August 2015

As always, the night kicks off with a selection of cured meats and delicious cheeses.

Meat and Cheese Board

The first course was a vegetarian tartare.  The tartare has watermelon, pickled watermelon rind, pistachios, and mint.  It is served on top of whipped feta cheese.

First Course

The second course was inspired by the classic summer dish ratatouille.  It is toasted italian bread, topped with tomato sauce, zucchini, ricotta cheese and basil.

Second Course

The third course was scallops, roasted turnips, and roasted potatoes.  Served on a blueberry-ginger-soy sauce and finished with a touch of mint.

Third Course

The fourth course was a chilled soup in the style of corn chowder.  It has corn, pancetta, peanuts, cilantro, and sprinkled with old bay.

Fourth Course

The fifth course was the well-known caprese salad.  Tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto, served on top of a basil pesto, with some roasted red peppers.

Fifth Course

The sixth course was a pasta dish of shrimp scampi.  It's chitarra shaped noodles with chorizo, shrimp, lemon, parsley, pecorino, and garlic breadcrumbs.

Sixth Course

The seventh and final course was the southern staple of chicken and waffles.  Fried chicken, on top of waffles, drizzled with a maple syrup hot sauce.

Seventh Course

July 2015

The meal begins with a selection of meats and cheeses.

Meat and Cheese Board

The first course was carpaccio. Thin slices of peaches are topped with ricotta cheese, prosciutto, pecans, basil and lemon zest.

First Course

The second course was "breakfast."  Here a poached egg sits on top creamy lentils, sautéed kale and bacon. The dish is finished with kale chips and pecorino cheese. 

Second Course

The third course was a salad.  Sauteed zucchini on top of a mint yogurt, with lamb sausage, pistachios, feta cheese, pickled jalepenos, and oregano.

Third Course

The fourth course was a chilled soup.  Watermelon gazpacho with cucumber, feta cheese, pistachios and mint.

Fourth Course

The fifth course was a salad.  Sautéed corn in a crema sauce, with avocado, pancetta, pickled jalepeños, cilantro, and cotija cheese.

Fifth Course

The sixth course was pasta.  Bucatini in a tomato sauce with meatballs.  Finished with basil and pecorino cheese.

Sixth Course

The seventh course was surf and turf.  Pork belly and crab cakes with a remoulade sauce.  And a small fruit salad of cherry tomatoes, blueberries, green beans, wax beans, red onion, corn shoots, and pickled watermelon rind.

Seventh Course

June 2015

The meal begins with a selection of meats and cheeses.

Meat and Cheese Board

The first course was a selection of crudités. Carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, radishes, snow peas, and sugar snap peas. With 4 dipping sauces: hummus, garlic scape pesto, tzatziki, and aioli. 

First Course

The second course was burrata. Here, the cheese sits atop a strawberry sauce, with pickled rhubarb, basil and balsamic vinegar. 

Second Course

The third course was octopus.  Sautéed octopus on top of a red pepper coulis.  The dish is topped with pepperoni, potato chips, salsa verde and manchego cheese. 

Third Course

The fourth course was a chilled soup.  Cantaloupe soup, with prosciutto, crème fraîche, pistachios, and basil.

Fourth Course

The fifth course was a salad.  Sliced green papaya in a fish sauce vinaigrette, with peanuts, hot peppers, spring onions, mint and cilantro.

Fifth Course

The sixth course was pasta. Tagliatelle, crab, and jalepeños in a lemon cream sauce.  Finished with breadcrumbs and pecorino cheese.

Sixth Course

The seventh course was meat.  Skirt steak on top of black beans and sour cream.  Finished with cherries, parsley and a little pan gravy.

Seventh Course

May 2015

The meal begins with a selection of meats and cheeses.

Meat and Cheese Board

 The first course was carpaccio.  Thinly sliced radishes topped with caramelized onions, pickled ramps, and ramp butter.

First Course

 The second course was toast.  Toasted italian bread it topped with a fava bean purée, roasted almonds, guanciale, and feta cheese.

Second Course

The third course was a salad.  Fiddlehead ferns, peas, sugar snap peas on top of ricotta cheese.  The dish is topped with spring onions, prosciutto crumbs, and pea shoots and finished with a lemon vinaigrette.

Third Course

The fourth course was soup.  Coconut milk broth, with poached shrimp, peanuts, and topped with fresh mint and perilla.

Fourth Course

The fifth course was another salad.  Roasted asparagus on top of a yogurt dressing.  Topped with pistachios, frisée, and parmesan cheese.

Fifth Course

The sixth course was pasta.  Gnocchi, with braised chicken, mixed with peas, carrots, shallots in gravy.  The dish is topped with chicken skin cracklins and pecorino cheese.

Sixth Course

The seventh course was fish.  A soft shell crab sits on top of sautéed bok choy, with sriracha, hoisin sauce, pickled grapes, and topped with cilantro, mint and garlic.

Seventh Course

March 2015

The meal begins with a selection of meats and cheeses.

Meat and Cheese Board

The first course was carpaccio.  Thin slices of granny smith apples, topped with dijon mustard, honey, pancetta, pretzels, oregano, and provolone cheese.

First Course

The second course was a salad.  Shaved carrots sit on top of an avocado puree, with peanuts, cilantro in a lime pistachio dressing.

Second Course

The third course was polenta.  Fried polenta squares are topped with a mushroom ragu, and finished with parsley and pecorino cheese.

Third Course

The fourth course was soup.  Roasted broccoli soup is topped with almonds and cheddar cheese.

Fourth Course

The fifth course was fish.  Sautéed squid and octopus sit atop a pea purée.  The dish is finished with roasted peppers, roasted potatoes, pea shoots, and mint.

Fifth Course

The sixth course was pasta.  Bucatini with asparagus, leeks, spring onions and prosciutto crumbs in a mornay sauce.

Sixth Course

The seventh dish was a lamb.  Lamb shank is braised, and then served with cauliflower, pistachios, parsley, mint and tzatziki sauce.

Seventh Course

February 2015

Every meal begins with a selection of cured meats and cheeses.  

Meat and Cheese Board

The first course was a selection of roasted onions (cippolini, shallots, spanish), spicy peanuts, chimichurri sauce, and manchego cheese.

First Course

The second course was a preparation of burrata.  Here it is with pickled grapes, roasted garlic, basil, and balsamic vinegar, along with sourdough toast for the guests to make their own crostini.

Second Course

The third course was a beet salad.  The red and golden beets are roasted, and served atop a schmear of cream cheese.  Topped with cucumbers, sesame seeds, salmon roe, bagel croutons, and micro arugula.

Third Course

The fourth course was a roasted cauliflower soup.  The soup is topped with pomegranate, feta cheese, and a mint oil.

Fourth Course

The fifth course was a fish dish.  It was sautéed bay scallops with roasted fennel and a duo of citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit).  The dish is topped with a lemon pistachio vinaigrette, and fresh basil and parsley.

Fifth Course

The sixth course was a pasta course.  Gnochhi is served in brown butter sage sauce, with eggplant, pancetta, and roasted peppers.  The dish is finished with fresh parsley and basil and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Sixth Course

The last dish of the night was a tribute to the Philly Roast Pork Sandwich.  It is pork belly on top of creamed broccoli rabe,  with a hot pepper relish, and provolone crisps.

Seventh Course

January 2015

Nothing gets the party started like a meat and cheese board.  An enjoyable way to begin the evening as we wait for all the guests to arrive.

Charcuterie

The first course was an Italian inspired insalata.  Raw artichokes in a lemon vinaigrette, topped with parmigiano reggiano and a little lemon zest.

First Course

The second course was in the style of the South American dish, ceviche.  It is a fried tortilla with a creamy avocado puree, rock shrimp, crab meat.  This is then topped with diced onions and jalapeño, and finished with cilantro and a touch of hot sauce.

Second Course

The third course came about from a diner's request for a ricotta and honey crostini.  So here we have roasted carrots (they come in different colors) that are glazed in a honey and brown butter sauce.  This is placed on a schmear of fresh ricotta cheese, and then topped with pistachios, jalepeños, and mint.

Third Course

The fourth course was a soup made from a trio of winter squashes.  Roasted butternut squash, acorn squash, and delicata squash with cinnamon, brown sugar, paprika, maple syrup and a touch of cayenne pepper.  The soup is then finished with a slice of feta cheese, mint, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Fourth Course

The fifth course was a dish full of Asian flavors.  Roasted brussel sprouts glazed in soy sauce and hoisin sits atop a pear-applesauce with garlic and ginger.  This is then topped with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, sunflower sprouts, and a spicy peanut sauce.

Fifth Course

The sixth course was the pasta dish.  The type of noodle used is called lumache. Here it is with sweet and spicy sausages, and then tossed in pesto cream sauce made with basil and broccoli rabe.  And what pasta isn't better when finished with some pecorino romano.

Sixth Course

Once again, the diners were too full to eat anything after the 6th course.  And yet again, they missed out on the 7th and final course that was planned.  This time it was the classic Italian dish, Osso Buco.  It is a braised veal shank, on top of creamy polenta.  Topped with gravy made from the reduced braising liquid and a gremolata of parsley, garlic, and lemon.  Perfect winter food.

Seventh and Final Course