Years ago, I suddenly had an urge to prepare a truly memorable, Italian feast for our closest friends. It was 1993 and we lived in Raleigh, NC, in a neighborhood called Wood Valley. While there, we developed close, personal friendships that have lasted to this day. We were there for seven years and even though we’ve been tumbleweeds and moved many places since then, I have some of my fondest memories from that time and the people we shared our lives with.
Anyway, I wanted the meal to be special. I wanted the invite to be more than ordinary and I wanted to serve and enjoy the meal the same way that most Europeans did at the time. We had moved to Raleigh, almost directly from London, having spent 5 years there. Suzanne and I almost felt more European than American at that time. We wanted to cling to some parts of that experience, and were able to do so, because our close friends had also traveled abroad. I knew they would appreciate and love the effort and the care that went into what was planned. Suzanne and I worked on the menu for weeks together and the dishes we came up with were pretty good, even if I do say so myself. I’m pretty sure that I’m speaking for all of us when I say it was a most memorable evening. The meal started with a glass or two of wine in the kitchen, while Suzanne and I were doing some last minute preparations. It then moved to the dining room, around 6:00 that evening, and went on until 2AM the next morning.
We served six courses, nine dishes and five different wines that evening. The pasta course consisted of two different styles and types of pasta, the main course consisted of three dishes. The food was great, but the thing that made it so memorable was the time we took to relish each dish, spend time talking about it and sharing memories of our lives together. After each dish we took a small break, sipping wine and letting things settle before the next course. If memory serves me right, we consumed 16 bottles of wine that evening and no one went home intoxicated, maybe a tiny bit tipsy, but no one was drunk.
I was sitting at the head of the table. After we served one of the courses, I sat back in my chair, and sipped on the second or third red variety we opened that evening. I listened to the low din of voices and laughter, competing and harmonizing in a crescendo of real joy. At least it felt that way to me. I looked around the table and smiled to myself, not saying anything to anyone. I just wanted to absorb it, listen to it and remember it. A warm contentment spread over me as I realized how much I loved these people. How much they had come to mean to Suzanne and I. They had become family in our minds, in our hearts and always would be. When you share experiences, break bread, share food and drink with people, it happens. The power of food to bring us together is amazing. We seldom stop to think about its influence on our culture, ourselves and each other. Occasions, like that dinner, for the ten of us, mark those times when we are lucky enough to experience one of those moments. I was fortunate enough to “be in the moment”.
This is the actual menu from that evening. A year, or so, ago, I found this one copy that I had saved. Like any document I want to preserve these days, I scanned it.
Obviously, I didn’t spend the entire evening in the kitchen. We did lots of prep work ahead of time, allowing us to savor and enjoy each dish. The breaks between each course gave everyone time to catch their breath and time for Suzanne and I to get the next course ready for the table.
The following year, the Wood Valley Gourmet Club used this same menu, with a couple of minor changes, for one of the monthly dinners. We so enjoyed those evenings. Those menus exposed us to some dishes we probably would never have tried on our own. Best of all, we always made new friends. There were more than 100 members. Each meal was set up so that no one host home had more than 8 to 10 persons. The menu courses were divided amongst the participants, the host usually providing the main course and wines. The costs were added up and then divided between each couple, deducting what they had already spent. Everyone shared the cost equally and the effort to make all the courses.
I plan to share each of the recipes in this menu over the next several weeks. Maybe you’ll be inspired to do something similar with your closest friends and companions. There’s no better way to show your love and how much you care! It might be a lot of work but it will be more than worth it when you reach that moment during your dinner party, and you feel deep inside….life is great!
Io sono contento! Cento anni di gioia! Cin Cin!
Question – What kind of menu would you put together for the ones you love? How would you change this one?
