Spring has definitely set in the air. I'm just getting used to these season changes, but I quickly pick up. People outside are covering themselves less. No more winter coat, no more winter boots. Birds are coming out and sing in the air. The sunsets are much later at night (up to 8PM!). And we can start hanging out more outside.
In the morning, I took care of making the finger foods / amuse bouches for the aperitif. From top left to bottom right : Toasts with Saucisson (dried sausage), Toasts with Radish, Pigs in a Blanket, Sticks of Tomatoes and Cheese, Mix of Nuts, Chips, and Pretzels, Salted Palmiers with Tomato Sauce and Cheese, and Smoked Ham Stuffed with Herbed Cheese.
The Aperitif was enjoyed outside under the heating sun. Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring!
The rest of the meal was enjoyed in the closed veranda. The table was decorated in colors of gray and pink.
Each plate had a little Chocolate Hen to symbolize the Lenten season and because we were having a Pierrade for the meal, we had 3 Pierrade stones in the middle of the table. Every four people cooked in 1 pierrade stone.
I arranged the various sauces for the meat in a round platter. We had a variety to satisfy everyone's tastes and preferences. We passed around Bearnaise Sauce, Curry Sauce, Mexicaine (Mexican) Sauce, Americaine (American) Sauce, Ailes et Fines Herbes (Garlic and Herb), Tartare (Tartar), Mustard, and salt and pepper for those who don't want any sauces or need more seasoning. It is advised to spread a little salt on the Pierrade stone before cooking.
DO prepared 3 kinds of meat for the Pierrade - in the photos above, you have beef from the farm and turkey, not in the photo, pork.
Gratin Dauphinois - a baked dish of potatoes and cream.
Baked Courgettes (Zucchinis) and Tomatoes.
Today's meal did not go quite well. Since last summer, DO has been having trouble with electricity in her house. It cuts off out of nowhere. Obviously, there is something wrong with the electrical wires, perhaps from overcharging. What happened today was when we were having the aperitif, DO put in her baked dishes in the oven to cook through, while TH put on the 3 Pierrades. Something went wrong, perhaps from overcharging, and the lights went out. We were too busy drinking outside to notice it until aperitifs were done and it was time to go inside for the rest of the meal. It must have been one hour that the lights were out! It took us several minutes to find a way to heat the stones and we weren't sure the baked dishes were cooked through! Thankfully, we found a solution for the stones, but for the baked dishes, well, we served them how they were. The Baked Courgettes and Tomatoes were excellent, but the Gratin Dauphinois was definitely undercooked. At least, the pierrade stones were working fine, and we all enjoyed!
Mixed Green Salad + A fine platter of cheese (From left top to right bottom: Comte, Saint Agur, Brique, and a Brie)
Did we end the meal here? Nope. Typical me forgot to take photos of the dessert. Happens every time! I'm thinking of writing a little hand note the next time. For the first time in my life, I made a Lemon Meringue Pie. I was a little disappointed because it didn't look like the ones you find in bakeries, but everyone swore they enjoyed it. I was never one to make pretty little desserts. I also made Sweet Palmiers and DO made Raspberry Tiramisu and a Marble Cake to go with the coffee.
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