Zakushka Party Finale

I did my best. However, I'm sad to say there are no actual pictures of the party itself which was a great success. I was doing a pretty good job of getting some pictures during the final day of cooking - the day of the party. But then as we came down to the last two hours of plating everything and setting up for the actual event, it just got chaotic. Then E, a friend of Cabinet Lady and Dr. Debbie, said we needed to try the vodka just before the guests arrived, well that pretty much ended picture taking.

What, I didn't tell you about the vodka? In traditional old Russia Zakushka (and modern Russia too for all I know), vodka was the traditional drink, the idea being to counterpoint a bite of food with a shot of vodka as you went around the Zakushka table. That being said, CL and DD had made their own flavored vodkas - orange, raspberry, pepper, and vanilla. Forget anything that you've bought in the way of flavored spirits. These were MUCH better. We were concerned that most people today would not drink straight spirits and would want wine or beer or something mixed. Not the case. If not taking shots per bite, at least having vodka with you as you ate and communed with the other guests was the theme of the evening.

OK, the last pictures.

Wait - another comment - Wife gets no credit for all the work she does in the cooking OR the fact that she is getting more and more into the choices and creativity of the cooking itself. I need to figure out a way to change that.

Wife preparing the flavoring for Noodle and Spinach Kugel

Kugels almost done without their bread crumb and cheese topping.

Wife made three kinds of home made bread - these pan loaves, some braided loaves, and an unleavened Central Asian onion flat bread (really good).

Wife also made these tomato tarts - kind of a pizza like thing with a pastry crust - I made that :) - pre-baked, filled with cheese, fresh basil, and fresh tomatoes. It was a hit.

This is the 'in the middle' scene of making tuna rolled in roasted peppers. Unfortunately the finale never made it to photo. It was imported canned tuna, flavored with chopped oil cured olives, garlic, parsley, and lemon juice like a kind of tuna fish salad put into roasted peppers, rolled and cut into pieces like a sushi. Another hit.

My home made gravlax came out great and was very popular. I didn't know if I was going to be able to cut it as thin as necessary. But I found a knife I don't use much, got it real sharp, and had no problems. Cutting scene below.

Pate uncovered and out of the pan. It came out great as well.

The Team just before our pre-guest vodka shots
Dr. Debbie, Cabinet Lady, E, and Wife

A shot of the 'cold buffet'
Pretty much all picture taking stopped after this so sorry but no picture of the 'hot buffet'.

But I did get this one picture of CL and DD's Charlotte Russe dessert - another winner

When your guests arrive and immediately dive in and start eating and drinking, you know that you've done well :)