Ringing in the new year in STYLE

Rick flexed his culinary muscles last night and created a 5 course amazing meal for ourselves and another couple.  The meal took 5 hours and incorporated matched cocktails/beer with each course as well. 
Many thanks to our dinner guests for stepping up to the challenge and coming out with a book full of proper pairings and information about the drinks they matched with each course.  Mixed drinks for Michelle and I, beers for Lonnie and Rick.  They did their homework, and they did it very well!!

Inspired by a visit to Sydneys in the fall, it was so much good food and good company.  Here's the night's fares course by course:
To begin, we had a Stuffed Baked Potato Soup with a selection of garnish including crispy prosciutto, crumbled asiago, roasted red peppers, and caramelized onions. Flavourful and texture-rich, this soup gave the choice of what lovely toppings to add...such a great start! 
It was paired with a "Dreamer Special" cocktail (Vodka, raspberry liquor, peach schnapps and juices) and a Schwarzer Abt Fruit beer.  Mmmmm.

Course two was a tasty and light Tomato and Goat Cheese salad with Basil Vinaigrette.  The little coins of goat cheese were soft and creamy, the dressing flavourful and complicated.  The salad was topped with red onion and toasted sliced almonds.
Paired with it was a tasty Sangria with apples, oranges, raspberries, grapes and blackberries.  (I still have some in my fridge for later!!!) The fellas had a Dark Island Scottish Ale.  (no pic) So good.

Course three was the show-stopper.  The Amuse Bouche (appetizer) featured a trio of; Salmon, Scallop and shrimp Neptune with champagne sabayon, Stuffed Pasta on fresh marinara, and Crispy Cheese Toast with Cashew Pesto.

Wow.  The Salmon had a crisp finish while falling-apart tender, the pasta a spicy finish, and the breaded old cheddar was done crispy on a garlic toasted baguette.

Paired with this course was a Lime Margarita (I had two) and Broeder Jacob Bruin dark beer (no pic).

I could have stopped there, I was so full!   Yet to come, however, was the main course. Featured was Chicken en Papillote with Julienne Vegetables and Rice Pilaf.  Steamed in parchment paper, the carrots, celery root, parsnips and leeks were so tender and chicken very flavourful! 

Paired with this part of the meal was a very tasty pink, girly Mai Tai and a Skull Splitter heavy beer for the guys.

The dessert course, served at about 1:00 in the morning, was a triumph of chocolate.  A Dessert Trio Chocolate Fondue; Amaretto Milk Chocolate, Grand Marnier Dark Chocolate, and Mocha Kahlua Chocolate with a selection of dip-able sweets. The selection of treats to dip consisted of marshmallows, pretzels, fresh fruit, cookies, macaroons, and brownies. The only thing that would have made it better would be for me to be able to eat more!

My favorite part was the garnish choice for after dipping in chocolate.  :)  You dip the chosen item in the chocolate flavour of your choice, then you can coat the chocolate in skor bits, crushed cashews or toasted coconut.  Pictured below is a marshmallow dipped in Amaretto Milk Chocolate, then coated in toasted coconut.  It was amazing!  As I said, I just wish I could have eaten more. 

So, as the fifth course came about, there was a distinct lack of cutlery and choices for forks was limited.  Lonnie chose wisely for the fondue:

A wonderful warm cocktail was to be served with this, but another drink at this time was just not possible.  It will be saved for another gathering, as will the games we planned to play!  Great classic 80s/90s music videos finished off the evening.  Never before have I eaten and drank for 5 hours straight, and it was an experience I'll not soon forget.  Waking up after 7 hours sleep, I was still full! 

Off to finish another load of dishes...

the dishwasher will run no less than 5 times today catching up on it all. 

All worth it.  Happy New Year!