Larry chose this recipe out of one of my new cookbooks – it was a perfect choice for a cold night. I think cider and poultry are a perfect pairing. I have to complain a bit about the recipe. I cook a lot out of Fine Cooking magazine, so I’m used to very detailed, well-written recipes. This recipe says to put the chicken into the roasting pan. Breast side up or down? I decided breast side down for the first 45 minutes, and breast side up for the rest. The recipe doesn’t say anything about a roasting rack, but I think if the chicken was sitting on the bottom of the pan in a bunch of cider and surrounded by vegetables, it would tend to steam rather than roast and get that nice, crispy skin. Lastly, the recipe says to salt and pepper everything after it’s in the pan. So you should only season one side of the chicken? I seasoned the entire chicken before putting it in the pan. This wasn’t anything special, just your average roast chicken. The Zuni Cafe roast chicken is much, much better.

• Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables and Cider (Staff Meals at Chanterelle, David Waltuck, p. 142)

Wine: Ridge 2001 Del Carlo Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California). Yum, yum, yum. A lighter-style Zinfandel.