It looks like winter.

I had no misgivings tonight about lighting the oven to roast the turnips, in spite of the fact that earlier, while we were walking around the far west side near the Hudson, I had complained about mugginess.

Cool evenings: They’re one of the perks of the season.

This meal almost duplicated one I noticed I had put together this past March, but then I guess that sort of thing is inevitable after doing this blog for more than five and a half years.

But I think this time it tasted even better.

• one small duck breast from Pat LaFrieda at Eataly, the fatty side scored with cross-hatching, covered with a mixture of salt, pepper and a bit of turbinato sugar which had been infused over time with a vanilla bean, the breast left standing for about half an hour before it was pan-fried, and finished with lemon, sprinkled with chopped tarragon from Stokes Farm, and drizzled with a bit of olive oil
• Hakurei turnips from Norwich Meadows Farm, cut into half-inch-thick slices, tossed with oil, salt, and pepper, then roasted in an unglazed ceramic pan for 30 minutes at 425º, a small leek from Ryder Farm, sliced in half-inch segments, added half-way through
• several leaves of a small San Michele cabbage (an Italian Savoy) from Tamarack Hollow Farm, layered together on a board and sliced very thinly, then tossed with salt, pepper, and three flattened juniper berries, sautéed in a little butter over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until the leaves were tender and had begun to brown and (hopefully) crisp slightly at the edges, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar added and the cabbage heated briefly, finished with chopped parsley from Stokes Farm
• the wine was a California (Amador) red, S & A Portuguese-style red wine Amador County 2013, made with Touriga Nacional and Tinto Roriz (aka Tempranillo) grapes
• the music was two clarinet quartets by Franz Anton Hofmeister, No. 1, in A major, and No. 2, in B flat major