Haute Cuisine 1.14

Escargot night!  They were finally ready.  Here they are before the cooking - in their little jar, all sealed up, retracted in their shells the way they are supposed to be when in pseudo-hibernation.  Tossed them into the pot which had half water, the last of a Charles Shaw Chardonnay.  After 15 minutes took them out, removed them from their shells, and put them back into the boiler this time with a fresh CS Chardonnay and water, about 50-50.

After that boiling for about 5 minutes, I was simultaneously melting the other stuff - the butter about 1/4 cup, a spoonful of diced garlic, and a puree of 2 tbsp absinthe (the recipe called for Pernod, I couldn't find it and had absinthe on hand already), a little of the chardonnay to give it some more fluid to blend in, lemon juice, and the parsley.  Sauteed the snails with the chopped mushrooms.  Took them out, served with red potatoes which were baked with olive oil, rosemary, and salt.  Wine served with it was a Sauvignon Blanc from Sattui Vineyard.