another birthday supper

in February we had the opportunity to host a lovely gal and her friends for a birthday supper, and we were fortunate enough to have another opportunity, this time for the illustrious Shayne Wheeler. Carrie invited 10 close friends and created a fantastic setting for a Sunday evening birthday supper.

the menu took on a bit of a Spanish feel, starting with roasted asparagus wrapped in Serrano ham, with cantaloupe and a lemon-olive oil drizzle. for the second course, we prepared fried eggs, tomato, and chorizo bruschettas with a red pepper aioli. our main was a hangar steak with a chimichurri sauce on a bed of potato-cauliflower puree, accompanied by a mango-cherry tomato-green pepper skewer.

knowing Shayne's a great beer lover, we prepared a cheese plate of manchego cheese with agave nectar and black walnuts (Allagash Curieux) as well as a blue with dried figs (Trois Pistoles).

and finally, for dessert we finished with sauteed bananas over a brown sugar oatmeal shortbread, with Morelli's salted caramel ice cream and bourbon caramel drizzle.