So much of what makes a dinner party great is the people. Our friends Amy and Joe Chaudoin were part of our original Impromptu Friday Night crew. Joe worked in the medical device industry and traveled extensively. Back in the day, we would decide to have party at 3 pm on a Friday. Calls would go out at 4 pm and 9 times out of 10 our group of “Usual suspects” would show up at 7 pm for a fun time and wonderful meal.
Amy & Joe have just finished building a beautiful home in Scottsdale Arizona where Amy grew up. My buddy Joe, is not a shy kind of guy. He is a big guy. Some would say larger than life. I know for a fact that he has been bragging on our Impromptu Friday Night dinner parties to Amy’s family for years. We hosted a dinner party for Amy’s family and we knew we had a lot to live up to. Would the memory be better than the reality? If you are lucky:
The reality becomes a fantastic memory!
The meal got an fantastic jump start with a call from Amy’s brother Freddy and sister in-law “Chatty” Cathy. They asked us to use the produce form their vegetable garden. Talk about a kid in a candy shop. Their garden was packed with amazing vegetables and herbs that prompted an immediate menu re-write:
- The crudité featured an amazing Romanesco Cauliflower. This vegetable reminded me of an Escher drawing. It looks like a work of art and tastes great (See photo below)
- The two dips for the crudité featured caramelized leeks and fresh dill from the garden.
- The crudité itself was made up of kohlrabi, snap peas, blanched Romanesco Cauliflower and broccoli.
- The salad featured a cornucopia of greens. Wonderful red and green leaf lettuces and an unbelievable arugula. The flavor of the arugula will knock you over. It was unlike anything you can buy in a market. It reminded me of the arugula from my cousin Virginia’s garden on Maui. Truly memorable!
- The Ravioli with a Sage Brown Butter Sauce featured a Variegated Sage that again combined work of art beauty with fantastic taste.
- The Salsa Verde featured a combination of fresh mint, dill, Italian parsley and cilantro. The combination delivered a salsa that was packed with flavor and perfect color.
Chaudoin House Christening Menu
- Rack of lamb Provençal
- Salsa Verde
- Cheese Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
- Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower and Broccoli with Garlic
- Sorbet With Chambord Infused Berries
The evening was a huge success. Joe and Amy’s new home features a wonderfully open living space that combines a perfect kitchen with a large living and dining area. Amy’s family was a very appreciative audience. They have been hearing Joe brag on my food for years and hopefully the meal held up to the hype.
Every once in awhile you get lucky with Supper Club dinner parties and build memories that live up to the reputation. The reality of the evening was that it was a real fun combination of great people and amazing food in the perfect setting. The combination led to:
Reality Becoming A Fantastic Memory.
If you enjoyed this blog and similar other stories/supper club lessons follow me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels where books are sold.