Any fun dinners coming up this weekend?

[Jenise]

We're cooking for three couples on Saturday night. As part of my effort to involve others in the neighborhood in the wine selection process for our neighborhood wine tastings, I've taken to putting on small dinner party pre-tastings. Last month the group selected all six of the Italian wines (of 12 possible) we poured at the tasting. This weekend another group will select the 6th Napa Cab, where I've chosen/bought the other five already (all procured out of state). I have six contenders for them, and a preview of some of the wines already selected. I'll be serving a fois gras crostini with fresh tomato jam, green salad with shaved fennel and persimmon, some kind of beef with garlic and herbs on a fat chunk of toasted bread, and a dessert I haven't even figured out yet (worst part of every meal for me).

I don't know about fun, as I am a nervous wreck, and I've mentioned it in a few advice-seeking posts: big dinner this Saturday night. Several people who are, to me, VIPs and their spouses. They have done remarkably well and Liz & I have known them for many years. The cheeses (all from Cowgirl Creamery), wines, (mainly Bordeaux with PN available and stickies for afterward if I can fit them in), and main course (Beef Wellington) are figured out. Still some work to do on veggies and dessert. I'd like to do a braised Brussels sprout thing and maybe something else. My fall-back dessert is rum cake, which I may make anyway. It's not my recipe so I can say it is fantastic! Locally roasted coffee.
I am so glad that tomorrow is a national holiday so I can get all the prep work done. I may start the wine early, for my sake.

[Jenise]

I don't know about fun, as I am a nervous wreck, and I've mentioned it in a few advice-seeking posts: big dinner this Saturday night. Several people who are, to me, VIPs and their spouses. They have done remarkably well and Liz & I have known them for many years. The cheeses (all from Cowgirl Creamery), wines, (mainly Bordeaux with PN available and stickies for afterward if I can fit them in), and main course (Beef Wellington) are figured out. Still some work to do on veggies and dessert. I'd like to do a braised Brussels sprout thing and maybe something else. My fall-back dessert is rum cake, which I may make anyway. It's not my recipe so I can say it is fantastic! Locally roasted coffee.
I am so glad that tomorrow is a national holiday so I can get all the prep work done. I may start the wine early, for my sake.

Okay, yes, I recognize the bits and pieces you've mentioned but without putting the puzzle together that it's all connected. I'm sure you'll do well, but libating the cook is not a crime! Sounds like you're serving the cheeses as an hors d'ouvre, or are you going to do a composed cheese plate as a starter? In Canada yesterday friends and I were discussing cheeses, and I mentioned that I sometimes serve a cheese plate as a starter instead of a dessert. They were quite surprised; it's a great last course with a stickie of course, but I personally think the best wine in the world for cheeses is rich dry white wine, and that rewards repositioning the cheese to earlier in the meal. It wouldn't, in fact, be a horrible idea for my cabernet dinner tomorrow night.

Every dinner is a fun dinner!

Sounds like you're serving the cheeses as an hors d'ouvre, or are you going to do a composed cheese plate as a starter?

I hadn't thought about cheese as a starter; good idea! I'll mention that to Liz when she gets home.

Okay, yes, I recognize the bits and pieces you've mentioned but without putting the puzzle together that it's all connected. I'm sure you'll do well, but libating the cook is not a crime! Sounds like you're serving the cheeses as an hors d'ouvre, or are you going to do a composed cheese plate as a starter? In Canada yesterday friends and I were discussing cheeses, and I mentioned that I sometimes serve a cheese plate as a starter instead of a dessert. They were quite surprised; it's a great last course with a stickie of course, but I personally think the best wine in the world for cheeses is rich dry white wine, and that rewards repositioning the cheese to earlier in the meal. It wouldn't, in fact, be a horrible idea for my cabernet dinner tomorrow night

.

When you say "grilled sticky", are you speaking about the sticky which originated at the College Diner at Penn State ?

[Jenise]

Okay, yes, I recognize the bits and pieces you've mentioned but without putting the puzzle together that it's all connected. I'm sure you'll do well, but libating the cook is not a crime! Sounds like you're serving the cheeses as an hors d'ouvre, or are you going to do a composed cheese plate as a starter? In Canada yesterday friends and I were discussing cheeses, and I mentioned that I sometimes serve a cheese plate as a starter instead of a dessert. They were quite surprised; it's a great last course with a stickie of course, but I personally think the best wine in the world for cheeses is rich dry white wine, and that rewards repositioning the cheese to earlier in the meal. It wouldn't, in fact, be a horrible idea for my cabernet dinner tomorrow night

.

When you say "grilled sticky", are you speaking about the sticky which originated at the College Diner at Penn State ?

Mmm...didn't say grilled sticky. Just 'stickie', referring to a sweet after-dinner wine, like Sauternes say.

Okay, yes, I recognize the bits and pieces you've mentioned but without putting the puzzle together that it's all connected. I'm sure you'll do well, but libating the cook is not a crime! Sounds like you're serving the cheeses as an hors d'ouvre, or are you going to do a composed cheese plate as a starter? In Canada yesterday friends and I were discussing cheeses, and I mentioned that I sometimes serve a cheese plate as a starter instead of a dessert. They were quite surprised; it's a great last course with a stickie of course, but I personally think the best wine in the world for cheeses is rich dry white wine, and that rewards repositioning the cheese to earlier in the meal. It wouldn't, in fact, be a horrible idea for my cabernet dinner tomorrow night

.

When you say "grilled sticky", are you speaking about the sticky which originated at the College Diner at Penn State ?

Karen, my former husband is a Penn State grad (I know he is sad about his JoePa right now...) and he took me to the College Diner for grilled stickies. I can still taste them. Wow, wish I had one for breakfast right now!

And a "grilled stickie" would be....?

And a "grilled stickie" would be....?

They are sticky buns (ala Pennsylvania Amish Country) that have been grilled (grittled) in butter if I remember correctly. They are sort of like dense cinnamon rolls but instead of having the icing on top, they have a caramel sauce (which is what gives them their "sticky" name).

They are sticky buns (ala Pennsylvania Amish Country) that have been grilled (grittled) in butter if I remember correctly. They are sort of like dense cinnamon rolls but instead of having the icing on top, they have a caramel sauce (which is what gives them their "sticky" name).

Sounds delicious and frightening, all at the same time!

In Charlottesville VA I was put up to going to a certain diner and ordering a "grilled wiff." Not knowing what it was.

The grill cook eyed me suspiciously but set to work, and I got a Krispy Kreme doughnut heated up on the grill, "wiff" a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Same concept.

Tonight -- just the two of us but I am trying out the Bittman recipe, cooking halibut on fennel stalks over charcoal.

The fennel stalks gently flavor the meat as they scorch, and the stalks between the grill and the fish keep the fish from sticking. For those without a fennel plant, getting the stalks is quite difficult, but I have a big fennel plant and never do anything with the stalks so this is perfect.

http://www.ochef.com/r59.htm

In Charlottesville VA I was put up to going to a certain diner and ordering a "grilled wiff." Not knowing what it was.

The grill cook eyed me suspiciously but set to work, and I got a Krispy Kreme doughnut heated up on the grill, "wiff" a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Same concept.

Tonight -- just the two of us but I am trying out the Bittman recipe, cooking halibut on fennel stalks over charcoal.

The fennel stalks gently flavor the meat as they scorch, and the stalks between the grill and the fish keep the fish from sticking. For those without a fennel plant, getting the stalks is quite difficult, but I have a big fennel plant and never do anything with the stalks so this is perfect.

http://www.ochef.com/r59.htm

First, the grilled wiff is definitely the same concept and actually sounds wonderful.
Second, I have never heard of using fennel stalks in this way, but what a great idea. Please report back and let us know how it turns out. I'd be very interested. Thanks Frank!

[Jenise]

Tonight -- just the two of us but I am trying out the Bittman recipe, cooking halibut on fennel stalks over charcoal.

The fennel stalks gently flavor the meat as they scorch, and the stalks between the grill and the fish keep the fish from sticking. For those without a fennel plant, getting the stalks is quite difficult, but I have a big fennel plant and never do anything with the stalks so this is perfect.

http://www.ochef.com/r59.htm

Oh my. Like Carrie, I'm unfamiliar with the technique but it's love at first thought for me. Must do this soon!

I can give you an instant review -- because I knew it would get dark at 5 and we don't have good outside lights.

It is very delicate. I like it. Louise thought that the ground up fennel seeds on top were a bit much, with halibut you really want to taste the fish. It is less "scorchy" than I had imagined with 10 minutes over a very hot charcoal fire. More in the neighborhood of poached fish in a way. At any rate definitely worth trying. Very fast and very easy. I don't understand why he suggests so few "pencils." I think you pretty much want 3 six inch sticks for each filet, to balance on.

My neighbor has a friend in DC who is a wonderful cook and when I showed her what I was planning she said "Oh, Julie does that all the time!!" So -- having a fennel plant, I may have to keep experimenting. FWIW we didn't have lemon and I used a lime. The lime has an interesting affinity for the fennel, but perhaps lemon would be better.

Someone who is not a fan of fish might call this boring. Certainly the cayenne pepper is a kick in the right direction. I don't find it boring...

[Jenise]

Frank: doesn't sound boring to me, though I might be tempted to ramp up the finishing sauce with olive oil and garlic. A suggestion: for more scorching, do you suppose it would help to soak the fennel stalks in a bit of sugar water first?

For more scorching, maybe broil your fish.

Anyway. Glad to have this in the repertoire. Certainly could be experimented with.

We had tzatziki on baked potatoes (a dab of tzatziki was really good on the fish as well) and I opened a Corton Charlemagne.

We are having tender Costco brussels sprouts cut in half and scorched very brown on the cut side in a black cast iron skillet with bacon fat and onions, as the second course. The fish cooked really fast. A little more tzatziki with the sprouts.

FWIW the halibut got a lot more respect as a left-over

The flesh firmed up, the ground fennel seeds took on an interesting "vanilla" note

I cooked up a batch of Japanese koshihikari rice and we had a little fish on top of the nice firm rice once again with a dab of tzatziki. Based on the way it tasted right after cooking I am not sure I would do it again. Based on the raves we got from guests a day later, yeah!

[Jenise]

I don't know about fun, as I am a nervous wreck, and I've mentioned it in a few advice-seeking posts: big dinner this Saturday night.

So how did it go?