Gourmet Sunday

It's been a few weeks since the last installment of Gourmet Sunday, but some things are worth the wait (much like the blog about crocodiles which is still coming soon).

Hosts: Spark and Rob
Guests: Along with Amy, Rennick, and Steph, I am pleased to announce we popped the McCrackens' Gourmet Sunday Cherry.
Appetizer: Fresh Italian Artisan bread with Olive Oil and Balsamic.
Soup: A delicious Butternut Squash soup topped with a dash of Chili Sauce.
Salad: Organic Spring Greens and other stuff with a Zesty dressing.
Main: Freshly made Portobello and Roasted Garlic Ravioli in Tomato Sauce and Butternut Squash with a hint of White Wine Raviolo sauteed in Butter and Garlic.
Wine: Simply Crisp and Lively White (that's what it's called!); 2008 Fuzion Shiraz.

Oh, what's that, you don't have time to spend 3.5 hours preparing delicious ravioli from scratch? I say you're a liar by omission and just not dedicated to the cause... Tonight's Gourmet Sunday was definitely the most labour intensive thus far. Having never made fresh pasta, let alone stuffed pasta, there was a lot of trial and error. Thanks everybody for chipping in and helping to get it finished; there was a definite moment I thought we might not eat tonight, but, I'm happy to say we worked it out. Though I will probably never make it again, solely based on the commitment required, the Ravioli was definitely a delight.

"She's a real Beaut!"

Remember how I was saying that sharks are really old? You know what else are really old? Crocodiles. At 200 million years, they’re only about half as old as sharks, but still 145 million years older than dinosaurs. Also, like sharks, it is believed that crocodiles have evolved little over the past several million years.

Crocs live between 70-100 years. Though there are several on record that have lived many years beyond this.

Oh yeah, and crocodiles kill way more people than sharks, which make them pretty cool. Next time I will write about a 1945 incident in Burma where it is believed several hundred Japanese soldiers were eaten by crocodiles whilst retreating from the Royal Navy.



*It's reported that crocodiles are responsible for 40 human deaths per year.

NYHC

My buddy Spark's band, To The Lions, is playing with Agnostic Front on Sunday. I've never been a huge fan, but pretty much anything Walter Schreifels touches turns to gold. Agnostic Front's Society Suckers is no exception:

Gourmet Sunday

Sometimes the change in seasons is rough and all you want is a little comfort...

Hosts: Spark and Rob
Guests: Amy, Matias, and Karen
Starter: Tuscan Hearty Chickpea Soup with Sundried Tomato, Basil, and Farfalle.
Main: Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Red Pepper, Zucchini, Eggplant, Onion, Mushroom, Avocado, and Pesto, topped with Cheddar Cheese on an Italian artisan bread.
Wine: 2007 Masi Masianco Pinot Grigo & Verduzzo (white) and 2006 Catena Malbec (red).

I have a few true loves in life, and one of them is definitely sandwiches. Tonight was meant to be somewhat of a reunion for the Sandwich Club, but Slorach had other obligations. Having not really made a fantastic sandwich since moving back from England, I had sandwiches on my mind, and was determined to gobble one up. I was worried because I couldn't find Panini bread anywhere (who thought it would be so difficult to find in a city like Toronto?). Amy came through, however, with a nice Italian artisan. Spark's soup was delicious. It may very well make a regular appearance in my kitchen from here on out. Both went over well with the guests, and we can therefore deem tonight another successful Gourmet Sunday.

Vatican plans to become more efficient.

According to a BBC article the Vatican has implemented a punch clock system to ensure that priests, cardinals, and archbishops use their time at work more efficiently. This move is likely to be followed by the introduction of performance-based pay. The places I could go with this...

Gourmet Sunday

Hosts: Spark and Rob
Guests: Tanya, Justin, and Angelune and Amy made it for dessert.
Salad: rapini, carrot, and radiccio salad with aged sherry and honey vinaigrette.
Appetizer: Choice of garlic bread or Napoli-stlye Pizza, or both.
Main: Vegetarian Lasagna.
Dessert: Apple Pie.
Wine: 2004 Masi Costasera Amarone classico, 1997 Masi Campofiorin Ripasso.

Tanya and Justin were driving all the way from Niagara Falls, not to mention they were bringing with them a perfectly aged bottle of Red, so Spark and I had to pick up our game. Pizza's not really an appetizer, but we decided that since we had agreed on Italian, to compliment the wine, we'd take a shot at an authentic Napoli-style pie. It was off the hook and we had a tough time trying to leave room for the main. I haven't made a lasagna in a few years, except for my "Mexican Lasagna," so we more or less freestyled it. Justin said, having grown up on horrible frozen lasagna the idea of lasagna makes him sick (he told us this after the fact), but two bites in and he was singing the lasagna god's accolades. Mission accomplished, I guess.

As for the wine, it was definitely the best we've had at Gourmet Sunday and the empty bottle will sit on our mantle until it can be displaced by a finer bottle.

Remember.

Remember when this blog was about sharks?