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Dave and I love food and wine (surprise!), and fortunately for us we successfully found a group of pals in Seattle who appreciate a good culinary adventures just as much as we do (Thank you Mr. Segelbaum for the intro, and please move yours and Jackie’s @$$es back to Seattle ASAP. Thanks!).
Lucky for us, our crazy, creative and fabulous foodie friends are willing to all throw ourselves into thematic cooking adventures whenever our schedules align (which is thankfully not too often, as our budgets and waistlines might object) — And as expected, we put on quite the show, consume some of the best grape juice, create some of the most outlandish dishes, and for the most part make unapologetically over-the-top, indulgent food and wine self-proclaimed masterpieces.
At every get-together we all talk a big game about creating an epic Cookbook compilation of our dinner extravaganzas, right around the time when our food and wine coma begins to set in…but alas, we pass out get too lazy to actually put something in motion. But today i decided to break this trend! (Okay, lets be honest i drank too much coffee and for the first time in months I had a “free window” so i chose to guilt trip myself into not being so lazy; plus, miraculously my dish was done early – trust me I’m as shocked as you are) SO in my humble attempt to corral our adventures – please excuse the expected imperfect recipe captures; what can we say? we’re booze-fueled artists? – i present to you our first attempt at capturing the magic.
Tonight’s Theme: Halloween (anything goes)
Course Assignments: (usually sent out months in advance, at the end of the previous dinner)
- Cocktail #1 – Benders
- Cocktail #2 – HopLake
- Starter #1 – Danielle
- Starter #2 – HopLake
- Main #1 – Dave
- Main #2 – Jil
- Side #1 – K^2
- Side #2 -K^2
- Dessert #1 – Marc
- Dessert #2 – HopLake
Upon arrival at Chez Beck, the Course List is Disclosed:
The Chefs line up for their obligatory glamour shots:
Betty & Barny | Star Trek & Count Chocula
Limincello Makers from Sorrento | Super Heroes
And the courses begin:
And the scariest of ingredients are disclosed:
Carmelized crockets, crispy silk worms, and ribs, oh my!
And when it’s time to bring out the spine-chilling desserts, everyone is relieved to enter chocolate comas washed down with port and dessert wine:
Chocolate dessert salvation.
Don’t mess with the Count and his chocolate!
Bender’s Limoncello was a success!
Bender’s Limincello
An excellent evening of over-consumption of great food and wine with friends.
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And now for some recipe recaps:
> POISONED APPLES
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdIVInaTfb0
> BAMBAM BITES
– http://servedwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/01/lemongrass-chicken-skewers.html?m=1 (Plus garlic chili past to taste)
> SKULLS, BONES & BUBBLES
– Limoncello and rosè Jell-O shots: http://jelly-shot-test-kitchen.blogspot.com/2010/07/78.html?m=1 (Used limoncello and deep eddy grapefruit vodka instead of grapefruit juice)
– Gin and tonic Jell-O shots: http://jelly-shot-test-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/10/batty.html?m=1
> GHASTLY GHOULASH
– Made a couple of slight alterations plus we smoked it on the BGE at 275 for 90 mins and then cooked it at 250 for 2 hours. I also doubled the recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/349604/ghastly-ghoulash
> COUNT CHOCULA
– First, I decided my costume would be Count Chocula. Then I decided I needed to include that cereal in my dessert: http://thebakingrobot.com/2013/09/29/count-chocula-donuts/
– The difference being that I made my own icing by winging it. Essentially:
- melted butter and 70% Theo chocolate bar
- powdered sugar
- cocoa powder
- milk
- Get to good consistency. Spread it on donuts and top with Count Chocula!
> VAMPIRE COOKIES
– Used one of my favorite choc chip cookie recipes (and added extra chips): http://www.foodbeast.com/news/forget-edward-cullen-make-out-with-these-toothsome-vampire-cookies/
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Next Dinner Theme: Steakhouse
DivaInRed 