F is for France

(I know . . . there's a lot of letters missing between B and F, Stevi . . . I'll get back to them.)

France was supposed to be small because of the presence of an expensive green liqour imported from Czechoslovakia.

France was not small. But, somehow, I still have Absinthe. I wager that this is probably because no one enjoyed the Absinthe 35, which is a white absinthe that is supposed to have more wormwood and make you trip harder. It tastes like death. When we had a regular old run-of-the-mill green absinthe at my 20th last year, it tasted like death, too, but a welcome, licorice-y death. We have much less of that kind left over.

This dinner was the first one that we actually served exactly when we said we would. Usually "Dinner's at 8" in my house means "We'll be eating at exactly 8:30." But dnner was served promptly at 8.

I made fancy menus and decided that my true calling is to be a menu writer . . . a step down from editing for Food & Wine, I know. But someone has that job, and it may as well be me. Below, you may observe my craft at its finest.

Prosciutto Salade
mixed spring greens with thinly sliced Italian ham, candied walnuts,
and raspberry vinegarette

Tourin Perigourdin
a garlic and tomato soup served over gruyere cheese
and freshly baked French bread

Crepes
warm French-style pancakes served with your choice of
carmelized onions sauteed with white wine and herbs
or
gorgonzola, candied walnuts, and sliced apples

Provencal Vegetable Gratin
baked eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onions and garlic
topped with a layer of breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese

Ganache au Coulis de Framboises
a rich chocolate custard served with fresh raspberries

Charles Shaw Chardonnay
a crisp, sweet white wine from Northern California

Absinthe
a green liquor imported from Czechoslovakia that will make you trip balls

(I am especially proud of that last one.)