were done with homework and dinner time was nearing and I did not have time to cook. I decided to run out for some EPL: low effort, and most harmless (and least expensive) of all the take out options in the vicinity.
I NEEDED to eat because I’d skipped lunch. I WANTED a drink because after a day of work craziness, the kids’ squabbling was pushing me over the edge.
I had found an ’06 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge at my local Pavilions a few days earlier. So Guigal it was going to be. Sure, EPL is not what one imagines for a great wine and food pairing. But I figured, roast chicken and an Old World Syrah-Grenache blend (with a dash of Mourvèdre) would work and take the edge off the night and dull the impact of the constant bickering of my 12 and 7 year old. “Why not”, I thought.
The kids set the table as Irene walked through the door and we sat down to eat. I was too edgy to really pay attention to the wine and the food. Plus, I was wolfing down my food while checking the clock – I would have to go and do grandma’s meds soon.
I had been very curious about how this pairing would (or wouldn’t) work. But I just did not pay attention to it. Not the way I normally do. There are those who would contend that my mood affected my perceptions or my enjoyment. The problem with that argument is that I was just not paying attention to my senses. I just wanted to eat and have a drink.
Email & Share