Let the Games Begin

The first fantasie foodie is upon us. As the deadline nears, B & I are formulating our menus and the competition is heating up. A recap: B has to fuse Vietnamese and French and I am fusing Greek and Spanish. Given my regions, I have struggled with creating a menu that truely appears to "fuse." In contrast, B hates the competition and is approaching it with - well procrastination. However, with her knowledge of Asian cuisine and her fantastic ability to cook, I have no doubt that she will pull it off! So what is on the menu? Here is a preview:

Appetizer

Saffron-Infused Empanada with Spinach and Three Cheeses

Coquille St. Hanoi

Entrée

Grilled Rack of Lamb with Gazpacho Chopped Salad

Cha Cha La Vong

Dessert

Crema Catalana Foam with Orange Honey Syrup

Steamed Grand Marnier Crème Caramel

Yes - the recipes will follow after the dinner . . . B threw me for a ringer when she announced that she was making a flan - I asked her, "How? Flan is soooo Spanish." She proceeded to read an excerpt, which explained that flan is steamed in Vietnam because very few homes have ovens. What could I say? I thank her now - a flan with Greek influence would have been very easy - I had to think beyond the cuisine that I associated with Spain and Greece. I was thrilled when I came across the Crema Catalana Foam in which I will infuse Greek flavor. It can only be described as Sexy!

With dishes bought, B is blowing (yes - B is a glassblower) two carafes for the blind wine tasting. It should be fun - one of the guest voters likes "expensive wines." Let's see if she can tell the difference . . . P.S. we have recruited a great connoisseur of wines who loves the idea of pitting a cheap wine against an expensive wine! We have people.