You Can Never Have Too Many Dinner Parties

I almost titled this post “too many dinner parties” but then I stopped and thought, is that even possible?  We have had three in five days, not counting Thanksgiving, which we thankfully didn’t cook this year. Last night’s dinner was a small sit down for six which included our good friends David and Claire, and Mario and Ramona. You might know Ramona from her role on “The Real Housewives of NYC.” It was great catching up with everyone while enjoying the following culinary delights:

(yeah, i know, not more focaccia!) but, yes, we had focaccia because its heartiness and fragrance lends itself well this time of year, with a cozy fire in the fireplace. We also served small grilled chicken brochettes with a peanut dipping sauce. We summoned our guests to the dinner table by ringing our beautiful new Baccarat dinner bell (courtesy of our good friend Ilse) and we began our banquet with a rich and silky Lobster Bisque which contained no butter or cream. That was followed by oven roasted acorn squash stuffed with sautéed apples, caramelized onions and pancetta. The main deal was a Pasticcio di Magro. Pasticcio is a pastry case that contains, in this case, layers of risotto, porcini mushrooms, braised artichokes, peas and celery, red onions, and fillets of Arctic Char. You slice it like a cake, and mine had seven layers. I’ve been searching for the right pastry dough for Pasticcio for a while, trying a different one every time, looking for a light, airy crust that doesn’t get soggy while baking. Last night I used a brioche which worked quite well.

For dessert we had my home-made nocciola gelato (hazelnut) served with some of Rosaria’s biscotti and small chocolate flecked meringue kisses. I was so involved with the food and the conversation, that I just didn’t get a chance to photograph any of the food. That’s the price of a good time! 

Playing Field Before The Games Begin

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