The Pearson bull that visited us in the summer of 2010 was Ghangus Kahn…yes, that’s the way we spell it.  He was also “our” bull in 2008.  He’s a big, beautiful Angus.  He is gentle and loves a treat of sweet mix.  Ah, but on to dinner.  As usual I use my dinner guests as guinea pigs and this night was no different.  We started the evening with Snowcones.  Cocktails made with tequila, coconut cream, fresh lime juice and ice.  After the appropriate amount of pulverizing in the blender, the libation is poured into a glass and topped with a sprinkle of merlot salt.

Grilled Oysters with a Chipotle Glaze follows.  Oysters marinated in tequila, fresh lime juice,olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper.  The oysteres are grilled and topped with a glaze of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, mayonnaise, lime zest and butter.

Next, Smoked Salmon Crisps inspired by a Thomas Keller recipe.  Homemade tuilles (never again…3 times was the charm) topped with smoked salmon, shallot, chives, lemon zest white pepper and topped with sour cream and capers.  Very fresh, very good.

Baked Brie with Mushrooms and Thyme-porcini mushrooms rehydrated in wine, crimini and shiitake sauteed in butter and fresh thyme heaped on top of a brie and warmed.  Serve it with crostini and you have perfection…unless in our case where our brie was dry chewy.  Great recipe, bad brie.  (sigh)

Coconut-Lime Soup with Butterflied Shrimp, Cilantro and green onion-a melange of flavors including the obvious.  Beautiful!

Salad consisted of Fennel, Roasted Beet and Herbs mixed with Supremes of Grapefruit sprinkled with Feta.

Our next course was “from the sea”.  A Cedar Wrap Stuffed with Lobster and Crimini Mushrooms served in a Vanilla Bechamel Sauce. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it?  Complete failure and very, very bad!!!!

We cleansed our palate with Basil-Lemon Granita which, thankfully, redeemed my choice in menu courses and cooking talent!!!

The main course was Roasted Salt & Spice Packed Pork Tenderloin which was saved only by the last minute Plum-Choclate Sauce on second thought, I’m not sure it was saved!  We paired this with Pork Confit.  Everyone should make pork confit.  Confit is WONDERFUL!!!  The meat came with Yams drizzled in Brown-Butter Vinaigrette, and Asparagus with Roasted Onions& Gruyere Croutons.  The yams were fabelhauf!  That brown-butter vinaigrette is amazing.  We served the asparagus with some croutons and onions minus the gruyere.  It was like rubber!  (again sigh)

Dessert was another redeemer.  How can you go wrong with Chocolate Lava Babies with Praline Sauce.  Individual mini chocolate cakes with a surprise center of praline sauce.  Additional praline sauce is drizzled over the top and the dish is garnished with my sweet/salty walnuts and Fleur de Sel.

In the end, the dinner party was superb.  The company, the laughter, the wine, the conversation!  Everything else is gravy.