I was traveling in Europe for most of March and half of April, and I plan to tell you about food and wine highlights from there shortly.  But before I do that, let me throw in a few food/wine remembrances from the short period after classes ended and before my trips.

First, I need to set the scene.  February was a long time ago.  This is what it looked like from inside the enclosure on my tractor while snowplowing:

Cold, raw winter calls for sturdier foods.  Barbara had a good example, with a vegetable pot pie she made, topped with rosettes of mashed potatoes instead of the usual pastry.

This 2012 Lacryma di Morro d’Alba was just right with the dish.

I did some fresh pasta-making, such as hand-made Cannelloni filled with a fresh Spinach and Almond milk Ricotta blend.  These were baked, with some fresh vegetables strewn on top, along with a touch of tomato sauce.   A 1998 Barbaresco from the cellar was a most enjoyable companion.

Other hearty dishes included some excellent canned Portuguese tuna with beans and red onions, and a Spanish chickpeas, rice and black currants meal, baked in a cazuela.

On the lighter side was a lunch dish, featuring excellent lightly-pickled vegetables, inspired by superb fresh Daikon radish from a visit to Chinatown with student friends.