The Rasberlini

New Green Pea on Atlantic had organic raspberries. This was Friday, and I was planning a celebratory drink to have on Skype with Vince. I stopped at Heights Chateau for some Mionetto Prosecco. Recession bubbly. At just over $10 it's hard to beat.

This is a sloppy drink. I don't like sloppy drinks. The idea was sound but its execution, flawed. First off, if you add the bubbly to the fruit, an explosion of foam occurs (same with Mimosas and Bellinis): scum is left around the rim of the glass. Not good. Always add the fruit after the wine. Second, the seeds. Pretty in mashed pulp but not in a drink. Next time, I will puree the fruit properly and strain it.

It's still a good drink. It reminds me of Roger Vergé's book, Entertaining in the French Style, so influential to the way I think of food, drink and people - where he suggests an aperitif with each of his dinner menus. I may scan some of the photographs in this out-of-print book and post them. It's funny how one absorbs things without realizing it, then stumbles upon them later and goes...Oh! That's where I got it (the idea) from...Beautiful glasses, pressed linen, flowers, pretty drinks, courses, light, anticipation, entertainment of the senses. It came from people too, of course: my mother, Mr Christie, my best friend Frederic from opera school days, who used mismatched silver as everyday cutlery, and taught me to drink real coffee every morning. Oops, digressing.

Now I am thinking of Last Nights Dinner's Jen and the raspberries growing behind their home in Rhode Island. I want raspberries, too! Actually, they are very easy to grow on rooftops. Some years ago I designed a fruit and vegetable garden in Park Slope and the raspberries did very well.

Hm. Maybe in the next garden...