Nov 09
As most of you know, we host a special four course food and wine pairing dinner at the restaurants on the last Tuesday of each month. Because of the busy holiday season, we moved our November dinner up to November 17 (next Tuesday) so it doesn't conflict with Thanksgiving week. We have a lot of fun with these dinners because I get to develop new recipes just for that night. And since the wine dinners are special occasions, I get to 'play' a little by trying new flavors out on our wine dinner regulars to see what they think. I have been busy this past week getting the restaurants ready for the November dinner - the process usually starts off with a trip to the market to find what is fresh and in season. Since this dinner is a special occasion dinner for the holidays, I know I have a little extra room to work with as far as creativity goes. After the trip to the market, I spend a few days in the kitchen playing and developing the recipes. I actually just finished my final presentations for the recipes this morning so now it is time to starting typing them up.
Here are the items for the November dinner: Baked Mussels on Fresh Greens with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette, Butternut Squash Tortelloni with Grilled Chicken and Gorgonzola Cream, Prosciutto Wrapped Tenderloin with Asiago 'Smashed' Potatoes and for dessert - Espresso Creme de Caramel. My favorite is the Butternut Squash Tortelloni - the sharpness of the gorgonzola, the sweetness from the squash puree and the texture of the toasted pecans all in one bite are unbelievable! And of course, each course is paired with a great wine. If you haven't been to one of these dinners, come check them out!
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