French Cuisine !

We have now experienced the ultimate of French dining! My wonderful and generous friend (and gourmet chef) spent 12 hours preparing a virtual French feast for us yesterday. We were joined by another couple whose company was delightful! I honestly have never eaten true French food, and had been eagerly anticipating this evening. We were not permitted to ask how the dishes were created, but instructed to "just enjoy". So what were we served? Let us begin with the appetizers:

Zucchini Rolatini with Mozzarella

(Buffalo Mozzarella, that is!)

This delectable hor d'oeuvre was dainty and pretty as well!

Tomato Pesto Crostini

Absolutely wonderful! The pesto was full-bodied and rich; the french goat cheese has a tangyness to it; the crostini with a crunch and, of course, what can beat fresh basil to top it off with?

Fall Apple Aspic

A pleasant surprise!!! After seeing the unappetizing, failed bullion aspic in Julia and Julie, I was a bit skeptical about aspics, but this! This was delightful! With thinly sliced, fresh-from-the-orchard crisp apples.......... what a treat!

Such a heavenly way to commence the meal!

Whiskey Sour

Whiskey mixed with lemonade and 7-Up, this was a first for me! This apéritif was quite enjoyable, I must say so myself :-)

We then proceeded into the Dining Room...........

.....where there was candlelight......


.....and a beautiful freshly-picked bouquet from the gardens!

Butter Green Harvest Salad

with Roquefort Cheese & Pear & Walnuts

For a starter, we were served this ambrosial salad that teased all of the taste buds at once! Very flavorful!

By now, we were beginning to feel somewhat satiated! But the best was yet to come! The main entrées! My, oh my! Were we in for a culinary amazement!

Clockwise from top left:

Savory Cheese Cake

Pacific Northwest King Crab

Carrot Terrine

Surf and Turf Beef with Medeira Sauce

Enough for four dinners!!! Each and every one of these exquisite dishes were incredible! If only you could have been there to taste! Imagine a non-dessert cheese cake that is rich yet airy, surrounded by some sort of a crumb layer! Or moist crab mixed with a delectable assortment of ingredients! How about thinly sliced carrots layered with spinach and a soft, smooth delicious sauce! Then there is my most favorite of them all....... wrap those taste buds around tender, tender filet mignon, wrapped in an exquisite pastry, with a marvelous surprise inside .....something called duxelle..... a burst of delight on the palate!

Please take note of the hearts the chef topped the pastry with, in honor of our anniversary! How thoughtful is that?!?!

Finally, the presentation of the desserts!

Nectarine Tart

Look at the deep, luscious color of those sweet nectarines!

And the pastry? Astoundingly soft and flaky! The 'melt in your mouth' sort! I wish I could have a big platter of it to just snitch from the entire day long.........

There was a learning curve for this new kind of whipped cream contraption! You pour the cream into the container, then when you press the handle, it automatically whips it for you and tops your dessert with a decorative dollop! If you look closely here, you will see that the position of the upside down bottle is critical to where the whipped cream finds its resting place. The first try found it splattered all over the wine bottles instead of the tart! A bit of humor to the night :-)

Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Sauce

Okay. Yes! This is my over-the-top favorite of everything! I LOVE chocolate mousse! No, I'd die for chocolate mousse! And THIS chocolate mousse... best-ever that I have had!!! Strikingly light and smooth! A solace to my soul! No words can fully describe..... YUM!!!!!

Thank you, dear friend, for all of your intense labor and time that went into creating this spectacular French meal for our total enjoyment! A night to remember!

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. ~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti

My friend says I am a "Foodie". Websters Dictionary gives the definition as "a person having an avid interest in the latest food fads". Hmmmm.........