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A few weeks ago we celebrated our wedding anniversary (28 years!) with a drive out to eastern Connecticut to the Sharpe Hill Vineyard for a wine tasting and lunch. It was a beautiful late October afternoon, with the last of the fall foliage offset against a brilliant blue sky. The tasting was set up outside on the lawn beside the colonial-era building that houses the restaurant and winery. We sat sipping our wine in the chilly sunshine at the base of a hillside glowing golden with vines.
Their well-tended gardens were still blooming with zinnias, cosmos and mums.
For the drive, I created a new classical playlist. I get in the mood for classical music in the fall, especially while driving. It just seems like the perfect soundtrack for winding along country roads in a shower of falling leaves. The leaves are down now but there were still a few to enjoy on the day we went on this outing. Listen to my Classical Fall playlist on Spotify. (Classical purists please don’t judge me for the mix of eras and styles!)
We brought home a mixed case of Sharpe Hill wines including the St. Croix which was recommended as a pairing with Italian food. A couple of weeks later I made cannelloni for Saturday night, with the St. Croix in mind. This special occasion dish has multiple steps, but they can be spread out over several days, and the effort is so worth it when you see the gorgeous result, emerging cheesy and browned from the broiler with a blanket of marinara and balsamella sauces protecting rolls of tender homemade pasta.
To go with such a stunner, a simple and refreshing Caesar salad is all that’s needed for a starter/side, and chewy coconut cookies are a small but welcome sweet to end the meal.
The Game Plan
- Start the day before (or even a few days in advance) to make the building blocks for the cannelloni: marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, and balsamella sauce. Save time and effort by using store-bought marinara and ricotta if you prefer.
- Early in the day, or the day before, start making the pasta dough. While it rests, make the cookies.
- Assemble the cannelloni as soon as the pasta dough has rested, or wait until later, a couple of hours before dinner.
- Make the salad while the cannelloni bakes, and eat the salad while the cannelloni rests.
- For a detailed plan with step-by-step instructions and timing, download the Game Plan document linked below.
Saturday November 9 2019 Game Plan
