Well, I’ve made it to yet another CES Show here in Las Vegas.  I don’t know if that makes me a masochist or not...  regarless, I am here.  Usually the CES show has me running around like a nut for four days with absolutely no free time whatsoever.  This year, I actually had a free evening, which I spent meeting one of my MySpace friends, “Don’t Panic.”

In his blog, Don’t Panic recently talked about trying to replicate bacon wrapped dates at home, based on a dish he ordered in a nearby Tappas place.  So, when I mentioned that I’d be in Vegas, the tappas place became our meeting spot.

Now, let me tell you that those dates were well worth the trip to Vegas.  Skewered on toothpicks, these delicious dates were stuffed with walnuts and wrapped in bacon.  They came sitting on a sweet red wine reduction sauce and sprinkled with goat cheese.  When we bit into them, we experienced a flavor explosion in our mouths.  I could distinctly taste the savory bacon, the sweet dates and the crunchy walnut all at the same time.

We sat and talked leisurely while drinking a pitcher of red sangria and enjoying little bites of other tappas, including, an empanada, ham and cheese croquettes, chorizo and clams, and manchego cheese with Serrano ham and roasted peppers.

Now, I should stop here and tell you that I ate very little during the day.  I flew in late Saturday night and woke up at 5:30 am to begin working. So, by this point in the evening, I drank at least four glasses of Sangria.  They were so tasty and easy to drink, I drank them like they were iced tea.

So when we got up to make our way to the wine and cigar bar next door, I was already quite intoxicated.  I mentioned this to my evening companion, and he kind of laughed.  We then proceeded to drink more…  he ordered a glass of red wine and I ordered a wonderful 30yr Tawny Port from Taylor Fladgate that smelled of chestnuts and toasted cedar.

So, at this point, I’m quite intoxicated and jetlagged as well.  We hung out in this little bar for a while, talking with the bartender and then the realization that we both had to work the next morning set in.

I really enjoyed meeting Don’t Panic, and hope we will have a chance to meet again soon, whether he’s in New York or I’m in Las Vegas.