The tabletop decorating theme for Fay & Leith's dinner was lighthouses and the sea; the plate with the whale sculpture had lighthouses and other little "beachy" type houses on it and so did all the other plates, as you will see.....somehow Fay and Dawna always find fabric for the napkins that goes with the dishes; the napkins for this dinner were the same little houses in the same pale seafoam green as everything else. If I run into fabric that matches what I'm doing, it is a total coincidence, but they are so consistent it's just amazing!
We usually have three couples, but this month a fourth couple, Bob & Vicki Wall, were invited. Vicki has the big smile; her husband is sitting on her left, barely in the picture.
Here's Fay, one of the very best cooks I know, holding a pewter lighthouse themed salt and pepper set. She had two of those on the table, which was great for eight guests.
The first course was a green pea soup garnished with sour cream and basil. A basket of toast was also passed around and provided great crunch with the creaminess of the soup. A couple of people at the table are lactose intolerant, so there was no cream in the soup; it was made of peas, soy milk and chicken broth.
The wine served with the soup was a 2007 Gewurtztraminer from Castello di Amorosa; the grapes were from the Anderson Valley in California. I think that Gewurtz can be tough to pair with food as it has a little sweetness to it, but it worked very well with the soup.
The next course was spinach salad with walnuts that had been simmered in olive oil. The walnuts garnished the salad and the resulting nutty flavored olive oil was used in the dressing. A second white wine was served, a 2007 Loredona Pinot Grigio, also from California.
The main course was a dish prepared with mushrooms, basil and a Zinfandel port that is often made with veal, but tonight was chicken breast pounded to a uniform thin and tender paillard. The sauce was delish and there were sweet potato fries on the side that I couldn't help but eat with my fingers!
A 2007 Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel blend called Zynthesis was served with this; it is a blend of four wines from the Lodi region of California, just south of Sacramento. I liked this wine a lot!
Dessert was Bananas Foster with ice cream; there was rum in the sauce and I asked for a spoon to get up all the sauce, but I really wanted to lick the plate!
The 2005 Syrah Port, produced by Castle in the Sonoma Valley of California, was just perfect with dessert. Just that last touch of sweetness for a fun evening with friends!
Next month, we're at Dawna's house -- can't wait!
We usually have three couples, but this month a fourth couple, Bob & Vicki Wall, were invited. Vicki has the big smile; her husband is sitting on her left, barely in the picture.
Here's Fay, one of the very best cooks I know, holding a pewter lighthouse themed salt and pepper set. She had two of those on the table, which was great for eight guests.
The first course was a green pea soup garnished with sour cream and basil. A basket of toast was also passed around and provided great crunch with the creaminess of the soup. A couple of people at the table are lactose intolerant, so there was no cream in the soup; it was made of peas, soy milk and chicken broth.
The wine served with the soup was a 2007 Gewurtztraminer from Castello di Amorosa; the grapes were from the Anderson Valley in California. I think that Gewurtz can be tough to pair with food as it has a little sweetness to it, but it worked very well with the soup.
The next course was spinach salad with walnuts that had been simmered in olive oil. The walnuts garnished the salad and the resulting nutty flavored olive oil was used in the dressing. A second white wine was served, a 2007 Loredona Pinot Grigio, also from California.
The main course was a dish prepared with mushrooms, basil and a Zinfandel port that is often made with veal, but tonight was chicken breast pounded to a uniform thin and tender paillard. The sauce was delish and there were sweet potato fries on the side that I couldn't help but eat with my fingers!
A 2007 Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel blend called Zynthesis was served with this; it is a blend of four wines from the Lodi region of California, just south of Sacramento. I liked this wine a lot!
Dessert was Bananas Foster with ice cream; there was rum in the sauce and I asked for a spoon to get up all the sauce, but I really wanted to lick the plate!
The 2005 Syrah Port, produced by Castle in the Sonoma Valley of California, was just perfect with dessert. Just that last touch of sweetness for a fun evening with friends!
Next month, we're at Dawna's house -- can't wait!
Please let me be your neighbor ... I'll play nice, I promise! Bananas Foster - oh, joy, oh, joy!
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