Summer dinner parties...is there anything better? Okay, you'll hear the same thing during fall and winter "braising" season, but for this night, it was as good as it gets. I love the planning and executing, and luckily my partner in culinary crime Wendy does as well. I hadn't done a grilled leg of lamb for over a year, and I have a foolproof recipe in the repertoire from epicurious that is SO good and wows the crowd every time. The rest of the main course was pure farmer's market, with roasted fingerlings from Rossi Farms, and a beautiful Caprese salad W put together with fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozz that was the epitome of summer. Not to get ahead of the starters, which besides some cheese we picked up at Pastaworks (still the best cheese shop in town) was highlighted by the craziest appetizers ever from our friend Denise, who brought in FOUR platters of sashimi (tuna/salmon/scallops/squid) that she and K did themselves at home with some killer fish from Uwajimaya out of Beaverton. Wow!!! I forgot to take pics, but trust me when I say the fish was off the hook fresh and clean. Paired with the refreshing delight of G&T's and rosé, this was a most auspicious beginning. Dinner, and several bottles of red wine (including a fab 1995 Peter Michael "les Pavots" Cali red GKT brought...thanks!!), ended with another really awesome homage to farmer's markets and summer in the form of fresh peaches and blueberries bathed in a blueberry balsamic syrup that was incredibly easy and stupidly delicious. Here's some photos of the happy event...yummy memories!!
Hail to the chefs!
Somewhere a three legged lamb is smiling that we are all so happy!
"Eat me!"
Reinforcements on the way!!
W's dog Chopper, dreaming of lamb dinners yet to come!!
