Date: December 27, 2010Location: R. J. & Allyson's House
Theme: Giada comes to dinner.
Attendees included:
Founding Members: Mary Kay, Martha Ellen, R. J.
Founding-by-Marriage Members: Allyson, Bingley
Sponsored Guests: Catherine, Tim
Unsponsored Guest/Designated Driver: Joe
The Menu:
Antipasto platter: prosciutto, salami, brie, goat, etc, olives, cantaloupe, fig jam Wine. Italian.
Osso Buco
Creamy Orzo
Tiramisu
The set-up: Mary Kay was in town from London. Ben “booked the wrong flight.” Bridget “moved to Denver.” One Founding Member and one key Associate Member missing, Cooking Club was shy on some of its star talent, but ready to go nevertheless. Martha Ellen ensured that everyone had their own towel to sling over their shoulder, and we had plenty of wine to make it a good night.
The planning: Mary Kay was having nothing to do with the chili cookoff. R. J. and Martha Ellen attempted to simplify things, but MK had osso buco on the brain, and wasn’t going to let the Talyors have their way. Good thing, because Cooking Club 15.0 was a hit. After a failed planning meeting at Cornerstone Coffee, MK dominated the entire planning process—from idea conception through spreadsheet creation (her first!) through grocery purchasing and delivery. When R. J. got home from work at 5:22 pm, MK was sitting/stalking outside his house, ready to go 38 minutes early.
The antipasto: Was really good. Quite the selection of cheeses, meats and the chianti jam I picked up from the Goose was a hit. Woot. It did a great job of whetting our appetites while not serving its secondary purpose: keeping everyone sober.The drinks: I think the highlight of the evening was the light-bodied red wine that “really grew on me.” Everyone made this comment at some point through the night. It’s also important to note that Cooking Club went through more than 8 bottles of wine that night. I’m guessing Martha Ellen drank two bottles by herself.
The pasta: Although it took 40 minutes for the water to boil(Guest Chef Catherine made a rookie CC mistake here), the wait was worth it! Peas, tomatoes and cream made the orzo a GREAT dish that anyone could make. No really, anyone.
The secondi: Osso buco was a hands-on dish, with everyone sticking a fork or tong in the pot to really sear the shanks. As long as the liquid was three-fourths up the shank, we were in good shape. The sauce/liquid made for great dipping, and though Mary Kay seemed slightly upset with the final result, I think she should really be happy with it, because the alternative was a big pot of R. J.’s chili.
The dessert: With the memory of tiramisu haunting everyone—including Kathleen—we knew that we had to get this one right. R. J. had suggested “mini-tiramisus” as a way to avoid a repeat disaster, but MK prevailed once again and made the executive decision that we’re sticking with a 13x9. And she was right! Other than some comments/debate regarding the upper ladyfingers not absorbing the flavors appropriately, Cooking Club really pulled this one off. Hats off to Allyson and Catherine for rocking it. Michael & I better watch out as we evaluate the “Best Desserts Ever” designation.
The Traveling Box: Cheesecloth was added to the box for future bouquet garnis, etc. Too bad Ben & Mrs. Pipp weren’t in attendance. Tim did us proud in their absence.Post-Dinner Games: Though “Shut the Box” has potential to gain traction at Cooking Club, we reverted to our favorite: Categories. It would be a stretch to say that Martha Ellen actually participated in this game, as she mostly just laughed her way through. Per tradition, our guests each gave a speech to the Founding Members—this time, their speech was to include a metaphor that related their experience to a dish we cooked that night. Kudos goes to Joe who not only served as DD, but participated in Categories.
Next up: If Ben can arrange his flights correctly—and we can convince Bridget to stick around—we might be doing that Chili Cookoff afterall. Look for more in mid-January. Until then!
