The Alphabet Dinner Club: A Celebration in Song

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

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

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!*

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

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!

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

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