Food Fight Judges from left to right: Debbie Gold, Katie Van Luchene, Doug Frost, and me. (Debbie appears super interested in my story) |
Chefs Linda Duerr and Jennifer Maloney showing me what's actually possible in mu suburban kitchen. |
It's not always easy getting busy people together for a dinner like this but eventually we landed on a crisp autumn evening that happened to be last Sunday. Now this was my kind of dinner. All Shelly and I had to do was get most of the pet hair off the furniture and set a table for eight. What happened after that still makes my brain spin.
Two hours before our guests arrived the kitchen crew showed up. I expected Jennifer Maloney to show up solo with a knife roll and a lot of enthusiasm (and that would have been just fine btw). To my surprise a team of five arrived and including the very talented Linda Duerr of The River Club and local wine guy Ryan Sciara with enough bottles to keep my party well lubricated through the evening. They immediately took control of our kitchen and turned it into the command center for the best meal I've ever had in my own home.
My stovetop never looks like this when I'm cooking. |
Did I mention Ryan Sciara? This guy knows wine and he expertly paired some amazing bottles with our meal and kept it flowing all evening. |
Anyway, you're here for the photos… Herewith are the courses that were presented to us. There were no leftovers.
Farm to Market raisin walnut bread crostini with cranberry mustard and Green Dirt Farm bossa cheese |
Fried pork belly with apricot caselvetrano olive tapanade |
Waygu beef carpaccio, rosemary oil, horseradish panna cotta, tempura fried greens, shaved pine mushrooms and pickled watermelon |
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BTW… there was a soup course. Lobster Bisque. Exquisite. Loaded with lobster.
The photo was a disaster however. Use your imagination.
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Crum's spicy greens with pickled root, Burgers bacon, country fried sweet breads and buttermilk dressing |
Pan-seared grouper with seared foie gras, roasted kabocha squash,wild persimmon butter sauce, ragout of roasted chanterelles, Parisienne potatoes, roasted pears and a red wine reduction |
Sorghum brined quail, pan-seared with sweet and sour apples, pan jus, Crum's cheddar grits and Crum's Brussels sprouts |
Spumoni with toasted pistachios, cherry sauce and dried cherry and oatmeal cookies |
Happy dinner party guests. Kelly, Doug, Sara, Paul, Laura, Bill, and Shelly |
Well done blog entry! Must have been a great time!
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