PASSIONATE RATIONS

From my prior post, you may recall that, for my birthday this year, I’m asking people to fill out a questionnaire as their present to me.

“How…interesting…” you may be thinking, as you quietly write me off as eccentric.

But wait, Dear Reader!  This questionnaire pertains to food!

What better present than to get all my friends and family to tell me what they consider to be a perfect meal?  This is my chance to get to know everyone a little better, maybe learn a thing or two.  I wanted something I can cherish for years and this is my plan.

As I devised this little scheme, however, I neglected to consider that those I solicited would come right back at me with the same questions.  Perhaps the fact that I didn’t give this adequate consideration tells you a little something about my planning abilities.

But, annnyway…, to get them off my back (and to encourage everyone to actually do the darn thing themselves), here are my responses.

Scoff as you may.

My Perfect Meal, by Ate-to-the-Bar:

[First, a disclaimer: This is only one of several thousand perfect meals I can imagine. Good food, good friends, and good conversation make many meals close to perfect—and that can happen anywhere, over a street vendor’s Döner Kebap or a three star restaurant’s specialty duck dish.]

Where would it be?

The lower courtyard of Château de Beynac, overlooking France’s Dordogne River valley—a tribute to my long-lost French heritage and the French’s talents in the arena of gastronomie. This is also one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

When would it be?

A warm summer’s eve, well before dusk so that there’s plenty of time for food and merriment as we watch the sun cast its golden glow over the valley on its way to setting, the river afire with its reflection. Festivities will continue long past sunset, however.

Who would be with you?

All of the good friends I’ve had throughout my life, including those I’ve lost contact with over time; family, including my parents, in-laws, grandparents, brother, Aunt Rose and Uncle Jim (alive and well again).

Beloved current pets (Keisha, Arrow, and Cote) and those sadly lost and dearly missed (Minu, LeMoyne, and Sniffer)—all alive, well, happy and cavorting and unafraid to be hanging out with each other and a large group of somewhat raucous people.

For entertainment: Louis Prima and his orchestra (who would show up to this Big Night), with special guests Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and swing dancers Shorty George Snowden and Frankie Manning.

Please describe the place-settings with as much detail as your imagination allows:

My favorite meals tend to feature fantastic food in casual surroundings.  Though one might argue that the medieval castle setting is hardly “casual,” the enormous darkly colored rough-hewn oak table that holds the place settings says otherwise.  Simple cast-iron candelabra are placed along its length, to provide light into the long evening after sunset.  Benches of the same wood, worn comfortable by long use, line each side.  A smaller, but otherwise identical, table is set off to the side and holds the food, to which people can help themselves (buffet-style, my favorite since you can easily sneak up for thirds).

The linens are plain, fresh and white; the dishware, too, is white china that looks casually elegant against the dark background of the table.  The food is the thing here.

The silverware consists of mis-matched pieces of family heritage silver, including the first silverware set my maternal grandfather bought for my grandmother and my parents’ wedding silver; perhaps a long-lost ancestral set from the era of Charlemagne.

Clear crystal glassware without adornment sits ready to suit all of our beverage needs (stemware, highballs, tumblers, steins…). Clear glass pitchers of ice cold spring water line the table.

An ample dance floor is laid out well away from the precipitous drop-off that marks the edge of the courtyard.

What beverage(s) would you include?

Still and sparkling waters
Lindeman’s Framboise and an assortment of Belgian ales and German Hefeweizen
An assortment of champagne and red and white French wines from each growing region
All varieties of Diet Dr. Pepper (original, cherry vanilla, chocolate cherry, berries and cream)
Organic juices (pure single-fruit juices, no blends—cranberry, tangerine, mango, apricot)
Apertifs: Campari
Digestivos (after-dinner drinks): Grappa, Grey Goose Vodka
Dessert beverages: choice Riesling, Auslese, and Spätlese
A world collection of fine coffees (available in any genre, including cappuccinos and mochas) and teas

What dishes would you serve?

I would feature dishes from each of the continents—Asia (including Japan, China, India, Thailand); Africa; the Middle East; North America; South America; Europe; and Australia)—prepared and served by top chefs from each location, who have flown in especially to prepare their signature dishes for this meal chosen to complement each other.   I like adventure, so I’m happy to try each chef’s choice….

In addition, the menu would include (appropriate pairings be damned):

Copious amounts of French breads and butter.  There is no better.

Appetizers:

Cheese plate featuring cheese specialties from every continent, and specifically including Blue Cashel, Pérail Papillon, manchego.  These would be served with various fruits, including pomegranate seeds and slices of Pink Lady apples.

Yellowtail carpaccio from the former Lemongrass Restaurant in New Orleans (Chef Minh Bui), served exactly as I had it there once upon a time.

Soups:

Butternut Squash soup a la the former Simpson’s Sandwich Shop (Springfield, MA)

A variety of Asian inspired noodle soups from King of Thai noodle house (San Francisco, CA)

Entrees (you will note my penchant for the sweet-n-savory):

Morrocan B’stila
A sampling of regional American BBQ pork and beef dishes
Unagi (freshwater eel prepared in the Japanese style)
Wild salmon from the Pacific Northwest (and only the Pacific Northwest)

Desserts:

What else but a selection of world chocolates, which must include Fran’s chocolates (Seattle, WA), Vosges (Chicago, IL), Gianduia (Italy), and all others happily reviewed on this here blog.

With apologies to Alton Brown, now that’s Good Eats!