"Girl Chicken and Boy Chicken"

Menu:

Smoked chicken

Crock-Pot chicken 

Beets and Heirloom carrots

Mixed greens

Apple and cranberry turnovers with vanilla ice cream and balsamic vinegar

Wine:

R. Stuart Pinot Noir, 2006 and 2007

Last summer Dad proudly presented a meal at the cabin by announcing that for dinner we would feast on two different kinds of chicken.  Before he could explain, in his usual glee that comes only when describing the fruits of his obsessions (barbecue, wine, "kitchenator" dinners, etc.), Mom interrupted, "What, Girl chicken and Boy chicken?"  Well, as with most of Mom's witty interjections, I found this to be extremely hilarious. 

Dinner this Sunday conjured up this memory as we had, in fact, two different kinds of chicken.  The first, a smoked chicken, threatened Dad's life in the making.  The beloved Traeger grill, producer of many fine delicacies over the last several months, apparently filled to capacity with pellets, smoked and fumed requiring Dad to intervene nearly "smoking" him in the process. 

The smoked chicken was delicious despite the potential fiasco in the grill, but I had a hard time picking a favorite between this and the Crock-Pot chicken. 

Accompanying the chicken was a salad of sorts with roasted beets and heirloom carrots tossed with oil and balsamic vinegar.  

Speaking of balsamic vinegar, Dad introduced two new bottles to his recent collection.  I will not go into the details of these vinegars (ahem, $$$), but I will admit the one most closely discussed that evening was quite delicious on top the vanilla bean ice cream.  

The ice cream joined apple and cranberry turnovers created at the ever-impressive hand of Laura. 

Mike, Hannah and Holly were missed at the table on Sunday, but we were joined by Caitlin, who recovered from a bicycle accident (to say the least) with a glass of wine.  I'm completely amateur at wine conversation, which is to say that my descriptions are merely "good" or "not good."  However, the wine this Sunday, one from 2006, the other from 2007, were noticeably distinct from one another.  I preferred the 2006, but I couldn't explain why.  

Another delectable Sunday with our fabulous family.