The Latest Neighborhood Dinner Party (s)

We have a core of 3 couples out here at the end of Corona Road who are serious foodies. Tom G. is, without doubt, the best and most enthusiastic cook among us and our unofficial leader. We get together periodically for dinner parties which are evolving into participatory feasts. Sometimes it's just the 6 of us. Sometimes others are invited, too.

Before Randy and I went to South America, I was relating my pitiful attempt to make ravioli to the group. I had tried to roll out the dough by hand. Can't be done, unless you are the Incredible Hulk. Tom immediately offered to hold a ravioli party to teach us all the finer points of pasta making. Thursday night was the night.

Tom made the dough and a 4-cheese filling ahead of our arrival, then got all of us involved. Randy and I rolled out the dough and passed it to Bruce who cut out circles. Pat piped in the filling. Sharon dampened the "outskirts" of the dough rounds so Steve could put on the pasta tops and seal them up. Tom supervised this whole operation while Marie cheered us on. Altogether we made about 3 dozen nice fat round raviolis. All of this hard work was, of course, accompanied by Pat and Bruce's antipasti course and Italian sparkling wine. Did I mention that Tom is also a major wine expert? (I'm not.)

At which point I plated up my salad offering and to the table we went. I made a wild rice salad accompanied by stilton walnut crackers. Both recipes are in Ina Garten's latest cookbook. The cracker recipe is also, I know, on the internet. I was intrigued by the whole notion of a savory shortbread type cracker that was actually "hand crafted." They were pretty easy to make. Everyone liked them. The salad was well received, too. Tom commented favorably on the texture of the wild rice, which I appreciated since Randy just had to tell me when we got home that the rice was undercooked. It wasn't. Tom had a white wine perfectly chilled for the salad course.

Then we had our raviolis, topped with a pork ragout, basil chiffonade, and parmesan. Well, they were absolutely delicious! We were all impressed and inspired. The red wine for this course was something that had been served at the White House recently, although I can't tell you anything more about it. Okay, one thing. It was exceptionally good.

Steve and Sharon, with Tom's assistance, quickly made a zabaglione dessert. Served with perfect fresh raspberries and a chocolate dipped biscotti. And more sparkling wine. O.M.G.

If that wasn't enough, Tom and Marie sent all of us home with huge baskets filled with 8 different kinds of homemade Christmas cookies and candies. This afternoon Randy and I inhaled the brown butter cookies topped with black salt and white sea salt.

Now, if you can imagine it, we went to a Christmas party at Pat and Bruce's home last night, too! This was a party for the people Pat works with, a wonderful group of respiratory therapists and other health care folks, God bless them all. Everyone brought something to add to the buffet spread that Pat and Bruce had prepared. As you might imagine, the offerings were wonderful and we ate like kings and queens for a second night. We won't do too badly tonight at home, either, since the frig is full of leftovers.

So, my most recent cooking adventures have been from Ina Garten. But, do not worry. I haven't abandoned the Alice project. This afternoon I started a braised pork shoulder, coating it with a dry rub I made awhile back for ribs. The roast will just rest in the frig for a day or 2 before I braise it. I have apples and pears for a crisp or cobbler later, too. Leftovers first, I say.

Burp. Excuse me.