Food Love

For a few years we've been celebrating a Valentine's dinner with our children (and Grandma Geri) with a seven course meal.  We decided to have the dinner last night since our weeknights resemble a poorly orchestrated circus most of the time.  We wanted to have time to savor and enjoy.

And we did.  Savor and enjoy.

My favorite part of any meal, besides the dessert, is setting the table.

There is no such thing as too much red.  (The M&Ms are dark chocolate cherry cordial...buy some, do.)

First course: shrimp cocktail

Second course: tomato bisque

Third course:  caprese salad

(Tragically, no picture. I forgot and then the salad was gone.  It was lovely though.  Arugula, grape tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  I drizzled a little extra balsamic vinegar on mine.  I love that stuff.  It makes my tongue sizzle.)

Fourth course:  a palette cleansing lemon sorbet

it looks a little like a pickled egg but it tasted like a gloriously sour lemon

Fifth course:  steak, scallops, roasted sweet potatoes

Sixth course:  caramel walnut brownie and a raspberry tartlett

Seventh course: double gloucester and gouda cheese (not smoked gouda...cheese should not be smoked if you ask me), biscoff cookies and dark chocolate with lemon and black pepper.  Geri brought the chocolate.  The idea of black pepper gave me pause but once I tried it, I realized it is definitely something I can get behind.

It was a delightful meal.  It's fun to pull out all the stops once in awhile.

Afterwards we sat around in a happy state, chatting.  Geri gave me ideas for Emma's room and we talked over paint chips for a scheme I'm hatching elsewhere.

Sometimes life is just really lovely.