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If you're wondering why I haven't posted in over a week, I have a semi-valid reason! I created a nice long post on Tuesday, complete with random picture, and hit publish.... and it was gone. I was annoyed enough that I just didn't feel like recreating the post. I still don't, given I'm hungover from St. Patrick's Day (which I'll eventually talk about), but I'm not doing anything else (other than watching Law & Order), so why not.
There's still no picture, though, because Picasa is acting up. Damn you, Picasa.
Anyhow, this post will be about last weekend. There will also be a post eventually about my new RAZR and about St. Patrick's Day. And then we should be all caught up on my life.
So last weekend included my second restaurant week dinner and the Land, Air and Sea dinner party that Susan, Kim and I threw. For the restaurant week dinner, we went to Terramia in the North End (my favorite area to eat in Boston, for those who don't know). I actually went against my instincts for this dinner, which I sorta regret doing. I guess you have to do that sort of thing every once in awhile to remember why your favorite foods are what they are. I had:
* Baby Lentil and Chestnut Soup, crispy Pancetta, Crostini (which I'd gotten Organic Baby Greens, olive oil balsamic dressing, shaved Reggiano cheese - I eyed Cheryl and John's salads through my whole bowl of soup!)
* Agro & Dolce grilled Quail, Sicilian peperonata, Mashe and Fennel, Vincotto (this was pretty good, particularly the greens and sauces, but quail is so tiny and difficult to eat - I of course wish I'd gotten the Caprese Salad)
* Free range Chicken Statler breast, warm polenta, smoked tomato, Kalamata olives, crispy Pancetta (it was the olives that did this one in for me - all of the tomato part tasted like them, even though I took them out. The polenta was good, but not as good as my dad's polenta. The chicken was good for chicken, but I don't really like chicken to begin with. I wish I'd gotten the Wild King Salmon, mustard crab crust, spinach, saffron sauce)
We also had a 2003 Speria Valpolicella Classico "Vigneto La Roverino", which was delicious - Valpolicella is a good wine.
After dinner, we went to Mike's Pastry, where I got a cone of tiramisu gelato, which was tasty but tasted nothing like tiramisu. I was hoping we'd go out after dinner, but everyone else was tired, so we parted ways and everyone went home.
The dinner party was on Sunday at my apartment, so I spent some time Saturday planning and shopping and cooking. Sunday was the big shopping/cooking day, though, which meant Kim and Susan were at my apartment all afternoon. I was rather impressed that most of the dishes were clean by the time dinner started, but that of course still meant a ton of dishes for me to do over the next 3 days! Other than Kim and Susan, Jeff, Kristen and Bryan came. Herb informed me a few days later that if he'd known about it (he didn't get the email until after the party) he would have ocme - serves me right for trying to get out of planning the whole thing but then planning it on short notice! I made rosemary and thyme crusted seared tuna, couscous chicken salad (the most popular dish!), Caprese salad (because neither Susan or I got it on Friday) and bread with olive oil/garlic/basil dipping sauce. Susan (with our help) made a whole roasted duck with raspberry wine cassis sauce, as well as chocolate covered strawberries. Kim made springrolls with shrimp and pork. Jeff and Kristen brought lamb stew - I enjoyed this, but I still want to make roast lamb or something because I really love that - I think the flavor is better served, just like any meat. Bryan brought red wine, which was against the rules of the dinner party, but we let it slide. All and all, I'd say it was a pretty successful little party, even if not that many people were able to come (Cheryl and John were supposed to, but Cheryl was sick). Next time we'll have to plan a little bit more, in order to make it a little more successful. :-)
Okay, now I will copy and paste, before publishing, because if I lose this one, no one will ever hear about Terramia or the Land, Air and Sea dinner!
- Lizzardie, at 8:17 PM
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