Playing with the Spanish Dragon, from Dragone Vineyards, “Val Du Vine” Tempranillo wine.  This is my play; reverse sear two thick rib eye steaks, baby bella mushrooms in Straus sweet butter, and Scharffenberger 70% cacao dark chocolate.  Yes every thing worked together. It’s a very simple dinner. Set the meat out and season, bring to room temp.  Open the wine.  About 1 hour later, start BBQ, I used a gas grill.  Clean mushrooms with a moist towel, slice and pan fry on med-low heat in sweet butter, (I use Straus) . To reverse sear steaks, you need indirect heat and high heat.  On a four bunner gas grill, use two burners as high as they’ll go, when the temp seems as hot as it gets, place the meat away from the flames, and cook until you get an internal temp around 100. I check them every 5 minutes, removing them to a plate off the grill for each check and keeping the lid shut as much as possible.  Flip with each check.  When the inside temp reaches a little over 100 precede to sear, getting the traditional char marks, grill no longer than a couple minutes on each side, keep checking, you don’t want to go over 120, because the meat keeps cooking a while after you take them off.

                         Check to see if the meat is done to your liking?  Some people can do this by touch, some by temp, I just make a small cut in the center, not all the way through. Now, bring them in, let the meat sit (about 5 minutes) while reheating the mushrooms.  Top each steak, and pour the wine. Enjoy the Dragon’s bouquet, breath in it’s rich and earthy aroma, with the steak and mushroom, backup.  Wow, it’s truly a spectacular event, without even taking a bite.  If you eat with your eyes, then what’s your noise doing, because just the smell is like making my mouth water even way back in my throat.  Find a piece of meat with some smoky crisp fat on the edge, cut it and let the meat juice run, lift your glass and sip from the dragon, now dip the meat in the juice, and get it in your mouth before letting go of the wine.  I hope you get it, the  marriage of flavors, aromas, textures, and mouth feel.  When it comes to the chocolate I don’t know which one goes first, all I do is get them both in my mouth at the same time and enjoy.