Recently I was given tickets to a $300/plate dinner catered by chef's selected by the James Beard Foundation. I don't run with the society set, so a fancy dinner isn't part of my normal life, but when something like that drops in your lap, you can't say no.
I threw on a dress (and after a month of nothing but khaki's, tennies and a work polo shift, I felt like a new woman) and headed to the dinner. We started with cocktail hour which included a wine tasting and a signature cocktail, none of which I tried (I'm a non-drinker) but soon the hors d'oeuvres came out and I was in food heaven, check out this list:
- Smoked Pepper Polenta, Sweet Corn Relish and Chile-Maker's Mark Bourbon Glaze
- Stonecross Farms Pork Belly, Confit Tomato & Thyme, Sapori d'Italia Goat Cheese and Brioche
- Tesa wrapped Kentucky Blue Brawns, Henkle Farms Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho and Chile Oil
- Potato Chip with Scallop and Caviar (I missed out on this one, but I was ready to give caviar a try for the first time)
Each bite was amazing. I could barely wait for dinner to begin, but while we were outside for the reception I did manage to catch a shot of the amazing sunset that night. Then it was on to a five course dinner.
- First Course: Tower of Yellow Fin Tuna, Herb Salad, Yuzu Granite
- Second Course: Parsnips Agnolotti, roasted Pumpkin and Heirloom Apple, Parmesan-Parsley Jus
- Third Course: Sous vide Venison Loin, Candied Yams, Red-Eye Jus
- Fourth Course: Braised Alltech Angus Short Rib of Beef, Field Bean Succotash, Confit Musrooms and Tomatoes
- Fifth Course: Roasted Fig and Dark Chocolate in Phyllo, Brandied Cherries and Muscadine Syrup.
As a non-red-meat eater the third and fourth courses weren't my usual cup of tea, but everything else was AMAZING! Not sure I'd be willing to shell out $300 for any meal, but I've proven to myself that my taste buds have matured enough to appreciate true dining perfection.
Any foodies out there? I loved the second course (parsnip pasta with shredded apples) so much I'd love a recipe for something similar.
Saw this song on Glee a couple of weeks ago and it hasn't left my head. If I was a billionaire I'd add a few more dining experiences like this to my life.
It's Thursday, so don't forgot to click over to Inspiration Studio for my weekly post, I'd love to hear your suggestions for next week's playlist
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