Lin's and my fifth wedding anniversary will be this coming Saturday. The
fifth anniversary is the "wood" anniversary, so the menu will have a
slightly-wood/forest-inspired theme:

APPETIZER
* creamy nettle soup

MAIN COURSE
* pheasant with pecans and beech mushrooms
* pan-cooked burdock and carrots
* planked asparagus

DRIFTING TOWARD DESSERT
* goat cheese and spring greens with honey vinaigrette

DESSERT
* maple soufflé with banana crème anglaise


Since pheasant is extremely lean, I plan to cook it at 275°F in a
Schlemmertopf clay casserole. I have some chunks of pecan wood which
I'll use to smoke the mushrooms before they go into the Schlemmertopf
with the pheasant and pecans; I'd like to get just a little smoky flavor
in there. I'll also use that wood fire to cook the asparagus.

Bob