Hello all!
As the first post to our blog, I would like to suggest that you view the About Us section to see who we are and our backgrounds in the food industry. This may help in understanding our love and passion for food! I'll continue with another short background paragraph before I reveal the fabulous meal we shared last night at my house. Let's get started!
BackgroundAbout a year and a half ago, my brother, Danny, suggested that we get together and have a Sunday dinner and watch a movie afterward. Very simple. Danny's a great cook and he wowed us with a superb meal. We watched Pirates of the Caribbean. It was the first time I had seen the movie. We had a great time and thought it would be fun to do it more often. So, we get together a couple times a month. One of us does the main course, the other the side dishes and desserts. We have no real formula in designing these dinners, just whatever we feel like experimenting with at the time. Our inspiration comes from food channels, cookbooks and our own culinary imaginations. We take turns choosing the movies as well. What results is an old fashioned family/friends get together free of cell phones, computers, (usually!) i Pods and other social isolators. We talk and laugh face to face! Imagine that! We are not trained chefs, just some people who are willing to take the time and energy to create delicious food and share it joyously and generously with good company.
OK. On to this past Sunday's menu and movie.
The Menu for Sunday, July 26th, 2009.
Where's the Beef?
(Notice that this is a meat free meal)
Appetizer
Chilled Gazpacho (pictured)
Homemade Herb Bread (Pictured)
The Menu for Sunday, July 26th, 2009.
Where's the Beef?
(Notice that this is a meat free meal)
Appetizer
Chilled Gazpacho (pictured)
Homemade Herb Bread (Pictured)
Main Dish
Tomato and Zucchini Quiche (Pictured)
Wild rice
Brussel sprouts with lemon Butter
Dessert
Dessert was a free for all, do-it yourselfer:
Pound cake, Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce,
Strawberries, Honey Dew Melon and Whipped Cream.
YUM!
Until I sat down to reflect on this meal, I truly didn't notice that it was meatless. Not that any of us are total vegetarians, but most people are accustomed to having meat as a main course. We didn't miss it and it was filling and satisfying in every way. This menu hearkens back to the late 60's and early 70's when a return to nature and "meat-free" eating were fashionable in the counter-culture. As a matter of fact, vegetarian restaurants were en vogue at that time as well. Not so many around now. I remember Earth by April, an upscale vegetarian restaurant in the Cleveland area. As for our meal, we didn't really coordinate our main dish and sides to be meatless, it just happened to work out that way. That's the fun and spontaneity in collaborative cooking, there's always some surprises.
Tomato and Zucchini Quiche (Pictured)
Wild rice
Brussel sprouts with lemon Butter
Dessert
Dessert was a free for all, do-it yourselfer:
Pound cake, Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce,
Strawberries, Honey Dew Melon and Whipped Cream.
YUM!
Until I sat down to reflect on this meal, I truly didn't notice that it was meatless. Not that any of us are total vegetarians, but most people are accustomed to having meat as a main course. We didn't miss it and it was filling and satisfying in every way. This menu hearkens back to the late 60's and early 70's when a return to nature and "meat-free" eating were fashionable in the counter-culture. As a matter of fact, vegetarian restaurants were en vogue at that time as well. Not so many around now. I remember Earth by April, an upscale vegetarian restaurant in the Cleveland area. As for our meal, we didn't really coordinate our main dish and sides to be meatless, it just happened to work out that way. That's the fun and spontaneity in collaborative cooking, there's always some surprises.
The herb bread was served hot out of the oven and presented a nice contrast to the chill of the gazpacho. The many herbs, spices and veggies of the soup complimented the bread's subtle mixture of garden basil, thyme and oregano. A feast for the taste-buds! The soup and bread were a meal alone. But, being the gastronomical adventurers (i.e. gluttons) were are, we pressed on. The quiche came out well. The eggs set-up nicely, on the second quiche at least, we couldn't wait for the eggs to set on the first quiche-we are sooo weak. When the quiche is sliced, the tomato slices and zucchini are revealed in layers. A very nice dish for the eye and the palette! The wild rice and brussel sprouts were good as well, although not really necessary in the end. . . I mean, how much food can one person eat? I mean a normal person! Anyway, all in all ,it was a good effort and a meal I'm sure will stand out as one of my favorites.
Just a note....For those of you who like vegetarian cuisine, check out the definitive vegetarian cookbook of the early 70's, The Vegetarian Epicure, by Anna Thomas. It is considered a classic. As a matter of fact, I referred to a quiche recipe from the book when I made my zucchini-tomato quiche from a recipe I found on-line.
Anyway, it was a beautiful evening to sit on the patio and enjoy this meal. Danny's chilled gazpacho was a triumph and a welcomed, tasty relief from the heat and humidity of the day. We did get a burst of summer rain toward the end and had to run inside rather quickly. It was really a sight to see, because the sun was shining as the rain poured down. Yes, there was a rainbow, but it was mostly obscured by the heavy clouds...so, no pictures of that. We had a copy of the Food Network's magazine and we were laughing about an article that said food attacks were on the rise! One person threw a taco at his mother because she unplugged his x-box! What a kick! (one taco on the fly please!)
We watched a movie titled, Let It Ride starring Richard Dreyfuss and Teri Garr, 1989. A quirky little flick that humorously explores the mind-set of gamblers and how they approach life in general. Very funny, light fare. Thumbs up from all of us.
Anyway, it was a beautiful evening to sit on the patio and enjoy this meal. Danny's chilled gazpacho was a triumph and a welcomed, tasty relief from the heat and humidity of the day. We did get a burst of summer rain toward the end and had to run inside rather quickly. It was really a sight to see, because the sun was shining as the rain poured down. Yes, there was a rainbow, but it was mostly obscured by the heavy clouds...so, no pictures of that. We had a copy of the Food Network's magazine and we were laughing about an article that said food attacks were on the rise! One person threw a taco at his mother because she unplugged his x-box! What a kick! (one taco on the fly please!)
We watched a movie titled, Let It Ride starring Richard Dreyfuss and Teri Garr, 1989. A quirky little flick that humorously explores the mind-set of gamblers and how they approach life in general. Very funny, light fare. Thumbs up from all of us.
Well, thanks for stopping by our blog. Now, we'd just like some responses from all of you. Here's the focus:
1.) What do you think about our menu? When was the last time you had a quiche or
gazpacho? Is meat always the focus of your meals?
2.) In what ways do you enjoy food? Does it bring you and your family or friends together in any special way?
Look forward to hearing from you.
'Till next time...eat well and often!
Sue
P.S. Since our blog focuses mostly on our experiences and opinions of our dinners together, I did not include the recipes. However I will happily post them if there are requests and will add links to recipes in future blogs!
'Till next time...eat well and often!
Sue
P.S. Since our blog focuses mostly on our experiences and opinions of our dinners together, I did not include the recipes. However I will happily post them if there are requests and will add links to recipes in future blogs!
