Paradise Found

When Doug and I moved to Sarasota, we found the most lovely place to live:  Prestancia.   It is a community that is part of a larger community called Palmer Ranch.  We live in one of about seven small communities within Prestancia.  Each has a small amount of homes, some very large, some villas and one condominium.  All are situated around two golf courses – TPC Prestancia.  The view into the community is magnificent with beautiful landscaping leading up to each little community.  Prestancia I believe is the jewel in the crown of Palmer Ranch and certainly an important part of Paradise – and about 15 minutes from Siesta Beach.

Before I get to the dinner party, a little history of Palmer Ranch.  It was owned by Bertha Honore Palmer who was married to department store and real estate tycoon, Potter Palmer.  Potter owned a department store catering to women called Potter Palmer and Company which was located on Lake Street in Chicago.  He brought in partners, Field and Leiter and the company later became Marshall Field.  Potter also owned The Palmer House Hotel in Chicago.  More about Palmer Ranch in later.

When we moved to our little community within a  community, within  community – Villa D’Este – one of the first people we met were our neighbors, Cindy and Don Goodrich.  They came over to introduce themselves, we invited them in for drinks and ever since we have had just a terrific relationship with them.  They are residents of Florida now, but have yet to close the deal on the sale of their home in the Chicago suburbs, thus the going way and good luck celebration in a little french dinner party.

We had eight guests – what we call the “Circle of Friends” and some of the most fun people you can imagine – and one is even a retired neurosurgeon!  The conversation is always lively, with many laughs – we learn something new  and always funny from Jimmy Connell each time we are with him; with Pat Ryan making sure he keeps somewhat in order, and we depend on Cathy Connell to grace the table with her lovely manner.  Don and Cindy are the perfect honorees – they are so gracious – and Dr. Ron Cooper gets to evaluate all of us – I’m sure he thinks we all need help!  Ron’s lovely wife Cheryl was being a good grandmamma and was off in Seattle taking care of the kiddies while son and daughter-in-law were on vacation –  we missed you Cheryl!

I decided to cook french – my favorite cuisine.  No offense to anyone, but even though we lived in Austin, Texas, I don’t think I will ever be a fan of Tex-Mex.  There is something about a very spice plate slathered with those gushy beans…….  I guess I like pretty plates with gentle tastes.

The menu(with the approval of the guests of honor) was Kir Royal, Vichyssoise paired with Sancerre, Coquille St. Jacques paired with Sauvignon Blanc, St. Angel, Brie and Manchengo cheeses and salad paired with Riesling, and  Chocolate Mousse paired with Sauterne.

Please know that we had never served a dinner with a wine for each course, and when Doug and I discussed the dinner, the next day over coffee, we both agreed that we loved it – and agreed too, we could have served a smaller pour of wine at each course.  Our intention was a long, leisurely meal,  in the French style, but we found because of the heavy pour, people were not finished with their wine when the next course was ready to be served.  Less is more really applies here!  By the way, you do not need a fresh glass if you pour all white wine – just make sure the glass is empty before you pour a different one.   We did use different glasses for the Kir Royale and for the Sauterne – different sizes and shapes.

Vichyssoise is a pleasure to make and I use a recipe that is classic but not Julia Child’s.  She uses water instead of chicken stock and I think the stock really makes a difference.  I also add, along with the heavy cream, a bit of creme fraiche.  I like the little bit of tang that it brings.  I make this soup a day or two before serving – much better when the flavors really set in.  And I put my soup dishes in the freezer – this course needs to be very cold when served.  Finely chopped fresh chives sprinkled in the center of the soup after plated is the perfect finish.   Sancerre was perfect – everyone commented that they loved it, so first round was a success!

The Coquilles were a make ahead too – an Ina Garten recipe that is incredibly easy – sautéed cremini mushrooms (with diced onion) mixed with a cream and seafood stock, poured over sea scallops (we bought them from our favorite seafood store – Walt’s) and they were perfect.  Then the mixture is topped with home-made bread crumbs and grated Gruyère and a bit of olive oil.  My only mistake was not in the prep but in the size of the ramekins.  I chose the right capacity, but the shape could have been wider and shorter rather than taller and smaller!  Next time I will know!  Still, served only with asparagus, a nice main course and the Sauvignon blanc was a good pair.

I love the idea of a cheese course  – it gives everyone more time to talk and digest before dessert.  We served Saint Angel (a beautifully textured triple creme that is incredibly smooth; a brie which was from a log-shape instead of a wheel, which made it very easy to cut into individual pieces; and, a Manchego from Spain.  Yes, the Manchego is not a french cheese, but made in the town of Don Quixote came from in Spain, so I thought it would work.  In addition it was a gift of several cheese I received from my dear friend Ellen Fine – sent all the way from Murray’s Cheese in New York!  The salad was dandoline leaves with a typical french vinaigrette.  We served a Riesling with this course and I thought it was wonderful – light, not too sweet but crispy.

The finale was Chocolate Mousse, a dessert I love to make.  There are many different recipes, but I like the truly traditional – egg yolks beaten in a bowl over simmering water, the semisweet chocolate whisked and melted into the yolk mixture followed by whipped stiff, sweetened egg whites being folded in and lastly whipped cream folded in.  The chocolate I used was Guittard semisweet which has a very high cacao percentage.  I thought using the best chocolates with the highest cacao would make the best mousse, but I learned something.  It made a great mousse but a one thicker almost like soft fudge.  I like a very velvety mousse so next time I will use a good chocolate with less cacao.  Again, less is more.  Still a delicious dessert and paired with sauterne it was a great hit!

I really love the preparation from the shopping for ingredients , to the actual cooking, to the table setting and the plating.  But the best is to watch the consumption – to see your guests’ pleasure enhances your own pleasure of preparing and presenting the dinner.

Although I intended to take a picture of each course, I was too immersed in the preparation and plating to remember so I have only the vichy and the cheese/salad to share with you.  I love using white and cream for a table setting – and choose the low centerpiece to be the offset.  A little purple flower sold at Fresh Market that was like a tiny Queen Ann’s Lace.  In other words a weed!  It was set in a wonderful elongated glass bar with holes in the top – a gift from another New York friend, Judy Daniel Kearns.  I wish Judy, her husband Jim, and Ellen could have been with us – they certainly would have contributed to the joy of the evening.  I miss them!

Till next time

E