A Sinfully Good Evening

I just had to blog about my Supper Club on Saturday night. We have been together for 5 years now. There are 5 couples in our group and we are all self-proclaimed foodies. Every other month we trade off hosting the evening, and the hosting couple usually chooses a theme for the meal. I have done quite a few over the years. Valentine's Dinner, Tappas, Costume Party, Spanish Paella, etc. This time I was inspired by one of my favorite shows. Top Chef. I love it!  Every week the competing chefs are pushed to their culinary limits. They are usually given a challenge and very little time to come up with a fantastic meal to meet that challenge.

Last years when they were down to only seven chefs one of my favorite challenges was dreamed up. Each chef drew a knife with one of the seven deadly sins on it. The chefs were asked to come up with a meal that somehow interpreted that sin. So, my chefs were sent a special invitation in the mail.

 So each couple received an invitation with their course and their sin.

Setting the atmoshere is important, start with the table. For the centerpiece we decided to do red, white and black candles at at different heights. Seven candles each dedicated to one of the sins. As we had that course and sin we lit a candle.

Part of our seven courses was a cocktail and the sin was sloth. So we prepared  "Slaughtering the Slothman."

Next up the Appetizer the sin Anger "Spicy Shrimp Remoulade on Molasses Butter Toast"

 

Next up the Soup course and Envy "Tomato Cheddar Soup" The plates are green, get it - Green with Envy!

Here Tim explains a little about the accompanying wine.

 

My son Tim joined us as a special guest judge - he needs a good meal after all that college cafeteria cusine. That's my baby at the head of the table.

Salad and Lust were next "Summer Fruit with Jamon Serrano, Double Cream Gouda Arugula and Saba" Salad is hard to make look lusty but this is as close as humanly possible. Truely sinful.

We did two main courses.  First the meat course  and Gluttony. "Fillet of Beef au Poivre"

Here's my good friend Cindy hard at work at the stove, right next to her is Lyn starting the seafood course.

The finished product with a small side salad of Arugula and a spicy Parmesan.

Jeff seems to be enjoying his meal.

Next up was the seafood course which was cooked with Pride by Lyn and Jeannie "Seared Sea Scallops with Fennel."

Isn't Jeannie lovely and such technique.

Okay now this is beautiful plating - one extra bonus point.

Now I really feel bad because we forgot to shoot the dessert course and it was wonderful. It was prepared by Jeff. His course was dessert and his sin was Greed. Jeff prepared "Veloute of Bittersweet Chocolate with Bittersweet Ice Cream" Jeff prepared the entire course from scratch down to the ice cream. It was amazing! He got the recipe from the French Laundry Cookbook here is the shot from the book and Jeff's looked just as good.

All the ingredients.

At the end of the evening our guest judge tallied the score

And the Winner Is......

Lyn and Jeannie for their Sea Scallops

Lyn and Jeannie won a great chopping knife to commemorate the big win.

I just realized there are no pictures of Tim and me. That's probably because Tim was busy behind the camera and I was playing the part of hostess. Oh Well, next time I will make sure to get a few more of us.

It was such a great evening and we didn't wind down until 12 am. I would suggest this as a dinner party theme to anyone who wants to try something different. There are lots of ideas and suggestions on the net to pull from or just email me and I would be happy to give you all my notes. Until next time my friends but until then go and create. Whether you are in the craft room or the kitchen it is all good.

Amada

Comments

[Tristan Robin Blakeman]

oh, my!

I'm experiencing one of the deadly sins right now - envy!

[Carrie]

Amada -

Your party looks spectacular! The way the whole theme came together is incredible. I really liked the winners gift - so appropriate and fun that Tim was the judge. Can't wait to see you soon at the grad party!

[A Gift Wrapped life]

Wow...I am impressed, these dishes all look so professional. You are inspiring me to entertain again (have been on a long-enough break) so I may be asking for your notes! Great pics.