Tonight's victim

Tonight's intended victim:

Now that's what I like to see--
a bottle of wine next to a keyboard
and an unfinished manuscript...

Later this evening some friends are coming over to drink a lovely 2002 River's Edge Pinot Noir and watch the DVD of Sideways. I purposely did not see the movie in the theater so I could watch it with my own good glass of wine. I already tried a bottle of this wine and it was terrific--I got it at Big 10 during a recent mixed-case sale. I think with the discount it came to $16, and it proved to me that spending about $5 more per bottle can really be worth it. That said, I also got some bottles for about $10 which are good for every-day drinking.

Last night, I had the asparagus and idiot salad all prepared to go when Brian came home with a welcome craving for Japanese food. So the veggies were chucked back in the fridge and we picked up some take-out from Saica. Their bento box is really an insane amount of food--I could only get through half of mine. Here is what it consists of (for $15):

• small portion terriyaki salmon
• a california roll
• tempura (2 shrimp, 3 vegetables)
  
• salad
• miso soup
• rice
• some sweet braised vegetables (carrot, mushroom and something un-identifiable that we referred to as "the orb")
• a potato croquette
• a handful of edamame
• two gyoza
  
• a piece of sweet omelet
• a slice of cantaloupe and orange

By the time I had finished the soup, salad and tempura I was full. And I hadn't even opened the main box yet! I bravely stuffed on and tasted a little of everything in the big box before putting it in the fridge for lunch today.

So that leaves the asparagus waiting for dinner tonight. After last night's break from the kitchen, I'm a little inspired to do something new with the asparagus, rather than my usual roast (with olive oil) or steam and top with lemon and salt and pepper. I've never tried the egg/asparagus combo, but have seen recipes for asparagus topped with poached egg and a recent Amanda Hesser recipe in the Sunday NY Times Magazine for asparagus with a sieved soft-boiled egg topping that sounded appealing. Maybe I'll remember to take a photo before we start woofing it down...