Sneaky Temptations

For once, I paused long enough to record the temptations selection at the Culinary Institute of America's Greystone restaurant in St. Helena before they all disappeared. When we go there, we frequently order this selection of bite-sized hors d'oeuvres to begin the feast.

My Washington DC brother is in town with his lovely wife and, since they are both foodies and winos of the first water, we took them up to the Napa Valley to taste wines and food while they are visiting. Getting to visit the CIA twice in a year is my idea of living right, especially when my big brother foots the bill!

Our choices included a thimblefull of cauliflower soup with truffle oil and chives (wunderbar!) and a bite each of brandade with black olive tapenade (Ann's favorite) and lavosh triangles, pulled pork with ancho chiles on a tiny crisp tortilla, crispy wonton filled with duck and topped with a sweet sauce and fois gras mousse with curried Asian pear garnish on tiny, thin toast rounds (to die for!).

These lovely temptations start a fun conversation about which is preferred by which diner as they inveigle you into the rest of the CIA experience.