Anatomy of a Dinner Party: a day in the life of a hospitalityaholic
 

October, 2009

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I Finally See The Lumen

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009


Lumen

Since I have arrived home to Atlanta after two years in Los Angeles, I feel like I have been reborn. Reborn under a lucky the luckiest star. Today was a shining example of this.  Shining like shrouded chandeliers and gobo lights.

The Ritz Carlton is everyone’s gold standard for perfection. I also believe that most feel that the Ritz is only for the upper crust.  But Lumen, the dazzlingly decorated lobby bar at the Ritz Carlton in downtown Atlanta is most certainly within reach.  I was invited by my friend, Tami Hardeman, from Running With Tweezers, for an early evening of cocktails and noshes. Tami had been invited by the lovely and gracious Sandra Ryder, Area Director of Public Relations for the Ritz Carlton Hotels of Atlanta, and she asked me to tag along.  As I have been yearning to visit Lumen since our return home, there was no way I would miss this opportunity.

Designed by The Johnson Studio (my favorite!), Lumen brings the Ritz Carlton to a different level altogether. It is sexy, alluring and attentive – like a fantasy lover.  But this is the real deal.  The degree of lavish attention each patron receives is seductive.  I have never felt  so pampered and cared for.  From Kristin, the amiable Bar Manager, who noticed me waiting and introduced me to Sandra, who had been waiting for us, to Kerem Kendigelen, the charismatic Food and Beverage Manager, as well as the delightful gentlemen (and I do not use that word lightly) at the valet – every single employee I encountered was charming and treated me as if I were royalty.  This is what one would hope for when visiting the Ritz Carlton, but these wonderful people really deliver.  I cannot wait to go back.

Lumen was first unveiled in June of this year. It is all about the glow.  You can’t help but feel beautiful just sitting there and sipping cocktails.  The first delicious surprise comes when you open the menu. What’s the surprise?  You know, since I am dying for you to check it out, I don’t think I will spoil it for you. Go ahead – see for yourself.  Bill Johnson and his team of miracle workers reworked this room from a plain Jane to a fierce goddess.  The sexy settees are cloaked in midnight blue mohair, perfect for that rendezvous you have been planning to relight the fire.  As we were planning a tasting of the bar menu and cocktails, Sandra chose the onyx-topped, under lit communal table for us, which was perfect.

Next, the cocktails. Tami and I both chose a signature cocktail that was created to match the artwork. Fabulous. This was my drink (description from the Ritz Carlton itself):

“Evening Bonfire”
Clem Bedwell’s dramatic work, (Lakeshore, Evening Bonfire, acrylic on canvas, 45 x 43 inches), may be viewed in The Lobby above a large-scale Chippendale Mahogany sideboard refinished in a hand-applied gilded platinum tone. “Evening Bonfire” is made with Absolut Kurant Vodka, Limocello, and Blue Curacao, served in a martini glass embellished with blueberry and mango puree, mimicking the extraordinary paint strokes and deep, rich tones of Mr. Bedwells’ inspiring canvas.

Tami’s Drink:

“Seas of Europa”
Named after the magnificent installation at the Peachtree Street entrance foyer by R. John Ichter, (Seas of Europa, mixed media on canvas, 144 x 102 inches), the “Seas of Europa” cocktail is served in a specialty martini glass acquired specifically for Lumen. Created with Stoli Straw-berry Vodka, watermelon pucker, a dash of strawberry puree and a splash of Cointreau poured over watermelon, Blue Curacao and sour apple pucker pearls, the cocktail is a whimsical representation of Mr. Ichter’s breathtaking work.


Artful Cocktails

Time for the food. Wonderful!  Chef Bennett Hollberg’s southern take on bar food is delicious and locally sourced when possible. The trout come from a place called Enchanted Springs – don’t you want a fish that comes from a magical sounding place?  Of course you do.  We sampled the Southern Style BBQ Pork Sliders with Pickled Sweet Potato – who knew you could pickle sweet potatoes? It was savory, barbeque goodness.


BBQ Sliders

Next up was the Oxtail and Wild Mushroom Flatbread, Arugula, Oven Dried Tomatoes, Fontina Cheese.  Every bite was perfection.  The wild mushroom surprises the palate with something far superior than those white buttons you are used to.  All the ingredients were super fresh. It really hit the spot.


Wild Mushroom Flatbread

There were also lavosh crackers with cider hummus. This was Tami’s favorite.  French fries came out crispy, hot and amazing. The best.

My favorite part of the evening was visiting with Chef Hollberg. Sitting down and getting to really know the chef behind the food is one of life’s greatest treats.  Chef Hollberg did not spend his childhood on the family farm, churning butter and gathering eggs. Au contraire.  He went to college on a baseball scholarship and realized that it was a full time job and one that he did not relish.  When he decided on culinary school, he moved  up to Seattle to study and after graduation moved home to his native Atlanta (there are still a few around).  Chef Hollberg, asked around on the best place to hone his craft. He was told, “the Ritz Carlton, but don’t expect to get hired”. Well – he got hired. Just like that.  And has been at the Ritz in Atlanta for three years now.  His newest passion involves smoking foods and he convinced the General Manager at the hotel to allow him to install a smoker in the kitchen.  Most unusual food he has recently smoked? Chocolate – for ice cream. Isn’t that brilliant?  We also talked about dining trends and how some other chefs fall under the impetus for food that looks clever, but may not be very appetizing.  Funny chef quote for the evening – “It needs to taste good, whether you are making grilled cheese or foie gras with sparklers in it”.  This soft spoken chef has a rapier wit.


Chef Bennett Hollberg

He has spent the better part of 2009 changing things up on the menus for both the bar at Lumen and the Atlanta Grill, upstairs in the hotel.  The Grill is reaping the rewards of the aforementioned smoker in the form of a smokehouse menu in addition to the regular offerings at the restaurant.  From beef brisket to a salmon filet, this is high end smokehouse fare.

Chef Hollberg has also put his own twist on the hotel’s high tea.  Once only serving hot tea, the hotel is now serving iced tea with a most innovative sweetener – flavored cotton candy! I love it and I bet anyone who visits will be just as delighted.  Keep attending those marketing meetings that spark these ideas, Chef Hollberg!

And then, our enchanted evening was over.   As I drove home in my trusty sedan (that I’m sure was an elegant horse drawn carriage when I arrived at the Ritz Carlton), I felt every bit the princess.

Visit Lumen. It is a magical place where you are transported from the humdrum of the everyday.  It is affordable, beautiful and bewitching.  Relax for a couple of hours in this city respite where you will feel like royalty. You will thank me.

I would like to extend many thanks to Tami, Sandra, Kerem, Kristin and of course Chef Bennett Hollberg for the very special evening.

I will definitely be back. Soon. Very soon. Maybe tonight

Take the time to pamper yourselves, Darlings – you deserve it.

xoxo, Patti

Lumen - Lobby Bar at the Ritz Carlton on Urbanspoon

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Faux Pho

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Recently, my time has been consumed with building a Halloween costume for Eric.  I went and bought three yards of furry fabric yesterday and it came all rolled up like a huge carpet. Apparently, I know nothing about sewing, although I do own a machine.  So, I picked up my furry carpet roll, topped it with a Viking hat and headed over to Tracy’s across the street to confer on said costume.  I think we have a plan and it will turn out well.  After our little tete a tete, I hauled my furry Viking friend down the street (while the neighbors looked on and hollered “trick or treat” at me) and came home to make dinner.

It was an easy dinner.<

Remember the lettuce cups?  Well, there was so much filling left over I decided to make faux pho.  It has been so cold here in Atlanta that we needed some warming up.  I’m almost embarrassed to tell you how simple it was.  But I will.

Take one large container of chicken stock
One half onion
Carton of mushrooms
Leftover lettuce cup filling
Ramen Noodles
Olive Oil

Slice onions and heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in large pot. Put onions in pot and let them brown. Then add the mushrooms and let them cook down.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then add the noodles – don’t let them cook for too long or they will get mushy. Pour into a bowl. Gobble down like wild badgers.

One photo today:

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Feel free to go ahead and doctor it up with your favorite spices. I chose red pepper flakes and chili powder.

Since we are talking about cold weather fare, let me share the recipe for hot chocolate that Eric made for me this past Saturday. It was so good.  He put his spin on it, but the basic recipe comes from the side of a box of Hershey’s Cocoa. Love those Hershey folks.

Eric’s Twist on Hershey’s Favorite Hot Cocoa

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 Hershey’s Cocoa
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
dash salt
cloves
cinnamon stick
nutmeg

1. Mix sugar, cocoa, spices and salt in saucepan; stir in water
2. Cook and stir over medium  heat until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes
3. Stir in milk and heat. DO NOT BOIL (sorry for the hollering)
4. Remove from heat, add vanilla
5. Strain before serving to get out cloves and cinnamon stick

It is the best hot chocolate ever.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post. It is going to be a doozy. Pinky swear.

Warm your tummy and you warm your soul.

xoxo, Patti

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Hot Times with Fellow Food Bloggers

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Last night Eric and I had the distinct pleasure of being invited to Tami H’s place for a celebration of her run on $30 A Week that had just ended.  Not only was this a super fun get together, but also a small, elite fund raiser for Project Open Hand here in Atlanta.  I was thrilled to be in such company. Lots of bloggers. There was Broderick Smylie from Savory Exposure , Betty from Trouble With Toast and Zack who writes Mise En Face .  I’m sure I’m forgetting someone, so if I left you out, please let me know and I will add you in.

And, as probably goes without saying, the food was fantastic.  Tami and Mike cooked up some delicious tidbits that included tabouli in lettuce cups, artichoke bruschetta, gravlax, jalapenos stuffed with asiago and wrapped in bacon, potato latkes with a lemon sour cream sauce, stuffed mushrooms, blt deviled eggs, pumpkin cupcakes made by Betty, ginger cookies baked by Jen and the chocolate dipped potato chips that I brought (super easy – melt chocolate, dip one half of a potato chip in chocolate, let dry, eat). Some pretty pictures for you.



The BLT Deviled Eggs before we devoured them all


The ginger cookies that made us all swoon


Mike’s Marvelous Latkes


Happy Party People


Our gorgeous hostess

It was an evening filled with laughter, food, wine and the best conversation.  Eric and I marveled on the drive home that we could not have imagined the turn our lives have taken. In the time we have returned to Atlanta from Los Angeles in July, our social calendar has run amok with parties. Some with trusted, long time friends, and some where we are forging brand new friendships.

It’s a wonderful life.

Happy Monday, Darlings.

xoxo, Patti

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Fry Cook Report, Pantry Pappardelle & Zombies

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

My Friday working as Lisa’s guest fry cook and sandwich maker was a blast. It’s always a treat to squeeze in some girl time while making bahn mis and meatball subs.  It was fun meeting her neighborhood regulars and learning their preferences while catching up with one of my besties.  Some photos:


Down Carroll Street


The outside of Lisa’s Place


Look, Ma, I made Pork Tacos! Yum!

Have you ever cooked with someone in their kitchen? You feel like a neophyte. All of a sudden you can’t remember how to chop cabbage.  It took me about an hour and then I felt at home in Lisa’s kitchen, but boy, that hour trying to find your way around sure makes you feel like you have never held a knife or made cole slaw before.

In the end it was a great day with great friends, old and new. Can’t wait to go back and have fun before Halloween. Lisa and I are cooking up some swell treats for her patrons.  More on that story later.

Friday night after working all afternoon, I decided we needed a very easy dinner. You know, caveman easy.  I opened the pantry and what did I find?  Oh, the joy!  Pappardelle and Boar Ragu. Ok, not everyone has this in their panty, but you could. It was the perfect combination of swanky and embarrassingly easy. Boil the water, cook the pasta, pour the ragu in a pan, heat it up. Cut up some bread you might have about and call it dinner.  It looked and tasted fantastic on our chilly Friday night at home.


Hanging about in the kitchen waiting for pasta to boil


10 Minutes Later….

You need a quick meal when there is Wii to play and Zombies to shoot. This filled the bill. I got all of the ingredients at our local Italian Import store, Toscano and Sons.  If you don’t have a purveyor like this in your town, you can always order online. And think how surprised drop in guests would be if you served them this on the fly.  Always the host with the most, you are!

Saturday came very early as I had made a pinky swear to Miss Crystal I would get up and go to the Annual Grant Park Yard Sale with her.  We jumped in the Jeep and took off.  It was a day filled with treasures for me. Crystal bought one thing. One. Cheeky monkey. While I spent money like a drunken caveman.  I picked up a set of glass nesting bowls for $3, a BBQ set from the Sharper Image for Eric for $5, a couple of blankets (one red wool, the other a precious quilt for my guest room), binoculars, a tripod for $1!!  We also rescued a worn, heavy rattan chair from the side of the road (free!) which I will recover and repaint for the guest room as well.  It was so much fun! But we had to head home to get ready for the Annual Little 5 Points Halloween Parade with more friends and neighbors.  Here’s where the pictures get really good.


Men in Tights!


More Men in Tights.


Mr. and Mrs. Beelzebub


Something for the guys…


Here come the Zombies!
and someone very special…..


Even Zombies love beer


Captain Sisko and The Dude
Halloween brings everyone together!


Edward Scissorhands
Try drinking beer like that!


It really is all about the kids


One of my favorite friends, John Charles


Queen Dawn and Princess Megan

Best buddies, including yours truly (in the center)


This was the most spectacular costume of the day


Giant Puppets. Aren’t they cool?
We really loved the beer hall girl

(click to enlarge photos)

All in all, a perfect day. A very cold (48F) day but a perfect day nonetheless.  After the parade, Eric, Crystal, Teague and I all headed over to Manuel’s for a bite and a beer. It is one of Atlanta’s institutions and they serve comfort food to warm your soul and your tummy.  Then we went home to shoot zombies.  Let me tell you, shooting zombies works up an appetite, so I went into the kitchen and whipped up some beignets. They were so good.

Not too long after, Teague and I agreed that the first really cold day was much like the first day in the sun when summer comes. It just wears you out.  By 10 p.m. we were finished. Worn out. Time for sleep. But in the best possible way, after you have spent the day having nothing but fun with the ones you love.

Hug your besties today and tell them you love them. It’s always the right time.

xoxo, Patti

Very Special Note: New follower, MPB1204…it took me exactly 3 seconds to guess who this was. Hi, Parri!

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Lovely Lettuce Cups and Becoming a Guest Fry Cook

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Happy Friday Darlings! I hope you all have a swell weekend planned. Ours is filled with fun. Saturday is the Little 5 Points Halloween Parade, the most fun parade of the year. All kinds of zombies and things that go bump in the day!  Our entire neighborhood is going together so that should bring all kinds of mischief. I’ll report back.

I am also working as the Guest Fry Cook at Cabbagetown Market today with my friend, Lisa. It will be so much fun, so come by and see us at lunch if you get the opportunity.  Her bahn mi sandwich is to die for.

Last night for dinner I went with something super light. We had been eating such rich, heavy foods recently I was afraid Eric and I would come down with gout.  And since I had just been to the Georgia Grown show with Lisa and the peachy folks at R & G had given me the most gorgeous head of lettuce, I decided on lettuce cups. You know – the ones you get at PF Changs and lesser known (read “authentic”) Chinese Restaurants. I substituted carrots for the water chestnuts and didn’t fuss with the dipping sauce.  They sure hit the spot.  Here are some brightly colored pictures for you!


Prep Time!


Supper Time!


One, Singular Sensation….

I think you all would love these. Either as an appetizer or a very light dinner, they are delicious.  Here is the recipe from the nice folks over at Recipe Bazaar.

Ingredients

Special Sauce

Stir Fry Sauce

Directions

  1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
  2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
  3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you’re ready to serve.
  4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
  5. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
  6. Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
  7. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
  8. Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
  9. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
  10. As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
  11. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
  12. When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
  13. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
  14. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
  15. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce cups.
  16. Top with Special Sauce

There you go – so easy a caveman could do it. Cook some up for your friends and family and watch as they gobble them up.

Autumn is here in Atlanta – how about where you are?  Bundle up, Darlings and make the most of your weekend!

xoxo, Patti

Special Note: Shout out to brand new Follower # 13 – NMOS.  How exciting!! Thanks so much for reading!

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Some of My Favorite Things

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

I love lots of stuff.  My friends, my dogs, most of all, my Eric.  But there are lots of fun websites out there to love, too. Since I’m not doing any cooking right now (I will tonight), I thought I would share some fun sites you might learn to love as well.

For just gazing at pretty food, here are my three favorites:

Foodgawker: As much as I love this site, they don’t love me much.  I keep submitting my best photos and pithy food commentary and they have rejected me every time.  Maybe I just crave their approval. Or not. Either way, it’s a great way to peruse recipes when you are looking for something new and different.

Same with Tastespotting.  Although I understand that aren’t as picky about submissions as Foodgawker, I haven’t even tried. Maybe I just like the sites that play hard to get. Who knows?

Don’t be put off by the name – Food Porn Daily – The photos displayed here are museum quality and get you up close and personal with the food. I could watch this all day.

Here are a few that make me laugh:

Tastestopping – for all the Foodgawker and Tastespotting rejects. I belong on this site. Until I can convince Foodgawker to love me!  And they will…they will….

Cake Wrecks – Oh my goodness. This is endless, hilarious fun.  Just click on it and see if you can get right back to work. Bet you can’t.

So there are some of my favorite food websites. But what about just my favorite things?  Here are a few:


Fireflies in Summer


Zombies


Apple Crisp

I could go on and on, but I would love to hear about some of your favorite things! Leave me a comment and let me know. It gets lonely here waiting by the computer.

More food stories tomorrow.

xoxo, Patti

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Feeling Clammy

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

As reported, Monday, Lisa and I went to the Georgia Grown show where the lovely John from Savannah Clams gave us both a big bag of fresh clams to take home.  Eric and I cooked ours last night, thinking they would be delicious over pasta with garlic and basil.  Here’s how it went down:


Clams were briefly rinsed and set in a pretty bowl


Basil and garlic to go with


Sauteing the basil and garlic in 5 tablespoons of olive oil


Clams tossed into the mix


2/3 cup of white wine added


Time to open up, little clam friends!


Lotsa clammy goodness


Adding the bowties to the clam party


Doesn’t it look fantastic?

Well, the truth of the matter is, Darlings, that it was not. It sure looks pretty, though, doesn’t it?  It was one of the grittiest things I have every tasted.  Did I know how to properly clean clams before cooking? Apparently, I did not.  But I want you to learn from my mistakes, so I am sharing this article from ehow.com before you run off to make yourself some clams.  This would have saved those beautiful bivalves and we all would have been happy last night.  See?  I told you it is not culinary expertise at our house every night. In fact, tonight, I am serving Miss DeVore leftover beef bourguignon.  Hopefully, she won’t mind.

But back to the clam cleanings. Here you go:

  1. Pick healthy clams from the beginning. If clams are chipped, broken or open, buy something else because they are not healthy. Clams in their shells are alive when you bring them home, so keep them in a cool, open area where they can breathe.
  2. Put the clams in a medium-size container of clean, fresh water to soak for 20 minutes. Because clams filter water through their systems, putting them in fresh water helps clear out the salt and sand that they store inside. Some chefs recommend adding a few tablespoons of corn meal to the water to help clean the clams more thoroughly.
  3. Pull the clams up out of the water instead of pouring them through a strainer. The salt and sand that comes out of the clams during the cleaning process will run right back over them if you pour the liquid and clams through a strainer.
  4. Scrub the clams, once they’ve soaked, to remove any barnacles or other debris on the outside of the shell. This process should also be used for other shellfish, like mussels.

There you go, Darlings. Don’t be a clam clod like me and forget to soak the clams. They deserve better than that.

Clam chowder, anyone?

xoxo, Patti

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Eating Local and Making Pizza

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

I am having a lovefest for all my cool friends this week.  They are all so stupendous.  Yesterday I received a call from one such fab friend – Lisa, proprietress of the Cabbagetown Market. If you haven’t been to her store, you must.  It is everything a small town store should be, in our big city of Atlanta.  Lisa called to ask me to join her at the Georgia Grown show in town.  Lots of vendors from our great state and the fruits of their labor.  Of course I said yes!

After trying to figure out where we were going, we finally arrived at the event right by Underground Atlanta.  Going to these events with Lisa is a hoot, she knows everyone.  So I got to meet lots of cool farmers, seafood vendors and even a cattle rancher.  Time for some photos!



Yummy Sauce from Sweet Sue!


Will Harris, one very southern gentleman and Cattle Rancher
from White Oak Pastures


The very generous John Pelli, Owner of Savannh Clam Company

Lisa and I both agreed he should win best booth. And best clams! Yummy!


One of the swell farmers from R & G Farm, LLC and
his gorgeous basil. Take a look at their breathtakingly beautiful lettuce (below)

Lisa and I happily munched our way through the show. There were lots of delicious foods to try and even wonderful beers to imbibe – provided by Red Brick, Terrapin and Sweetwater 420.

It was the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Thank you, Miss Lisa!!

Then it was back home to put on my homemaker cap and prepare dinner. I had made some pizza dough last Friday, but we got busy and had plans every night until last night. And so it was pizza night at our house.  Eric got in on the fun and we sliced, diced, sauced and baked until it was time to eat. It has become such a rare treat for us to be together in the kitchen, alone, even (!) that we savored every moment.  Eric is also becoming the photographer in the family and is doing a bang up job. Take a look at some mouthwatering pizza shots.


A perfect margherita pizza waiting for the oven


And after baking – it was so cheesy!!


Eric’s bbq chicken pizza ready to be baked


And ready to be gobbled up

And I’m sure I’ve posted this recipe for the dough, but it is so good, lets do it again.  Top it anyway you see fit.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup light red or white wine, Fiano di Avellino
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 1 1/2 ounces fresh yeast
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 1/2 cups flour

Directions

Place wine, water and yeast in a large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the honey, salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix well to combine. Add 1 cup of the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it becomes a loose batter. Add 2 more cups of the flour and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, incorporating as much flour as you can with the wooden spoon.

Bring the dough together by hand and turn out onto a floured board or marble surface. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until dough is smooth and firm. Place in a clean, lightly-oiled bowl, using remaining tablespoon of oil and cover with a towel. Let rise in the warmest part of the kitchen for 45 minutes.

For individual pizzas or calzones, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and knead into rounds. For one large pizza, knead into 1 large round. For either, let rest for 15 minutes.

So go ahead, get your hands all floury and full of sauce. Giggle with your loved ones in the kitchen. Make some memories.

xoxo, Patti

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A French Feast For Four

Monday, October 12th, 2009

There is nothing like the comfort of friends who have known you for years.  I am so fortunate to have quite a few, but there are a couple that go back to my awkward days of middle school.  My longest besties are Vickie and my darling John, who also lives in Atlanta (lucky me!)  He and I know each others every triumph and foible and still love each other.  John is also an incredible cook and invited Eric and I over to his boyfriend Danny’s place for a five star dinner that most high end restaurants could not turn out.  Menu (drumroll, please):

Cheese Board, including Brie and a German Bleu
Butternut Squash Soup
Individual Beef Wellingtons, topped with a Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
Grilled Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce
Steamed New Potatoes with Butter and Parsley
Fromage Blanc with Fresh Raspberry Sauce
Assorted Red Wines

I am more than pleased to report that this was definitely one of John’s greatest triumphs. Wow.  It is so wonderful to watch as your friends develop from little kids into the most amazing adults. When did we grow up and start giving such sophisticated dinner parties?

As much as I adore cheese, I tried to limit myself so I would have plenty of room for dinner. I’m so glad I did.  The butternut squash soup was so delicious and creamy – thanks to John’s new immersion blender (what else can we blend!?)  You can always tell by the silence at the table that the food is too good to do anything other than keep eating.  We saved a lot of conversation until after dinner, it was that good.  The beef wellington was just perfect. A savory brown puff pastry cradling the perfectly cooked beef inside, topped with a slice of foie gras and a mushroom duxelles. We all just melted over this dish.  And keeping the wellington company on the plate were more gorgeous creations – pristinely cooked asparagus with hollandaise sauce (who takes the time to make hollandaise anymore? John, that’s who) and the tastiest little new potatoes bathed in butter and parsley.  Ready for some pictures, Darlings?


The butternut squash soup before John whipped it into shape


Darling John getting ready to bake the Wellingtons


Asparagus Grilling (thanks to my Sweet Eric for the photo!)


John and me in the kitchen


The beautiful table setting


One perfect plate of goodness


Our adorable Danny


Even the Simpsons know a swanky dessert when they see one!

So sophisticated! John and Danny even made playing with Simpsons toys swanky!  Ok, so maybe we’re not as grown up as we pretend, but we are still having the most fun ever.

John and Danny, we love you both and we’re so incredibly honored to have been the recipients of your gracious hospitality. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

xoxo, Patti

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Grindhouse Burgers, a Chef Introduction and Soup With the Neighbors

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

Atlanta is a big city. But it is also a small town.  Since living here on and off since 1992, I’ve met a lot of people.  It’s difficult not to run into someone one knows when out and about. Saturday was no exception.

Eric and I decided to try our town’s newest burger sensation, Grindhouse Burgers in the Sweet Auburn Curb Market.  We had not been in line a few minutes and I heard my named called behind me. It was our friend Patricia Tinsley, with her friend Emily, another food blogger.  As always, Miss Tinsley had a full plate of activities for the day and one of them included burgers.  We had a chance to meet the owner, Jeff and enjoy some amazing burgers.  I had the regular grindhouse burger with the chocolate peanut butter shake and Eric enjoyed the Apache, which included roasted green chiles. Both fantastic.  While we were still in line waiting to place our order, another of Patricia’s friends showed up.  It was Brad, the chef at Dogwood, a restaurant that has been high on my list of places to try. In my opinion, it’s always a special day when you get to meet a real chef.  I consider myself something of a chef groupie, and am always thrilled to meet the person behind the food.

If you are looking for an awesome burger, get yourself over to Grindhouse, STAT!

Tummies full, we cruised over to Edgewood to pick up another dog bed (last one destroyed when we put our little hooligans in the bedroom when Pat and Deacon came to dinner – it was quite the spectacular mess, I will tell you!)  And then popped over to Kroger for mushrooms, since I was in charge of making stuffed mushrooms that night for Tracy’s soup party.

Tracy is our neighbor across the street and also a zombie afficionado.  Not only did she participate in the zombie walk, but she and her mom sewed the most incredible Marie Antoinette costume for Tracy to parade in. Gorgeous.

The soup Tracy decided on was potato soup topped with lotsa cheese. It was so good. Everyone seemed to show up with either an appetizer or dessert. There was a cheese dip that used 2 pounds of cheese, a silky smooth salmon dip, fruit and cheese, cookies and tasty sweet potato cupcakes.  Everyone had a fabulous time.  Eric and I keep on meeting the coolest new people everywhere we go. Here are some snapshots from our fun time last night:


Nibbles!


Soup on the Stove


Our Sweet Hostess, Tracy


Bowls Waiting for Soup


New Friends!


Chioke and Taruan, two of my most Favorites!

Anyhoo – it was scads of fun. It was also, BYOB – bring your own bowl. Which is so clever when you are feeding soup to a crowd of 40.

Enjoy your Sunday. It’s a very busy day for us.  Brunch with Matt, Clint and Holly and then dinner with Danny and John.

xoxo, Patti

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