Thursday, July 17, 2008

Wine and Dine

My last evening in DC has been a good one. After an NCGA reception here at the Washington Court that officially wrapped up Corn Congress, our group proceeded to the Capitol Grill, an upscale dining establishment on Pennsylvania and 6th with a perfect view of the steps of Capitol Hill. The sight at night is breathtaking.

We had a round of appetizers with the traditional DC crab cakes, and I sampled oysters for the first time this evening. The jury is still out on those.

One of our board members has an excellent taste in wines and chose a nice red Oregon Pino Noir. For dinner, I had lobster and filet, and we followed up the main course with a round of desserts, including a rich chocolate and aged port wine - a taste combination that is a heavenly experience you should all try if you are not familiar with it. The practice of eating chocolate and drinking port was introduced to me on this job, and is a taste explosion unlike any I have ever experienced.

Apparently, Batman stores his wine here in the Capitol Grill cask.

I will be getting up in less than five hours to take a cab to Baltimore to catch a flight to Tulsa, and then it's on to the Natural State. I have thoroughly enjoyed my stay in DC, but I'm ready to sleep in my own bed in Arkansas and drive down to Sonic to get a Diet Dr. Pepper. Who really needs fine wines and dining anyway?

It's always a nice treat to have finely grilled aged filets and 20-year-old port wines, but it's all relative - I'm pretty sure my dad can grill a steak or hamburger on his John Deere grill and my mom can whip up a dish from her Paula Deen cookbook that is just as good as any of the things I enjoyed tonight.

This trip started a week ago Saturday with a drive to San Angelo, then a flight to our nation's capitol. Now, it's on to Arkansas for a weekend break, then I will head south back to Texas for a trip to the state's capitol and the city's leading newspaper for an editorial board visit. Hopefully, we can convince them that ethanol policy is a necessary thing for this country's economy and its efforts for less dependency on foreign oil.


But right now, I'm just full and tired. See you down the road.

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