Mark, Edith and Jay were all here for dinner. The chicken is just a take on coq au vin. Good, but nothing special (I seem to say that a lot lately, wondering if I’m getting overly picky). The chocolate mousse was a hit and a definite make-again. Creamy and thick, and easy to make.

• Creamy White Bean & Herb Dip (Fine Cooking #97, February 2009, p. 76)
• Wine-Braised Chicken with Shallots and Pancetta (Fine Cooking #97, February 2009, p. 8)
• Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta (Fine Cooking #57, May 2003, p. 86C)
• Garlicky Braised Kale with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 49)
• Real Chocolate Mousse (Fine Cooking #97, February 2009, p. 25)

Wine: – Rosenblum 2005 Carla’s Vineyard Zinfandel (San Francisco Bay, California). Really, really good. Well balanced and what a Zin should aspire to be. – Thumbprint 2005 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California). Lighter than the Rosenblum, so we should have opened this first. Okay, but disappointing after the Rosenblum.