Dinner is Served!

When entertaining, I find that simple elegance is the backbone to any dinner. I love these cherry brandy roses! I composed this wonderful menu of dishes that I'd made before, including an appetizer, soup, and salad, but also I endeavored to prepare a new entree that I'd never made before; a classic Steak Diane. Dessert followed these courses, of course. Read on!

Dinner
ON THE COUCH
Mini pre-made Quiche Lorraine courtesy of FreshDirect.com but the proper recipe for Julia Child's whole quiche is shown in this video.
Serve with a bottle of fizzy Spanish cava. Other various mixed concoctions made with cava found here and here

TO THE TABLE
White Gazpacho
Caesar Salad
Steak Diane*
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

*We were too stuffed already to make the steak. Read about the ensuing morning here.

Pinkies Up! - Cava Chameleon

When Baby and I were in Valencia last week, we naturally succumbed to bubbly cava found everywhere in Spain. In a fit of whimsy, we concocted this drink on our own. Cheers!

Cava Chameleon
Ingredients
1 oz vodka
1 oz clementine or tangerine juice, but orange is okay
2 oz cava
Trickle of grenadine
Mint, for garnish

Method
Shake vodka and juice briskly in a shaker filled with ice. Strain, pouring contents in a red wine glass filled with more ice. Top with golden cava, slowly add the grenadine, stick in a sprig of mint and watch it change colors like a chameleon. So to paraphrase the 80's sensation band Culture Club, lovin' would be easy if your colors were like my drink...red, gold, and green. By George...!