Eleventh Annual Birthday Dinner

How do I come up with the menus for the annual birthday dinners for She Who Must Be Obeyed? I pay attention to dishes that she’s enjoyed over the course of a year, either prepared by me, or that we’ve enjoyed while dining out.

Penicillin

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We began with the same cocktail I made for the last Can’t Talk, Eating: Lemon, ginger, honeycomb, lapsang souchong tea, Laphroaig and Johnnie Walker Black whiskys.

Onion Soup

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Sweet onion soup with pain de mie croutons and parmesan shavings.

FG&J

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A variation on the classic PB&J, made with toasted pain de mie, foie gras torchon, and homemade black cherry preserves. Served with a 2012 Karthäuserhof Riesling kabinett. 

Risotto

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Spring ramp risotto with herbed ricotta. Served with a 2012 Belleruche Côtes du Rhone (a gift from our diner at Damon Baehrel).

Pork

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Cured pork belly with poached green apple, chard purée, chard stems, pork reduction, and mustard vinaigrette. Served with a 2008 Ravenswood Belloni Zinfandel.

Coffee and Donuts

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Coffee gelée, glazed donut ice cream, and a Pocky “cigarette.” This was a variation on an earlier presentation.

Chocolate

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Even though it was her birthday dinner, She Who Must Be Obeyed insisted on making this dessert: flourless chocolate cake with raspberry jam, fresh raspberries, chocolate ganache, and whipped cream. Served with a Taylor Fladgate 2o year old tawny port.

Credit Where Credit is Due

Onion soup: Study, Cambridge, MA

FG&G: Swine, New York, NY

Risotto: Serious Eats

Pork: Per Se, New York, NY

Onion soup photo by Daphne Strassmann

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  1. Pingback: Art of the Yearly Birthday Dinner | Interleaving

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