A new look at cooking and home decorating...with an attempt to add more greens to the plate, more vegetarian options & hopefully lots of new ideas to explore

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Al Fresco

Autumn is in the air. This week is a bit cooler than last, and there is a soft gentle chill at the top of the morning and again at dusk. As the weather changes so do my culinary needs. I was at a friend’s house for lunch and I fell in love with her flatware. That may sound a bit weird to some people, but its how my mind works. If ever they need someone at Martha Stewart who can hunt down unusual items for photo shoots, I would be well qualified for the job. Having only glanced at the flatware, I knew I needed to find the source. The lovely shades of brown in the handles would be just perfect for a fall table setting. Like I said, I know its odd, but after waking up at 6AM and spending several hours on the computer searching, I finally found what I was looking for.

Last night we had friends over for dinner al fresco. As per my husband request I tried to reduce my work level in the kitchen by buying pre-marinated steak. It was actually a great help because it allowed me to fuss a bit more over the appetizers and table setting. Before the evening started I threw together a grilled fig with Gorgonzola plate, a Bruschetta, a goat cheese and arugula quesada and a cheese plate. It all worked out well. So relaxing it was to sit and sip wine under the stars on a cool crisp evening.
Our guests brought a wonderful bottle of “Super Tuscan” wine. So, this morning I feel left with the challenge of cooking something to go well with the Le Serre Nuove 2004. I found an old recipe for Chicken with Pomegranates that I might try….

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