Memphis Ribs
Trace Zinfandel
Eggplant Rollatini
angel hair pasta
Pomine P35 Toscana
Sesame Seared Tuna
jicama slaw with miso dressing
Moulin de Toulot White
Honey Lavender Profiteroles
Ipsus Passito de Pantelleria
Phew! This dinner was hard! Part of my exhaustion was probably from hiking all day on Saturday and then cleaning the Charles River on Sunday before I could even begin my grocery shopping. I definitely did my zombie stare into the tv for a good 2 hours before I got up the energy to go to the store(s). That left me in desperate need of a nap, but I tried to get a head start on my task list instead.
Not only was I super busy, but this was the hardest menu I've come up with (oops) - and I had 12 people coming to eat. On Sunday night, I intended to dry rub the ribs, roast eggplant, julienne veggies, make profiteroles, make ice cream, make miso dressing, and finally roll ricotta cheese into eggplant. I didn't quite finish everything, which just meant more work for the big night. ack!
I had a worse night sleep on Sunday night than I did before I took the GMAT. Then I spent all day at work stressing about how much I had to do, but as soon as I got home I realized everything would get done in time. I don't know what's wrong with me. I had a little help setting the table, but by the time people started showing up I had time to sit and hang out with everyone.
Feeding friends and friends of friends and friends of friends of friends (I hope) since April, 2010
May 19, 2010
May 18, 2010
A Delayed Wine Orgasm
I'll admit, I know almost nothing about wines. Therefore, I find the task of wine pairings daunting. There was an easy solution though, I just go to the Wine Gallery and stand in front of their wine jukebox, tasting wines while discussing my menu with the attendant. I always have my arms full of wine in no time, and I feel like I am making informed decisions for every course.
As with the Casalone Mariposa, sometimes I am not given any freedom when pairing wines. As soon as I mentioned my intentions to make chocolate mascarpone mousse, my wine guru started moaning with delight (about the wine, not the mousse) and led me straight to this bottle of sparkling red dessert wine. I hesitated at the price, but she shoved it into my hands anyway, exclaiming that this would be the wine I served. Uncomfortable with her effusive reaction, I just took the bottle and made a run for it.
Later, at the dinner, I was making a comment about how overly excited people at the wine store were about this particular pairing. I couldn't understand how someone could react so strongly about a wine pairing. But, a few minutes later, there were in fact moans and groans from around the table as people experienced this for themselves. It turns out that the guru's response was completely legitimate and I only wish that I could've been more appreciative when she was giving me the original description of strawberry and chocolate heaven.
As with the Casalone Mariposa, sometimes I am not given any freedom when pairing wines. As soon as I mentioned my intentions to make chocolate mascarpone mousse, my wine guru started moaning with delight (about the wine, not the mousse) and led me straight to this bottle of sparkling red dessert wine. I hesitated at the price, but she shoved it into my hands anyway, exclaiming that this would be the wine I served. Uncomfortable with her effusive reaction, I just took the bottle and made a run for it.
Later, at the dinner, I was making a comment about how overly excited people at the wine store were about this particular pairing. I couldn't understand how someone could react so strongly about a wine pairing. But, a few minutes later, there were in fact moans and groans from around the table as people experienced this for themselves. It turns out that the guru's response was completely legitimate and I only wish that I could've been more appreciative when she was giving me the original description of strawberry and chocolate heaven.
May 17, 2010
Logo?
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Recently I've been taking a printmaking class, and this week we've started talking about printing words and a technique that allows you to print many copies with minimal supplies using the same plate. You just need paint, sticky styrofoam paper, and a roller. I drew a blank on what I could print. I don't have much to say that I think is worth printing. So I started fiddling around with a design for my dinner project. Here's what I came up with. What do you think? Is it worth printing? This is probably not necessary and I don't know what I would do with it, but I need something to do in my class!
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May 14, 2010
April 25: I can't wait a month!
I tried and tried, but I just couldn't wait any longer to have another dinner.
Springtime Asparagus Soup
served with creme fraiche and garlic rubbed crostinis
Fondarzac White '07
Shrimp and Mango Summer Rolls
Poppy Chardonnay
Braised Lamb Shank
with farro risotto
Terramater Cab Sav
Chocolate Mascapone Mousse
on a chocolate shortbread
Casalone Mariposa
Three quick notes on this meal:
I'm glad that I had my friends over for dinner. That way, if I do something like roll ugly summer rolls, I can still serve them! Hopefully the taste made up for the way they looked.
This was my first time cooking lamb. You will probably see more slow roasted meats on my menu. It's nice to have something you can throw in the oven for a couple hours while working on other dishes. And no one can say no to meat that's so tender it is falling of the bone.
Farro risotto is my new favorite. I always have it at my hotel in Philadelphia when I go for interviews. It's smooth and creamy, and it still has a bite to it when all is done. Maybe it's better for you than arborio rice too, I don't know. All i know is that it's delicious, and I want more!
More about our dessert wine later. That will get it's own post...
Springtime Asparagus Soup
served with creme fraiche and garlic rubbed crostinis
Fondarzac White '07
Shrimp and Mango Summer Rolls
Poppy Chardonnay
Braised Lamb Shank
with farro risotto
Terramater Cab Sav
Chocolate Mascapone Mousse
on a chocolate shortbread
Casalone Mariposa
Three quick notes on this meal:
I'm glad that I had my friends over for dinner. That way, if I do something like roll ugly summer rolls, I can still serve them! Hopefully the taste made up for the way they looked.
This was my first time cooking lamb. You will probably see more slow roasted meats on my menu. It's nice to have something you can throw in the oven for a couple hours while working on other dishes. And no one can say no to meat that's so tender it is falling of the bone.
Farro risotto is my new favorite. I always have it at my hotel in Philadelphia when I go for interviews. It's smooth and creamy, and it still has a bite to it when all is done. Maybe it's better for you than arborio rice too, I don't know. All i know is that it's delicious, and I want more!
More about our dessert wine later. That will get it's own post...
May 13, 2010
April 1: Take 1
We're actually back tracking here, because I've already been doing this for a month and a half. So let me just show you what we had:
Salad from Spain
jamon iberico, manchego cheese, poached raisins, almonds, arugula
Vina Aljibes Rosado
Wild Mushroom Neopolitan
with chevre mousse
Vazisubani Dry White Wine
Chicken in Riesling
over wild rice and haricot vert
Crossroads Savignon Blanc
Lemon Meringue Tart
Blanc Fetzer Gewurztraminer
Coming up with a menu with wines is a lot trickier than I thought it would be! You want to put your food in an order that makes sense, not repeat ingredients, and have a progression with the wines. It was a giant food puzzle, but it worked out in the end. I had 5 people over, and everyone survived! I will definitely need more people though, 4 wines is too much for 5 people to finish when that much food is involved.
One little secret, dessert wasn't supposed to be a lemon meringue tart. I fell asleep while baking the lemon tart on my dinner's eve. The buzzer was going off, but I was just too tired to realize. When I finally took it out of the oven (it woke my roommate), there were giant cracks in the lemon custard (oh no!). My original plan was to just put a dallop of whipped cream on each slice. Now that wouldn't be enough. I spent all day at work trying to decide if i should make a new one, or cover it up. I only had 2 hours to cook everything before people started coming over. In the end I decided the quickest save was to whip up some egg whites and make it a lemon meringue tart. Phew!
Salad from Spain
jamon iberico, manchego cheese, poached raisins, almonds, arugula
Vina Aljibes Rosado
Wild Mushroom Neopolitan
with chevre mousse
Vazisubani Dry White Wine
Chicken in Riesling
over wild rice and haricot vert
Crossroads Savignon Blanc
Lemon Meringue Tart
Blanc Fetzer Gewurztraminer
Coming up with a menu with wines is a lot trickier than I thought it would be! You want to put your food in an order that makes sense, not repeat ingredients, and have a progression with the wines. It was a giant food puzzle, but it worked out in the end. I had 5 people over, and everyone survived! I will definitely need more people though, 4 wines is too much for 5 people to finish when that much food is involved.
One little secret, dessert wasn't supposed to be a lemon meringue tart. I fell asleep while baking the lemon tart on my dinner's eve. The buzzer was going off, but I was just too tired to realize. When I finally took it out of the oven (it woke my roommate), there were giant cracks in the lemon custard (oh no!). My original plan was to just put a dallop of whipped cream on each slice. Now that wouldn't be enough. I spent all day at work trying to decide if i should make a new one, or cover it up. I only had 2 hours to cook everything before people started coming over. In the end I decided the quickest save was to whip up some egg whites and make it a lemon meringue tart. Phew!
May 12, 2010
It Begins
Someone told me to start a blog, so here it is. If only everything were that easy. Anyway, this is how it all began.
I decided that my life needed a few things: A budget to cook fancier food than I can normally afford. People to feed these things to (cooking for one can get pretty boring). More wine. A way to meet people. Another hobby.
Thinking, thinking, tinkering, thinking...
Ah ha! Along the lines of Bowdoin's Dinner with 6 Strangers, people can sign up to have dinner at my house. You pay, I cook, and you take your chances on your dining companions and menu that particular evening. With your money in my pocket, I'll have so many delicious ingredients at my fingertips.
So, let's say we have dinner at least once a month. Four course chef's (that's me!) tasting menu with wines paired with each course.
Humor me, I promise it'll be tasty.
I decided that my life needed a few things: A budget to cook fancier food than I can normally afford. People to feed these things to (cooking for one can get pretty boring). More wine. A way to meet people. Another hobby.
Thinking, thinking, tinkering, thinking...
Ah ha! Along the lines of Bowdoin's Dinner with 6 Strangers, people can sign up to have dinner at my house. You pay, I cook, and you take your chances on your dining companions and menu that particular evening. With your money in my pocket, I'll have so many delicious ingredients at my fingertips.
So, let's say we have dinner at least once a month. Four course chef's (that's me!) tasting menu with wines paired with each course.
Humor me, I promise it'll be tasty.
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