Denise & Julia

I can't believe I am doing this: opening an excellent bottle of French Bordeaux on a Sunday afternoon so that I can COOK with it.

It started a few weeks ago when I had the house to myself one weekend and settled in to watch Julie and Julia. When a thunder storm and torrential rain drove the menfolk back home (Anna toughed it out - said it was like sleeping in a river), Andrew watched the movie with me, and afterwards declared that the one thing he'd love to try in the entire world was Julia Child's recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon.

But I already make a (very good) Boeuf Bourguignon, I said in mild astonishment.

But Julia Child's is supposed to be the best ever, he replied.

Well okay then.

And so it is on this sweltering June afternoon, I am browning beef and following to the T Julia's recipe. (Which I might add uses more dishes than mine does, which will mean more cleaning up later). And though my wine rack is creaking under the shiraz and cab and malbec selections I have, there is no french Bourdeaux. Not even a Burgundy or a Beaujolais which I could justify substituting. Just this single bottle I have been saving.

It is inevitable. I open this fine wine while I wait for exactly four minutes for the flour to "brown and cover the meat with a thin crust" in the oven. And I will pour three cups of this wine into the beef and put it back into the oven for three hours.

But first I take a small glass myself. And it is delicious.

Reminding myself that I can always buy more wine, I reluctantly add the rest of the bottle to the casserole dish.

Father's Day, after all, only happens once a year.

(Let's be honest. I add most of the rest of the bottle - reserving a amount conveniently glass-sized that I will drink later).

Happy Father's Day, Honey.

UPDATE: For all those of you who have been asking, yes, it was worth it. I can't decide if it was better than my usual recipe because of the recipe, or because I followed steps and took no shortcuts, or because I used better wine. But it had a divine flaviour and the meat literally melted in your mouth.