Go Big

Karen and Brian went to a lot of trouble, although they claimed it was nothing at all.

They cooked a five-course dinner for eight of us a week or so ago.

First, they passed a platter of the slowest-roasted tomatoes and garlic with baguette and mild goat's cheese. Round it went, a few times at least, and then we were onto the salad course with cold beets, spinach leaves, blue cheese, and sugared walnuts. All this, I thought, was surely enough to fill us before the main course, but no, out came little plates of mashed celery root, topped off with shaved parmigiana, sauteed chestnuts, and delicate, green chives.

Karen and Mike

By this time, everyone was really warming up, swapping tales about Minnesota and New Brunswick, suggesting movie dates, and draining a bottle or two of vino, of course.

Then came pork tenderloin wrapped with mushrooms into the lightest pastry and plated with wild rice and tender pieces of squash. Nothing at all, remember.

We even found room for dessert plus a slice of homemade pumpkin bread...and Karen sent me home with my very own jar of green tomato chow. What an effort!

Classic Karen and Brian.

Mike and Cathy