Recipe for an eventful evening:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, 2 tablespoons sliced pimento stuffed green olives, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 clove of minced garlic. Set aside.

2. Rinse four 5 ounce tilapia filets, pat dry with paper towels. Season tilapia with pepper.

3. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium high heat; add fish. Cook for 3 minutes, turn fish. Pour tomato mixture over fish. Cook for 2 to 5 minutes more or until fish flakes with a fork (145°F) and sauce slightly thickens. Serve with grilled squash and toasted bread to clean up the remaining sauce.

4. Realize that despite being fish, the coating is tomato based and robust and the chardonnay you currently have chilling in the refrigerator won’t add anything to the meal. Break out Lake Anna’s 2005 Cabernet Franc and serve with the fish.

5. Insist to your significant other/friend/family/member/co-diner that you do indeed know what you’re talking about. That the tasting notes provided in the Wine of the Month selection state that it accommodates Italian food very well (hence the tomatoes) as well as Lake Anna’s own web site containing similar suggestions. The medium body and the malolactic fermentation will complement the meal deliciously. Tell them “Fish does not always mean a white wine pairing! It’s the sauces and the seasonings we should be pairing them with!” Repeat if necessary.

6. Serve the fish and the wine. Savor the combination of fish, tomatoes and wine, which was admittedly somewhat unexpected for a Cabernet Franc. Note that while the distinctive cabernet franc smell and color are there, the texture and taste of the wine are much smoother than other francs. Enjoy the mellow taste of the wine combined with a delightful ending note. Raise your eyebrows as the wine complements not only the tomatoes but also the green chiles found there, as well as adding a richness to the tilapia itself.

7. If desired, add a bit of hot sauce to spice up the dish. Marvel in how, while spicier, the meal still flows beautifully together. Use the extra tomato sauce to cover the grilled zucchini and try the combinations of wine and food all over again, this time enjoying the caramelized grilled zucchini in contrast with the pan seared tilapia. Use the toasted bread to clean up every last drop of delicious sauce.

8. Look to your significant other/friend/family/member/co-diner and check to see if they too are enjoying dinner. Point out the features mentioned above and enjoy their reactions. Pour them another glass or two if that is what the occasion calls for. As a matter of fact, have another glass yourself if you haven’t already.

9. Be gracious in victory.