use real butter

Well, it’s only been six months since my last restaurant review! Considering the extravagant dining I (we) did in Sydney this past spring, I might hazard to say that June is a little early to be indulging in the good stuff again. But…

I had heard from a director at my old workplace that Frasca had a disappointing Community Night. It was unfortunate that this was the first impression I got of Frasca because that person has neither taste nor sense (nor ethics, as we later discovered – but apparently the board of directors don’t seem to care if their people are unethical). Frasca doesn’t put on a Comm Night like The Kitchen, they have a prix fixe tasting menu on Monday nights paired with wines. Then I read that Frasca was voted best restaurant in Boulder. I’m always a little skeptical of what Boulderites vote “best of” for food just because this is technically the Midwest – on the flats – and you know what I think of mid-western culinary culture. More recently, Tom told me that his friend said he had the best meal of his life at Frasca. My curiosity was piqued!

frasca

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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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Jeremy was full fledged sick this morning, so he slept and I brought him hot homemade ginger tea and meds. Meanwhile, I was conscripted into helping Dad drape netting over, across, and around the fish pond. I think my parents were really attached to their fishies and feel tremendous guilt about losing so many.

My parents prepared some of their specialties tonight – old family recipes Jeremy and I love. Dad made Lion’s Head, which are giant pork meatballs with loads of vegetables. He fries them, then steams them in a broth for a few hours. My mom made my grandma’s smoked chicken recipe. Mmmm, so good!

dad fries up the meatballs outside

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