Nan + 50 friends for dinner last night.

T

traca

Well-known member
Hey all, I've got more photos coming down the pike but last night I hosted the first of a new dinner series we're calling The Chefs Table.

I had two of my favorite chefs cook food (Josh Henderson from Skillet Street Food --who was profiled yesterday on NPR and Ericka Burke from Volunteer Park Cafe.) We wanted to draw attention to sustainable meat, and in particular, secondary cuts. I contacted a couple producers and they all happily provided donations. One guy raises pigs and offered a whole pig for dinner! We also had locally produced charcuterie, beef, lamb, and honey.

I sent out the invitations--and included a few out-of-state folks who like to know what I'm up to. Much to my surprise, Nan in Alaska jumped on board and flew down for the dinner! It was SO good to see her and she's looking great. I just adore Nan....

Anywho...I hired a photographer for the event, but managed to take a few snaps before she arrived. This gives you a back of the house preview...and as you can see, the pig stole the show!

Here's a look at the menu:

* Crostini with charcuterie and chutney

* BLT salad with house-cured bacon lardons & frarm fresh tomatoes

* Shaved summer squash with lemon cucumber, feta and mint

* Vietnamese oxtail lettuce cups

* Oxtail ragu over pasta

* Moroccan lamb with cous cous and braised fennel

* Whole roasted pig with stone fruit

* Marscapone and fresh fig tart with rosemary cornmeal crust and a honey glaze





 
Wow!! My mouth is watering- what a menu. Any chance of getting the

Marscapone tart recipe - it is just what I am looking for to complete my Jewish new year dessert tray.

 
Traca, what an interesting and tasty-founding menu! I love the way the alcohol (I assume

rum) is being "measured", i.e., by the glug. Smile.

 
Wigs, no measuring. We threw the whole thing in the bucket! What I found interesting was

...First of all, I had a hard time staying out of the kitchen. Even during the menu planning I was like, "I have a great recipe for..." The chefs looked at me like I was out of my mind! "We got it covered..." LOL!

Anyway, for the mojitos, I wanted to take the seeds out of the watermelon and they were like, "Not a chance!" They chopped up all the melon--seeds and all and threw it in that bucket. The giant stick blender pulverized the seeds--no trace of them at all in the finished product. Learn something new all the time. And what a huge time saver!

 
Quacks me up! The other night, while switching channels on TV, I saw an

infommercial for Jack La Lanne's Power Juicer. I saw the demonstrator with Jack by her side, stuff unpeeled pineapple (thorns and all!) and ALL kinds of unpeeled fruits into the juicer while an astonished guest's jaw dropped (and so did mine).

I'm sure Euell Gibbons would approve of the method - LOL

 
What an experience! Can't wait to see the additional photos. And I'd have been just like you,

offering recipes to the chefs, lol.

 
Knowing Traca is a blessings and then I get these wonderful invites

This one was amazing, this group is so full of passion about what they do!!
Next?
Nan

 
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