Feats of Culinary Wonderfulness

Of course, any holiday type occasion has to be marked with a meal. I may not dress the part or decorate . . . but I will cook up a mad good meal.

Tonight, we dined with friends . . . the newbie and a long time cast member.

I served a salad of mixed greens and tossed in some fresh dill, cilantro, and mint. I made a dressing of shallot, honey-Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. (I'm on a crusade to never purchase salad dressing again . . . it never gets fully used and isn't as good as what I make. Plus, I just get so tickled with myself when I can get the perfect emulsion.) With the salad course, we had snowflake rolls with butter.

The main course featured rack of lamb. I salted the racks, coated them with Dijon mustard and bread crumbs. Then, I roasted them in a hot oven to medium rare. Along with the lamb, we had fresh, local sliced tomatoes with smoked mozzarella and basil from my garden. We also had fresh, local corn on the cob with plenty of butter. (Naturally, we also had mint jelly . . . that may be one of my favorite bits of having lamb.)

Dessert was a pudding (more a custard) which is typically the filling I use for choco creme pie . . . but I wasn't in the mood to fool with a oreo crust. Also, I tweaked the custard with a couple good spoonfuls of instant espresso powder . . . so it was a good mocha pudding. Of course, topped with whipped cream. I don't know if I've ever had a dinner party that DIDN'T include whipped cream.

I served margaritas, water, and minted iced tea too. When I make iced tea, I make it unsweetened . . . because I am evil . . . but I put a bottle of sugar syrup on the table for southerners to sweeten it up without the whole stirring forever and getting grains of sugar in the bottom of the glass. So, I'm only partially evil.