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Inter-office MEMO P erfect meal? Fall of '96. Chicago. My wife and I ended a splendidly unplanned day — a Bears game at Soldier Field, courtesy beers and a cigar for me from the three friendly Ditkas in the seats next to us — with a trip to a place called Te Saloon. It was recommended to us by the concierge at our hotel, the name of which I have long since forgotten. (But I think of that concierge often, if not the hotel. Te water was never quite hot enough.) When we were seated, I noticed a Chicago Bear — burly, bearded lineman, with family — at the booth across the aisle. We took that as a good sign. Now, back then, Chicago had some mouth-watering steakhouses. Te legendary Gene and Georgetti, where the waiters are cranky and the steaks bigger than your dad's Buick, would make my Best list. Ditka's, named after the former coach, not our typecast buddies in the stands. But there was something about that steak, that night, at that place. Maybe it was the run-up to the meal: an idyllic walk from the hotel of Michigan Avenue to the football stadium on Lake Michigan in unseasonably warm temps; football in one of the NFL's aging cathedrals; the generous guys in the stands; the lovely lady I was with; the no-fuss recommendation from the concierge and twilight stroll to the restaurant; the immediate seating despite a decent crowd; and an attentive waiter. Maybe it was the post-meal trip to Pops for Champagne — our waiter's recommendation — for gin and tonics and slow jazz on a Sunday night with a week of ahead. Or maybe it was the steak itself — a flet cooked medium-rare with no frills, except a knife the size of a chain saw, accompanied by several glasses of Carmenet, a big California Cab that muscled right up to the beef without roughly pinning it down. Plus, it was kind of fun to eat next to a Chicago Bear. (Te Bears beat Tampa Bay that day.) Who knows what exactly makes a meal so unforgettable — besides the right company; that's a must. But at that moment almost 17 years ago the stars aligned, the taste buds worked overtime, and a day in the life turned into a night to remember. You might want to ask this month's staf question to your signifcant other as 2/14 approaches. Corrections from January: A photograph of Suzann O'Koon was misidentimed as Courtney Snyder in the story "Címon, Get Happy." Photographs for "Mind Over Matters" taken by Gail Kamenish. In the story "Lincolnís Revisionist History," the play Sleep Rock My Brain will be performed for this yearís Humana Festival. 8 LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 2.13 What is your idea of the perfect meal paired with the perfect wine? (If youíre absolutely not a wine drinker, yes, you may substitute the drink.) I would have to say a Tempranillo with blue cheese and trufne honey. I love Tempranillos; they tend to be full-bodied and earthy. The grape is feisty and loves the mountains of Spain. I imagine it basking in the dry sun, brambly and thin, against the mountains. I wish I were there with it, snacking on cheese. Suki Anderson Art director Some wine snobs may say my favorite meal, mlet mignon, and favorite wine, Sonoma Cutrerís Russian River Valley Chardonnay, do not pair well. To them I say, au contraire. I enjoy both red and white wines and have never felt obligated to follow the traditional rules when it comes to pairings. I believe you should drink what you love. Stacey Hallahan Advertising director Iím thinking about a big bowl of crab chowder with bacon, potato, corn, celery and onion pieces and loads of lump crab, alongside an iceberg-lettuce wedge with blue-cheese dressing and a frisky Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc. Jack Welch Senior editor My idea of a perfect meal paired with the perfect wine would be whatever somebody else chose for me. The deciding is the hardest part. I admit ignorance. Better to let somebody who knows what the hell they are doing pick and pair and execute and deliver. For my part, I'll just watch. Julie Crutcher Business director Barbecue pork, green beans and coleslaw all mixed together with some hot sauce on top with Benchmark 8 bourbon and Vernors. Bart Galloway Contributing artist Channeling Julia Child — a medium-rare mlet mignon, mngerling potatoes with herbed butter and haricots verts, enjoyed with a glass of Cab. Très délicieux. Mary Chellis Austin Editorial assistant At this one party in college, in a frat house basement, I remember a group of young ladies drinking Franzia. I canít recall the vintage but do remember theyíd ripped open the box and removed the mve-liter plastic bladder of Chardonnay. They drank directly from the spigot. They called this game "slap the bag." I tried some. Still donít have any pairing suggestions. Condoms? Josh Moss Managing editor Spanish tapas, including — but by no means limited to! — pulpo a la gallega, croquetas and Manchego cheese, paired with friends and a pitcher or two per person of sangría. Zach Everson Editor, Louisville.com Cheeseburger. Not too fussy. Lettuce, tomato, Cheddar, ketchup. Iím going to pair this with a milkshake (instead of wine). Vanilla milkshake, whipped cream, cherry on top. Amber Garvey Pretty Gritty