Culinary Collective

My friends seem to all operate on the same level when it comes to food. We have the capacity to prepare foods not neccessarily in the same way, but with flavors that all flow together. The other night Jeff, Kristi and Warner came over to have dinner and drink some good wine with Kelly and I.

Here's what I made:
Red wine poached figs roasted with Bleu d'Auvergne cheese and toasted walnuts
Shrimp sauteed in Chorizo (Spanish not Mexican chorizo)
Shrimp sauteed in orange cognac, garlic, fresh squeezed blood orange juice and blood orange segments
Roasted spice rubbed pork with garlic tomato jam
Baby Arugula salad with red wine lavendar vinaigrette, red onion, toasted walnuts, blue cheese and dried cherries

Jeff made:
Carmalized onion, raspberry habanero cheesecakes
Goat's cheese cheesecakes
Spinach phyllo pockets

Kristi and Warner made:
Butternut Squash ravioli in brown butter
Spinach and roasted garlic croustades
Chocolate Cobbler with fresh vanilla ice cream

All of the flavors worked so well and played off each other in such a way that you would have thought we spent hours on the phone with each other discussing the menu. The wines that we drank worked harmoniously with all the flavors in each little dish.

Wines:
Morande Grand Reserve Chardonnay
Novelty Hill Syrah
Osborne Solaz Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon blend
Rosa Regale brachetto d'acqui
Coturri Freiberg Vineyard zinfandel

The flavors in the food and wine were utterly delicious; but served along with great friends those flavors were elevated to that of a symphony. I always say that I'm happiest when I'm cooking, which is very true. But I truly think I'm even happier eating that food, drinking good wine, and surrounding myself with loved ones.