Alphabet Dinners: I, a first person account

I can't help but wonder if food namers intentionally ignore the letter I. I mean, I can name plenty of I-nations (India, Israel, Italy) whose culinary traditions make dinner worth eating and some I-methods (immersion, infusion, irradiation) that make cooking more interesting, but it takes more ingenuity than I've got to come up with anything beyond the most insipid inventory of I-ingredients (ice, iceberg lettuce, icing). Luckily, I can always count on my fellow alphabeteers for inventiveness....or, at least, persistence. (I'm still not sure how many stores Preston had to visit before he found that Irony chardonnay.)

I think it's indisputable that Kuhrt's father was the most distinguished guest of I night, but I'd vote for Kuhrt and Jenny's international appetizers as a close second: Involtini of smoked salmon and guacamole; Ikura (i.e. salmon roe) on endive with cream cheese. Personally, I hope these two keep it up with the Japanese food words -- I'm still dreaming about H-night hamachi -- especially if Dan and Abby continue to supply the Ichiban beer.

Dan and Abby did test me this week with their Iceberg Insalata. Don't get me wrong, I love lettuce. I love blue cheese. I love bacon. (Even our resident vegetarian loves bacon). It's mayonnaise that makes me queasy. I think about that weird, gelatinous yet lumpy texture and it makes me want to crawl out of my skin. I know, I know. It's ridiculous. Every self-respecting foodie eats mayonnaise (or "aioli," anyway). But I can't help it! And, therefore, I have to tolerate Steve's infuriating egg aversion. Why couldn't he hate liver like a normal person?!? In any case, mayonnaise or no, I have to agree that the Iceberg Insalata was a delicious wedge of crunchy, swiney goodness.

Now, I'm not afraid to experiment on dinner guests (Nash and Jorey, I'm still sorry about that pecorino ice cream...), but even I was a little nervous about serving a meal that might turn your teeth black. I also wasn't so sure about the directions for cleaning squid:

Holding the body firmly, grasp the head and pull it away from the body. The internal body and tentacles will come with it. Cut the tentacles from the head just below the eyes. At the center of the tentacles is a small beak. Squeeze to remove and discard.

Eeew. Thankfully, Ashleigh brought the third Iteration of my all-time favorite Alphabet Dinner vegetable (see Green beans, Haricots verts). I would have gladly have made a meal of those beans if the Italian risotto with squid Ink hadn't worked out.

Finally, I'd like to take credit for dessert, but I have to defer to my ice cream idol, David Lebovitz, who suggested pairing blood orange Italian Ice with anise ice cream. Inspired! If David Lebovitz jumped off a bridge, I'd do it too....just don't ask me to try his recipe for garlic mayonnaise.