I won’t be heading up to Boston this weekend. Instead, beginning Friday afternoon, I’ll be hosting a small writers’ retreat in my home. Five other writers are coming in (some are flying in, from as far away as California) and we’ll be doing a series of critiques and novel plotting sessions.
A bonus to all of this will be the cuisine. Valerie has generously agreed to cook for everyone. Valerie used to be a chef. Here’s the menu she has planned:
Fri Dinner
Starter Nibblies: Grilled Halloumi Cheese Sprinkled w/ Red Hot Peppers
Main: Warm Shredded Lamb w/ Fresh Mint & Pomegranates
(Optional Rollup w/ Garlic Hummus on Warm Flax Flatbread & Baby Arugula)
Roasted Red, Orange, and Yellow Peppers w/ Feta & Marona Almonds
Finish Treat: Cranberry-Pecan Duff
Sat Breakfast Choices
Steel-cut Oatmeal w/ Assorted Fixings
Greek Yogurt and Fresh Fruit
Oz’s Farm Fresh Eggs (Tuscan Style) or Assorted Cereal w/ Milk
Greg’s Fresh Roasted Coffee or Assorted Teas
Sat Lunch
Curried Ground Turkey w/ Yukon Gold Potatoes & Petite Baby Peas
Garnished w/ Mixed Baby Spinach Salad
Assorted Fresh Fruits drizzled w/ Vanilla Balsamic Vinegar
Sat Dinner
Starter Nibblies: Homemade Chicken Liver Mousse
Main: “Feijoadaâ€, Brazilian Black Bean Stew
(Lingucia Sausage, Corned Beef, Chorizo, Smoked Ham Hock, Pork Shoulder)
“Pao de Queijoâ€, Brazilian Cheese Bread
Collard Greens & Simple White Rice
Finish Treat: Apple Walnut Crisp w/ a dollop of Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Sun Breakfast
Savory Italian Style Caramelized Onion Black Bread Puddings
(Sweet & Hot Sausage, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Zucchini, Peppers, Wild Mushrooms, Toasted Pine Nuts, 5 Cheeses)
Greg’s Fresh Roasted Coffee or Assorted Teas
Sun Lunch
African Chicken Peanut Stew w/ Red Garnet Yams
Garnished w/ Mixed Baby Spinach Salad
Assorted Fresh Fruits drizzled w/ Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
Sun Dinner
Starter Nibblies: Warm “Union Square Bar†Mixed Nuts
Main: Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder Sauced w/ Melted Apples
Hungarian Shredded Cabbage (Sweet & Savory) & Roasted Garlic Cheesy Smashed Red Bliss Potatoes
Finish Treat: Bing Cherry Clafouti
Mon Breakfast Choices
Steel-cut Oatmeal w/ Assorted Fixings (Currants, Brown Sugar, Nuts, etc.)
Greek Plain Yogurt and Fresh Fruit
Oz’s Farm Fresh Eggs or Assorted Barbara Brand Cereals w/ Milk
Greg’s Fresh Roasted Coffee or Assorted Teas
Possible Extras:
Vanilla Bean Soufflé w/ Crème Angles Sauce
Awesome Extra Nutty Brownies
I’m getting waaay too excited about all of this! It’s like I had five doses of caffeine … except without any caffeine. 🙂
Hopefully this energy will continue even though I have to get up at an absurd hour tomorrow morning….
02.17.11 at 7:11 pm
It’s going to be an awesome weekend. Productive. Exhausting. Depressing. Exhilarating.
Plan on the weekend being a microcosm of life. I am.
02.17.11 at 10:41 pm