Enjoying Summer Food with Chinon Wine and a Fun Book #Winophiles

 Life changes very quickly.  When I wrote the title for this post I was enjoying lying around the pool with my book, having my cabana boy aka Frank bring me cocktails.

I finished a novel called Daisy Jones and the Six.  It inspired me to make this delicious Hickory Burger. I asked Frank to open a bottle of Marc Bredif Chinon 2018 that I had bought for this months Winophile event celebrating the wines of Loire Valley.

Jill of L'Occasion is hosting this event inviting us to Take a Loire Valley Summer Escape.  Let's see how the others celebrated......

• Muscadet is Not Muscat, Gabure Bigourdane, and (Our Version of) Faire Chabròl | Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Thierry Michon and Domaine Saint Nicolas - Biodynamic Loire Wines |Savor the Harvest
• Savennières and Vouvray: Two Tastes of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc | The Swirling Dervish
• Sweet Wines from the Loire | Avvinare
• Made it to Dessert with a Vouvray | Keep the Peas
• A Visit to Loire with Thierry Puzelat of Organic Clos du Tue-Boeuf: Part 1 Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc with Summer Squash Tart | Wine Predator
• Turkey and Cabbage Skillet Recipe with Pouilly-Fumé | Cooking Chat
• Enjoying Summer Food with Chinon Wine and a Fun Book | A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cooking to the Wine: "Brendan Stater-West Saumur Les Chapaudaises and Chicken Thighs with Apples and Onions | Somm's Table
• Summer Sipping: B&G Chenin Blanc and Crispy Baked Pork Chops | Our Good Life
• Montlouis-sur-Loire – 2 Rivers, 3 Zeros and some delicious sparkling wine | Crushed Grape Chronicles
• Exploring the Loire Valley From My Balcony with #Winophiles! | The Quirky Cork
• Funky Loire Pet Nat was born for goat cheese pizza | My Full Wine Glass
• A Crémant de Loire, a Vouvray, and a Rosé D’anjou - I’m all set for the summer | Chinese Food and Wine Pairings
• Touraine Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley – Where Wine andHistory Reign | Grape Experiences
• Getting “Au Naturel” with Damien and Didier Richou ‘Les D en Bulles’ Méthode Ancestrale ;| ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Wine Thirsty? That's No Problem in France's Loire Valley | L'Occasion

This wine from Chinon in the Loire Valley was a little higher end then I would normally pour with a burger but this was no ordinary burger and the Marc Bredif is no ordinary wine.  It is a little spicy tamed down with berries.  It is smooth and refined with a very nice finish.  It paired very nicely with this burger but I was wishing I had lamb chops.

I opened that wine at the end of July and have been waiting patiently to share it with you.  After I finished Daisy Jones I picked up A Good Year by Peter Mayle.  My friend Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla had sent me this selection along with several other books she thought I might enjoy. 

And enjoy it I did.  I always enjoy Mayle's books.  I love any author that can make me laugh out loud prompting Frank to ask me what is so funny.   Mayle takes us on an exciting adventure to several different festivals held in France each year.  We attend a festival for oysters, snails, frog legs and (almost) naked women.  There is plenty of food, wine and jocularity to keep you happy for a year or at least for the couple of days you spend reading this book.

Then, before I got a chance to write up and share this post life turned topsy turvy on me.  This started when Frank decided to take the Angel Face up in the Powered Parachute for a flight.  On take off, they hit a power line and went topsy turvy 100' to the ground.  Watching that happen was a horrific experience.  Julien made it to the chute in record time extracting our girl and handing her over to her mama before running back to assist Frank.  

This was Tuesday evening and I have been at the hospital since.  The Angel Face was released Tuesday night with not even a bruise to show for it.  Grampy wasn't quite so lucky but very lucky none the less.  As I am writing this post he had surgery to fuse 2 separate areas in his spine.  There are several more fractures that will heal without surgery.  The Doc just came out to tell me that all went well and that they will have him up and walking this evening.  God is good........

I can't wait to get him home so we can open a bottle of wine and toast our good fortune.  I will not be able to join in twitter chat tomorrow as we discuss these wines but I will be there in spirit.  You could attend in my place just head over at 11 AM ET and follow #Winophiles.

I am also linking up with Foodies Read so that others can learn of and enjoy this book.