Dinner Menus – Second Sunday Supper Circle

Harvest Dinner

19991114
There are many things we could be celebrating this weekend – the birthdays of Georgia O’Keeffe, Robert Louis Stevenson, Petula Clark, Anni Frid, Cluade Monet, Jawahal Nehru, Robert Fulton, Veronica Lake, Brian Keith, McLean Stevenson, and Prince Charles – the first shipment of canned pineapple exported from Hawaii – the first streetcar takes to, well, the streets, in New York – Moby Dick was published – the first aircraft flew from an aircraft carrier – and Apollo 12 was launched. But why not just celebrate the fall harvest…

Welcome to the November 1999 Harvest Dinner

Dashi with Hanshimeiji & Hamachi
Mineno Hakubai Sake

Shallot Pissaladiere
1987 F. Chauvenet Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet

Roast Wild Boar
Baby Brussels Sprouts, Hokkaido & Parsnips
1975 Callaway Vineyard & Winery Petite Sirah

White Stilton & Lemon Peel, Tipperary Cheddar
1987 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet

Pineapple Tart
1981 Franco Furlan Picolit

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10-10- Dinner

19991010Back in the day before things like Skype and Vonage, or even instant messaging, there was a period that one can only think back on as the 10-10- days. The was a sudden spate of new phone companies offering cheap long distance calling, and they all had 10-10- numbers that you called to register and setup your account. It was a thing. Unfortunately, I don’t remotely recall what most of these dishes were.

The Second Sunday Supper Circle
10-10- Dinner 1999

A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned Pot Likker
N.V. Pomme du Jour Cidre de Normandie

Spare a Dime Scallops
1995 Glen Ellen “Expressions” Chardonnay

Two Cents Worth of Salmon
1997 Domaine de l’Ile “Porquerolles” Rose

Nickel and Dime Roasted Pork and Crabapple Chutney
1995 Kynsi Syrah

Save a Buck or Three Cheeses
1984 B.V. Private Reserve “Georges de Latour”

Mere Tuppence Snickerdoodles
Mastroberardino “Antheres” Irpinia Liquoroso

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Sandwich Spread

19990808The theme started with an historical event relating to the Sandwich Islands – and the idea built from there.

SECOND
SUNDAY
SUPPER
CIRCLE
SANDWICH
SPREAD
AUG. 8, 1999

On August 8, 1860, the Queen of the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) became the first foreign queen to set foot on U.S. soil, here in New York. While I’m sure she never ate this on a pu-pu platter back in Hawaii, we’re having my version of Shrimp Toasts with Daikon Sauce and a bottle of Paul Cheneau Blanc de Blancs Cava.

Explorer John Cook set in to what he named Cape Sandwich (now Hichinbrook), Australia. If he’d had a decent galley cook, he no doubt would have enjoyed a bowl of Coconut-Pumpkin Soup with Sea Scallops and Pumpkin Seed Focaccia washed down with a flagon of 1990 Philippe Pichon Condrieu.

Sandwich Bay, Newfoundland, is about as far north on the Atlantic Coast as I’d care to find myself. A simple “Mic-mac Sea Jelly” terrine with flounder, turbot and asparagus might be served with a bottle of 1991 Silvio Jermann “Piccolo Sogno”.

Sandwich, Kent, England, is a quaint town dating from early in the millennium. The earliest mention of the town is from 640 A.D., but the town is clearly older than that and is named for the Saxon term for sand. A proper main course at a local inn might (if they had a cook who was up to it) be Pan-Fried Lamb Steaks with Red Currant and Rosemary Chutney. The English are big on Bordeaux and would likely accompany this wiht a bottle of 1986 Chateau d’Issan Margaux.

Sandwich, Massachusetts is a perfect place to explore the New England Coast. It’s also a great place to explore the blue cheeses of the area like Worcester County Goatsmilk Blue, Great Hill Cowsmilk Blue and Hubbardston Blue Cow, with a bottle of 1983 “Le Pergole Torte” from Montevertine.

Let’s face it, the South Sandwich Islands are completely uninhabited, and nobody has really bothered to take any pictures. Unless you count raw fish and penguins the diet of local seals, there’s no cuisine. I have full license to create my Mocha Sandwich with Hazelnut Butter, Shiro Plum Jam, Mascarpone and Bay Leaf Syrup. 1996 Jessandra Vittoria Port accompanies.

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White Trash Dinner

19990711a
19990711bIn theory, this was a “white trash dinner”, or “trailer trash dinner”. The menu was presented with the first side face-up, and I believe I didn’t tell people that the backside had the “translation” to what they were actually being served. I left that for them to discover as the evening went on. Whether anyone did, or whether I finally told them at the end of the night to flip the menu over, I don’t recall. We had fun. Menu and “real” menu side by side, below:

Cream of Tomato Soup
Fizzy Wine
White Gazpacho with Shrimp & Cherry Tomato Salsa
Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, NV
Ambrosia Salad
White Wine
Sauternes & Coconut Gelees with Citrus Segments & Duck Liver Sausage
Gundlach Bundschu Gewurztraminer, 1996
Green Bean Casserole, Candied Carrots
Another White Wine
Flat Bean, Portobello & Vidalia Onion Gratin, Carrots Candied in Cream and Tokay
Lolonis Fume Blanc, 1996
Fish Sticks
Red Wine
Beer-Battered Catfish & Turbot with Asian Tartar Sauce & Lola Rossa
Charles Krug Carneros Pinot Noir, 1995
Cheese Whiz
Another Red Wine
Maytag Blue, Shepherd's Cheese, Black Diamond Cheddar
B.V. Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 1984
Twinkies
Instant Coffee
Blueberries on Angel Food Cake
Coffee
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Simple Fusions

19990613This was a fun one. I don’t particularly remember why I chose to do a Chinese fusion menu – my first thought in looking back is that it was while I was dating Lee, from Chiuchow, China, and it’s possible, though there’s already a dinner where I played around with a specifically Chiuchow dish. Then again, they’re only six months apart, and we dated for a bit over a year. And I have this vague memory of him talking about his mother preparing black chicken and missing the dish. Who remembers? What I do know, is that my friend Frank, a long standing dining companion and illustrator of my books, followed me around for the day with his camera, and shot a couple of rolls of film, from shopping, to views from my window, to the ingredients, to the preparation. I would have thought that there would be photos of the finished dishes too, but so far I haven’t come across those. I’ve picked out about a dozen photos from those that I do have and scanned them in.

SIMPLE FUSIONS – CHINESE CUISINE MEETS THE WORLD

Beijing – Monterey
Red-Braised Five Spice Beef – “Heartwise” Salad
Kristone Blanc de Noirs, 1992

Shanghai – Galicia
Drunken Crab Paella
Pazo de Barrantes Albariño, 1996

Sichuan – Milan
‘Lungching’ Conch Tonnato with New Potatoes
Nino Negri Valtellina Sfursat “5 Stelle”, 1994

Guangdong – Beaujolais
Steamed Black Chicken with Morels and Dates
Paul Bernard Fleurie, 1997
Clos de la Roilette Fleurie, 1998

Hong Kong – Portugal
Azeitão, Ëvora, & Ribaeria Cheeses with Fresh Lychees
Paola da Silva Colares “Chitas” Reserva, 1989

roll 1 (6)
roll 1 (14)
roll 1 (19)
roll 1 (21)
roll 2 (30)
roll 2 (1)
roll 2 (34)
roll 2 (5)
roll 2 (7)
roll 2 (14)
roll 2 (22)
roll 2 (26)

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May Flower Dinner

19990509April showers bring May flowers, and all that. Playing with edible flowers in my cooking.

SECOND SUNDAY SUPPER CIRCLE
MAY FLOWER DINNER

“Carciofi all Romana”
Giacomelli Vermentino “Colli di Luni”, 1997

Saffron Parsnip Soup
Castello di Ama Rosato, 1996

Arborio Risotto with Squash Blossoms, Pecans, Fontina & Ramps
Ambra Barco Reale di Carmignano, 1997

Za’atar Crusted Pork Loin with Yellow-Mustard Flowers
Flowers Perennial, 1997

Lavender Cheese & Agave Nectar
Touchais “Grande Année”, 1976

Marigold Ice Cream, Rose-Water Macerated Apricots, Pistachios, Spiced Syrup
Green Tea

May 9, 1999

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The Transmogrification of a Smorgasbord

19990314You see, I bought a chair. I don’t really know why. I just spotted this chair in a sort of antique shop/flea market kind of spot, and liked it. It turned out to be Swedish, made of oak, and had been crafted in 1880. Who knew? I still have it, although the seat needs repair, and it’s currently stuck in a corner of our bedroom with some boxes piled on it. One of these days. But hey, a Swedish chair… perhaps the first of many new chairs (not, as it turned out). We went, semi-Swede.

The Second Sunday Supper Circle
March 14, 1999
Celebrates the Arrival of the First New Chair
with
The Transmogrification of a Smorgasbord

Trio of Home-Cured Fishes,
 Radish Toasts, Horseradish Creme Fraiche

Chandon Reserve Cuvée 491

Jannson’s Temptation
 & Eye of the Sun

Egon Müller Riesling Scharzhofberger Kabinett, 1975

Fresh Peach
 & Butternut Squash Soup

Dom. Bruno Clair Marsannay Rosé, 1996

Lobster Soufflé,
 Wasabi Hollandaise

Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio, 1975

Cheese Plate: Himmerland Blue, Castello Blue,
 Gjetost, Jarlsberg, Dill Havarti

Giuseppe Quintarelli “Alzero”, 1988

Thousand Leaves Torte

Saracco Moscato d’Asti, 1997

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The Last Valentine’s Day of the Twentieth Century

19990214
The fact that a group of us were having dinner together on this date says much about our respective love lives at the time. I don’t think I was dating anyone…. It was also an opportunity to play on the theme of hearts and love with both the dishes and the wines, including a trio of wines from Ch. Calon-Ségur Saint-Estephe (big heart on the wine label).

Second Sunday Supper Circle
The Last Valentine’s Day of the Twentieth Century

Artichoke Heart Puree
Parmigianino Lambrusco dell’Emillia, N.V.

Salad of Warm Sea Scallops, Heart of Palm & White Truffle Oil
Joseph Drouhin Saint-Amour, 1995

Wontons of Woo
Château Calon-Ségur, 1981

Grilled Lamb’s Heart Bordelaise
Château Calon-Ségur, 1993

Brin d’Amour
Château Calon-Ségur, 1982

Chocolate Date Cake with Tokay Mascarpone
Abteihof St. Nicholas Spätburgunder Weißherbst Auslese
Johannisberger Hölle, 1990

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