Food, Wine & Friends Page 138
SANDY OBESTER'S BIRTHDAY
December 2007
Hosted by Bob Gorman
with Henry, Alexia, Gerald and Paul Obester
Bob had prepared the house for Sandy Obester's birthday fest, filling a
champagne ice bucket with flowers and setting the table...
Alexia stirred the pot, but Bob explained the Cioppino sauces needs to be
lightly "scorched" to give that "je ne sais quoi."
Alexia brought a bottle of 1996 La Grande Dame by Veuve Clicquot for Sandy's
celebration.
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Bob was preparing a pot of polenta...
He stirs the polenta for a minute atop the stove and then places this in the
oven until it's needed...Unconventional, but this worked nicely.
Some simple nibbles to accompany the Champagne...
Our second bottle of bubbly was a 1999 Charles Heidsieck Brut Ros.
Bob prepared a nice plate of Crudits to start.
Celery root, beets and carrots...
We had two very different wines...
Ca' del Bosco's Chardonnay from the 2004 vintage and Torre Fornello's 2005
Malvasia "Donna Luigia."
The Chardonnay was quite good, but costing more than $60 a bottle, we can say
it's priced higher than its quality.
The Torre Fornello is a deliciously fruity wine with an interesting spice tone
in this setting...very dry, too.
Paul explained to Alexia the various reasons he loves salad.
A while later, Paul gave Bob a hand in preparing the Cioppino...
And soon the seafood was cooking in the Cioppino Sauce...
Paul was up to his elbows in tomato sauce.
And the polenta was ready...
Steaming, hot polenta.
Crab Cioppino a la Bob.
Everyone put on a bib in preparation for the Cioppino Feed!
Bob dished out the Cioppino.
And we opened some bottles of Barbera or Barbera blends from Piemonte.
The 2001 Vietti Barbera d'Asti "La Crena" was the pace-setter on this
dinner table. We also enjoyed a Ca' Viola 2004 "Bric du Luv," a
Cogno "Montegrilli" and a Monchiero Carbone Barbera.
A piece of gorgonzola made its way around the table following the
Cioppino-Thon and Alexia dug right in.
From Dianda's Bakery, a "Fedora" Cake...
Sandy made a wish and then cut the cake...
Alexia shows off the cake and the lovely sparkling Orange Muscat from
La Montecchia.
Alexia holds up one of her favorite things...
Bob plays Peek-a-Boo...
Sandy unwraps a gift...
And another nice birthday present...
All this excitement is too much for Bob...
My idea was that we all quietly sneak out of the house
after doing the dishes...but Henry
decided to wake up the poor fellow...
And so we concluded a wonderful evening of wine, food and
friends...
Thanks to Bob for preparing such a lovely meal!!!
BACK TO THE
FIRST FOOD, WINE & FRIENDS PAGE
BACK
TO THE PREVIOUS PAGE
ON TO THE NEXT PAGE
