For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:

Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
sauce
Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
Herbes de Provence
Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
with raspberries
Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso

Whaddaya think?

"Erica" > wrote in message
om...
> For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>
> Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
> Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
> Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
> sauce
> Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
> Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
> Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
> Herbes de Provence
> Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
> with raspberries
> Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso
>
> Whaddaya think?


Missing bone jumping.

;-)

Dimitri

Erica wrote:
> For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>
> Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
> Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
> Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
> sauce
> Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
> Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
> Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
> Herbes de Provence
> Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
> with raspberries
> Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso
>
> Whaddaya think?


I'd think twice about the white beans. They give most people gas, not
what you want for romance afterwards. I know they're traditional and
tasty, but substitute a vegetable there, maybe sweet potatoes.

--Lia

Erica wrote:
> Whaddaya think?

I think I'm jealous -- my wife could use meal planning and cooking
lessons from you. Luckily I do the cooking around here :-)

--
John Gaughan
http://www.johngaughan.net/

John Gaughan > wrote in message >...
> Erica wrote:
> > Whaddaya think?
>
> I think I'm jealous -- my wife could use meal planning and cooking
> lessons from you. Luckily I do the cooking around here :-)

He USED to cook until we started dating...

On 9 Feb 2004 19:22:28 -0800, (Erica) wrote:

>For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
>seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
>tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>
>Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
>Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
>Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
>sauce
>Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
>Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
>Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
>Herbes de Provence
>Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
>with raspberries
>Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso
>
>Whaddaya think?

If you execute all those successfully, and he doesn't appreciate it,
get another boyfriend. Sounds fine to me.

If you can get tiny wild raspberries I vote for the second salad.
Otherwise the first. But I don't know your boyfriend.




Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

For your upscale SUV: Dingle-balls hand knit of natural Icelandic yarn

On 9 Feb 2004 19:22:28 -0800, (Erica)
wrote:

> For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>
> Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
> Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
> Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
> sauce
> Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
> Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
> Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
> Herbes de Provence
> Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
> with raspberries
> Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso
>
> Whaddaya think?

I think you have a lot of time on your hands.


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

sf > wrote in message >. ..
> On 9 Feb 2004 19:22:28 -0800, (Erica)
> wrote:
>
> I think you have a lot of time on your hands.

Haha...my vices are few -- good food, good wine, and good cigars --
but I take them VERY seriously.

Cooking decadent meals is one of my passions...I always find time to
indulge, somehow

Even if it means that I'm living off of bread and eggs for a week to
afford this, hehe.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On 9 Feb 2004 19:22:28 -0800, (Erica)
> wrote:
>
> > For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> > seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> > tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
> >
> > Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
> > Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
> > Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
> > sauce
> > Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
> > Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
> > Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
> > Herbes de Provence
> > Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
> > with raspberries
> > Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso
> >
> > Whaddaya think?
>
> I think you have a lot of time on your hands.
>
>
> Practice safe eating - always use condiments


I think that I wish I was your boyfriend -- you're wonderful to do all this
and the menu sounds different and very fresh. It seems like you can do the
prep for many of the recipes ahead of time. I especially like the simplicity
and elegance of the fennel, orange, red onion salad -- a citrusy vinaigrette
and some chopped walnuts over the top would be excellent with that.
Just curious -- how did you come up with this menu? I can't wait to steal
some of your ideas.

Good luck with the dinner!
Mia

"Mia" > wrote in message >...
> I think that I wish I was your boyfriend -- you're wonderful to do all this
> and the menu sounds different and very fresh. It seems like you can do the
> prep for many of the recipes ahead of time. I especially like the simplicity
> and elegance of the fennel, orange, red onion salad -- a citrusy vinaigrette
> and some chopped walnuts over the top would be excellent with that.
> Just curious -- how did you come up with this menu? I can't wait to steal
> some of your ideas.
>
> Good luck with the dinner!
> Mia

Thanks! Here is how I came up with the menu:

First, I wanted to have a traditional 7-course meal (even those I cut
it down to 6 courses). Dishes had to comply with the following
criteria
-At least half of the dinner can be made ahead
-Can prepare in portions for two (i.e. a whole roast duckling or leg
of lamb is out)
-Relatively inexpensive (asparagus OK, truffles not)
-Utilize passive, rather than active cooking in order to maximize
productivity (i.e. breaded cutlets is active cooking, a roast is
passive). A must due to the number of courses.
-Each dish has few ingredients. Since I'm making lots of courses, I
had to use few ingredients to stay under budget. So no ten-herb ragout
or anything.

This is what my thought process was with the menu:

I started out with the cold appetizer. He loves salmon but finds
smoked salmon too overpowering. I asked if he likes gravlax, and he
confessed that he's never even heard of it. So, I thought that it'd be
nice to introduce it to him. I don't want finger food, as that seems
more appropriate for a cocktail hour. So, rosettes of gravlax on
cucumber rounds or slices of pumpernickel were out. I love cured
salmon with tangy dairy (sour cream or cream cheese), and I think that
the dill in the gravlax would be delicious with cucumbers, so I
decided on a Hungarian cucumber salad. The sugar, salt, and vinegar in
the salad meld with the similar flavors of the cured fish, and the
cukes, onions, and sour cream will add a nice accent.

Carrot soup is cheap, has few ingredients, is easy to prepare, and
keeps in the fridge for days.

The asparagus with proscuitto and fontina is a nice way of utilizing
expensive ingredients without spending too much money. I can buy
proscuitto by the slice and small quantities of cheese at my local
supermarket, so I can use these decadent ingredients without breaking
the bank, especially since no other ingredients are necessary. It also
takes about ten minutes to make, start to finish.

For the pasta, I didn't want a tomato-based sauce. Primavera has too
many ingredients and is too complicated, he doesn't like anchovies,
and shellfish is too expensive. A chunky sauce made with 1 or 2
artichokes, lemon, white wine, and herbs is elegant, simple, and can
be prepared the day before.

Sorbet is a given.

The main dish had to be "passive" cooking. No cutlets, scallopine,
rare beef, etc. I wanted something that I could cook all day long and
serve straight from the oven. Osso Bucco was a thought, but I wanted
something more French inspired. I decided on lamb shanks (a cheap cut
that turns into something ambrosial after a long, moist, slow cooking)
braised in veal stock and red wine with mirepoix and Herbes de
Provence.

The salads are standbys of mine.

Flourless chocolate cake is based on ground almonds, brandy, espresso,
and stiffly beaten egg whites, among other things. I make it every
year for Passover and it is always a hit. It is served cold (so I can
make ahead and refrigerate overnight), and I put a paper doily over
the top, sift confectioners sugar over it, and carefully remove the
doily for an elegant presentation.

Love the chopped walnuts idea! Let me know if you want me to post any
of the recipes.

--Erica

Erica wrote:

> Love the chopped walnuts idea! Let me know if you want me to post any
> of the recipes.
>



Don't shoot me for this request, but I want the recipe for the
canteloupe sorbet. Yes, I was the one who suggested it, but that
doesn't mean I know how to make it. I've tasted it on rare occasion and
adore the flavor. I'd love to make it at home.


--Lia

Not a problem! I am going to use the Cook's Illustrated master recipe for
fruit sorbet. I'm going to seek out very ripe, if not overripe, canteloupe,
as to avoid having it taste like cardboard. Also, I am going to try to seek
out a tiny bottle of Midori to use in lieu of the vodka. If not, I'll just
use grain alcohol, as I think it is even more undetectable than vodka. I'm
using the full 2 T of lemon juice.

To all RFCers: I HIGHLY recommend getting a membership to
http://www.cooksillustrated.com . You'll thank yourself over and over.

--

Creamy Fruit Sorbets
Forget about gelatin, egg whites, or corn syrup. The key to smooth, silky
sorbets is plenty of sugar and a bit of alcohol.

Challenge: Our goal was simple. Restaurant sorbets are invariably creamy and
silky. They literally melt in your mouth, almost like ice cream. We found
homemade sorbets tasted fine flavor-wise but tended to be overly icy. We
wanted to figure out why.

Solution: After much trial and error, we found that a high sugar
concentration, simple as it is, turned out to be the solution to creamy
sorbets. Sugar controls the texture (see "How to Retard Freezing"). By using
one-half cup of sugar per cup of fruit (give or take a few tablespoons
depending on the fruit), we were able to achieve the desired result: smooth,
creamy texture without cloying sweetness. We also found adding a tablespoon
of high-proof alcohol improves the texture of the sorbets and permits a
slight reduction in the amount of sugar. Tasteless vodka is our first
choice.

MASTER TECHNIQUE FOR FRUIT SORBETS

Serves 4

This recipe can be used to make any fruit sorbet. See the chart (download
from link below) for directions on preparing the fruit puree or juice. Since
vodka is tasteless, it can be used with any fruit, but other suggestions
appear above. For fruits not listed, follow directions for a similar fruit.
For example, follow the lemon recipe to make lime sorbet.

2 cups fruit puree or juice
3/4-1 1/4 cups sugar (see chart for exact amount)
0-2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vodka or other alcohol

1. Prepare fruit puree or juice as directed in chart.

2. Combine fruit puree or juice, sugar, lemon juice, and alcohol in large
bowl. Stir on and off for several minutes until sugar has dissolved. (To
speed chilling process in step 3, combine ingredients in a metal bowl set
over a larger bowl filled with ice water.) Rub finger along bottom of bowl
to see if sugar has dissolved.

3. Pour mixture into small container. Seal and refrigerate until mixture is
no more than 40 degrees. (If mixture has been stirred over a bowl of ice
water, it may already be cold enough, and this step may be omitted.)

4. Pour chilled mixture into container of an ice cream machine and churn
until frozen.

5. Scoop frozen sorbet into a container. Seal and transfer container to
freezer for several hours to allow sorbet to firm up. (Sorbet can be kept
frozen for up to 3 days.)

"Julia Altshuler" > wrote in message
news:i8DWb.11796$uV3.29278@attbi_s51...
> Erica wrote:
>
> > Love the chopped walnuts idea! Let me know if you want me to post any
> > of the recipes.
> >
>
>
>
> Don't shoot me for this request, but I want the recipe for the
> canteloupe sorbet. Yes, I was the one who suggested it, but that
> doesn't mean I know how to make it. I've tasted it on rare occasion and
> adore the flavor. I'd love to make it at home.
>
>
> --Lia
>

"Erica" > wrote in message
om...
> For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>
> Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
> Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
> Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
> sauce
> Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
> Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
> Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
> Herbes de Provence
> Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
> with raspberries
> Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso
>
> Whaddaya think?
Whip me
Beat me
Make me write bad checks
I'm yours
John ;-)~

Erica wrote:
> For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>
> Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
> Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
> Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
> sauce
> Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
> Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
> Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
> Herbes de Provence
> Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
> with raspberries
> Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso
>
> Whaddaya think?


The carrot soup, not the roasted garlic. Garlic is hard on the breath
which is not romantic. Roasted garlic isn't as bad as raw, but garlic
still isn't associated with romance.

Portion control will be a challenge. When presented with that much rich
food, people tend to overeat. Then they collapse snoring afterwards.
But telling someone he can't have more seems miserly. I'm not saying it
can't be done, but be careful of overstuffing your guest or overstuffing
yourself. Could you cut one of the first 4 courses or switch one to
something less rich? I have no trouble with rich food from a health or
lose-weight perspective. My objection is the way several courses of
rich food start to be all the same thing on the palate. I'd make that
hot appetizer asparagus and some other vegetables (red peppers and
mushrooms?) in lemon and feta or just lemon and green herbs.

My suggestion for the sorbet is canteloupe.

As I mentioned before, rethink the white beans. Even a little gas is
not appropriate for this evening. Sweet potatoes have the advantage of
being something that appreciates long slow cooking as do the lamb
shanks. They'll go well with the chard color and flavor-wise.

I like the fennel salad though both are good.

Serve fresh strawberries and grapes with the chocolate cake. The tart
flavors will go well and make the dessert less densely rich.

You didn't mention wine. I have no idea what to suggest, but I think
there should be one. Maybe champagne. That goes with everything.

--Lia

Julia Altshuler > wrote in message news:<td4Wb.270340$xy6.1380107@attbi_s02>...
> The carrot soup, not the roasted garlic. Garlic is hard on the breath
> which is not romantic. Roasted garlic isn't as bad as raw, but garlic
> still isn't associated with romance.

Good point!

> Portion control will be a challenge. When presented with that much rich
> food, people tend to overeat. Then they collapse snoring afterwards.
> But telling someone he can't have more seems miserly. I'm not saying it
> can't be done, but be careful of overstuffing your guest or overstuffing
> yourself. Could you cut one of the first 4 courses or switch one to
> something less rich? I have no trouble with rich food from a health or
> lose-weight perspective. My objection is the way several courses of
> rich food start to be all the same thing on the palate. I'd make that
> hot appetizer asparagus and some other vegetables (red peppers and
> mushrooms?) in lemon and feta or just lemon and green herbs.

Yeah, I was thinking about cuttion out the pasta course altogether
since pasta is so filling, and substituting a whole steamed artichoke
with a nice dipping sauce for the asparagus. What do you think?

> My suggestion for the sorbet is canteloupe.

Mmmmm, good idea!

> As I mentioned before, rethink the white beans. Even a little gas is
> not appropriate for this evening. Sweet potatoes have the advantage of
> being something that appreciates long slow cooking as do the lamb
> shanks. They'll go well with the chard color and flavor-wise.

Again, a good point. He looooves sweet potatoes, so that would work
well.

> I like the fennel salad though both are good.
>
> Serve fresh strawberries and grapes with the chocolate cake. The tart
> flavors will go well and make the dessert less densely rich.

Yeah...as I mentioned previously, I might end up serving strawberries
with balsamic vinegar instead of the cake altogether. I was planning
on using a balsamic vinaigrette with the salad, so if I do those
strawberries, I might use red wine or sherry vinegar instead.

> You didn't mention wine. I have no idea what to suggest, but I think
> there should be one. Maybe champagne. That goes with everything.

Hahaha...I informed my boyfriend that his v-day present to me is some
red wine to go with dinner He seems to like the idea.

All great suggestions, thank you so much!

Erica wrote:

> Yeah, I was thinking about cuttion out the pasta course altogether
> since pasta is so filling, and substituting a whole steamed artichoke
> with a nice dipping sauce for the asparagus. What do you think?

That sounds good, and it reminds me of something else altogether. There
are people for whom a meal isn't a meal unless there is bread on the
table. If that's the case, definitely have dinner rolls instead of the
pasta course.


These sorts of questions are my favorite threads. Thanks for something
interesting.


--Lia

Erica > wrote:
> For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:

> Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
> Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
> Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
> sauce
> Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
> Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
> Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
> Herbes de Provence
> Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
> with raspberries
> Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso

Sounds very appetising and thoughtful. You might want to replace
your cake for dessert with something lighter. You two might not
have enough room for a heavy dessert after all those courses.
Maybe omit the intermeezo and use that for dessert.

wrote in message >...
> Sounds very appetising and thoughtful. You might want to replace
> your cake for dessert with something lighter. You two might not
> have enough room for a heavy dessert after all those courses.
> Maybe omit the intermeezo and use that for dessert.

Yep...strawberries are cheap as dirt right now here in FL, so I might
just serve a plate of those with a good balsamic vinegar.

--Erica

> Erica > wrote:
> > For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> > seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> > tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>
> > Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
> > Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
> > Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
> > sauce
> > Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
> > Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
> > Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
> > Herbes de Provence
> > Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
> > with raspberries
> > Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso

86 the garlic soup, beans, red onions, and anything else that might give
gas, burps, or bad breath. You could have a whole lotta suggestive fun with
that asparagus! *L* If you change the beans to sweet potato, will that be
too similar with the carrot soup?


--
Catbird

"Oh-oh, her schizo is about to phrenia" - Bob Hope

"Catbird" > wrote in message >...
> 86 the garlic soup, beans, red onions, and anything else that might give
> gas, burps, or bad breath. You could have a whole lotta suggestive fun with
> that asparagus! *L* If you change the beans to sweet potato, will that be
> too similar with the carrot soup?

If I change the beans to sweet potato, I am thinking about making a
tomato soup with basil guacamole. I'm also considering keeping the
beans and making a curried butternut squash soup with cilantro yogurt
(found that recipe in Cook's Illustrated).

So we will see...

--Erica

OK, based on feedback, I have revised the menu:

Cold appetizer: Gravlax over cucumber salad
Soup: Caramelized tomato soup with basil guacamole
Hot appetizer: Steamed globe artichoke with hollandaise sauce
Intermezzo: Cantelope sorbet (probably have a little slice of
prosciutto on the side)
Main course: Braised lamb shanks with swiss chard, Herbes de Provence,
and sweet potatoes
Salad: Fennel and orange salad
Dessert: Strawberries with balsamic vinegar

I agree with everyone's suggestion to make the dinner a little less
rich. So, I nixed out the pasta course, replaced the cake with fresh
fruit, and subsituted the asparagus with a steamed artichoke. I will
make the hollandaise dipping sauce myself since it's so cheap, and I
can't resist a buttery sauce with an artichoke. Also, I remember
reading in "On Food and Cooking" that artichokes temporarily alter the
tastebuds to make food taste sweeter, so it could be delicious before
a sorbet.

I love the idea of cantelope sorbet as a palette cleanser, and I feel
that it begs for a slice of prosciutto to be served alongside.

I decided to go with the sweet potatoes with the lamb, and since that
may be a bit too similar to carrots, I wanted to change the soup. I
definetly want a pureed soup, as a chunky one is more of a meal in
itself. He doesn't like parsnips or cauliflower, potato seemed too
plain, butternut squash is too similar to sweet potatoes, asparagus is
expensive, and broccoli-cheese is too rich. Obviously there are many
other veggies that can go into a pureed soup, but you get the idea. I
once made Daniel Bolud's recipe for chilled tomato soup with basil
guacamole. However, I like hot soup much more, and I recently saw a
great recipe for tomato soup that involves roasting seeded canned
tomatoes with a sprinkle of brown sugar. I'm going to make that and
serve with a timbale of basil guacamole (just avocado, shallots,
lemon, and basil) in the center. If I can find those little fingerling
potatoes, I might use them in lieu of sweet potatoes, but I still like
this soup idea. I'm going to make a big batch so that I can have some
for lunch the next day with grilled brie sandwiches

I like the fennel salad for its simplicity and elegance, and I am
still debating as to whether or not shaved red onion is a good idea,
breath-wise. Normally I would make a balsamic vinaigrette, but since
the strawberries come next it could be redundant. I'll probably pick
some of the wild grapefruits in my backyard and make a vinaigrette out
of those.

Thanks for all of your suggestions!

--Erica

(Erica) wrote in message . com>...
> For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>
> Cold appetizer course: Gravlax over cucumber salad
> Soup course: Carrot soup or roast garlic soup
> Hot appetizer course: Proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with fontina cheese
> sauce
> Pasta course: Cappellini with braised artichoke sauce
> Intermezzo: Sorbet (not sure what kind)
> Main course: Braised lamb shanks with white beans, swiss chard, and
> Herbes de Provence
> Salad course: Fennel, orange, and red onion salad OR mixed baby greens
> with raspberries
> Dessert: Flourless chocolate cake with almonds and espresso
>
> Whaddaya think?

In article >,
(Erica) wrote:

> For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:

[snipped a bunch of ideas that make my tummy rumble with pleasure]



> Whaddaya think?


Sounds wonderful. I just have one question: it doesn't seem like your
domain (technodyke) is a place for women with boyfriends?

If I'm being too personal, just tell me to go away and I will.

--
Dan Abel
Sonoma State University
AIS

Hahaha...that is my spam address.

--Erica

"Dan Abel" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> (Erica) wrote:
>
> > For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
> > seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
> > tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>
> [snipped a bunch of ideas that make my tummy rumble with pleasure]
>
>
>
> > Whaddaya think?
>
>
> Sounds wonderful. I just have one question: it doesn't seem like your
> domain (technodyke) is a place for women with boyfriends?
>
> If I'm being too personal, just tell me to go away and I will.
>
> --
> Dan Abel
> Sonoma State University
> AIS
>

On Thu, 12 Feb 2004 19:53:06 GMT, "Erica" >
wrote:

>Hahaha...that is my spam address.
>
>--Erica
>
gosh. what would a technodyke do with spam?

your curious pal,
blake
>"Dan Abel" > wrote in message
...
>> In article >,
>> (Erica) wrote:
>>
>> > For Valentines day, I'm thinking about preparing a decadent
>> > seven-course meal as my present to my boyfriend. This is just a
>> > tentative menu, but I was hoping for some feedback. Here goes:
>>
>> [snipped a bunch of ideas that make my tummy rumble with pleasure]
>>
>>
>>
>> > Whaddaya think?
>>
>>
>> Sounds wonderful. I just have one question: it doesn't seem like your
>> domain (technodyke) is a place for women with boyfriends?
>>
>> If I'm being too personal, just tell me to go away and I will.
>>
>> --
>> Dan Abel
>> Sonoma State University
>> AIS
>>
>