Dinner Parties

[gp0560]

Oh...YUMMMY!!

 

No prob. I just swig down a couple of Tums with a jigger of Kaopectate and I'm ready for rimming.

[instudiocity]

No prob. I just swig down a couple of Tums with a jigger of Kaopectate and I'm ready for rimming.

Damn, you'll put ANYTHING in your mouth! Just remember, you ARE what you eat.

[happyguy2]

Funny you should say that instudiocity, I was just thinking, reading about the tums etc. just how far this thread has gone!!!!! u r right, we are what we eat.

[justaguy]

Pierogi and real kielbasa. YUM. It's too early in the morning for me to salivate, but I will later. I hope you enjoy that meal as much as I am just thinking about it.

[+ bigjoey]

I am very disappointed in you guys. How can you possibly discuss barbecue without talking about Kansas City! Barbecue is a local tradition; my local grocery store has almost 20 different LOCAL brands of barbecue sauce The meat is smoked and the sauce added later; the wood used is mostly Hickory which is what gives it its flavor (not that Mesquite wood used in Texas; hickory is REAL wood, not scrub).

 

And the sides: fries cooked in lard at Bryant's; beans with chunks of smoked meat at Jack Stack; sweet potato pie at Gates; slaw at Jack Stack; etc.

[gp0560]

Damn, you'll put ANYTHING in your mouth! Just remember, you ARE what you eat.

 

That explains more than I care to know.

 

More than that: Which way did you interpret "ready for rimming"?

[gp0560]

Funny you should say that instudiocity, I was just thinking, reading about the tums etc. just how far this thread has gone!!!!! u r right, we are what we eat.

 

 

You're right, HappyGuy. I apologize to all for derailing the thread.

[AdamSmith]

Careful, Lee! Here in North Carolina, people can get into violent arguments as to what constitutes 'real' BBQ and the Easetern vs Western NC styles.

 

No question! These disputes get more heated than even theological differences between Baptists and Methodists.

 

The Economist just ran a surprisingly enlightened piece on BBQ: http://www.economist.com/node/17722664

[+ ArVaGuy]

No question! These disputes get more heated than even theological differences between Baptists and Methodists.

 

Amen, brother.

[instudiocity]

No question! These disputes get more heated than even theological differences between Baptists and Methodists.

 

Eh, Methodists are just Babdiss who are afraid of water.

 

Do you know why God made Methodists? So Babdiss would have someone to greet in the liquor store line.

[orbital sander]

You're right, HappyGuy. I apologize to all for derailing the thread.

 

Why are you apologizing, the Schoolmarm has not even chimed in yet....

[happyguy2]

gp0560 I really didn't want to infer that the thread had been hijacked. I sincerely find it amazing that we went from various styles of meals (the bbq posts were truly interesting) to a sort of tongue-in-cheek series on the trots etc. Really entertaining. Sorry if I -sounded put - off.

[seeker630]

... A sort of tongue-in-cheek series on the trots ...

 

yuck!

[instudiocity]

Well, just to get back on track, my favorite BBQ is Jim & Nick's Pulled Pork Plate - Jim & Nick's started in Birmingham Alabama. I've sample Memphis style BBQ and KC style BBQ but still come home to Momma in dear old Alabam...

 

There is one chain I would warn you about, it's like the McDonalds of BBQ, Sonny's. If you want to eat ok, but if you want to dine on heavenly BBQ stay away!

[Epigonos]

The only two decent barbecue joints in So CA are Zeke’s in Montrose and Johnny Rebs’ with locations in Bellflower, Orange and Long Beach. Frankly I prefer Zeke’s but I’m going to Johnny Rebs’, in Orange, this afternoon because of proximity. I always have to remember to tell the server at Johnny Rebs’ to have the cook HOLD the sauce. My taste for barbecue is pure TEXAS and sauce free. Just bring on the smoked beef!!

[Steven_Draker]

I've been away for a few days and somehow I missed Happyguy's thread. So here it goes: I've had 5 friends coming over for an informal dinner and celebrating the start of the New Year. On the menu: a few zakouskis with some Champagne (always a good choice). As a starter we had beef carpaccio with parmesano. As main course we shared two large seafood platters with lobster, oysters, crab, langoustine, shrimp and other seafood delights. And finally for dessert: a chocolate bomb made by Jeff of Brugge. The wines: (whites) Chardonnay and Chablis and I'm a sucker for a red Shiraz! It was all light and healthy (well except the chocolate mousse tart and the wine). A good time was had by all.

[Steven_Draker]

Mussels in Brussels

 

Just remember, you ARE what you eat.

 

I eat 'muscles' ... does that count?

[raulgmanzo]

Lem's Bar-B-Q House on 75th street in Chicago

Some folks swear by their hot links (admittedly incredible), or ribs,

but for me its the rib tips. Mmmmm hickory smoked goodness.

While not 100% consistent they are usually very very good and often among the best on the planet.

[ChiTown]

I've been away for a few days and somehow I missed Happyguy's thread. So here it goes: I've had 5 friends coming over for an informal dinner and celebrating the start of the New Year. On the menu: a few zakouskis with some Champagne (always a good choice). As a starter we had beef carpaccio with parmesano. As main course we shared two large seafood platters with lobster, oysters, crab, langoustine, shrimp and other seafood delights. And finally for dessert: a chocolate bomb made by Jeff of Brugge. The wines: (whites) Chardonnay and Chablis and I'm a sucker for a red Shiraz! It was all light and healthy (well except the chocolate mousse tart and the wine). A good time was had by all.[/color]

 

SD - Your start of the New Year dinner party menu sounds wonderful! Definately my idea of a "Happy Meal". I believe that zakouskis are a type of a Russian hors d' oeuvre with probably caviar involved, correct? I must admit that I would love to be on your guest list, or menu for that matter, someday.

 

ChiTown

[skynyc]

I just found this thread and must add that I, too, love to entertain. I have folks over about once a week, but for me it's all about comfort food and ease. And since I am single and don't have help in the kitchen I like to do foods that can be ignored during cocktails and then just served up easily. Last week was a chicken and broccoli lasagna, and this week, I believe will be a chicken pot pie. Winter menus are more casserole-y and as things warm up I do more meats and veggies things.

I do very simple starters...in winter usually a soup. And always a huge salad.

I am on Weight Watchers and try and keep an eye on calories, so for dessert I usually serve sorbet with some kind of homemade cookie or brownie...the leftovers go home with the guests.

I'm not a fancy guy, but love having various friends over to just chat and laugh. And usually the evening ends with us breaking out a board game or some such.

Last fall I had an issue with some folks checking their phones and texting during the meal, so I just collect all these devices now on a silver tray as we sit down and return them when I refill coffee after dessert. No one has commented...(but I imagine some of you may...LOL.)

Bon appetit.

[ChiTown]

Pierogi and real kielbasa. YUM. It's too early in the morning for me to salivate, but I will later. I hope you enjoy that meal as much as I am just thinking about it.

 

JAG - When you speak of real kielbasa are you referring to the cut or uncut variety?

[raulgmanzo]

... thought it might be intersting and useful for us to share our menus. I hope many will share...

 

Yumm, food and cooking, there is almost no food in this world that I can't enjoy.

 

Rare that I host a dinner party, but I do take people on picnics for which I will sometimes create quite a spread. Also make dishes for potluck dinners and cook almost every night for myself and the occasional hungry visitor.

 

Rarely do I use a recipe and I tend to experiment freely so results range from odd to fabulous.

Luckily there are all kinds of interesting locally grown produce, and meats and may interesting ethnic foods within walking distance of my house, that and my own spice garden give me lots to work with. I tend to stop at the grocery store at most every other day to see and get whats fresh and interesting and also because I have a very small fridge in my otherwise well equipped kitchen. Plus it's a great way to keep abreast of neighborhood going ons.

 

Many of the things I would bring or prepare for a fancy affair are the same things I tend to cook for dinner many nights. Whatever fish (preferably locally caught or raised) they are selling at the corner market, usually trout, whitefish, perch, salmon or tilapia, fried in olive oil, steamed or baked, sometimes decided at the last minute. Rarely do I bread or deep fry seafood. Seems a waste, though I may try making a light breading with some ground caraway and see how that goes with my tilapia tonight maybe with some kumquats and Crosnes I need to use up.

 

I almost always have a pot of brown rice, though sometimes I fancy it up by adding a handful of other interesting grains before puting in the ricemaker. Lately I've experimeted with buckwheat, kamut, quinoa or even various nuts.

 

Today I bought some Romesca, shiitake mushrooms, parsley, arugula, and some fennel. Wasn't planning on having those all together and bought them caused they seem tasty, fresh and healthy. But once in the kitchen I think it is possible to nearly any food combination work. Sort of like combining a shirt with a jacket, if they don't seem to go well together you may just need a different tie to uhh tie it all together.

 

I love making any number of different types of pesto, especially now that I switched from using the damn food processor to using a mortar (or sometimes a molcajete) and pestle. Which is superior and of course how pesto is meant to be made. Love using unusual nuts and seeds and just about any herb or greens imaginable.

 

Almost anything tastes good sauteed in olive oil, but just to be sure I usually throw in liberal amounts of things like garlic, or shallots, or mushrooms.

 

Lately I've been into cooking with celery root, actually all kinds of roots, I suppose it's a winter thing. Beets, parsnips, yautia, rutabagas, burdock, whatever seems tasty, healthy or even just looks pretty.

 

Lentils (for cooking or sprouting) are cheap, come in dozens of shapes, colors and sizes, extremely healthy and good for serving to vegan friends.

 

Just to be safe, thrown some winter squash in the oven, they keep so well, lasting months in a cool part of the kitchen and are completly idiot proof. One can cook them at almost any temperature for almost any length of time.

 

Speaking of which I rarely time anything I'm cooking, but discovered that most things are done when they smell done. Though I check on things often because I dislike overcooked foods. In fact I enjoy just about any vegetable (and many a fish) raw. Of course I always make sure my chicken (and most other poultry) is well cooked, especially if it is mass marketed/ factory farmed. A good quality bird (or any meat ) is tasty on it's own but sometimes I stuff them (or maybe a cornish hen if it's just me eating) with just about anything I find lying, growing around.

 

Most nights I don't eat a dessert but for a special occasion you can usually count on me to make some ice cream, made some tangerine icecream the other day.

[Guest greatness]

That sounds delicious~~~ I love home made ice cream!!! You are just perfect Raul~~~

 

 

Most nights I don't eat a dessert but for a special occasion you can usually count on me to make some ice cream, made some tangerine icecream the other day.

[happyguy2]

Steven, skynyc, raul and greatness you are such kewl guys. I would love to be a guest at any of your dinner parties! I love all the meals that have been described here. Food is always fun when combined with great conversation. Tonight, I have invited some really old friends for an informal getogether: drinks, stuffed mushrooms, chicken chasseur with fingerling potatoes, zuccini (spelling?) a huge salad and fresh strawberries and homemade cookies for dessert. Since I live alone, all is prepared ahead, and I just stick the stuff in the oven at the right moment, so I don't have to stay in the kitchen.

[Guest greatness]

Happyguy2, you eat so healthy! I love all of them. I love mushrooms and potatoes especially. I am infamous for taking homemade cookies in a bag if my friends are ok with it(well sometimes I put them in a bag first and ask them whether it's ok ). I eat them in the car or before I go to bed. It is so good and it reminds me of my mom. She doesn't bake but she is such a good cook. So whenever I eat something tasty I feel so loved. I can bring a dish or two if you invite me. Hugs~~~

 

Steven, skynyc, raul and greatness you are such kewl guys. I would love to be a guest at any of your dinner parties! I love all the meals that have been described here. Food is always fun when combined with great conversation. Tonight, I have invited some really old friends for an informal getogether: drinks, stuffed mushrooms, chicken chasseur with fingerling potatoes, zuccini (spelling?) a huge salad and fresh strawberries and homemade cookies for dessert. Since I live alone, all is prepared ahead, and I just stick the stuff in the oven at the right moment, so I don't have to stay in the kitchen.