My wife and I were dining at Pastiche a couple of weeks ago (www.pasticheme.com).  If you’ve lived in Tucson long enough, chances are that you’ve enjoyed a great meal with owner Pat Connors and family.  I say family because this truly is a family run business, with Pat’s dad and brother helping to run the show daily and his wife, Julie, steering the ship from behind the scenes.

As we took our seats, my wife and I decided that we were going to forgo wine that evening.  I know, I know…………shear heresy……………….How can it be so?  Truth is, both of us had exercised that day and with weather assaulting us with early summer heat along with some dehydration, we thought it best to avoid alcohol that evening.

We started with the Brie-Schetta, a lively starter of fresh tomato-basil relish, melted brie, Kalamata olive and toasted sourdough crostini.  The dish was very flavorful with nice acidity and a touch of earthiness, courtesy of the Kalamata olives.  Yes, a nice Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc would have worked well, an unoaked Chard more in harmony with the Brie but a Sauvignon Blanc working with the tomato, basil and olive component.  But……..true to our word………no wine.