Alphabet Dinners

There once was a girl from Seattle...

2009-08-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

With apologies to Abby's elegant haiku, I present L Night in limerick:

Lamb is an oft forgot meat.
This week, it couldn't be beat.
Upon inspection,
Grilled to perfection!
So soft and easy to eat.

Lentils plus lardons plus leek,
Enough Ls to last the whole week!
(KAJ and her jargon...
they're bacon, not lardons.)
Add vinegar so it's not meek.

Today, Lo took the day off from work.
Hired help, revved his drill, went berserk.
He built a garage
And deserves our homage.
He made salad to boot! He's no jerk.

A pie, how hard can it be?
Simple. I'll try and we'll see.
The lemon was runny.
Meringue, kind of funny.
They ate it, though. Aren't they sweet?

And finally, two limericks for our lovely and generous L Night hosts:

There once was a girl from Seattle
Who ate bacon but did not eat cattle.
You may know her as Widge or
By the Veuve in her frigde or
....well, there's more, but her hubby won't tattle.

A landlord-type fellow with gumption
And a backyard for private consumption,
Says, "It's common, I swear!
They can look. Even stare!"
Oh Preston, that's some tax deduction.

Menu: L

2009-08-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

Lemonade

Lamb chops
Lentils with Leeks and Lardons
Lettuce with Lime dressing

Lemon Meringue pie

Kool Kats and a K9

2009-08-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

The Kleins and their K9 hosted K Night in Kween Anne, and it was perfect. We lingered on the back deck sipping Kir Royales -- thanks to the ever klassy Kuhrt and Jenny -- and enjoyed that rare sort of June evening when summer seems just around the korner and you haven't got a kare in the world.

Actually, Abby and I have a lot of karefree days, and we both chose to dedicate this one to the kreation of K Night koncoctions. (Unemployment has its benefits. Unfortunately, health care isn't one of them.) Abby's kurried kumquat chutney was beautiful, even jewel-like on it's own, but it was absolutely killer in kombination with ham and homemade biscuits.

Why even bother with dinner when you've got a beautiful evening, gourmet finger foods and champagne kocktails?

Because you have kugel in the oven and a kajillion kebabs cooking on the grill.

We had kefta (lamb meatball) kebabs, kielbasa kebabs, korean BBQ kebabs (tenderized with kiwi and served with kimchee), and krustacean kebabs. Did I mention I'm unemployed? And obsessed with Epicurious.com?

We also konversed with Kuhrt's wonderful friend, Jason; kompared red wines for Dan and Abby's impending wedding; and konsumed the most delicious, most perfectly sweet-tart key lime pie handmade by Holly and Lo. It really kouldn't have been any nicer.

Kir Royale, Kurried Kumquat chutney with ham and biscuits, Kasseri cheese

Just another night in Kween Anne

Kugel, Kefta Kebabs

Krustacean kebabs

Key Lime Pie

Another photo of pie, just because it was that delicious

Designs by Lo

K9

Menu: K

2009-08-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Kir Royale

Kurried Kumquat chutney with ham on biscuits
Kasseri cheese
Kiwi guacamole

Kebabs: Kefta, Kielbasa, Korean BBQ with Kimchee, Krustacean
Kugel

Key Lime pie

Jam on it

2009-08-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

We haven't been entirely forthcoming.

We taste tasted bacon and never mentioned it. (Fletcher's won, by the way. No contest.)

We thought we'd make these taste tests a habit, but so far it's only been Jam on J night -- and, if we're going to get all Wikipedia on it, what we actually taste tested were raspberry preserves. (Hero won, by the way, followed by Bonne Maman ("overly sweet") and Smuckers ("fake tasting," "doesn't go well with my IPA")).

We could give you a very detailed explanation of our rules and ranking system, but instead let us pass on this little piece of advice: Jarlsberg cheese, Jamaican Jerk chicken, Jasmine rice, Jicama salad, cherries Jubilee and Jello Jigglers are a little much after three jars of raspberry jam on toast. The Jello Jigglers are still ridiculously entertaining, though.

Love,
Your Alphabeteers

Taste Test: Bacon

Dan's verdict: Western Family

Dan's verdict: Cloverdale Meats

Dan's verdict: Fletcher's

Menu: J

2009-08-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

Jarlsberg cheese

Jamaican Jerk chicken
Jasmine rice
Jicama and Jalapeno salad

Jello Jigglers
Jubilee of cherries with Kirsch

I, a first person account

2009-08-07T12:45:00.002-07:00

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.

International appetizers

Miikka, Irony, Ashleigh

Prep

Squid, after some serious manhandling

Iceberg Insalata

Italian risotto with Ink (and squid and pesto and tomatoes)

Guests of honor

Italian Ice (blood orange) with anise ice cream

Menu: I

2009-08-07T12:45:00.001-07:00

Ichiban beer
IPA by Hale's
Irony chardonnay

Involtini of smoked salmon and guacamole
Ikura and endive

Italian risotto with Ink
3rd Iteration green beans
Iceberg Insalata with bacon and blue cheese

Italian Ice with blood orange Juice

Menu: H

2009-08-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

Horse Heaven Hills chardonnay
Hogue wine
Heineken
Hale's IPA

Hirtenkase
Hamachi ceviche
Hazelnut and Honey toasts with blue cheese

Halibut with Harissa sauce
Haricots verts with Hazelnuts
Horseradish dressing over greens

Homemade Ho Ho cake with Icing

It Happened on H Night

2009-07-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

To be honest, H Night was held several months ago in April and this belated blogger sends her humble apologies for the lack of a hurried post. As an attempt to hearken back to H Night, I will write this post in haiku at the beginning of my honeymoon, while sitting next to my new husband.

Here we go...

Welcome, special guests
Sheryl, Heath, and baby Hirsch
Have some homemade fare

First bite: Havarti
Accompanied by a Hogue wine
Helps to set the mood

Another starter
Is hamachi ceviche
Tasting like summer

Taking their encore,
Heavenly haricots vert
Last week called green beans

On to the main dish
Halibut with harissa
Hearty, healthy fare

There was a salad
But its contents slips my mind
Horseradish dressing?

Finally, dessert
Tonight it's homemade ho-hos
So good I'll have two.

We sit back in chairs
Bellies full and stories told
Now pondering "I"

Some three months later
Three weddings have transpired
Finally, I blog

Brand new baby Hirsh

Hamachi ceviche

Halibut with Harissa, Haricots verts

Homemade Ho-Hos

A Gaggle of Gourmands Gulp, Gobble and Gorge

2009-04-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

In the gloaming of Tax Day 2009, the Alphabet group gathered on the Walls/Widger grounds to grieve the passing of Preston's business losses. Even in the face of this IRS-induced gloom, however, it was hard to stay grumpy given the good-natured gabbing and gourmet grub. (Also, the greenery growing in every Seattle garden these days is a general goad to giddiness.)

Perhaps we'd been galvanized by Amy Finkel's gastonomic glee -- as manifested last week in The Alphabet Dinner Club: A Celebration in Song -- but there can be no gainsaying; these gatherings are getting gourmet. (You know it's serious when you have to google Macintosh accent codes in order to type "gougères" correctly.) This week's pre-dinner prep was worthy of a Food Network show. While the rest of us guzzled Gordon's gin with grapefruit juice and grazed on goat cheese, gouda, gherkins and guacamole, Ashleigh channeled cream-loving Emeril at the stove and Holly got professional with a pastry bag.

Having made a deliciously cheesey dough at home, Holly demonstrated her piping skills on site for all to admire. She shaped some gougères into spirals and some into little mounds, but all of them puffed up into delightful little gobs of goodness. After last week's meringue alphabet, I think it's time to crown Holly, "Queen of the Pastry Bag" (if not "Queen of Forward Facing Letters").

Once we moved to the table, it became clear that our G-Night meal was a winner. Ashleigh's gnocchi with gorgonzola were soft and creamy with just the right blue cheese bite; Preston's ground pepper garnish was elegant; the green beans were bright and sweet; Dan and Abby's garden greens with grapes and gorgonzola were leafy and crisp; Holly's gougères were golden and savory; and the Gewurztraminer was a perfect pairing. The combination of color, texture and taste was gratifyingly well-balanced, not to mention gorgeous on the plate -- and there were plenty of pretty new plates thanks to Preston and Ashleigh's impending nuptuals.

Before moving downstairs to do battle on the old-school pinball machine, we gobbled up a light grapefruit and ginger galette while comparing highlights of the day. The general consensus put G Night at the top of the list. The only downside? Gluttons need girdles.

Groundwork

Preston's Gourmet Garnish

Gougères, Gnocchi and Green beans

Grapefruit and Ginger Galette

Menu: G

2009-04-28T13:45:00.001-07:00

Gin and juice (Gordon's Gin with Grapefruit juice)
Gewurztraminer
Gallo wine

Gouda, Goat cheese and Gherkins
Guacamole

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and Ground pepper
Green beans
Garden Greens with Grapes and Gorgonzola
Gougères with Grated cheese

Grapefruit and Ginger Galette
Grape jelly Hearts

The Alphabet Dinner Club: A Celebration in Song

2009-04-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

By Amy Finkel

A. The Big Apple: Tommy Dorsey
B. Go Bananas: Andrew Thompson
C. Is for Cookie: Cookie Monster
D. Delicious!: Jim Backus & Friend
E. Eat It: Weird Al
F. The Fish: Big Mama Thornton
G. Greasy Grit Gravy: Dr. Hook
H. Hamburger Hop: Johnny Hicks
I. Ice Cream Man: Tom Waits
J. Jamablaya: Brenda Lee
K. Shish Kebab: Ralph Marterie
L. Lollipop: The Chordettes
M. One Mint Julep: Sarah Vaughan w/ Quincy Jones
N. Fried Neckbones & Some Homefries: Jump w/ Joey
O. Green Onions: Booker T & The MGs
P. Voice of a Pork Chop: Jimbo Mathus
Q. Quiche Lorraine: B-52s
R. Peas & Rice: Bind Blanke & His Royal Victorians
S. Shortnin' Bread: The Andrews Sisters
T. Tomato Can: Tommy Duncan
U. Ugli Fruit Tango: Yvette Tolar
V. Vanilla: Pansy Division
W. Weinerschnitzel: The Descendents
X. Xia ("Shrimp"): Hui Shan Chen
Y. Yakety Yak: The Coasters
Z. Flying Zucchini: The Eye of the Hurricane

Fun Times with Faraway Friends

2009-04-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

Although each Alphabet Dinner has proven more enjoyable than the last, the core Alphabet Dinners crew was fully fired up for F Night. The reason? F Night would feature face-time with two faraway friends who had flown in for fun, food, and fellowship. The first? Steve's longtime family friend Steve Miller, who had flown like an eagle to the NW from his home in DC for a few days of fun before starting a new job. The second was the famous Amy Finkel (F Night was in fact timed for Finkel to be our guest of honor), who should be credited with fixing up our force of foodies in the first place. Here's the four-one-one: Amy went to high school with Abby, Preston, and Lawrence; she went to college with Steve; she lived in Brooklyn near Steve and Kristen; and finally, she fixed all of us up as friends when Steve and Kristen moved to Seattle in December. For that, Amy, we are forever fankful.

Now let's shift focus from friendships to food and talk about the fabulous fare upon which we feasted. This alphabet diner feels that it would not be flagrant flattery to declare this evening's offerings as some of our team's finest feats. I might even go so far as to call it four-star. Preston and Ashleigh provided a full array of finger foods, including French Bread, Fat Free Feta, French Blue Cheese, Four Fruit Jam, and a fantastic Fig Spread. (Fun fig fact: figs have more fiber than any other fresh or dried fruit.) Our thirst was fulfilled by several fine wine offerings, including a fantastic Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc and a Fuzelo Vinho Verde known for its fruity and floral finish.

Finger foods on display

The first main-course offering was a delicious Fettucine al Funghi furnished by Steve and Kristen. We were all charmed by the way they each credited the other as being the foremost force behind its flavorfulness. The fettucine was accompanied by Steve Miller's sauteed fiddlehead ferns. These unfurled fronds of a young fern are popular in New England, but also in some Asian countries, hence their availability at Uwajimaya.

Steve Miller sautees fiddlehead ferns

Filling out the main course was an amazing Fillet of Fish over Favas, again fashioned by Steve and Kristen. Many of us exclaimed that this dish could easily be served at some of our favorite restaurants in the city. It was beautifully sauteed halibut with a finish of lemon, mint, and red pepper flakes — all finely perched on a gloriously green mash of favas. Fantistique! Fortifying these selections was a salad that Dan and I forged from fennel, Fuji apple, and finocchiona salami. It was modeled after a fine salad we sampled at Il Bistro near the Pike Place Market, and featured finocchiona from Salumi. Finally, Kristen's first-rate Fennel Flatbread is not to be forgotten. It may have set off a few fire alarms early on in the evening, but it was worth it!

Kristen and Steve's amazing (fenomonal?) Fillet of Fish over Favas

Unfortunately, our furnisher of sweets, Holly, was delayed at a family Seder extravaganza — her first since joining Lawrence's family. Due to her family obligations, we were not able to enjoy the meringue letters that were to accompany her Fresh Fruit Flambe until the following evening at the Finkel family residence.

After a quick foto session of jumping shots (including Kristen's fabulous heel-tap in the kitchen), we headed home to the musical accompaniment of Amy's "The Alphabet Dinner Club: A Celebration in Song." With a food-related song for each letter, the limited-release compilation features such classics as "Greasy Grit Gravy" by Dr. Hook, "Voice of a Pork Chop" by Jimbo Mathus, and "Delicious!" by Jim Backus & Friend, which had me laughing out loud on the ride home.

I will now finish this post with a final, fervent plea to Amy Finkel. Please, for the love of Alphabet Dinners and jumping photos, move back to Seattle!

Menu: F

2009-04-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

Ferrari-carano Fume blanc
Fuzelo vinho verde

Fat Free Feta and French blue cheese with Fig and Four Fruit jam

Fennel, Fuji apple and Finocchiona salami salad
Fiddlehead Ferns
Fettuccine al Funghi
Fillet of Fish over Favas
Fennel Flatbread

Egad!*

2009-03-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

This week, we enjoyed E at the Walls/Widger Estate (i.e. chez Double Dubs) where we were entertained by the ever effervescent -- and engaged -- Ashleigh and Preston. We were extremely excited to have a few esteemed guests as well: Ashleigh's enchanting mother ("The Jude") who was enlisted to execute our eats; Mark, emcee extraordinaire; and Preston's parents, Burt and Ralene, who were easily the most established Seattleites of the evening.

Thanks to the Elysian brewery and Erath winery, it seemed expedient to drink local this week. Other elixirs were glen Ellen, Este and Ercavio wines.

We eased into eating with Edam and edamame. I was also eager to experiment this week in an effort to emulate the delicious beef and and humita empanadas I ate on an excursion to Argentina. (My college roommate lived in Buenos Aires for a year while working for an amazing non-profit called Endeavor.) I ended up with an expanse of little stuffed pastries, but they came at the expense of a few exigent errands. (My estimate of time required to roll out and shape the dough was embarassingly inadequate. This meant that Miikka had an extra day to escape under the fence and eat emetics in the neighbor's yard.)

Evidence of Widger ingenuity is the fact that we managed to eat so many "egg" foods without forcing Steve to eat any actual eggs. Our excellent entree of eggplant -- with spinach, tomatoes and cheese -- was accompanied by egg noodles. Dan and Abby, our emblems of enthusiasm earned their Alphabet points with an endive and english cucumber ensalata with elba (balsamic) emulsion.

We ended with eiswein and espresso floats (chocolate ice cream topped with shots of espresso and rum). It might be excessive to say that we enjoyed an evening of ecstasy, but it's safe to say that no one escaped with an empty stomach.

* Egad! is the name of an exceptionally entertaining album by our friend, Andrew Thompson. Steve and I like to watch this video of Andrew's when we're missing Brooklyn and this one when we're missing Brooklynites.

Empanadas, Edamame, Edam, Elixirs

Excess Empanadas

Eggplant Ecstasy and Egg noodles

Hi mom!

Eiswein

Espresso Floats

Menu: E

2009-03-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

Elixirs: glen Ellen, Este, Erath, Ercavio, Elysssian IPA

Empanadas
Edam cheese
Edamame

Endive and English cucumber Ensalata with Elba Emulsion

Eggplant with Extras (spinach, tomatoes and cheese)
Egg Noodles

Eiswein
Espresso Floats

Dang!

2009-03-22T18:30:00.001-07:00

The Dow is down daily, the depression is deepening, and it's difficult to deny the damage done earlier this week by the declaration of some deplorable dispensations. But, on Wednesday, we defied the doldrums with a delectable dinner, delightful discourse, and even a few daffodils.

For D, the party moved uphill to Holly and Lo's deluxe digs in Queen Anne. Aside from being a dynamite duo, these two are discerning decorators. I'm going to step out of D-mode for a moment here to say this in earnest: it is a wonderful thing to eat at a table so thoughtfully prepared. And so comfortably occupied. In other words, it is a delight to drink from a delicate decanter.

We started with Dan and Abby's Dandelion-like greens. (Sometimes, the grocery store just doesn't cooperate.) These were to be Dressed with Dill and Dijon...the dill was deployed, but things might have been dull if not for Dan's delayed dose of dijon. Disaster diverted!

For our main meal, we were treated to Do-it-yourself Dumplings with a Dollop of Dairy (i.e. sour cream). They were definitely dense, but decidedly delicious. More importantly, the directions for this Uzbek staple came by way of Holly's sister-in-law. I'm always curious to learn what different families eat as their go-to meals -- Steve and I frequently wonder why we eat what we eat rather than what we grew up eating -- but this dish was especially dramatic as it wasn't disclosed until the moment it was delivered to the table.

For me, a lot of the fun of these dinners is didactic. Who knew the Uzbeks ate so many dumplings? Who knew a "dacqoise" was a dessert made of layered meringues and whipped cream? I sure didn't until I found the definition on Epicurious and decided to devote an unemployed day to Double Decker Dacquoise with a Dash of Espresso.

We missed dazzling Ashleigh, dapper Preston, and droll Kuhrt this week. From now on, those who dare to disappoint with dinner diversions may find a doggie bag delivered to their doorstep.

Steve, as always, did the documenting:

Dandelion(ish) greens with Dill and Dijon Dressing, Decanted Drinks, Daffoldils

Deluxe Digs

Dog!

DIY Dumplings with a Dollop of Dairy

Dacquoise (before)

Dacquoise (decorating)

Dacquoise (after)

Menu: D

2009-03-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

Decanted wines
Domination IPA

Dandelion(ish) greens with Dill and Dijon Dressing

Do-it-yourself Dumplings with a Dollop of Dairy

Dacqouise with a Dash of Espresso

CH?

2009-03-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

This week's alphabet dinner raised a number of questions. Below we attempt to provide some answers:

1. Is CH really a letter?
In 1994, the Spanish Royal Academy downgraded "ch" from a distinct letter of the Spanish alphabet to a diagraph (a pair of characters used to write one phoneme). We at Alphabet Dinners -- in collaboration with Mexico's most famous superhero, El Chapulin Colorado -- have chosen to boycott this decision.

2. Who is the Chalupa Champion?
Dan. (That's why you'll see him drinking Chopper ale from a chalice.) Dan upped the ante once again with an appetizer of chopped chicken and cheddar cheese chalupas with chard chiffonade. Not only were they chock full of CH, they were so cherished that the last one was almost stolen from Lawrence's doggie bag.

3. Where were Lawrence and Abby?
Lawrence was working late and Abby was getting oriented as a new Taproot volunteer. Both were greatly missed.

4. What had better be the best cheese you ever ate?
Ashleigh and Preston's choice cheddar with salmon...though chabis chevre wasn't too shabby.

5. What is the difference between soup, stew, chowder and bisque?
Not much. And we're prepared to exploit any and all food ambiguities for our alphabetical benefit. We ate a stew-like chickpea chicken and chorizo chowder with chilis and cheese this week.

6. Why were we eating by candlelight?
Because Kuhrt installed a TED electricity monitor at our house and we now know that it takes 0.38KW to see our food.

7. What can you put in a garbage disposal?
It depends on which expert you ask. Preston says nothing; Ashleigh says everything; Kuhrt says no potato peels but lots of ice; and TED says takes 0.41KW to run the garbage disposal.

8. What happens when Steve picks out music beginning with CH?
You segue straight from Chopin into The Chronic.

9. What's the point of these Alphabet Dinners?
To have fun and eat well. Other than that, anything goes. Laborious homemade experiments are perfect, especially if made by the unemployed. Delicious supermarket cheeses are perfect, especially when the chosen portion of the wheel is printed with the Letter of Honor. Beautiful bought desserts are perfect, especially if someone had to read the stimulus bill and give a presentation on it the day they returned from vacation. Anything baked on a yacht is perfect.

10. Can Kristen fit as many CHs into her blog post as Abby did C's?
Not a chance.

CHeese with CHips: CHeddar, CHabis CHevre and CHaumes

No CHampagne?

CHopped CHicken, CHeddar CHeese and CHard CHiffonade CHilupas

CHopper ale in a CHalice

CHeers!

Oh my god. The cat touched me. (Pictured with CHowder)

CHerry CHeesecake. Dang! and CHocolate CHili Drops

El CHapulin Colorado

Menu: CH

2009-03-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

CHianti
CHardonnay
CHarles shaw shiraz (i.e. two buck CHuck)
CHopper's red ale

CHips and CHeese: CHabis CHevre, CHeddar (with salmon), CHaumes
CHopped CHicken, CHeddar CHeese, and CHard CHiffonade CHalupas

CHick pea, CHicken and CHorizo CHowder with CHilis and CHeese
CHeddar CHeese Bread

CHerry CHeesecake. Dang!
CHocolate CHili Drops

Concoctions both Creative and Classy

2009-03-11T16:53:00.000-07:00

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.

Recipe: Boeuf Bourguignon

2009-03-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

From Gourmet (March 2001)

1/4 pound thick-sliced bacon
3 pounds boneless beef chuck
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup brandy
1 (4-inch) piece of celery
4 fresh parsley stems (no leaves)
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves (not California)
2 cloves
2 onions, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (preferably Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône)
1 pound small (1 1/2-inch) boiling onions or pearl onions
1 pound mushrooms, quartered if large

Cook bacon in boiling salted water 3 minutes, then drain.

Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Divide flour and beef between 2 (1-quart) sealable plastic bags, seal, then shake to coat meat.

Heat 1‚ tablespoons oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef well on all sides in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, adding remaining ‚ tablespoon oil as needed. Transfer to a bowl.

Pour off any excess oil from pot, then add brandy to pot. Deglaze by boiling over high heat 1 minute, stirring and scraping up brown bits, then pour over beef.

Tie celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves together with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni (tuck cloves into celery so they don’t fall out).

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in cleaned pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté bacon, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chopped onions, garlic, and carrots, then sauté, stirring, until onions are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, meat with juices, and bouquet garni and simmer gently, partially covered, until meat is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

While meat simmers, blanch boiling onions in boiling salted water 1 minute and drain in a colander. Rinse under cold running water, then peel.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saut  boiling onions, stirring occasionally, until browned in patches. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 cups water (1 1/2 cups if using pearl onions), then simmer, partially covered, until onions are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 5 to 10 minutes.

Heat remaining tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saut  mushrooms, stirring, until golden brown and any liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir onions and mushrooms into stew and cook 10 minutes. Remove bouquet garni and skim any fat from surface of stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8

Note: Boeuf bourguignon may be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered. (It tastes even better made ahead because it gives the flavors time to develop.) If making ahead, it's easier to remove fat from surface after chilling.

Menu: C

2009-03-05T08:19:00.000-08:00

Commemorative Cans of Coors
Columbia Crest chardonnay
CMS Cabernet blend
Castle rock Cabernet

Cajun Crab Cakes with Celery and Cayenne
Crostini with Calamata and Caper tapenade
Caps (mushroom) of cheddar cheese
Cured Cucumbers
Cashews

Coconut Curry with chinook
Cauliflower Casserole
Cabbage, Carrot and Celery root Cole slaw
Couscous

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream CHeese
Cookies with Carob CHips

Bonjour Buttercups

2009-02-05T10:21:00.001-08:00

B Night should be easy -- there must to be a billion foods that begin with B -- but our meal was anything but simple. It was French.

Dan and Abby got things going early, so the house already smelled amazing by the time the ranks of the employed arrived with Bellinis, Beaujolais, and Beer.

This week, we were very excited to add Kuhrt -- who was fresh off a tug boat -- Lawrence, Holly, and Preston's parents' folding chairs to the Alphabet team. (We also now know what it really means to go berserk, why pirates wear eye patches, and why you should never borrow a handmade hula hoop from a naked hippie.)

Although we still don't have a brick oven, Ashleigh managed some pretty authentic Broccoli Blasted a la Black Bottle -- home to both Ashleigh and Preston's and Abby and Dan's first dates. (Can we say that Black Bottle Broccoli is to thank for two Betrothals? If not, we can at least say that Epicurious is to thank for a very B salad: Beets, Bibb lettuce and Bacon in a Balsamic, Beer and Brown sugar dressing.)

The official sources describe our B entree, Boeuf Bourguignon, as a stew based on the cattle (Charolais), grape (Pinot Noir), and earthy, full-flavored cooking of Burgundy, but Dan's description is much better: "First, we Boiled some Bacon. Then we Battered Beef in flour and Browned it in Butter in Batches. We added Brandy and scraped the Browned Bits off the Bottom of the pan. Then we Braised the Beef, Brandied Bits, Bacon, Bouquet garni, Bottle of Burgundy, and everything else for a Bit.

The most poetic descrption of the night, however, goes to the authors of The Joy of Cooking, who call creme brulee "a rich custard covered with a hard caramel glaze that shatters delightfully under the pressure of a purposeful spoon." We had nine purposeful spoons and it was delightful.

Bouquet Garni

A Bounty of Beverages and Bagel Bites

Baked Brie, Baguette

Beets, Bibb and Bacon in Balsamic and Beer

Broccoli Blasted

Miikka awaiting the meat course

Beller and Zink serving up some Boeuf Bourgingnon

Bon appetit!

Boeuf!

Lawrence and Holly's Bruleed Creme

A purposeful spoon

Menu: B

2009-02-05T09:04:00.001-08:00

Barefoot Bubbly Bellinis
Blue Moon Beer
Bitburger Beer
Baron Brewing Beer
Beaujolais
Bordeaux

Baked Brie with Baguette
Bagel Bites

Beet, Bibb and Bacon Salad with Balsamic Beer dressing
Broccoli Blasted a la Black Bottle
Boeuf Bourguignon

Brulee, Creme (or Broiled Cream)

Recipe: Apizza Dough

2009-01-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

3/4 cup warm water
1 envelope active dry yeast
2+ cups flour (all purpose or bread flour)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Pour warm water into a small bowl and sprinkle yeast on top. Let stand until yeast foams, about 5 minutes.

Brush a bowl lightly with olive oil.

Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add yeast mixture and oil, and process until dough forms a sticky ball. (You may want to add more flour by tablespoonfuls if the dough is very sticky.)

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth, adding more flour if dough is still sticky. Transfer to prepared bowl and turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch down dough.

At this point, the dough is ready to be formed into pies, but we like to refrigerate it for an hour or even overnight to make it more manageable.

Makes two apizzas

Menu: A

2009-01-23T08:45:00.000-08:00

An Aperitif of Amaretto, Aranciata soda, and Angostura bitters
Apple Ale
montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Alice White Chardonnay
Alaskan Amber

Antipasto

Arugula, Apple, and Anise salad

Artichoke and Asiago Apizza
Arugula and Prosciutto Apizza
Amorphous Apizza (an amoeba of artichoke hearts, feta, tomatoes and onions)

Anise Ice Cream with hot fudge and Almond Biscotti*

*Watch out for more foreshadowy desserts in the future (Bacon Cupcakes, Cider Doughnuts, Dipped Eclairs, etc.)

A is for...

2009-01-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

Ashleigh and Abby with antipasto, Alaskan Amber, artichokes, montepulciano d'Abbruzo, amaretto, aranciata, angostura bitters, arugula, apples and anise

A night was Awesome. (O day was pretty good too.)

Steve and I weren't exactly sure what to expect -- this was our first alphabet dinner in a new town in a new house with new friends -- but the depth of research and level of enthusiasm were humbling. Even before the first bite, Dan and Abby had suggested extending the series to 52 meals (26 of foods beginning with the letter, and 26 of foods ending with the letter...hooray for unemployment).

First, "apizza" is what they call it in New Haven, CT, where even bad pizza is good.

Second, we have a sneaking suspiscion that Dan and Preston took bartending classes in college.

Finally, a few words on Steve and Ezra's Philosophy of Apizza:
Pizza is the ideal food. To make a real pizza, you need a brick oven. If you don't have a brick oven you need a pizza stone or two, and you need to push your little domestic cooker to its limit. (A source suggests that some tampering will allow you to cook pizza on your oven's autoclean setting. This sounds like an obvious fire hazard, but it's tempting...) Preheat the stones for as long as you can in order to "charge" them. Once you're sure the stones are hot, assemble the pies on a paddle covered in cornmeal -- the cornmeal acts like mini ball bearings, allowing you to slip, slide, jiggle and otherwise coerce the dough off the paddle and onto the stone. If artichoke juice soaks though the dough and counteracts the cornmeal so that everything is hopelessly stuck to the paddle, get angry (especially if it's A night.) Curse loudly. Throw things. Say the night is ruined. Try for a calzone. If the calzone also fails, go for an amorphous blob -- it's all going the same place anyway. If you set off the smoke alarm, remove the batteries. If it still continues to beep, ignore it. Serve the pizza on a lazy susan. Try to feed a slice to your cat. Enjoy!

Amaretto+Araciata+Angostura bitters=Ambrosia

Abby and Mixmaster Dan Z

Amorphous Apizza with Preston's Apple Ale

Arugula

The Skark bites into Artichoke Asiago Apizza

Anise soup

Hungriest cat in the world

And so we begin...again

2009-01-20T23:06:00.000-08:00

Our adventure in alphabet dining begins Wednesday.

Let's eat!