use real butter

I went to pick up some lovely ring molds this afternoon in addition to a few truffle tools. Anyone can slop together things that taste good (well, maybe not anyone), but I think incorporating presentation with taste, texture, and structure is the most fun challenge of plating desserts. I picked up a hexagon mold too. I hope to make something striking, yet elegant. I have no idea what it will be other than chocolate.

After my small pastry equipment acquisition, I met with Jeremy and our friends at Brasserie 1010 (aka Brassiere 1010, Bra 1010, Lingerie 1010) for Happy Hour. The food here is pretty good and aside from the regular crew, we were joined by Dave and Fran – two incredibly nice and fun people. There was food, I had camera in tow – what would you expect of me?

a toast to jeremy’s grant and drunken laughter

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We had invited some of our closest friends in Boulder/Ned to dinner this weekend, but had actually picked a bad weekend since some were out of town already, others were going fly fishing, some had visitors, and one was sick. That’s okay, because we’ll try to catch them for the big hoo-ha party later. And it meant more to me to schedule it for a weekend when I knew Beth and Nicole would be around… because they’re my best pals here and I love cooking for them.

appetizers
shrimp pot stickers
dinner
grilled marinated salmon with lemon and dill
green salad with dried cranberries, feta, candied pecans in balsamic vinaigrette
sweet corn cakes
sautéed asparagus and garlic
dessert
flan
fruit salad with lime syrup
truffle sampler

What a lovely feeling it is to prepare a meal in my own kitchen without that diss hanging over my head. It’s a subtle difference, but a happy one.

fresh and luscious berries

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The weather hasn’t been too great for sailing since we’ve been here. That’s alright with me. I love to sail, but at the same time, I don’t need to sail the way my dad does. Funny thing, my dad was blaming everything on global warming: the weather, the fact that the local market didn’t have blue crabs today, that Jeremy got sick. We actually took the morning easy and spent time talking, watching a movie, eating (of course), checking the fishies, and selecting appropriate gifts for my parents to take to folks in China.

an orchid bred at my mom’s college

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