An Evening in Espana
I had one of the most wonderful meals in Chicago on Friday night and I didn’t even have to make a reservation! Every 6-8 weeks I get together with a group of talented chefs and foodies, otherwise known as my “dinner club.” Each meal is a carefully planned orchestration meant to challenge and inspire all of us, centered around a specific culinary cuisine. Friday night’s theme, Spanish Tapas, was dear to my heart, having lived in Spain nearly 10 years ago when fell in love with the cuisine. At Kasey’s home on Friday night we stood around drinking Cava and Rioja, just as if we are at bar in Espana. Check out a few of the items we whipped up:
Brandade
Crostini with fresh anchovy, fennel and orange
Bacon Wrapped Dates stuffed with Manchego
Mushroom Confit
Tortilla Espanola
A feast of food and wine
……grilled vegetables/roast shrimp with Romesco, cheese, salad and port, braised chicken with dried fruit and chocolate crostini with fine sea salt…
And what’s the best way to work off all those calories? A drunken dance party of course! A dinner club first, but won’t be the last. The end of the night may be a bit (or a lot) fuzzy, but I do remember amazing food, great wine and, most importantly, the best company.
Dance Party
You want an invitation, don’t ya?