Dean & Deluca in Charlotte

Next stop on our one quick day in Charlotte was Dean & Deluca.  Since living in Asheville I have really missed this sacred institution of all things delicious.  The Charlotte store is very different from the NYC outpost...bigger, not as crowded, not as New Yorky which is good and bad I guess.  Good becuse you can move around and not knock over a display or an old lady, bad because its missing the hustle, and vibe that makes Dean & Deluca special.  I'm excited to try the Ligurian Pesto I bought-sometimes you need a shortcut and it looked like a good one!  If you choose to make your own, here's a simple recipe for Pesto Sauce

Pesto Sauce

2 cups loosely packed basil leaves

1/3 cup pine nuts

2 medium cloves garlic, minced or peeled

3/4 cup grated Parmesean cheese

Process into a paste in a food processor

Add

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

and season w/ salt & pepper

Serve over pasta-I like bowties but traditionally it is served over flat pasta.  For some variation you can add chicken, tomato, potatoes or green beans. Serve with crusty bread and a nice white wine from the St. Emilion region-like a Chardonnay.