Foodie Friday - Tuscan Dinner Party

Spring Fling is the Foodie Friday Theme this week. My blog is just one of many that participate in Foodie Friday, so feel free to see what else is cooking on our hostess Gollum's blog. Designs by Gollum



My spring fling was held on Saturday, when we hosted ten friends for a six course dinner, complete with wine pairings and Italian music. Our dinner club friends received an invitation in the mail two weeks before the dinner.


Each couple was assigned one of the six courses, and we started the evening with wine on the deck and an Olive Oil Flight for tasting. The hostess' favorite during the tasting was the "Ravida" Huile d'Oliva Vierge Extra Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Italy) from O & Co.



Our tablesetting was inspired by the golden hills of Tuscany. I used Crate and Barrel small creamery jars for the gerbera daisies that you see on the table. Sunflowers would be wonderful too, when in season.







My friend Jayne surprised me with these beautiful plates for the party. She always find the neatest things. Thankyou Jayne!


For favors, I chose olive oil decanters with a Tuscan theme.



Sharing our menu:

Antipasti: Crema di Cannellini con Scampi, Basilico e Olio de Oliva
(Translation - Cannellini Cream Soup with Fresh Tomatoes, Scampi, and Basil)

Insalata: Insalata Misticanza (Mixed salad greens with zucchini, asparagus and cherry tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and balsamic)

Primi: Fettuccine ai Carciofi e Pecorino Toascano
fresh fettuccine, artichokes, lemon, pancetta, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, Tuscan pecorino cheese, parsley

Secondi: Pork Roasted the way Tuscan Do (baked in baguette) - adapted from a Joanne Weir recipe -- We served a blackberry sauce on the pork

Dolci – Southern Lemon Cake (adapted from a Frances Mayes recipe from “Under the Tuscan Sun”)

If you love lemon cake like I do, you can't go wrong with this recipe. We enjoyed this cake served with fresh strawberries and dessert wine. I prefer this cake the day after it is baked.

Lemon Cake Ingredients:
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Butter
3 each Eggs
3 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Buttermilk
3 tablespoons Lemon juice
4 teaspoons Lemon Zest grated

Glaze:
1/4 cup Butter
1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
3 tablespoons Lemon juice

Instructions

Cream together 1 cup of sweet butter and 2 cups of sugar. Beat in 3 eggs, one at a time. The mixture should be light. Mix together 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and incorporate this with the butter mixture, alternating between adding it and the cup of buttermilk. Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and the grated zest (peel) of lemon to your taste. Bake in a non-stick pan at 300 degrees for 50+ minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick. The cake can later be glazed (after cooling) with a mixture of 1/4 cup of butter, 1-1/2 cups of powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.



Each Friday, my friend Suzy encourages us to join her in "Flashback Friday". We enjoy looking back at the food we have served, the gardens we tended, and the trips we have taken over the last year or so. Today, I am sharing a flashback of the pie crust ham and cheese appetizers that I made for Thanksgiving. I'm thinking of making these for Memorial Day using star cookie cutters.



Thankyou for stopping by! Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Tuscan Pork

When I think of Tuscany, I think of sunflowers. I set a table for two to chase the winter blahs away.



I've been dreaming of warmer weather, sunflowers and dragonflies.



As I prepped our dinner, DH tended to the fireplace and poured the wine.





Just out of the oven, it looks like an alien with the food loops holding it together. The pork tenderloin is roasted inside a baguette with fresh herbs, garlic and olive oil. The recipe calls for fennel pollen which I couldn't find locally so I placed an order with The Spice House. The taste is like fennel seed sweetened and magnified 100 times. The jar says to use on salmon, salads, pork or chicken.





A quote from Saveur magazine regarding fennel pollen: "if angels sprinkled a spice from their wings, this would be it".

Here's the recipe:
Pork Roasted in a Baguette - Joanne Weir
2 teaspoons fresh chopped sage
2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fennel pollen*
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 loaf crusty baguette

On a work surface, mince the sage, rosemary, pepper, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and fennel pollen together.

Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook the pork, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Roll the pork in the herb mixture and set aside. Cut the baguette in half the long way and scoop out the soft insides. Brush the inside of the baguette with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Place the pork on the inside of the baguette so that the pork is completely enclosed. Trim off the excess ends of the bread. Tie the baguette, at 1-to 2-inch intervals, with kitchen string.

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Place the pork on a baking sheet and roast until done, 155°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let rest 10 minutes. Remove the strings and cut into slices. Serve. (Serves 4)



Thanks for stopping by! Debbie