back at it

it's that time again...well, six days from now. next saturday, we will be hosting our second dinner at the studio. don't even bother asking what the menu will be like. and please refrain from guessing a theme or harboring up a list of wines. "why?" you may ask. well, the answer is quite simple: we have no idea!

now don't get us wrong, we have been thinking about it. in fact, we have been thinking and brainstorming and listing and crossing off lists and repeating these exercises for the past month. it's just that we have too many ideas. and it doesn't help being overwhelmed by the glories that prevail at the farmer's market. i think we just care a little bit too much (and have appetites like horses).

however uncertain we are at this point, we can guarantee a few things:

1. there will be multiple courses...it will all just depend on what tickles our fancies that morning.
2. wine glasses will be filled. again and again.
3. cell phones will be absent.
4. we will make a decent effort at showering before dinner. (time goes by fast when you're cooking).
5. chocolate will be present somewhere, somehow, in the dessert. oh, you betcha it will.

so until next saturday, wish us luck as we prepare for our good ol' april dinner!

springtime feasting

dinner number one at the studio...check. it was a long day of shopping, prepping, eating, and drinking. there were highs, a handful of lows, but all in all, it was worth every second.

shopping

the day started early for gino, as he is one to lounge the morning away. thanks to my type-A scheduling, we were out and about by 11 am, with market totes and lists in hand.

the highs: unexpected drizzle at the farmer's market...less people! changing our menu based on the market's best. tasting, smelling, collecting our ingredients. 

the low: dodging the soccer moms at costco. 

prepping

once we got the goods, we set up our work stations and went to it. five hours to prep, music playing, and more tasting...couldn't have had a more relaxing afternoon.

the highs: working in silence, with music in the background, watching each other focus on our dishes. tasting as we went. the smell of onions being caramelized, fresh rosemary being torn apart.

the lows: being around all the cooking food on an empty stomach.

the dinner

by 7 pm, our first guests arrived. it started to pour outside, which clearly meant we would have dinner indoors. cell phones were placed in a box, the first glass of wine was poured, and dinner was underway...for the next five hours. the final menu included:

flatbread with roasted broccolini, sundried tomato and mozzarella

golden and red beet salad with arugula, avocado and blood orange

roasted carrot-and-ginger soup with goat cheese crostini

lamb ragu with shaved pecorino

blackberry and rosemary crumble

and for the wine...

bugey cerdon from burgundy

riesling from oregon

pinot gris from alsace

a rhone blend of grenache, syrah, and mourvedre

the highs: the cozy feeling of eating while it's pouring outside. bringing people together. the food and wine. eating until the wee hours of morning. not being interrupted/distracted with phones.

the lows: ending. 

we would say our first dinner at the dinner studio was a success. a yummy success. we already have our minds in motion, planning for april. and at the rate we're going, i have a feeling we might have to include a dress code: wear elastic pants.