Bellinis with Caviar and Blinis to start
Amuse Bouche
Tomato Water and Mother's Broth
1st course
Onaga Carpaccio with Cucumber Consomme, Grape Tomatoes and Enoki Mushrooms
2nd course
Tomatoes Three Ways: Poached Tomatoes with Asparagus; Steak Tartare with Sicilian Sauce; Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil
3rd course
Gnocchi with Fresh Tomatoes, Green Olives and Smoked Cheese
4th course
Balsamic Glazed Beef with Red Wine Reduction, Parsnip Puree and Roasted Tomatoes
Dessert
Panna Cotta
Of course, as mon ami once stated "he doesn't follow recipes when he cooks and he's not about to start now". A man cut from the same cloth, I TOO don't follow recipes... and am not about to start. So I make my own tomato water with vine ripened Hamakua tomatoes, a touch of alderwood smoked salt and fresh basil and proceed to make a pint of tomato water. Add a cup of vodka - a mixture of Ciroc and Square One Basil vodka then garnish with yellow Ho Farms cherry tomatoes and Waianae basil dipped in a touch of alderwood smoked salt for the perfect Tomato Water Martini.
My excuse. This isn't food, it's a drink!
Of course, need to pair it with kibbles so I did a Sun-Dried Tomato and Vacche Rose Parmigiano Palmier. I guess this might qualify as food... but my excuse was this was simply a chef's "snack" at the chef's discretion to serve or not to serve.
Finally, I also made an Italian Stewed Tomato Spice Cake. Once again I pleaded, "this isn't food, it's dessert". When your mother stated years ago "eat all of the food on your dinner plate", she didn't mean the Twinkies. If you proceeded to scarf dessert after her proclamation, you'd be whacked "upside da head"! So dessert ISN'T food! I rest my case.
We also had loads of wine including sake, an Altagracia red and "parking lot" Krug but I neglected to capture a course or two and many of the wines. But alas, meals like this are mainly about breaking bread with friends. Though they were all excellent, the food and wines are secondary. Until the next pop-up, a voitre sante!
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