Dinner Party

Yes, we are taking the first step. Entertaining on the small scale.

Yeah right.

So naturally, we invited two other couples to join us for dinner.

We never do anything the slow and easy way.

Of course, one of the couples run our favorite Japanese restaurant, Katsu, Katsu Imamura and his wife, Haruko Romanoff. The other couple, old friends from college and my husband's business partner, Sanj and Sapna Rathi. Definitely a group with high expectations about the quality of food that they eat.

What to fix? Something that I can do well, obviously.

So this is how it went:

Appetizers (served with Bellinis):

Buckwheat blini with Sno frisk cheese and smoked salmon
Goat cheese and teriyaki mushroom melange in phyllo (I use those little cups)

a composed salad course:

blueberries, toasted hazelnuts and Black Diamond cheddar cheese crumbles over vinagrette tossed baby greens. (yes, the vinagrette was home made... basil oil, olive oil, sherry vinager and dijon mustard mixed with salt, pepper and garlic powder)

Main course:

Allen Brothers New York strips cooked to perfection on the indoor grill (and for once we did not set off the fire alarm)

Lemon risotto (I use lots of lemon so it is tangy and carnoroli rice)

Roasted red and golden beets, glazed with a reduction of dry riesling, flavored with coriander seeds, lemon peel and white pepper

Dessert:

Individual Cherry Almond Clafoutis

I have to say, it all turned out pretty well. Our old friends, Sanj and Sapna and our new friends, Katsu and Haruko all got on well together and everyone enjoyed the dinner. Like any dinner party at Chez Maman, the wine flowed as did the conversation.

Shortly after midnight our guests departed and we relaxed knowing that we managed our first official dinner party with aplomb.