DINNER FOR THREE

For two years now, I have been fortunate to go out at regular intervals with two colleagues that used to be my staff. We call ourselves MAD, an acronym of our names, and we are a mutual admiration club that never fails to have a great time.  Usually we go out, and I remember every event. This time was clearly my turn, but going out for our usual splurge was going to be over my budget, as usual, and I didn't want them to bail me out, so I opted to change the rhythm and have them over to my house. I have never been at either of their houses, nor have I met their wives, so I wasn't sure how the dynamic would work. I didn't have too much time to worry about it though, what with my brother for Christmas, a crazy New Year's week, and two birthdays and two birthday parties, the last the morning we were supposed to meet.

The menu was a simple one. I served my version of the Sonata (3/4 oz Aperol, 2 oz apple juice or iced cider, 3/4 oz cinnamon syrup) for a cocktail to start, making the cinnamon syrup (1 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks. Boil together for ten minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar, then cool.) earlier so that it could cool in order to serve cold with Aperol (memories of the Venetian Spritz) and apple juice I had already refrigerated. I had made a reliable standby called Puree of Sweet Potato,

 a gorgeous soup garnished with roasted almond slices and cream, and took a small risk trying to replicate as "wild" mushroom lasagne (I used what I had, which was very domestic button mushrooms and it was delicious!) I had been served before but never made. I opened my most precious bottle of red wine, Menage à Trois, Folie à Deux, to serve with the meal. I had a few leftovers of a failed chocolate walnut fudge and sucre a la creme, which I layered in verrines with cool whip and diced fresh pear to good effect.

As it is with most great events, and even some of the greatest food I eat or serve, I have no pictures! Only the memory of a six hour meal with two wonderful friends. It was a perfect night!