Enjoying Sunday Like The French

Or at least like the French use to do (not sure how things are today). When I studied in France, Sunday was a day for relaxing and eating. It would not be uncommon for the family to pack up and go somewhere just for a long leisurely lunch at a restaurant. And certainly a big meal was served in the early afternoon at home.

So Wife and I invited our compatriots in activities gastronomique, Wild Bill and Jill, Gaius Derf and Agent W, to join us for an afternoon dedicated to eating, drinking, and companionship. They got to our place around 1:30 and everyone left around 7:30.

Our Menu

Gimlets with assorted Hors d'Oeuvres

Charcutrie (cured meats) w/New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Oregon Gruner Veltner

Pork Shoulder slow roasted over the fire with White Beans w/Oregon Pinot Noir

Cake and Fresh Berries w/New Mexico Kir Royale (sparkling wine with cassis flavoring)

A Pictographic History

I started the beans the day before with ham hock, pancetta, onions and carrots

Beans after cooking

I took some of the beans and pureed them with garlic and basil then heated the rest of the beans in them.


The final result

I made a coating for my meat from sage and rosemary from the garden pureed with garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil

I cut slits in the meat and put the flavoring in and all over the meat.

Then onto a slow grill, indirect heat, around 300 degrees (a lot of managing of the coals) for around 6 hours. It was a 6 pound roast.

Meat off the grill

Meanwhile Wife is working on 18 hour bread

Dough she started the night before

Loaves resting

Finished bread

AND NOW THE EVENT

Place settings - check

Agent W pouring the drinks

Cheese, olives, goat cheese on crackers to go with the drinks

Enjoying the charcutrie course which had two kinds of cured sausage, proscutto, spiced ham, pate, home cured onions, and pickles

The roast and beans ready to be served

A divine light pervades our get together

Jill's exquisite Julia Child inspired cake

It was a great afternoon.