We're back

Prestonia hosted a 4th birthday party for Percy, a 10th anniversary for Philip and Preston, and a tea party that evolved into a major dinner event with many friends old and new:
Mosher Phams: Jolee, Huy, Ani, Elliot;
Oerter Pratumwons: Karen, Mee, Gavin, Nolan
Mary Disney and Jacqui
Don Engstrom and Mark
Jeff V
Nancy and Craig

Mai Village: Where's the Beef?

September, 15, 2007, a date that will live in infamy. We were all too busy to cook and host so Preston proposed Mai Village Vietnamese Restaurant on University Ave. There we risked Mad Cow and Footh and Mouth by ordering the Bo 7 Mon; seven courses of dead cow. Then we repaired upstairs for the tour of Vietnamese antiques now owned by Hoang Doan [?], who has everything imperial that the Commies got rid of (one way or another): vases, tables, carvings, ceramics. All priceless and last sat on and drunk from by Bao Dai himself. Who would have thought, driving by, that old Hue was just aove your moonroof?

Then Marianne tendered her resignation and the rest of the MIMDC future hangs in the balance.

Bon Apetit at Nancy and Craig's New Place

Our first dinner club to take place in the (strangely familiar) Nancy and Craig Homestead, and our first Jolee-less. We were joined by Anne who replaced Marianne, who got a better offer.


















CROSTINI WITH EGGPLANT PESTO


SMOKED SALMON AND BASIL ROLLS WITH CREME FRAICHE



CHILLED ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH PESTO


SHRIMP AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH DILL VINAIGRETTE


GRILLED PANZANELLA SALAD WITH BELL PEPPERS, SUMMER SQUASH, AND TOMATOES



WATERMELON, RICOTTA SALATA, BASIL, AND PINE NUT SALAD


RASPBERRY-CREME FRAICHE TART

Marianne's freshness of the season

June 9, 2007 and Jolee's last in attendance :(

This is a dinner aimed at the freshness of the season. Brian will be joining us for dinner, so please adjust the recipe quantities accordingly.

Jeff: wine (Brian will also bring two bottles) - I think a white and a red would be a good - have fun selecting!



Jolee - Mexican Shrimp Cocktail






























Philip - Asian Pear and Watercress Salad



















Preston - Chilled avocado soup






















Me: Tuna steaks and sesame green beans







Nancy:
Strawberry and Rhubarb Galette
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick of frozen butter, chopped into chunks
1/3 cup cold water
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh rhubarb
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon or nutmeg powdered sugar to taste

Preparation:
Pulse flour, salt and butter in a food processor. Add water, then process that, making sure to stop while there are still chunks of butter. Pour out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, then mold into a disc shape with your hands. Place into the refrigerator.

(If you don't have a food processor, you can use a pastry blender. If you use this method, the butter doesn't have to be frozen, just cold.)

Place strawberries and rhubarb onto the piecrust. Add sugar and cinnamon or nutmeg.
Pinch the dough up on the sides around the fruit and toppings and place in the oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

The Last Supper

What can beat Babette's Feast? How about Seder? It was good enough for Jesus.

Of course, we had to pose for the camera to recreate Michelangelo's famous meal.

Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 6:30pm
Philip's Place


Percy enjoyed his first dinner club and most especially the paw-washing rituals.

Our Order of Worship was taken from this rabbinical source:

Drinks
Jeff; sherry and a Bordeaux-type red




We all painted crosses on the doors in lamb's blood; our first-borns were fine. Not so sure about any Egyptian neighbors though.















Here was the Seder plate of ritual food; rubber eggs, bitter herbs (endive) and charoset (here lovingly arranged crucifixion-style). The shankbone was replaced by the equally symbolic walrus penis bone (which was also not easten).










Hummus and olives: Marianne.














Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls: Jolee
















Braised Lamb of God: Philip

It wasn't kosher but hallal killed.








Persian Charoset: Preston

This symbolized the mortar used to make the Egyptian slave-owners' pyramids. It is historically untrue (they were neither built with mortar nor by slaves) and tasted better too.











Macaroons: Nancy (with the orange zest option)

112 Eatery

Nancy proposed Minneapolis's 112 Eatery on a snowy March 2 (the very next day being Craig's birthday). They had also just sold Nancy's house and bought a new one together. We ate, drank, and didn't have to shop or do the dishes.










Marianne is pleased with her duck dish.
















Philip selected a cheeseburger.

















Jeff the unpronouncable greens.















To Jolee went the ribs.












While Preston went for the tuna.
















This looks like a sirloin















No idea what this was.
















At last dessert: Tres Leches, Carrot Cake and Banana Cream Tart.





Next date:
April 7 at Philip's