"Come quickly. I am tasting the stars." Dom Perignon

There are items in my kitchen, even when a thorough restock is in order, that are always on hand-pasta, garlic, olive oil, goat cheese....and champagne.

That bottle, in the back of the fridge, behind the half and half and the left over roast chicken, serves as a gentle reminder that somehow all will be right with the world. It's your happy place at the ready-waiting for that special occasion, which would be any moment that you decide to pop and pour.

Now, for you history buffs, a little tid bit about this bubbly libation. The bubbles themselves, our favorite part of course, were originally an unwelcome by product in this once pale, pink still wine. The French monk, Dom Perignon, who was brought in to revitalize French viticulture in the mid 1600's, spent a great deal of time trying to rid champagne of the build up of carbon dioxide that was causing bubbles and, to the horror of the monks tending the cellars, lots of exploding bottles. Be that as it may, as champagne was making its way over land and channel to the English, the nose tickling bubbles were found to be delightful and thus the champagne quaffing Brits are to be thanked for their role in popularizing the fizzy version we love today. The rest, as they say, is history.

Ok, back to that bottle in the back of the fridge. Shall we start at the beginning of the week? This is a perfect time to whip up a creamy home made macaroni and cheese and pour a glass. The pairing is perfect. The acidity of a crisp, dry champagne acts as a palate cleanser and cuts through the creaminess of the mac and cheese. Who knew, right?

You’ve restocked and it’s midweek. As you look forward to the almost weekend, pour a glass to accompany the light flavors of a poached or baked fish like Dover sole or snapper.

And now my friend, it’s Friday. It’s officially l’heure de l’apero, that moment in the French week (and mine) that signals the end of work and time to relax- enjoy a small nosh, maybe oysters or radishes and butter-with a light cocktail before the main meal. This is often a glass of champagne or perhaps a Kir Royale.

Finally, while most of us think of champagne as the pre dinner cocktail, or the stand alone celebratory libation, remember, a nice dry champagne can be paired with any part of your meal or week. A votre sante!