Speaking of being balanced…
Everything in moderation, including moderation.
I’m excited to describe one of the most delicious, fun meals I’ve ever had. Heather and Kirk have done several pairing dinners for at-home “date nights.” When I knew I was coming to visit them in Colorado, and that Lauren and Greg would be in town too, I immediately requested a Blends pairing dinner. My fabulous hosts obliged with a (vegan) “Taste of Europe” dinner. Katie even stopped by to say hello and share a drink with us! It was great see her again, even if it was only a short visit!
Why do I always feel I have to crouch down in photos? My towering height isn’t blocking anyone… (Photo courtesy Heather)
The concept for these tasting dinners is that each person comes up with a couple of courses and a pairing. Heather and Kirk did the bulk of the work, but I was given the opportunity to make the Petit Bouche.
I decided to make Roasted Butternut Chips with Caramelized Curried Bananas. My pairing was a warm drink I like to call Grand Spiced Milk.
Photo courtesy Heather
All of this was created on the fly, which was interesting when I nearly burned the chips. Despite the uncertainly, I was really happy when the way everything turned out!
The dish had a hint of heat and a little sweet from the curry and caramelized banana combo. It paired well with the almond milk drink, which was laced with Indian spices and a hint of orange from the Grand Mariner, then rimmed with crushed cashews.
The remaining courses were the stuff of dreams. Each dish and it’s pairing was better than the last. We traveled from my Indian appetizer (yes, I’m aware India isn’t part of Europe… but it was a British colony for a long time!), we went to the UK, Italy, France, and Germany.
German Chef Heather makes a killer dessert! Lauren and I kept sneaking more tastes of the almond pastry filling.
Photo courtesy Heather and her fancy camera skills
The Menu
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Amuse Bouche: Strawberry Puff Bites and Lavender Rosemary Black Tea Reduction with “One Shade of Grey” Martini
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Appetizer: Mushroom Tortellini Soup with Smoky Truffle Vodka
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Entrée: Tourtière with 2010 Chateau del la Coste Margaux
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Dessert: Marzipan Schaumrollen with Frangelico Martini
My favorite? It’s hard to choose, but I have to says Heather’s Tourtière blew my mind. Only this girl can take a traditional, meaty French dish an make it vegan and better than “real” thing. The wine pairing was also spot on; a drinkable wine laced with dark fruits and a hint of cinnamon.
My French is so terrible that I spent half the day thinking she was going to make a tortilla.
I miss these guys. Check out Heather’s recap here. She’s also gradually posting the recipes for each course on her blog.
Happy Belated Birthday, Heather!!!
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Roasted Butternut Chips with Caramelized Curried Banana
- 1 Butternut squash
- EVOO
- Cumin
- 1 small banana
- Curry powder
- Parsley (for garnish)
Preheat the oven to 375.
Cut the neck of the squashes off of the base. Peel the neck and slice it into thin slices (~1/8th of an inch thick).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper before spreading the slices across the sheet. Brush with a bit of olive oil, and sprinkle on a little cumin.
Bake the chips ~25-30 minutes, flipping half way through. Watch them closely and remove them when they turn brown and crispy. Timing can vary depending on you oven and the thickness/moisture content of your slices.
They may not seem fully crisp while they are still warm; take them out of the oven and let them cool for ~5 mins. They should crisp up, but If they still aren’t crisp, put them back into the oven for 5 -10 mins.
While the chips cool, cut the banana into ~1/2 in slices and spread it evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with curry powder and place under the broiler for 2-3 mins. WATCH these closely, because they will burn quickly! Remove from oven when the tops are browned and caramelized.
To assemble, place a banana slice on top of each chip and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Servings will vary depending on the size of the squash.
Grand Spiced Milk
- 1/2 C vanilla almond milk
- 3 oz Grand Mariner
- 3 oz vodka
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- Crushed cashews (to rim)
In a small pot over medium heat, warm the milk.
Whisk in the alcohols and spices, adjusting to your taste.
Spread the cashew dust on a plate. Moisten the rims of the shot glasses with lime juice and dip in the cashews.
Carefully pour the warm milk into each glass and enjoy!
Makes 5 shots or 1 big glass to sip on by the fire.
Note: This can be made non-alcoholic, but you would want to add an orange flavor from extract or zest.
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In all my spare time (hahahahaha!), I need to host one of these dinners at my home.
Do you ever pair drink with meals at home?
What are looking forward to this weekend? I might get a new car!!!
oooh Oooh OOOH I want that Grand Spiced Milk!! I want it all – and hee, I took five years of French in college and probably would have thought tortilla also… 😉
I need a fun appetizer for a Christmas party this weekend, and this sounds awesome! Is it realistic to think I can cut a butternut that thin without a mandolin? (Such a fun idea for a dinner party–I might steal it.)
Let me know if you try it! I didn’t use a mandolin to cut my squash.
that recipe sounds AMAZING!!!
These look so amazing – such a fun group! I need to take the time to do things like this (and bake) and as soon as I am officially on break from school, I’m on it!
I want a break from work so I can just cook all the time… 😉
Those sound rediculously tasty– what an interesting flavor combo! I’ll have to bookmark this for my mom for Christmas, it’d make an awesome appetizer!! 😀
This weekend I’m looking forward to SLEEPPPPP before the onslaught of finals eww haha
Thank you!!! Hope you got some good sleep (and some extra for me too).
that’s it, i’m going to do it. Crash whatever visit you have planned next! I can’t miss out anymore. Prepare my amuse bouche please!
i love the words “amuse bouche.”
It’s an amusing phrase, no?
Yesssss!!! Your amuse (with pairing) will be waiting!
I’m totally doing this!
I love reading about their pairing dinners. It made me wish my hubby and I drink the same beers.
Happy Friday Love!
This all looks SO good, Laura! Yum, Yum!
I’m going to Barcelona Wine Bar with some friends this weekend. Looking forward to that. Although a new car would be much better! I’ve actually been googling cars (mine is a 2001!), but I can’t bring myself to have a car payment again.
How did you like it? I think it’s improved a lot since it opened.
I hope a food magazine editor is reading this. Your descriptions of food make my mouth water!!!
Awww… thank you!!! I wish they were too. 🙂
That sounds like such a fun idea! I’ve never really done pairings at home though. We do a lot of small bite meals though. The boys love those types of dinners.
I hope to get the tree up this weekend. A new car would be fun though!
Did you get the tree? No car for me yet. 🙁
SO envious. I need to book a flight to, well, anywhere y’all are. 🙂
This looks delicious, and the Grand Milk sounds right up my not-too-into-alcohol alley.
Yes, yes you do.
Oh wow, yum. So jealous of all that yummy food. I’ve never tried to pair drinks at home actually. I think that could be a fun evening though.
It was a blast! I love getting to try new ideas/other’s fun ideas.
that is such an awesome recipe. moderation is my motto too!
Holy.yum? Everything sounds amazing but waaaaay fancier than I’m used to. I’ve never done any sort of pairings or even really cooked anything that has a fancy French/Italian name 😆 And this weekend I’m most looking forward to finally being able to decorate for Christmas. Squee!
Lasagna is a fancy Italian name. You made that, right? 😉
There were both such yummy recipes, even if we did eat these while standing around the kitchen. 🙂 I wish I had taken better photos of the dish for you, but I think your descriptions completed the picture for sure!
I loved what you took! Thank you for letting me borrow the pics. Everything was so good – I’m still dreaming of this dinner.
Dying over this recipe! This all sounds super amazing! I’m really bad with pairing foods and drinks. I rarely do it. Hope you get the new wheels:)
Butternut Squash Chips seriously ROCK my life! I have no clue what I did before I created that mouth-gasmic snack! 😉
Right?! I can’t believe some Whole Foods brand hasn’t made them yet.
Looking good…food and ladies 😉
Why than you, Sir. 🙂
The petit bouche and the drink were SO good!!!! And now I know how to make both, yay!
SUCH a fun night. I wish I could re-live it every weekend. Man, I got spoiled being out in Colorado for a week!
And yes- I agree that you are such an AMAZING food writer!! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- You’re going places, girl!!
I wish I could re-live it too!!! How much longer before we move?
Thank you so, so much. Means a ton coming from you. 🙂
You’re making me hungry for yummy things….. ahhh I wish I was talented enough in the kitchen to make stuff like this. No dice. NEW CAR?!? WOOohooooo!!!!
You are SO talented, Carol! I love seeing what your menu is every week. One day I really am going to crash your dinner table. LOL!
Looking forward to family and friend time…as well as my workout with my bf 🙂
Love the recipe!
Whoa, that grand spiced milk looks soooo good! That is such a perfect holiday drink, I should make that for my family Christmas dinner.
Let me know if you do! It was so easy to throw together!
I love your combination of banana and spices my friend I would definitely want this as a presleep snack 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
That’s a great idea! I wish I had the stuff to make one right now… *yawn*
Yum. I’ve had acorn squash and bananas before, but butternut squash is so sweet that I may like that combo even better!
There are so many stripes going on in that first photo that my brain just got dizzy. Vegan tourtiere! Amazing! Alas, I must skip the fun alcoholic component of your drink, because Grand Marnier is, of course, made with the devilfruit.
Caramelized curry bananas sound like a delicious little treat! This sounds like a really fun thing to do with friends and to share healthy and different recipes. Its cool to think up a pairing to go with each dish too.
Ok, so did you girls PLAN to all wear stripes or did that just happen? Lol
Curried banana? Oh my lord, that sounds amazing! And I’ll for sure take a glass (or three) of that milk…but you can keep the “rimming” to yourself! Bahahaha
LOL!!! I can’t even respond to that.
OMG – your opening line. I’ve been telling someone at least everyday – everything in monderation, even moderation in moderation. haha. worded a little different. but I learned the all or nothing thing doesnt work a while ago and people tend to still think it has to be that way. Or beat themselves about treats, esp this time of year.
My bf and I do cheese and beer pairings at home. But not usually meals. We actually did a pb and beer tasting once that I never posted about! I should!! It was with pb and co and brooklyn brewery. Surprisingly went really well together.
Beer and cheese pairings sound fun!!! I love that idea… and may hav eto borrow it. 🙂