End of the Bruschetta Bar & C's Bday Story

How did the food go?

Tomato & Basil Bruschetta
The tomatoes weren't as ripe as I wanted them to be. Would have been much better if I got them at the farmer's market Saturday morning. Simply did not have time. Added a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar and torn basil leaves.

White Bean Bruschetta
People really liked this spread. Secret ingredient? Anchovy.



Endive Cups with Gorgonzola, Pear & Candied Spicy Walnuts
A very popular item. Love the combination of tangy blue cheese, crunchy endive, juicy pear and sweet, spicy and crunchy candied walnuts. Next time I'll try Roquefort instead. Yumm. The pears were not ripe enough. Arg.



Prosciutto-Wrapped Arugula & Mozzarella Bruschetta
This really proves my dislike for packaged prosciutto. I was cooking for 15 people so I thought Prosciutto di Parma would be to0 expensive. But there is simply nothing like it. Even San Daniela Prosciutto would have been okay as long as it was from the deli. I used low moisture mozzarella but I didn't like it too much. I prefer the soft water-stored mozzarella. Couldn't find frisee anywhere so subbed arugula.



Seared Tuna & Roasted Pepper Bruschetta
Made way too much of this. I only got 2 steaks but after I sliced them up and after all the other dishes, it was a lil bit too many. I got the tuna from Whole Foods the morning of the party for freshness. It was good but a lil bit of sauce on top would have been nice. I marinated the roasted peppers with red wine vinegar, olive oil, parsley, garlic and capers. Next time I would top the bruschetta with a dollop of sauce and few capers.

Figs with Ricotta, Wildflower Honey & Toasted Almonds
I x'd this from the menu. And it made me happy, which means I did the right thing. There was already a lot going on with the menu. I get carried away sometimes serving multiple dishes. For a Christmas party once, I did a 6 or 7 course meal for 15 people. Yes, carried away.



Balsamic-Strawberry Chocolate Pavlova
The pavlova is always a hit and this time too. It was my first time using strawberries but I thought it was good. I hulled and sliced the berries and macerated them with a touch of balsamic vinegar and granulated sugar. Highly addicting.

Rossini
Pureed ripe strawberries with sparkling wine. Doesn't sound too bad right? It was not only delicious but so pretty. Went perfectly with the Pavlova. We drank Cristalino Cava Brut which is a Spanish sparkling wine. At only $7.99 from Bevmo, it may be the only sparkling wine I like under $20.

**So a lot of things I would have done differently but it still turned out good. I think people's favorite were the endives and pavlova. I had a lot of fun planning, cooking and then of course drinking. :) All the hard work got paid off at the end with the many Rossinis.