Dining with Lucullus

First Published 3/21/08, Myspace

When the boss said "meeting will be at the patio" and turned to me, I thought it was time to amp things a bit - ordering Japanese for the regular monthly meeting has become too trite, and Im sick and tired of looking at plastic coteries housing the luscious and crunchy rolls.  The tight assed budget would be hell to play with, but a gourmet spread was possible.  Max, the ex-chef (french trained) minding the kitchen while he was scrounging for Eric's replacement, was no help - I guess a french temperament came with the training but he gave a nod when I said I planned to serve - melon slices wrapped in prosciutto and bruschetta for starters, pasta alfredo al verde, and roast chicken with pepperoncini and smoked sausage for the entree polished off with tiramisu.  It was a week before the spring solstice, but the weather came great - the sun complementing the slight nip in the air. 

One lesson learned though it was pretty impressive with turned up napkins - never serve prosciutto on melon al fresco - it was soggy in less than a minute in open air.  The renewed interest probably spawned by midnight reviews of Top Chef made me think it was time to replicate the osso bucco from faint memories of countless lunches at Cafe Rizal. 

On another note, the prospect of dining alone seems to be a morbid idea, even in this day and age, and is relegated as a lonely exercise best done with a burger or take away Chinese.  The horror is much more if you have to do it in public. 

But, it is when you dine alone that you actually do great service to the food and the effort of so many people behind its creation - timed to the precise minute for your steak to come out medium rare, your carrots julliened to perfection, the deliberate thinness of your carpaccio, the flourish with which it is presented to you. 

Only then can you appreciate edible art, and properly compose yourself in a leisurely trip from your salad to your dessert without worries.  No listening to some boring topic about his car, their children, her love affair, no need to turn your head 45 degress down to the side so he wont see the full glory of your bad teeth when you open your mouth to swallow that morsel of sushi.  Unless the lonely guy sitting across the room happens to be looking at you this time. 

So, the next time you feel you are brave enough to venture out alone for dinner, splurge and order the nicest dinner you can and give a large tip. 

Unlike masturbation, there's no worry about your teeth falling off for indulging in a little self gratification...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucullus

What's Smokin'

Scenic Bluffs 5 miles on the
Approach to Half Moon Bay

An afternoon trip to Half Moon Bay shares some interesting finds that somehow veer away from the usual quaint town formula of endless mediocre cafes, thrift shops selling stuff from China, wine and cheese bars.  There is a Le Creuset shop that carries some stuff not normally found in Sur La Table, and the small bakeshop with no tables, selling filtered coffee actually has decent tasting cannolis, eclairs and fruit tartes.  There is a glass gallery with pretty handblown wall sconces that would look great in a wine bar if I ever had one and I just might.  And an artist showing in a small gallery moved me, though I think the visit gave me an idea of how I would deliver my silk paintings in another media - metal.

At any rate, the visit was concluded and going back we see a succession of handcrafted signs announcing Smoked Salmon and Salmon Jerky.  Albert seemed fixated on the subject so we took a sudden turn and came across a nondescript shack painted in blue.

The Creekside Smokehouse.  The smoky flavor hits you as soon as you open the door into a cramped standing area before a glass counter showing vacuum wrapped fish and cheese and schmears.  With no expectations, we took the offered morsels dropped by the bubbly lady behind the counter on a small tissue paper on top of the glass counter.  And I was lost.

Fresh Catch of the Day - Smoked
Albacore Tuna &  Sturgeon, Hot and
Cold Smoked Salmon, Smoked Gouda 

In the intense smokiness with none of the saltiness I have tasted in various ocassions - not even Susan's find from the Pike Market in Seattle comes close to the quality of what they put out for you to taste.  After sampling all the sturgeon and the albacore tuna, and noting the subtle difference between the hot smoked and cold smoked salmon, I was putty with my credit card.

The lemon pepper salmon jerky was finished even before we hit the 280 back to Sanfo and I was left with the thought of opening the smoked gouda and of my next crafty project - smokin meat and fish.

Yuletide Gastronomy

Susan and I decided to skip the usual Christmas eve dinner prep and instead opted to sample the steaks at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse Restaurant and Bar. She ordered the filet mignon with lobster, paired it with a Black Pearl 2007 red. I opted for the rib eye with bearnaise sauce and scallops and chose the Clos du Bois merlot which I was familiar with - a little too young, but nonetheless did not detract nor lessen the rib eye. And, later, it was perfect with the lava cake.

As far as I was concerned, Christmas was perfect. There was no cooking involved. Which is something that always overtakes my consciousness a week before each holiday and the requisite family dinner. My tendency is to raid every grocer and meat market within a 5 mile radius and all I think about is how to compose the meal, racking my brains on how each should complement the other. I should instead be raiding the fridge and freezers and find out what's been sitting there for sometime now and throw them all together in a pot to simmer.

Now I have 2 dinners to worry about - New Year's Eve with the family, and New Year dinner with Ron.

New Year's Eve Menu

Appetizer
Pate de Campagne

Entree
Braised Shrimp in spicy sauce
Rib Eye Steak w Red Wine and Bearnaise Sauce
Susan's Baked Salmon
Potatoes Au Gratin
Medley of Carrots and Merlitons

Dessert
Cheesecake with Dulce de Leche Apples
Pots de Creme



New Year Dinner
Appetizer
Cream of Carrot

Entree
Trio of: Duck Confit w Plum Sauce, Seared Ahi Tuna, Rib Eye w Bearnaise Sauce
Vegetable Medley
Joseph Drouhin Pinot Noir Laforet 06 (amazingly, Bev Mo carries this Drouhin - its dryness goes great with duck)

Dessert
Pots de Creme

The pate de campagne is totally drunken with brandy right now and ruminating in the fridge - the liver component has been edited out since most of the young people do not like the taste - by tomorrow the rest of the ingredient would be thrown in and the loaves will sweat it out in a bain marie. Today it was the duck confit and the potatoes au gratin - now languishing in the freezer.

Like I said, making dinner is a week long planning and prepping affair.

Voila. The secret to ahi tuna is the time it takes to sear - 1 minute on each side.