Fall Samhain Moon
Jazz at Barbette. Kate and I have begun to go, every once in a while, to the jazz and dinner combinations co-ordinated by Kevin Barnes of KBEM. Tonight the meal was at Barbette and the music, jazz guitar, by his brother, Brian Barnes.
If you’ve not been to Barbette, it’s a stainglass lights, art of many qualities on the walls kind of place coupled with the sort of small, but beautiful presentations that mean you’ve just paid a lot for the meal. Tables are set somewhat close together and there was, at least tonight, a genuine air of bonhomie. The wait staff are quick, delicate and attentive.
Each course had a different craft or Belgian beer associated with it so I passed mine to Kate. The first, a Duvel, came with the pretzel course. Never have I seen pretzels so daintily and prettily presented and accompanied by a hot mustard sauce, a shallot marmalade and a wonderful gouda cheese sauce. Tasty.
The second, a Maredsous, came with gravlax, collard greens and small discs of grits. Sounds weird, but it was pretty good. The third, a Chouffe, graced a strange and new food experience for me, pork belly. Now when I say pork belly you may think of bacon but in this case I believe they cut a square section out of a pork belly and cooked it. I have a very broad palate, more gourmand than gourmet, and I like most things, but this had way too much fat for my taste. And, of course, I didn’t have the Chouffe to wash it down with. Quel domage.
The final dish was a deconstructed smore with a square of marshmallow topped by a scatter of broken nuts, a tablespoon size and shape piece of ice cream all on a swoosh of chocolate. Outside my low to no carb emphasis, as was the pretzel, but I went ahead anyway. Pretty good.
We had a university lecturer and her husband, a businessman and his wife, and two militant atheists, one of whom worked for the health insurance industry at our table.
In these settings I find listening to conversation can be a challenge though Barbette wasn’t terrible.
A fun evening. Oh, and every one said oh! when they asked where we were from and we said Andover. “So far.” “That’s a ways.”