A Midsummer Night’s Feast

A huge thank you to our friends Kris (who works with my husband John, above) & Harry (who owns Cheek to Cheek Dance Studio) for preparing another stunning dinner for John and me.  Two summers ago they blew us away with a multi-course, perfectly wine-paired feast from their garden’s bounty.

They indulged us again this year.  Yes!  (Those are tomatillos ripening on the vine.)

Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year?

A mid-course walk along lovely Rice Creek.

Big plans to take notes.  As usual…I got nothin’.  I talk, I eat, I drink, I talk.  That’s about it.  Sigh…

The lovely menu below – light, fresh, bursting with flavor.  Beautiful wines to set it all off.  Pure summer!

Cheeses, crackers
A. Margaine Demi-sec Champagne
Sangria

Margherita pizza with garden tomatoes, basil
L’Ecole No 41 2009 Rose of Grenache Horse Heaven Hills

Garden asparagus soup with dill and smoked salt (they use a Vitamix blender to create creamy purees – without cream)
Stoneleigh 2006 Reisling Marlborough

Mixed grill of Bar 5 sausages (available at the Minneapolis Farmers Market) and salmon (from Vital Choice Wild Seafood, our favorite salmon too)
Lowburn Ferry 2006 Pinot Noir Otago

Peach Granita
Victoria Muscat