Tonight's Special...Tender AmlaPaste Served with a Little Chica...

I've enjoyed some strange pairings in my life, but this one takes the cake in terms of bizarre...I was recently gifted a bottle of something called Little Chica, a Spanish blend of Old Vine Tempranillo and Garnacha...of course I found the name hilarious, being referred to as Vino Chick in some parts...and in others as Chica, one half of the classic rock cover duo Chica and the Man.

Cool name notwithstanding, this '07 blend has colossal tannins, with dark rich fruit and color. Awesome with a hearty beef or chicken dish...my stomach was starting to rumble, and as I went to open the kitchen cupboard, it hit me...why not match up this Little Chica with something healthy? My doctor's assistant Jeni recently offered up a challenge of sorts when she asked me what I would pair with this special gooseberry paste I'm eating to enhance my pituitary function (I lobbied hard for a series of Syrah infusions, but no dice). This stuff is thick as a brick so I immediately thought red and hearty...

As the serene, white-bearded gentleman on the bottle would tell you...the effect of the clove-infused AmlaPaste, as it is called, spread on multi-grain rice crackers and joined with the hearty berries that Little Chica was showing, was simply mind-numbing...all of that fruit and spice packed together in one concentrated little sip and bite was invigorating...I still have no idea what a gooseberry is, but I suspect that if my pituitary gland could talk, it would thank me...

Follow me on Twitter @VinoChick75.