percyn

Luckylies, Your meal sounds great !! I love the hate of short-ribs and they are sooo easy to prepare....I either braise them in a crockpot for a few hours or in the oven. Last night I made some quick steaks seasoned with Montreal steak seasoning, green beans and mushrooms (baby bella and oyster) flamayed in Cognac. Dessert (not the whole box...just a few pieces. My favorite is the dark chocolate with a coffee filling). Of course I love my Valrhona as well.

CW, First, congratulations on a great looking meal...I can't seem to get a reservation at Per Se, do you have any seating available Regarding the caviar, eating a few bites by itself is fine, but after that I like to pair it with something. My favorite is a soft boiled egg.

Brown sugar and walnut Baialy w/coffee

Wendy/lmf, this was my first time making this particular recipe, but I was surprised at how easy it turned out to be. I tend to season to taste and in this case, it would have used some more seasoning (nutmeg, salt and pepper). The filo pastry gives it that flaky, crisper texture, though one has to be careful not to choke on a small flake that goes down the wrong way Anyway, I plan to take these to the company potluck if I have time. Cheers P

<Start a bit of topic rant> Thanks...I did a little better...I guess...after another 50 minutes of trying to get reservations at Per Se, I was offered a table seating for 9pm or 10pm!! This is fine for me, but my wife cannot wait that long, so I had to go on the wait list again Once last try....then I am flying to Paris </end of topic rant>

Grand Marnier is good, but Grand Marnier Centcinquantenaire even better

Alsace Onion Tart - Wanted to try this out for an upcoming company potluck, based on a suggestion in the Holiday Potluck Lunch At Work thread. I used applewood smoked bacon and store bought pie shells (both large and smaller fillo shells) which worked out quite well. Very eary recipe (especially if you buy the crust).

Speaking of Thomas Keller, I spent over 1 hr this morning trying to get reservations to Per Se and was only able to get on the waiting list (just missed the confirmed reservations quota) . Hopefully I will have better luck tomorrow ...anyone know of a better way to procure reservations at Per Se ? Thanks P

2 Eggs over easy with applewood smoked bacon

Thanks Deidre, just ordered a few bottles....that free shipping is great!!! You should always provide free shipping

I had the day off (well sort of...had to jump on a few conference calls this morning), but as soon as I was done, I started to make an omlet with andouille sausage, salsa and cheese. Wrapped it in a tortilla and sprinkled liberally with an Ancho Picante sauce.

And the choice for last night's cognac was.......[drum roll please]....... The Hennessy Paradis. This cognac is one of those (not too) hidden gems. The quality of it is about as good if not better than Louis XIII, and this sells for a fraction of that cost. The bouquet of this cognac is amazing. I usually spend the first 5 minutes simply enjoying the aroma and gently warming the glass in my hands. It is amazing how the bouquet (and later the taste) changes with the gently warming. The first sip is amazing...a rush for your senses...nectar for the Gods !! I usually associate this cognac with honey, apricot, walnuts, toffee, hazelnuts and oak. And those legs....those beautiful legs....could rival those of any supermodel. (must get back to reality *wack* ) About half way though enjoying this cognac, I usually pair it with a good dark chocolate. Last night I paired it with a few pieces of Limited Edition Valrhona 2002 Gran Couva (64% cocoa from Trinidad), but occasionally pair it with Valrhona Manjari Orange Dark Chocolate Bar or Valrhona Caraibe Noisettes Dark Bar. Katie - Nice collection!! The picture looks fine, though I am sure you will become an expert with your new camera in no time Cheers Percy P.S : Lets see....what will it be tonight....

First Course - Crab cake with shrimp and green beans. The crab cake was bought from a small catering/restaurant place this afternoon when I went to place a Christmas order. Sautéed some jumbo shrimp in EVOO, butter and garlic. Sautéed some green beans in the same pan and topped with sliced almonds (reminded me of how NYC steakhouses serve green beans). The sauce came with the crab cake and tasted great...like a homemade lemon tartar. Main Course - Maple Chipotle glazed chicken with Chanterelle mushrooms served on a bed of seven grain salad. Those chanterelles were huge...the left one was as big as my fist !! Dessert - Maybe a drink that I will post later in the Drinks! Forum I recently started. Cheers Percy

Katie, Thanks...that means a lot coming from the Aphrodite of Alcohol . Actually, this is a small sampling...it all started with a VS(OP? don't recall) a few years ago and went from there. Hey, my wife likes to shop for clothes and shoes, so I have to keep up with something . Perhaps we will get to (virtually) sample these and more over the course of my posts here. Those Austrian schnapps sound inviting....quite different experience from the schnapps I had in college Here is the latest bottle of single malt I picked up a few days ago. I have tried single malts in Sherry and Port wood, but never in French Limousin Oak.....was pretty good with that distinctive Glenlivet smoothness. Hmm...feeling like a nice smooth cognac tonight...maybe the Remy XO or Henessey Paradis....tune in tomorrow to find out CHEERS !!!

Blackened Turkey Burger Drove by a well known local brewpub which has great pub-grub and a wide range of beers (over 250). This turkey burger and their great tasting fries hit the spot !! The hint of green you see on the burger is a bit of avocado, which is also added as a condiment. Made even tastier with some Rouge !! Cheers P

Having enjoyed the Dinner! thread, I thought it might be fun to post what drinks you enjoyed before, during or post dinner (or brunch/lunch). I enjoy a good cognac, armagnac, bourbon, port, grappa or single malt after a good dinner. Cheers Percy

Will have to give you a raincheck until I open my own restaurant....might take a few years

Dinner started with a simple salad of romaine, vine ripe tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Sautéed some chanterelle and oyster mushrooms in some EVOO and butter Added the mushrooms to some fresh (store bought) spinach and ricotta ravoli. Cheers Percy

Luckylies, Dinner sounds devine and if I were lucky enough to be invited to such a dinner, I would have been much more grateful

Ancho???

The sound on your son's breakfast makes we want to ask...Are you adopting kids at heart??

Gastro, most places I have worked don't have a full kitchen in the break rooms (they have a cafeteria, but we are not allowed to cook in there). People usually chip in for deli platters, vegetable platters, snacks, etc. A few adventurous souls bring crock-pots of chili, meatballs, sausage, etc. The hot stuff is usually a hit and it goes quick. Some bring homemade desserts too. Recently we had some gourmet sandwiches. One was a mini filet sandwich topped with grilled onions and what tasted to me like Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill BBQ sauce (you can substitute this with mayo ). I am thinking about either making some gumbo and warming it up in a crock-pot or making some mini kebabs (out of meatballs). Unfortunately, I have a presentation to our CIO and executive mgt team right before, so I am not sure if it is a good idea to try to pull this all off at once. Cheers Percy Edited to say: Hey...here's a suggestion - Deviled Eggs. Familiar to non-foodies, easy to make and perhaps most important for you...uses your jar of mayo as well. And if you have been really good this Christmas, Santa (or little miss foodie in this case) will even throw in an easy to follow recipe for perfect boiled eggs. For dessert, I recommend the job section of the classifieds...from the sounds of it, that will probably be the most appreciated item there

Ahhh.....sounds quite interesting (fusion of Texas and Middle-Eastern)...will have to try it soon. What kind of chiles did you use?

Spaghetttti, not quite ambrosia salad, as it did not have coconut and sour cream/mayo. Had most of the other ingredients though...mandarin oranges, apples, bananas, blue berries, marshmallows, etc. I think it was something that the kids like. I am told the French toasts were soaked overnight in their batter....was very moist and almost like bread pudding. Poinsettia = Very easy. Bit of cranberry juice, champagne and a touch of Grand Marnier (optional). For a virgin Poinsettia, simply use a non-alcoholic sparkling wine and either skip the Grand Marnier or add a splash of orange juice.

I have been to the four seasons a few times, but not Lacroix and want to try it. I currently have reservations for lunch the week after christmas (vacation). Do you strongly recommend brunch over lunch? Thanks Percy