New recipes, April 28, 2013

Lamb and Fennel Meatballs, from the April 2013 Food and Wine (made with Mario Batali's Basic Tomato Sauce from Molto Italiano). Served with Wilted Mustard Greens Salad with Bacon (we used smoked paprika in place of bacon) from Epicurious, and the Pea Pancakes again.

The meatballs get a 4. The tomato sauce also gets a 4, the salad gets a 4 (more oil to wilt it could make it a 5). The pancakes still get a 5.

Wine: Poggiotondo Chianti Superiore 2009

Fabulous Feast, April 27, 2013

This evening we held a dinner party for Mark's parents, Mike and Ann Groshek, and their friends, Ran and Mary Gardner, John and Barbara Moran, Ann and Marlon Weaver, and Frank and Susan King.

We started with the Smoked Salmon with Faux Caviar and White Chocolate Wasabi  Sauce from Top Chef, as an appetizer.  We have always found this to be a 5, and it still is!  Served with Gruet Blanc de Noirs, a lovely, cost-effective sparkling wine from New Mexico.

The amuse bouche was the Pea Pancakes from the April 2013 Bon Appetit.  This still gets a 5.  Served with Chateau La Rame Bordeaux Blanc 2010.

The next course is the Halibut and Shrimp in Minted Broth from the May 2013 Cooking Light.  We still give this a 5.  Served with Damilano Langhe Arneis 2011.

The next course is the still fabulous Spring Panzanella from the April 2012 Food and Wine, another 5!  Served with the Chateau La Rame Bordeaux Blanc 2010.

The main course is Lamb Roast with Mustard Sauce, from the April 2013 Food and Wine.  This gets a 5 again!  Served with a wonderful 2005 Bordeaux, Chateau Lafon-Rochet Saint Estephe.  The wine is a sublime match!

Dessert is the new recipe this evening--Syllabub with Strawberries and Black Pepper, from the NPR website.  Everything else we served this evening was something we had rated a 5, and this is another 5!  Served with a  perfect match, the Carod Fréres Clairette de Dies.

New recipe, April 14, 2013

After an epic powder day at Winter Park, tonight's new recipe is Pea Pancakes from the April 2013 Bon Appétit. Served with a mixed green salad. Sounds simple, but really delicious. These are easy to make, and they get a 5!

Wine: Chateau La Rame Bordeaux Blanc 2010