Dinner Party

My foodie friends threw a really wonderful dinner party because of the invited guests, all the locally grown food on the table, the various wines poured for the evening, and conversation with diverse people with diverse interests. When can we do this again?!

The beets are from the hosts' local organic CSA Hill and Hollow. The beets were roasted, which is my favorite preparation for beets (I am not a fan of pickled beets), and then the beets were diced with cheese, and drizzle of olive oil. Simply delicious.

I made a simple tomato dish. Actually it is the first dish with the majority of the ingredients from my garden! I am so happy to have the opportunity to share the fruits of my garden with such wonderful friends. The tomatoes and mild peppers are from my garden, and all of the fruits are heirloom organic. I topped the tomatoes with a drizzle of Cyprus Hill organic olive oil made from Napa Valley grown organic olives. I then sprinkled some Himalayan pink salt and herb de Provence on top. Then, to finish the dish, I sprinkled some fresh Greek oregano from my friends garden.

The local organic free range chicken raised with Love and roasted with lemon juice and lemon zest.

Really good green beans

These sauteed mushrooms were really straight forward and really good. I totally forget what mushrooms are like. Since cooking mostly local and local organically, there are not a lot of locally grown mushrooms to be had in Nashville, I have just not cooked mushrooms. We both like mushrooms a lot, and this dinner party reminds me that I do like the taste of mushrooms.

The hosts made a nice big bowl of roasted new potatoes, or red potatoes as we called them as kids. There was quite a bit leftover from dinner, and I am thinking that the hosts should make a chicken potato hash for breakfast the next day. Add a little garlic, smoked paprika, onion and peppers to a skillet fried leftover chicken and potato mixture, and I am in heaven!

The peachy dessert was fresh peaches soaked in a white dessert wine topping vanilla ice cream. I need an ice cream maker, so I can make ice cream for a simple and delicious dish like this.

I really did not want to leave, but alas I had to leave because we were both so very tired and need to get up early the next day. I am still wondering when we can do this again. Soon!!