In a couple of days I am giving a Formal Brunch, to mourn the occasion of my advanced (again) age; a scary figure. Due to various conflicts of schedules it will not be a full dinner, but the menu is no less important.
There are several considerations involved: first of all, it is very hot and humid for a heavy meal. Then, two of the guests are on a loosing weight-diet (“South Beach”, if I am not mistaken; anyway – veggies are in, red meat is out, and cheese platter is a thing of the past); another couple did not confirm yet, but if they’ll come, I better offer them something spicy (he’s an Ecuadorean and she a Thai). Next – my offspring and his girl: he likes mommy’s comfort food and has a healthy appetite of an athlete; she is food-curious like a bird and eats like one ( Russian-Jewish cuisine a plus). Remaining two friends are rather sophisticated eaters: one is French-American and a great cook himself, another is an avid traveler.
So, bearing all that in mind, read and give me your feedback on the menu, will you?
- Cold appetizers:
-Red lettuce salad [with avocado, Italian pepper, red onion and cherry tomatoes in lemon+garlic vinaigrette].
-Endive boats with crab salad [w/celery and mayonnaise]
- Soup
- Warm appetizers
-crêpes with lox and chives on a bed of whipped cream cheese, dill and yogurt
-triangular pastries with ricotta and mushroom’ filler
- Entree
Spicy chicken thighs in fig+jalapeno sauce. Side: sweet potatoes roasted with fresh rosemary and plums
And here comes a question: what should I do for a dessert? I’d rather limit baking (too damn hot in here!), and two of my guests will not eat ice cream…what, then?
M-m-m… Sounds delicious! I wish I were there!
Dessert – fruit salad and ice cream (for those who won’t eat it – just fruit salad).
And Happy Birthday!
LikeLike
It is not consistent, but it was hard to confirm to all the limitations.
It would be lovely to see you here.
Thank you – but please leave me a few remaining days of …er…previous decade yet!
LikeLike
It all sounds delicious.I see Italian ices in the freezer section of my stores – sugar free flavors are lemon and strawberry. Cold, not as many calories as ice cream.
And when apropos, Happy Birthday!
LikeLike
But what an ice cream w/o sugar? No, it’s better not subject all the guests to inferior product just because some of them are on a diet…I have to think of something they all can eat. Maybe to buy both, the sugarless concoction and the real ice cream, for alternative?
I will thank you in a few days, Jeff!
LikeLike
The “normal” ices have tons of sugar – but I cannot eat that sort of thing. The sugar free is sweetened with artificial sweeteners, and it’s ain’t half bad!
LikeLike
Maybe this is way to go – to buy the sugarless sherbet in addition to a sugar ice cream – and be done with dessert.
I’ll see. I’m usually baking from scratch; I wasn’t going to since the weather is brutal, but now, in the afternoon, we suddenly got a break from the heat; if it will hold, I might turn on the oven after all.
LikeLike
Sharlotka!!!
Happy Birthday. 🙂
LikeLike
Too plain
Maybe I’ll make Apricot Tatin; will see if the heat break will hold till Saturday.
I’ll hold that HB till then, thank you!
LikeLike
Ээээ… as a – plain?
LikeLike
Sharlotka is too plain, I think, apricot tatin tarte is more special and impressive-looking.
LikeLike
Ну ты излагаешь, мне понадобился гугловский переводчик, чтобы продраться сквозь хитросплетения первой фразу :))) Дальше пошло легче. Меню прекрасное.
С днем рождения!
LikeLike
Спасибо, дорогая Кузя!
А ты по-ирландски отвечай, у тебя преимущество – мы тут все в тупик станем
LikeLike