DINNER 355: Saturday, December 23, 2006

After cooking all day for the dinner we’re hosting tomorrow, Wendy & I met up with Dave for dinner and some last minute shopping (we needed to find plates for the ravioli course and the cheese course and maybe the dessert course, and some more table decorations (since the decorations we’d previously accumulated no longer fit on our new, larger dining room table!)). Robin didn’t join us because of an ongoing battle with a nasty sinus infection. Sleep it off, Robin!

We went to OLD TIME POTTERY (which was closed), to Meijer, and to Garden Ridge. We found something suitable for the ravioli course and plenty of decorations, but no luck with dishes for the other two courses.

We stopped at IHOP for dinner — Wendy was craving it! While we were there, Dave asked me to go over the menu for tomorrow, which I did. Two ladies sitting near us asked, “What time shall we be there?!” and commented that the menu sounded great.

Here’s the menu… Comments and thoughts about the event will be published later.

Christmas Eve 2006

Goat Cheese & Marinara, Crostini

Jonah Crab Salad
&
Asparagus and Cream Cheese in Puff Pastry

Apple and Chestnut Soup, Spiced Cream

Shrimp, Mushroom Ravioli, Sage Browned Butter

Seared Foie Gras and Poached Pears on Brioche, Moscato Glace

Pork Tenderloin with Spiced Port Sauce
All-Crust Potato Gratins
Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino and Walnuts

Cheese course

Petit fours and raspberry mousse in chocolate cups

Chocolate-covered grapes