A Late Summer Dinner Party

I learned to cook for lots of people when I was growing up. I love it. Planning the menu, shopping and cooking.  Such a rush. And so, in a last hurrah of summer, I went to the Beaverton Farmers Market and gathered all I could to create a dinner for ten friends.

My Menu

Portobello mushroom pate crostini with caramelized cipollini onions/from the market: cipollini onions, baguette

Cantaloupe with prosciutto/from the market: cantaloupe

Stuffed mini eggplants/from the market: Asian eggplants

Finocchiona/from the market: Finocchiona (Tuscan Fennel Salami)

Spinach salad with apples and goat cheese/from the market: spinach, Gravenstein apples

Sliced heirloom tomatoes with basil/from the market: heirloom tomatoes, basil

Baguettes with basil garlic butter/from the market: baguettes, basil

Mushroom risotto with thyme and rosemary cream/from the market: chantarelle mushrooms

Brown sugar baked apples with sweet corn ice cream, dulce de leche and ginger cookies/from the market: Gravenstein apples, sweet corn

In the process of making this dinner, I learned a few things:

1. Really old electric stoves burn stuff, even on LOW.

2. I have great friends who jump in and help when things go awry.

3. People are willing to wait if you have to start the risotto over again because the first batch burned, as long as you have enough appetizers to keep them busy.

4. Pouring herb-infused cream over risotto is a really good idea.

Thank you to the Beaverton Farmers Market for providing the ingredients from their beautiful market, Chelsea Fuss for hosting, styling and photographing the whole dinner, and to my lovely friends for helping and enjoying the food.

Canteloupe from Gala Springs Farm, baguettes from Grand Central Bakery, corn from Greens Bridge Farm, apples from Haury Farms, spinach from Martinez Family Farm, Asian eggplant from Gathering Together, finocchiona from Olympic Provisions.  To all the vendors that we missed catching your name, thank you for the beautiful produce.