My friend Judy contacted me yesterday and had a couple of extra tickets to the 417 Magazine monthly Cooking Class held at Metro Builders Supply Co. Unfortunately Burl couldn’t go but Tammy agreed to step in as my date and we had a blast – sorry Steve and Burl, but sometimes a Girls Night Out is just the ticket – especially for the one who has just spent the last few months in limbo over buying a house and them lived through selling one, buying another and moving!
The chef tonight was Tony Garcia from Avanzare shown here with Joan Whittaker, also known as Mrs. 417 Magazine since she’s the co-owner. Tony and his able staff created an amazing 4-course dinner complete with wine pairings from Vino 100. The first course was Insalata Di Tuna which in plain English translates to a yummy green salad paired with an Ahi tuna filet, garnished with cucumber, red onion, and cherry tomatoes and topped with a fantastic vinaigrette made with EVOO and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. I was ready to ask for seconds and quit – it was so incredibly phenomenal – and paired with Bastianich Rosato rose wine.
Next came a selection of appetizers – lamb in Gorgonzola cream sauce, blackened scallops in a tomato cream sauce, ravioli in a tomato pesto and veal something-or-other that I can’t pronounce but sure could devour quite handily. All served with Felsina Chardonnay.
But wait – we’re just getting started! 
It’s the Filetto Fungi billed as a 4-6 ounce filet mignon but I know it had to be at least 8 ounces of the most decadent beef I have ever tasted in my life. It was accompanied by grilled asparagus, risotto and a portobello sauce and served with Monte Antico Rosso red wine. I don’t even like red meat that well and would usually rather opt for a good hamburger on the grill in lieu of a steak but this little number could have me eating beef every day of the week. It was tender, it was succulent, it was phenomenal – WOW! By this time (2 hours after we started) I wasn’t even hungry but did that stop me from eating? Hell no!
While we were waiting for our main course, Tony’s hunk-a-hunk-a-cute brother versed us in the fine art of making this artistic (and yummy) dessert – Semifreddo with Pineapple Sauce. Suffice it to say Tammy and I won’t be making this little number for our next family gathering since one of the ingredients (gelatin sheets) has to be special ordered but we sure had fun learning how to make the parchment piping tool used to rim the plate with white chocolate and contain the pineapple sauce.
This dessert was not only a work of art – it was one of those delicacies you want to savor to the last bite. In fact, I told Tammy that were it not for fear of embarrassing us both, I would have picked up my plate and licked it clean! The wine was a Saracco Moscato D’asti which was billed as “Sprite with just a touch of alcohol” – I personally thought it was better than that but not something I would order unless it was to have something very light to polish off a 4-course meal – and that’s how it was served this evening.
By time we finished I asked Tammy who was driving home – knowing unfortunately that we came in my car and unless we wanted to spend the night in the parking lot, I was in charge. I knew I was capable of driving – it’s just that I was so relaxed from all the great food and wine that I just wanted someone to take over and get me home instead of having to expend the energy!
As you can tell, we made it home safely although I told Burl I really did miss having him along to share the evening with me. Especially since we were sitting next to the chair of the Greene Co. Republicans and her husband and he was wearing cufflinks from Camp David!
I’m off to bed to dream of gourmet food instead of Lean Cuisines!
That was the best dinner you’ve ever made! Thanks for the invitation.