Concoctions both Creative and Classy

After a brief hiatus, C Night was held on March 4, 2009, chez Kristen and Steve. Staying true to form, our cavalry of cooks did not disappoint. If feels appropriate that several dishes featured ingredients from the sea, a word that sounds just like our Letter of Honor, even if it does not start with it.

Let's start with the potables, shall we? There were three different types of wine on hand: Columbia Crest Chardonnay, CMS Cabernet Blend, and Castle Rock Cabernet. And to round out the selection with a little beer, we also had Commemorative Cans of Coors.

The first course of appetizers featured Kristen's awesome Cajun Crab Cakes with Celery and Cayenne -- they had a satisfying crunch from the celery and finished with a kick of spiciness. Also on the appetizer table was some excellent Crostini with Calamata and Caper Tapenade. Now, we must give some props to our man Kuhrt, who brought a full try of Caps (Mushroom) of Cheddar Cheese, which were gooey and delicious. Props go to Kuhrt for 1) making and bringing said Caps a mere two hours after returning to Seattle after two weeks on a tugboat, and 2) doing all of this on his BIRTHDAY when he already had other plans and was only able to stay for the appetizer course. And finally, rounding out the appetizer selection were bowls of Cashews and Cured Cucumbers (Vlasic Snack'mms -- rated #1 Dill in the 2008 Beller Family Taste Test).

Moving on to the main course, we were treated to Preston's freshly grilled Chinook (Salmon) with Coconut Curry. It should be noted that the Chinook was freshly caught by Preston from the waters of the Pacific Northwest. At Alphabet Dinners, we prize not only creativity, but also eating local whenever we can. To complement the grilled Chinook, Ashleigh whipped up a bordering-on-sinful Cauliflower Casserole that was finished with cheesy goodness, freshly chopped cilantro, and copious amounts of butter. Next up was Lawrence's Cabbage, Carrot, and Celery Root Coleslaw. While he claims it only contained one head of purple cabbage, it produced enough slaw to fill a very large mixing bowl and provide left-overs for some of the unemployed within our ranks. And finally, speaking of large quantities, we had a huge bowl of plain Couscous to complement the above-mentioned creations.

C Night also featured two desserts that would transition us into Ch Night. There were Abby and Dan's Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese, and Ashleigh's Cookies with Carob Chips. By the end of the evening, we all headed home with stomachs both crowded and content.